Guest Post: The Healing Effects of Beauty

a Guest Post by Blogger Jackie Clark

One of the most significant psychological effects of cancer diagnoses and subsequent treatment on women is the sense of a loss of control.   The process of cancer recovery can involve the loss of self-esteem as well as depression.

As women, we all know that when we look good, it gives our mood a boost.   This can be especially important for those diagnosed with cancer.

The skin is one of the organs most affected by cancer and the treatments involved to cure it. One common side effect of  mesothelioma cancer is increased skin sensitivity.  During this time, it's important to avoid direct sun exposure and to cleanse your skin with warm water rather than with hot, and to use a gentle cleanser such as Cetaphil.

Eye brightening creams and definition of lashes can make a remarkable difference in how you look.  A good product to try is Eminence organic eye cream for dark circles.  Another product that works well for dark circles and under eye puffiness is One Hundred Percent Pure organic coffee bean eye cream.  It has the added benefit of a pleasant but slight and non-overwhelming coffee aroma.

To define your lashes and help your eyes to stand out, consider using brown mascara rather than a harsh black one.  Or, if you've got green or hazel eyes, a soft plum colored mascara can do wonders to bring out their color.   A good, organic mascara to try is Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Mascara.  

The skin itself should be kept clean and well hydrated.  While it's important to drink plenty of water, there are foundations that can improve your skin's moisture content.  One of the best products for this that I've found is Organic Moisturizing Liquid Foundation by a small company called Nvey Eco. More importantly, while undergoing cancer treatment it is especially important to use organic make up and lotions. Your body has so many harsh chemicals attacking it that the complementing of organic makeup can help a patient both look and feel better.

A well tended and pretty face, coupled with classic, comfortable clothing, should really be included in the treatment that doctors provide for cancer patients, but unfortunately it's often overlooked or considered a superficial aspect of that treatment.   But as more research is done on the healing effects of looking good, health professionals are becoming aware that attention to beauty and fashion can have a significant impact on the prognosis of their patients.

Drugstore Spotlight: Kate Moss for Rimmel Lipstick #08

Let it be said that I love Kate Moss. The supermodel is as iconic to beauty as she is to fashion. When I heard the bombshell was not only just a pretty face for Rimmel London cosmetics, but releasing her own line of lipsticks for Rimmel, I was pumped! Kate Moss for Rimmel Lipstick #08 is a fantastic mauve pink hue. The texture is creamy and soft with no shimmer but a slight shine.  The lipsticks range from 15 shades, from dark deep violet to fuchsia to red, and retail at about $6 at your local drugstores. The packaging is a black bullet tube with Kate's cutesy signature sprawled on the top (complete with drawn on heart). I adore the finish of these lipsticks and #08 is such a universally flattering shade. It almost reminds me of MAC's Viva Glam V without the shimmer. I only wish there was a little more Kate in these lipsticks besides just her signature and face plastered onto the ads. It begs the question- what sets these Kate Moss Collection lipsticks apart from Rimmel London's already stellar lip products? Maybe I wish these lipsticks were a little more personal (perhaps the names of the shades, things like that). The availability of this product in the US is not easy to come by, but the full collection launched this January. The weartime on these lipsticks are above average considering the creaminess of its texture. I love my #08 lipstick, and would love to get my hands on more! Bottom line? I havent seen much of these in the states but pick up what you can get your hands on! Pictured below is my FOTD and swatch of Kate Moss for Rimmel Lipstick #08. Do you own a Kate Moss for Rimmel lipstick? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Buzzworthy: Burberry Lipstick in Devon Sunset

