My Self Fulfilling Prophecy

A lady came into The Candy Bar last week and told me a story.  She said that she had gone to New York for the weekend and forgotten her makeup bag. She was devastated and after swearing at her husband for not checking with her to make sure she had all of her bags, she had to think fast.  The friend she was visiting was not a makeup wearer, so the option of borrowing makeup for the weekend was out the window.  She told me she went to the local mall and had her makeup done at the Bobbi Brown counter where she spent $150 on makeup products that she really didn't need.  Having just posted about makeup products I bought at CVS, I told her if it were to happen to me, I would have gone to CVS.

The reason I tell you this is because I kept repeating during her story "that would be my worst nightmare".  Well guess what? My worst nightmare came true!  In what I'm calling my self fulfilling prophecy, I did exactly the same thing this weekend when I went to Cape Cod.  Imagine my surprise when unpacking my bags I realized I had forgotten my makeup bag.  I swear I willed it to happen. So what did I do? I went pronto to CVS to replace what I needed.

I had managed to take with me a bag filled with my moisturizers and serums, so I was missing the complexion components in my makeup regimen. I had no foundation, no mineral powder, no bronzer, no mascara, no brow pencil, no blush and no eyeliner. My little experiment turned out to be a blogging blessing which allows me to share with you my findings. 

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Foundation: 

This was a complete surprise to me because I got to tell you, I really like this!

Why I like it:

• Great coverage and finish which makes the easy to use foam applicator a breeze. 
• Gives a complete application and the coverage is build-able which I needed
• True to color 
• Natural finish with long lasting wear-ability

What I didn't like:

• Sheer application of product did not last all day

L'oreal True Match Mineral Powder:

This one didn't have a chance, I'm completely and totally obsessed with my Smashbox Halo powder so I knew this one was going to fall flat. 

Why I like it:

• Set my foundation
• Easy to use brush comes attached to product
• Finish gave my a skin luminous appearance

Why I didn't like it:

• Very Messy
• Screw top reveals sifter top
• If too much product on top of sifter, creates a messy storage and not ideal for a neat and clean application.
• Packaging is not luxe. Not even close.

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara:

I have blogged about this product before, safe to say it's possibly my favorite mascara ever.

Why I like it:

• Wand is longer which allows a complete application on whole lash line.
• Formula is wet and thick which leaves lashes defined, lengthened and voluminous 

Why I didn't like it:

• There are no reasons why I don't like this product. Did I mention that it's my favorite mascara ever?

L'oreal True Match Naturale Blush 

This looked easy and the color was pretty, so I thought why not?

Why I like it:

• Natural plum color
• Gave me a luminous glow
• Lightly pigmented for natural finish so it wasnt a strong statement blush

Why I didn't like it:

• Very messy
• Screw top reveals sifter top
• If too much product on top of sifter, creates a messy storage and not ideal for a neat and clean application.
• Packaging is not luxe. Not even close.

Maybelline Eye Studio Brow Define and Fill Duo:

I'm someone who has been using the same eyebrow pencil for about 6 years. I have to say, this was the best purchase because it helped me realize it was time for a change.

Why I like it:

• Precision crayon allows for exact application, 
• Foam tip powder applicator on opposite end creates a thickened natural looking brow without too much product

Why I didn't like it:

• No spoolie brush to groom brows afterward

Maybelline Master Kajal Eyeliner:

Thought this would be an easy no-brainer but was pleasantly surprised

Why I like it:

• Super soft creamy black liner
• Coned shaped tip applicator creates easy line, 
• Waterproof

Why I didn't like it:

• Not opaque, to get opaque black line you have to compromise the longevity of your liner by using the fine point tip

Bottom line, my friend spent $150 at a mall makeup counter and got 3 products she kind of liked. I spent about the same, got a ton more and was truly surprised at how many of the products I really liked. I also discovered that cheap drugstore makeup isn't that cheap after all. 

The moral of this story is even though I enjoyed this little experiment, I doubt I'll ever forget to check, and then double check whether my makeup bag is with me again!

Light The Strobe Lighting

In today's beauty world the YouTube vloggers have made it a snap for us to up our makeup game. Applying your makeup daily has suddenly entered into an unprecedented realm of technique. Contouring is the one that comes to mind, and the art of applying dark creams and powders to the hollows of your face to produce face slimming, face shaping effects can result in giving the average person an incredibly sculpted look. Truth be told, contouring does take a bit of skill and a bit of product to get the right result which can sometimes means it's not for everyone.

Rest assured there's a new makeup trend that is taking the beauty industry by storm and it's easier than you think. Strobing, is "the new black" in makeup application and it gives you the same sort of sculpted look as contouring, but in a much softer and dewy-er way. 

