Tutorial: Peach and Gold Look

Saying goodbye to Spring can be difficult - heat and humidity are up, cool, crisp evenings are down.  What to do with all of those pretty pastels you stocked up on for Spring?  Try this makeup look in peach and gold that is perfect for a daytime look.  This quick tutorial is just 5 steps, so it's a great time saver!  Give it a try today!  I'd love to see your finished looks, so please send photos to me to be featured on the blog: BenevolentBeautyBlog@gmail.com

Enjoy!

Review: Organic Haircare Doctor Argan Oil Treatment

Summer temperatures are already here and for us gals dealing with intense heat and humidity, a soothing, moisturizing treatment for long hair is a must.  From sweaty ponytails to messy sort-of-buns that can rough up the hair's cuticle, (that outermost layer of your hair that looks sleek or otherwise) our hair is going through a lot.  Most of you have already tried deep conditioning treatments, but Organic Haircare Doctor's Moroccan Argan Oil Restorative Treatment Conditioner is a value priced gem that recently caught my eye.

Organic Doctor is an environmentally friendly brand based in the UK.  They offer a variety of lines for skin and hair including Manuka honey, dead sea mineral, and royal jelly.  Each line offers products for skin, hair; even deodorant and toothpaste.  All of their products contain at least 70% organic ingredients that are responsibly sourced - but on to the Restorative Treatment Conditioner!  The conditioning treatment is free from parabens, artificial colors and phthalates and, in addition to nourishing Argan oil, contains plenty of softening oils like olive, clove and rosewood.  

The conditioner itself is a shiny white paste the texture of a body butter that has an herbal, minty fragrance to it.  It melts quite easily into the hair and has a silky feel about it.  I leave the amount you should use up to you, as longer, thicker hair will inevitably require more product while shorter 'dos need less.  For my hair (pictured up top) I'm sure I used a good silver dollar size dollop or more, but given the nature of the conditioner, it works quite easily through hair.  The directions suggest leaving the treatment on for about 5 minutes, so I suggest you slather it on before shaving your legs or engaging in other beauty treatments.  

The Pros:  

Ringing in at just $12, you can't beat it.  It is a great moisturizing treatment for hair and it does help to tame flyaways.  I did not flat iron my hair in the picture (top) and simply combed it out and let it dry after using the treatment.  I can say my hair felt softer even without extensive heat styling.  I believe this product would be even more effective if left on for a longer period of time.

The Cons:

Unfortunately, this product did nothing to help detangle my dry, color-treated locks.  Perhaps had I taken a wide toothed comb into the shower while this product was on?  Maybe next time.  Also, be sure to rinse thoroughly or fine hair may be left feeling weighed down.  It was ideal for my fine, dry hair, but if you are normal or normal to oily, you may want to use the conditioner as a pre-shampoo treatment instead.      

So, great value, environmentally responsible company, and great for frizzy, malnourished hair.  Why not give it a try? I am not at all surprised it is a current best seller.  Organic Doctor is available at Vitamin World stores or on the Vitamin World website.

Tutorial: Neutral to Night Out

You already know how versatile makeup is.  You can easily go from a soft daytime look to something more dramatic for an evening out.  We all want to amp it up a bit for a night out on the town, but have you tried neutrals at night?  Neutral... The word doesn't exactly stir visions of sexy smoky eyes, but try this look out for yourself and you may just be pleasantly surprised. 

Step 1: Foundation 

Any good look begins with a good foundation.  I have seen my fair share of fashion magazines trying to convince women that "a dab" of concealer is all you need - false.  The reality is even supermodels wear a full face of foundation, or enjoy the glories of Photoshop.  Your skin produces oil naturally, and environmental factors can dry out your skin; all of this can be controlled by foundation.  Foundation suggestions?  LORAC Cococin' Cream Foundation, Bare Minerals Original Foundation, or The Body Shop's Oil-Free SPF 15 Foundation  

Step 2: Base Shadow

Once your foundation is set, select your eye shadow palette.  Since your eyes are the focal point of your face and, therefore, your makeup, starting there helps you build the total look.  Prime eyes with your favorite, pre-shadow primer.  My current favorite? NYX HD Eye Shadow Base (did I mention it is under $10? Bonus!).  

Select a shimmery neutral shade, something to add light to your eye without heavy glitter.  I'm loving Pacifica's Duo 1:

Swipe the lighter shade from the inner corner of your eye all the way along the brow bone, blending with a soft brush toward the outer corner.  Next, apply the darker shade across your eyelid.

Step 3: Eye Shadow

Any shade from copper to dark chocolate is in the "neutrals" family and can be a part of your nighttime look.  I chose two shades from Urban Decay's Mariposa Palette: Rockstar, a purple-based dark brown, and Gunmetal (don't forget to go to your Naked palettes for other choice shades).

Follow the crease of your eye - the space between your eyelid and your brow bone.  Blend Gunmetal along the crease of your eye and follow up with Rockstar around the outer 1/4 of your eye lid.  Remember to use a fluffy shadow blush to blend everything together.

Remember the shimmery neutrals you started with?  They'll help to make blending easier and give the entire look a glow.  Tip:  Note how I've applied the darker shade at an angle starting from the outer corner of my eye and angling up toward the end of my eyebrow.  This helps to give your eye a naturally lifted look.

Step 4: Liner, Mascara, Brows

No look can be complete without a swipe of eyeliner and mascara.  Urban Decay's 24-7 eye pencils are soft and smudge-able, making it more difficult to mess up a smoky eye liner.  Simply drag the pencil along your upper lid, staying close to your lashes.  Use your fingertip or an eyeshadow sponge to gently smudge the liner.  Next, add your favorite mascara.  Start at the root of your eyelashes and wiggle the brush upward to the tip of lashes. Don't forget to comb your brows and set them with a brow gel (colored or clear depending upon your preference).

