Allure, Beauty, Celebrities, Magazines, Taraji P. Henson

CeleBeauty Watch: Taraji P. Hensen Covers the July 2015 Allure

June 16, 2015 / No Comments

Bronzed, beautiful, big hair and off the charts glam characterizes actress Taraji P. Hensen on the cover of the July 2015 Allure. Photos courtesy of allure.com.

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Waterproof Makeup: Keep Your Makeup in Place When It’s Raining

I live in the Bay Area of Northern California, and we have been getting pounded with uncharacteristic torrential rain. Well, maybe torrential is a bit of a stretch, but nonetheless, we are getting drenched. If you, like me, take the time to apply makeup, I’m sure that you want it to be in place even after you face the elements. Over the years, I have learned a few tricks and found a few product that help makeup last through various forms of attack by water—be it sweat from extreme temperatures, water at the beach or the winter rain we are currently experiencing. 1. Primer This magic potion helps makeup stay in place and prevents skin care (moisturizers and serums) from leaving the skin. Try: Smashbox Photo Finish Luminizing Foundation Primer $38 A luminizing primer that fills in fine lines and pores while imparting a beautiful luminous glow to skin. 2. Foundation A foundation that repels water is a must. Try: Make Up For Ever Face & Body Liquid Makeup $38 This waterproof, ultra-light, water-based gel contains no emulsifiers and provides a totally natural, satin finish. 3. Cheek Stain Flush your cheeks with color that stays put. Try: Vapour Beauty Aura Multi-Use Blush – Stain $28 Multi-tasker for cheeks, lips and eyes, with all-day high-impact color. 4. Waterproof Eye Makeup Keep eyeshadow, liner and mascara in place with water resistant formulas while not sacrificing on color, starting with and eyelid primer. Try: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Eden (nude and matte) $18 or $23 or XL An eye prep product that provides smoother, longer-lasting, and absolutely crease-proof eyeshadowin a very-wearable, tawny, matte hue. Try: SmashboxWaterproof Shadow Liner Duo $25 A waterproof and crease-resistant cream shadow and liner duo. Try: L’Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara $7.99 5. Long-Wearing Lip color Whether it’s a rainy day or the sun is shining, you can’t go wrong with a natural lip stain. Try: TarteLipSurgence™ Natural Lip Tint $24 A natural lip stain that is clinically proven to increase lips’ moisture content by 6000%. Shop: Eye Shadow by Smashbox Face Primer by Smashbox
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Fight Dry Winter Skin With These Body Creams

