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Posts Tagged ‘skin care tips’

From the Recycle Bin: Simple Saturday (or Sunday) Beauty in 3 steps

28th Aug 2010, by Tracey Brown, filed in Advice, Aubrey Organics, Beauty, Black Opal, Garnier Fructis, Vichy
No Comments

Do you ever have one of those days when you just don’t want to wear a stitch of makeup? One of those days when you just want to to incognito? You know, when the big dark shades and big floppy hat are necessities?  Well, that’s what I’m feeling today.  But, since my business is beauty, I can’t afford to leave the house schlepping.

Think about it.  When someone tells you they are a hairstylist and they hair looks like crap, are you going to trust that person with your hair?  Or a dentist with a front tooth missing.  Don’t think so.  So, I think that even on a Saturday or whatever your “off” day is, it’s important to look pulled together.  You know that saying about opportunity…

So here are my steps for Simple Saturday Beauty:

(more…)

Tags: african american skin care advice, african american skin tips, aubrey organics nustyle organic smoothing serum, black opal brightening scrub mask, blinging beauty, cosmetics, garnier fructis style conditioning glaze, Hair Care, hair care tips, simple skin care, skin care short cuts, skin care tips, tracey brown, tracey brown bay area beauty expert, tracey brown beauty expert, tracey brown makup artist, vapor organic beauty stratus instant skin perfector, vichy liftactiv retinol ha spf 15

C Spot Run: Try Vitamin C for Clear Skin

3rd Aug 2010, by Tracey Brown, filed in Advice, Anti-Aging, Avalon Organics, Beauty, Ingredients, Murad, Obagi, Ole Henricksen, Skin Care, Vichy, Vitamin C, Vitamin C serum
No Comments
Vitamin C Molecule

Vitamin C Molecule

Are you hiding behind layers of foundation and concealer in an effort to give the illusion that you have flawless skin? Are you wishing that your complexion was even, bright and clear? Well, just stop it with all that heavy makeup.  Break the cycle!  Kiss those dark spots, uneven pigmentation and dull, lackluster skin goodbye with a regular dose of Vitamin C.

No, don’t go and overdose on Vitamin C supplements — what your skin is craving is healthy dose of topical Vitamin C.  A natural antioxidant that comes in various forms (stable and unstable) that each possess distinct individual properties, Vitamin C has been shown to reduce melanin formation and brighten skin when applied topically.

Look for Vitamin C in the form of  l-ascorbic acid, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate,sodium ascorbyl phosphate or Vitamin C ester, known as ascorbyl palmitate.

So kick all that makeup to the curb and get your skin glowing with a mega-dose of C.  And don’t forget to use a sunscreen daily!

Your best choices to C spot run

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Tags: avalon organics vitamin c serum, beauty blog, blinging beauty, blinging beauty blog, how to brighten skin, how to get bright skin, how to get even skin, how to have even tone, kinerase c8 peptide serum, murad active radiance serum, obagi c exfoliating lotion, ole henricksen truth serum, skin care advice, skin care blog, skin care for African American women, skin care tips, tracey brown beauty expert, tracey brown san francisco bay area beauty expert, tracey brown skin care expert for african american skin, vichy liftactiv cxp total ratiance serum, vitamin c for even skin, Vitamin C serum

Bamboo is The Hottest Ticket in Beauty

10th May 2010, by Tracey Brown, filed in Advice, Beauty, Jones magazione, Magazines, Makeup
No Comments

Did you know that bamboo is one of the hottest ingredients in beauty? I recently wrote a story about how “haute” bamboo is for Jones Magazine, and I think you should check it out.

bamboo-beauty-products-are-one-of-the-hottest-ingredients-in-skin-care

Photo courtesy of Jonesmag.com

Naomi Campbell may very well be the poster child of sustainability on the runway. But today sustainability has become a hot trend in beauty. Bamboo is the latest exotic resource for sustainable beauty. The fastest growing eco-friendly plant on earth has invaded your beauty regime and accessories. Typically grown without chemicals or pesticides, bamboo has become a much-desired commodity for greening up personal care products.

