Seperation Anxiety: God, I wish I had More of This Body Souffle

When I finished this, I kind of acted like my dog does when he finishes his food bowl and wants more…
I (honestly) found myself clanking the container against the sink in a desperate attempt to make more appear. Too bad I don’t have some one to come to my rescue and leave more product in the container every time it empties.
Damn…my dog is sooo lucky. When he wants more, he just gets more…
JEALOUS

Tags: carols daughter, makes my body feel like butter, ocean shea, smells so good I want to eat it

NEW PRESS! Lifetime Launches New Site!

I was recently interviewed for beauty tips for the new Lifetime Moms website – which is a new site under the Lifetime Digital Network.  You know Lifetime…They run television for women and feature cult classics like ‘Anorexi Lexi’…

OK maybe that’s not the official name of the movie, but you all know the one I’m talking about. Anyway…yeah…THAT Lifetime.

Whether you’re a mom or not, I think you’ll find my beauty advice helpful as you transition from Summer to Fall.

Shakeup Your Routine: Beauty From Summer to Fall.

Special thanks to Erika Lehmann of Chic Shopper Chick for hooking this up!

P.S: Chic Shopper Chick was recently re-designed and looks really fabulous.  Check out the new layout here.

Tags: Chic Shopper Chick, Lifetime, Transitional beauty

I’m an Idiot

I’m going to come right out and say this, because no matter how many times I have tried to re-work this statement, it really doesn’t sound any better…

I burned my neck. Badly. With a curling iron…While simultaneously trying to put on mascara.

I’m sorry, but, there really isn’t anything else to say about it.  Sometimes things are better put with pithy words, particularly when you’re mortified by the visual image that those very simple words convey.

I’m going to guess that you’re wondering a few things, one of which is probably why I was trying to do two entirely different tasks at once…

The honest truth is that I was in a rush to go to a BBQ, and in my haste an enormous surge of vanity overwhelmed me and I made a bad judgment call regarding my multi-tasking capabilities…and I accidentally maimed myself.

Despite putting burn cream on it, as well as aquaphor…The situation got worse before it got better.  I’m talking a really nasty case of “Um, my neck is oozing and it HURTS, and this wound sort of makes me look like a Leper,’ which eventually led to me thinking that I Maybe shouldn’t go out last Saturday night.

As I’m sans health insurance, I am not only a make-up artist but my own doctor as well.  So, I shimmied over to Duane Reade and scooped up a bottle of iodine and a box of Snoopy Band-Aides to help battle infection and also liberate my inner 5 year old.  I also picked up some Haribo Gummy Cola things and Cheese puffs – Those were to soothe my worries, just in case you were wondering.

The iodine seems to have been a good call, because everything has dried up quite nicely and the pain is extremely localized to the one particular area and doesn’t hurt anywhere near as much as it did a few days ago.  My only concern now, is that it’s going to scar.

I have some Ambi Fade Cream , but I’m wondering if I should try out Mederma Cream instead.  Thoughts?

Tags: burns, curling iron, fade cream, oops, scars, skincare

Seperation Anxiety: Avon Liiv Botanicals Vital Day Cream with SPF 20

I will seriously miss this cream!

I get sent so many products to test, that it becomes difficult to kill something. But, every once and a while I fall in love with a product so much that I get really sad when I get to the bottom of the jar.

Such is the case with this amazing day cream from Avon that I’ve been using regularly for several weeks now.

imikimi – Customize Your World!

This stuff is incredible, and since it’s packed with natural plant extracts AND offers an spf of 20, I strongly encourage all of you to try it out. It’s dye, fragrance, and preservative free – making it a great go-to moisturizer for the hot summer months!

It regularly retails for $15.00, but you can score some on Amazon for the bargain price of just $9.99!

Cop it here:

Tags: Avon, Moisturizer, SPF

My Make-up: Public School. Jersey City, NJ.

I’ve been learning how to skateboard.

So far so good, although I must admit it’s definitely a slow process. I’m getting more comfortable with it every day, but I can’t go THAT fast yet and I can only turn to the left – And even my left turns are still a bit wonky. Don’t even get me started on my right side turns. That’s a disaster and I usually just jump off and kick the deck to the right and jump back on. Eh…Baby steps.

