Blaq Vixen Beauty

Celebrity makeup artist Samuel Paul created this lovely look for Anika Noni Rose for the 3rd Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon. The rundown as follows:

eyes. "I blended NARS Single Eyeshadow Compact in Bengali softly around the whole eye and then lined the top lid with NARS Eye Liner Pencil in Black Moon, I applied MAC Eyeshadow in Carbon over the liner and blended it out. I also used NARS Eye Liner Pencil in Black Moon to line the inner eye rim. I then coated Rose's top and bottom lashes with L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara For Lashes in Carbon Black."

blush. "I used MAC Powder Blush in Sweet as Cocoa to contour the cheeks. Then used Cargo Blush in Laguna on the apples of her cheeks."

lips. "I fill in her entire lips with NARS Lipliner Pencil in Jilted Love and then filled in with NARS Lip Gloss in Dolce Vita."

Editor's Note: The product mentioned in this post was sent by Purple Lab NYC for an exclusive launch party in honor of Purple Lab NYC's debut on the Home Shopping Network (HSN).

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have read my tweets about Purple Lab Silk Sheets Luxe Foundation ($34.50). As it turns out, my experience with Silk Sheets have been mostly good - the formula itself is creamy, silky, blendable, and feels great on the skin. However, since I have to do quite a bit to correct the shade (as you can see on the left), I am hesitant to actually buy Silk Sheets. This is a shame because Karen Robinovitz (the creatrix of Purple Lab) included "coveted ingredients" in Silk Sheets to include algae, hyaluronic acid, silk, juniper, almond seed oil, Vitamin C, and nettle. It also firms the complexion, as you can hopefully see on the right.

Want to see how I made Silk Sheets really work for me? Keep reading for more information and photos!

Editor's Note: The product mentioned in this post was sent by Purple Lab NYC for an exclusive launch party in honor of Purple Lab NYC's debut on the Home Shopping Network (HSN).

Ladies, you are glancing at my first test run with Purple Lab NYC Silk Sheets Luxe Foundation in Dark. I applied the foundation for my guests so that they would see how it looks on the skin. What I found interesting is that my mom's best friend remarked that it reminded her of the Bare Minerals foundation. At the present moment, unless you are Adri's complexion (from Real Curb Appeal), this foundation will not work for you. You have to layer something over it so it will look as natural as possible. I opted to use a tinted setting powder and bronzer and here how it turned out.

Now, in this post I am not going to go into specifics about the foundation because I would like to see how it performs during the day. However, I will tell you what I am wearing in this picture:

face. Purple Lab NYC Silk Sheets Luxe Foundation in Dark. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Dark. CoverGirl Queen Collection Natural Hue Minerals Bronzer in Light Bronze. IMAN Second to None Cover Cream in Clay Medium Deep.

cheeks. MAC Beauty Powder Blush in All's Good.

eyes. L'Oreal Brow Stylist Custom Brow Shaping Pencils in Darker Medium Brown. Tribute shade from ARTISTRY Colour Palette in Timeless.

lips. Thevi Cosmetics High Impact Lipstick in Sequin.

Editor's Note: Recently, I found out that celebrity makeup artist Nick Barose initially did Kerry Washington's makeup, courtesy of Beauty Blitz. I think celebrity makeup artist Brandy Gomez-Duplessis may have retouched Washington. Anyhow, I've updated it to include which products that Barose used as well. Enjoy!

Celebrity makeup artist Brandy Gomez-Duplessis did Kerry Washington's makeup for the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. What I love about this beauty breakdown is that you can hit up your nearest CVS, Walgreens or Wal-Mart and buy all of these products. Did you know that Brandy has been a L'Oreal Pro Makeup Artist for 6 years? She says of the brand: "I can proudly say I enjoy working with L'Oreal Paris makeup. My many makeup kits are 95% L'Oreal. One of my favorite brands in the L'Oreal Paris family is the L'Oreal high intensity pigments HIP line which will soon be the Professional Studio Secrets."

