Summer Beauty Must-Haves

Summer may not be officially here yet, but the warm weather certainly has us feeling like it. Just like our clothing wardrobes, our beauty "wardrobes" need an update for the Summer. The dark, rich colors that enchanted us through the winter are starting to feel too heavy and overdone. It's time to make way for a lighter hand and brighter colors. Here are a few of my favorite "Summer Must-Haves" to jump start your summer beauty routine!

1. Tarte Lipsurgence in Enchanted- A light moisturizing in a bright, summery color

2. Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palatte- The perfect summer bronzer, highlighter, and blush all in one palette. Everything you could possibly need for the perfect glowy summer look

3. Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray- Keep your makeup in place through the hottest summer days with a makeup setting spray. Bonus: keep it in the fridge for an extra refreshing spray.

4. L'oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush- The perfect peachy shimmer to wear everywhere from BBQ's and the beach.

5. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner- Protect your perfect cat eye from smudges and surprise water fights with a waterproof liquid eyeliner in an easy to use pen.

Summer Style Guide #1

I don't know what the weather's like where you are, but here it's only June 10, and we're already pushing record setting highs! It's putting me in the mood for some easy summer fashion, so soak up the summer style guide, and get ready to be hot, hot, hot!

First up, hot pink lips! When the weather turns hot enough to melt your makeup, you need an easy way to add some "pow" to your look. One swipe of this bright lipstick, and you'll be ready for anything summer throws your way.

Jewelry is another great summer styling trick. Layering is a great way to make your outfit look polished, and finished. But what do you do when the weather is too hot for layers of clothing? Stack on the jewelry! Chloe + Isabel has some summer brights, and classic styles that are sure to make every outfit a winner! Shop these looks at my boutique: www.chloeandisabel.com/boutique/sarahvanbenschoten

Look Better Without Makeup- In 1 Easy Step!

If you're anything like me you look in the mirror each morning and wish that you were just a little more naturally beautiful, so that you wouldn't have to spend quite so long in the mirror each morning, getting your face ready to present to the world. I present to you an easy 1-step solution that will cut down on the amount of concealer and foundation you use. What is this magic potion you ask? Self-tanner! Before you run away cringing at the thought of orange streaks, hear me out. Self-tanner can even skin tone (that what the foundation is for) and brings a little color and glow to the skin (blush/bronzer).

So how do you apply the self-tanner without ending up orange skinned like Snooki?

First, use your natural skin tone as a guide. You fair-skinned beauties don't want to buy a super-dark tanner, it'll look unnatural (and probably orange). By the same token, those of us with darker skin tones won't see any effect from the light-toned tanners. Then, judge how "tan" you'd like to end up looking to select a formula. If you simply want a hint of color and even skin tone, choose a lotion with bronzer in it (Bonus! 2-in-1!) If you'd rather look like you just got back from a tropical location, you'll probably need to choose a straight-up tanning formula. Within that there are tons of application methods, from airbrush sprays, to wipes, to good old-fashioned gels and cremes. Choose one that suits your skill level and lifestyle.

When it comes to application, start with clean, exfoliated skin. If you're using a spray, mist evenly over your body (note: you'll have to spray into your hands and rub it on your face). If you're using a gel or creme make sure to blend well, and steer clear of knees, elbows, etc. WASH YOUR HANDS WELL AFTERWARD! Orange palms are a sure giveaway of self-tanner. If you're really worried about it, wear gloves.

A couple of notes:
- You will probably need to maintain your face a bit more than the rest of your body, since we wash/ exfoliate/etc. more often.
- Made a mistake and end up with an orange patch or streaks? Don't worry, use a bit of whitening toothpaste to wash the area, and voila! problem solved.

TRESemmé® Color Revitalize Review

I received TRESemmé® Color Revitalize shampoo and conditioner to try as a BzzAgent. Even though I recently dyed my hair darker, and wanted to keep it from fading, I was hesitant to use color protection hair care. My past experiences have been that color protection means sacrificing in other areas. Not so with Color Revitalize! Usually color protect shampoos are gentler (by necessity) but often at the expense of getting a good, deep clean. Color protect gives me a good clean feeling, without ever feeling harsh. I feel like it has also protected the depth and richness of my color (even with Summer quickly approaching, and the subsequent increase in time spent in the sun). The conditioner has a nice creamy texture to it, and leaves my hair feeling soft and manageable.

