August 2009

GUILT KNOWS NO REASON-THANK-YOU FOR BEING MY FRIEND ADAM!

Mon, 08/31/2009 - 10:00pm

Miscellaneous

ADAM
Meg here! We will be doing Sweetassgal's post very soon but I wanted to touch on a universal product that is delivered to us daily-"Hi there, feeling good? Well you shouldn't. You really are terrible. I mean...How could you? No, really, how could you?"

Hi! My name is Meg and I'm a GUILTAHOLIC. I just made the term up but it may already be out there as the condition is quite prevalent between us feeling ladies.

"I would do it for you" O.K. Done, I'll do it for you. "It's not my fault" I'll believe you and help you...I'm not doing this anymore. There is a balance between friend and doormat and I'm still learning it. I'm not great at this lesson. It has taken "friend" after "friend" to step on me for money, connections, opportunities-everything really before I see the light. Usually once I see the "light" I have lost tens of thousands of dollars in pay-off creep-ola dues. Thankfully, through all of the stress and money I have not lost my life. Yes, it can happen.

My parents were never great examples to me on how to treat people. Even at a young age I remember thinking "this is pretty wrong." I have always tried to be a conscious adult to be generous, to do favors and to just treat people how I would like to be treated. I believe now the term is "overcompensating."

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CHANEL HYDRAMAX ACTIVE MOISTURE CREAM

Mon, 08/31/2009 - 5:18pm

Face

Chanel Hydramax Hello, Eleni here! I have a confession to make: I love Chanel products. Every time Megan comes to my place she runs out of my bathroom screaming at me "when did you get this Chanel cream?", "Have enough Chanel already?", "Why aren't you using the products I gave you to review?", "Are you cheating on the other companies that love us?". It's usually at this point when I open the wine to distract her.

Honestly, I have at least 10 favorite brands that I use almost daily ("too-much-free-time-alert"), but Chanel is like my desert island item. I have a long lasting, loving, co-dependent relationship with the Chanel Hydramax Active Moisture Cream. I never want to be anywhere without it. Even if I take small breaks using other moisturizers, I always go back to it.

Maybe it's because it smells like soap, or maybe it's because due to its blue-ish color, every time I put it on, my skin tone looks more even and I glow. One morning I put it on right after washing my face and when I went back inside my boyfriend asked me how I managed to put my makeup on so fast.

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STILA'S CONVERTIBLE COLOR

Mon, 08/31/2009 - 2:42pm

Miscellaneous

Stila Convertible Color MissRo here! There are some days when I want to where a full face of makeup and other days I can't even be bothered. Well, this morning was one of those days. After a weekend of looking glam to celebrate my birthday...yup, it was my birthday on Sunday! We celebrated me turning 30 again for the sixth year in a row. Ha, ha! Whatever it takes to stay young and youthful. Any who, so this morning I really didn't want to fuss with too much makeup, but at the same time I wasn't going to take 20 - 30 to do a whole face. So, what's a girl to do?

Well, enter Stila's Convertible Color. It's blush and lipstick in one! Dab a little on your cheeks and a little on your lips and you're good to go. I usually add to this by curling my eyelashes and brushing my brows in place with Anastasia's Brow gel. The Convertible Color comes in nine shades. My two favorites are Gladiola and Camellia.

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MEGSMAKEUP.COM TAKES THE CENTRAL COAST! OPEN THE BOTTLES DONATI FAMILY VINEYARD!

Sun, 08/30/2009 - 6:50pm

wine
Meg here! I feel like I know so many of you personally, through all of your comments and insights and flipping hysterical stories. In reality, I don't know you beyond your clever avatars and personal page profiles. I would love it if I could have a glass of wine with you, we could talk and then I'd show you my new gloss. We could then have another glass of wine and you could show me your eyeshadow. That would be fun! We could have two more glasses of wine and talk about that son of a bitch that's driving you crazy and what that manipulative whore did behind your back!

Aaah, wouldn't it be nice?

Well, we are doing something spectacular! We are going to be giving it a test run trip first. We're going to see how it goes on our fact finding mission and then next year-We are inviting all of you! For the first time myself, Goddess Granny, Sweetassgal, Stylemama and Jeanasina are going to be meeting face to face! It was more then a bummer that Gigi, Katie, Tantejoan and Sharond were unable to make this get-away but they will be there in spirit and are going to make the next one! Eleni, MissRo and our brilliant director Megken (poor megken:)are joining us and filming all of the highlights so you can be there with us too! (Without the 5 glasses of Pinot and the whore that did you wrong story-next trip-promise)

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CLASH OF THE FOUNDATIONS: URBAN DECAY SURREAL SKIN CREAM TO POWDER/ SMASHBOX CAMERA READY FULL COVERAGE!