"Kerry was such a sweetheart and was very easy to work on," Gomez-Duplessis revealed. Here is what she used from L'Oreal:

face. L'Oreal True Match Foundation in Nut Brown, L'Oreal Paris Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Powder in Classic Tan.

eyes. L'Oreal HIP Color Rich Cream Eyeliner in Black, L'Oreal HIP High Intensity Pigments Concentrated Shadow Duo in Sassy.  Gomez-Duplessis selected the taupe shade from this duo. L'Oreal Panoramic Curl Extreme Curl & Separating Mascara in Blackest Black. Lancome Artliner in Noir.

cheeks. L'Oreal True Match Blush in Rosy Outlook. shu uemura Glow On Peach.

lips. First, Washington's lips were prepped with L'Oreal Bare Naturale Gentle Lip Conditioner in Soft Sugar to protect them from the cold Utah weather. Gomez-Duplessis kept Washington's lip color soft with L'Oreal HIP Shine Struck Liquid Lipcolor in Euphoric. L'Oreal Paris Infallible Never Fail Lip Gloss in Modern Mauve.

Here is another picture from the Entertainment Weekly Lounge presented by L'Oreal Paris:

face. No primer. Stippled Clinique Even Better Foundation SPF 15 in Ginger with beautyblender. Stippled Iman Cosmetics Second to None Cover Cream in Medium with beautyblender on top of foundation. Applied extra coverage to scars, blemishes and birthmark. Applied MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Dark with EcoTools Blush Brush. Without the Mineralize Skinfinish, I would have been an Oompa Loompa's doppelganger.

eyes. L'Oreal Paris Double Extend Lash Boosting Mascara with Physician's Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Mascara. Filled in eyebrows (just a little) with L'Oreal Brow Stylist Professional in Medium Dark Brown. No brow gel. Applied Tarte hEYEimpact Creaseless Shadow and Liner in Bronze Shadow/Bronze Liner. Layered upper lashline with Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero over Tarte Bronze Liner.

cheeks. Pressed Black Radiance Sheer Finish Blush in Spiced Ginger.

lips. Outlined and filled in lips with MAC Lip Pencil in Chestnut. Applied MAC Lipglass in Viva Glam V.

I can't even express how happy I am right now! This feels like homecoming to me! I never realized how much I loved face-of-the-days (actually, this was my face I did last night so it's actually a "face-of-the-night") until I took pictures. Believe me, I took so many pictures until I found one that I wouldn't mind showing on the blog. I used my beautyblender but I forgot to do the first step: Dampen your beautyblender with water and then towel dry to remove access water. I used mine dry and here's how everything turned out.

Want to know what I used in my first face-of-the-day (FOTD) of 2009? Want to see more photos? Peep the details!

Have you checked out Christine's foundation matrix over at Temptalia? Such an ingenious idea! As long as there has been beauty blogs, I am surprised no one else have come up with anything similar. Or maybe you have? School me in the comments!

Christine created a Google Spreadsheet with MAC foundation shades (like NW35, NW40, NW45, etc.) as the common reference points, as many women out there have been sucked into the MACtrix at one time at another. I was sucked in May 23, 2009. And so far, I've only been smitten with one product. You already know. You then scroll down the list to see which other brand (whether it be a department store, drugstore or a MLM (multi leveling marketing) company like meet mark, Avon, Mary Kay, Artistry or Market America.

If you don't see a brand that you regularly use, you can add it in column A, which is a list of all the foundations that have been added so far. I knew on the Iman Cosmetics site, they have a section where you can see which Iman shade would correlate with your MAC, L'Oreal, Black Opal, Revlon or Fashion Fair. Unfortunately, the selection of brands and shades are limited. For example, the site didn't have a Iman shade for NW40. However, I do know that it's in the Clay section. I added Iman Cosmetics Second to None Cream to Powder Foundation as well as Iman Cosmetics Second to None Stick Foundation at the bottom along with the shades.

If you know there isn't a match, you can type in "none" or "no match." Besides the Iman ones, the only shades I were certain about for me were the department store shades. While I am NW40 in MAC, my shade in Clinique Even Better Makeup SPF 15 is Ginger. As for CoverFX Total Coverage Cream Foundation SPF 30, I am B25.

Did you know that Mary Kay Medium-Coverage Foundation in Bronze 600 is MAC shade NW43?? My best friend, who was a Mary Kay consultant at the time, matched me. Now I am curious to see what shade I truly am. So exciting! I am even more excited since I recently got my BeautyBlender in the mail this past Thursday!