 

Step 5: Bronzer

A woman who loves her makeup cannot live without a matte bronzer.  These beautiful creatures add color and are perfect for contouring.  Too much shimmer in a bronzer can draw attention to enlarged pores and fine lines whereas a matte bronzer draws attention to your cheekbones.  I'm loving Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer.  Suck in your cheeks and find the angle of your cheekbones.  Brush your matte bronzer along this angle, which is below the apple of your cheeks (the apple is that wonderful, pinch-able part of your cheek that is front and center when you smile).  Blend upward toward your hairline.

Step 6: Lips

Apply a neutral gloss or shimmery lipstick in a neutral shade.  I used Impulse Cosmetics (see my review on these lipsticks) Opaque Matte Lipstick in Ever After.  Voila!  Your look is complete!

All of the angles you added will give you a quick face lift and add subtle sheen that won't age you.  You can experiment with the shades you already used and lighten your hand for daytime.  Now, bust out your favorite neutrals and get your night started.

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Spotlight: HIP APOTHECA

I like to consider myself a savvy internet shopper:  I subscribe to newsletters to know when there's a sale, I use coupon codes, I take advantage of free shipping offers, etc. etc.  But I also love finding new and unique beauty brands. Enter websites like HIP APOTHECA that allows you to easily sift through cruelty-free cosmetics and beauty products, all in one convenient spot.  HIP APOTHECA offers products that are never tested on animals and partners with environmentally sustainable companies.  Another bonus?  No more guessing games when it comes to vegan products, HIP APOTHECA has a section of their website devoted to the glorious stuff.  I was pleasantly surprised to find over 20+ brands to choose from, like Crazy Rumors and One Love Organics.  Did I mention the vegan nail polish from Scotch and all-natural insect repellent from Meow Meow Tweet?

HIP APOTHECA offers sale items and discounts and gifts with purchase (when applicable/available) so you may just find some of your new favorites at amazing prices to boot.  If you're interested in doing a little savvy shopping, be sure to check out HIP APOTHECA. 

HIP APOTHECA Website:  http://www.hipapotheca.com

Review: Impulse Cosmetics Lipsticks

The moment I saw bold, bright, matte lip colors come strutting down the runways early this spring, I was sold.  From neon hues to pretty pastels, there were colors galore and colors to suit everyone.  I suddenly wanted to try every possible shade, but found many mainstream brands just hadn't caught my rainbow fever and were playing it safe with bright pinks and peaches.  Enter the wonderful world of "Cult Cosmetics" - the relatively unknown but much loved cosmetics lines available for sale online.

One of the first "Culties" (read: my word for internet cosmetics brands you need to know but haven't met yet) I came across in my search was Impulse Cosmetics. Based in Pennsylvania, PA, Impulse Cosmetics offers a range of products from matte and metallic lipsticks to eye shadows and glitters.  The Impulse Cosmetics shop on Etsy boasts almost 4,000, 5-star reviews and over 16,000 happy admirers.  Of their 30+ lipstick shades, I purchased 6; 2 from their metallic finish, Metaluxe line, and the other 4 from their Opaque Matte Finish line.   

The Colors:

Note that all photographs are not Photoshopped or filtered so as not to alter the colors shown.  In addition, all photographs were taken using natural light at the same time, in the same place, to give you the truest possible depiction of the shades.

The Pros:

These vegan lipsticks, whether metallic or matte, apply smoothly right from the tube with minimal drag.  They don't feel excessively dry, and they boast a long wear time - "TEXAS TEA" lasted me an entire dinner without reapplication.  These babies pack major pigment so brights are very bright and pastels are very pastel.  BIG color payoff!  Another plus?  At under $7 a tube, you can afford to try several shades without breaking the bank.

The Cons:

As with any matte lipsticks, dryness and peeling can be an issue.  This is actually one of the least drying formulas I've tried, however.  If you're a girl who loves fancy, girly packaging to your beauty products, you will be disappointed with the very basic, very homemade plastic tubes these lipsticks come in.  

Application Tips:

At first these super-pigmented shades can seem a bit daunting as they are opaque and don't have the shiny, glossy quality you may be familiar with in lipsticks.  For the best, most even application, exfoliate your lips prior to application (I use a warm, wet washcloth and simply rub in a circular motion until dry skin is removed).  If you have a lip primer you love, use it.  Have trouble with lipsticks that bleed or settle into fine lines around your mouth?  A clear lip liner, or lip liner in a similar shade, would work wonders with these lipsticks.  Unfortunately, Impulse Cosmetics does not offer lip liners in corresponding shades at this time.  

The Bottom-line:

I have had a lot of fun with these colors and at such a reasonable price, I can play with runway-worthy color.  Impulse Cosmetics ships in safe, durable packaging and all orders come with tracking information.  Although Impulse Cosmetics seems to be swamped with orders at this time, the 4 to 7 day turn around time is reasonable in light of all this seller offers: high quality, highly pigmented, cruelty-free cosmetics in a wide range of colors and finishes.  Trust me, you'll be glad to add Impulse Cosmetics to your beauty routine.

Impulse Cosmetics can be found at: Impulse Co on Etsy.

All Systems Go!

Coming soon you'll be privy to some fantastic new reviews, color swatches, tutorials and more on beauty brands you'll be craving in no time.  Did you know that PETA offers a search engine for glam gals and guys to discover cruelty-free brands?  Know what you're buying before you get it home:

PETA's Search for Cruelty-Free Cosmetics