I had the hardest time even trying to put on my new Burberry Soft Satin lipstick in Devon Sunset. The plaid imprinting on the lipstick is just so exquisite that I want it to look new forever! The sleek grey  packaging, equipped with magnetic closure, is imprinted with the plaid as well (and quite fingerprint prone!) The best way to describe Devon Rose is a coral that leans more pink. The application of these Soft Satin lipsticks are incredibly smooth and creamy. The texture reminded me of Chanel's Rouge Coco line, moisturizing yet opaque in color. The lipstick is a warm coral pink that would look lovely on most skintones. The color is also pretty close to MAC's famous limited edition lipstick, Ever Hip.  Even living in Los Angeles, Burberry makeup is hard for me to come by. It is only available in two Nordstroms in my area and the hefty price tag ($30) makes you want to at least see the makeup in person before purchasing (as it is available to purchase online). This lipstick was definitely worth the drive and the money. Soft, creamy and subtly beautiful, Devon Rose is a beautiful addition to any lipstick lover's collection. Pictured below is my FOTD using Burberry's Devon Rose, along with the swatch. Have you tried Burberry's makeup line? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Dupe this Look: Jessica Szohr (New Years Eve Edition)

I would be lying if I said I missed Vanessa Abrahms on Gossip Girl, but I'll be damned if her alter ego, Jessica Szohr, isn't an all out smokeshow! The former Gossip Girl actress was the inspiration for my New Years Eve party look with her aqua blue smokey eye and liner. Even peaking out from behind her messy firnge, those eyes are piercing! I started with my usual primers (Too Faced Shadow Insurance and Nyx Black Bean Jumbo pencil) and patted Urban Decay's Deep End eyeshadow onto the lids. Using my MAC 217 brush, I blended out Urban Decay's Ace in the corner and out v of my eye (on top of Black Bean) and Urban Decay's Half Truth in the crease. I  lined my entire eye with Clinique Cream Liner in black  and just like Szohr's smokey eye, swiped on Urban Decay's Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Air Guitar under my lower lashline to create a dramatic blue outline. Who doesn't want to sparkle during the holidays, right? I found the fluffiest, most lush lashes I could get my hands on (Miss Ardo falsies in 100) and finished my look with a nude blush ( Rock and Republic's Foreplay) and nude lipstick (MAC's Bare Again Sheen Supreme lipstick). The aqua blues and violets would look exceptionally beautiful on girls with blue/grey eyes like Jessica's. What did you rock this New Years Eve? Leave your thoughts in the comments. 

Buzzworthy: Daphne Guinness for MAC & Tour De Fabulous

Kicking off my Christmas haul are the MAC holiday pieces I picked up. Daphne Guinness for MAC and Tour De Fabulous hit MAC counters on December 26. Fashion icon and socialite Daphne Guinness put her hand in the makeup world by collaborating with MAC for their winter collection. The hues are mostly deep berries and plums perfect for the cold weather season. Most of the items were limited edition with a few repromotes thrown into the mix. You might recognize the two blush ombres from the Spring Colour Forecast in the spring of 2010. While both Azalea Blossom and Vintage Grape caught my eye, I had to get my hands on Vintage Grape because I own nothing like it! Vintage Grape (retailing at $26) is a deep violet blush swirled with pink. When you mix the colors together, you get a lovely and vibrant wine color. This is a very pigmented blush so fair toned girls will want to use a stippling brush and build the color to their liking. Bottom Line? If  you didn't get it the first time, now's your chance to own this gorgeous blush!

I've always been drawn to a bright pink pout so I grabbed Style Packed lipglass ($14.50) and Embrace Me  lipliner ($14) from Tour De Fabulous. If any of you honey bees own Nars Schiap or Funny Face, MAC's Girl About Town or Spitfire, Milani's Rose Hip, or any fuschia lipstick Embrace Me is essential for you. This is exactly the lipliner that MAC has been needing in its arsenal. They'd be foolish to not make this a permanent. Style Packed is a very blue based pink lipglass that Barbie would approve of. This would look great layered ontop of your favorite lipsticks, or worn alone for a sheer but bright pop of pink. Pictured below is my FOTD using Vintage Grape ombre blush and Style Packed worn on top of Embrace me lipliner. What did you pick up from MAC's winter collections? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Swatches: Dark, Light and Mixed Vintage Grape, Embrace Me, Style Packed