So anyway, I’m out skating around the other day and my roommate and I go right pass this super cute store called Public School. It’s full of crazy kicks and really dope t-shirts – Definitely my kind of store

Last night (sans skateboard) we stepped out for a little JC jumpie at the store and I copped the cutest pair of sneakers from Greedy Genius!  I love them so much that after I put them on for this photo, I wore them out of the store.

Now, as You may know – We’ve been having a really random heat wave around here.  90 degrees in April is really weird and not even close to normal, and it was hot last night.  Normally when it’s super hot I don’t like to wear too much makeup, but my skin is really angry at the heat that came on all fast and furious – And I have some weirdo prickly heat rash all over my face.  I love the heat, and usually I’m very pro inferno…But, I was feeling a little awkies stepping out with that kind of a face sitch last night – Especially since I knew Mel would be there taking photos (He took the one featured on the left).

Thank the make-up Gods for Bare Minerals…I did a heavy coating of that stuff all over my face (F the swirl, tap and buff instructions – I popped the top off of this baby and dunked my brush in until I covered it with product), and in pictures you cant even tell my face was a red bumpy mess.  The great thing about BE is that it’s an amazing product for sensitive skin and didn’t  further irritate my skin even when it was in a state of crisis.

I’m also wearing Benetint, with a bit of apricot blush from Rimmel on my cheeks;  Posie Tint on my lips with a Bonnie Bell Lip Smacker over it; BadGal Eyeliner applied with a really heavy hand and then smushed around to give a smudgy/smokey look on my eyes; Plus 3 or 4 coats of Avon Supershock Mascara (This stuff is good).

Tags: Avon, Bare Minerals, Benefit, Greedy Genius, kicks, Mel D. Cole, Public School, Skateboarding, Skin Disaster

Shhh!

I’ve been keeping this one to myself for a while.  As a makeup artist, and a blogger I do feel a certain responsibility to let my clients and readers in on the latest and greatest in all things beauty.  Then, sometimes I stumble upon something that is such a find, that I just want to keep it to myself.

I am totally the product of my mother in that way.  For example:  I once had this AMAZING colorist.  I mean…AMAZING.  He moved to another country, so now no one in the U.S can have him.  But before he moved, he made me all sorts of shades of blonde that were all equally fabulous.  My hair was so perfectly colored that women would stop me on the street daily, desperate to know the genius behind my luscious locks.  Whenever they would ask, I would respond with ‘Oh this, this is just some box color.  My friend did it for me.’

LIES.  And all of the curious women who asked totally knew that I was lying.  But, my mother always said ‘DON’T GO TELLING TOO MANY PEOPLE ABOUT AMAZING THINGS JILLIAN, BECAUSE THEN EVERYONE WILL HAVE IT AND THEN IT WON’T BE AMAZING ANYMORE.’

I sort of agree.  I also feel kind of guilty for holding out on all of you.

It’s just that now I’m torn.  I WANT to tell you about this amazing beauty find, because it’s what girlfriends do – They share information on beauty and other girly stuff.  Then there is a part of me that wants to keep this to myself, so as not to ruin it.  Once this catches on it’s going to be huge…Like…Sephora…Only, NEXT LEVEL.

Ugh.  Ok. (Let me catch my breath).  Here it is. (I can’t believe I’m sharing this – God, I am SO GOOD TO YOU ALL).  It’s called…

SASA.

Sasa is kind of like Sephora, but they only have standing locations throughout Asia.  Thankfully, they have a website, and they do ship internationally.  The thing that makes Sasa the next level Sephora is that they have things you have never heard of in the U.S.  Products that are rare and amazing…

Looking for Bird’s Nest Eye Mask?  Yeah.  They’ve got it. (P.S.: It’s edible.  Not sure why you’d want to eat it, but just in case you feel compelled to do so – It’s safe).

Or, maybe you’d like to try hairspray for your EYELASHES.

Dying to try Bai Cheong Lung pills?  They have them!  Don’t know what Bai Cheong Lung pills are?  No problem!  Apparently they moisturize the body, give you energy, help with absent mindedness, and post-partum!  Seriously, why isn’t everyone taking this???