READ MORE FROM JONES MAGAZINE ONLINE…

Zia Bamboo Exfoliant, Natures Gate Whitening Gel Toothpaste

Zia Bamboo Exfoliant, Natures Gate Whitening Gel Toothpaste

See more products picks

Tags: bamboo, Beauty, beauty blog, blinging beauty, cosmetics, Skin Care, skin care advice, skin care tips, tracey brown, tracey brown bay area beauty expert, zia bamboo exfoliant

The New Hybrids — I’m Not Talking Cars

4th May 2010, by Tracey Brown, filed in Advice, Anti-Aging, Beauty, Eyes, Matte, Mattifiers, Murad, Primers, Skin Care, Treatment
No Comments

When you hear the word hybrid, what comes to mind? An energy efficient car? A cross-bred plant? Or maybe some freakish animal?  Well, I’m not referring to any of those (as much as I still want a Prius despite the whole Toyota scandal).  Dr. Murad, the man whose products and educational programs built my skin care business years ago, has introduced Hybrids™.  And he claims that “Hybrids™ Just Got A Whole Lot Sexier.”  Hmmm, is Dr. Murad bring sexy back?

Murad Hybrids

Murad Hybrids™

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Tags: Beauty, beauty advice, beauty blog, blinging beauty, cosmetics, murad eye perfector, murad hybrids, murad primers, murad skin care, Skin Care, skin care advice, skin care tips, tracey brown, tracey brown beauty expert

Product Review: Relastin Eye Silk

28th Apr 2010, by Tracey Brown, filed in 4 blings, Advice, Anti-Aging, Beauty, Crow's Feet, Eye Cream, Eyes, Product reviews, Puffiness, Relastin, Skin Care
No Comments

traceys-eye2

I am absolutely obsessed with eye creams. At any given moment throughout the day, you can probably spot me dabbing something around my eyes, and most recently that has been Relastin Eye Silk. (I don’t tend to use products as recommended)  If everything else on my face falls apart, I will have smooth tight eyes til the day my expire.

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Tags: 4 blings, african american beauty advice, African American makeup, anti aging eye care, anti aging skin care, anti aging treatments, Beauty, beauty bling, beauty blog, beauty blogs, beauty tips, blinging beauty, Eye Cream, Product reviews, Relastin, relastin eye silk, Skin Care, skin care advice, skin care tips, zinc in eye cream

Simple Saturday Beauty in 3 steps

3rd Apr 2010, by Tracey Brown, filed in Advice, Black Opal, Budget Beauty, Garnier Fructis, Vapour Organic Beauty
No Comments

78767104Do you ever have one of those days when you just don’t want to wear a stitch of makeup? One of those days when you just want to to incognito? You know, when the big dark shades and big floppy hat are necessities?  Well, that’s what I’m feeling today.  But, since my business is beauty, I can’t afford to leave the house schlepping.

Think about it.  When someone tells you they are a hairstylist and they hair looks like crap, are you going to trust that person with your hair?  Or a dentist with a front tooth missing.  Don’t think so.  So, I think that even on a Saturday or whatever your “off” day is, it’s important to look pulled together.  You know that saying about opportunity…

So here are my steps for Simple Saturday Beauty:

1.  Simplify your skincare routine.

I love products that are double duty.  Favorites right now are Black Opal Brightening Mask/Scrub and Vichy Liftactiv Retinol HA SPF 15.

The Black Opal scrub is awesome because not only does it deep clean my pores, but it truly brightens my complexion.   I hate taking time to mask, but because I’m a scrub junkie, I get my scrub fix and the benefits of a deep cleansing mask in one.  Ladies, this is a wonderful product for your guy too.

Vichy Liftactiv Retinol HA SPF 15 is not just double duty, it’s triple duty — moisturizer, treatment and SPF.  Plus it’s lightweight and melts right into my skin.

2.  Keep makeup minimal.

I start with Vapour Organic Beauty Stratus Instant Skin Perfector.  This handy stick brightens, evens tone, makes my pores disappear and is the perfect primer for makeup. Even days when I don’t wear foundation, Stratus is a must.  Plus, it’s organic and feeds my skin. That’s a win-win for me.

Next I apply a bit of foundation under my eyes and fan out.  A touch of cream blush, fill in brows, touch of mascara and gloss.  That takes about 2 minutes.

3.  No fuss hair.

No fuss hair for me is a pony tail.  A low pony tail can is a chic alternative to the big hair that I love.  I have curly frizzy hair, so keeping that stuff in laying down is a necessity.  I love Garnier Fructis Style Conditioning Glaze.  It holds my frizzies  in place without being heavy and makes my hair ultra-shiny.  Add a nice hair clip or colorful scarf around my scrunchie

Tags: african american skin care advice, african american skin tips, black opal brightening scrub mask, blinging beauty, cosmetics, garnier fructis style conditioning glaze, Hair Care, hair care tips, simple skin care, skin care short cuts, skin care tips, tracey brown, tracey brown bay area beauty expert, tracey brown beauty expert, tracey brown makup artist, vapor organic beauty stratus instant skin perfector, vichy liftactiv retinol ha spf 15