Overall, I recommend this system for colored hair. It works well, and the price is right!

Brighten Eyes & Enhance Eye Color- Instantly!

I received Loreal Paris Double Extend in Black Quartz (for brown eyes) for free as a BuzzAgent. I was excited to try it out because I've been reading for a while now that professional makeup artists often use a colored, sparkly mascara as an eye brightening top coat. Loreal has made this process very convenient by putting both the mascara and top coat on one tube. An added bonus is that they

coordinate the colored top coat by eye color!

As a mascara I'd give it a solid A-, it's not clumpy and it fills out lashes nicely, but it's not the best mascara I've ever used. What makes it great is the top coat- it has a nice subtle color and just a hint of sparkle. I highly doubt anyone has noticed that I'm wearing colored mascara, but I've gotten compliments on how pretty my eyes look. I really feel that it does brighten the eyes and enhance the color.

Overall I'd say go ahead and give it a try! I'm not sure if I'll purchase it when I run out,

but I definitely haven't ruled out that possibility. Go ahead and sparkle!!

Lip Service

No matter how you feel about Brad, babies, and the UN, you can't deny that you've wished for Angelina Jolie's lips. (Don't lie!) But no matter what kind of pout nature has blessed you with, here are some tips for making the most of it.

1. Lip Scrub-
A good exfoliation will remove all the dried, chapped skin, and expose the soft new skin,

 making lips appear soft and smooth.

2. Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize!

When your lips are dry and chapped, they tend to wrinkle and shrink. So lay it on thick! I absolutely love Neosporin Lip Health, it's a miracle worker. 

3. Use A Dark Lip Liner-

Please don't think I'm advocating the dark liner, pale lip look. (shudder!) The idea is to apple something a BIT darker to the corners and bottom of the lips and blend! Use your normal shade all over your lips, and then apply a touch of light shimmery gloss to the very middle of both top and bottom lips. Voila! Angie-worthy lips.

4. Lip Plumper-

For truly giant lips, especially if yours are thin, it's time to call in the big guns. A lip plumper can puff up those lips even more. But beware, the reactions to these can range from a mild tingle, to an irritating burn. However, for a special occasion this is the product you need. 

DuWop Pink Shimmer Lip Venom .12 fl oz (3.5 ml)

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Advanced Lip Plumping Serum .2 oz (6 g)

On The Bathroom Counter

It's that time again, where I just randomly rave about things that I currently have in my bathroom. Enjoy!

St. Ives Cellulite Shield Advanced Body Moisturizer-
I know, I know. It sounds too good to be true. Just moisturize your body like you always have and your cellulite will just melt away. But, being the beauty junkie that I am, I had to try it. I'm not claiming that it's the miracle product, but it does work. It firms and smooths, plus it actually does a pretty decent job of moisturizing. I may have to go back and try their targeted treatment as well, St. Ives Cellulite Shield Gel Creme.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub-
While I'm on a St. Ives tangent, I can't neglect to mention the Apricot Scrub. Some people think this is too harsh, but it really depends on how hard you scrub. I use this every morning to remove the dead skin cells before I put on my makeup. I'm pretty sure this would make it into the list of things I'd need with me on a remote island.

Neutrogena Light Night Cream-
I love everything by Neutrogena. Their products are gentle and don't clog pores. This night cream is light, and not greasy or heavy at all. Plus it's non-comedogenic. It also does the job of an intense moisturizer, so I wake up in the morning with soft, smooth skin.

Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer-
I'm pretty sure this is the greatest invention ever. It evens out skin tone, and adds a bit of color, without the hassle (or the streaking) of other self-tanners. It's so easy to use, and keeps me glowing even in the dead of winter.