Sun, 08/30/2009 - 8:17am

SMASHBOX
Goddess Granny who just loves a good ol' "Titan Clash": Godzilla vs.Mothra...Alien vs. Predator...Megan vs. Angelina...(Note to Ms. Fox: you are totally STUNNING girl and being compared to one of THE most gorgeous creatures to ever walk the earth which IMO isn't a bad thing so please stopping whining about it and just smile/say thank-you?)
It's always good mud-slinging-fun and even a bit Larry the Cable Guy redneck-Titan to really get rowdy and cheer loudly for your favorite in any arena! No lacking of any bouts or battles these days,it's more like you have to dodge all those soggy beer cups flying around.
UD3
We all know it's an insane maze of products out there and as consumers and dedicated-divas,we need ALL the help we can get to navigate these snarky and sharky waters of beauty! I am devoting this post to some serious personal homework I recently finished. I was more than willing to "battle it out" with my vanity as the ring for the sake of Meg's!

Like so many of us,I have been on a lifelong quest for that Grail of foundations: why oh why is it that when you find something PERFECT about one, it's usually also got something less-than as well, be it price, availability, color-range, scent , SPF or not, coverage....the list of requirements for many of us is simply constantly changing and never ending. What may have been perfection a year ago might now be tossed into a drawer...am I right? Also,the evolving technology and range of choices would take a MUCH tougher chic than I to wallow through!

I decided to narrow down exactly what I "needed" at this point from my foundation: ease of application for rushed mornings, wearability in terms of staying fresh and color-true, a bit of real coverage, and something that I didn't cringe over the price every time I needed a different shade or a replacement. I wear foundation everyday so it helps to "keep it real!" Little or no scent and minimal SPF as both tend to irritate me.I personally don't wear mineral foundations although I respect that many love them so they weren't a consideration for me.

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THE INS AND OUTS OF EYELINER!

Sat, 08/29/2009 - 9:59am

angelina
Katie here bringing you the tips for perfect eyes!

Eyeliner (n.) - a cosmetic for the eyelids, usually applied in a thin line close to the lashes to accentuage the eyes. It's such a simple idea, but I really think that eyeliner can be one of the trickiest cosmetic beasts to master. Pencil? Gel? Liquid? Powder? Thin? Thick? Cat-eye? Clown-dots below and above the lids (I've seen it, its weird by they do it)? With a brush or without? Waterproof or regular? There are so many gosh darn decisions! This week, I'm all about simplifying this monumental task in our daily regime.

Generally,I do think the thinner and more natural looking your eyeliner, the better. It's not supposed to be the color on your eyes (that's what shadow is for) its just supposed to highlight the shape of your eyes. Also, NEVER line the lower lashes with a liquied or a harshley colored pencil. If you absolutely MUST put something under your lower lashes, make sure that it is very thin, and very well blended/smudged. As a rule, though, lining the lower lashes makes your eyes look smaller and older.

Pencils - probably the simplest of the tools to use and master. They are also the easiest to correct when you goof up! They come in a variety of shapes, but I still find that SKINNY eyeliner pencils are the easiest to control. Generally, the gel-based formulas last a little bit longer (in terms of hours of wear) and they don't dry up or get crusty like some of the old school pencils. Though Kohl formulas are a good option too. I love:
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencils: They are a creamy gel formula that comes in lots of wonderful (and practical colors). They can be easily blended for about 30 seconds after you apply them, and they stay put all day...especially if you have an eye-primer on underneath. And...waterproof!
Makeup Forever AquaEyes: Really, these are along the same lines as the urban decay pencil. They are also waterproof, they come in a different variety of shades than the Urban Decay pencils so they're really on par with them as well!
Sephora Nano liners: these are a good option if you really want to play with some different colors, they're only $5, but they're not waterproof and you only get about half of the amount of products as standard sized pencil so I'm not sure that it's worth it if you already know what you like as far as eyeliners go.

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MOLTON BROWN - WARMING EUCALYPTUS BATH & SHOWER

Fri, 08/28/2009 - 4:56pm

MoltonBrownEucalyptus MissRo here to tell you that one of the best ways to wake up and feel refreshed in the morning, is to use Molton Brown's Warming Eucalyptus Bath and Shower gel.

I was first introduced to Molton Brown many years ago when I was visiting with my family in Park City, UT. We went to Stein Eriksen for Sunday brunch and I went to the bathroom and used Molton Brown's Naran Ji hand wash and fell in love. Funny enough, I fell in love to the point that I actually worked for them for a few years.

What I like about Molton Brown's products is that the packaging is simple, clean, and elegant. Looks good anywhere in your home. The fragrance that exudes from every product whether bath gel, lotion, or candle is delicious. Also, you can never, ever go wrong with giving Molton Brown as a gift, men or women.

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ANASTASIA'S - CLEAR BROW GEL

Thu, 08/27/2009 - 10:33pm

Miscellaneous

AnastasiaBrowGel Hey Ladies, MissRo here! I am obsessed with my eyebrows. When I was younger and started modeling, I thought I had the thickest, bushiest eyebrows. I couldn't stand them. I would look at my pictures and cringe. One day when I was getting my makeup done for a shoot, I was talking with the makeup artist. I asked her about my eyebrows and if she wouldn't mind shaping them a bit. While she was shaping them, she showed me what to do.