Budget Beauty Tuesday: I’m Loving Olay

3rd Feb 2010, by Tracey Brown, filed in 40's, 5 Blings, 50's, Advice, Anti-Aging, Beauty, By Age, Moisturizers, Olay, Product reviews, Skin Care, Treatment, Tuesday Budget Beauty, Weekday Musings
2 Comments

I know it’s Wednesday, but I have been sick for a very long time, and I lost my groove. So I’m playing catch up!
I can’t believe it. I’m buying skincare products at the drugstore. I admit it. Me, the beauty snob, the skincare bootcamp instructor, I’m in love with a moisturizer that costs less than a mani and pedi. I’m talking about Olay Regenerist Microsculpting Cream. Now at 52, I’m more than mildly obsessed with keeping it tight, keeping it firm. My face and neck that is.

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Tags: 5 Blings, Beauty, beauty advice, beauty bling, beauty blog, beauty blogs, beauty tips, blinging beauty, Budget Beauty, budget beauty tuesday, cosmetics, dream cream, Olay, peptides, Perricone MD, Product reviews, Skin Care, skin care advice, skin care tips, tracey brown, Weekday Musings

Budget Beauty Tuesday — Skimp or Spend?

1st Dec 2009, by Tracey Brown, filed in Advice, Anti-Aging, Beauty, Brands, Cleanser, Dr. Brandt, Neutrogena, Ole Henricksen, Organic Makeup, Skim or Spend, Skin Care, Sunscreen, Tuesday Budget Beauty, Vitamin C, Vitamin C serum, Weekday Musings
2 Comments

Well, I wish I had some great find to rave about this week, but I don’t. No great finds last week.  I don’t really think I did that much shopping for beauty stuff now that I think about it.  But, since it is Budget Beauty Tuesday,  let’s consider skin care beauty products that you can skimp on and those that are worth the splurge.

Ponds Towlettes

Ponds Towlettes

1.  Cleanser — Skimp!

Cleanser is on and off your face in a few seconds.  Even though we should cleanse our skin for at least a minute, most of us don’t.  That’s why it’s okay to skimp on cleanser.  But, even with skimping on the price, you can still be sure you get the right bang for your buck.  Look for ingredients that are appropriate for your skin type or condition.  If you have acne, over-the-counter (OTC) look for ingredients like salicylic acid, tea tree oil, alpha hydroxy acids, benzoyl peroxide.  And you can find these cleansers easily on any drugstore aisle.  Try:

Neutrogena Acne Wash

Neutrogena Acne Wash

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash which has 2% salicylic acid and glycolic acid. (salicylic acid is an anti-bacterial and glycolic acid exfoliates the skin, allowing the salicylic acid to work deeper in the pore) A buy at $6.99

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Tags: beauty advice, beauty blog, blinging beauty, Budget Beauty, budget beauty brands, drugstore beauty brands, drugstore budget skin care, garnier skin care, Neutrogena, skimp or spend, skin care advice, skin care tips, skin care tips for african american women, tracey brown, Tuesday Budget Beauty, womens budget skin care

Top 5 Reasons to Say Eye do — My Favorite 5 Eye Creams

3rd Oct 2009, by Tracey Brown, filed in Advice, Anti-Aging, Beauty, Brands, Caudalie, Clinique, Crow's Feet, Eye Cream, Eyes, How to treat Puffy Eyes, Kinerase, Murad, Ole Henricksen, Puffiness, Skin Care, Top 5, Treatment
2 Comments
One of my beauty obsessions is to NEVER have lines around my eyes. Fortunately at 52 I’m holding on.  It’s probably due to good genes — my died at 68 without a line in sight, and my granny is 97 without a line around her eyes except when she smiles.  And those of course are beautiful lines of life…

At any rate, a reader asked me what to do for puffiness — well that’s one of my main issues. More than likely due to my red wine habit and not enough sleep.  But there are a few other factors that play into as well.  If you do use eye cream at night, be sure not to apply too close to your lash line.  The product does migrate and will block your tear ducts, resulting in morning puffiness.   If you suffer from allergies, try taking an antihistamine before bed, this may help with your puffiness.