Nioxin-
My hair is pretty weak to begin with (my brother got the lovely think hair), and then I go and abuse it practically every day. Needless to say, more hair ends up in my brush, and all over the bathroom than is actually on my head. I started using the whole Nioxin system a few weeks back, and I've already noticed fewer hairs are falling out. And every hair saved means my hair is just that much thicker. I'm excited to see how my hair improves in the next few months.

Sleepless Beauty

Whether you have to wake up ridiculously early to catch a flight, or you simply had too much fun the night before, losing sleep can take it's toll on your looks. Here are a few ways to maximize the few precious hours of beauty sleep you do get.

When the Alarm Clock Goes Off Too Early:

- Prepare, Prepare, Prepare the night before. Pick out an outfit, lay out any beauty items you might need, set out a healthy breakfast.

- Fixing your hair the night before will cut down on your morning routine. Wash your hair, and scrunch it a bit before sleeping on it. In the morning add some texturizing spray and leave it down in beach waves, or put it up in a messy bun. If you absolutely need straight, shiny locks, invest in a satin pillow which will minimize mussed hair as you sleep.

- Focus on a simple makeup look with glowing skin. Moisturize well (the night before and in the morning) and use a firming serum. Add some shimmery white to the inside corners of your eyes, and curl your lashes to seem more awake.

- If you have time, do a Sun Salutation (yoga) or a few jumping jacks. Even 5 minutes of exercise will get your blood flowing, helping you both look, and feel more awake.

For When You're Out Until The Wee Hours of the Morning:

- Drink tons of water. Staying hydrated all through the night will keep your skin hydrated, which will help you look rested in the morning.

- Slather on that moisturizer. If you do nothing else before you fall into bed (hopefully you wash off your makeup too), do this. Dry, tired skin (and eyes) are the biggest give away of the night before.

- Don't cake on makeup trying to hide the dark circles. It will simply collect in any fine lines, and make you look even more tired (not to mention older). Go with light, shimmery colors to brighten your face.

- If you have time in the morning put on a moisturizing or firming mask for as long as possible.

- If your hair still looks somewhat decent from the night before, work with that, rather than starting all over.

- And if all else fails, do what the celebrities do, and reach for a giant pair of dark glasses.

Quick Beauty Tips

Let's be honest. Who really has the time to dedicate to all the beauty duties we really should do every day? Part of the reason models and movie stars look so gorgeous all the time, (besides access to premiere stylists) is that it's part of their job description to set aside time to care for themselves. So where does that leave the rest of us? Here are a few quick tips for the fashionistas on the go.

Moisturize: Ideally you should have a morning and an evening moisturizer. The AM moisturizer should be light, have a bit of shimmer, and an SPF to protect you through the day. Put it on after you wash your face, and let it absorb a few minutes before applying makeup. Moisturized skin will not only look better, but it helps your foundation spread evenly and not look cakey. If you're really in a rush, try a tinted moisturizer to combine 2 steps in one. The PM moisturizer should be a bit heavier, and this is where you can add an extra benefit (such as anti-aging, or deep moisturizing)

Brighten: Use light shimmery colors on the face. Dust the cheeks with an illuminating powder, or at least a soft, shimmery pink. Use very light, sheer colors on the lids. Line the insides of the eyes with a white pencil. However you can add illumination to your face will help you look younger and more awake. A word of advice though, I said shimmer, not glitter. Big glitter flakes on your face can either make you look like a teeny-bopper, or a club-bunny. Not a good idea for a day at the office.

Brows: Make sure you've plucked any stray hairs. Put a little hairspray on your finger, and run it over the brow. This will insure that your brows will stay in place all day. Lightly fill in any bare spots. Brows frame the face, and can often make or break a look.

Lashes: Curl your lashes. It may seem like a superfluous step, but it can really open up the eye. Also take a little extra time and add a second coat. Even if you don't do anything else to your face, a set of glamorous lashes can be very sexy.

Lips: Buy a colored Chapstick. That's right, go back to Jr. High, and buy the cute bubblegum LipSmackers. It will help moisturize your lips, and add just a tiny hint of color. (I really like the Dr. Pepper one!) Plus they taste good!

