Eylure Lashes and Lupita Nyongo – Celebrity Makeup Artist Nick Barose

Celebrity makeup artist extraordinaire and cosmetic genius, Nick Barose, is a big fan of Eylure lashes and looks to the collection throughout award season to create his signature, dramatic yet natural lash look for celebrities walking the red carpet.

Nick Barose completed Academy Award winner, Lupita Nyongo’s look with Eylure 011 Naturals.  Nick loves the fact the Eylure lashes are baked, providing a curved base making application quick and easy for both artists and consumers.  The Eylure lash collection provides a flawless look, are flattering to everyone and incredibly light – women forget they are wearing the lashes after 5 minutes!

Lupita Nyongo Oscars 2015
Lupita Nyongo Oscars 2015

About Eylure

As the first lash brand to come to market in 1947, the lash experts at Eylure have created a collection with a concise range of eight categories that encompass every lash occasion.  The eight categories cover both strip, individual, and pre-glued lashes.

Eylure lashes are available at Target, Ulta, and Kohl’s.

Lupita Nyongo wearing Calvin Klein
Lupita Nyongo wearing Calvin Klein

See more looks from the Oscars 2015 on Instagram

Jami Svay Top Five Valentine’s Day Beauty Tips

Whether it’s a hot date planned with your beau or a girls’ night out, this Valentine’s Day make sure to make a statement with these top five beauty tips. Celebrity makeup artist Jami Svay has worked with Meghan Trainor, Brooklyn Decker, Angie Harmon, among others and top fashion brands Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Laura Ashley, Perry Ellis, to name a few.  She provides tips to create the perfect Valentine’s Day beauty look.

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1. Kiss and makeup…

Ditch the traditional “red” lip and go for a more kissable look like a
delicious nude color. Try: Philosophy’s lip shine in Coconut Frosting it
gives a hint of shimmer with a mild sweet taste.

2. Run your fingers through my hair or maybe not…

Loose the hair spray for the night. Nothing is more un-sexy than hard mane.
Touchable, soft hair is always a “do”. Try: Garnier’s Texture Spray for body
and bounce without the crunch.

3. Give it a glow…

For a quick J-Lo glow add a few drops of liquid luminizer to your
moisturizer. Try: Stila’s All Over Shimmer liquid.

4. Got a private beach…

Nothing says red-hot like bronzed skin. Use along the perimeter of your face
& jaw bone for a more realistic application. Also pick a brand that doesn’t
have too much shimmer. Try: Benefit’s Hoola Bronzer

5. It started with a wink…

Seduction begins with a good mascara! Give your eyes a bambi-like fringe
using lash fibers. It coats & builds on the ends of your natural lashes,
giving the appearance of falsies. Try: Loreal’s False Fiber Lash Mascara

About Jami:

Jami Svay (pronounced s-why) believes having your
makeup done is more than just lashes and liner. It’s beauty therapy.

She excels at finding and highlighting a client’s best
feature. “If I can make someone’s day by making them
look good, then so be it,” she says.

The makeup artist and creator of Tastee Cosmetics, a national line of organic lip products, has been in the beauty business for more than 10 years, working in salons, as a cosmetics representative and as a model.

She decided to forgo college dreams of being a fashion designer once she realized that makeup artistry combined her love of color and fine art.

Building on a personal philosophy of “Everyone has something beautiful, just enhance it,” Svay’s impressive client roster belies her versatility. She has worked on a range of celebrities, including Brooklyn Decker and Michael Jordan.

Svay has traveled to New York, Atlanta, Miami and Los Angeles to do makeup on editorial spreads and runway shows.

She has done work for Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Laura Ashley, Perry Ellis, Essence and Real Simple magazines, among others.

COCOTIQUE Beauty Review: January Subscription Box

COCOTIQUE is the latest subscription box for women of color and diverse ethnicities.  Once you become a member, subscribers receive a monthly box with a variety of (sample) hair, skin, and nail products.  The company also features brands such as Black Opal, Milani, Creme of Nature, OPI, Revlon, and Shea Moisture to name a few.

