Lovely Lashes

The one staple of your beauty routine. The thing that wakes you up, makes you look most feminine, and tops off a perfect look. Mascara. Many of us won’t even leave the house without its eyelash extending powers. But why stop with mascara! In today’s beauty world there are several ways to take lashes from sparse to spectacular. Check out your options and bat those beautiful lashes!

False Eyelashes
Mascara can work wonders but if you want really dramatic lashes…fake it! Want a natural look? Get individual lashes which are easy to apply (just use tweezers, dot glue on the tips and set them in your lash line) or consider a half strip of lashes. If you’re going out or going to have your picture taken, go all out! Full lashes can be tricky if you’re a newbie, so be sure to practice once before your big day.

Lash Primer
You condition your hair everyday (or at least several times a week I hope!) but what about your lashes? We cover them in black sludge (a.k.a. mascara) everyday and wonder why they are sparse and less than fabulous. Treat your lashes to some deep conditioning and protection by sweeping on a nourishing lash primer before you apply your mascara. Really want to nourish them? Follow up your eye cream with lash primer before you go to sleep. Be sure your primer is chock full of amino acids and vitamins to stimulate lash growth.

Latisse
The FDA approved Latisse, an eyelash-thickening agent which was created for people with hypotrichosis (too few lashes) and contains bimatroprost, which is used in glaucoma treatments. Studies have shown it does significantly increase lash growth. The potential side effects include itchy eyes, eye redness, changes in skin color, and even a permanent darkening of the iris. Hmmmmm, longer lashes are tempting, but these possible side effects sound a little extreme!

Amped Up Mascara
Why just let your mascara darken your lashes when it could be growing and nourishing them too? Make sure your mascara is full of collagen, anti-oxidants, vitamins, and amino acids. Healthy lashes are beautiful lashes.

Sun (less) Goddess

We all know the ills of sunbathing and tanning beds: skin cancer, wrinkles, age spots, burns…you know the lecture by heart. But does that stop us from wanting to trade in our Anne Hathaway white skin for a little J. Lo glow? Not for a second! Whether you’re looking for a full body long lasting tan, or just a hint of bronze on the face and décolleté, we’ve got your sun-kissed look covered here:

-For an instantly bronzed look, sweep a matte bronzer (avoid shimmer bronzers which can accentuate double chins, large foreheads, and not-so-perfect noses) in an “E” shape along the hairline, into the cheeks, and over the jaw line. This technique creates the illusion that the sun has naturally hit you in all the right places.

-Orange….maybe you aren’t so bad! Orange is typically a word you want to run away from when it comes to your appearance, but we may have found the exception. Okay, so it’s more of a peach. Check out the Revolution Organics Beauty Balm in Sunkissed for a natural, peachy blushed look on your lips, cheeks, and eyes.

-You glow girl! Nothing says, “I’ve been kissed by the sun,” like a radiant glow. Sweep a shimmer highlighter above the cheekbones, on your collar bones, and on the tips of your shoulders for a glow that appears to come from within.

-Sun kiss your lips. Lips that have been slightly sunned have a hot pink hue. Mimic this look (minus the sun damage) with a raspberry-toned gloss. Already have some fine lines around the mouth from the sun? Get a bang for your buck with a product like My Youthful Smile, which has raspberry colored gloss on one end, and a wrinkle filling primer for smile lines on the other.

-A hint of all over color. For a subtle color change, try a gradual tanner like Nivea’s Sun Kissed Beautiful Legs moisturizer. Or, try mixing a bit of your favorite self tanner with your body lotion.

-“Yes I have been vacationing in the Bahamas thank you very much.” If you’ve got a wedding, reunion, or other big event you want to look perfectly bronzed for, consider getting an airbrush tan. After one too many streak disasters from the spray on booths (think the Friends episode where Ross gets one). An airbrush costs a little more than the booths…typically around $50. But with a professional preventing (or instantly fixing) any streaks, and a perfect tan that will last 5-10 days, it may just be worth it!

