ELLIS FAAS: Color L101

I just love this formulation because the applicator is amazing and puts the product on precisely, but it finishes in a sort of smooth, perfect matte. It’s surpremely classy. It also lasts a long time and totally worth the $35.00 I didn’t pay for it.

The other color, Infernelle, by Kevyn Aucoin is creamier, more burgandy, and glossy. It seriously feels like butter on the lips.

Here’s the problem…I can’t find this particular product anywhere online. Kevyn Aucoin is sold in places like Barney’s, Nordstrom, Saks, and Macys. Find a store that carries it and ask if they carry this color, or while you there, try on a few more shades. The brand is stellar, in my never-to-be-humble opinion. Here’s the store locator.

With the advent of the fifth season of the show, I decided to bring the style to life for you ladies. I know that they aren’t black women, but we can definitely learn from the style of the women from that show. I have put together five things that we can all take away from Mad Men.

Mini Satchel Bags

Every girl has that large bag that she throws everything into and often finds herself rummaging through all the way to the bottom where she finds herself being sucked into the black hole that is her over-sized bag. Don’t lie, you know you’ve been there. Well, this late 50s – 60s take on handbags is the answer to your prayers. It is small and fashionable and big enough to hold only your bare and I do mean BARE necessities.

Kitten Heels Can Be Sexy Too

 

After centuries it seems of the hooker/stripper heel trend, kitten heels are making a comeback. And what a welcome comeback they are. The ladies of the 50s and 60s made this demure little heel look ultra sexy. Take a cue from the ladies of Mad Men and go kitten. I mean who needs to be a full fledged cat when you can get what you want by being a saucy kitten?

 

 

Mad Men Style– Kitten Heel by lattes-n-lipstick featuring kitten heels

Form Fitting Dresses

 

Who needs to show it ALL.. The sexy is in the cover up. And the women of the 50s and 60s understood this. Instead, they left everything to the imagination, yet still gave you a peak. Into their curves that is. With these curves, I am not sure why there weren’t a lot of car accidents. Be a bombshell and show off your curves. Go form fitting. P.S. great shape wear is a plus!

 

 

Mad Men Style– Form Fitting Dresses by lattes-n-lipstick featuring h & m dresses

 

A-Line Dresses

 

This style of dress is very figure flattering no matter your shape or size. A great push up bra is all that is needed and you can either dress it up or down, wear it to cocktails, work, or a picnic. It is a very feminine and frilly way to show off your style.

 

 

Mad Men Style– A-line Dresses by lattes-n-lipstick featuring a bubble dress

Va Va Voom Lipstick

 

Yes, I know. Nude lips have the IT style since the 90s but isn’t it time to mix it up? Bright lipstick is a great way to be heard. Especially, you single ladies. Studies have shown that men equate bright lipstick with intelligence and they are über attracted to it. So get over your fears and try a little color on your lips.

Mad Men Style- Va Va Voom Lipstick by lattes-n-lipstick featuring a red lip stick

These are my absolute, tried and true favorites:

Pro: Goes on like a powder, finishes like a foundation. Doesn’t feel cakey or heavy.

Cons: I seem to get shinier using this and have to blot it about ever couple hours. No biggy though.

Pros: This stuff goes on like velvet. I’m wearing it in this photo:

Cons: The shape of the stick is really wide so you have to be careful not to get outside your lip line and look like Homie the Clown. A lip brush solves that problem. It doesn’t last as long as I would like, and I had to reapply after eating or drinking. Again, no biggie.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, “Lovecraft”

Pros: I’m loving Lip Tar more this year because I’m understanding better how versatile it is. I LOVE this color (one from their new line up) and am using it as a accent to my purple lip color by just dabbing a little in the middle of my lip, and then using it as a check blush. The metallic is amazing and so feminine and fun.

Cons: Lip Tar is not a gloss, so it can feel a little dry going on your dry lips. You can solve this by using a clear gloss base and then putting on color on top. It is gorgeous.

Giveaway!!