Strobing is all about the highlighter-which means that it's main component is focused on ONE product which you probably already own already!

What is Strobing? It's all about light-think soft and bright. It's about applying highlighter-light and only light-to the parts of your face that the sun would normally illuminate. The look is a fresh faced, dewy result that says healthy in a "I just had an amazing facial" kind of way. It's similar to highlighting but there's a bit more to it than simple highlighting. The best part is anyone can get the look if you follow these easy steps:

Start with a moisturizer. Add a gorgeous luminizer like Kevyn Aucoin's  The Celestial Skin Liquid Lighting to your foundation.This should be the base to give your face that gorgeous dewy look. Avoid anything with a matte finish unless you are very oily. Then apply a highlighter to the areas of you face where sunlight would kiss; the tops of the cheek bones, temples, down the bridge of the nose, the brow bone and the forehead. If you have an oily skin, you may want to use a light hand, so as to not leave the skin looking greasy and shiny.

Cream highlighters like Smashbox's L.A. Light's Lip and Cheek Color Stick in Hollywood & Highlight or Kevyn Aucoin's The Creamy Glow Duo #4  work best to melt into your skin and create a dewy, strobing sensation! Champagne shades of highlighter are great for all skin tones, but if you are super fair, opt for a whiter, silvery looking highlighter like Hollywood & Highlight.

Jump start you summer with the hottest new makeup trend  that's sure to leave you selfie ready! Of course you will want the whole world to see your bright, lit from within glow that is gorgeous and easy. Then you will want to turn up the disco music and strobe lights so you can dance the night away!

Big City Momma!

Today's moms are an incredible hybrid of sorts. Made up of one third Super Woman, one third Bat Girl and one third Wonder Woman, super heroes, if you ask me moms are busy super humans. So it's no wonder that moms, after doing everything they need to for everyone else barely have a moment for themselves. And I'm sorry to tell you ladies-it's beginning to show. But fear not-I may have just come up with a solution!

Busy moms everywhere, take notice!

I'm giving my expert beauty advice to moms on the Big City Mom's blog, click HERE. 

And trust me when I tell you-it gets better. And just when you think you got this mom thing down,  you are left missing them when they grow up and fly the nest. So enjoy it while you still can, but make sure you take a little time for yourself along the way.

I Hate It When That Happens

Fred rushes in and announces loudly, 'I tell you, women drivers are a hazard to traffic.  Driving to work this morning on the freeway, I looked over to my left and there was this woman in a Jaguar doing at least 70 mph with her face up next to her rear view mirror putting on her mascara.

I looked away for a couple seconds and then the next thing I knew was she was careering all over my lane.

It scared me so badly that I dropped my electric shaver into my coffee, and it spilled all over my mobile phone.

This One's A Beauty

It's about the size of a grape.

Packed inside that tiny green grape sponge is a whole lotta beauty punch! I am so very proud to introduce to you the Beautyblender Micro Mini. 

Original Beautyblender is long since a #1 Best Seller at The Candy Bar, it's baby sister is just as wonderful and just as powerful as the original. The patented open cell structure of the sponge allows the moisture to hold inside making the sponge "full". Makeup sits on top of the sponge so that product is not absorbed resulting in less product waste every time.

Designed for expert contour and highlighting, this mini sponge helps you to complete makeup application like the pro's.  Swipe a darker pigment in the hollows of your cheeks and blend for contour. Bounce your favorite highlighter on the tops of your cheeks for a gorgeous glow and bounce the pointed top of the mini egg on the inner eye corners for smoothing and complexion perfection. Did I mention how great this baby (literally) is for getting into hard to reach areas? Use it for mineral powders! Use it for mineral powder eye shadows and blend darker pigments flawlessly. It's quite possibly the most perfect mini blending tool in the world! It just may be the ONLY mini blending sponge in the world, and it's compact size makes portability a dream.

It debuted earlier in the month at New York Fashion Week and created a huge beauty buzz. The Beautyblender Micro Mini will change your life! Trust me when I tell you there are no sour grapes about this one.

My Oscar Notes

The Ellie Fund's Red Carpet Gala last night at Boston's Taj Hotel was a great success! The local glitterati showed up in droves and looked ULTRA glam!  The day started off on a good note. The weather warned of snow, yet again, but held off in the city and the Red Carpet arrivals went off without a hitch. Once the carpet was over, the live and silent auctions took place with local WCVB-TV legend Susan Wornick doing her shtick as the MC. Nobody raises money like Susan!