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The theme of January’s box was to refresh and renew with a collection of products from every category such as cosmetics, bodycare, and fragrance.  The products included were ACURE Triple Action Repairing Morrocan Argan Oil and Stem Cell Shampoo, ACURE Triple Action Repairing Morrocan Argan Oil and Stem Cell Conditioner, BEFINE Assorted Skincare Products, HARVEY Prince Hello Fragrance, NAKED BAR SOAP Lemongrass Grapefruit Foaming Sugar Scrub, NICKLA K New York Quad Eyeshadow, NUBIAN HERITAGE Honey & Black Seed Hand Cream.

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I was excited to receive my COCOTIQUE box and pleasantly surprised at the beautiful packaging.  I can’t wait to fully indulge in every product but the one item I can’t live without is the Honey & Black Seed Hand Cream.

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I’m in between manicures and seeking to restore moisture back into my hands and cuticles.  This luxurious moisturizing treatment instantly restored my hands with a nice cooling effect.  The hand cream’s also formulated with Black Seed Oil, Honey, and Apricot Oil.  It’s the perfect size to carry in my handbag (and use) while wearing a pair of gloves.

I love beauty products that work and COCOTIQUE offers product samples that are infused with natural ingredients and gentle cleansers.  To learn more about COCOTIQUE and become a subscriber click here.

The Still Point at Haven On The Lake Spa Getaway – Media Event Recap and Photos

The Still Point at Haven On The Lake hosted a media event at their new location in Columbia, Maryland. Invited guests enjoyed mini spa treatments, artisan vinegars, and the opportunity to participate in their exclusive Yoga Wall or Bare Essence class.

Haven On The Lake

Haven On The Lake

Overlooking a beautiful lake connected to Whole Foods Market, The Still Point in Columbia’s considered to be a wellness spa.  Members and Non Members can partake in a variety of services to renew, restore, and rejuvenate the mind and body.  For example, the wellness spa offers nutrition services to design a health program for individual needs. Manicurist perform natural nail services using Deborah Lippmann products (infused with healing ingredients and non toxic chemicals) and provide a therapeutic massage.  If you’re searching for assistance with fatigue, weight gain, detoxification, and hormone rebalancing, The Still Point at Haven On The Lake has doctors on staff for Naturopathic Medicine.

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In addition, the wellness spa offers traditional services such as a hydrating sugar polish, warm salt glow, contouring wrap, healing wrap, detoxifying wrap, and sunless tanning.  I had a wonderful experience visiting the new location and indulged in a theraputic hand massage with Toma Skin Therapies products and exfoliation with epsom/sea salt.  The aromatherapy from Toma Essential Oils also provided a relaxing scent when entering the wellness spa.

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Style + Life + Fashion

Haven on The Lake has become my new favorite wellness spa in the Columbia area.  I am planning another visit (in the near future) to endulge in a renew manicure and acupuncture service.  To learn more about Haven On The Lake click here and follow them on twitter for updates.

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If you like this post: The Still Point Girls Spa Night

High Fashion and Beauty Tips on a Budget

High fashion – what does it mean? Is it the vintage dress you purchased or the couture you snapped up during Paris Fashion Week? Is it the makeup counter or the latest in organic, chemical free, coeliac-friendly eyeliner? Or is it the DIY dress you crafted out of patches, old material and threads of fluff?

The truth is that it can be all this and more. While the catwalk are brimming with avant-garde styles and designers, the high street can offer replicas at cut prices.

With that in mind, what can you do to make the cheapest styles look like the height of fashion?

The right start to your day

You wake up looking bloated, tired, haggard and a bit like 20-tonne granite sandbags have been placed under your eyes. It’s not a start to your day that screams style, is it?

But that grim feeling doesn’t have to last long if you’ve got the right level of cleanliness at your disposal. So climb out from under your blankets and follow these tips to feel classy come morning.

To start with, throw those expensive beauty products in the bin. They’re brimming with chemicals that could strip the skin or scalp of its many nutrients.

Instead, invest in sodium free shampoo and a chemically neutral body wash. The lack of additives rubbing into your skin will make it look better with every new day you wake up. Top this effect off with a pint of water every morning. It’ll take the edge off your morning coffee and give your skin an extra boost.

