Totalbeauty.com: 7 Worst Self-Tanners for Summer

7 Worst Self-Tanners for Summer

Readers would rather be pasty than use these self-tanners that leave skin streaky and Snooki-orange

This is a TotalBeauty.com tanning article While self-tanners are the safest way to get a faux-tan, our readers discovered that not all self-tanners are created equal. Make sure to avoid these seven worst self-tanners. Get products

No. 7: Banana Boat EveryDay Glow SunDial Face Self-Tanning Lotion -- All Skin Tones, $9.99

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 7.1

"This is nasty. It reeks of chemicals, it has no accuracy whatsoever on the dial, and it takes MANY applications to work."

No. 6: L'Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Luminous Bronzer, $8.97

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 6.9

"This product resulted in a streaky mess in my hands … I rubbed and rubbed and rubbed and still could not get it to look uniform."

No. 5: Jergens Natural Glow Healthy Complexion Daily Facial Moisturizer, $8.99

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 6.9

"It took so long to dry and left my skin feeling sticky. The smell is horrible too."

Want to see what other products made the list? Click here! ¡Vivan, amen y rían!

REVISITED LOOK: Maybelline Natural Smokes Quad

A year ago I did this look using the Maybelline Natural Smokes Quad. See my original pics + a review HERE (click).  I really love this Quad and thought of posting some new pics, this time with my relatively new short hairstyle... These pics were taken today.

++Click on all pics for enlarged version++

A year ago:

Today:

(...yes, that's my shirt black strap...)

       

 

FACE

L'OREAL Dermo-Expertise Futur*E Moisturizer SPF 15

ESTÉE LAUDER Double Wear Light Makeup (Int. #3) mixed with AVON Extra Lasting Liquid Foundation SPF 12 in Soft Honey

EVE PEARL Salmon Concealer in Tan

BENEFIT Powderflage Concealer (to set concealer in the under eye area and sides of my nose)

MAC Set Powder in Invisible
MAC Powder Blush in Emote (to contour the sides of my cheeks)

MAC Powder Blush in Sunbasque

EYES

UDPP
MAYBELLINE Stylish Smokes Quad in Natural Smokes (applied as directed on packaging; darker shade as eyeliner)
RIMMEL Volume Accelerator Mascara in Extreme Black (nice product)
MAYBELLINE Define-A-Brow Pencil in Dark Brown

LIPS

SALLY HANSEN Healing Butter  for Lips

ESTEE LAUDER Pure Color Gloss Stick in Nude Almond

REVLON Matte L/S in 008-Cocoa Craving







¡Vivan, amen y rían!

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 and NYX Circe L/S Comparison

++  PLEASE NOTE: This is not a 'versus' blog post; it's just to show you guys how similar  these two lippies are. Boths have their pros and cons. I really like the MAC's Viva Glam program  since all the money goes to the MAC Aids Fund, so the money we all spent on these products are totally worth it...plus the l/s and l/g are awesome quality ;)  ++

MAC's Viva Glam Gaga 2 and NYX Circe L/S: 
Can you tell one from the other in the pics below?

Well, can you?

Totalbeauty.com: Kim Kardashian's "Regal" Makeup -- Love It?

I think her makeup was just right, really beautiful.

Kim Kardashian's "Regal" Makeup -- Love It?

Did you love or hate Kim K's smoky wedding makeup? Weigh in now.

This is a TotalBeauty.com wedding makeup article With all the comparisons between the reality star's wedding and the royal one in the UK, the question must be asked: Did you think her wedding makeup was "regal"? See Kim K's other makeup looks and tell us which one's your favorite. See looks

¡Vivan, amen y rían!

Review+Swatches: Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV Foundation SPF 20

NAME: Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV Foundation SPF 20

PRICE:  $59 USD

DESCRIPTION: As per GA's website..."Starlight proof, spotlight proof,… in a new liquid silk texture.
A high resistance make-up that is extremely watery and fresh, giving a luminous semi-mat finish that lasts and lasts. The new coverage effect without coverage feel.

Lasting Silk UV is conceived for a woman with a contemporary approach to all day lasting weightless color and semi-mat perfection without color weight and feel. Its fluid, innovative texture has been achieved through the deconstruction of a classic foundation and the reinvention of a unique composition of highly selective ingredients that improve makeup hold yet procure an intense fresh, watery silk sensation and luminous matt finish – the new lasting Armani touch.

The secret of Lasting Silk lies in a special high tech Microfil TM fine milling process that combines water essence, micronised optical effect particles high tech fitting silk and micro blend luminous pigments. These components morph into a barely perceivable seamless silk veil of infallible semi mat color that dresses the skin’s contours to perfection."
Phew! Wow. So many claims and explanations...guess it has to do with the high tag.