Weekend Haul: Christmas Edition

Happy New Year Honey Bees! I've been a very bad blogger. My apologies on the late update (I haven't updated since LAST YEAR!), but it has been a very busy holiday season for me! I am hoping everyone in the blogosphere has had a very happy holiday! I happened to pick up a few amazing things over this holiday season, and I haven't even used all my gift cards yet! Pictured below is a preview of the major haul I made over the last few weeks I've been MIA. I'll have swatches and reviews for each of these this week! What did you pick up this holiday season? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Chanel Blushes in In Love & Horizon, Burberry Lipstick in Devon Sunset, MAC Style Packed, Embrace Me and  Vintage Grape, Revlon Lip butter is Strawberry Shortcake

Buzzworthy: Revlon Lip Butters Lipstick

Lollipop, Tutti Fruiti, Berry Smoothie

It almost felt like a Christmas miracle when I stumbled upon these Revlon Lip Butters Lipsticks at my local Target. There had been such a buzz about them lately, and they are extremely hard to come by. These are set to be apart of Revlon's permanent line and will trickle into your local store slowly. The lipsticks are a lipstick balm hybrid and are supposed to moisturize the lips, while giving a sheer shine of color. I picked up the lipsticks in three shades- Berry Smoothie (a neutral berry color), Tutti Fruiti (an orange coral) and Lollipop (a fuchsia pink). I would not classify these as a tinted lipbalm. I'd much rather categorize them under the hydrating lipsticks that double as a lipstick and a lipgloss (think MAC's Supreme Sheen lipsticks or Chanel's Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks). These lipsticks are moderate in hydration, and although I would not consider them more hydrating than an actual balm, the texture is soft and well- buttery! What I really like about these lipsticks is the color it gives off. Slightly sheer (just a right pop of color) and slightly shiny, these are gorgeous and subtle. To be honest, I really hate the packaging. The lipsticks are covered in a quilted plastic cover that matches the shade of the lipstick. Retailing at just $6, I can justify having these in a few shades! Bottom line? If you can find these at your local drugstores, a few shades are worth having. Pictured below are Berry Smoothie, Tutti Fruiti, and Lollipop, and pictured left are the shades swatched. Have you checked out Revlon Lip Butters? Leave your thoughts in the comments.  

Berry Smoothie, Tutti Fruiti, Lollipop

Buzzworthy: Urban Decay's Naked 2 Palette

After the success of Urban Decay's wildly popular Naked palette, Naked 2 is hot off its heels and the shelves!!! I had to fight a little to get this palette since crazy makeup lovers like me kept crashing the Urban Decay website! The palette is packaged in a tin similar to its predecessor, and just a touch heavier. While original Naked owners received the eyeliner duo with their palette, Naked 2 (like new Naked palettes) comes with an eyeshadow brush. The 12 shades of neutral shadows are a stunning array of greys, browns, and taupes, but compared side by side with the original Naked palette, it doesn't seem to stack up. Don't get me wrong, 12 full sized shadows for $50 is a phenomenal deal. The shadows, typical of Urban Decay, are outstanding quality. The palette, though "neutral", pulls warm- although the colors would flatter cool tones as well. I am not slamming the palette. In fact, there are standout colors in this palette including Snakebite (a bronze gold) and Pistol (frosted taupe). Though the matte colors in the palette are borderline chalky (Tease and Blackout), the palette is still worth more than a bang for your buck and a must have for neutral lovers. However, if you own the orignal Naked palette, you could skip Naked 2 without feeling a tinge of guilt. The two palettes are far too similar to need both. The brush accompanying the palette is great for blending and the lipgloss (though skipable) is a nice shade. If you missed out on the orginal palette, this is definitely a chance to satisfy your need for an awesome neutral palette for an amazing price. The quality of these shadows will not disappoint you. Bottom line? The palette is beautiful and worth the money, but everyone knows the sequel is never as good as the original. Pictured below is my FOTD using Verve on the inner corners and browbone, Snakebite on the lid, Pistol on the crease and Blackout in the outer v. The palette is currently sold out on Urban Decay's website and is slated for a February 2012 release to retailers.  Are you planning to pick up the Naked 2 palette? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Foxy, Half Baked, Booty Call, Chopper, Tease, Snakebite

Suspect, Pistol, Verve, YDK, Busted, Blackout

**UPDATE** Urban Decay's Naked 2 is back in stock on Urban Decay's website!!! Grab one while you can ladies!!! Click HERE to pick up your Naked 2!