My Observations:

• Although it was Oscar night, The Ellie Fund-Boston's premier Breast Cancer Crusader-who hosted the event entertained us regally, but never lost sigh of the real reason we were there...to raise awareness, money and fight the good fight. I can't say enough about the dedicated professionals who put together this event and the incredible women I had the pleasure of working with who are the true warriors that have fought and won their battle with breast cancer. Those women continue to pay it forward.

• Watching the Oscars on a wide screen all dressed up in a ball room with 350 people was a trip! 

• Hollywood has nothing on Boston. Some of the ladies in attendance would have been right at home at The Kodak Theater in LA. Boston's top fashion stylists dressed a handful of socialites and local celebs expertly. There were photo booths and a real golden statue available to take pictures with. Chris Cooper loaned the Ellie Fund his 2010 Supporting Actor Oscar for "Adaptation". Of course, I couldn't help myself..
• 

• And after all the glitz and glam and the real Oscar telecast was over, I realized that I had learned something and I love it when that happens! I learned that grace is not about a designer dress, fancy diamonds and Red Carpet photos. True grace is not something you can buy with a hedge fund, or a celebrity stylist and glam squad. In fact, sometimes without inner grace even the most adorned "socialite/celebrity" can look unattractive. Grace and true beauty come from living authentically and having compassion. Living through and experiencing life's challenges give you perspective on what's really important. Overcoming those obstacles with incredible strength and teaching others to do the same is true grace and that is what's really what's golden. 

Illuminati Power

Was Beyonce flashing the "Illuminati" sign?
Who is the Illuminati you ask? My daughter tell me that the Illuminati are a secret group founded for only the "incredibly rich and powerful". And I say to her, "and you believe this crap?" But he Illuminati are not what today's post is about, sorry to disappoint. That's a post for another day. The term Illuminati comes from the Greek Illuminatus which means "enlightened", and while I'm sure Beyonce is enlightened about many things, the Illuminati I speak of today refers to a powerful glow...to one's skin.

Summer is the best season to apply a sexy, ILLUMINATING glow onto sun kissed skin, and there are several ways to showcase one's luminous, powerful glow.

Liquid:

Products like the one pictured here, Smashbox's Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion in Glow, is a great way to kick up you summer sexy all over your face and body! These days I'm all about the BB or CC creams as my primer/foundation. By adding two pumps of this to your everyday foundation, tinted moisturizer or BB cream, then mixed together, gives a complexion enhancer that adds color and the perfect glow to your skin.  You the envy of everyone. You can also mix this with you favorite body lotion to give arms and legs a Hollywood glow.

Powder:

Hello gorgeous! The Celestial Powder in Candlelight by Kevyn Aucoin is a must have in any woman's makeup bag. Great for all 365 days a year, Candlelight really revs up summer cheeks and eyes with a finely milled powder that will not look dry and will give you just right amount of radiance. Where to apply exactly?
Just to the tops of the cheekbones, before your blush, and to the area under the eye to diffuse the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Apply lightly between the two eyes, above the brow and down the bridge of the nose. A powder like this can also be applied to the decollete.

Oils:

A tradition of the  French Polynesian women, this Nars Illuminating Body Glow is the most decadent way to get that Tahitian glow. Infused with Moni de Tahiti oil and  rich coconut oils, smooth this amazing smelling oil over-already dressed- arms and legs. No need for hosiery here! This decadent oil is all you need to make your legs look toned and supple with the most amazing, light sheen.

So Iluminati men, be warned...
The beauty of a well placed illuminator on any woman just may leave him utterly powerless!

A Blank Canvas

I put makeup on people for a living, so everyday, when I go to put on my own makeup, I have a host of choices to choose from. I always start with my complexion. I begin with a simple BB cream, which we already know I love, and I wear it as my primer, before I even out my complexion with a foundation/foundation powder.  My hands down favorite complexion enhancing product is Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder, which is so very versatile and amazing, (with anti-aging properties) my friends call it the "magic dust". But recently I've been working with a wonderful creme-to-powder foundation called Water Canvas.

Vincent Longo's Water Canvas creme-to-powder foundation is a patented and award winning foundation that after one use, is easy to see why it's an award winner. It comes, pictured above, in a small tub and when you touch it, you feel a cool, smooth creme like no other. The touch test alone make you want to apply it immediately. This amazing product is made up of 75% water and oil free. When applied with a sponge or with the Beauty Blender, it gives the skin a medium to full, flawless coverage that looks completely natural and lightweight. Did I mention it feels great?

Water Canvas can be applied to the skin in so many ways. You can use your fingers, a sponge, a Beauty Blender, a foundation brush or a stippling brush and the result is a smooth, flawless complexion you will love.  I sometimes dust my Halo Powder, lightly over it to set. I used it HERE, to apply it over my contour and you can see for yourself the great result. At $57.00, it's not cheap, but it's worth every penny if you covet a flawless look to your complexion.

