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Oscars 2012 Gold Eyeshadow Tutorials

February 28, 2012 by smartygirl Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Amazon.com NYZ Loose Pearl Eye Shadow in Gold

Marie Claire reported that Michelle Williams, Natalie Portman and Jessica Chastain wore gold eyeshadow on the red carpet for the Oscars 2012. Can the rest of us with browner complexions than these three women find a suitable eyeshadow in gold? Also can we avoid movie references to Austin Powers in Goldmember? Disclaimer: I have not received any compensation for any cosmetic brand or blog that I have mentioned in this product review.

Photo Credit: Amazon.com Urban Decay Vegan Palette

First, I have a preference for vegan eyeshadows and gluten free make up in general. But when I looked at three brands through Sephora and Amazon, only Zuzu Luxe Eyeshadows by Gabriel Cosmetics claimed to be vegan. I am fond of Aveda and Peacekeeper Causemetics but I didn’t find a gold shadow that was certified vegan.

Photo Credit: Amazon.com Zuzu Luxe Vegan Eyeshadows

Second, to make the hunt easier for you here are five examples of gold eyeshadow wearers. I chose darker complexioned bloggers to teach us how to apply eye makeup for almond eye shapes.

    1. Makeup Your Mind  titled her post, the unfortunate name, “Gold Digga” but the article does have a lovely model demonstrating the use of gold eyeshadow.  
    2.  iCRAiz lists the products she uses to create an exotic shimmering gold lid.  
    3.  Beautybybk gives examples of a “Golden Summer” look.  
    4. GlitterGeek provides a tutorial how to use eyeshadow in antique gold. 
    5. Makeupforlife shows readers how to use green and gold eyeshadow together.
    Photo Credit: Amazon.com Avon Professional Eyes Duo Gold

    Note: The Oscars 2012 gold streak may be a repeat of a 2010 trend because 80% of the beauty tutorials that I found on gold eyeshadow were posted two years ago. Let me know if you find a gold eyeshadow tutorial by Michelle Phan on Youtube.

      Last, I wanted to present three resources on applying gold makeup.
      CafeMom’s The Stir has an article called The Gold Makeup Rules for Fall
      BreBeauty’s Gold Rush beauty article shows readers how to gild your look from eyes to nails.
      Refinery29 encourages readers to Usher in the Gilded Age with their how to.

      Stay Beautiful Inside and Out!

      Review of Emma’s European Salon & Day Spa and Sothys

      February 24, 2012 by smartygirl Leave a Comment

      Photo Credit: Flickr Dylan Parker Dew

      If you are looking for banter and a beauty treatment with impact, see my friend Emma at her Westwood Day Spa. I was dressed for an exercise walk at around 1:30 P.M. when I stopped into three salons to ask if they had walk-in facial appointments yesterday. Aveda said they no longer offer facials at the Weyburn location. Beauty Spot said no one was available this afternoon. Then I met red-haired Emma. Her lobby included a burbling indoor fountain. Hypnotizing panflute music played over the sound system.

      Photo Credit: Geograph UK Kyoto Garden Fountain

      She welcomed me into her salon and immediately contradicted me. “No, you may not need an acne facial.”

      I liked her immediately.

      She suggested that she would evaluate my skin and then go from there. I noticed that a one hour acne facial was $65. That seemed reasonable since I have been a facial customer since I was 13. That was a reasonable price and a bargain for Los Angeles.

      Photo Credit: Renee Marchol’s Beauty Cabinet

      Emma invited me to sit in her small but tastefully decorated lobby. I immediately liked her choice of Sothys and Guinot beauty products, two brands that I have not seen other salons carry. Her magazines were from the UK, mainly of fabulous but stern-looking Russian models with platinum curls and perfect pouts. Emma does cosmetic tattoos, piercings, waxing and facials.

      I didn’t know what type of facial I was about to encounter. The result? Fresh skin that actually absorbed the facial lotion that I applied and no more blackheads. Better yet? No more fine lines from overly tight, dry skin. How did she do it? Are you brave enough? You may feel a bit seasick after the treatment. Emma incorporates a hefty dose of neck and face massage. She even wraps a towel around your head and pulls a bit. She is confident and daring. Thankfully, she does give her clients warning.

      Photo Credit: Flickr Zoetnet Parasol

      First, you will remove your top so that she can massage the tops of your shoulders and your chest from the v-neck line upwards. For my dry skin, she asked what I was using for cleaning, moisturizing and sun protection.