It's Here!!!

Review and swatches to follow!

Dupe this Look: Jennifer Lopez

This picture of Jennifer Lopez has been circulating the makeup boards for years now. The beautiful green smokey eye served as my inspiration for a night out on the town with my girls. Jennifer's olive skin and brown eyes are really complimented by the earthy green tones. I started with dusting Nars Wicked eyeshadow all over my lid. Then, using my MAC 239, I patted on MAC's Sweet and Punchy on the lid and inner corner of my eyes. Then I blended MAC's Humid into the outer corners of my eyes, and topped it off with  MAC's Green Smoke right in the crease. I also blended a little bit of Humid underneath my lower lashline to really achieve a smokey look. I topped it off with a set of Miss Ardo's #20 false eyelashes and MAC's Blacktrack fluidline in a cat eye shape. Sticking to Jennifer's glowy look, I used Lorac's baked blush in Hollywood and kept my lips nude with MAC's Peachstock with Chantecaille's Charm lipgloss on top. Pictured below is my FOTD inspired by Jenny from the Block. What's your favorite way to rock green eyeshadow? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Buzzworthy: Charlotte Ronson's All Eye Need Eye Palette- Nicole

I am always excited to see what kind of great products designers push out when they delve into the makeup world. Charlotte Ronson put out a makeup line that was inspired by all her famous celebrity friends- a lipgloss for DJ'ing sister Samantha, a powder for the beautiful Rashida Jones, and of course, this stunning eye shadow palette for fellow designer and fashionista, Nicole Richie. About the palette, Charlotte says, "Nicole wanted an effortless palette that complimented her natural glow." The eyeshadows in this palette are warm golds and browns with flecks of shimmer. The colors go on incredibly smooth and are extremely pigmented and blendable. I haven't run into an eyeshadow  palette that has impressed me this much in a long time. The palette retails at $22  at your local Sephora stores and in my opinion, is definitely worth the money. This palette would look gorgeous on most skin tones and with most eye colors, but if you have hazel or green eyes, this is a must-have. Bottom Line? Judging by the superior quality of the Nicole palette, I can't wait to get my hands on more Charlotte Ronson makeup!  Pictured below is my FOTD using my Nicole palette and the swatches of the eyeshadows. Have you tried Charlotte Ronson makeup? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Dupe this Look: Kourtney Kardashian

I know there has been a lot of hoopla around that other, more famous Kardashian but I thought I'd stick to Kourtney as an inspiration after a friend of mine, Roxanne, had asked me to do a smokey eye with a red lip. Kourtney's super smokey eye paired with a deep red lip is very dramatic. Roxanne will be attending a wedding in a royal blue dress and I thought the red lip would be a nice and sophisticated pair for the dress. I started her smokey eye with my NYX Jumbo pencil in Black Bean for a base and patted on MAC's Satin Taupe onto the lid. For the crease color I used MAC's Smut and Carbon for the outer V. I lined Roxanne's entire eye with MAC's Blacktrack fluidline and since she opted to skip the falsies for tonight, I finished with a coat of L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black. To contour her cheeks, I swept MAC's Raizin onto the upper cheekbones and added MAC's highlighter Light Flush to her temples, across her forehead and down the bridge of her nose. I finished her look with MAC's Heartless lipstick and Wicked Ways lipglass. Pictured below is Roxanne's FOTD. I apologize in advance for the terrible lighting in these pics. What's your favorite way to rock the red lip and smokey eye? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Buzzworthy: Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Empire

As the holiday collections start to hit shelves in department stores, I find myself always drawn to the Chanel counter. This time I picked up the liquid lipstick Rouge Allure Laque in Empire, a medium pink with peach undertones and flecks of gold shimmer. The formula is exactly what it says it is- a liquid lipstick. The packaging comes in the form of what appears to be a mini lipgloss, but once applied you can see how little of this product you need for opaqueness. You can also immediately feel the difference between this and a regular gloss, as a gloss would go on much thicker. There is no shine to this formula, but the added gold shimmer of Empire gives the lips a good and subtle sheen. Chanel's Empire retails at $32 and is (unfortunately) limited edition. I get a long weartime with this formula since it's more a lipstick than a gloss. The color is also universally flattering to all skintones. Bottom line? Pick this up or add it to your wish list for Christmas as it won't be back on shelves after 2011. Pictured below is my FOTD using Chanel's Rouge Allure Laque in Empire. Are you putting this on your Christmas list? Leave your thoughts in the comments. 

