Blushington: Pure & Simple Makeup is Naturally Beautiful

Minimalistic makeup is sweeping the nation this spring.  A recent article in The Wall Street Journal highlighted the "woke up like this" makeup look that women want and the new products cosmetic companies have been coming out with.  The natural face can fool people into thinking you're not wearing any makeup and it's super easy to achieve.   

The makeup artists at Blushington Makeup & Beauty Lounge in Dallas have mastered the Pure & Simple makeup look.  Jojo Uhrig gave me a makeover and showed me how do the naturally beautiful look on my own.  All it took was a little neutral makeup and the fabulous Beauty Blender sponge to get a great look.

Thanks for my natural makeover, Blushington!  Book your next makeover at Blushington and they'll get your face ready for your next big event.  And ask for Jojo because she's awesome!  She also told me about the hands-on Blushington makeup training classes where a makeup artist will do half of your face and you'll do the other side.  

with the fabulous makeup expert Jojo Uhrig

What Makes You Beautiful: Makeup by 1D Giveaway!

Tweens, teens, and adults alike have gone crazy for British boy band One Direction.  Beginning in August, Markwins International beauty is launching a brand-new, limited edition collection called Makeup by 1D that will make you beautiful.  You can choose from 3 sets, each of which are named after 1D songs.  Each set comes with 7 pieces: eyeshadow palette, mascara, lipstick, chubby eyeliner, lip gloss, nail polish, and stencils.  I tried the Up All Night collection with cool blue shadows and bubble gum pink lipstick.  The eyeshadow palette allows you to achieve lots of looks - from pretty day to dramatic night.  Definitely a must-have for any 1D fan (or makeup junkie) out there.  Scroll down to find out how you can win one!

US Release Dates (international release TBD)
Macy's - August 11th
Stage Stores – August 25th
Dillards – August 25th
Beauty Brands – August 25th
Lord and Taylor - August 25th

Giveaway Alert! Enter for a chance to win a limited edition Makeup by 1D set before they become available in stores!  Fill out the entry form below or click here to access it online.

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The Blaine's Dallas Salon Experience

  
When my skin is pasty and my hair is a mess, now I trust Blaine's Dallas to glam me up.  I recently visited the chic McKinney Avenue salon in Uptown for a blowout and spray tan.  Owner Blaine Schlaudt has been making Dallas more beautiful for the past 18 years, and has been a hair expert for almost 30 years.  He not only did a fabulous job on my hair, he was also sweet and easy to talk to.  I can say the same for his wife Sharon, who co-operates the salon and does killer spray tans.  All of the Blaine's associates that I met are professional but also very FRIENDLY, which is essential for me to have a positive salon experience.

I was impressed to find that the service pricing at Blaine's is competitive, and in several cases substantially better than other salons in Dallas.  The space is also more modern and comfortable than any other place I've tried in the past.  Plus, Blaine's is conveniently a full-service salon.  Besides nails, they do everything you need and more.  Getting ready for a big event, or primping just for fun, is less stressful when you only have to go to one place.  You can even buy Blaine's hair products to treat your hair, Blaine's-style, at home.  My favorite product from the line is the dry shampoo, which I used to keep my blowout looking good the next day.  

When you go to Blaine's, you'll receive exceptional customer service.  When you arrive, just leave your car in the front and someone will park it for you... sweet!  I was also offered water or a mimosa while being kindly greeted by the lovely Brittany.  My blowout lasted until the day after and looked even better with Blaine's dry shampoo.  The spray tan lasted 7-10 days and faded off evenly, just like Sharon said it would.  When I left, I couldn't stop smiling.  Blaine made my bad hair day a good one and I know he'll do the same for you too!  Find out more information on the Blaine's Dallas website.  

Steal my Style: Trina Turk dress (similar here); Kate Spade necklace (similar here); Sam Edelman wedges

GlamST Officially Launches: Spring 2014

Remember when I told you about GlamST back in November?  Can you really give yourself a virtual makeover?  I say that anything that may save me from my beauty buying addiction is worth a try.  I could spend hours on GlamST trying different looks without opening my wallet.  If you've got Windows 8 like me, you can download the free app from the Windows Store.  The one problem with the app is that I found it difficult to upload my picture, so making an online profile may be the way to go.

I don't know how they do it, but it looks like I'm really wearing this makeup.  I think the next project for GlamST should be for clothes and jewelry.  Try it for yourself or get the products below to steal my look!  Like GlamST on Facebook for the latest beauty news.

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Natural Skincare = Kiss My Face!

With more freezing weather and Valentine's Day coming up, I thought you might like to know about some natural skincare products that have helped to nourish my skin this season.  Kiss My Face is an all-natural brand that covers every skincare and beauty need under the sun.  I'll be honest, I usually don't associate "natural" with "glamour."  This is definitely not the case with Kiss My Face.  The two Kiss My Face products I've tried have helped me achieve the great skin I need as a foundation for all of the primping I do!

