The Life of A Ladybug

MAC Style Warrior

 

The MAC Style Warrior collection is hot as fire!  Look at that packaging!  I am in love with animal prints, so having makeup in my purse covered in animal print makes me unbelievably happy.  My loves/lemmings will be in bold!

Katrina's Bellydance Beauty Bag!

Katrina is from The Dalles, OR and is a student dancer, primarily studying American Tribal Style, with a few Middle Eastern Dance classes thrown in for good measure.  Katrina says that her personal dance style is still evolving, but she finds herself trending toward "tribaret" (also known as "glamour tribal").

Let's watch Katrina go from cute, ordinary girl to glammed up tribaret dancer!

Here's what she used:

loreal infallible foundation
loreal HIP loose pigment  : exciting
loreal HIP bright shadow duo  : riotous
maybelline shine-free loose powder
mybelline great lash mascara  : black
revlon bare it all lustrous powder  : buff love
revlon golden affair sculpting blush  : rose rapture
revlon creme gloss : wine anytime
mac glitter eyeliner : blitzed
mac fluidline  : blacktrack
mac paint pot  : bare study
lash grip eyelash adhesive

Here's Katrina before:

 

Sephora BCA Pocket Brush Set (Breast Cancer Awareness Month)

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Sephora offers a purse-sized trifold case containing five essential brushes, the BCA Pocket Brush Set.  The case is small enough to slip into even the tiniest of evening purses.  The pink faux-leather case is cute and practical, with a magnetic closure.  Inside are five mini brushes - but they're not so mini that they're useless.  You will get a powder brush, eyeshadow brush, brow/liner brush, lip brush and concealer brush.

$1 from the sale of each set will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  The set retails for $15 and you can get it here: http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P193322&searchString=bca%20pocket%20brush%20set.

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Tweezerman Precision in Pink (Breast Cancer Awareness Month)

Tweezerman introduces the new 2008 limited edition version of their best-selling Slant Tweezer, Precision in Pink.  With a white background and adorned with the Breast Cancer Awareness pink ribbon logo, this tweezer will keep your brows tame and help support the fight against breast cancer.  Tweezerman has committed to raising $75,000 through their BCA program.  $1.00 from the sale of each limited edition Precision in Pink tweezer will go to Cancer Cares, as well as other charities throughout the country.

Tweezerman is the only brand I use to keep my brows their beautiful best.  If you've ever hesitated to pay the $20 for a set of Tweezerman tweezers, know that buying this one will mean that your money goes toward a higher purpose.  Pick it up!

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Artemis Pink Heel Smoother (Breast Cancer Awareness Month)

Artemis Woman (www.artemiswoman.com) is thinking pink by offering its Artemis Woman Heel Smoother in Pink.  This product is available for a limited time only, through the month of October, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Two percent of the profits generated by the sale of this product will go to the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation which seeks to "eradicate breast cancer and improve the quality of women's health through innovative research, education and advocacy."  Last year, Artemis Woman donated over $14,300 to the Love Foundation from the sale of this product.  Pink Heel Smoothers are now available at Walgreens and online at www.artemiswoman.com.

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Beauty Line Co-Founder and Makeup Artist of Color: Trae Bodge!

As you can tell from some of my recent posts, Three Custom Color Specialists is one of my new favorite brands and I find myself sporting at least one of their products quite a bit of the time!  I'm so honored to bring you an interview with Trae Bodge, co-founder of Three Custom Color Specialists - a new inspiration to me, as a woman of color who owns her own beauty brand and is a renowned makeup artist.  Enjoy!

Trae Bodge has over 20 years' experience in the beauty business.  In addition to serving as Creative Director for Three Custom Color Specialists, a brand she co-founded in 1997, Trae specializes in clean, flawless makeup for bridal and fashion and she has been featured in Elle, Lucky, Marie Claire, Vibe Vixen, Upscale and Essence and on NBC, ABC, LXTV's First Look, Glow! on the Style Network and QVC UK as a pioneer in independent-brand cosmetics.

1) What hardships have you experienced in the beauty industry, as a woman of color?  Not many, to be honest.  My only challenging experience I faced based on my ethnicity and gender was many years ago when I worked for a family-owned company.  One of the owners was from another generation and leery of working with women in general and women of color in particular.  I made it part of my job to allay those fears and suspicions.

2) How has being a woman of color helped you in building a beauty career? I think because I have had my own share of beauty challenges with my own skin tone, I make it a priority to be aware of the challenges that women of all skin tones face.  But that being said, any serious makeup artist should have a solid understanding of all skin tones, what colors work on them, etc. 

3) Women of color historically have been underserved by the beauty industry.  What changes are you seeing in this regard?  What changes do you think still need to be made?  I think that there have been great strides made in recent years in the beauty business.   The first major step was with the introduction of makeup lines made specifically for women of color, like Fashion Fair and Flori Roberts.  From there, many makeup companies have become more "global" with their color selections.  I still think that there is more progress to be made, however.  As a business owner, I understand the challenges that brands face when they try to carry shades for every skin tone - it's not often practical from a monetary standpoint, but I think it's important from a human relations and customer service aspect.  When we launched Three Custom Color Specialists, my partners and I made it a priority to offer colors for women of all skin tones.  This continues to be the cornerstone of our business philosophy.

4) Who has been your biggest inspiration and why? My mom.  She is a driven woman who lets nothing stand in her way, who raised me with the belief that I could achieve anything I wanted to.  She has always held me to a high standard and has been unfailingly supportive of my endeavors and proud of my achievements.  I hope to be as good a mother to my daughter!