Halloween by the Honey B 2011

I thought you would all like to see the put together products of the two Halloween looks I had done previously. Pictured below is the unveiling of my peacock costume and Lizette's mermaid costume in Hollywood, CA Halloween weekend. The costumes, made by the two of us, were definitely accented by the makeup. Halloween is always a great time to pull out the crazy makeup! What did you dress up as on Halloween? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Faces by the Honey B: Halloween Peacock

This year for Halloween, I decided to ruffle some tail feathers and dress as a peacock. Of course, this called for me to do an elaborate bird look for the evening. Armed with my favorite golds, greens and blues,  I went to work on my bird eyes. I started with the gold pigment from my MAC Surf Baby Surf the Ocean stack. For the green in the inner crease of my eye, I used my Sugar Pill Midori eyeshadow and patted After Party in the outer crease of my eye. I took Urban Decay's Flash and blended it into the brow bone along with Urban Decay's Midnight 15. Using my NYX Milk jumbo pencil, I drew white dots to mimik the pattern of feathers around my eyes. After letting my eyeshadow set, I drew on Urban Decay's Heavy Metal Glitter liner in Metal Head on top of Flash eyeshadow and Air Guitar on my lower lashline. I extended my MAC Blacktrack Fluid line up as far as i could wing and also drawing an inner wing in the inner corner of my eye to create a birdlike effect. I then added Miss Ardo lashes in #112.  I bronzed my cheeks with MAC's Refined Golden Bronze and added Rock and Republic's Kinky on the apples of my cheek. Keeping the lips simple, I put on Nars nude lippy, Pago Pago and finished my look by gluing on some craft feathers with Ardell's eyelash glue.  Just to add an extra peacocky feel, I put on amber contacts to make my eyes pop. Picture below is my Halloween FOTD. Did you dress up last night? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Faces by the Honey B: Halloween Mermaid

It's that time of year again!!! With Halloween rapidly approaching, the beautiful Lizette had asked me to do a mermaid look for a costume party she was attending. When I think of mermaids, I tend to think of deep greens and blues. I wanted to create a very wet look for Lizette's mermaid makeup so I stuck to shimmers and sparkly eyeshadows. I primed her eyelid with Pixi eye primer, and added MAC's Vex all over her lid, applying it the darkest in the brow bone. I then took Cargo's Green Bay lime green eyeshadow and applied it to the inner corner of her lid and near the tear ducts. I put Urban Decay's Kiddie Pool, a turquoise shimmery blue, on her lid and brought Urban Decay's Flash in on the crease and outer V. To really reinforce the purple color, I added MAC's Parfait Armor over Flash. I did a simple black winged eyeliner line with MAC's Blacktrack Fluid line and applied very pointy, thick falsies on both bottom and top lashlines. I applied MAC's Light Flush Highlighter all over her cheekbones, T-zone and bridge of her nose and applied My Paradise onto the apples of her cheeks. To finish the look, I added MAC's Cremesheen lipgloss in Fashion Scoop for a wet look. Apply a small layer of Wet 'N' Wild's white glitter down the temples to your cheeks for an extra scaley look. Picture below is the beautiful Lizette as a siren of the sea Mermaid Princess! What are you dressing up as for Halloween? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Sephora Friends & Family Sale

Here it is, honey bees! Sephora's online Friends and Family event. Click HERE to get your code and don't forget to shop the sale section for awesome deals! Happy shopping!

