I finally got my hands on a copy of celeb makeup artist Sam Fine's new beauty DVD, Fine: The Basics of Beauty, $25!
I first heard about the DVD last spring and have been waiting with baited breath to get a copy, so I'm super glad to let my beauty babes know that it's finally available for purchase.
In case you didn't know, Sam Fine is THE source on all things Black beauty. He's who Black celebs turn to when they want to look their most fab. Heck, even Vogue turns to him for beauty advice for women of color! He has a gorgeous signature beauty look that can be seen on his regular clients Iman, Vanessa Williams, Mo'Nique and tons more.
For me, Sam's signature striking brows, defined lips, cheek contouring and subtly smokey eye stand out in the most beautiful way (as you can see from the DVD cover), so I can always tell when an actress has had her makeup done by Sam. And that's what so great about this DVD. Sam spills all his beauty secrets to help you achieve that Sam Fine look!
Whether you're a makeup novice or a beauty pro, this video is a great tool to have in your beauty arsenal. You'll learn all of Sam's tips and tricks, and will be inspired and empowered to up your beauty game. Not only is this a great instructional DVD, but it has great bonus features as well, including an interview with Sam, a behind the scenes look at the making of the DVD, and exclusive footage of Sam working on Iman.
I love this DVD! The production value was top-notch (a rareity in instructional videos), Sam was fab and it was fun to watch. Definitely race over to Amazon to get your copy!
Check out some footage from the DVD:
Beauty Obsession: Sam Fine's The Basics of Beauty DVD
Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Concealer
I have seen the beauty light, and it is Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Concealer, $28! Unless you've been living under a rock for the last year or so, you know that high definition makeup is all the rage in beauty. Though it was created to give actresses flawless coverage under the intense scrutiny of HD cameras, I've found that it gives everyday women beautiful results as well.
I've used Make Up For Ever HD foundations on clients before and was always impressed with the results. But leave it to MUFE to one-up themselves and come out with such an amazing HD concealer!
I picked up a few shades at The Artist Summit for my kit and had been waiting for the opportunity to whip them out. Last night my friend Monica and I were offered tickets at the last minute to see Alvin Ailey II (which was fab, by the way!), and needless to say we were not looking our best after a long day at work!
Seizing the opportunity, I decided to try out one of my new HD concealers on Monica. I dabbed a little under her eyes and on a blemish or two, then dusted on a little pressed powder. No exaggeration, the results were astounding. Her skin was instantly even toned and flawless, and didn't have that heavy makeup look or feel. The Make Up For Ever HD concealer had given her perfect, natural looking skin. Color me impressed!
Monica kept getting compliments all night on her makeup, and one woman even pulled her aside in the ladies room to ask her if her makeup was airbrushed! I am SO running out to by one of these for myself in my shade! In my opinion, Make Up For Ever makes the best HD makeup out there, and I can't wait to add more of their products to my beauty arsenal!
Hair Helper: MoroccanOil Restorative Hair Mask
Hey beauties! I am having the best luck with hair care products lately! First I find the perfect shampoo and conditioner for my hair, and now I've found the perfect treatment product in MoroccanOil Restorative Hair Mask, $33!
I've been going through drama with my hair lately trying to grow out some hair color I had when I was natural. And let me tell you, relaxer and hair color do not mix. At least not on my head! The parts of my hair that are colored have been dry and frizzy because the color is old and kinda stripped, so I've been looking for a deep treatment product to smooth the cuticle and repair any damage. This hair mask did that and then some!
First, this mask us SUPER thick and concentrated. I could barely get my fingers through my hair with the mask on because it's so thick and rich. I left it on for about 10 minutes while I was in the shower and continued with my routine. One of the things I love about this mask it that you don't need any extra heat, so if you're pressed for time you don't have to worry about sitting under a heat cap.
When I rinsed the mask out my hair didn't have much slip, but my hair felt completely smooth and even textured. Since there is protein in this, I decided to put on a little of my Mizani conditioner for about 2 minutes to add a little moisture. After towel drying my hair, I put on a little MoroccanOil Treatment serum and let my hair air dry. My hair turned out smooth, soft and shiny. Truly, I don't know the last time my hair looked this healthy! It's been a couple of days and my shiny, healthy hair is still going strong!
I plan to use this mask once a week until my hair color grows out completely, and I'm sure the results will get even better with time. MoroccanOil has turned out to be like magic for my hair and I'll continue to try more of their products. I'll keep you posted!
Beauty Review: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar
I had the good fortune to receive some Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar, $12.50 while at The Artist Summit the other weekend, and I'm super hyped to share them with you! I've been hearing about Lip Tar for months now and my curiosity was seriously piqued.
Lip Tar is minty fresh and SUPER pigmented, so you can wear them in various finishes. Right out of the tube, they are super opaque and shiny, like the glossiest, richest lipstick ever. If you blot your lips you can attain a matte or a stain finish, depending on how much you blot. One word of advice: use a lip brush! A lip brush is the only way to keep the color from going everywhere, and will give you the best application.
Now, on to the swatches!
Lip Tar in Plum. A really pretty lavender shade. I like this for a more natural look with just a hint of trendy color.
Lip Tar in Pageant. This color is HOT! Not for the shy, this color is perfect for a wild night out with the girls!
The great thing about Lip Tar is that you can easily mix and match colors to create new ones. Here I mixed Plum and Pageant to create a mauve color.