I want EVERYONE girl and woman on BB&W to look and feel beautiful. We’ve been talking a lot about that lately. What makes BB&W so different for anywhere else on the web is that we truly care and uplift each other. Write to me briefly about a story you’d like to share with our readership about how you transformed a low self-image around in a healthy and practical way, and I’ll give the best commenter with the most LIKES some goodies from brow geniuses, Anastasia Beverly Hills!

Precision brow tweezers

Clear Brow Gel

Black eye/brow liner

]]> http://www.beyondblackwhite.com/hottest-trends-show-los-angeles-stila-occ-anastasia-beverly-hills-forever/feed/ 18 http://www.beyondblackwhite.com/5-beauty-trends-oscars-2013/ http://www.beyondblackwhite.com/5-beauty-trends-oscars-2013/#comments Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:12:21 +0000 Tanisha Shulamit http://www.beyondblackwhite.com/?p=19721 The red carpet extravaganza was two weeks ago. However, the looks presented on it are still impacting our SS 2013 wardrobe. Are the fresh faced looks and brightly colored lips a hint of what is to come in the Spring? I think so. Jessica Chastain (yes black women can adapt this look as well as Anne Hathaway's), Anne Hathaway, Naomie Harris, Kelly Rowland and Kerry Washington are pointing the way to some amazing beauty trends this season.

(Read more...)

]]> The red carpet extravaganza was two weeks ago. However, the looks presented on it are still impacting our SS 2013 wardrobe. Are the fresh faced looks and brightly colored lips a hint of what is to come in the Spring? I think so. Jessica Chastain (yes black women can adapt this look as well as Anne Hathaway’s), Anne Hathaway, Naomie Harris, Kelly Rowland and Kerry Washington are pointing the way to some amazing beauty trends this season.

 

 

Pretty in Pink, Anne Hathaway

Anne stepped out in a pastel pink dress. She combined it with a matte pink lip and winged out liner. This was a perfect contrast to her porcelain skin and raven hair.

Oscar Night 2013, Anne Hathaway, GTL by lattes-n-lipstick featuring nars cosmetics

 

This winter be sexy and smoldering with a natural palette. Glamorize yourself by wearing makeup that reveals you. Take a lesson from a few of this year’s Golden Globe winners.

Why we all might be fuming that we will never look like Halle Berry, it is not impossible to achieve her nude look.

For the shadowy eyes, go with brown, bronze, or gold eye color, and apply black eyeliner and mascara that naturally defines, but adds a flare of drama.

Try Sephora’s “Moonshadow Baked Palette – In The Nude,” and Mac’s Haute and Naughty Lash, for eyes and lashes that will look naked, but still shimmer and have the right amount of intensity.  For lips, steal from Golden Globe nominee Kerry Washington, and actress Rosario Dawson’s flawless wears of pale pink.

For Rosario and Kerry’s pale perfect pink lips, a great choice would be Mac’s “Please Me, muted- rosey-tinted-pink” lipstick.

Pale pink is a perfect addition to the natural palette. It blends wonderfully and adds a touch of color. As for a nude color, I recommend my personal favorite, Nars, “Bilbao” lipstick. Your lips will look bare and still stand out.

Try using this nude palette this winter for a face that seems effortless and flawlessly natural.

While a face in the buff is one of my favorite looks, a pop of color is often essential, and when it comes to fashion for this winter season, brightly colored patterns and a splash of neon are what’s in.

Though many of us cannot afford Solange Knowles’s Roberto Cavalli printed suit, we can easily buy printed material to brighten our casual wear.

Affordable printed trousers are available at H&M, and colorful platforms are accessible at Nine West.

Also in this season is a touch of neon. At this event Alicia Keys adds the right amount of pop by wearing a bright neon blazer.

To really simplify the matter try Gap’s, “minna sodawash T,” in a raspberry or neon flamingo, with a pair of jeans and mid-low heels, to look causal and sexy. Also, brightly colored pants can easily take an outfit to another level. Try American Apparels riding pants also in a raspberry, or imperial purple.

To really simplify the matter try Gap’s, “minna sodawash T,” in a raspberry or neon flamingo, with a pair of jeans and mid-low heels, to look causal and sexy. Also, brightly colored pants can easily take an outfit to another level. Try American Apparels riding pants also in a raspberry, or imperial purple.