Possible matches for me:

Benefit Hello Flawless Powder with  SPF 15 in All the World's My Stage

Black Opal Cream Stick Foundation with SPF 8 in Heavenly Honey

Eve Pearl HD Dual Foundation in Tan

L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Makeup with SPF 17 in W7

Revlon ColorStay in Caramel

Revlon Beyond Natural in Level 4

Concerning the whole cool/warmth thing, I learned a trick: NW40 is a cool-toned shade. I am embarassed to admit that I thought that it meant that I was warm-toned, when actually it's the opposite. I need warmth or I'm not warm. It's the same with you warm-toned girls out there: you are not cool or you need coolness.

Have you headed over yet to add your shades? I know that Seymone from Reflections of Beauty logged into the spreadsheet but I am not sure if she added any new data. When I found out that a probable Black Opal match for me is Heavenly Honey, I remember she recommended that I try the True Color Liquid Foundation, which is oil free.  

I'll keep you posted on my findings!

I'm trying to refrain from creating a list of beauty resolutions that I know that I won't be able to keep. In 2009, out of my 40 most pressing goals, I've only fully completed about 5. So much for "a different me."

That was before I  spotted an early campaign invite for the L'Oreal Paris Lash Boosting BzzCampaign in my inbox. I haven't been too impressed with the products that L'Oreal put out lately (peep my "L'Oreal Lost" series, as in "L'Oreal is falling from grace." Catch the reference?)

In my Lash Boosting BzzKit, I obtained three items: a BzzGuide, the L'Oreal Paris Concentrated Lash Boosting Serum, and the L'Oreal Paris Double Extend Lash Boosting Mascara. This all arrived December 24th. I saw it as an early Christmas present.

The Lash Serum has a patented Soft-Touch Applicator, which blows. It's a plastic scythe that enables you to coat the the entire length of the lashes, from the lash line to the tip. I wish that L'Oreal chose to implement a comb applicator because sometimes it's difficult to work it around my lashes. I love that the serum is clear. It takes some practice to make sure that you get just the right amount of serum on the applicator so that it will apply evenly.

Rest your eyes on the royal version of L'Oreal's Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara. This one is called the Double Extend Lash Boosting Mascara. Step 1 is a serum-enriched primer. The serum contains two ingredients that  I've never heard before - arginine and centella - and is designed to fortify and nourish your lashes so that they will rival voluminous falsies in appearance.

Let me tell you why I'm not too fond of the primer.

I wish L'Oreal considered making the primer clear instead of white. As I'm sure you know if you use Double Extend Beauty Tubes, fully coating each lash covered in primer proves to be a challenge. When the primer dries, the lashes are stiff.  Not only that, but applying Step 2 (the mascara) ruins the look by transforming the lashes into clumpy, spider legs! Skip Step1 and just apply the mascara. The mascara is mostly great by itself but it does flake during the day. I have a couple of flakes that have settled in the bags underneath my eyes.

Don't mistake this as an inexpensive and more accessible alternative to Latisse or Jan Marini Eyelash Conditioner (which I actually need to remember to use and review) though. It is only meant to improve the lashes that you already have, not encourage new eyelash growth unfortunately. But wouldn't it be amazing if this product could transform your lashes into glossy, semi-permanent, feathered fringes? I'm almost giddy just thinking about the possibility.

I have 46 days left. I officially started on December 25th so I've been using the serum and 2-step mascara for ten days. It's too early to tell whether my lashes are longer or not but I have hope. I've noticed that when I remove the mascara, I do lose 1 to 2 lashes each session. It could be worse, right?

Editor's Note: The products mentioned in this article have been provided by Pantene, The Zoe Line and L'Oreal. Goody products were bought by me.

Celebrity hairstylist Tippi Shorter provided us with details on how to create a flirty holiday bun:

“Here’s a quick, festive style for a night out. Play around with the look and see what works best for you. You can always try a deep side part, or pull hair straight back for more lift on top. You can also leave strands flowing in front for a more feminine, romantic touch. Have fun with this look, and happy holidays!”

We're actually feeling this braided bun that Ashanti sported earlier this year at the BET Inauguration Ball. A dramatic high bun crowned with a sleek braid automatically takes you to "it" girl status!
 
Start your style with clean hair, blow dry with a paddle brush. Believe it or not, but we actually prefer Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Moisture Balance Shampoo and Conditioner over the Relaxed and Natural line. 

Another Pantene product that you might want to try (we do!) is Pantene Beautiful Lengths Conditioner. Marie Claire voted it as one of the best beauty buys of all time.

Once hair is dry, separate into two sections front and back from ear to ear. We've gotten into the habit of using a wide tooth comb for all of our styling needs. Our favorite wide tooth comb is the Goody Ouchless Detangling Comb.