SHADE I BOUGHT: 6.5 Tawny

COVERAGE:  Light to Medium (by layering)

FINISH: Satin, dewy

MY EXPERIENCE WITH IT: Since this is the priciest foundation I've bought --ever--, I decided to wait for a few months to make this review. I bought it from the Giorgio Armani website back in December, 2010 (okay, it was more than a few months...lol).  So:

• The shade 6.5 is great for NC 37 skin, could be used for NC 40 with a bit of bronzer. That's one of the downsides of this product: not many shades available (8 only?).
• Very light texture and feeling, which is great.
• It's texture is very watery indeed. It is water based after all. I pour it on my stainless steel palette and prefer to apply it with my MAC 187. Using a sponge with this would cause to waste too much product, no matter if it is damped.
• Since it provides light to medium (at most) coverage --at least on me-- I need to use concealer to cover most of the dark/brown spots on my face. But I guess on ladies with better skin than mine, it would look really nice.
• It settles into my pores and lines! Ugh! It doesn't matter if I wear primer or not (I have used many types of primer--what works best for me is applying a light layer of MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder first, then the foundation. 
• On my combinaton skin (oily T-zone, normal skin on cheeks) it looks great the first couple of hours but it does not lasts. I had to use blotting paper like crazy and still it starts moving all around my face--hate that. 
• As mentioned, my skin gets super oily a few hrs after applying it. I don't get it, it does has alcohol in its first 5 ingredients. Maybe it's because of all of the '##-cones?
• So of course, I don't get the 14 hrs (I get 6 hrs at most) and it does transfer. 6hrs at most.
• Not good for flash photography. It does has a combination of chemical and mineral sunscreens.

I guess I'm one of the few that doesn't like this foundation and of course, I won't repurchase. It just does not live up to its claims, I have to use many other products to make it last longer. This product is average at most and for the $59 tag, hell, I go to the drugstore and buy something cheaper that offers better results.

RATING: 2.5/5 (I would've given it a 3 but being that it is so pricey...)

++Note: all pics were taken a few months ago++

Under 'Daylight' fluorescent lighting, no flash

No foundation/With foundation

  

Flash photography

No foundation/With foundation

Flash Photography; after applying setting powder (Maybelline) and bronzer (NARS);

NO Concealer was applied

A look I did months ago for work

 (No flash/Flash)

Products used

FACE

MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder
Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk Foundation in 6.5-Tawny
EL Double Wear Concealer in Medium
MAYBELLINE Dream Matte Powder in Beige Medium (applied with a cosmetic puff)
NARS Laguna Bronzer
MAC Powder Blush in Margin

EYES

TFSI
REVLON PhotoReady Translucent Finishing Powder --from lash line to brows
ELIZABETH ARDEN Color Intrigue E/S in Sparkle
MAYBELLINE Lash Stiletto Ultimate Length Waterproof Mascara in Very Black
MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Stud



LIPS
Sally Hansen Healing Butter for Lips

¡Vivan, amen y rían!

Review: Bio-Oil

I remember I bought this little bottle of Bio-Oil ($9-12 USD for 2 fl.oz.) months ago because I felt my body lotion  (Walmart's version of Lubriderm?) wasn't providing enough moisture to my skin. I always apply lotion after bathing, it feels so good.

Anyway, when I bought this product I knew right away I wouldn't use it on my face because its main ingredient is mineral oil. This type of oil has had clogged my pores and caused awful breakouts b4. That's has been my experience--on my face (Note: I've had use other products containing mineral oil on my face, like powders, but the % of mineral oil in those products is super small compared to this).

On the rest of my body the story is totally different. I really like it. I wouldn't use it alone because it would be a total mess. I mix it with my body lotion. Totally like it that way because it would not also stain my clothes. The oil per se is not the type of super greasy oil, Bio-Oil says that's because of the Pure-Cellin ingredient (what??), but is oil nonetheless. The bottle and it's dispenser are okay, but no matter how tight I close it, there is oil on my counter everyday. I even had to check if the bottle was broken: it wasn't. When traveling, this has to go inside a ziploc bag.

After months of using it, the only thing I can say is that it works great with my lotion in terms of retaining the moisture in my skin. Stretch marks are still there, I honestly didn't expect for them to dissapear but they do feel way better. I did wanted to see how this oil could help my dehydrated skin. It did at some level, but I'm not completely satisfied. And yes, I know I'm mixing it with a lotion, but I first tried it alone, just the oil over my damp skin. No. About the other things this oil claim to do...well, I hadn't notice any difference but that could be, again, because I use it with another product.

Would I buy this product again? Probably, but not for the moment; I just finished the little bottle (believe me, it lasts a long time) and decided to give Josie Maran's Argan Oil a chance instead...we'll see.

RATING: 3.5/5 (It does provide a good moisture barrier; price is a bit high for the amount of product provided and for what it claims to do and really does as per my experience).

INGREDIENTS (AS PER BIO-OIL WEBSITE):

Botanicals:  Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract (Calendula Oil), Lavandula Angustifolia Oil (Lavender Oil), Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil (Rosemary Oil), Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil (Chamomile Oil)

Vitamins: Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) 

Oil base:  Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum), Triisononanoin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Isopropyl Myristate, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, BHT, Bisabolol

Fragrance(Rose): Alpha-Isomethyl, Ionone, Amyl,Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Hydroxyisohexyl3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Linalool 

Colour (Orange/Pink): Red 17 (CI 26100) and/or CI 60725

Hope you find this review helpful and that you're having a great weekend.