I hope these suggestions give you some insight and charisma in case you are stuck on ideas this winter season.

More about “Bombshell”

You Hair

The updo is the quintessential feminine hairstyle. The hair swept up reveals the contours and delicacy of your neck–an often overlooked feature and those ladies in The Tudors had it right. Don’t underestimate the French roll. It’s romantic. You can go loose and messy or a perfect roll with every hair in place, because it works either way.

There’s nothing like a woman in pink. Dark, smokey eye, long lashes and bedroom eyes, pink blush, and pink, shimmery lips are oh-so-sexy and oh-so-feminine. But like reds, pinks can be tricky depending on your skin tone. While light-skinned sisters can wear paler pinks, mocha ladies should go for darker pinks lest their lips might end up looking like they’ve just kissed a jelly doughnut.

That’s usually the case for me, with one exception — COVERGIRL Blast Flipstick #800. I became intrigued with the Flipstick when I saw Sofia Vergara singing it’s praises with that thick, Latin accent I love.

One side of the Flipstick is a solid color, and the other side gives a shimmery overlay for extra “ooomph.” I like the shimmer top because it adds depth and dimension to an otherwise flat lip color. I’ve since bought three shades total … first the brown/bronze, violet/violet shimmer, and now the pink/pink shimmer.

But I’ll be honest, if BlogHer hadn’t asked me to review the pink I think I would have passed. It looked really light in the package, and I was afraid my lips would look chalky. I was pleasantly impressed.

Here’s why I think it works: the pigments have warm undertones that jibe well with my dark skin with yellow undertones. The formula is also sheer so both colors don’t come on too thick and overpower my face. The sheerness of the formula has a downside, though. It doesn’t last very long. You’ll end up have to reapply the lipstick about three times a day, or after every meal for sure. But for just $10.79, most of you won’t be crying about that.

I also like that you can use either the matte side or the shimmer side separately, for you ladies who want to keep it simple at work and then jazz it up a happy hour, this is a great choice. If you don’t want to apply and reapply the shade ever couple hours or so, you might want to try to incorporate a lip liner. For a softer look, use a brown lip pencil, or purple if you want a little pop.

Be sure to visit pgtryit.com to learn how you can stay in the know when it comes to beauty, family and home. Here, you can also learn more about our Trend Trio, rate products and watch fun and innovative ìhow-toî video tutorials.

To enter for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card sponsored by BlogHer, answer the following question in the comments. Each comment posted generates an automatic entry into the sweepstakes. How would COVERGIRLÆ Flipstick fit into your everyday life?

Rules:
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You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
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following unique term in your tweet message: “”#SweepstakesEntry”"; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post”
c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
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This sweepstakes runs from 12/6 to 12/31
Be sure to visit the P&G Have You Tried This Yet? brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggersí reviews and find more chances to win!

Beyond Black and White

The holidays are quickly upon us, and chances are, you’ll be invited to at least one gala this season. What will you do when you’re expected to dump those sweats and slap on some makeup? Better take inventory, fast.

Set Your Palette

Before you put one brush of makeup to your face, make sure you’ve got your skin primed and ready. Start the night before with a good exfoliator to slough off spent skin to achieve a holiday glow. There’s a variety of choices available to rid yourself of dead skin, but I tend to go for the less-gritty and less-messy fruit acid-based exfoliators. I’m using a Revitalizing Facial Peel. It’s got glycolic acid and retinyl which does wonders for skin of a… certain age. Use it twice a week before bedtime and you’ll wake up with softer, smoother, plumper skin, with that “glow.”

The Eyes Have It

Here’s an often-overlooked step women miss when it comes to dressing up their eyes–get the red out. A couple of drops of redness relieving eye drops will contract ugly blood vessels in the eyes and make them appear whiter and brighter. Whiter, brighter eyes make you look more youthful and amplify your makeup.

