Scrub-a-dub-dub

While we're on the topic of beauty and skin care, I feel it's necessary to address the one thing that strikes fear in the hearts of teenage girls all across the country, pimples. I know everyone has a remedy, and everyone has the cure that's better than the last. My voice may get drowned out by the Proactiv commercials screaming at you to buy their new and improved formula, but honestly I'm not impressed.

I started using Proactiv my freshman year of high school, and my skin noticeably improved for awhile. Then the dreaded Proactiv curse fell upon me after I had stopped using it, and my pimples were relentless. I just figured it was my oily skin that had triggered this mess, so I started using Proactiv again. Soon, after months of using Proactiv I began noticing that my skin would become extremely dry. Proactiv actually converted my skin from really oily to so dry that I couldn't wear make-up because it would just flake right off, even after applying copious amounts of moisturizer. I stopped using Proactiv November of 2009 because I had enough of my skin looking and feeling its worst. I didn't have many pimples, but my skin was always irritated and dry.

I set out on a mission, to find the best acne fighting products as well as moisturizers.
The first thing all you acne prone skinned gals should know about is what not to put on your face, and that my friends is a one step solution. Check the ingredients to your moisturizer, if the word "mineral" shows up several times then, honey, it's time to toss that sucker out. Mineral oil is extremely greasy, clogs the pores, and just sits on top of skin resulting in an unflattering shiny look. My go-to moisturizer is MAC's Moisturelush cream.

After months of testing out different products I am in skin heaven! It's not greasy, it permeates through the skin quickly, it does not clog my pores, and best of all it leaves my skin smooth and touchably soft. Say good-bye to dry irritated skin, ladies!

The next thing all acne prone skin (as well as dry skin) needs is a good scrubbin'. This is an essential part to anyone's skin care routine because it removes the dead skin cells just sitting on top of your face, and creates a beautiful smooth canvas to evenly apply your make-up.
My first recommendation is St. Ives Naturally Clear Blemish and Blackhead control apricot scrub.

Only second to MAC's Moisturelush cream, this product rescued my skin. It's gentle enough to use everyday, unlike Proactiv, and delivers radiant blemish free skin. Now after you've gotten rid of those pesky pimples, revealing your naturally beautiful skin, I suggest moving on to a more mature skin cleanser.
My second recommendation is also from the St. Ives family. The St. Ives Timeless Skin Renew and Firm apricot scrub is what I've been using this past month, and I love it.

After all the scrubbing and the acne, skin can get a little red and blotchy. So I turned to this renew and firm creamy scrub to help calm the redness. It has a creamier texture than the blemish and blackhead control, but it still has those tiny scrub pearls to cleanse the skin. But my favorite perk is that while it evens skin tone, it reduces the signs of aging by firming the skin and helping it retain its natural elasticity. I'm no old woman, but I don't see the harm in getting ahead start against wrinkles.

Now keep this in mind when you purchase any skin care product, be it moisturizer, anti-wrinkle cream, Proactiv etc. It takes approximately 3-4 weeks for a product to really start giving you results. There is no such thing as an instant cure! Allow time for your skin to, for lack of a better word, accept a product. If you don't see the results you want in two months or after you've finished a container (which ever comes first) then you should probably move on, never settle for something. Everyone deserves beautiful skin, and here are just two more ways to bring out the best in you.

Love & Lipstick,
Amanda

M.A.C Must-haves!

Ciao Bellas!

Here is a more detailed review on a few products that I can't seem to get

enough of lately!

Everyone knows that healthy, radiant-looking skin has always been an essential part of make-up. In order to have that effortless, glow-from-within look, you have to start from the "ground" up! A good skincare routine is key in providing a perfect base for your make-up. Aside from moisturizers, cleansers, and all that jazz, there are other ways to take care of your skin. A good primer can make a world's difference in your over-all look! M.A.C has a wide range of products in their Prep + Prime line. They all have many different uses and provide different results, but lately I can't live without their Prep + Prime Face Protect Primer with SPF 50!

Applied over moisturizer or under foundation, it not only protects your skin from harmful UV rays, but helps the skin retain its moisture. It contains oil absorbing ingredients like Silica to help create a soft-focus effect on the skin and minimize the appearance of imperfections. Now, who wouldn't want that? It's gentle, light-weight, and a simple step that you can take in maintaining your skin's integrity!