As I said before, I have many choices when it comes to makeup and people constantly ask me if it's ok to have more than one complexion enhancing product/foundation in their beauty wardrobe. I say YES! It's better to have more than one product, each one giving you a different result for different looks and even better when those products are paired together. You need not worry about looking "cakey" or overly made up, you just need to know what kind of look you want to create that day.

Experimentation is key, and I recommend the Vincent Longo Water Canvas Creme-to powder foundation to create a special glow to your skin. This amazing product can be found at The Candy Bar, and will give your "blank canvas" the right look for any occasion.

This Ain't Your Little Brother's BB's

OK ladies, by now I'm sure you've all heard about BB creams. If you haven't heard about them yet, then come out from under the rock that you have been living under and listen up!

BB Creams, (which stand for Beauty Balms) are quite possibly the best thing that has happened to make up in a long time. The thing about this simple, wonderful, multi-purpose beauty product is that it is packed full of benefits and complexion enhancers that will leave your skin glowing.

• They PRIME- BB's come in several complexion enhancing shades which can be worn alone or as a smoothing primer under your favorite foundation or mineral powders.
• They PERFECT-BB's even out skin tones, softens and smoothes skin texture during wear. 
• They PROTECT-Most BB's have an broad spectrum SPF which protect skin from damaging UVA and UVB rays. 
• BB's HYDRATE-Packed with moisturizing agents the Smashbox BB Cream boasts a 21% reduction in fine lines and wrinkles after 4 weeks of use and a 22% improvement in skin's moisturization.. 
• BB"s PREVENT-By controlling oil and aiding to prevent break outs, BB's help reduce the production of oil and shine.

With all that going for it, it's foolish not to have a BB Cream in your makeup bag. It takes all the guess work out of trying to create flawless skin. 

Today's Special: Guerlain Product Haul

Great deals on popular titles like People magazine.

It's very rare that I get sucked in at the beauty counters in the department stores, as I own so much more make up than is humanly possible AND, I do what these ladies do, all day, every day.

Being a shopper, I touch and feel and smell and try everything and occasionally I'll ask for help. I usually end up buying something, but the woman at the Guerlain counter was good. Real good, cuz she sucked me right in and I bought it all. Kudos to her for a job well done.
I always purchase lip gloss, Let's just say that's usuall where I start and then I work my way around the line. The Terracotta lip glosses are amazing! Lightweight, sheer and pretty; these are exactly what I like in a gloss. Pair this gloss with your favorite lip pencil and the result is a soft, sexy lip. It's scent is devine too!

OMG! This is just about the best product I have seen in a while. Inspired by Guerlain's Vol de Nuit perfume, this fragranced loose powder has a subtle irridescent shimmer that can be applied to face, neck and body for a sexy all over shine, and the bottle is pretty too.

This is by far my favorite product in the haul. I didn't even want it, but the girl convinced me that this was "the best mascara" so being curious, I had to buy it and try it. She was right! At $50.00 a pop, this lengthening and lifting formula does just that. It lifts and separates each lash and give your lashes a full, dark and sexy look. The case is a work of art in itself, mirrored for easy application, and get this: it is refillable! Refills are $26.00. It really has everything one needs for dramatic eyes.

Guerlain Meteorites Cruel Gardenia Illuminating Powder. This soft to the touch powder almost feels like a cream, but goes on with a soft powder look. It brightens and highlights cheeks, eyes and face with a soft and subtle illumination that catches the light just right. I apply this beauty last, over everyting on cheeks and eyes for a fantastic glow.

Chicken Soup For Your Face

Great titles for the American woman.

I just sent an email to my customers about my new, organic skin care line called Patyka. In the email, I admitted my obsession with skin care products. I thank God that I am obsessed with skin care, because when you take good care of your skin, it shows. Right now it is winter and this is the time to utilize those "special care" products to protect and hydrate dry and tapped out complexions.

Just about every day, a customer will come into my store and tell me that they have a million little bottles on their shelves, but really don't know what to do with them. I tell them this is the time to USE them. "Just do it", like Nike says, pick up the bottle and put it on your face. If I had to break it down for you I would categorize skin care into three basic steps:

CLEANSE

TONE

MOISTURIZE

Every day, twice a day. It's really that simple. I hear a lot of women tell me that they are too tired at night to cleanse and tone their faces and I say, "If you're gonna shag your ass into the bathroom and brush your teeth before bed, you should be able to wash and moisturize your face properly." It take 5 minutes and it makes a marked improvement in your skin's appearance.