Blush Buzz: Illamasqua Thrust

As an Illamasqua virgin here, I was excited to try out a recent addition to my blush collection. Illamasqua's Thrust is a bright violet berry in the pan, but shows up a subtle cool and warm pink on the cheeks. It is extremely pigmented and would be best applied with a duo-fibre skunk brush, just to give off a nice rosy glow. I actually love that I dont own a single blush that looks like Thrust. Retailing at around $23 at your local Sephora, Thrust is just a touch more expensive than a MAC blush ($18) and around the same price as a NARS blush ($26). The vibrant color can be a little intimidating in the pan, but once applied (sparingly) to cheeks, Thrust is definitely creates a soft and easy matte finish. The blush leans cool but can suit warm tones nicely as well, since the magenta does carry a bit of red undertones. This blush is particularly flattering on WOC (women of color) but would look beautiful on fair and medium tones as well. Thrust is just the right amount of flirty and bold. I'm pretty excited to try more out from Illamasqua since the quality and wear time of this blush is outstanding. Illamasqua offers a pretty gorgeous range of colors to choose from as well. Bottom line? A fun and flirty quality blush! Pictured below is my FOTD using Illamasqua's Thrust. Please keep in mind that I am applying a little bit more blush than I usually wear, so you guys can get a good look at the true color and pigmentation of Thrust.  Have you tried Illamasqua's Thrust? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Fall Trend: Matte Red Lips

Emma Watson & Sienna Miller

I can't help but notice the omnipresence of matte red lips on celebrities this fall. The look is sophisticated and polished while the matte texture makes it a bit edgy and different from your average red lip. Pictured left on Emma Watson (girl crush alert!) and Sienna Miller, the look is bold without being garish. Shop your stash, ladies, for one of the hardest working lipsticks in the business, MAC's Ruby Woo. This lipstick is true red with slightly cool undertones and absolutely no sheen. If it looks familiar, it's because Ruby Woo is known for being Gwen Stefani's go-to retro lipstick. Be sure to prime your lips before using this. Wearing a lipliner helps to keep the lipstick from feathering as well. I like to use MAC Brick lipliner to make it a bit deeper (like Emma's). You don't  need to fuss with heavy eye shadow or blush with this look. Keep it simple and make the lips make the statement. Pictured below, I take on the matte red lip with MAC's Ruby Woo lipstick and Brick lipliner. Do you rock the matte red lip? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Weekend Haul

After spending a few days in NYC, I was able to get my hands on a few beauty must-haves. I was lucky enough to drop by famous London retailer Top Shop (the only one located in the states is in Soho) and picked up powder blush in Pop ($12) and Liquid eyeliner in Rook ($10). Pop is a soft warm coral while Rook is a blue black liquid liner with a fine felt tip. I have been hearing such great things about Top Shop makeup- and the packaging is so cute too! I can't wait to try these out! While in New York, I also dropped by Henri Bendel to grab some Nars lipsticks (among other things!). I picked up the new shade Pago Pago, which was released with their fall 2011 line, and Outsider (both retailing at $24).  Pago Pago is a shimmery and sheer nude pink. Upon first glance, I was not interested in this lipstick. The shimmer looked unappealing in the tube and the color did not look special. With much insisting, I finally tried it on and loved the nude/pink color! Outsider was the perfect color to transition me nicely into fall. The shade is a warm orange that applies sheer. The best way to describe it is that on lips, it appears like a sheer, shiny tangerine. 

When I got home from my trip my BeautyBar.com order had arrived! I ordered Stila Pink Custom Color blush  that came with a free gift, Stila's E!'s Live from Red Carpet palette. The blush is quite the shocking pink in the pan, but adjusts its color to your skintone. I'm not really sure  how it works but it gave me a gorgeous glowy pink/peach after application. The blush is small, but you do not need a lot of product for this to show on your skin. Best of all, it came with Stila's E! Live from the Red Carpet travel palette in Stunning Starlet Palette. This palette retails at $25 (but was free with purchase!) and comes with a travel Stila mascara. I love Stila shadows and the quality of these mostly shimmery eyeshadows are just gorgeous. I can't wait to do a red carpet look with this! Pictured below are my swatches of this weekend haul! What did you pick up this weekend? Leave your thoughts in the comments. 

from LtoR: Pago Pago, Outsider, Rook, Pop, Stila Converible blush in Pink and E! Red Carpet Palette  shadows in Paparazzi, Red Carpet, Hollywood, A List, VIP, Backstage and Kitten