Next on the list is M.A.C Fast Response Eye Cream.

Let me just say that my under-eye circles have finally met their match! Infused with caffeine to reduce puffiness and gentle botanical extracts to soothe and cool the skin, you can say goodbye to tired-looking eyes! It contains optical diffusers which help minimize the appearance of fine lines, and it's best applied under concealer! Make-up artists absolutely adore using this product on their customers. A must-have in every make-up kit!

Now let's talk about blush. This is a product that, when added, can completely transform a look. It instantly brightens your face while balancing your makeup. You can wear it ever so lightly on the apples of your cheeks for that rosy, just-got-in-from-the-cold look, or you can create an intense contour that will make you look fierce! It's all about quantity and placement.

M.A.C has recently come out with Blush Ombres as part of their Spring Color Forecast Collection.

(Left to Right: Azalea Blossom, Vintage Grape, Rich Coral, Springshine)

Each of these gorgeous blushes were made with a gradation of light to dark hues. They are lightweight and have medium-buildable coverage so you can play around with the intensity!

I was only able to get the first two so here are swatches for those:

(Left: Vintage Grape Right: Azalea Blossom)

These blushes are absolutely to die for! Hurry up and grab them before they sell out, if they haven't already!

Time for lipstick and lipgloss! There's nothing that I love more than being able to match beautiful eye and face makeup with the perfect lip shade! Lipstick was the first product M.A.C has ever made and it now has over 160 shades (permanent and limited)! It's so hard to narrow down my favorite lipsticks but this month I've been using a few in particular: Riveting, Show Orchid and Viva Gaga. Here's what they look like:

Riveting (Top) is a muted taupe-y plum shade. It's a Glaze so it glides on smoothly and moisturizes the lips. Glaze lipsticks were meant to be sheer but, surprisingly, Riveting can be applied more intensely to provide a better coverage. This color looks gorgeous on all skin-tones!

Show Orchid is hot-hot-hot! Wear this lipstick alone or with Magenta liner to really make a statement! You can wear it with or without gloss---either way, your lips will be the center of attention.

Last but certainly not least, Viva Gaga Lipstick. Now this one has certainly made the front page. Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper--two pop icons have come out with their own lipsticks for M.A.C's Viva Glam line. This line of lipsticks was established in 1994 to support men, women, and children living and affected by HIV Aids. 100% of the retail selling price ($14) is donated to the fund--and this doesn't go to researchers or organizations. The money goes directly to the people in the form of clothing, food, health care, etc!

The Viva Gaga lipstick (Bottom) is a beautiful light blue-pink shade that can be worn sheer or packed on for those girls that enjoy a more brighter look.

Lately I've been pairing Show Orchid with Loud & Lovely (Bottom) Cremesheen Glass and Viva Gaga with Fashion Scoop Cremesheen Glass (Top) which are both part of M.A.C's new collection, Too Fabulous.

You can wear these alone or together, which is how I chose to wear them in my video (linked below).

Next in line is eyeliner--more specifically--brown eyeliner. I feel like brown eyeliner has been left on the back burner lately. Black eyeliner has always been the more popular choice. Don't get me wrong, I love that smolder-y, smokey look as much as the next girl, but sometimes I'm in a more laid-back mood. Brown liner isn't as harsh as black liner and paired with a bronzy eyeshadow, you can create that sultry, earthy look, that can be very flattering. No need to be neat, ladies! Take your brown liner ( lately I've been using either Coffee or Teddy-shown below) and smudge it into your lash line using a 219 brush. Then take a fluffier brush (a 217 or 224 will do the trick) and blend it out with shadows like Sable or Tempting up through the crease.

(Top: Coffee Bottom: Teddy)

Here's an example of a smokey eye using Coffee liner:

You can throw on false lashes or add a few extra coats of mascara and you'll be good to go!

Finally, the last product (Whew!) that I have used a lot this month is Luna Cream Color Base.

It is a bright shimmery white cream that can be applied to bare skin or layered over moisturizer, foundation, or powder. It can be applied with a brush, sponge, or your fingers (which is how I prefer to apply it) on any areas you would like to highlight. It's sheer enough to give you that effortless and subtle glow. I love to apply Luna on my cheekbones, on the inner corners of my eyes, and even as a highlight for my brow bone!

I hope this review gave you some ideas on what to look out for on your next trip to M.A.C!