Desperate for that wide eye’d doll look?  Try Sasa’s Super Dolly Powerful Mascara guaranteed to give you dolly eyes that will be the center of attention everywhere you go!

I could go on and on…But I think you get the idea.  Basically Sasa has EVERYTHING.  Things that you can’t even imagine.  Things that you would never know that you needed or even wanted until you realized they were realistic options.  Sasa is all the brands that you already know (Olay, Loreal, Dior etc.), PLUS hundreds of foreign brands that you never even knew existed.

The best part is that they always have sales! I’ve even found products that are carried at Sephora on the Sasa website – FOR A DISCOUNTED PRICE! Before you let international shipping turn you off from trying them out, you should know that you get free shipping on orders over $75.00.

What are you waiting for?  Explore Sasa today!

Tags: Discounts, Mascara, Sasa, Sephora

OMFG: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS PRODUCT?

I love oil, and I use some form of it every day, whether I’m cooking, moisturizing, cleansing…Oil always gets the job done.

But with the weather in New York finally warming up, all the oil that I love to use on my skin is getting a little bit greasy. Luckily, there are plenty of dry oil options – And they’re all really fabulous.  I especially like the Neutrogena Rainbath Dry Oil Spray.

Anyway, just a few weeks ago while perusing the web for new beauty finds, I came across the following little gem:  Johnson’s baby Oil LITE.

Supposedly, it’s a dry oil type thing.  But, with all the gentle goodness of the Johnson’s baby oil that everyone loves and trusts.  The only problem is that this oil is reportedly only available in the Asian market.

My friend Angeli suggested that I may be able to track down this ‘must-have’ product in Chinatown.  Can anyone confirm a sighting of this oil in Chinatown, or anywhere else in the U.S.?

I would KILL to get my hands on this.  I think it would also be amazing for removing eye makeup

Sightings?  Thoughts?  Suggestions?

Tags: Asian Market, Baby Oil

Brush Cleaning Basics: A Dirty Brush Will Give You Zits

You MUST do this.  MUST.

I clean my brushes regularly – Both my own personal brushes, as well as the set of brushes I use professionally. I just assumed everyone did this since it makes so much sense to do so.  Brushes touch product, brushes touch your face which has natural oil – Basically, brushes get DIRTY.

Just the other night, I’m doing my regular weekly deep brush cleaning, and both of my roommates ask ‘What are you doing?’

When I explain they shout ‘OMG I DIDN’T KNOW I HAD TO DO THAT!’ And proceeded to break out their own (very poorly cared for) brushes.  When I saw the state of their brushes I cringed, and couldn’t help but wonder if they had any idea what kind of nasty bacteria was probably residing in them – And worse, if they had any idea what kind of bacteria they were passing on to their own face!  Dirty, ill maintained brushes can be one of the top reasons behind a breakout.  Plus, the better care you take of your brushes, the longer they will last you.  With good quality brushes running anywhere from $35 dollars to well over $100 dollars a brush, it’s probably better for your wallet if you learn to make them last.

It had never occurred to me to post about brush maintenance – But, it seems that not everyone is in the know.  So, I’m going show you 2 simple ways to keep your brushes clean which will reduce breakouts and also give your brushes some longevity.

1.  FOR DAILY MAINTENANCE:  Invest in a brush cleaner.  Sephora carries several brush cleaners in a variety of price ranges starting around $6 bucks.  I have tried them all, and honestly there isn’t a big difference between the brands.  You can use the cheapest one and it will work fine as long as you use a daily brush cleaner as written…DAILY.  It’s amazing to me how the package says daily, and some people think they can use this here and there when it suits them. This is not a substitute for a deep cleaning product. I needed to say that, before you assume brush cleaner is enough.  Brush cleaner is, however, a good way to minimize the amount of bacteria and product build up that develops between deep cleanings.  I like to spritz my brushes with this cleaner every night, so that they are dry and ready to be used again by morning.

2.  FOR DEEP CLEANING ONCE A WEEK:  Add two capfuls of a gentle shampoo (I like to use Baby Shampoo), to a bowl full of water.  Take your brushes and swirl each one around in the bowl several times.  I promise you will gag when you see the buildup at the bottom of the bowl.  Once you’ve gotten the gag reflex under control, rinse the brush under running water, and wipe off any remaining product on a tissue.  Reshape the brush, and stand upright in a bowl with the bristles facing up.  Allow brushes to air dry over night.