      She did not push product on me. Instead she replied according to category of cleaners and moisturizers. She suggested that my skin was overly dry from use of overly oil-stripping acne facial cleaners. It is true. I have been using Aveda and Burt’s Bees acne washes lately. Emma explained that my blackheads were not full blown acne. She differentiates acne as affecting the chest and back also. She believes that my blackheads were a symptom of my dehydrated skin. Even my lips were chapped despite frequent application of balm. Emma suggested a peel for before extraction of clogged pores. Yes, exfoliation to let hydration in. She was apt in describing my current skin as a piece of plastic that wouldn’t let moisture in or trapped dirt out.

      Second, she used many different applications of cold and room temperature. She explained that she used mostly Sothys products because Guinot was for more mature skin. When used an ion wand to kill bacteria and a steam machine to open my pores. I don’t remember the sequence of everything I recall cool-temperature oval sponges to remove the exfoliating scrub from my face. I also remember cool, damp towels to remove the alternating hydrating, cleansing and exfoliating processes.

      Lastly, Emma coached me how to improve my relaxation breathing. I learned from Kaiser Health services to breathe like a singer from the diaphragm. Still Emma insisted on the same but even deeper exhalation. “You have a cat? Watch how animals and small children breathe. They know how.” With that she placed her hand above my belly button and pressed slowly to show me how deeply to exhale. What a difference. After an hour and 20 minutes of being steamed, exfoliated and massaged I felt as if I could just melt and pour off the the massage table. I felt that relaxed. The cost was $85 including tax and before tip. Yes, this is costly during these hard times but if you are meeting hiring managers at cosmetics companies for copywriting jobs, it’s important to take care of your skin. Your credibility includes how well you take care of your health and beauty.

      Photo Credit: Flickr Ann Porteus Pearl

      I plan to return to Emma’s European Salon & Day Spa at 10889 Weyburn Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90024. Her shop is within walking distance of Trader Joes and BeBe. As a parting gift she gave me a travel size of five Sothys products for cleansing, toning and hydrating so I could decide if I wanted a larger bottle. The regular size bottles of each were $95. It reminded me of the higher end products my Hong Kong auntie would use as a business woman in the fine jewelery business.

      She asked me about my active lifestyle and how much time I spend in the sun. Since I hike and swim, I’m in the sun often. Instead of wearing thicker layers of sunscreen, she says to wear it everyday and reapply it frequently. “Do me a favor and wear a big floppy hat. You’ll avoid hyperpigmentation. You’ll thank me when you are a mama.”

      If you like big sisterly advice and don’t mind jokes about the size of your feet, you will get along well with Emma. I have big size 9.5 feet. If you are offended about questions about your diet, heritage or personal life, you might not like Emma’s style of banter. I enjoyed listening to her stories of her sister using Skype to talk to her children in Israel. I also didn’t mind her questions about my blonde highlights, my parents’ homeland and how long I’ve been married. However, this personality type is perceived as friendly by me. Then again, I had a Chinese mother who was brutally honest. For example, my mom said to my dermatologist when I was a teen, “Can you make my daughter less ugly? She has so many acne.”

      Photo Credit: Flickr SuzyQ212 Strawberry

      Emma also gave me holistic remedies for chapped lips like using real strawberries to exfoliate my lips and using milk to moisturize them. She also suggested vinegar to eat away the dry skin and olive oil to rehydrate the lips. These are good ideas and inexpensive items in the kitchen.

      Photo Credit: Flickr Nick Piggott Milk

      I give Emma a 9.7/10 for competence, superior technique and equipment. I also can’t walk around my neighborhood without wearing sunscreen or a hat because Emma is watching. She also promises me a better eyebrow arch if I remember to make an appointment with her by calling 310-209-6252.

      Photo Credit: Flickr Sherry’s Rose Cottage Princesses

      I walked home feeling like a Princess. I treated myself to handfuls of fresh raspberries and lots of water when I got home. Then I visited Twitter to read about Marie Claire’s take on Milan and London’s fashion week. 

      Stay Beautiful Inside and Out!

      Margarita-scented Beauty Products and Other Faves This Week

      February 22, 2012 by smartygirl Leave a Comment

      Photo Credit: Flickr Slgcksc Margarita

      I have sensitive skin so I avoid perfumes and scented detergent. However, I still feel enticed by the fragrance of beauty products.

      This week I like Alba Botanica’s Very Emollient body lotion. I use it on my arms, legs and feet. Share your tips for keeping your skin feeling great in the winter months. Contact me if you’d like to share a beauty product review.

      I also felt thrilled to receive a Bath & Body Works gift from my girlfriend C yesterday. I meet with C and her sister for Bible Study every week. After talking about weekly goals and discussing a chapter of Five Aspects of Woman by Barbara Mouser, C surprised me with an 1 oz Island Margarita PocketBac. I cringed when I drove past a bus with the billboard for the new show GCB. I wonder if it’ll be a well-made parody like the movie Saved.

