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Showing posts with label beauty trends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beauty trends. Show all posts

Thursday, February 23, 2012

LBS Beauty Tutorial: Milkmaid Twist Pin-Up


Last week I posted this outfit that I wore to NYFW Day 3. After posting it, I was inspired by one of LoveBrownSugar's Facebook friends Juliette (hey girl!) to post this tutorial about how I did my Milkmaid Twisted Messy Pin Up Thingy. Yes, I made up that name. No, it's not hard to do.

As a disclaimer, my hair was "assisted" for this look by a sew-in weave that I had in for about 4 weeks as a protective style. I used the Kinky-Curly textured hair from True Indian Hair in 14-inch and had it sew-in so that my edges were left out all around. That allowed me alot of versatility for styles like this.


What You'll Need:

Fine Tooth Comb
Your Favorite Styler (Gel or Curl Creme)
Hair Pins
Bobby Pins


Step 1:  The first step is to split hair into sections and moisturize before applying your favorite styler. Curly girls, if you have shorter length hair, consider doing a blowout for maximum stretch. I applied MorrocanOil Curl Defining Creme to two sections of my hair.


Step 2: Use a fine-toothed comb to separate the hair neatly into two sections. Starting from the temple, flat twist each section going backward towards the nape. Twist until the very ends of the hair. Use hair pins to conceal strays.


Step 3: Take both ends of the chunky twists and pin them to either side of your head at the nape. Use bobby pins to secure. I'm actually cool with my "beady b's" but if slick hair is your thing, this would be a good time to spritz your edges with water and lay them down with gel. Sitting with a satin scarf on for a few minutes after applying water & gel will help set your edges as well. I recommend Eco-Styler gel.



Voila! That's the finished look.

UPDATE (2/29/12) - Check out how Lexi of Curls, Coils & Kinks rocks this style three different ways!

Have you tried this style? What do you do differently?
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Wednesday, January 11, 2012

LBS Beauty Review: Incoco Nail Appliques


My life changed forever after discovering nail appliqués. If you're like me, and you consider nails an accessory, you can't live your life without them. My first nail appliqué experience took place while I was an editor at Honey Magazine and Incoco was actually the brand I used. Yes, Incoco broke my nail appliqué virginity and ever since, I've been hooked. Although I love many of the other brands out there, including Sally Hansen - blogged about them here - and Sephora, I think Incoco offers an awesome array for prints and colors. Here's are the 5 simple steps I take to put them on:

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Sunday, December 18, 2011

Berry Fly: A New Take on the Statement Lip


It's been a long time since I posted about a beauty fave. If you follow me on Twitter, you probably know that I paid a visit to Sephora a few weeks ago and went HAM on some new beauty treats for winter. One of my purchases was a daring departure from what I'm used to. I bought...wait for it...purple lipstick! It's SEPHORA Collection in Crush 23 ($12) and I love it.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. That sh** cray. But, it's not really. It's actually pretty cool. I'll tell you what influenced my decision:



1. I love red, but I needed something new. You guys all know I love a red lip moment. It gives me life, daily. But I really wanted a way to switch up my statement lip for the new season.

Photo courtesy Meek-N-Mild.com


2. I saw someone else do it. And I loved it! If you guys haven't checked out Shirley Beniang from Meek-n-Mild Blog, please do. She's absolutely amazing and this post she did inspired me to try something new.


3. It works, for multiple skin tones! Ladies (especially my friends of color), don't assume that you have to stick to only neutrals and deep reds. There are a myriad of colors out there to try. Sometimes, it just takes the right person bold enough to do it, for you to think it's ok to try too.


Hopefully this inspires some of you to try something new!


