Sweetassgal here SO excited to let you all know my sojourn through the rocky landscape of unemployment was emotional and thank God... over! I started a new job today just two weeks after I lost my job. I cannot begin to express how grateful I am considering the state of things in this world. If I didn't know any better I'd say all the wonderful Megheads who wished me well had a direct line to the head honcho upstairs because our prayers were answered big time. Thanks EVERYONE for your love and support. Time and time again you prove why Megsmakeup.com is the BEST site out there for unparalleled knowledge of the latest and greatest as well as the most incredible collection of women on the planet!
Having anticipated I would be losing my last job since Thanksgiving I have been what most would call "one tight-fisted stingy witch"! I'm talking old school, depression era baby, butt puckered so tight they could use it to seal a submarine kind of cheap. Upon the news of my pending employment I did something I haven't allowed myself to do in months. I hit my local CVS and gave myself carte blanche to buy anything I wanted... and without a coupon to boot! Now I know there are women who would have run to the Chanel counter at Nordie's to satisfy this type of craving but I'm still conservative in these unsure times and a little red basket to fill at CVS gave me just the retail fix I needed. It was heaven!
I came away with some great little finds like a spritzer of my fave cheap perfume to keep at my new desk (Coty Wild Musk... just $5 and I swear I get so many compliments when I wear it), a cute little dual side mirror compact with daisy shaped rhinestones for at desk freshening and a few new organic options to try out from Physician's Formula. This week I've been testing out their Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Mascara to see how it stacks up against the other natural mascara's I've used in the past.
Meg here! I'm writing this post from Jeanasina's livingroom in Minnesota. I'm usually a lot closer to the Oscars when I watch it and get ready for the after parties! This year our own Jasmine is hitting the Oscar beat while I'm still hitting the road.
Before I go into some terms that are commonly thrown around can I just say Sandra Bullock is looking amazing! I hope my little handy dandy guide clears up any confusion you may have...
What on earth is a "humectant?" Humectants are anything that promote the retention of water. Glycerin is a natural humectant. Glycerin is found in many moisturizers and face creams but watch out for mineral oil! That's a naughty humectant. What's the deal with "Surfactants?" The definition of surfactant is "surface-active agent" Found in tons of facial cleansers, it's the element that stops oil and water based ingredients from separating so you can get a great foam.
Why is everyone so freaked out over "Parabens?" People are avoiding parabens like the plague and companies are touting "paraben-free" all over their labels. They are toxic and synthetic and have been connected to everything from asthma to cancerous tumors. It can also be called the following names Methyl, Ethyl, Propyl, Butyl, and Hydroxy Methyl Benzoates. It's probably best to avoid them as well. The other names you don't want in your products are green3, blue1, padimate-O, sodium hydroxymethyl-glycinate, toulene, xylene, BHT, propylene glycol, crystalline silicia, coal tar dyes, talc, DEA and TEA (diethanolamine and triethanolamine), pthalate, parabens, soduim lauryl sulfate and formaldehyde. If it is hard to pronounce then there is a pretty good chance it is linked to cancer or hormonal disruption. The following terms above have been linked to both.
Goddess Granny live and coming to you from the yellow carpet on the day of all things Oscar and over the top fabulous style so I thought it'd be fun to chat a bit about this heavenly product that to my way of thinking NEVER fails to make me prettier or happier (at least in my own mind!) whenever I indulge... and yes, to indulge in a glass (okay,a bottle) of what I believe to be incomparable in the world of Champagne is on that list of over the top fabulous for sure:I'm not much of a drinker but will never say no to a glass of this divine beverage!
Now my Darlln's: I have neither the time or inclination to debate the drinking of alcohol or the precise and lengthy history complete with dates and vintages of this renowned Champagne House but I skim the surface as lightly as a dancing-bubble and make an attempt to at least whet your appetite in hopes of providing you with a few fun facts so that you too can out-dazzle the dullards at a cocktail party with your small cache of cool champagne-ralated facts...
Did you know that LVMH (they distribute this gorgeous champagne in the US) is one of THE sponsors behind our over the top fabulous "Meg's Makeup Road Trip" 2010? We also want only the BEST for all of you!