The weather has turned frigid and it’s sucking the moisture out of our skin. Not just our faces and subject to dry skin, but so are our bodies. So, to fight dry winter skin, we need to moisturize with body creams, lotions, butters and serums. Look for ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter, squalane, avacado and other oils in your body creams to deeply moisturize dry winter skin. Also, body creams have multiple categories. Some body creams can help sculpt and tone your body. Others can help smooth skin or add glow. Many body creams come from natural and organic derived ingredients. Additionally, body creams come in various price points for the budget conscious. And, we love body creams with awesome scents! Shop our our favorite body creams that include clean beauty, luxury beauty, Black-owned brands and female founded brands: Clean Beauty Body Creams: Weleda Skin Food Body Butter $19.99 Perfect for all-over hydration and nourishment. Weleda Skin Food Body Butter is rich in shea and cocoa seed butter, to leave skin feeling velvety soft. Best for indulging your senses and locking in moisture after a bath or shower. Kiss My Face De-Stress Body Butter – Lavender + Ylang Ylang $14.99 Pamper your body and mind with aromatic, calming moisture. Infused with soothing Rhodiola Rosea and Hemp Seed Oil and adaptogenic Ashwagandha and Marshmallow Root, this body butter delivers comforting nourishment while helping improve skin’s moisture retention. The fragrant scents of Lavender and Ylang Ylang Oils relax your senses for a restful sleep. hanahana beauty Shea Body Butter $32 Hanahana Beauty believes that skincare is self care and proudly sources its shea butter directly from the Katariga Cooperative in Ghana. This whipped + fast absorbing formula is made for dry, sensitive + of course, ashy skin. It’s the perfect add to your routine! Multitasking Body Creams: NYL HERE COMES THE CALM Correcting Body Balm $38 Our Tamanu & Amaranth powered correcting balm works overtime to soothe, moisturize and generally bring the zen to eczema, severely dry or chapped skin, and other trouble spots. No balm, no calm. Caudalie Vinosculpt Lift & Firm Body Cream $45 Visibly tighten skin in key areas with this moisturizing, whipped body cream. Delicately scented with orange blossom and powered by an effective blend of grape polyphenols and iris extract, it reduces the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks for a firmer, more lifted look. Biossance Squalane + Caffeine Toning Body Cream $30 This clean body moisturizer extends the benefits of the best skincare ingredients caffeine and niacinamide to the entire body, enhanced by vegan sugarcane-derived squalane to enhance penetration. The rich yet weightless formula absorbs instantly to nourish, and helps to restore elasticity and a sculpted, toned look. Budget Friendly Body Creams: Dove Silky Nourishment Body Cream $8.76 Helps to give you beautifully radiant soft skin. Contains unique DeepCare Complex with skin natural nutrients. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Skin Therapy $8.16 Heals & Softens rough, dry skin with natural Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E for healthier-looking skin. 48 hour moisture.Vegan Friendly – no animal ingredients or testing. Nubian Heritage, Shea Butter, Infused with Patchouli & Buriti $11.99 Shea Butter, infused with Patchouli & Buriti, helps to soothe and hydrate skin. Nutrient rich Buriti Oil enhances and calms in this richly fragranced total body balm. Body Creams With Incredible Scents: Pooka Caliente Man Body Butter $16.99 For the Fellas Bold and tantalizing, this exclusive scent brings together the heady, musky notes of patchouli and the warm, spicy kick of black pepper.Infused with the goodness of ginger and turmeric essential oils, this butter delivers deep nourishment to your skin, leaving it hydrated and radiant. Shea butter and avocado oil moisturize and soften, while beeswax seals in hydration. ELEMIS Frangipani Monoi Body Cream $42 Escape to a tropical getaway with this deeply hydrating body cream. Infused with a conditioning combination of Macadamia, Sesame, Tahitian Monoi and Coprah oils, the decadent creamy formula provides long-lasting, skin-plumping moisture. Naturally fragranced with Frangipani Flowers, skin is left feeling beautifully soft, supple and delicately scented. Jo Malone London Lime Basil & Mandarin Body Crème $90 This rich Body Crème is formulated with conditioning oils of jojoba seed, cocoa seed, and sweet almond oils to help hydrate, nourish, and protect the skin, while the delicious fragrance leaves your body scented all over. In Jo Malone London’s signature fragrance, peppery basil and aromatic white thyme bring an unexpected twist to the scent of limes on a Caribbean breeze—a modern classic. CHANEL COCO MADEMOISELLE Fresh Body Cream $100 The ultimate pampering experience hydrates and softens for silky, touchable skin, lightly scented with COCO MADEMOSELLE. The deliciously creamy, non-greasy formula glides on smoothly and absorbs quickly.
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Trending – Winter Beauty: Beauty Hacks from Celeb MUA Joanna Simkin