The Olive & Aloe Moisturizer for sensitive skin is so convenient because it's gentle enough to use on your face, hands, and body.  It doesn't leave a greasy layer of residue - your skin will literally drink up this stuff.  I use it as a makeup primer, especially when my skin needs a little more moisture.    

The organic "Sliced Peach" lip balm has a soothing, aromatherapy-like scent.  I use it to get those kissable lips that are so hard to keep during winter!

Kiss My Face doesn't have to hide behind artificial dyes and chemicals to be fabulous.  I learned that natural is beautiful.  Find Kiss My Face products at your local natural market stores and online.  They even sell them at my alma mater, Ursuline Academy of Dallas!  

PS: Kiss My Face has a line of really cute Valentine's Day products.  Check it out on their website!

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Fall 2013 Nordstrom Beauty Trend Show

Beautiful Bloggers! From left: Me, KeAndra Macklin, Megan Carradine, Cynthia Smoot, Cris Zaragoza

Beauty enthusiasts flocked to Nordstrom Galleria Dallas for one of my favorite events of the year, the semi-annual Nordstrom Beauty Trend Show.  The smell of perfume and the allure new makeup products attracted literally hundreds of women to attend the event at 8:00 AM on a Saturday!  The morning started with a Beauty Bash and lots of beauty giveaways.  My friend Megan Carradine of FAME MC won a Smashbox prize after being there for 2 minutes.  It was pretty sweet!  Cynthia Smoot, another one of my blogger buddies, was in attendance because she never misses a fabulous event!   

The runway was decked out with models showing off Nordstrom's latest fashion and beauty trends.  Beauty pros from across the country flew to Dallas to get everyone pumped for fall beauty.  Each major brand sold at Nordstrom was represented by a different brand ambassador who explained all of the benefits of their newest products.

Besides the awesome runway show and amazing beauty demonstrations, my favorite part of the event was how excited everyone was.  In between brand presentations, audience members would get up and start dancing.  I loved it!  No one knows how to put on an event like Nordstrom!

Weren't there to join in on the excitement?  No problem.  Shop all of the featured products from Nordstrom online! 

Hair How-To's Hot Off the Runway

There's nothing I love more than avant-garde hair.  But, the truth is that it's not reality.  As a follow-up to my runway-ready hair feature, I found some great hairstyles straight off the Fashion Week runways that are simple to style for an easy-breezy look. 

Embracing your natural hair texture was a theme for Fashion Week this time around, which means less time and money spent on styling your hair.  For the Victoria by Victoria Beckham show, celebrity hair stylist Ken Paves used Color Wow products to polish each model's modern-relaxed look.  

Tracy Reese's runway show hair was also about bringing out your naturally beautiful self by enhancing your natural texture.  Ouidad products were key backstage to achieve the effortless "tendrils in your face top knot" style.  This summer, I tried some of the products used in this show and loved the results.  From my personal experience, my hair went from frizzy to wavy-fabulous.  Get your own look hot off the runways!

Victoria Beckham Modern-Relaxed Tutorial
 

Tracy Reese Texture How-To  

Shimmer in Style with BA Star Stardust Mineral Eye Shadow

Over the past few seasons, I've been so impressed with BA Star cosmetics.  Now, I think my favorite BA Star product is the new mineral Stardust eye shadow.  The color (pick from Bronze, Chocolate, Diamond, and more) is natural, and the shine is magnetic without being over-the-top.  This BA Star eye shadow is easy to use because the pigment intensity is high, meaning you don't have to slap on several layers to get gorgeous color results.  In addition to the loose mineral eye shadow, you'll also get a base coat.  The base coat isn't necessarily my favorite because it feels a little like glue and it's messy.  Since BA Star products are made for performers, I've found that they stay on well all day, even without using the base provided.

As soon as I rolled out of bed for class and put on the Stardust, I instantly felt more glamorous and ready to conquer the day ahead.  When you order your very own BA Star Stardust through September 30th, use the promo code BBDUST for a 50% off discount!

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The Summer of New Beauty Products

Fashion is my first obsession and makeup is my second.  Your hair and makeup complete your fashion look.  I had the pleasure of testing out some brand new summer products that I'm so excited to share with you.  Here are the products I got to try out:
- NYC Applelicious Lip Balm
- Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS+ Mattifying Powder (available at Ulta stores)
- Broadway Nails Impress Press-On Manicure 
- Secret Outlast Clear Deodorant
-  TastyKake Kandy Bar Kake

Stay tuned for more details on my favorite products soon!

 

Makeup Rules! Napoleon Perdis Makeover at Ulta

Ulta has been one of my obsessions since childhood.  So what's a more perfect way to spend a Saturday?  I got to play with makeup by Napoleon Perdis and got a makeover at Ulta.  My makeup artist Theresa gave me a fabulous makeover, complete with lashes and lipstick.  All I needed was a blowout and a dress and I was ready for a stylish event!

Get everything you need for a complete Napoleon look from Ulta.com!