Your night time skin ritual is like chicken soup for your face and when you skin does most of it's work, so pick up those little bottles of serum, the ones you are not sure about, and use them. The serums are the best thing you can do for your skin. Power packed with anti-oxidants and essential minerals and vitamins, serums can improve skin's overall clarity and texture and can be a boost in the anti-aging process. They fall under the category of SPECIAL CARE and they fall into place right after TONE and just before MOISTURIZE.

There are so few sure things in this world, but I guarantee you, it's a sure thing you will see an improvement in your skin's appearance and quality by making the commitment to skin care. You know you got talked into the product by an enthusiastic sales lady (like me) and probably paid a fortune for it, right? I say USE it and feed you soul by feeding your face and taking care of what God gave you.

They don't call it your "money maker" for nothing.

I Really Don't Discriminate When I Am Buying Product

So Frack had his math tutor last Wednesday night and I had an hour to kill before I had to pick him up at the library. An hour to kill and Candy unleashed can be a very dangerous thing, indeed. The library is very close to a local CVS so I figured I would go grab a few things like toothpaste and such and effectively kill the hour. Sounds innocent enough, right?

This particular CVS drugstore is open 24 hours and is very large. It has a new area that looks to be it's first foray into the high end cosmetics and skin care market. Of course, I am immediately drawn to the isle, after all I, have an hour to kill. Research and development, I like to call it, and I throw myself into looking at everything. There were lots of brand names that I didn't recognize and I got busy, reading and touching and smelling. Before I knew it, I had about six or seven products in my cart and I was really excited about them.

Lord knows I don't need a GOSH DARN thing, but I just can't help myself. I am a JUNKIE.

Anyway, one of the products I bought is a great product, on the cheap, that I want to share with you. It's by a company called Roc. Roc has a great line of skincare products that claim to be effective. Reasonably priced, and I mean a quarter of the department store brands, these Roc products consistently receive positive reviews on the makeup sites like MakeupAlley.com. The buzz on Roc is you can get a good, inexpensive, anti-aging product at your local drugstore.

I bought the Roc Daily Resurfacing Discs and I am in love with them. At $10.99, these pre-moistened cleansing pads are two-sided. One side is soft and foams up beautifully to gently remove dirt and makeup. This side also works great to remove eye makeup effectively. The other side has a slightly rough, buffing texture that also foams up and sloughs away dead skin cells. I use them at night because I really feel like I am cleaning off the grime of my day and these pads actually re-texturize your skin's surface and give dull skin a fabulous glow. I also love the convenience of the plastic tub, with the flip top for easy access.

Fellas, these will make great prep before shaving. Not only will they cleanse and tone, but the buff side will cause hair follicles on your face to rise to optimise your daily shave. Dare I say it? I actually feel like this products possibly cleanses my face better than my pricey foaming cleansers. Next time you are in your local drugstore, give them a try. I like them so much I am going to buy them for Frick. It's hard to get a 17 year-old to understand that taking care of your skin is important at any age. I think she will love the easy access to these pre-moistened, self foaming pads. Maybe now I can get her to remove her eye make up before bed because she hardly has to do a thing but rinse!

And as soon as Frack's whisker's come in, I'll buy him some too which could be a lot sooner than later.

I just noticed for the first time this weekend that his voice is changing...

Today's Special: Pure Beauty

If you've been reading the beauty posts here on The Daily Dandy, you know that that cute hot pink egg that is called Beauty Blender is ALWAYS on my lists of must haves. There is no better tool in the industry for applying a complexion enhancer, period. You've seen it here and in my store The Candy Bar because I'm Beauty Blender obsessed and I believe in this wonderful product. It's not my #1 Candy Bar seller for nothing.

And just when I thought I had reached foundation application Nirvana, Beauty Blender goes and makes me giddy with pleasure with it's newest blender sponge.

It's Beauty Blender Pure and that gorgeous white egg was designed for the skin care enthusiast in all of us. Utilizing nature's most "perfect design", the egg has been stipped down to it's purest form for a gentle, hygenic way to apply skin care and take flawless skin one step further. Apply moisturizers, serums, eyecreams, make-up remeovers and make-up primers with Pure and protect and penetrate the skin with a powerful tool that allows you to access hard to reach areas with ease.

The Pure Kit is red hot and just arrived in stores. Unique to the Pure Kit is the Solid cleanser, a disc shaped soap that cleans and conditions your wet Pure sponge. Also included: a FAB, mini Beauty Blender travel pouch with a magnet enclosure and net backing. It's not only big enough for both the Pure sponge and the Solid cleanser, but it allows for the dampened sponges to dry quickly and completely. It's a travel maven's dream, and it has an adorable, mini, hot pink Beauty Blender charm dangling on the side of the pouch as a cute bonus.