Lips: SEPHORA Collection Rouge Lipcolor in Crush 23, Nails: Nicole by OPI "I'm A Pool For Love" & Ginger & Liz "Swagger".
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Wednesday, June 8, 2011

LBS Beauty Review: Sally Hansen Salon Effects

Ladies, meet my newest love affair. I'm cheating on nail polish with Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail appliques. Yeah, I said it.It's official. They're my undercover lovers. Here's why...
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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

25 Days of LoveBrownSugar: Day 14

Today's giveaway comes straight from two of my favorite ladies: Ginger & Liz! They have been generous enough to give away a deluxe set featuring the following:


Mini Ginger + Liz Manicure Set & Four Piece Mini Set of the Ginger & Liz Limited Edition Holiday/Winter Colours


You guys know I go giddy over their Blowin' Money Fast. It has been my absolute favorite nail color this season!

And today everyone's a winner! Ginger & Liz are having a one-time-only EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT for friends & family. From 11am-11pm EST get 40% OFF purchases on www.gingerandliz.com with special code "POLISHED" at checkout...



Be sure to sign up for LoveBrownSugar’s Newsletter and Comment Below for your chance to win!

 Congratulations to Sharae for winning the Specific Beauty giveaway, and Whitney for winning the Peter Thomas Roth giveaway from yesterday. Please email luvbrownsugar@gmail.com to claim your prizes.
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Friday, November 5, 2010

Back to Basics: Sam Fine's Top 10 Beauty Lessons

Right: Artist Jennifer Hudson, Left: Beauty Guru Sam Fine
He has beat the faces of some of the hottest celebrities in the industry. From A-list clientele like Tyra Banks, Iman and Jennifer Hudson to pop stars like Beyonce and Jessica Simpson, Sam Fine has made a clear mark in the industry as a makeup guru and the go-to man with the magic hands. So just imagine my delight when I was invited to a private event featuring the acclaimed makeup artist dishing personal beauty tips to editors, bloggers and Twitter fans alike. Hosted in NYC at the Duane Reade midtown location on 35th and Broadway, Sam Fine took us on a tour of the typical drug store beauty isle, offering advice on his favorite drugstore products, tips on makeup application and lessons your mama didn't teach you on how to rock a red lip! If you follow me on Twitter, you got in on all the action LIVE from the store complete with Sam's answers to many of your Twitter questions. If not, here's a rundown of my Top 10 Beauty Lessons learned from Sam Fine...

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Monday, October 4, 2010

Tatted Up: Dereon Temporary Tattoos


For those of you who love the look but can’t handle the pain or the permanence of real tattos, the Knowles women have just the solution for you. Taking their cues from fashion powerhouse Chanel, who debuted its own line of temporary tattoos this past March, these fashionable Knowles ladies have decided to bring their version of body art to the masses. The Dereon brand has partnered with the industry’s go-to airbrush makeup company, Temptu, for a limited edition collection of temporary tattoos due out this November. Now you too can recreate the edgy “Biker Girls” look that Bey donned in the Fall/Winter 2010 Dereon print ad above, or rock it your own way. Below, beauty correspondent Jasmine gives her thoughts on the new product line...


 Jasmine Says: I think it’s a great idea on the part of Dereon, given the success of Chanel’s version which I’ve seen on almost every blog and photographed in almost every mag.  It’ll bring a new audience to the brand as well because I personally never venture to the website or the section in the store that houses the Dereon label, but I do love a good accessory (particularly a glammed out, edgy tat).  And these temptats seem low-fuss and almost no hassle, but add that extra touch just like my nail stickers from OPI that I blogged about before..

For those of you who want to hop on the temptat trend here’s the rundown on the temporary tattoo kits:

- Basic kit comes with 8 tats and application aids, deluxe kit is only sold online and comes with a signed photo of Bey and a chance to win a trip to NYC!
- Designs include the brand's signature fleur de lis, rocker bolts, chains, jewels and spider designs and last up to 5 days.
- Basic kit is slated to sell in-store at Sephora and online at Dereon.com and Temptu.com

Itching to get your hands on a kit? Go to the Dereon website and reserve your order now.  http://dereon.temptu.com/waitlist.php
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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Jasmine's Fall 2010 Beauty Picks

Well lovelies, the fall season is upon us once again. We're sad to see summer go but looking forward to a new wardrobe and all of the new beauty products out this season. This Fall is all about the details; those accents that add a little punch. My bestie & LBS beauty correspondent Jasmine is back at it again. This time with a rundown of her Fall 2010 Beauty Picks. Here's what she's got up her sleeve (or in her makeup bag)...

