Ask Around: Must-Have Summer Beauty Products
Summertime presents some unique beauty obstacles that's why you have to choose your beauty products wisely. We asked some of the best beauty bloggers around what their favorite Summer beauty products.

Amber of Beauty Blogging Junkie

Picks:

Frederic Fekkai Wave Sprayalways accompanies me on trips to humidity-ridden Fire Island

Philosophy Never Let Them See You Shine
is my favorite mattifier. You know I'm anti-powder, so this liquid alternative does the job perfectly. Here's more info on it:

Benefit BADgal waterproof eye pencil ensures your liner will last all day, even on a day that begins and ends with a sauna of a subway sojourn.

Lakish of Blaq Vixen Beauty

Picks:
Caress Evenly Gorgeous Exfoliating Body Wash: Caress has the best body washes at the drugstore, hands down. On an impulse shopping trip at Target, I grabbed their new Evenly Gorgeous Exfoliating Body Wash. I love exfoliating and buying products that can even my skin. Of course, the tantalizing combination of burnt brown sugar and karite butter doesn't hurt either! This body wash smells amazing - like caramel candy - and it moisturizes your skin so well that you don't have to apply body oil or lotion afterwards. I am looking forward to buying this particular body wash again as well as the other Caress body washes! Definitely a best Summer Beauty product!

Olay Body Thermal Pedicure: It's no surprise that Olay Body Thermal Pedicure won a Beauty Insider's Choice Award last year. This treatment works! Formulated with Bora Bora white sand (exotic), shea butter and moisturizers, the heating sensation that you feel might be a little uncomfortable at first. However, if you have crud under your toenails and dead skin on your heels, it's so easy to smooth it away and get a near-perfect pedicure. If you use it continually all year round, when Summer arrives, your pedicure will be up to par. Furthermore, that money that you would have spent at your local nail salon can be used to stock up on more Olay Body Thermal Pedicure!

ApHogee Gloss Therapy Polisher Spray: Not only do I have an unhealthy obsession with lip gloss but I can't get enough of hair sprays that provides lasting shine for my locks. ApHogee Gloss Therapy Polisher Spray does this as well as detangles and "mends" split ends, and stops frizziness. Best of all, it is alcohol-free and contains an UV protectant, which is on-point when you want to protect your hair from the intensity of the sun. I'm sort of addicted to this product; I love how my hair smells clean and it looks even better whenever I use this spray!


Jami of Bionic Beauty

Picks:
Priia Cosmetics' Skin Complexion Enhancer in Celestial ($11). This is a great mineral makeup for the "no makeup" summer look. I call it the Tinted Moisturizer of mineral makeup. Celestial gives you a subtle glow and highlights your skin while providing a bit of coverage and bonus SPF. Plus there's NO bismuth to make you itchy!

Purely Cosmetics' Diamond Perfect Finish ($17.50). Use Diamond Perfect to give your skin that High-Def ready appearance. It'll soft fine lines, and give you a glow. Wear it over or under your regular makeup- this product is so incredibly versatile it should be in every gal's makeup bag!

YBF Skincare's Quench lip balm: ($15). Quench is a super moisturizing and cooling lip treatment. It'll keep your lips soft and smooth through the summer rays!




Marina of Makeup Loves Me

Picks:
Jergen's Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer - it's a lightweight
lotion and it builds a tan - what's not to love?

Givenchy Magic Khol Eye Liner Pencil
- this is a super-intense black
liner that reminds me of the women of the desert. It adds drama to
any look and off-sets the bright shades of summer.

Three Custom Color Specialists Light Brights Lipsticks - these four
neon lipsticks came out last summer, but the trend rides on. They are
the perfect wedding of sheerness and intense color.


Kitiya of Mischo Beauty


Pick:
Zoya's Summer 2009 Nail Polish Collections: Ooh-La-La and La-Di-Da! The two Zoya collections include every nail color a girl could ever possibly need for summer!