People have asked me if Pure can be used to apply make-up, to which I responed ABSOLUTELY! For me, I think the Pure, white, egg is too beautiful to get it dirty...but you never know what I will do in a pinch...What I do know is that it's a product junkie's dream come true!

The Pure Kit is priced at $50.00 and can be ordered at The Candy Bar and online.

Light Up Your Life

There's a new trend in lip glosses happening that will light up your lips and leave your friends pining for your gloss. Lighted lip glosses. These genius little devices use LED lights that you turn on with the click of a button or the turn of the wand and illuminate your life. Equipt with a handy little mirror on the side, you have all you need for the perfect application on your pucker.

Ladies love them. The novelty of the light is that little extra feature that turns this product into a must have, because it is no ordinary lip gloss. Pure Illumination, pictured above, boasts to be the natural, healing and hydrating lip gloss. Made from medical grade lanolin, almond oil, jojoba and Vitamin E, Pure Illumination has 10 stunning shades to choose from. And who doesn't want to be able to apply their lip gloss expertly in the privacy of a darkened movie theatre? Lost your keys in the black hole of your handbag? Let your lighted lip gloss assist you in finding your keys, then finding the lock in the dark of night.

My clients tell me that when they are at lunch with friends or on a girls night out, they instantly become the center of attention once their lighted lip gloss is brought out and they make for a great hostess gift or a little extra something to bring to a cherished friend.

Model Co. also makes a lighted gloss called Lip Lights. The twist of the wand automatically activates the LED light to give you an ultra shine, glossy application. This lighted lip gloss, also comes with the handy mirror on the side which allows you to apply the gloss anywhere, day or night. It comes in 5 ultra shiny shades to choose from.

Light up your life or the life of a special lady. Both of these products are available at The Candy Bar, and I highly recommend you try one. You'll love it!

Today's Special: Candy's Beauty Favorites

Let's talk beauty today, shall we? It's been a while and I happily present to you my fave beauty picks for spring. The Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Bronzing Veil: I have said this so many times it has become somewhat of a personal mantra. I am a girl who wears a bronzer 365 days a year. Bronzer is most definitely my dessert island product. This delightful, finely milled bronzing powder is one of the finest I have ever used. Best layered over the face with a wide head natural brush. It's a great set for your foundation and will give you a golden, California girl glow with it's unique combination of bronze, golden and cool crystal pigments. The Candy Bar proudly sells Kevyn Aucion Cosmetics.

Dior Poison: I gotta roll old school with one. Dior Poison, launched in 1985, is one of the sexiest, sultriest fragrance in your fragrance wardrobe. I am loving this deluxe oriental, floral that was designed to be worn for romance. It's blend of amber, honey, berries and other intoxicating spices makes me want to romance myself when I am wearing this. HA! It's a powerful weapon in the "tell me I smell yummy wars".

The Beauty Blender: This amazing pink egg has changed my entire beauty regime for the better. Used wet, this revolutionary makeup sponge, gives your foundation application a flawless, air brushed finish every time. Use it with liquid foundation, air can foundation (spray directly on the damp sponge) and mineral powder foundations. The elliptical shape was designed with the contours of the face in mind. The result is that your makeup looks better than ever! This is the number one selling product at The Candy Bar and if you check out my Facebook page, you will see pictures of it's creator, Rea Ann Siva, with me in my store. She wanted to meet me because I sell so many Beauty Blenders and we bonded over our love of product.

DuWop Blushbooster: This blush is da bomb, plain and simple. It can be worn alone or over your current blush and it's a fresh breath of luminosity. You can choose from 4 shades (and yes I sell it at The Candy Bar and I own all 4 myself.) It's the kind of blush that makes other women silently wonder with envy what you are wearing on your cheeks.

Oh ladies, is it any wonder how I do it all and keep my people looking beautiful too? I'm just a product junkie on a mission to make the world a better place, one product at a time.

Today's Special: Lips Of Fire

It's the hottest trend for spring, but it can't be considered new. It's an old stand by, been given new life by the Fashion powers that be. I'm talking about red lipstick, and there is no better time than now to rock the look. Red lipstick tends to split the wearers of lipstick into two categories: 1. Those who do. and 2. Those who don't. I'm here to tell you we can all be those who do wear this vibrant look.

For those of you who wear red lips regularly, I'm sure you know all about the "power" that a crimson pucker can carry, but did you know how easy and complimentary red lips can be? A pop of red on the lips serves to bring attention to your eyes and your flawless skin in more ways than one. First lets talk about the different hues of red. There are blue reds and orange reds, both of which look different on different skin tones. Pink complected skin tones look better in blue based red lip colors, and yellow based complexions seem to favor the warmer, orange based red lipsticks. Choosing the right color is as easy as pretending to be a little girl in your mama's make up bag; you gotta try them on.

