Tag Archives: beauty

Brow Tutorial

January 29, 2014Fashion & BeautyAnastasia, beauty, beauty expert, beauty products, beauty salon, beauty tutorial, brow expert, brow shaping, brow tutorial, brows, eyebrows, Lucky, Lucy R. BrowsAlicia

A recent visit to brow expert Lucy R. confirmed what I’d suspected for some time now: Not only are my eyebrows disproportionately shaped; they’re also not even on the same level. They share completely separate longitudinal coordinates. If my eyebrows were trains featured in a math problem about intersection, they’d just run perpetually parallel past each other while waving goodbye. Which is why I’m now in what Lucy lovingly calls “brow rehab,” hoping to fix this issue once and for all. But until then, as my brows are slowly grown in and guided back to where they once were, I’ll be faking the perfect shape with the help of a few tools. Read on for an easy step-by-step tutorial on how to properly fill in your brows.

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Beyonce Wavy Bob Tutorial

January 27, 2014Fashion & Beautybeauty, beauty expert, Beyonce, celebrities, celebrity, celebrity stylist, Grammys, Hair Tutorial, Kim Kimble, Lucky, Pantene, red carpet, redcarpet, style, wantthathairAlicia

God bless Beyonce for making naturally wavy hair so damn cool. Her gorgeous Grammy ‘do was simple, casual, and yet so incredibly chic. This means I may actually skip a keratin treatment in the next couple of months and try to flaunt my Cuban curls for a while. If you are one of my tribe with the hair you’ve been trying to straighten against its will for years, give your tresses a break and follow this easy tutorial by Bey’s stylist Kim Kimble (@kimblehaircare) to replicate the carefree wavy bob.

GET THAT BOB:

1) For a show-stopping wet, sexy look inspired by the 1920’s, start with clean, wet hair.

2) Next, work the Pantene Pro-V Curly No Crunch Curls Whip into hair from root to tip to define frizz-free curls. Then brush through with a paddle brush to create soft, piece-y waves, and scrunch hair to help keep its definition.

3) Spritz the Pantene Advanced+ Keratin Repair KeraGloss Oil Mist to add brilliant shine.

4) To go from sexy to modern ‘20s chic, dry hair with a diffuser. Point the diffuser toward your crown to keep hair smooth at the root and use underneath at the ends of hair to achieve volume.

5) Continue to scrunch hair until dry for added body. Use a 1/2 inch flat iron and wrap small pieces of hair around it to create additional soft waves, similar to a curling wand, to create a few additional waves.

6) Tame flyaways at the roots of hair by using the Pantene Pro-V Stylers Shaping Hairspray. It’s important this style looks messy and flawless, so a small amount of product at the crown is all you need.

7) Finish off the look with the Pantene Advanced+ Keratin Repair KeraGloss Oil Mist for shiny, effortless waves.

Image used with permission. Photo courtesy of P&G/Getty Images.

Better Skin from Within: Relax Spa

January 19, 2014Fashion & Beautybeauty, health, JetPeel Hydra-Infusion Facial, Relax Spa, skincare, spa, things to do in miamiAlicia

“Our skin is a direct reflection of what we put into our bodies. What we eat, what we drink, everything we consume shows up on the surface,” explains Alberto, founder of Relax Spa and my esthetician for the day, as he describes the way in which the JetPeel Hydra-Infusion facial works from deep within the skin to remove impurities and provide rejuvenating results on the surface. He likens it to pressure-cleaning for your face and I nod emphatically, immediately regretting my breakfast burrito and wondering how deep he’s going to have to dig to eliminate months of speed-mom drive-thru breakfasts.