Well, since then I have plucked, waxed, and threaded. You name it, I've done it. I can't go longer than two days without plucking my brows. If I see a hair, I have to pluck it. So of course I now have pretty thin brows, but I like them like that. Although, anytime I have to leave the house, I have to fill in my brows. Eventually, I would like to do permanent makeup so I just do not want to worry about putting makeup on them every time.

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KERATOSIS PILARIS TREATMENTS?

Thu, 08/27/2009 - 12:18pm

Body

Stylemama here, wondering why some of us have such flawless skin while the rest of us are a little less flawless. Enter: my Keratosis Pilaris also known as KP. Always one to look for the silver lining means I’m strangely grateful for my skin issues. If it weren’t for all the nonsense I never would have found Meg’smakeup.com. I never would have met such amazing women and might not have discovered that writing and sharing with all of you feeds my soul in the most profound and touching way. I’d say a little skin funk is hardly worth complaining about when you look at it like that.

I’m nothing if not persistent, yet ironically, strangely lazy at the same time. I won’t pretend to understand that part of my personality, but that’s okay because Gigi loves me “as is” so I must be doing something right. I love me some Gigi too!

Which brings me to my point. A few months ago Tantejoan penned a review that’s really changed my skin. In it, she introduced us to a condition known as Blepharitis. She shared with us a handy little eyewash product (Eye Scrub made be Novartis) that would gently treat this condition and completely remove all traces of make up and any other gunk that sticks to the base of the eyelash. I love it, it works just like she said it would. It also steered my toward a different approach for treating my KP.

What does KP have to do with Blepharitis, you ask? To over simplify, both conditions are a result of areas that end up clogged when they shouldn’t be. In the case of Blepharitis the tiny oil glands at the base of the lashes end up irritated and inflamed partially due to improper eye makeup removal. With KP, the hair follicle gets clogged when the skin’s normal shedding process fails to occur, trapping the hair in a tiny, hard shell creating that rough, bumpy texture often seen on the back of the arms.

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TOO-FACED EXTREME WRINKLE FILLER!

Wed, 08/26/2009 - 10:11pm

face

Gigi here! My fear of having a wrinkled face or throat—a.k.a. my dreaded “Turkey Neck”—has its origins in childhood. I am elated not to have crows’ feet or frown lines. Unfortunately, three repugnant horizontal creases mar my neck, also inherited but unwanted (a mix of good and bad genes from both parents).

Rewind to third grade: My mother had made me a beautiful dress with a white Peter Pan collar to wear on the day my Catholic school had pictures taken of the students. I still recall wriggling around, attempting to push the pique fabric up to hide my imperfections. What stopped me was a very impatient photographer who screamed, “Hey Red, quit playing around and stop squirming!” The shade of my face replicated my hair color.

One year later, at age ten, I found myself standing in our silent lunch line in the cafeteria. Talking was not permitted until we received our stew made from unknown animal parts or chicken with all of the trimmings, feathers included! We were arranged alphabetically, and Gigi Sommers stood two people in front of her boyfriend and love, Tom Townsend (name changed to protect the love-struck). It was my time to shine. I undid the first button of my uniform blouse and seductively slid the strap of my plaid jumper slightly down my shoulder. I stood in a model’s hesitation pose, being sure to hide my throat but still resemble Raquel Welch in “Barbarella” or Bridget Bardot in “And God Created Woman.” I knew he was looking—I felt it. And then my academic life as I knew it in this particular school came to a swift end.

Two girls at the beginning of the line were whispering, and our nun, with full, long taffeta habit and veil, decided to run and halt their words to spare them from the wrath of hell. What she missed was my foot, toe pointed attractively. In retrospect, the sound of the “whoosh” as the taffeta hit the tile was hysterical, but she thought that I had done it purposely. I vaguely recall her screaming, “And you are supposed to be a nice girl! I’ll make you a nice girl, Gigi Marie Sommers!” before she pummeled me into the ground, beating any and every part of my body until I fainted. My parents had never hit us in any way, and I wound up transferred to a public school shortly thereafter.

My husband and I could purchase a summer home with the cash I’ve spent on serums and products for my wrinkle woes. They seem to work initially, but I am always disappointed. Since Meg has led us to Beauty Ticket and prices are ridiculously discounted, I’m considering it a discount/drugstore this week to share a product straight from Heaven itself—“Too Faced’s Extreme Wrinkle Filler” in a tube. This is a multi-tasking miracle makeup primer.

The tube is clever, shaped like the barrel of an injection needle, with gradations as to quantity of product. It claims to fill lines without the “ouch” of Botox needles, and it works. I am on my third tube, and the benefits! This is more viscous than a serum, with a light ecru appearance. Unlike creams, there is absolutely no oily residue left behind to annoy or stain. The unique formula is to be used under makeup where wrinkles are an issue, but I also find that applying over my entire face works as a foundation itself. Wear is extended and greatly enhanced with a luminous appearance. Whether you wear makeup or not, this is a product that belongs in your vanity. In my case, it remains in the top shelf—front and center—of my Sears Craftsmen professional huge red cart (meant for power tools and garage necessities but great housing for cosmetics), along with my divided bait and tackle boxes. And some people feel I have a problematic fixation with makeup—how ridiculous!