A Little Something for the Redheads

To be a redhead is to have a rare beauty. However, being so rare, redhead beauty is not exactly an article that shows up in your monthly Cosmopolitan magazine. Now, I'm a brunette, but I have always wished I was born with flowing chestnut locks. I have been blessed with an extraordinary amount of redheaded friends, and I thought I'd show them a little love today.

Hair- Please, whatever you do, don't dye your hair to that fake red color. It's so pretty the way it is. You can, however, enhance the color. I recommend using John Frieda's Radiant Red line. It's a really subtle enhancement. If you really feel like your hair has faded, go to a nice salon to get your color. Cheaper red haircolors often look more maroon, and fake. Red hair also looks really nice with some subtle blonde highlights to brighten it up.

Makeup- Try a tinted moisturizer instead of foundation. It will even out your skin tone, without looking cakey, and your natural freckles can come through. Use a light concealer under your eyes, and wherever you need it. Again, go for something not too heavy. Heavy makeup is not the friend of the fair-skinned.

As far colors go, go for the most sheer, light shades you can find. You will benefit from layering on more of a light shade, rather than just dumping on a bright color. Steer clear of red undertones.

For eyeshadow, go for the colors named things like sand or bisque or warm. Go for neutrals and golds. Gold shimmers will play up the golden highlights in your hair. I have also seen a sheer pastel lavender eyeshadow look pretty. Again, the secret is starting with a light dusting and building up.

Stick with warm browns for your eyeliner and mascara, anything else will look too heavy. You may choose to go with a brown-black for special occasions, but if you're fair-skinned don't go darker than that. While most people look better with eyebrows a shade or so lighter than their hair, redheads tend to benefit from the opposite, taking the brows half a shade to a shade darker to avoid looking too washed out.

Peaches and beiges are great choices as far as blush and lip color goes (peach is a great eyeshadow too), you can even push the oranginess to a terra-cotta color. Thankfully, orange and peach tones seem to be in vouge for everyone, so it's a bit easier to find. Steer clear of blue-red lipstick tones. Redheads can pull off a bit of bronzer too, just keep it in the golden shades, and use a light hand with a big fluffy brush.

Sites I Love

There are a few sites I regularly visit to stay up on the latest trends, and to infuse my daily style with something fresh and fun. These are the top 3 that I recommend you check out:

WhoWhatWear

Takes runway trends and translates them into everyday wearable fashion. Also a few beauty tips. Just all over a fun site to browse.

Pursebuzz

This is my go to site for hair and makeup ideas. She also has a YouTube channel. Great step-by-step instructions and product reviews.

FabSugar

Celebrity style, top designer trends, and great LookBook finds! It's all your favorite things about reading a magazine on the internet. Also check out all the other Sugar sites, including BellaSugar which dishes out on beauty.

Beauty Tips

Here are a bunch of random things that just couldn't quite justify an entire blog, but I thought were very useful.

-The new mascara brushes: I am totally in love with these, helps reduce clumping and makes lashes fuller. Try LashBlast by Covergirl (also liking the luxe version which has a bit of shimmer)

- Baby oil: I live in a very dry climate, so my skin dries out fast. I combat this by using baby oil as a moisturizer right when I get out of the shower, I don't even dry off first. Just use a bit so your skin doesn't stay really oily. Plus it's super cheap!

- Tresseme Curl Activator Spray: Love this! Helps my curls stay all day. I recommend it to anyone who loves curly hair, but has trouble keeping them in.

- Shine boosters: These are kind of like a clear hair dye. It seals the cuticles and makes your hair look as shiny as it does after you dye it, but it doesn't change the color.

- Coffee grounds: Ok. This one is gonna sound a little weird. Used coffee grounds can help fight cellulite. The best is to rub them on, let them sit for a while, then wash them off. If I'm in a hurry I'll just rub them on in the shower. It makes a mess, so be prepared for that. Also, you have to stick with it (it's not instant magic, try it for a week or so and see if you notice a difference). I heard about this one from an ex-model. Something about the combination of exfoliation and the caffiene is supposed to make your cellulite less noticable.