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My Favorite Items from Lucky FABB

November 13, 2013Fashion & Beauty, Shopping & Dealsaccessories, beauty, Beauty Bloggers, beauty products, Bliss, Charming Charlie, Deux Lux, dry shampoo, fashion, fashion bloggers, gift guide, hair accessories, hair ties, jewelry, Julep, Julie Vos, Loccitane, Lucky, Lucky FABB, Lucky magazine, Paul Mitchell, Pinch, Prima Donna, Qi New York, Thursday Friday, TwistbandAlicia

Alright, so it’s been a few weeks since New York and Lucky FABB. And while part of the reason it’s taken me so long to get on here and post this update is that motherhood is damn tough when your husband, baby AND Pomeranian are all sick with different things at the same time (not even kidding – wish I was), it’s also partly because there was one very large carry-on sized tote full of beauty products that came home with me and has taken up permanent residence in a corner outside my closet because I am not entirely sure where to stash it all yet. (Maybe a giveaway…? Stay tuned!) In any case, I was finally able to dig through that sucker and pull out my absolute favorite items. Most of these are really affordable, but read through or click for sales and special discounts you can use to get your own. Hope you like these as much as I do. I’ve been using most of them almost daily since I made it back home.

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Outfit Post: Date Night

September 5, 2013Fashion & Beautyaccessories, Amorium Jewelry, beauty, beer, clutch, Deux Lux, floral print dress, Forever 21, handbags, Lucky, MAC Ruby Woo, Makeup, miami fashion, outfit of the day, outfit post, skull ring, studded belt, tassel, Travel & Miami, trendsAlicia

Date nights took on a very special meaning when Lucy was born. Personally, I had no idea what to expect in terms of managing our personal time with a baby in our lives. So the fact that we have amazing family members who will watch her while we go out and enjoy some time as Mr. and Mrs. is incredibly precious – and exactly what we need at the end of a long week of changing diapers. Last weekend, we grabbed a couple of drinks at DRB before catching the Bruno Mars concert (major husband brownie points). Seeing as to how I’m a wife and mom now, I went for a Betty Draper meets Wednesday Adams feel. No sense in losing one’s identity, after all…

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Sisley Eye Cream Sample at Saks

August 21, 2013Fashion & Beautybeauty, Saks Fifth Avenue, samples, Sisley, Sisley La Nuit, Sisley Supremya Eye CreamAlicia

Though I’m incredibly grateful and happy to report that Lucy has been sleeping through the night for the past few weeks, I can still certainly empathize with all moms on the fact that caring for a baby is pretty exhausting full-time work. The kind of work that still requires naps and really great eye cream to help with the inevitable circles and baggage that have taken up residence on my face. Thankfully, the good people at Saks Fifth Avenue allowed me to sample the new Sisley Supremya La Nuit Eye Serum for the past couple of weeks. And I’ve gotta say, I’m pretty impressed.

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Bad Brow Bandits

June 5, 2013Fashion & BeautyAnastasia, beauty, brows, eyebrows, Lucky, Makeup, Nordstrom, stylistsAlicia

This is a rant against bad brows and the people who cause them. While I fully realize there are SEVERAL more important things I could be complaining about, being a new mom means I get about 30 seconds to make myself presentable these days and I’d rather not spend them drawing features that should already be on my face. So I request your indulgence in my lament as I currently have two skinny half moons framing my eyes, making me look like an angry Disney character every time I frown. And nobody likes an angry Mickey.

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Glossy Box vs. Birchbox

September 13, 2012Fashion & Beautybeauty, Birchbox, Glossy Box, Makeup, perfume, samplesAlicia

After a recent inquiry as to whether I should sign up for Glossy Box or Birchbox, I actually had the chance to compare them side by side after receiving them as a gift at Lucky FABB. Here are pics of what I was given so you can see for yourself and draw your own conclusions. Personally, I’m still not sure if it’s necessarily worth the monthly expense but if you have a subscription to either one (or any beauty box, for that matter), I’d love to hear what you think.

Left: Glossy Box. Right: Birchbox

Here’s a list of the exact contents in each box:

Glossy Box ($21/Month):

Figs & Rouge: Lip, Face & Body Balm (0.26 oz)
Senna Cosmetics: Mineral Eye Shadow Trio (0.14 oz)
Illamasqua: Sheer Lipgloss (0.2 oz)
Vegebom: Skin Repair Balm (3.52 oz)
Episteme: Moisturizing Cleansing Cream (4.23 oz)
Tony & Guy: Sea Salt Texturising Spray (2.5 oz)

Birchbox ($10/Month):

Bvlgari: Mon Jasmin Noir
Color Club: Custom Polish
Dr. Jart+: Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25+
Sedu: Anti-Frizz Polishing Treatment with Pure Argan Oil
Tili: Plastic Bag
Twistband: Hair Tie