Jasmine Says: One beauty trend that I'm totally on board with for the season is the red lip. I’ve been fawning over this look since spring and I finally bought my first red lipstick (actually my first lipstick ever!) early this summer. 

The red lip grabs attention and pumps up the volume on any look. It’s classic, but definitely not for the faint of heart. The key to making it work is picking the right color for your skin tone and balancing your other makeup with it. Most beauty experts say that pink and blue based reds work best with cool skin tones and brown based or warm reds go well with warm tones. I don’t really know if there’s a science behind choosing the right red but I personally think you should try 'em out until you find what works for you!  

Top Picks: Kores Raspberry Antioxidant Liquid Lipstick in Red 56, NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Vesuvio.

Jasmine Says: 90's grunge "slept in" or smudged shadows are in!

Flipping through magazine ads and pictures of the Fall 2010 runway shows, I couldn’t help but notice the explosion of 90s grunge looks. I’m not sure yet if I like it or not, but one look from the trend that I might try is the smudgy eye, a la Kate Moss. It's a good alternative to the smoky eye and you can make it work with different colors. To rock the smudgy eye without looking like you literally just woke up in your makeup, you need:  An eye smudger or Q-tip, a great eyeliner, and maybe even a dab of Vaseline (which I normally use on my eyes when I’m looking for a low key night look).

Jasmine Says: Deep Purple Accents rule this season.

Every season, the fashion and beauty world crowns one color the “It” color for the season. This season, the beauty buzz has been all around purple. From nail polish to lip color and eyeshadow, purple has been popping up in a big way. It can work with edgy rocker looks or elegant red carpet looks. I plan on getting a plum lip stain and definitely the Sephora by Opi nail polish in "Just a Little Dangerous" to give my fall wardrobe that regal feel.

Jasmine Says: The one thing for the fall that should accompany everyone’s wardrobe (and go beyond being a trend) is healthy hair and skin. Your hair and skin are your foundation, and any beauty trend will look better if your base is healthy. 

I’d like to highlight argan oil again. I’ll be using some products made with argan oil to treat my hair, nails and skin this season. I just purchased a Hydrating Hair Mask made with argan oil to use as a new deep conditioner and I’ll be using my Josie Maran oil as my daily moisturizer. 

What are some of your beauty essentials this fall? Soundoff below!



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Friday, August 27, 2010

Best of Beauty: Jasmine's Birthday Treats

So it’s practically the end of summer and the beginning of transition time for fall weather. Though we might be switching up the closet and swapping maxi dresses for chunky cardigans, our beauty products are still in rotation! Beauty correspondent (and my bestie) Jasmine who was responsible for the Spring Beauty Trends lineup, got an amazing gift for her birthday this month. As the beauty junkie of our group, it only made sense that this year instead of money or other gifts, she requested a beauty basket. A personalized gift basket is one of the more creative and thoughtful gift ideas for any occasion because you can combine the items that people want, need and love into one nice package. Another plus: you can tailor it to fit your budget!

Inside Her Basket: A Hanae Mori butterfly roller ball, Essie protein base coat and Essie To Dry For top coat, Josie Maran argan oil and moisturizing stick, Sephora by Opi Chic Prints for nails, True Blue Spa Beauty Booties moisturizing gel socks/soothing socklets, HEMPZ herbal moisturizer, Fresh Sugar Lychee eau de parfum rollerball, Carol’s Daughter Sweet Honey Dip Chocolate Brown Sugah Scrub, Bath & Body Works aromatherapy pillow mist in sleep - lavendar vanilla.