¡Vivan, amen y rían!

Totalbeauty.com: 10 Makeup Looks You Can Do in Minutes

10 Makeup Looks You Can Do in Minutes

Copy celebrity looks with the time it takes to make your bed every morning -- we swear.

This is a TotalBeauty.com makeup article We all want to look good, but there just aren't enough hours in the day to be camped out in front of the mirror, making sure your cat-eye is just right. So, to help speed things along, we went to the pros to find out how to best accentuate what you've got in less than five minutes. Get how-tos

¡Vivan, amen y rían!

Look: MAC Lucky Green E/S

A couple of months ago I bought this from the MAC website. Click HERE for swatches (Temptalia.com). I didn't got the one from the Fashion Flower collection, I bought it from the permanent range.  I love this shade of green. It's a metallic bright yellow green that to me says, almost shouting, 'Hello Color!'. A fun, happy shade.


Please note: This look was done weeks ago, before I cut my hair and my family vacation.

(L) No flash; (R) W/ flash

 

Products used:

FACE

+MURAD Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 -- great primer/moisturizer for combo/oily skin, specially in summertime.

+LANCOME Teint Idole Ultra Foundation in Bisque 6(W) -- OMG, this is an amazing foundation, one of the best I've tried in a long time; excellent match for NC 37-40 skin.

+EVE PEARL Salmon Concelaer in Tan -- awesome stuff 

+MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer in NC 35 to cover dark spots and 'illuminate' the plane of my cheeks just a bit

+Benefit Powderflage Concealer (under eye area)
+NARS Laguna Bronzer

+L'oreal Translucide Naturally Luminous Loose Powder in Medium mixed with MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder (loose)

EYES

+UDPP

+REVLON PhotoReady Translucent Finisher from upper lash line up to under the brows

+MAC E/S (in order of application): Wedge (crease), Lucky Green (eyelid up to crease), Blank Type (hightlight)

+UD 24/7 Eyeliner in Zero

+L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara in Blackest Black

+MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Stud (blended with a spoolie brush)

LIPS

+Sally Hansen Healing Butter for Lips

+REVLON Shiny Sheers L/S in Peachy Sheen (discontinued -- check Ebay)

+MAC Hello Kitty L/G in Nice to be Nice (LE)




¡Vivan, amen y rían!

Review: NARS Dolce Vita L/S and Turkish Delight L/G (+ Swatches!)

A few weeks ago I received my order from NARS (one of my favorite brands) and I'm absolutely delighted. I've been testing many of the products and really like them. Below is a pic of the stuff I ordered.

NARS Sheer Lipstick in Dolce Vita ($24 USD for 0.12 oz)
What can I say about the Dolce Vita L/S? It has become my favorite! And that's not something I say about many products. In fact, I stopped referring to products as "Holy Grail" or things like that--not that I have done it many times. It's hard for me to say something is HG material and then the next day something better comes up...lol.

NARS describes it as a 'sheer dusty rose'. The ingredients includes vitamine E and some other good-for-the-skin oils. The color this l/s provide on my pigmented lips is just right, the type of MLBB lipstick but with a rose tint (my lips are naturally more rosy brown than rose). It wears decently (would love to get a bit more of wear time, but it is a sheer l/s after all) and I like that it does not feels dry or looks weird when it's fading. Price maybe a bit high, but to me, totally worth it. I do think this shade may work for every skintone. Would I buy again? Yes!


Rating: 4.5/5

 NARS Dolce Vita L/S

 

 Top: Bare Lips; Bottom: NARS Dolce Vita L/S

NARS Lipgloss in Turkish Delight ($24 USD for 0.28 oz)
This is one of NARS classics and yes, you may have heard it is one of Kim K's favorite (I really don't know if it stills is). At first I was afraid it would be too light for me but if it worked for Ms. Kardashian, it had to work for me -- at least that was my reasoning for buying it. o_O  LOL.

The shade is beautiful light cool pink and it works perfectly with smoky eyes.  NARS says it's a 'pink sherbet' shade. I have to disagree --I looks more pale than that on my lips. It works nice with my complexion (MAC NC 37-40 skin). The only thing is that on pigmented lips (mine are more pigmented in the borders) I'd recommend wearing a base or lip pencil first, because if not it will just disappear upon application. I mean, it looks nice on non-flash photography (like the pics below) but whenever I take flash photos, you can barely see it.  Where this l/g excels is in the formula. Love it. Very hydrating and personally I don't find it very 'sticky'. The price tag is a bit high, though you get a decent amount of product. I'm not sure I'd buy it again because I think there are nice dupes in the drugstore. Nonetheless, it's a lovely shade.


Rating: 4/5

   

 Top: Bare Lips; Bottom: NARS Turkish Delight L/G

¡Vivan, amen y rían!