Tags: Acne Fighting, baby shampoo, brushes, bush cleaner

My 1st Time at the Apollo Theatre!: AMBI Sponsored “Harlem Heights” Premiere

March has been off to a crazy start.  Lots of shooting, parties, and other miscellaneous things that have left me with little time or energy to keep up with blogging.  There was also a pathetic 2 day attempt at The Master Cleanse, which didn’t go well at all and left me feeling delirious with absolutely NO ENERGY.  Definitely won’t be attempting that again.

Last week (prior to the master cleanse DISASTER) I ran home after a day of shooting and did a wonder woman style quick change to go back out to the premiere of the new BET show “Harlem Heights.”

At the premiere I caught the first two episodes and also copped gift bags courtesy of AMBI skin care full of awesome products like: foaming cleanser, daily moisturizer, body oil, fade cream (does anyone know if this works on scars???), and creamy oil lotion.

Here is a video I shot at the pre-screening reception:

Tags: AMBI, Apollo Theatre, BET, Harlem Heights

Fun Times at Sephora!

Yesterday I spent almost 2 hours inside a Sephora with my friend Jen.  I’m a makeup artist, she’s a beauty addict and together we’re TROUBLE when surrounded by so many options.  I’m pretty sure the sales people were overwhelmed by our presence as they watched us flutter around the store from one display to the other.  Now, I know what you’re thinking:  Why would I need to go to a Sephora when I get products sent to me all the time?  Well, despite the fact that I get sent tons of cosmetics and products almost daily, I do make the occasional trip to the store to actually make personal purchases.  I’m a real girl too, and sometimes I just need to get my shop on.  Naturally, my favorite place to shop is Sephora, and every time I set foot in one it’s serious, and I never leave empty handed.

This trip resulted in 3 purchases:

Sephora Brand FACE Foaming Cleanser: Tried this last night, and was very good although it did not really foam.  Was more like gentle sudsing gel.  Some of the reviews on Sephora’s site are a little bit ‘angry’ with customers writing all sorts of things about being annoyed by the misleading use of ‘foaming.’  Personally, the lack of foam didn’t bother me much since it still got the job done.

Sephora Brand Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15: Haven’t tried this yet – Still have some of my favorite leftover, so will have to review at a later time.

Sephora by OPI nail Polish in IM Beauty:  A super cute lemon yellow nail polish.  Color is very soft, and not at all offensive like some of the other yellow polish options I have come across. (You need this, it’s adorbs).

I had more in my basket.  Trust.  I just tried to be sensible and remind myself that I have more products in my apartment than most people , and that thought helped me to put several items back on the shelf that I didn’t think were must haves.

What I did not get was the Dior Airflash BRONZER.  That was a tough one to put back.  I mean, the stuff was made for me.  Seriously.  But at $60 a can, I just couldn’t justify the purchase especially when I have THREE airbrush machine’s in my possession which I can use at any time to create the exact same look.

I won’t lie…I’m still considering going back to get it.  I had completely forgotten that I had tested and LOVED it, until my roommate asked me what was on my face because she NEEDED to have it.  *Sigh*  I should have snapped a photo to post here, so you could see how fabulous it looked.  Oh well, next time.

Eventually, I will find a way to justify the purchase, but until then I’ll just break out my trusty airbrush compressor to replicate the look.

I am also considering going back to get this glitter eye gel from Sephora Brand. In the store it didn’t look like anything any more special than the dozens of other glitter type products I have in my arsenal.  Then I got in the car, and I did a quick check in the mirror (couldn’t help it, yo), and it was really subtle and sparkly and feminine and PERFECT FOR SUMMER.  Eh.  Will add it to my wish list and cop it in May just in time for the sunshine.  It was only $10 bucks so it isn’t like it’s terribly expensive, and since I wear glitter all the damn time, I know it will be a useful item.

My friend Jen got a bunch of other stuff – Maybe she will kindly grace the comment section with her product reviews.  Jen, are you out there?  I know you read this site…

Tags: Dior, Glitter Gel, OPI, Sephora