Beef Up Your Lashes

The quickest and most efficient way to get your eyes to “pop” is with falsies. Unfortunately for me, I just can’t make these things work for me. The glue sticks to my fingers and both sides of the fake eye lashes, then by the end of the night the sides start to lift, which is super embarrassing. I’ve tried the eye conditioners that claim to grow your own lashes, and some of them work, but most are just “meh” for me. That leaves good old mascara. COVERGIRLÆ Clump Crusher Mascara is an affordable option. Don’t let the skinny brush on the wand fool you–your eyelashes will pop after a few flicks of your wrist. The tiny, tight spacing of the wand is the selling point because the shape keeps clumps at bay. As a result, COVERGIRL Clump Crusher Mascara gives you 200% more volume than previous COVERGIRL LashBlast Mascaras and leaves zero clumps, even after 30 strokes.

Don’t Forget Your Hands!

Besides your eyes, another top feature not to forget is your hands. Put on a statement ring on any finger except your thumb or ring finger (why cause confusion if you’re single and looking?) Don’t forget to throw a little paint on those nails after you file them. If you have short stubby nails like me, opt for a lighter color. Got nails long and strong? Go bold. I’m a sucker for purple, but the popular darker shades just accentuate how dang short my nails are. That’s why I got really excited about CoverGirlÆ Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss, because 1) you can skip a bunch of steps– no need for base coat or top coat because the formula provides all you need in a polish and gives you glossy nail color for up to a week without the need for a top coat!, and 2) they have a lovely light lavender color that makes my nubbin fingernails look decent enough to show in public.

Visit COVERGIRL on YouTube for more great ideas on how to get red carpet ready!

What makes YOU feel ‘red carpet ready’ and what are YOUR go-to tricks?

Enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card sponsored by COVERGIRL!

Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post.
b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion, including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: #SweepstakesEntry and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post.
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This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to respond, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 12/4 – 12/31.
Be sure to visit the COVERGIRL brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggersí reviews and find more chances to win!

Color – I ended up having to use the foundation on a coworker because their Caramel shade is less my skin tone and more Eva Longoria.  I generally wear caramel in all makeup lines but this one was way lighter than I could use without looking like the undead so I brought LeAna onboard as my test subject.  So I have to rate the liquid foundation color selection as poor for most black women because the only brown shades are Caramel and Toffee and we see below what Caramel looks like so only Toffee is an option for most brown women and therefore not suitable for all.   The pressed powder and loose powder foundation color options weren’t any better.

Coverage – This is a very lightweight, sheer foundation so great for those who want just a bit of makeup to even things out and already have pretty good skin.

Wearability – LeAna took the foundation with her to Texas when she traveled so she was able to see how it held up in the crisp weather of  Chicago versus the warmth of Texas.  She reported that it held up well and she didn’t feel like she was wearing makeup which is important in warmer months/climates.  This would make a good summer foundation.

Finish-  It dries down to a natural, semi-matte finish.  Easy to apply and blend.

I asked LeAna what she would rate it overall and she said a 6.5 out of 10.  It was lightweight and the color was good for her but she likes more coverage.

Here’s three with love:

Smashbox Anti-Shine

A makeup-artist favorite, this formula is interesting because it goes on cool and wet but quickly dries to a lovely matte finish. It’s best for when you’re on camera or doing a photo shoot because it can stand the heat–even under hot lights. At $27 it’s the priciest on the list, from the looks of these reviews, it’s worth every penny. Make up artists apply this formula with a sponge both over and under foundation.

Shine Stopper Instant Matte Finish

Developed by Paula Begoun, who made her name legend in the cosmetics world with her no-bullsh*t book, “Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me,” and has her own line of skin care products without the hype and pomp. The anti-shine formula comes in a small, narrow tube, but don’t let the size fool you–a little goes a long way. Shine stopper can also be applied both under and over foundation. Works great for the troublesome T-zone, however deepening on the season, results may not last all day and you might need to reapply over makeup after you lunch hour.

Bau Del Aire 2-in-1 Oil Absorbing Primer + Mask

This product is relatively new to the scene and works for people who need heavy-duty shine control. The key ingredient is Magnesium Hydroxide (think Milk of Magnesia) and serves as both a primer and an oil-absorbing mask depending on the mode of application. The formula comes in a pump and is more liquid than cream, so it’s best to apply it with a makeup sponge or soft, flat makeup brush. At $18 it’s the least priciest on the line up. Works best under foundation only.

So BB&W Crew, share your shine-free secrets! What do you use to stave off the shine?