5) What tips can you give other women, particularly women of color, who are seeking to enter the beauty industry? For women - be good at what you do.  Be willing to apprentice at the beginning and learn everything you can from those more experienced that you.  Be open to criticism as there is always something to learn no matter your level of experience.  If you plan  to launch a product or start a business, it's not enough to have a good idea.  Make sure your idea has longevity and that you have the knowledge to grow from where you've started (and if you don't, make sure you are willing to admit your weaknesses and build a team of people who can contribute what you cannot). 

For women of color - Always feel pride for who you are and where you came from, but don't use your ethnicity as a crutch or consider it a hindrance.  It should only be an issue if you choose to make it one. 

6) Name the products you think every woman of color needs in her beauty wardrobe. This is for all women!  High quality, effective skin care (with high SPF for daytime).  I am partial to Aveno, Clinique, Olay and Kiehl's. 

The perfect Concealer, a face powder (translucent or pigmented), Brow Gel (clear or tinted), an edited collection of lip colors, eye shadows, liners and blushes that give you flexibility with different clothing colors or for different occasions.  I am partial, of course, to Three Custom Color Specialists, and our products and makeup consultations, but I encourage every woman to seek the advice of a professional makeup artist at least once every couple of years. 

Right now I am loving:  Three Custom Color Specialists Concealer #6, Face Powder #4, Clear Brow Gel, Pink Fizz Lip Gloss and Tai Lip Shine (due out in mid-Oct), Poppy Lip & Cheek Stain, Warm Camel and Cool Aubergine Eye Shadows, Black and Navy Eye Pencils and Dark Clarifier Pencil

7) Talk about your idea of beauty.  Share your beauty philosophy.  I love makeup and what makeup can achieve, but I do believe that beauty comes from the inside out.  Respect yourself and others, be true to yourself and be the best person you can be and you will feel more beautiful.  Then consult a makeup artist and learn how to play up your features.  Have fun expressing yourself yourself with makeup! 

Thank you so much for sharing with my reading audience, Trae!

Bobbi Brown Cocoa Mauve Collection

Now out, just in time for fall, is Bobbi Brown's newest collection, Cocoa Mauve!  Featuring a Metallic Eyeshadow in Iced Mauve, Long Wear Gel Liner in Cocoa Mauve Ink, Creamy Lip Color in Berry Mauve and Blush in Sand Pink, this collection will have you ready for fall!

I was wary about the colors when I first bought the collection, but let me tell you, I've worn all the colors and they definitely do work on women of color.  They are just the perfect neutral shades to play off a deeper, more colorful eye for fall.

You can order the collection online at www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com.

Tassi

Okay, this product falls into the realm of "I really don't need this", but doesn't just about everything???  LOL!

If you're like me, and you have to pull your hair up or back every time you wash your face or apply makeup, allow me to introduce you to the tassi headband!  These are the cutest things and they work so well!  You slip it over your head, pull up the front to cover your hairline, pull up the back to tuck your hair away ... and there you go!  Your hair is out of the way of water and product and you're not risking breakage like you would with an elastic band.  Nor will it flatten your 'do!  I love mine (which is hot pink, like the picture)!

You can find the tassi headbands on www.tassicompany.com.  They're only $14.99!

Darac Beauty Sifted Blur Perfecting Powder and TourQuam Brush

Once again, I have been victimized by QVC's Saturday Night Beauty - LOL!  So, I've already told y'all how I get sucked in by the lovelies they show every Saturday night, right?  Well, it happened again.

This dude, Darac, was on there, showing his product, Sifted Blur Perfecting Powder and the accompanying TourQuam Brush.  Well, I want to look perfect!  I want blemishes to be blurred!  Off I went to order these.

I'm wearing the powder today and um ... I'm not so sure.  I mean, it does leave my skin looking pretty smooth, so that's a plus.  But it only comes in one shade and, while it's kind of appeared brown on TV, it's really more of a grayish-beige.  A grayige, if you will.  Not so good for brown-skinned girls.  I don't exactly look ashy or anything, but I don't know.  It's not as "realistic" and natural-looking as I usually go with my foundation powders.  It doesn't look as much like my skin as MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural does, for example.  But, I do look polished and finished, so that's nice. 

Another thing to look out for - any dry areas on your face will be seriously emphasized by this powder.  Be sure to moisturize well - maybe even more than you think you need to.  Get every little crevice, particularly where your nose and upper lip meet.  It tends to cake up right around there.

As for the brush, there's a magnet inside it and you can't use it if you have a pacemaker.  Yikes.  I'm not even sure what the magnet is for - anyone???  To me, it seems no different or better than the skunk brushes that MAC and others sell.

Anyhow, not the worst product ever, but definitely not worth the $60 I shelled out.  Save your money.

ECO Tools Makeup Brushes

I finally got around to trying ECO Tools' Makeup Brushes.  I am so pleased that I did! 

The brushes feature bamboo handles (since bamboo has a low impact on the earth’s resources), animal-free taklon bristles and metallic ferrule made from recycled aluminum cans. They come in reusable pouches and printed with plant-based ink.

My favorite is the Blush Brush.  I'm telling you right now - I have never felt a more luxurious brush.  (Shhh!  Don't tell MAC!)  It feels whisper soft on the skin.

If you're a beauty maven who cares about the environment, you have to try these brushes!  You can find them at some Walgreen's, Kmart and Ulta stores or you can buy them online at www.eco-tools.com.