Lip Tar in NSFW (Not Safe For Work) has got to be one of the sexiest lip colors I've ever worn! This bright, sexy red is sure to bring you attention. Love it!
I'll be wearing Lip Tar in Vintage all season! This is also a very sexy color, and I love how vampy it is. Very film noir!
This is a great wine color I created by mixing NSFW and Vintage. Very sophisticated, no?I think I'll be picking up the other colors in the collection for my kit, because I think my clients will love these as much as I do! Give these sexy little Lip Tars a try, your lips will thank you!
Guest Blogger: Monica's Top 5 Hair Tips
By now you all know that I love spilling the beans on my fave beauty tips. I've got the scoop on skincare, makeup, and nails for days. But when I've got a major hair problem (like growing out this tired hair color...), I turn to my good friend and personal hair expert Monica. In all the years that I've known her, she's always had gorge hair, and today Monica will be sharing her top 5 tips to keep your hair healthy this winter. Enjoy!
Monica’s Top Five Hair Tips
People are always asking me how I maintain such a luxurious mane. I don’t have any magic powers, nor do I spend countless hours a day working on my hair. I just have some secrets with products and technique that make for a good hair regimen that’s maintainable and gets results.
With winter approaching, it’s important to pay extra special attention to your hair. If you live in a cold climate, you will definitely want to employ some hair care strategies to ensure your hair doesn’t dry out and fall out.
Here are my top five tips to build strength, and maintain or build the overall health and appearance of your hair.
- 100 strokes, three times per week will help build your hair’s muscles, so to speak. If you’ve ever seen The Brady Bunch: The Movie, Marsha brushed her hair 100 strokes every day. Brushing your hair builds strength just like lifting weights does for the biceps. Brushing not only makes your hair stronger, but over time, will reduce breakage and add natural shine. Ever notice how shiny a horse’s coat is? It’s because they are brushed with a soft bristled brush at least once a week.
How to: Part hair into four quadrants. Start with a soft boar bristled brush and swiftly brush from root to ends about 15-25 times per quadrant. Make sure your brush doesn’t have broken or split bristles. You should replace your brush about every 90 days along with your toothbrush. Brushes with split or missing bristles will cause stress to the hair and extra breakage.
- Always secure your hair with a silk/satin head wrap/bonnet at night to keep the hair from drying out and rubbing against your bed linens. Never use cotton scarves or other synthetic materials on your hair at night; they will only dry the hair and cause breakage. With winter approaching, you will want to make sure your hat/scarf set is not wool, polyester or acrylic. These fibers dry the hair and literally rub it out from the hair line. If you choose to wear a wool coat, make sure you have a silk fibered scarf around the collar. You should also limit wearing turtle neck sweaters made of wool or acrylic.
How to: Make sure you moisturize your hair with a silk fibered lotion before applying your head wrap. Try Chi’s Silk Infusion if you don’t already have a silk moisturizer you like to use. Not a fan of head wraps? Buy silk/satin pillow cases.
- Add a cap full of vodka to your shampoo if your hair lacks luster. If you feel like your hair just doesn’t shine, adding a little of your favorite top shelf vodka to your shampoo will coat the hair and give it a little shine boost.
How to: Pour a cap full of vodka into your shampoo bottle and shake it for about 2 minutes to make sure it mixes well. Use shampoo, followed by conditioner as directed.
- Make sure you are using the right foundation products for your hair type and processes. If you have color or any other chemical process, be sure you are using product for color treated/chemically processed hair. Try to avoid mixing processes. For example, if you have a relaxer, avoid lifting your hair more than three levels. Once you get into lighter shades of blondes, you will stress your hair. Proper setting lotions and moisturizers are imperative to the finishing of your styling. If you have the right foundation, you won’t need to use so many finishing products when you style.
How to: Always wash your hair in warm water and shampoo at least two times. You should consider using a deep conditioner for about 10 minutes once per week and a leave-in conditioner on the other washes in the week. If you feel your hair is dry and lifeless, try some cholesterol (Proclaim makes a cholesterol formula available at Sally Beauty for less than $5). You can also beat a couple eggs, as if you were about to scramble them and use the batter as a conditioner for your hair. Make sure you wash it out in lukewarm water…or else you’ll cook the eggs!
- Always blow dry on medium or low heat. Excessive heat will dry your hair out and strip the moisturizers your shampoo and conditioner have set in the hair shaft. You should also make sure you are using a ceramic blow dryer with a cool shot (Ion makes a fabulous blow dryer for around $60 available at Sally Beauty). If you have medium to course hair, you should consider using a hooded dryer to avoid stripping the hair’s moisture. It will also allow the hair to set straighter with less frizz.
Use of ceramic styling tools is a must. Flat irons, curling irons, and blow dryers should be ceramic plated with infrared technology. Ceramic tools prevent your hair from burning while styling (FHI makes a fabulous ceramic flat iron for around $85).
How to: After shampoo and conditioning, start with the blow dryer on low or medium heat and allow the hair to free flow to release most of the water. Hair is weakest when it’s wet, so avoid pulling with styling tools until the hair is at least 80% dry. Once hair is mostly dry, use a round or paddle brush to straighten the hair. Once your hair is completely dry, use the cool shot to seal in moisture before using styling tools.
Want more Monica? Catch her on her open letter blog at ThisMayConcernYou.com.