BeautyLuxe Mailbag: Best picks for beauty newbie?
We're starting a brand new feature on BeautyLuxe. It's called the mailbag where we'll feature reader submitted questions which will be answered by Beauty gurus from around the web. Today's question will be answered by Farah of Faces by Farah and Alyson of the Gloss Menagerie. Let's see what these ladies have to say.

Hey,

I've noticed that all the Beauty Gurus on YouTube are all obsessed with Mac. I'm just wondering that if I were to buy some things there, what would be the best things to buy? I'm looking for things that you would not be able to get at drugstores. Also does no one else love Benefit too?

What are your other favourite beauty products too?

Thank you,
Holly

While Mac cosmetics is a well known brand that gets a lot of attention its not the only wonderful line out there. I do use Mac in my kit however I also use lines like Makeup Forever, Benefit, Smashbox & Laura Mercier as well as lower priced items from Gosh Cosmetics, Vasanti Cosmetics, Annabelle, Cover Girl & Sephora.

If you are looking to pick up items from MAC specifically I would say go with the eye shadows. They are highly pigmented so they last a long time and give off a lot of color. You really cant go wrong with MAC's shadows. I personally love Shroom and wear it almost every day! Their makeup brushes are also a great investment.

Some of my other favorite beauty products include:
Gosh Cosmetics Waterproof Eye Liners ($12.25) because they come in amazing colors and glide on easy.
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($36)
CoverGirl Mascara ($7.99)
Vasanti Cosmetics foundation & powder for us ladies with yellow undertones
NYC Roll-On Lip Gloss in Watermelon ($1.99), not only does it taste yummy but it isn't sticky and gives my lips a great shine
Annabelle smudgeproof waterproof eyeliners ($8.50)
Costal Scents gel eyeliners ($6.95)
Quo Cosmetics & Mac cosmetics makeup brushes

-Farah

Hi Holly!

I love MAC's mineralized products-- the mineralized blushes, skin finishes, etc. They are different from anything I've really seen in the drugstore. A couple of brands have come out with attempted dupes of a mineralized skin finish, but I don't think they really compare. Nowadays there are some really great drugstore brands, some of which I would say are up to par with MAC quality-wise, but I would say MAC surpasses them in the area of uniqueness. Some of the things MAC has come up with just can't be found anywhere else. Some examples are eyeshadows ($14.50) in Vex and Club, lipsticksin Lavender Whip and Strawberry Blonde, Dazzleglass lipgloss formula, and mineralized skin finishes.

And to answer your question about BeneFit...a lot of their products are really nice! I use Eye Bright ($20) almost daily. They don't seem to have the cult following that MAC does, but I know several makeup artists who value their products and use them in their work. You aren't alone. :) I think it's good to like a variety of makeup brands. In addition to MAC and BeneFit, I also really like Stila, Dior, and mark.! I have also been really into Lancome Juicy Tubes Ultra Shiny Lip Gloss ($18)lately. If you're a fan of lipglosses you should definitely check those out.

-Alyson

Any true beauty lover knows that you can never learn enough beauty. And one of the greatest resources for incredible beauty knowledge are other beauty lovers. That's why we love blogs and social networks. Yep, the best part of blogging is the ability to interact and chat with beauty lovers of all around the world. That's why we love beauty forums like this one.

If you're looking for advice on anything, be sure to consult Womens Forum. They have forums on nearly every topic under the sun. We're particularly loving the beauty and fashion as well as the hairstyle and hair care section. Women's forum also has incredible health resource forums. If you've got a question be sure to head on over.

Have you ever used an overnight hair treatment? I haven’t used a treatment specifically for night but I have left special deep conditioning treatments overnight ( except I don’t like the smell it leaves on my pillow and I can’t use a shower cap because I move like crazy during the night). I like the concept of the overnight treatment because all the work happens overnight.