Revlon Expression Experiment

July 31, 2012Fashion & Beautybeauty, beauty products, Expression Experiment, eye shadow, lipstick, Makeup, RevlonAlicia

This post brought to you by Revlon. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I think of Revlon, it takes me back to my childhood when I’d raid my mother’s makeup kit and pull out that bright red lipstick she wore everywhere (work, dinner, grocery shopping) to practice carefully putting it on my four-year-old self and then wiping it off, thinking she wouldn’t notice. It’s been a while since then – longer than I’d care to admit – but the feeling is still the same. There’s always that little bit of excitement when I walk by their makeup line, like we’re sharing some innocent little secret we both know she was aware of.

When Revlon recently offered up the chance to take part in their Expression Experiment Challenge, where they’re encouraging women to break out of their regular makeup routines and try out new, bolder colors, my inner child did a little happy dance. I received a kit containing their Colorstay nail polish and eye shadow, Photoready Eye Primer + Brightener and Perfecting Primer, a Cherry Tart Lip Butter, and that iconic Fire & Ice Lustrous Lipstick, all of which I managed to use during my recent staycation.

The results of the experiment are pictured below, but I have to confess I haven’t had this much fun playing with makeup since my toddler days. I mean, sure, I play with makeup regularly, but it’s not every day you get to paint your toes with blue nail polish for the sake of “science.”

I’m really glad I was given the chance to take this on. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, which is something I feel we women rarely do once we’ve figured out our makeup routine. I encourage you to take on the challenge yourself and post your own pics. I’d love to see what kinds of looks you come up with. Leave me a comment and let me know how it goes. Check out the Revlon Expression Experiment Facebook app for details on how to get started.

éclos Skin Care Giveaway – #EclosBeauty

May 30, 2012Fashion & Beautyapple stem cells, beauty, eclos beauty, eclos skin care, Giveaway, plant-based beauty, products, skin care, skincareAlicia

This post brought to you by éclos Skin Care. All opinions are 100% mine.

Though I’m usually loathe to being photographed sans makeup, I’ve made an exception for this post in appreciation to the good people at éclos for sending over a little kit for me to try out the nicest-smelling skincare products I’ve ever come across.

I’ve always been a bit lax with skincare because, thankfully, I’ve never really had blemishes or acne to take care of. But then I hit my thirties and realized I could no longer keep coasting – my dark circles were becoming more pronounced and there were little lines and spots I hadn’t noticed before. That basically heralded the end of what I’d hoped would be perpetually maintenance-free healthy skin – and the beginning of my quest to find the right products.

Truthfully, when this little box arrived from éclos, I had three different brands sitting in my bathroom, all sort of pulling their weight but not really doing anything to gain permanent residence. Without sounding like too much of an infomercial, once I actually tried the plant-based beauty line, I was convinced I’d keep them around for a long time.

If you’ve never heard of them before, éclos products are made with Plant Stem Cells extracted from a rare Swiss apple (Uttwiler Spätlauber), which has shown tremendous “ability to stimulate skin stem cells, encouraging aging skin to behave like younger skin.”

I gave it a chance for a week and tried: the Facial Cleanser Skin Prep, Cellular Activator Face Serum, Moisture Therapy Regenerative Eye Cream, and the Instant Radiance Facial Scrub (use once daily, every other day). Aside from loving the way it smells (I wanted to eat it), the amazing thing about these products is that they don’t feel harsh on your skin like other cleansers and exfoliators I’ve tried. As I said before, I’m not really a fan of posting makeup-free pics, but I seriously think I’m a little more glow-y in the “after” pic, and the fact that my dark circles are pretty tame here does wonders for my self-esteem. Really. I feel as though I should be splashing water on my face while really upbeat music plays in the background.

THE GIVEAWAY:

One lucky reader will get a full éclos Skin Care kit to try for themselves by completing these two really easy tasks:

1) Leave a comment on this post telling me which product you’re most excited to try

2) Like the Bubbles & Ink Facebook page if you haven’t already

See? Easy. Contest runs through Thursday at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Winner will be selected at random and announced on Friday morning. Best of luck to you all!