A general rule of thumb, (although there are no rules in make-up) is that if you are making your lips crimson, you'd best be served keeping everything else light (refer to the lovely January Jones above); ie: blush, eyeshadow, liner, etc. Unless you're a Cirque du Soleil performer, I think this guideline is a safe bet. Once you've completed a soft, natural look, you can apply the final element. Your lips of fire...

Red lipstick can sometimes feather in the upper lip, in fact all lipsticks have the potential to creep above the lip line, but because of red's vibrance it can be more sightly than a neutral toned lipstick. To prevent feathering, and to give lips a longer lasting fighting chance, I recommend you apply a small amount of under eye concealer with a synthetic brush above and below the line of the lip, then fill in your lip completely with a bare lip liner, or a complimentary red lip liner. The idea is for the liner not to compete with the lips, but to act as an anchor for the crimson lipstick.

Blotting with a tissue is never a bad idea when using red and depending upon your finish preferences, a matte look or shine, apply a small amount of gloss to the bulb of the top and lower lip only and blend slightly. If you prefer a red that is sheer, mix a small amount of red with a clear gloss on the back of your hand and apply. Nothing finishes a dramatic look better and gives you that final element of fancy you desire.

Rock those red lips girls! The Fashion Gods have spoken. If you have never worn red lips, I'm telling you, now is the time to try. Because once you go red, you may never go back.

Today's Special: Kiddie Crows Feet

Walmart, besides being home to my favorite crayzee's, will launch a new line of cosmetics for the Tween set, girls aged 8-12 called GeoGirl.

Cute? Yes. Crazy? Maybe.

People like me, proprietors of cosmetic products, should be squealing with delight at the prospect of this little gem aimed at tweens, as it makes future cosmetic buyers in training. This equates to future loyal cosmetic customers. All good right?

But something about this seems wrong. Maybe it's what's offered in the line of products that has me in a tizzie. The line boasts to using all natural ingredients like chamomile, lavender and white willow bark to exfoliate and antioxidants. (which fight free radicals-pollutants found in the air) This all seems a little mature, wouldn't you say?

A cleanser? I'm all for that. Learning to take proper care of you skin is a valuable thing and anything that helps young girls start properly cleansing their skin I'm endorsing, but a "mineral blush, liquid2power shadow, feather-lash mascara and a face shimmer". A face shimmer? Why does an eight year old's face need to shimmer? And a feather mascara? What's next? Diamond encrusted false eyelashes? And for the soccer set, matching team color blushes and lip sticks?

Listen, I realize that little girls will always want to experiment with make-up like thier moms, but I'm thinking that that's where it should stay. We run the risk here of sending a message to these girls that they would look better with feather lush lashes, than without.

I think skin care is fine, but when you start training at 8 them to wear mascara, bronzer and eye shadow we quietly create an entire generation of 10 year old Tammy Faye Baker types.

"Susie, it's time to get the bus for school."

"Ok mom, let me just finish putting my face on."

Not good.

Airstream Dream

You never know where inspiration will come from. Beauty can be inspiring, but beauty is subjective at best. Would you ever think that an Airstream trailer could launch an entire campaign of inspiration? Just ask that blogger extrodinaire The Vegetable Assasin (who, BTW has the most amazing collection of airstream art on her sidebar. I'd love to do a grouping of those on a wall, $eriously)

Or ask the designers over at the Alice and Olivia fashion house, for they have brought an Airstream Dream to the streets. Shopping for fashions in the privacy of an ultra-luxe Airstream trailer!! I know that sounds like a complete oxy-moron, but its true. And I love the idea! I am surrounded by amazing fashions all day long, but the idea that I can go to some obscure location and peruse gorgeous designs inside a fashion house which is in a traveling fashion house makes me get all giddy!! The idea for the pop-up tour was, of course, seasonal, and the folks st Alice and Oliva toured the southern states this summer in their "make-over wagon".

Equip with a fashion stylist and a make-up artist, the staff booked clients like brides, proms and anyone in need of fashion styling advice. According to the LA times, brand founder Stacy Bendet decided to try and reach their customers in new and interesting ways. The Airstream was a burst of inspiration.

Sign me up!!! Not only would I LOVE to bring my Kevyn Aucoin Cosmetics with me and work right along side the stylists, styling and doing make-up, traveling the country, but I'd be poorer than I am now because any money I made would go right back into the clothes..... I am a complete fashion junkie!!!

Which is exactly the point of the Airstream. Vintage style never looked to modern.