Subscribe to my Youtube Channel for more tutorials and reviews!

Love and Lipstick,

Natalie

Just One of the Boys..

Greetings, girlies!

The weather here has been exquisite to say the least. Spring has sprung here in the dirty jersey, and it's definitely a refreshing alternative to the blizzards that have been running rampant.

But enough about the weather, let's cut to the chase!

For as long as I can remember, I've been obsessed with the masculine meets feminine look. Just like the blizzards around here, this style seems to be running rampant and I'm loving it. Trends like t-shirt dresses, and boyfriend jeans are a part of every fashionista's wardrobe this season. But no one seems to do it better than Marc Jacobs. In his Spring/Summer 2010 Ready to Wear collection every look blew me away:

But this one in particular tickled my fancy..

Naughty, naughty, Marc Jacobs.

This olive twill jacket with the organza ruffle, pretty much sums up my whole life.
I set out to re-create this look with whatever was at my disposal, which means it's not an exact replica but it gets the job done. I paired this Forever 21 two-tone bib tunic with a Divided for H&M brown puff-sleeved leather jacket. For the complete effect, I zipped up the jacket so that only a peek of the embellished bib was showing. The femininity of the skirt on the tunic and the masculine jacket really create a wonderfully pulled together look. Pair it up with black skinny jeans, and a nude pump and you are ready to take on the world, sister!
This look compliments Natalie's gorgeous spring make-up, as well ;]

This being the first of my entries, I'd like to leave you with a bit of inspiration. I encourage you to be creative and daring with your clothes. Despite what the majority says, it's better to have a personal style than no style at all.

Wishing you all Love and Lipstick,
Amanda

Perfect Makeup for Perfect Weather

Hello lovelies!

What a GORGEOUS day. It's 60º out and the sun is shining. A much hoped for Spring has finally made an appearance! This season's make-up trends are all about multi-dimensional beauty. Today, I have focused on two trends: Pale 'n' Dandy & Dye-A-Tribe. The first of these fabulous looks features skin with glorious dewy and glossy textures to create the illusion of moonlight. Brows are either bleached or very distinct and lashes & lips are left 'au naturel'. The less, the better!

"Gloss texture on the eye and brushed through the brow is officially the most popular product of the season.”- Tiffany Johnston

For the second trend, think of light pouring through a stained glass onto the skin. The colors are soft-focused yet upbeat, and are tied together chromatically. Shadows are super well-blended and velvety smooth. There's nothing like fresh-faced make-up to brighten your day!

In this make-up tutorial you can see how I incorporate elements from the two trends into one elegant yet fun look! Check it out!

And here are a few close-ups of the finished look:

Pink is such a classic, girly color you can never go wrong with, but by all means make this look your own! You can bump it up with a hot pink lip ( Try MAC's Show Orchid--a gorgeous blue-pink lipstick!) or a fierce cat-eye liner using MAC's Blacktrack fluidline. Make it a harmonious blend of hues or highlight one feature to create a look that is sure to turn heads!

Love and Lipstick,

Natalie from Pretty in Plink!

Dress Me, I'm Your Mannequin

Good evening, pursuers of embellishment and intrigue! Welcome to our little world of all things beauty. La vie imaginaire. Allow us to introduce ourselves.

That.. is us.

Clearly, we are the embodiment of badassery. The bundle of joy on the right is Amanda Elizabeth. She is an avid collector of cardigans and loves discovering the perfect accessory. Standing at a whopping 5'4", this ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb channels the inspiration for her outfits from 1950s Malt Shop chic (ala Katy Perry) to a Joan Jett-esque rocker look that would make even the toughest of male exteriors melt.

Here is a far more flattering picture of her. Russian Red lipstick is an absolute must have in every make-up bag.

The lovely lady on the left is Natalie Noelle, a classic beauty that enjoys the simple things in life, like a good peacock-feathered headband, and a smokey eye to match. Her extensive knowledge of all things make-up and beauty comes from her experience behind the MAC cosmetics counter. Her style is sophisticated and chic with a subtle twist, Audrey Hepburn meets the Olsen twins.

Here you will find the latest trends in both fashion and makeup, and ways to incorporate each one into your personal style. With our reviews on beauty products and fashion you'll never make a bad purchase again!

Love and Lipstick,
The Gals of Pretty in Plink!