April 13, 2016

Spring Cleaning: Clarisonic Mia 2 Garden Party Collection.

April 13, 2016/ Teri Cosenzi

Have you been doing any spring cleaning yet? It's a good time to clean out your makeup bag and skin care too. Toss out all of those old/expired beauty products, the things that may be collecting dust in your closet and under your bathroom cabinet and start replacing things. If you don't have a Clarisonic, my most recommended and favorite beauty tool, now is the time to grab one! The brand that invented sonic skin cleansing just released a springtime collection: Mia 2 Garden Party Collection.

Clarisonic Mia 2 Garden Party Collection

The Mia 2 Garden Party Collection includes all the essentials you need to get started with your sonic skin cleansing routine including the Mia 2 device, a Sensitive Brush Head, a Sonic Radiance Brush Head and the Sonic Radiance Skin Renewing Peel Wash. You can even choose from three floral inspired shades — Iced Violet, Pink Pearl or Fresh Mint.

The Mia 2 Facial Sonic Cleansing Brush is perfect for everyday cleaning and travel. It's lightweight and so easy to use. I love that it comes with two brush heads! If you have sensitive skin or worry about over-exfoliating, definitely start with the Sensitive Brush Head and start by using the Mia 2 two or three times a week. I have no issues using my device daily but like with any beauty tool, starting out slowly is your best bet.

The Mia 2 is designed with two speeds for customizable convenience and, of course, is powered by patented sonic technology that gently oscillates back and forth over 300 times per second. This technology is clinically proven to gently cleanse skin six times better than hands alone and my skin is all the better for it. The collection includes a great Sonic Radiance Skin Renewing Peel Wash (which is full size) that further helps to retexture skin for a smoother, brighter complexion.

Whenever I recommend a Clarisonic device to someone I know personally, they thank me for it over and over again. I promise your skin will be changed for the better once you start using a Clarisonic.

The Mia 2 Garden Party Collection sells for $149 and is available on Clarisonic.com, Sephora, Ulta and Macy's.

April 12, 2016

The Best 10 MAC Cosmetics Products for Spring.

April 12, 2016/ Teri Cosenzi

It seems like MAC Cosmetics launches a new collection of makeup every other week! They might even do it more often than that come to think of it. They have so many new MAC products on tap for spring that even my head is spinning. Instead of just running down the entire MAC collection of their latest launches like I normally do, I thought I should simply share the best of their newest spring collections.

I've been trying quite a few of the new MAC products that have come out since the beginning of the year and have narrowed it down and these are really the must-haves! These products are the best 10 MAC Cosmetics products for spring.

1. MAC Eye Shadow X 9 Palette - From the Eyes on MAC Anniversary collection, there are six new nine pan palettes. I am really obsessed with the Amber Times Palette and highly recommend this one for those wanting a natural look with hints of gold. Buy it for $32 at Nordstrom as well as maccosmetics.com

2. MAC Matchmaster Shade Intelligence Compact - This compact foundation offers the most glorious light to medium coverage that looks so natural and beautiful on the skin. My skin just looks so even and flawless when wearing, yet so real. Buy it for $36 in department stores like Nordstrom, Macy's, etc. and maccosmetics.com.

3. MAC Lustre Drops - I've always been a fan of Lustre Drops and they usually launch in a summer collection, but I was thrilled to see them come out with Future MAC. I picked them up in Barbados Girl which is a rose gold. This is a liquid illuminator/bronzer that adds a beautiful soft sheen to the cheeks. Buy it for $21 at maccosmetics.com.

4. MAC Versicolour Stain - A longwearing lipgloss stain? Yes please! This one delivers on the longwear and feels nice on the lips. This gloss/stain hybrid has a jelly-like texture and feels comfortable on the lips as it lasts a good six hours with true color. Lips can start to feel dry the longer it wears (it even warns you of this on the website) so it is recommended to wear over MAC Prep + Prime Lip which I recommend. Buy it for $24 at maccosmetics.com or

5. MAC All The Right Angles Contour Palette - Let's face it, contouring is not going anywhere. Contouring the right way without "over-contouring" is the key. That means, you need the right product or contour palette and that is really what MAC's All the Right Angles collection is about. This one portable palette contains a finely tuned Cream Colour Base, plus a Sculpting and Shaping Powder in your perfect tone. Buy it for $40 at maccosmetics.com or Nordstrom.

6. MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow X 4 Nano-Nude - I love the MAC Mineralize shadow formula so when I saw the palettes in the Future MAC collection, I knew I had to have one and Nano-Nude is perfection. Featuring four beautiful nude baked shades, these look and feel so creamy rich on the lids and last! I just love the texture and the gold with pearl shade is the perfect accent for spring. Buy it for $46 at maccosmetics.com or Nordstrom.

7. MAC Modern Twist Kajal Liner - These kohl-like liners go the distance and are super easy to apply with their twist up barrel. This pencil glides on with ease and is one of the best waterliners that I've ever used. I like a lot of the shades, but Polar Ice (the white) is a must have for the waterline to open up the eyes. Buy it for $17 at maccosmetics.com as well as Macy's and Nordstrom.

8. MAC Studio Eye Gloss in Pearl Varnish - I was loving the glossy eye looks I saw on the runways at NYFW and this eye gloss from the Future MAC collection is the answer. This clear, balm-like eye shadow applies almost clear and leaves eyes with just the right amount of sparkle. It is gorgeous on the eye alone and very pretty OVER a powder eye shadow. Do not mistake this as an eye shadow base. Buy it for $22 at maccosmetics.com and counters in Nordstrom and Macy's.

9. MAC Studio Tech - So, this isn't a new product, but is is a favorite, espcially whenmy skin is dry like it has been. What is new about this fabulously innovative foundation is that it now comes in five new deep shades. If you've never tried Studio Tech, this foundation blends emollients and powder along with water so it feels nourishing on the skin but covers and lets skin breathe. Buy it for $33 at maccosmetics.com and at MAC counters in Macy's.

10. MAC Air of Style - MAC is obviously not known for fragrance so when they came out with this small collection, I had to run out and give it a whiff; I was very impressed. The scent is a sexy, floral with an unexpected blend. I love the pink packaging which also inspired four pink lipsticks that are coming soon! Buy it for $22 - $49.50, depending on size, at maccosmetics.com.

April 11, 2016

Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Summer Glow Makeup Collection 2016.

April 11, 2016/ Teri Cosenzi

I am dreaming of summer and there is nothing better to get me in the mood than this years Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Summer Glow makeup collection. All of the products have one central theme: bronzing. With products for the eyes, lips and cheeks, skin with be glowing with a touch of sun that will last the season and beyond. I'm obsessed!

Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Summer Glow Makeup Collection 2016

Bronze Goddess Summer Glow is perfect for your summer makeup bag and essential for travel! The collection includes two new palettes (one for eyes and one for cheeks), a new innovative multi-tasking lip and cheek color stick, a liquid illuminator and of course, the brands cult favorite bronzers.

The highlight of the collection for me is the stunning Summer Glow Multi-Palette. This is a trio face palette that contains a soft shimmering bronzer, illuminator and blush for a gorgeous, natural summer glow. I love the geometric inspired design of the powder itself — so gorgeous — but the powders hold a secret. The powders were created with a special Prisma Technology which is a "tribrid" of liquid, powder and gel which feels incredible on the skin. It applies with a super smooth finish (like a creamy gel in powder form) with true color. The shades will really enhance a tan.

To get that beautiful tan, there are a few easy ways to create a faux tan with self-tanner (obviously), by using a bronzer like one of the Bronze Goddess Powder Bronzers in this collection or my favorite way with a gel bronzer like the Gelee Bronzer. This gel bronzer is very easy to use and wear; it feels like nothing on the skin yet it makes skin look naturally sun kissed. I apply a thin veil of the gel bronzer over my tinted moisturizer to give skin an all-over bronzed look. It is very natural looking and gives my skin the perfect looking faux glow. It lasts longer and looks more natural than a powder bronzer ever does.

To further accent a tan, I always go with gold and that's why I think the Lip and Cheek Summer Glow in Sunburst is a must have. This 3-in-1 color stick has a soft gold lip and cheek color on one end and sparkly gold gloss on the other. It's not only a great accent shade, the stick is perfectly portable and amazing for travel. It comes in other shades (more below) but gold (Sunburst) is my pick.