Many people have crazy, busy lives and they can’t sit for 45 minutes while a deep conditioner does its job (who has the time). It is nice to wake up and have nicer, softer, healthier hair. I want to try the John Frieda Overnight Treatment ($8.99). It received good reviews on drugstore.com. Some people said they had smoother hair and they didn't have to wash out thier hair the next morning.

On a Budget: Use a deep conditioner that you already own.

Would you try an overnight treatment or just leave a regular treatment on overnight instead?



Photo from John Frieda

Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

It’s time to slough off that dead skin and reveal some beautiful bright skin underneath. I believe that you should exfoliate all year around but when it’s the summer time it should go into high gear. You don’t want to wear some cute shorts and dresses with some ashy legs. I usually use scrubs with a finer consistency but when I really want to feel extra smooth I use a scrub with larger sugar/salt grains (just beware of scrubs with the larger grains if you have sensitive skin, it could leave you red and bothered). One of my favorite scrubs is the Neutrogena Body Clear Body Scrub because it’s gentle enough for everyday use and it keeps acne at bay because it contains salicylic acid. You can get a great scrub at any price point.




Photo from Neutrogena

---

About This Beauty BeautElicious is the editor of the blog by the same name. read posts by Beautelicious

Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

Glossy Pink has an incredible tutorial on getting the look of Bollywood superstar Aishwaryai Rai.

You can always count on former Miss World and Bollywood film star Aishwarya Rai to look stunning every time she hits the red carpet.

To get Aishwarya’s look, begin by evening out your complexion with a flawless-looking foundation like Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet +. Using your favorite setting powder, tap it on sparingly in the t-zone. Apply a warm, clay colored blush at an upward angle beneath the cheekbones to accentuate them. Try NARS Blush in Silvana.

For the eyes, try an eyeshadow palette like Maybelline Expert Wear Eye Shadow 8 Pan in Hushed Tints. Sweep the green shade over the lids, then work the dark brown shade into the crease. Use the cream shade to highlight beneath the eyebrows. Be sure to blend. Then, using the medium gold shade, trace along the lower lash line. Using a creamy jet black eyeliner, like MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack, draw a thick line along the entire upper lashes, extending the outer corner to a point. Then, line the waterline, connecting it with the top line at the inner corner of the eye, so that the eye is lined completely all the way around. Coat lashes with a thickening mascara, like Cover Girl Lash Blast.

Fill in lips with a high-gloss, shimmery peachy-coral lip color, like Guerlain KissKiss Gloss in Abricot Gourmand.

If you're unfamiliar with the gorgeous actress, be sure to check out this great interview she did with the one and only David Letterman.



Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

Love her or hate her, Lindsay Lohan knows a few things about faux tanning. Made famous for her black leggings, rocky relationship with DJ Samantha Ronson, and her eternal bronze glow, Lindsay just launched her new line of spray-on self tanner!

A collaboration with skincare expert Lorit Smith, LiLo's line, uniquely dubbed Sevin Nyne is available at Sephora for a mere $35 for 5 ounces.

Remember, no matter the self-tanner you use, application is key for a convincing glow! Always exfoliate the skin prior to application. After spraying self-tanner onto skin, gently work the product into the surface and blend evenly to prevent telltale lines and streaks!

Have you tried Sevin Nyne? Let us know if you love your glow!

---

About This Beauty Jodie Michalak is a fashion and beauty writer and a SAHM with a previously undisclosed addiction to shopping. Although her splurges are many, she strives to keeps her mistakes few. Her mantra? Every woman should own the following: a drool-worthy handbag, a sexy pair of shoes, a colored lip gloss that brightens the complexion, and a daily moisturizer with an SPF. When paired with a classic yet flirty pair of two inch gold hoops, any gal can have the fashion world at her fingertips! read posts by Jodie

Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

Affordable Fashion spotlights 3 daytime LBDs for $20 and less.

Beauty Junkies Unites highlights the best Summer fragrances.

BeautySweetSpot has the top Summer eco friendly finds.