Today's Special:Ready For Prime Time

*this one's for the ladies. Sorry Fellas.

I'm more than certain, while out shopping for a new foundation, you have come across a foundation primer. Yes? No?

And I'm also more than certain if you did come across one, that you pondered whether or not you needed to add this extra step into your already, jam packed, beauty regimen.

Why?, you probably wondered. Do I really need it?

My answer to that is do we ever really need anything? But I can tell you definitively that if you wear foundation, you really need a good foundation primer. Women wear foundation for two simple reasons: to even out skin tones and for coverage of skin imperfections. Most women apply foundation once a day, in the morning, and hope that their foundation will last for the entire day. By wearing a foundation primer, a woman can almost guarantee that her foundation will look almost as fresh as when she first applied it, all day long.

Guerlain's Meteorites Light Diffusing Perfecting Primer is my first choice for priming excellence. What makes this product so great is that it's easy pump formula is made to smooth out skin, control color imperfections and slightly camouflage blemishes. The small pearl beads you see reflect light and give the skin a luminous glow. And its easy; two pumps smoothed over cleansed skin and you're ready to go. It gives foundation the perfect base to do it's job.

Next up: Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer

Smashbox is quickly becoming a favorite line of mine because of it's product excellence. My mom introduced me to it, as she is the Queen of QVC, and I have to admit being a bit of a snob about it at first and slow to try it.


Boy, was I wrong. So much so, that I am seriously looking into adding the line to my store. Yes, I love it that much.


Photo Finish is no exception. This gel based foundation primer is loaded with antioxidants like green tea and is rich in vitamins A and E. Not only is it good for your skin, but it fills in fine lines and wrinkles and provides a smooth, flawless canvas for your makeup. It can also be purchased in a similar formula with an SPF 15.

I also love Kevyn Aucoin Primer.

I sell this product and the entire Kevyn Aucoin Line at my store. This small, skinny pump bottle packs a serious primer, that is portable, which makes it perfect for travel. If you have the chance, swipe a bit onto the back of your hand and feel how smoothing and supple this product leaves the skin, when applied before foundation.

Bottom line, if you wear foundation, I recommend the one two punch of a primer/foundation combo. For long lasting wearibility, smoothing of fine lines and wrinkles and keeping foundations color true, a primer is your key component.

It will leave you ready for those "close-up" moments.....Mr. Demille.

I Could Think Of Better Things To Do In My Car

It's certainly no secret that I LOVE make-up. I write about it, I sell it, I touch, feel and work with it every day. It has somehow become my life's work as I understand make-up and it understands me. But something I can't understand is how a woman can put her make-up on while driving/operating her car.

Let's put aside for a moment the fact that the BILLION dollar a year cosmetic industry, most definitely, never intended the user to flippantly apply her make-up in a short period of time, like during the operation of a motor vehicle. Let's talk first about the hazard that is make-up application during the drive. It is the the epitome of stupidity, second only to drunk driving and texting behind the wheel. As a make-up professional, it is my duty to educate my clients in the technique of expert make-up application, something that is, at best, the right of any consumer buying product. There are certain steps involved in the process, some integral to the finished product, some not.

These steps take time and concentration, and cannot, I repeat, cannot be completed in the few minutes at a red light or peripherally done while driving on a patch of straight road. It's just a fact. Plain and simple. Have we become a society that is so harried and hurried with jam packed schedules that we put our own safety and the safety of others on the road in question to save 15 minutes of time? Has it really come down to that? Or are these violators complete friggin morons? I'm betting on the latter.

Yet, I see it all the time. And it completely infuriates me. This coming from a make-up pusher, dealer, and addict, albeit a responsible one. I will admit to pulling out my lip gloss at a red light, opening it up, swiping the applicator across my lips and then returning it to my purse. A process that takes an entire 5 seconds, while my car is still at a complete stop and then some. But to think I could apply eye liner or mascara, something that would require my full focal attention while driving amounts to nothing more than a pompous assumption that "Super Woman" is capable of multi-tasking to the highest degree.

And how many of these drive-by make-upper's have caused major accidents or worse vehicular homicides because of their poor choices or time management skills? I think the answer would surprise us all. Yesterday, President Obama signed an initiative that would make texting behind the wheel illegal simply because it is an activity that requires focal attention. Is make-up application behind the wheel next? I certainly hope so.

As a make-er-upper, I give you permission to "flip off" the next violator you see with blatant disregard for the simple rules of the road. Let her know she's an idiot who's putting us all at risk for the purpose of beauty. Because really, she's ugly and no amount of mascara or eyeliner, applied hurriedly is going to fix that.

I could think of better things to do in my car. Like drive.