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Color is king

You’ve probably seen fashion victims wearing colors more garish than a neon Dulux wall chart with sick on it. Pity those poor souls who can’t coordinate colours – just make sure that pity isn’t reciprocated.

Matching the right colors is the key to making even the cheapest outfits look like they were cut by Ralph Lauren himself. Loud primary colors must be offset by a cheeky pattern or quiet colour to tone the outfit down.

Think of mixing the right colors as like walking a dog – sometimes you have to let your dog roam free, but other times that hound has to be held on its leash.

DIY

Trying to define genius in design is like trying to hold an abstract concept in your hands. But at least one factor is easy to put your finger on – personality.

Provided, personality shouldn’t be a difficult thing to find. The craft is the tricky part.

So pick up a few high street items of clothing and see what alterations you can make to give it your unique touch.

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Beauty Box 5 – Review and Favorite Product

Sharing Products from December 2014 Subscription – Jaqua Hand Creme, Absolute! Nail Polish Remover Pads, Juice Stem Cellular Moisturizer, Nanacoco Nail Polish, Luck Brand Fragrance.

My favorite product for this month was the Jaqua Hand Creme – does a wonderful job moisturizing the hands and cuticles; this product also smells lovely. The glitter polish is a nice addition to any manicure, with small hearts included in the lacquer.

Start the New Year with a subscription to Beauty Box 5

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Multi-Purpose Beauty Items for Holiday Travel

As you prepare your checklist for holiday travels, it’s no surprise that you might be forced to modify your beauty routine in order to travel light. Saving space in your luggage this holiday season is quite simple with these multi-purpose beauty items from a variety of beauty brands sure to please!

Offering the ultimate in double-duty beauty finds, brands such as Palmer’s, Thicker Fuller Hair and Zero Frizz cater to the woman on-to-go, looking for travel-friendly products making her beauty routine easier than ever before. Please see below for a selection of 2-in-1 products:

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Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Swivel Stick
o All-in-one moisturizing powerhouse!
o Ideal for dry skin touch-up on the face and body as well as cracked, chapped lips. (Retails for $2.70)

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil Rosehip
o Perfect all-over moisturizer that targets all types of skin concerns!
o Helps overall appearance of skin, improving unwanted scars, stretch marks and wrinkles. (Retails for $9.99)

Palmer’s Olive Oil Formula Dry Oil Mist
o The ultimate go-to hair product!
o 8-oil blend mist works great as a spot shine treatment or to quickly tame flyaways, while instantly restoring moisture to dry hair giving dull, lifeless locks the perfect glow. (Retails for $8.99)

Thicker Fuller Hair® Weightless Volumizing Hairspray
o Aids in volumizing without extra product!
o Formulated with caffeine to prop up hair strands and invigorate the scalp for a weightless all-day hold. (Retails for $4.99)

Zero Frizz® Keratin Smoothing Shampoo
o Eliminates the need for leave-in conditioner or smoothing products!
o Nourishes strands, detangles ends and tames frizz all while leaving your follicles clean and moisturized. (Retails for $3.99)

Nitika Chopra Shares Natural Remedies for Winter Skin and Hair

Harsh winter weather and freezing temperatures require a little extra care in your beauty routine. You can make a big impact with just a few simple ingredients. Nitika Chopra, host of “Naturally Beautiful” on  Z Living TV network has broken down the basics to keep your skin baby-soft and your hair moisturized all winter long.

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Nitika Chopra

1. Coconut Oil – Once a week in the winter, treat your hair to a coconut oil hair mask. Just before bed, apply organic coconut oil to your scalp and the ends of your hair with a cotton ball. Wrap your head in a towel, cover with a shower cap, and leave it in overnight. It keeps your hair super healthy and makes it soft and shiny. The next morning, rinse it out with just a little bit of shampoo (no conditioner necessary!). Use less coconut oil for thinner hair.

2. Rose Water – Your beauty routine should be a sensory experience. I live in New York City, so I love to feel peaceful, relaxed and calm. One of my favorite ingredients is all-natural rose water. You can use it as a toner just after cleansing. It’s perfect in the winter because it fights inflammation and takes away redness and puffiness.