BellaLuscious explains ways to banish cellulite.

Blaq Vixen Beauty reviews the most recent foundation from Maybelline - the Dream Matte Liquid Foundation.

Check out the CFDA Awards winners as well as the best and worst dressed celebs, designers, and models at Cult of Couture.

Diary of a Style Addict shows us how to steal Eva the diva's maxed out style.

Can you be preppy and bohemian at the same time? Fab Finds Under $50 says, you bet.

Fab Glance Nashville gives an opinion on sandals for men and wants to know what you think.

Hot Beauty Health shows you 5 organic hair care products that works for healthy hair.

Who doesn't love a giveaway? Lipgloss Break is giving away Borghese B Gloss lip gloss.

MissWhover You Are delivers a budget beauty tip you cannot miss.

Obsessions and Confessions of Glamour and Love takes a look at Sephora Favorites Sample kits.

SparklingPinkGorilla shows us where we can get the best deals on shades.

StyleLuxe uncovers 5 timeless rules for achieving great style.

The Style and Beauty and Doctor explores one of the hottest trends this season: white hot summer denim.

For more information about The HLMN or on becoming an affiliate please visit our website.





Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

Leave a comment and tell us what you think...

We asked our Twitter pals the question and here are some of the answers we've gotten so far.

Black Opal Foundations @seymone of Reflections of Beauty


E.L.F. Cosmetics Hypershine Lip Gloss in Vixen
@bellab12 of Beauty Expose

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Ultimate Length Mascara and St. Ives Apricot Scrub @stylenbeautydoc of The Style and Beauty Doctor

Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Oil-Free Power-Clean Scrub @glossmenagerie of The Gloss Menagerie

Annabelle Liners @facesbyfarah


Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

How can one measure devotion to a brand? Face it, all of us are fickle. We have our stand-by products (some use nothing but
Clinique

skin care or Chanel color), but we all flirt with other brands. An eye-catching quad from Givenchy? Have to have it. The latest illuminator from Smashbox? Bought. After all, each new product might bring us that dreamed-for glamour or complexion perfection. So, from one fickle gal to another: If you haven’t already tried Armani cosmetics, you are in for a treat. I own literally everything in that expansive line.


Is it expensive? No more so than other department store brands. Is it fabulous? Yep! Now that Armani cosmetics are more widely available (the line was launched in 2001 at Saks), you owe it to yourself to try something out. I recommend going to an Armani counter (mine is run by Loyd Cassler at Saks in Chevy Chase, Maryland – he’s a brilliant artist and a lot of fun), or trying to find an event featuring Tim Quinn (the line’s national celebrity and runway artist shown above). Those two guys leave you feeling good and looking gorgeous. I have sent every friend, no matter how pale or dark skinned, to my favorite beauty gurus.

I have so much to tell you that I will break up my postings on Armani cosmetics and skin care. Today, we start with our “face base,” foundation.

I wear Hydra Glow ($57) in a color that was discontinued. Once I learned that #2 would be phased out, I bought 10 of them, so I’m good for a couple of years. I choose Armani foundations because they look great on me (lots of compliments on my skin, which I consider just so-so) and add just enough moisture to make my skin glow. Hydra Glow has SPF 15, offers moderate to full coverage, depending on how much you apply, and adds an undeniable radiance. It’s best for us dry types. My back-up is Designer Shaping Cream Foundation ($65). It has SPF 20 and is recommended for all skin types. Like Hydra Glow, it adds a radiance that is hard to describe.

My next favorite foundation, just a tad lighter in texture, but terrific nonetheless, is Luminous Silk Foundation ($58), which has won awards from Allure and InStyle. This is the product I recommend to everyone, no matter what their skin type. It is oil-free and provides light coverage to even out the complexion. It can also be layered, so that a touch-up during the day won’t make you look like your foundation is wearing you! My darker friends love Face Fabric, another award winner, that leaves behind the most perfect skin you can imagine.