Here's Jasmine’s personal rundown of the standout products thus far…


1. Josie Maran argan oil moisturizing stick: It took a scar on my elbow from scary to barely there! I used it liberally on the scar whenever I remembered, and it reduced the appearance of the scar so much that I almost can’t find it.The mixture of Vitamin E and fatty acids in the oil do wonders for the skin and can help with a number of skin ailments including sunburns, bug bites, and dry skin. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a natural moisturizer, especially one that’s portable and affordable. At only $6 for a mini tube and $22 for the larger lipstick-lookalike tube, who could live without this miracle stick? Shop Josie Maran


2. Sephora by Opi Chic Prints for nails: They are the brainchild of the brilliant people behind Minx for those of us who want to stay on budget. I tried the decals in tiger print and after my first horrible attempt, I got the idea that you have to file them to fit your nails and they ended up looking like this (pictured above). I was definitely pleased with the results and would buy again for those times when I’m not in the mood to go to the salon. And they come in different designs including chrome lace, stars and fishnet. Anyone who rocks these will definitely be getting stopped for compliments. Shop Sephora


3. Carol’s Daughter Sweet Honey Dip Chocolate Brown Sugah Scrub: It smells like an amazing dessert the second you pop the lid open. The real brown sugar crystals in the scrub made me forget for two seconds that I was supposed to put it on my skin and not in my stomach. And like all of the line’s products, this one is all natural. The oil and sugar crystals slough away the dead skin and leave your skin supple and smooth. I think it’s a great way to de-stress after a long week. Shop Carol's Daughter


4. And finally there was the Fresh Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum, which is standing out for another reason. It is the only gift that I am planning to exchange out of the basket. The concept sounded great and it could possibly be the right scent for another girl, but I couldn’t see or smell myself putting this perfume on. If anything, it taught me that when shopping for a scent for yourself you cannot underestimate the importance of testing the scent on your own body. The Fresh line has a number of amazing products that I love but this one did not fit anywhere in my beauty regimen. I’ll probably exchange it for more Smith’s Rosebud Salve or some kind of red lipstick.

So that’s my beauty basket review! What products are must-haves in your beauty basket?
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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

LoveBrownSugar Top 10 Spring Essentials

While I'm loving the fact that it's not freezing cold out anymore, it frustrates me when the weather spans from "too cold to go out sans a jacket" but "too warm for a scarf and hat". Hate the in-between, awkward stages of spring? Buy some new transition pieces to cheer yourself up! Here are LoveBrownSugar's Top 10 Spring Essentials.Work these babies into your wardrobe before the weather gets "all the way turnt up"...


1) Harem Pant: The harem pant is major for this season. While the chic and fashion-forward europeans have been sporting this look for years now (I saw them all over Paris and Spain back in '08), fashionistas in the states are just catching onto this leisurely stylish silhouette. Grab them in basic colors like black, beige and neutral green.

 (Harem Pant, Victoria Secret, $39.50)

2) Printed Dress: There are so many cool prints in style this season! From polka dots to geo-print to tribal. Big for this season - mixing & matching. Go wild with this one, but not too much...

(Geo-Print Dress, Eight Sixty, $118.00)

3) Peep Toe Wedge Bootie: Let's face it - wedges are the way to go. They're on trend, they're comfortable and cute. What more could you possibly want? Get them in a go-with-everything color or be bold and daring with a bright pair. Whatever you do, make sure they're included in your footwear lineup this season.

  (Laser Cutout Wedges, Pour La Victoire, $315.00)

4) Neutral Jumpsuit: Romper, Romper, ROMPER! I think I just like saying that word. Anyway, get yourself one. I'm wearing a floral number up top in my blog header. They are a little more casual than dresses but so easy to play with. If I can brave the jumpsuit, so can YOU! Scared? Try one in a neutral color first, then work your way up to prints...