It Cosmetics LOVES Designer Tracy Reese

Just imagine Anne Hathaway strutting her stuff in a fabulous high fashion gown, getting to the end of the red carpet and flashing a sultry, although slightly coffee stained grin, for the paparazzi. Yeah right…never! Nothing makes a better fashion accessory than a vibrant white smile and plump, luscious lips. That’s why fashion designer Tracy Reese invited It Cosmetics to take part in her New York sample sale beginning on June 16th…Shoppers will receive a free goodie bag of full-sized makeup products like the It Cosmetics Signature Smile Brightening Gloss! In addition to a treasure filled gift bag, all spring clothes by Tracy Reese will be 60-80%. Get there early to make sure you get your goodie bag and the prime pickings from the Tracy Reese collection! Not a New Yorker? Not a problem. Tracy has stores all over the country: http://www.tracyreese.com/ and you can order your own lip plumping, teeth brightening lip gloss right here at itcosmetics.com.
Sample sale info: June 16-17, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., June 18, 2 a.m.-2 p.m. (250 W. 39th St. New York, NY)

Your Best Legs Ever

It’s summer and that means one thing: legs. Everywhere. In everything. Whether it’s your swimsuit, sundress, or running shorts, your legs must stop hibernating in your jeans and sweats and face the world. Sound a little scary? Don’t worry. We’ve got your back…or should we say we’ve got your thighs? Either way, follow these five steps and in no time, people will be asking if you’re the girl from the Nair commercial.

1. Scrub and Shave
Chances are you’ve let the skin on your legs go. After all no one (except an adoring boyfriend perhaps) has seen them all winter. Slough away dry skin and flakes to reveal the smooth, less-scaly skin underneath. I prefer Neutrogena’s Energizing Sugar Scrub. Simply rub the scrub in circular motions, from your thighs to your feet, during a warm shower. For extra exfoliation, apply using a loofah. Exfoliating before shaving makes for a smoother shave, as it gets rid of all the dead skin cells that clog up your razor. Once you’ve exfoliated, lather up your legs with a thick shaving cream and shave using a brand new razor.
2. Caffeinate
Whether you’ve got cellulite or just want to tighten up your tush and legs, it all comes down to caffeine. Caffeine tightens skin for the appearance of firmer, smoother legs instantly. Rub your legs with a tightening cream like My Firm Legs primer, that contains caffeine, collagen, and antioxidants once a day after your shower or bath.
3. Get em’ glowing
A little color on your legs can cover a multitude of flaws. But don’t you dare hit the beach without SPF or run to the tanning salon. For subtle, natural looking color, I love Nivea’s Sun Kissed Beautiful Legs Gradual Tan Moisturizer. It smells nice, goes on evenly, and BONUS includes ingredients which allow you to shave less often. For more dramatic color you can’t go wrong with St. Tropez’s line of sunless tanners or Clarins Self-Tanning Gel. Just remember to put lotion on your knees and around your ankles before and after applying the tanner.
4. Contour
Now that your legs are smooth, hair free, and have a subtle glow, it’s time to shape them to perfection. Hit the gym for 8 million lunges? Yeah right. The simplest way to make your legs look longer and leaner is to take a waterproof highlighter powder and run a straight line right up the center of your leg, from the ankle, up the shin, and all the way up your thigh. This will draw the eye to the long, center line creating that legs for days illusion. Really want to sculpt your legs? With body makeup the possibilities are endless: shape calves, slim thighs, or lift your booty in minutes.
5. Finishing Touches
Now that your limbs are lovely, make sure your shoe wardrobe only maximizes their smokin’ hot appearance. Consider investing in a pair of heels that match your skin tone. Nude heels blend with your legs to give the appearance that they are several inches longer. If you have short legs, avoid wearing shoes with ankle straps as they will cut your legs off making them look shorter.

Who where’s short shorts? Now you can. Get out there girl and show em’ some leg!