We finished? Nope, there’s the new Lasting Silk UV Foundation, a water-based SPF 20 foundation with a matte finish that’s perfect for women with their own glow who simply want to even out their skin tone.

There are also fluid primers, bronzers, concealers, and illuminating fluids – everything you could ever need to build the perfect look. We’ll introduce them in a posting soon.

If you can’t find these products at select Saks or Neiman Marcus stores, head over to the Web site, where you can see videos of Tim Quinn demonstrating backstage beauty tips and purchase one of their fabulous foundations. You won’t be disappointed.

Photos courtesy of the Giorgio Armani Beauty USA Web site.

---

About This Beauty Charlestongirl, a Virginia baby boomer, has a successful left-brain business career, but her heart belongs to her right brain, which loves the beauty industry, antiques, jewelry, gardens, and the finer things in life. She loves sharing her extensive (and expensive) experience with beauty products with others and hopes she can help you choose products that are worth the splurge. read posts by Charlestongirl

Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

Shu Uemura has introduced a new gel eyeliner called Painting Gel ($24). Billed as highly pigmented and long lasting, the liners deliver.

I have tried two of the nine colors: gold and night blue. I used both with a thin gel liner brush. It was easy to paint a nice thin steady line, which I prefer, and also easy to smudge.

Night blue is an inky, almost black liner, and you can make it dramatic or subtle, depending on the amount you put on your brush and whether you smudge it a bit after applying. It's a great color for anyone who might want a liner that enhances the eye and lashes, but isn't true black.

Gold is interesting (in a good way). Worn with a shimmery gold shadow, it's invisible. Worn alone, it provides a gold "flash." Great for a day when you want some oomph, but not a full-on shadow look! I really like it, given my current fascination with gold and bronze on the eyelids.

The liners are also available in silver, brown, green, white, black, purple, and vivid blue - some conventional and some edgy.


Photo courtesy of Sephora.

---

About This Beauty Charlestongirl, a Virginia baby boomer, has a successful left-brain business career, but her heart belongs to her right brain, which loves the beauty industry, antiques, jewelry, gardens, and the finer things in life. She loves sharing her extensive (and expensive) experience with beauty products with others and hopes she can help you choose products that are worth the splurge. read posts by Charlestongirl

Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

Affordable Beauty: Get a Free HyperShine Gloss From ELF Cosmetics!
BellaLuscious: Beauty Tips: Applying Eyeliner
Beautiful With Brains: New Tarte Summer 2009
Beauty411: MAC Naked Honey Collection - Summer 2009
A Beautyful Sentiment: Introducing Make Up For Ever's HD Elixir
BeautyLuxe: Bamboo Makeup Brushes
Beautyaholics Anonymous: Malin and Goetz Detox Face Mask Giveaway
Black Beauty Central: Product Review: Black Radiance Purple Lipstick
Blogdorf Goodman: Blogdorf Beach Party Blanket: Bronzers
Clumps of Mascara: CoM Celebrates FOTD Friday With a Bevy of FOTDs
The Coarse Hair Diary: Chris Rock Talks About His Documentary Good Hair
Dolce Beauty: Chi Alternative - The Hana Elite Affordabel Solid Ceramic Flat Iron
The Eyes Have It: Urban Decay Book of Shadows
Eye4Style: Spa at Home Sunday: Farmhouse Fresh Honey Heel Glaze
Make Me Blushh: Natural Look, Sana Milk Cleanser Review, Food
Mischo Beauty: Mischo Beauty Reviews FACE atelier Cosmetics
Scrangie: Preview of Zoya Matte, Truth and Dare Fall Collections
She Breathes: Enter To Win Products From the Aveda Hair Care Collection
Steph's Closet: Nail Polish of the Day: Orly Satin Royalty
Sugar Shock Beauty: StyleShock: The Newly Shorn Ginnifer Goodwin
A Touch of Blusher: YSL Fall 2009 Makeup Collection
The Next Best Thing to Going Shopping Yourself: Summer Lip Roundup

Fall is here, and that means it's time for a new school year. And even though going back to school is a major bummer. Back to school shopping is one of the best parts of the entire ordeal. Of course, no shopping trip would be complete without a fabulous new pair of shoes. I'm so glad that I discovered daniblack shoes. A great shoe shopping site that's been featured in magazines like Latina and Shape.