3. Avocado – Avocado is really your best friend. The fruit is rich in Vitamins B, C, E and K. Mash up an avocado and use it plain as a face mask. It helps skin retain moisture, which is great for fighting wrinkles. Eating avocado, especially in the winter when we can have vitamin deficiencies, is also great. During colder months, it’s natural for us to crave creamier comfort foods, and avocado has the perfect consistency.

4. Sugar – I’m also a huge fan of sugar scrubs because they are so luxurious and easy to make. Take brown sugar and your favorite oil (olive is a good option) and add an essential oil for natural fragrance. Lavender is soothing, while peppermint is more energizing. Pick the one that fits your mood!

5. DIY Spa – Just remember to test a small amount of any DIY spa recipe on the inside of your wrist before you use it on your face or body.

Nitika Chopra, a certified life coach, is the Founding Editor-In-Chief of on-line lifestyle magazine YourBellaLife.com and a life-style contributor to the Huffington Post. Nitika’s unique point of view stems from the challenges she faced growing up in a traditional Indian home, without a traditional Indian cultural bone in her body, all while battling a debilitating skin condition that covered her body from head-to-toe for years. To overcome several low points in her life, she found a spiritual voice within her and became passionate about the power in small steps and infusing every day activities with spirit and possibility, regardless of one’s faith. Nitika uses this positive outlook to help people realize their own inner beauty and shares them with thousands of people who subscribe to her magazine. In 2011, Nitika was invited to speak about healing one’s authentic soul wound at the prestigious REVEAL conference hosted by Donna Karan’s Urban Zen Foundation. She is extremely active with her on-line community of thousands sharing her life-experiences with them in order to aid young women in their difficult life challenges and help transform them from hopeless to hopeful. Nitika is host of the show “Naturally Beautiful” on Z Living TV. Growing up, Nitika battled debilitating health problems that made it difficult for her to walk with ease for many years. This challenge, among others, fueled her passion for helping individuals and has made her an empathetic resource.

The Still Point Wellness Spa: Girls Spa Night

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On Friday, November 14 from 5:00-8:00 p.m., The Still Point’s Clarksville location (12451 Clarksville Pike, Clarksville, MD) will host a Girls Night Out event with Red, Howard County’s first organic, biodynamic and sustainable wine, beer and spirits retailer.

The event will feature a complimentary wine tasting, a 20% sale off all TOMA Skin Therapies products, a scarf trunk show by 29 Bridges Studio and seated chair and hand massages, courtesy of The Still Point’s highly trained practitioners.

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Guests will also have the exclusive opportunity to book discounted appointments (10% off) at The Still Point’s newest location at Haven On The Lake – opening later this year in downtown, Columbia, MD.

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Pevonia Stem Cells Phyto – Elite Product Line and Skincare Review

Pevonia is a skincare line created with natural ingredients that can be found at your local spa.  I’m a skincare fanatic and had the opportunity to review Pevonia Stem Cells Phyto – Elite Foaming Cleanser, Intensive Serum, and Intensive Cream.

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To start, the actual product container arrived in a beautiful gold/black bottle which looks very pretty and gives the appearance of luxury.  When using this product line, the company suggests starting with:

1.  Multi – Active Foaming Cleanser:  one – step formula to cleanse and tone

2.  Intensive Serum:  protecting and energizing skin cells

3.  Intensive Cream:  smoothes lines and wrinkles; hydrates the skin

This skincare collection left my face feeling hydrated with a radiate glow.  I also loved the smell of the foaming cleanser (during application) and made me eager to see my skin for results.  To be honest, the intensive cream is one the best face creams that I’ve ever used with my daily routine.

Stem Cells Phyto-Elite(TM) Collection (PRNewsFoto/Pevonia)

I suggest when having skincare problems to start a new regimen but most importantly use quality products that will meet your individual needs. Pevonia is the perfect product line because the company allows you to address your skincare concerns and customers can make their selections according to the product type, product list, and starter kits.  Visit their website or local day spa for Pevonia products.