We at Meg's LOVE our women owned/operated companies and believe me, the woman behind the highly respected Veuve Clicquot Champagne is truly iconic in this arena: The matriarch of the brand, Madame Barbe Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot (1777-1866) was left a young widow ("Veuve" means widow in French) at age 27 when her husband Francois (who was the only heir to a French wine business, "Clicquot" established by his Father Philippe in 1772) died of a fever. In a bold and un-precedented move for the times, Madame Clicquot took over her husband's small champagne business and went on to develop many important technological innovations in the world of wine-making, most notably the process of "remuage" which allowed champagne to become crystal-clear and "bubbly" instead of being cloudy thus changing the face of the industry forever. This innovation in particular gave Madame Clicquot and her champagne world-renown and was considered/still is by many including myself "the BEST!"
Meg here! I am so sorry you couldn't make it to our DC party! I'm sorry you didn't get to experience the food, the bubbly, the gift bags or Dr. Dima's Cosminology or Wellmedica Spa!
Meg here! There's a reason DC is our capital. The women there are the bedrock of our nation! I am still recovering from a night of complete wonder at WellMedica! Our founding father's got nothing on our contemporary sisters.
First off, we write a lot on how great the Cosminology line is! We love it, it works and it has spunk and humor and after meeting Lety and Dr. Dima I know where the brilliance comes from! Dr. Dima is so warm and funny and irreverent. She was cracking me up left and right. I love dry humor. I have dry humor so that's why I totally get it. Sometimes with an eye roll I can make someone hate me. I feel bad for those squares because most of the time I'm laughing at myself. If you can't laugh then I cant be around you. Laughing is my greatest joy in life and so much about life is hilarious. Dr. Dima gets the joke. Getting the joke is key.
She named her products after astrology, she loves astrology and Greek goddesses. Her products have whimsical fun names but the products are neither fun nor whimsical. They work. Some part of me thinks she should have called them some pharmaceutical sounding name so you would really understand the medical science behind them. I have this problem in my own life as well. I'm smart. I'm not being a braggart but I'm pretty smart. Sometimes I go into meetings (or on dates) and the guys I'm meeting with see I have boobies and blond hair and they don't expect me to know anything. They expect me to just be fun and whimsical. This is their downfall, I just nod and laugh and then when I speak they don't know what hit them!
I feel like this is how Cosminology must feel. Dr. Dima is HOT! I mean she is smoking hot! She also has a wall of awards and diplomas and creates her line using advanced science. When you first meet her you see all cascading dark hair, a killer body and a million watt smile. You think "She's gorgeous, maybe someone told her how to be a doctor." No, life is not fair, she has all of the above and a genius mind and advanced medical degrees from top universities. I know, with all God has given this woman you'd want to meet a schlump with a hump growing out of her back and a huge mole on her forehead. No such luck! Did I mention she's also flippin' hysterical? I know, life is not fair. In the wise words of a rapper I can't remember "Don't hate the playah-hate the game!"
“I strongly believe in the possibility of connecting with people from other cultures and creating an environment in which the little things we do throughout or daily lives positively affect the lives of people around the world. Even in something as seemingly inconsequential as our choice of skin care, it’s about a consciousness of the decisions we make every day.” - Katharine Phillips L’Heureux, Founder of Kahina - Giving Beauty
Jasmine Simone here! I love essential oils - they are so nurturing to my skin and have done wonders for scarring, dryness and other skin issues I have had in the past. Recently I discovered the wonders of Argan oil. So what exactly is argan oil you may be wondering? Only found in a few countries, Morocco being the main one, the argan tree oil is revered for it’s numerous nutritive, cosmetic, and medicinal properties. It is pressed from the seeds of the argan tree fruit and has been used for cooking and cosmetics for centuries before modern times (dating back to before the Phonecians.) Presently, argan trees are near extinction due to severe drought seasons and over use for of the trees for wood over the past 50 years. They are now a protected species by UNESCO and must be harvested sustainably to preserve these ancient tress that can live up to 200 years.
Fortunately, the Kahina - Giving Beauty brand adheres to this standard of environmentally-conscious processing. L’Heureux chose the name Kahina as an homage to the Berber queen (Berbers are the indigenous people in North Africa) and prophetess who reigned in Morocco circa 700 CE and “a heroine to the Berber women, Kahina represents empowerment and vision for women worldwide.” And that is exactly what founder, Katherine Phillips L’Heureux, was inspired to do when she created this line of products after a visit to Morocco brought her into the world of Berber women, who subsequently revealed to her the amazing, versatile properties of argan oil. Kahina works with the local women to provide them with a viable and sustainable way to make a living which subsequently improves their way of life. Taking it a step further, Kahina also sources rare essential ingredients from women’s cooperatives around the world, and donates 25% of their profits to support initiatives that improve the lives of impoverished women around the world.