Clip the front out of the way and secure the back into a low ponytail. Unclip, and use a 1-inch curling iron to curl the top section of hair. This would a be a perfect time to try a hair fastener from Goody's Luminatica like the Briana Ponytailer. However, we have our favorite: the Camellia Ponytailer. Not only have we constructed effortless, elegant updos with it but it has served as a stylish alternative to safety pins for our toga!

Add a little serum like Pantene Pro-V Style Always Smooth Anti-Frizz Serum to your hands and run fingers through hair to separate the curls and add shine definition. Another serum you have to try?  Zoe Fortifying Shine Serum from The Zoe Line. Described as "truly unique," this serum has three essential oils: shea oil, macadamia nut oil, and natural tamanu oil. It protects and conditions hair and skin from the harmful effects of the environment while producing an incredible, oil-free shine.

Gently pull the hair back toward the ponytail and secure with hairpins. Again, we turn to Goody: Ouchless Bobby Pins in Black or Brown. Wrap the hair under the ponytail to create a bun full of voluminous curls.

Finish with a light hold hairspray to hold the style and seal frizz. We recommend that you turn to a L'Oreal classic - the L'Oreal Professionnel Texture Expert Infinium 3 Hairspray. If you haven't used this hairspray before, get ready to have some fun! It holds your style until you decide to rework it without flakes or leaving the hair rigid.

Editor's Note: In light of the Federal Trade Commission's new guidelines on product information and online reviews, I will now include a disclaimer for each review that I have ever written for Blaq Vixen Beauty. Hopefully, each review will have a disclaimer by December 1, 2009, in which the guidelines will be in effect. For this particular article, the items mentioned have all been provided by L'Oreal through Total Beauty's Sneak Peek program. L'Oreal photo courtesy of eBay. No affiliate links have been used in this post since I have not been approved for an affiliate account for Drugstore.com, Beauty.com, Ulta or Sephora. I will be talking about the L'Oreal HiP high intensity pigments Kohl Eyeliner in this first installment.

For the record, the L'Oreal HiP high intensity pigments Kohl Eyeliner is the inexpensive version of the Guerlain Terracotta Loose Powder Kohl Liner while the L'Oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara is a dupe for the Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes Mascara. As for the L'Oreal HiP high intensity Color Presso Lip Gloss, I haven't encountered a department store counterpart for this product as of late. If you have, please feel free to say in the comments.

I was sent both the L'Oreal HiP high intensity pigments Kohl Eyeliner in Navy and Gold as well as the L'Oreal HiP high intensity Color Presso Lip Gloss in Swanky and Trendy in one package. The L'Oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara in Black was sent months later. I also had a chance to test the L'Oreal True Match Foundation (which I hadn't worn in three years, ever since my high school graduation in May of 2006) but the color that I picked, W5, turned out not to be a "true match" after all. I'm planning to send it back to Total Beauty. If I had a friend who could wear this shade, I would have posted her review along with a picture on the blog instead.

While I appreciated how intense the eyeliner kohl appeared in the vial, I was disappointed by how drab the product looked on my bottom waterline. It smudged, flaked and by the end of the day, the eyeliner faded. The fallout that gathered in the bags under my eyes and on my cheeks didn't help to lessen my displeasure. I wrestled with the stiff applicator; I believe that the tip could be used as a weapon as it was that crude. If you have trouble applying any type of eyeliner, you definitely would want to steer clear of L'Oreal's Kohl Eyeliners as you might just injure yourself. Not only that but it's insanely difficult to get a smooth, continuous line. I found that this eyeliner pulled and tugged my bottom lash line just like a stubborn eyeliner pencil. Quite a few times, I've managed to spill some of the kohl on my bathroom counter and on the floor.

However, since I've only used pencil, liquid or gel eyeliners, my experience in applying kohl eyeliners was nonexistent. Not only that, but I am impatient by nature. I will admit that I was ecstatic to have a chance to test L'Oreal's version since I knew I'd never feel justified in spending $34 for Guerlain's luxe version. Now that I've tried this powder eyeliner, I've vowed to stick to gel if I want an alternative to pencil or liquid eyeliners.

On a brighter note, if you want another use for this eyeliner, I suggest you keep it in your purse to shank someone. It may not be as effective as pepper spray but at least it's lighter than diamond-encrusted brass knuckles!