(Safari Romper, Forever 21, $29.50)

5) Clogs: I thought I'd never say it, and I know there are some of you who will never warm up to this trend, but I must state facts. Clogs are in. There...I said it. The best way to get away with this trend without looking like a Dutch farmgirl? Wear them with a long lean silhouette - no big or frumpy silhouettes. Also, try a stiletto heel instead of a clunky one! The studding give the clog appeal but the stiletto makes it more sophisticated.


(Daynty Clogs, Steve Madden, $109.95)

6) Pastel Nails: What better way to usher in spring colors than with your fingertips? I don't know about you guys but pretty nail colors make me happy. When I see them, I smile :)

(Nail Color in Boy Toy, Ginger + Liz, $12)

7) Floral Leggings: Getting tired of your old black leggings? You know, the ones you've been sporting consistently for the past few seasons. Well, take it a step further in a floral pair! Florals are in for spring (when are they not) and fashionistas all over are sporting this brave new silhouette. Don't be left behind!

(Floral Leggings, Topshop, $40) 

8) Utilitarian Jacket: This season, you'll be seeing a whole lot of army green, beige and brown. Utilitarianism is huge and so is military. Inevitably, you'll need a military-inspired jacket in a neutral color. This is about the only minimalist piece I'll opt for this season. I'm just not very...minimal. And neither are my clothes!


(Military Anarak, Gap, $85.35)

9) Edgy Shades: While everyone else is reaching for the same old Ray-Bans or Marc Jacobs goggles, do something novel and try an edgy pair like the ones pictured above. Way back in LoveBrownSugar's beginnings, I blogged about chain link shades being the "next big thing" a la Amber Rose. Well, now they are! *takes a bow*

(Spikey Stud Shades, Coco & Breezy, $195.00)

10) Studded Bag: Take the studding trend from fall into spring with a nice bright pouch like this one. Opt for color instead of black and it's instantly fresh for the new season. I'm in love with the one pictured above.


(Studded Suede Pouch, ASOS, $40.58)

What are your spring must-haves? Sound off below!
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Monday, March 8, 2010

LoveBrownSugar Spring Beauty Trends

It's March and we're all gearing up for warmer weather and cooler clothes. But before you slip on that maxi dress and those new jeweled flip-flops, get familiar with this spring's new beauty trends for 2010. Compiled and inspired by my bestie and beauty junkie Jasmine, these trends will complete your fab spring look in a matter of minutes:

1. “Blackberry Bling” Nails

"Blackberry Bling" is definitely a nail trend to watch come spring. It’s a manicure to accompany (you guessed it - your blackberry! Like painting your index finger a different color from the rest, this trend gives your blackberry-typing thumb the spotlight with a metallic or glitter touch. I mean we spend all day texting with them, we might as well give them some shine!

2. Hey, Bright Eyes

The resounding eye makeup forecast for spring: Easter egg colors and pastels. Bright colors are a fun exciting way to ring in the season. To make these colors work seamlessly, try doing a lilac or light green smoky eye seen here on Chanel Iman to switch up your normal look.

3. My Lipgloss is Poppin'


 Always a fan of the bright lip, bold hot pink glosses, red lipsticks and even orange and coral lips are definitely making a statement this season. Outside of MAC’s Viva Glam VI, Pink Poodle is an all time favorite, giving me that bubble gum pink pout that I always wanted. Our suggestion: Sephora’s ultra shine gloss in Glitter Fuchsia or YSL’s Rouge Volupte lipstick in No. 27 Rose Paris.

4. Glam & Glowing Skin

Looking dewy and sunkissed all year round is a dream that most of us farther from the equator have. Until you can get to those tropical vacays, you'll have to rock out with beauty tricks. Our suggestion: a peachy blush or a really great bronzer. Both products leave the face looking fresh, glowy and much more natural than a spray-on tan (no offense to the jersey shore crew). Nars just released Orgasm Illuminator (pictured above) which comes in a peachy color that kills two birds with one stone.

There you have it folks - LoveBrownSugar's spring beauty trends forecast. Have fun but don't try them all at once!

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