      Oh well. Back to beauty products.

      Photo Credit: OddAnimals Lime Cat

      The portable sanitizer is margarita scented! The pyramid-shaped label has a fresh slice of lime to decorate the green speckled hand gel bottle.

      It’s uncanny because I just read the Lucy Baker’s Boozy Baker cookbook recipe for margarita meringue pie! The sanitizer smells fresh not boozy. However, good judgment dictates that I use it for times other than before a job interview. Who wants to give an interview panel the wrong impression? Imagine them asking, “Why do I smell margarita this morning?”


      I continue to use Cetaphil bar soap and DHL face moisturizer for my delicate skin. When my complexion breaks out, I use Burt’s Bees Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment from Willow Bark or Aveda’s Botanical Kinetics Purifying Gel Cleanser.

      My best tip to relay to readers is to prevent breakouts by washing your makeup brushes at least once a week with shampoo and airdrying them for 8 hours. Though it seems tedious, remove all makeup and sunscreen before bed. I tend to have adverse reactions to disposable makeup remover wipes so I use a facial cleanser instead. LifeMartini also gives advice on makeup removal.

      Both the the acne treatments I mentioned earlier are not strongly scented but have a faint floral or herbal fragrance. This is in contrast to the strongly-scented pink hyacinth plant, that I regret buying. Hyacinth looked beautiful in my kitchen but it made my husband sneeze and my skin itch. I had to move it outside to the patio.

      I like to repeat the advice of the Aveda Institute who did my makeup lesson: exfoliate and moisturize.

      Stay Beautiful Inside and Out!

      SmartyGirlEntertainment About Me

      February 20, 2012 by smartygirl Leave a Comment

      Photo Credit: IMdb Ricardo Montalban Wrath of Khan

      I had a crush on Ricardo Montalban because of his role in movies with Esther Williams, the swimming actress. My first husband laughed hysterically because he only knew Ricardo Montalban from the Wrath of Khan from Star Trek. Nik thought of brain worms and supervillians, I still think of Ricardo Montalban in his matador outfits. I also watched a more mature Ricardo Montalban on Fantasy Island in the 1980s. In my teens, he did the voice of a cartoon villian in Freakazoid.

      Photo Credit: IMdb Albert Finney in Tom Jones

      Why do I know about classic actors? My mom was a big fan of musicals. This means when mom wasn’t at the dairy lab, she’d invite me to sit with her to watch musicals for hours on end. Danny Kaye, Gene Kelly, Esther Williams and Rita Moreno were a few of her favorites. Before most of my peers watched Albert Finney play Daddy Warbucks in Annie, I knew him as the bawdy Tom Jones. Speaking of Annie, if you watch Mad Hot Ballroom, you’ll see Anne Reinking as one of the dance judges.

      Photo Credit: IMdb Rita Moreno

      I nearly fainted with excitement when I worked for a public affairs magazine, in my 20s, in San Francisco and Rita Moreno walked in as a guest speaker. How many times have I sung, Anita’s song of caution from West Side Story?

      Photo Credit: IMdb Mahalia Jackson

      I became a fan of Mahalia Jackson when I watched Imitation of Life. Her voice was so powerful and the song she sang was so mournful. I will never forget it. I admired Cyd Charisee in her dance numbers with Gene Kelly while I also also kept up with Bell Biv Devo and Color Me Badd while in junior high.

      How did musicals affect me? I expected actors to be able to be well-rounded entertainers who could sing, dance and act well.

      As a teen my favorite movies were Dirty Dancing and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off both featuring Actress Jennifer Grey. I also enjoyed Jennifer Grey in the goofy Cinderella story, If the Shoe Fits.

      I’ve been fascinated with Jane Krakowski ever since her role in the movie Dance with Me with Vanessa Williams. Jane Krakowski is better known as 30 Rock’s Jenna.

      Photo Credit: IMdb Gates McFadden

      Cheryl Gates McFadden was a dance choreographer for the famous ballroom scene between David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly in Labyrinth. I watch Ms. McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher in Star Trek episodes hoping she’ll break out in dance.

      Do you notice a pattern? I tend to become a fan of an actor or actress if he sings or she dances in a movie. I liked Reese Witherspoon even more when she played June in Walk the Line with Joaquin Phoenix. Some people are shocked that I also like watching Malcolm McDowell for the same reason.

      Photo Credit: IMdb Newsies

      In 2012, I go to the movies to watch Christian Bale because he was in Newsies. I also watch Joseph Gordon Levitt for his dancing. Contact me to tell me some of your entertainment influences.

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