Now for my top 5 problems and eye treatments:

Caudalie Vinexpert Anti-Aging Serum
Caudalie Vinexpert Anti-Aging Serum

1. Excess Baggage
Send your bags packing with a serum packed full of antioxidants
Try: Caudalie Vinexpert Anti-Aging Serum Eyes and Lips

Resveratrol: An anti-agin ingredient that aids in the production of collagen
Tetrapeptides: Prevents wrinkles
Fern: Lifts Skin
Witch Hazel: Eliminates puffiness

(more…)

Tags: Beauty, beauty blog, caudalie eye serum, cliniue eye cream, cosmetics, dark circles, Eye Cream, eye puffiness, eye treatments, kinerase eye cream, murad eye cream, ole henriksen eye lifting gel, products for crows feet, products for dark circles, products for puffy eyes, skin care advice, skin care tips

Friday Fix — Recipe for a Romantic Evening

24th Jul 2009, by Tracey Brown, filed in Advice, Beauty, Beauty Diary, Carol's Daughter, Nuxe, Zirh
1 Comment

pn_transitional_galley Do you love to cook?  I do.  I can lose myself in the kitchen.  I’m a fan of the Food Network, and I can easily do the “30 minute meal” thing if necessary.  However, I much prefer the attention to detail and the love that goes into a sumptuous meal.  I’m thinking Mario Batali or Michael Chiarello.  It’s the planning, picking the perfect ingredients, the preparation, the actual cooking, the plating, and the presentation.  And, of course, that look of satisfaction that shows on the faces of those who have eaten to their heart’s delight.

I believe the same ambition can be shown when planning a romantic evening with the one I love.  Now, I am not above throwing on a pair of sweats as I microwave popcorn, throw in a DVD and bat my eyelashes, (30-minute meal).  However, on occasion, I think it’s important to raise the bar to a spectacular meal.  That’s when the Recipe for a Romantic Evening comes into play.

 

3 Piece Online Recycled Wine Bottle Candles

3 Piece Online Recycled Wine Bottle Candles

Preparing for a romantic evening entails two phases.  First, there is the personal planning – you,  physical person.  Second, you need to set the mood for the surroundings.  So I know that in personal planning, grooming is key, and a little alter ego like Brigitte is always a good thing to bring to the table.   Beauty goodies play into the grooming, and Brigitte emerges after a few glasses of champagne.  As far as the surroundings go, consider lighting a few lots of candles for a romantic ambiance; and you may want to make the bed. 

 

  I love 3 Piece Online Recycled Wine Bottle Soy Candles.  There are so many romantic evening scents available –LOVE made with vanilla, cassia and frankincense essential oils, HUG made with  geranium, chamomile, and jasmine absolute essential oils andKISS made with sandalwood, ginger, tangerine and patchouli essential oils. 

Carol's Daughter Almond Cookie Scrub
Carol’s Daughter Almond Cookie Scrub

Her personal shopping list of “ingredients”:

Carol’s Daughter Almond Cookie bath and body products.  For some strange reason, men love the scent of vanilla, in particular baked goods.  Check out the Almond Cookie line.  Start with the Sea Salt Scrub — This delightful recipe of sea salt blended with avocado, jojoba and wheat germ oil, naturally exfoliates for super supple skin and a healthy glow. This sophisticated scent captures the sweet essence of almonds blended with marzipan and enticing, warm accords of sandalwood and mists of musk. Almond, lemon, sandalwood and vanilla, tapioca pearls and apple slices.

 And finish with Almond Cookie Shea Soufflé — This luxurious formula is light and fluffy like a soufflé, but moisturizes skin with the intensity of a butter. It’s packed with natural butters and oils to effectively nourish and hydrate dry, parched skin for a soft and velvety appearance.

I’m sure you will be nibble worthy after your bath time!


2.  Get Glowing

Liberally apply Nuxe Sublimating Golden Dry Oil EVERYWHERE!  This is the final touch for seductive glow on.  The micro golden particles add a subtle sheen to the skin.  It illuminates the areas of the body that you want to draw attention to – décolleté, shoulders, and legs.  Add some of this oil to your hair as well; it adds subtle highlights and smells appetizing too.

 

His personal shopping list for “ingredients”

1.  Smooth Operator
 

Don’t you love when his skin is baby butt smooth?  That scraggly, I-haven’t-shaved-in-two-days look may work in the movies and when you’re camping, but not for a romantic evening. This is no time for exfoliation.   Have him check out Zirh SCRUB reduces the appearance of blemishes and blackheads by eliminating surface toxins and neutralizing excess surface oil. Also works to remove dead skin cells from your face. Leaves your face refreshed, refined and super-clean. A wake-up call for your skin.   

2. He makes scents

 In addition to looking good, he has to smell good.   I love Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Male.  A warm, woody scent that is all man.

W ith your planning and shopping done, you just have to do your prep work.  That means luxuriate in the bath and hop out before you reach prune status and put all your “ingredients” in the mix.   Get your big hair going, spray perfume, apply red lipstick, and put on your slamming stilettos.

I think this is the perfect recipe. And after all that preparation, you may not even want o cook.  Not in the kitchen at least.  All you have to do is wait for that look of satisfaction.

 

 

 

 

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