Whether you’re going on a winter getaway, planning a date night or using the day off to focus on yourself, we’ve got you covered with these makeover Monday “Winter Beauty Hacks” from Celebrity MUA Joanna Simkin. Simkin stresses that beauty begins with moisturized, glowing skin and is fan of using Vaseline® Cocoa™ Radiant lotion for herself and her celebrity clients. Made with 100% pure cocoa butter, this hydrating moisturizer is a cold weather must-have that treats dry and dull winter skin. Don’t skip SPF! The sun’s rays are still out on cold winter days and can even reflect more directly off freshly-fallen snow. Winter is a time you can use heavier formulas of SPF for added moisture as well. To help your moisture absorb and last during the winter season, apply Vaseline® Cocoa Radiant™ lotion all over immediately after showering, then add thin layers of clothing or sleepwear (think Long Johns, gloves, socks). The 100% cocoa butter acts an emollient known to help hydrate the skin and lock in moisture to keep skin soft, smooth and glowing. Dark, matte lipstick is my favorite winter look! Prep lips by scrubbing with Vaseline® Lip Therapy® mixed with raw sugar to smooth. Rinse and pat dry before using a dark lip liner followed by a matte lip formula. The exfoliation will ensure smooth application, while the pat-dry will ensure no shine peeking through. To perk up my complexion in the winter months, I love to mix a golden liquid illumination with my winter shade of foundation. It softly warms the skin to look lit-from-within and provides my face with a subtle, natural glow. Minor skin irritations can be easily caused by dry winter air and harsh winds. I love using a thin layer of Vaseline® Jelly over red, irritated areas such as cheeks – it protects by creating a thin barrier on your skin.
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The 7 Beauty Products You Need for Winter—Budget to Luxe

Winter chill is upon is and that means our we need to take extra care to hydrate our skin and hair. From the harsh weather to inside heating, the elements — natural and artificial — can deplete our skin of moisture. That’s why we have rounded up our favorite, (tested) winter-worthy beauty products to help you make it through the next couple months. 1. A bomb Lip Balm Why sacrifice color for utility? Stock up on tinted lip balms for your most moisturized pucker of the seaxon. Try: Laura Mercier Stick Gloss $24 This ultramoisturizing lip color is a cross between lip balm, lip color, and lip glace. It cares for your lips while delivering color in a sheer and sophisticated finish. Or Try: Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm $6.99 Adds a Hint of Sheer Color, Nourishes with Shea Butter, Super Conditioning 2. A Mega Moisturizing Night Cream Your skin rejuvenates at night, so feed it extra moisture during these cold months. Try: Jurlique Nutri-Define Rejuvenating Overnight Cream $110 A luxuriously rich, multitasking overnight treatment with Biosome5, a breakthrough liposomal technology, to provide deep, lasting moisture and a softer, youthful-looking complexion. Or Try: Lumene Time Freeze Firming Night Cream $24.99 Helps to reinforce your skin’s firmness and restore it’s elasticity during the night, while smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles. 3. A Deep Conditioning Hair Mask Hair needs to be kept moist for ultimate health and shine. Incorporate a weekly deep conditioning treatment to keep hair properly hydrated for winter. Try: Kerastase Maskeratine $62.50 Daily deep conditioning mask,Provides maximum frizz control, extreme softness and suppleness. Seals ends to help prevent future blowdry damage. For Fine to Coarse, Unmanageable Hair Or Try: SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque $12.99 SheaMoisture’s Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque deeply moisturizes and repairs dry, damaged or over-processed hair. 4. Luxurious Body Lotion Your skin deserves to be pampered with the best body lotion in frigid weather. Keep ashy skin at bay with the a rich body lotion. Try: MOLTON BROWN London Oudh Accord & Gold Body Lotion $44 This soothing body lotion hydrates your skin while leaving behind a beautiful fragrance you can revel in all day long. Or Try: Nubian Heritage Goat’s Milk & Chai Body Lotion $11.99 Goat’s Milk, high in protein, vitamins, and minerals, help soothe and nourish skin. Organic Shea Butter, Chai and Rose Extracts blend to create a luxurious and aromatic skin conditioning moisturizer that will leave the skin feeling soft. 5. A Creamy Blush Ditch your powder blush and opt in for a creamy blush that gives your skin a fresh look. Try: Kevyn Aucoin The Creamy Glow $26 A sheer, dewy wash of color for skin that glows with vitality! Or Try: Maybelline Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick $7.99 Makes cheeks go dewy and gently glazed with sheer blush color. 6. Hydrating Lipstick Try: Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Crème $30 A rich, velvety, ultra-hydrating lipstick that delivers a dramatic punch of vivid pigment and endless hours of luxurious wear. Try: IMAN Luxury Moisturizing Lipstick $10 It glides on smooth to condition and moisturize. It provides full-coverage, long-lasting wear. 7. Ultra Rich Hand Cream Try: Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream $30 The nourishing formula absorbs quickly to deeply invigorate and tone skin. Shea protects skin against the drying effects of external factors, while also minimizing the visible signs of aging. Or Try: Yes to Carrots Nourishing Intense Repair Hand Cream $8.99 Intense Repair formulas target extra dry or itchy skin with intense ingredients to make your skin breathe a big ol’ sigh of relief! Shop:
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Skin Care Review: Arcona Cranberry Gommage Exfoliant

