Love Beyonce's Look? Get it!

Did you know that People.com now has it's own blog? And it is all about fahion, beauty - and everything us girls just love.

Well, they have a great post that I just had to bring you. It is all about the beautiful Beyonce, and her VMA look.

Her makeup artist, Francesca Tolot from the Cloutier Agency, recreated the look from her brand-new "Ring the Alarm" video. She started with L'Oreal True Match Foundation in Coffee over the whole face, and set it with a light dusting of La Mer Pressed Powder in Shell. She went over Beyonce's lids with MAC eyeshadow in Bisque and higlighted the browbone with L'Oreal Eyeshadow Single in Copper Penny, before lining the eyes with Nars Eye Liner in Black Moon and finishing them off with Mac Eyelashes. Her lips were colored in with L'Oreal Hip Lipcolor in Fearless and polished off with a layer of L'Oreal Colour Juice Sheer Lip Gloss in Peek-A-Boo Clear.

Back to School Beauty - Traffic School

When we plan our yearly Back to School feature, we usually don't plan on Traffic School as being a part of it. But when I recently browsed the Benefit counter and found their Lipstick in Traffic School ($16) , I knew it just had to be included.

This is the perfect pink- berry lip color for fall. Like all of Benefit's lipsticks, it glides on smoothly and imparts a sheer glossy shade on the lips. Lip gloss is never needed with this lipstick as it is already full of shine.

Look for Traffic School at BenefitCosmetics.com and Benefit Counters - and just maybe you will only get a warning (tee hee) this time!

Summer's Best!

Lest we not forget that it is still Summer. With all of the info I have been reading about what is hot for the Fall, I remind myself - it's August and it's 90 something degrees. And I am tan (mostly from my love of self-tanning) and want to stay that way!

So, here are my favorite products I have been using this Summer.
 
To keep my face feeling moisturized and looking tan while at the pool or beach, I have been using XEN-TAN Face ($22). It is a facial self-tanner with a daily dose of treatment. The Face lotion contains Vitamin E for awesome antioxidant benefits while the blend of gentle fruit acids smooth my delicate facial skin. And the instant olive based color looks perfect when applied - and it helps make sure that I didn't miss any spots as well.

To keep my Summer body smooth and moisturized, I recently discovered Cake Beauty's Desserted Island Creamy Body Buffer ($24). This wonderful smelling (like vanilla frosting with a hint of coconut cream - yum!) cream is mixed with some of the world's finest ingredients: Apricot Seeds, Jojoba Beads, and Shea Butter. The Apricot Beads are finely ground and are used an a natural exfoliant, while the pink Jojoba Infused Beads use Jojoba Oil to gently moisturize and exfoliate, and the rich Shea Butter is added for it's regenerative emollient and protectant properties. While the directions say to use it 2 - 3 times a week, I am addicted, and use it in my shower daily.

While on the subject of my body, I hate to admit it, but I do miss a spot in my self-tanning ritual now and then. To remedy this, I turn to Benefit's Jiffy Tan ($24). Jiffy Tan is NOT a self-tanner, it is a tinted body lotion - think of it as a body bronzer, that instantly evens out self-tanning mishaps, or leaves pale white skin tan in  - you guessed it - a jiffy! I use this on my legs daily. It evens everything out and give them the darker color I crave. And it lasts, only coming off with a few minutes of scrubbing gently with soap (for this I suggest their Wonder Mitt). And be sure to wash you hands well after using too.

As far as makeup goes, I use different products for day and evening. 

During the day, I keep a minimalist approach in the high heat. Tarte's Rock Royalty Palette  ($30) does my entire face. The palette includes a mineral powder bronzer, which I apply first, over my forehead, chin, cheeks and nose, then a bit swept across my eyelids. Then I apply the powder blush on the apples of my cheeks and blend over my eyelids too. Then I take the gold high lighter and apply that on my brow bone. Whoola! Now a quick lip is easy with Benefit's Color Plump ($20) in Yoo Hoo, a perfect natural honey color. And the extra little plumping you get from this pencil (yes, plump from a pencil) is a great bonus - it makes my lips look a bit fuller and healthy! And eyes are simply complete with a quick mascara application. I am really liking Bobbi Brown's No Smudge Mascara ($20) in black for a natural look - with the benefit of it not running or smearing from the heat and humidity.

In the evening, when I am apt to wear more makeup, I have been using a few products faithfully, while mixing in color now and then. As I use no foundation in the Summer, I start out using XEN-TAN's Perfect Bronze  ($28) powder bronzer to enhance my natural (self) tan. It is silky smooth (never cakey or dry looking) and is best applied naturally where the sun would tan you more: swept over the forehead, then down over the nose and chin, then swept from side to side over the very tops or the cheeks and across the nose again.  I simply top this off with a light dusting of MAC's Studio Fix ($24) in NC40, my perfect Summer tan shade, to set it while it helps even things out just a bit more. On my eyes I vary the colors by outfit or event, and I have been using a lot of Bourjois, especially their new Intensely Luminous Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow ($13.50). They have long wearability, and the light reflecting pigments really catch the light at night. Parme Electro, a beautiful violet and Rose Disjoncte, a real pure pink are my favorites. Eyeliner is a must for me at night, and I have been picking shades from my Smashbox Cream Eyeliner Palette ($32). They are full of pigment, and the cream formula makes application a cinch and they last all through the night.  To top off my eye look, I am loving DuWop's Lash Lacquer ($18) in Carbon Black. It is a two step product, making it easy to first add long and thick lashes before using the second coat to top the lashes with an orange oil that adds gloss and makes the lashes waterproof. For the lips, I am a gloss queen in the summer. Lipstick need not apply!!! My favorites are MAC's Tinted Lipglass and Ligelee ($14) in various shades, Estee Lauder's High Gloss ($16) in Honey, Flamingo, and Bronze, and my newest favorite YSL's Golden Gloss ($25.50) in Simply Gold and Golden Pink. YSL is a bit expensive for a gloss, but these glosses actually contain real 24K gold in them - and they are about the most beautiful glosses with any hint of gold I have ever used.

Please do not forget that Summer is still here, and keep using your Summer's Best!