BabyLove here! For the next few weeks I’ll be switching my reviews up between kid’s products, and all the fantastic goodies that were included in our mom’s goody bags from our fantastic site party. Stay with me Meg Heads, because I have some great stuff in the lineup.
I’m sure you’ve heard of this next company, and if you haven’t, it’s time to become acquainted with Little Twig. Little Twig was not only kind enough to send us their Tangerine Scented bubble bath, but also the cutest little bumble bee bath mitt that has been the cause of a lot of commotion at bath time. Turns out that two boys+ one bath mitt=problem. Last night after the thousandth argument over who gets to use the mitt, I actually heard William utter the word “idiot” under his breath.
Meg here! You all know my healthy lifestyle, I'm very open that I smoke like a chimney and drink like a fish and if I ever ran into a nutritionist they would probably faint. I know, I know. I try to break my vices all the time, new topic for another day! I was out with my friend Kevin Baum for a fancy evening at The Plaza's Oak Room (you do that once in New York! Each Belvedere tonic was $18 )
While I was there I ran into a group of amazing dental student ladies and I said that I was going out for a smoke. This is not a popular thing to say or do anytime. It's really not good around medical students!
When I saw the look on their faces I said "this is why I lie to my dentist." Strike three for me! Lauren Huntington was really not happy with that little admission on my part. She said "you should never lie to your dentist!" I said (not knowing how great dentists are on follow-up) "Oh yeah? O.K. Send me an article on why not and I'll put it up and I'll stop!" A couple days ago this article arrived in my inbox! Thanks for showing me the pearly way Lauren!
Ok so I know many of us dread going to the dentist – it hurts, they make our gums bleed, they may tell me I have a cavity…Doesn’t sound like anything to look forward to. Well, there are some other things you should think about when you go to the dentist that I’m sure many of you haven’t thought about. Your dentists and dental hygienists know more about your oral hygiene habits than you think they do. For example, when you go to the dentist’s office and fill out your health history form, it usually asks about smoking, drinking and eating disorders among other serious illnesses. The fact is, you should always tell the truth on these forms because they are actually considered serious legal documents. But… Let’s be honest…who is going to want to tell their dentist that they smoke a pack a day and they’ve been bulimic for 5 or 20 or 30 years? No one. I’m here to let all of you readers know that you shouldn’t lie to your dentist or dental hygienist because they know you’re lying anyway.
Gigi Here! Color intrigues me. When I paint, I love creating unusual shades. I do blame my cosmetic addiction to this. Don't ever think of pulling me away from a makeup counter before I am ready. After you hear my tale you will see why I am in love with e.l.f. Studio Line Eye Transformers!
As a young child, my parents brought a hundred paint color strips from a hardware store for me. I was delighted. As my friends and I played one day, I had them cut the strips apart with me and use a heavy glue to paste them to the side of the house. We created a huge mosaic. Can you blame me? I made the best use of them although my parents weren't quite as thrilled as they scraped off the glue and pieces of vivid paper.
It's Jeanasina's Body Beautiful Wednesday! If you want to walk into a room and shout, “Who wants to run their hands in my silky hair right now?” read on...
On January 19th of this year, one of our best storyteller reviewers, SweetAssGal, let you know from the get-go that she was a major fan of Zakia's Argan Oil! All of the reviewers actually had oodles of positive things to say about this amazing oil and what it can do! I had written to the other main writers asking any of them to please send me their oil if they didn't like it. NOBODY was willing to give up their new-found best friend, Zakia's Argan Oil! But this oil is magic in a bottle and when you possess magic you definitely don't want to give it up!
As our story continues, I was sitting one day and mindlessly popping into my mouth nuggets of chocolate out of a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. I was using the chips to fulfill the need for pleasurable satisfaction on some level within me. I was actually compelled to set the bag of chocolate chips down when I opened a package from Meg that day and spotted a bottle that said Zakia's Argan Oil on it! I reached into the package and immediately clutched the Argan Oil bottle to my chest and ran around the house looking for a safe place to hide my new Argan Oil product! I had learned that if anything says the words “Zakia's Morocco Argan Oil” on it, it's a valuable commodity and one which I would not willingly give up! I did not want any Moroccan bandits to invade my home and steal my new treasure so I had to hide quickly.