Lately, my typically clear skin has become unrecognizable. My low-maintenance facial routine couldn’t contend with my new facial issues: erupting pimples all over, stubborn dry patches on my cheeks, and oily areas on my forehead and nose. My face went completely haywire overnight it seemed, and the usual routine just wasn’t cutting it! Confession: I’ve been slacking on my sloughing-—big time. Life has been so hectic lately that I’ve pretty much abandoned my regular exfoliation routine, and it shows. When a close friend suggested I give Arcona Cranberry Gommage a try, I figured it couldn’t hurt. Little did I know, it would not only return my blemish-free visage, but give me a more even, smooth complexion over time! About Arcona Cranberry Gommage $47 Exfoliant containing cranberry extracts, volcanic minerals and essential fatty acids, to cleanse and renew all skin types. Smells berry delicious. Cleanses, tones and decongests enlarged pores, leaving skin clearer, smoother and more refined. Unclog and minimize pores with cranberry and raspberry enzymes. Exfoliate and purify skin with salicylic acid, volcanic minerals and sucrose that work deep within the follicular wall and provide antimicrobial, antibacterial benefits. Protect skin with the anti-aging properties of antioxidants that prevent free radical damage. My experience: Fresh out of the bottle, Arcona Cranberry Gommage is a deliciously grape-scented, lavender-hued scrub. Suggested use is twice weekly, but I reach for this exfoliant daily! more often because it’s such a treat. I can feel the difference immediately after applying Arcona Cranberry Gommage to my face and neck. I use a gentle circular scrubbing motion with the pads of my fingers. Rinsing clean, my skin feels so soft and smooth and moisturizer just glides on once I’m out of the shower.. It only took about a week of using Arcona Cranberry Gommage for me to see the results. I received a number of compliments ranging from “your skin looks so good,” and “what do you use,” to “you’re glowing!” Nothing else changed in my regimen, so I have to credit the Cranberry Gommage! While I found the scrub gentle enough for sensitive skin, it also has the right amount of grit to be effective. The polishing action instantly brightens, leaving you with fresh, glowing skin after regular use. For this reason, if you aren’t into a scrub that actually scrubs, what’s wrong with you? Arcona Cranberry Gommage might not be the product for you. Arcona Cranberry Gommage is specifically recommended for normal to oily skin, but my wacky winter combo skin got great results. Don’t be afraid to try it out if your skin tends toward the dry end of the spectrum. Bling Factor: Pro: Gentle exfoliant, smells and feels amazing! Cons: Could be too gritty for some, but i loved it. Price: $47 Buy Again: Probably, will need a new bottle soon! Packaging: 4 Blings—Typical flip-top squeeze bottle. Overall: 5 Blings Hero Ingredients: Cranberry and Raspberry enzymes Natural/Organic/Vegan: Organic Cruelty Free: Yes SHOP:
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