I've picked out these incredible Marley boots for my day to day activities. I've only seem them available at daniblack. Living in the Northeast means that you've got to prepare yourself for the bitter cold that always imminent, so a great boot is an essential. And all fashionistas know that over-the-knee boots are going to be uber hot this season. I can imagine being the fiercest shopaholic in calculus rocking these babies. Get your pair at dani black shoes.

I try to be as green as possible. I like to recycle and I am starting to look at the ingredients in some of my makeup, skincare and haircare products. I went to this beauty supply type store and I saw these great bamboo makeup brushes from EcoTools. I was drawn to them because they are environmentally friendly and are made from recycled and renewable materials, plus they have cruelty free hair. You get a blush brush, eye shading brush, eyeliner brush, lash and brow brush and a concealer brush. The price didn’t hurt either at $9.99 for the set. You can but these at Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Duane Reade and some online retailers. They are 11.99 at Walgreens but I would look around…the average price is $10. There are a few single brushes, but you get more for your money when you get the set.

---

About This Beauty BeautElicious is the editor of the blog by the same name. read posts by Beautelicious

Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

Beauty Sweet Spot share the latest on how to get and keep your teeth white.

Beauty Junkies Unite compares 5 self tanners and shares the results.

Watch as style maven June Ambrose interviews Chrisette Michelle at Black Style Central.

Blaq Vixen Beauty tries her hand at false nails from the Kiss brand...want to know how they measured up?

Find Beyonce's colorful gladiator sandals at The Cheap Chica.

Cool and Fresh discovers the incredible shoes of Nicholas Kirkwood.

Diary of a Style Addict shares the details on a fab charity event!

Check out this cute little dress from Anthropologie over at Fabulous Frocks.

Hot Beauty Health shows you 10 natural solutions to preserve your youth and beauty.

In A Word...Fab has a great profile on businessman Kwame Jackson.

la.morena has the scoop on a ton of wonderfully priced goodies from E.L.F. cosmetics.

SparklingPinkGorilla shares her shoe of the day.

StyleLuxe shares what makes a great sandal.

Style Apothecary reviews the amazing products from Graftobian Beauty.

Workchic shows how you can go from the airport to a meeting in style!

For more information on The HLMN or on becoming an affiliate please visit our website.



Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

Addicted to Lipstick talks about the new Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronze Collection

Beauty Junkies Unite got up close and person with the stars at the CoverGirl party at Byron and Tracey Salon.

BeautyLuxe takes a peek at the Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronze Collection, and it's a home run!

BellaLuscious reviews the RoC Renewex Microdermabrasion System

Check out a fruit-inspired FOTD at Black Beauty Central.

Staring aimlessly at your closet trying to figure out what to wear? Check out Fab Finds Under $50's June Inspiration Calendar for a different inspiration idea every day!

Missed the Mtv Movie Awards Image and Style News Shows us the Best Dressed of the Night Plus the Best Hairstyles and Makeup Looks.

Makeup Masala discovers a new dream cream to pamper your face.

Get back to the basics with homemade beauty from SparklingPinkGorilla.

Vanessa Hudgens looked gorgeous at the MTV Movie Awards. Seen on Star Style Central

StyleLuxe has the scoop on what's sure to be the hottest color this season: purple.

Tres Chic Style has a hot trend for the season: sexy Summer skirts.

UrbanLuxe takes a look at the harem pants trend that has swept Hollywood!

To learn more about The HLMN or about becoming an affiliate please visit our website.



Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

Bionic Beauty has an incredible list of incredible beauty deals that can be found at your local Walgreens. Here's a taste!

• Revlon makeup and cosmetics: Buy one, get one 50% off!
• Revlon ColorSilk hair color: Buy 1 at $3.99, get one FREE.
• $2.00 off LaCross Tweezers, cuticle nippers, scissors and pedicure files.

Check the rest out over at Bionic Beauty


Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

As much as we all desire long gorgeous lashes. Health and Safety must always come first. Here are a few tips, we picked up over at Jane Iredale's Skincare Blog

If you have your makeup done professionally, never let the artist apply mascara on you from a tester that still has its wand. This may seem drastic, but you don’t know where that wand has been! A conscientious professional will cut off the wand and use disposable brushes. She will also never double-dip.

Why is this so important?
We all have bacteria that live in our lashes. We live harmoniously with them provided they don’t get out of control. Every time you use mascara, you take off some of those bacteria and put them in a dark warm environment hospitable to bacteria - the mascara tube. Eventually, their numbers will break down the preservatives. So don’t keep your mascara longer than three months.

Professionally, if someone comes at you with a mascara tester with questionable history, ask the artist if she would mind taking a new one from stock and using disposable brushes on you, or buy a mascara from her and ask her to use that one.

Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

It's no secret that neglecting to completely wipe off your makeup can lead to unflattering breakout and enlarged pores. That's why we're still searching for the ultimate makeup remover. They all seem the same, so we're looking to get the most bang for the buck. Alyson at The Gloss Menagerie has just done a review of "mark. Make it Go Away Wipes" and this one might just be a winner.

A makeup remover was a much-requested product by us mark. reps for a really long time. It was something that the mark. line really needed. Our requests have finally been answered with the Make It Go Away Makeup Removing Wipes.

These wipes come 30 to a pack and retail for $8.00. Each wipe is pretty decently sized and the package is small enough for a purse. They are free of artificial fragrance for those of us with sensitive skin. They have a very light sort of generic "clean" smell. After using, my skin feels refreshed. These would be great to keep in your locker or gym bag for after a work out.

Be sure to read the rest here.


Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

I'm sure you've noticed our obsession with Nars Cosmetics, so we couldn't help but to share the news we found out over at Spoiled Pretty.

"After making a comeback to the runway and creating 65 different makeup looks at the Marc Jacobs show this past February, François Nars will be making his first personal appearance in about 10 years!" Find out more at Spoiled Pretty [...]

Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.

Bobbi Brown has created a luscious set of products for summer. The illuminating bronze collection has something for everyone wanting that glowing bronze look for summer. I was at Nordstrom Memorial Day weekend and ready to leave without spending more money when I saw the new collection. It stopped me in my tracks!

I left with three products, but wanting more. I bought the Shimmer Brick for body ($75), shown here from Bobbi's Web site. It's huge and should last a lifetime. Used with the ultra-soft all-over body brush, it gives a very pleasing glow to my skin. I will be using this on my face as well. Why not?

I also bought two colors of the Illuminating Bronzing Powder: Maui and Antigua ($33). Antigua is the lighter of the two, a pleasing soft pink that adds a healthy look. Maui is a darker pink, one that I'm sure my favorite makeup artist would choose for me. Although billed as shimmery, they add glow, not glitter, which is perfect in my book. Now that I have tried both, applying them with a "3" form on each side of the face, I want more colors! I think Aruba may be next on my list.

---

About This Beauty Charlestongirl, a Virginia baby boomer, has a successful left-brain business career, but her heart belongs to her right brain, which loves the beauty industry, antiques, jewelry, gardens, and the finer things in life. She loves sharing her extensive (and expensive) experience with beauty products with others and hopes she can help you choose products that are worth the splurge. read posts by Charlestongirl

Love Beauty Luxe on The HLMN? Subscribe to the RSS feed. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter, follow us on Twitter and become a fan of The HLMN on Facebook.