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Long Live Luscious Lashes with Hourglass Lash Lacquer
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Hot Winter Skin Saviors
My typically wind-burned cheeks have stayed comfortable with a skincare line called Vitaphenol. The cleanser and daily moisturizer contain Coenzyme Q10, antioxidants and vitamins A, C and E. The cleanser takes off makeup without stripping skin and the moisturizer has a nice, light, fast-absorbing consistency. I love that the products are anti-aging and moisturizing without being heavy duty, gloppy creams.
Flaky, scaly limbs are not to be ignored. Fiery, itchy legs have actually kept me awake in the middle of the night and the only cure is more Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil. Made with hazelnut oil and rosemary, geranium and mint extracts, it’s kind of like a spa in a jar. I coat myself in the stuff while I’m still damp from the shower and I pat the excess onto my face—keeps me dewy!
Only thing better than a fab body oil: a warm body oil in candle form. The Earthly Body 3-in-1 Massage Candle is made with
massage oil rather than wax. You light the wick, enjoy it as a candle for about twenty mintues or so, and then you can pour the warm oil onto your skin and use it as a moisturizer. How cool is that! I’ve been using the “Skinny Dip” scent, which is vanilla-y and musky, but there are several other scents to choose from (might I say a fabulous holiday gift?).
(Posted by Cody) Comment
A Standout Shadow Palette
The twelve different shades have kept me busy mixing and matching. It seems dauntingly large, but the palette is actually very easy to navigate—you really can’t mess it up. The colors are intended to give a “naked” look, but I’ve come up with some pretty glam creations.
Here are a few of my go-to combos:
1. Everyday pretty: define crease and lower lash line with “Naked” and then apply a coat of “Sidecar” to the middle of the lid. The shimmer in “Sidecar” adds a beautiful, creamy brightness to eyes. It looks put together, yet low-key.
2. Rich and bold (left eye): cover entire lid with “Toasted” and define crease with “Hustle,” sweeping it just slightly beyond outer corners. Then, define upper and lower lash line with “Darkhorse.” The purple undertones bring out my green eyes and it’s a more done-up look without looking totally evening.
3. Midnight glam (right eye): From inner to outer corner, lash line to crease, cover entire lid with “Gunmetal.” Then, apply “Creep” to outer corners and sweep it upward just past the crease. Use the excess on the brush to define the crease. Finish with black liner on upper and lower lash lines.
The lightest shade, “Virgin,” is a great highlighter for any look. And, if you don’t feel like mixing and matching, that’s totally fine. Each shadow looks beautiful on its own — especially “Half Baked,” which makes a statement and brightens eyes instantly. An extra bonus: the 12 colors also come with a high-quality brush and Urban Decay’s cult-favorite eye shadow primer.
(posted by TBG intern Cody) Comment
A Serum Worth Every Penny
It’s rare I buy the same product twice. 
However, my newfound relationship with Lancôme’s Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate has changed my ways. Falling victim to great PR and advertising, I picked up a bottle on a whim. It works by “boosting the activity of genes and stimulating the production of youth proteins.” Who cares what the heck that means—it works!
My skin tends to be dry and flaky, so I’m all about brighteners. After just two days of using Genifique, my skin made major strides. I wear tinted moisturizer or a sheer foundation daily to even out and warm my skintone, and I’ve been skipping that all together. I apply the clear, smooth serum at night, and I wake up with the glowiest, dewiest skin of my adult life. My complexion is more uniform, youthful and fresh looking. It’s been a long time since I’ve found a product that truly makes a difference in my skin. It’s not drugstore cheap (the smallest bottle is $58), but it has proven to be worth every penny. Now, if only Lancôme would sell this in bulk. (posted by Cody)
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My Simple DIY Body Scrub Recipe
P.S. This video was filmed just days before my little man Rex was born.
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5 Must-Haves for a Clean, Stylish, Happy Baby & Mommy
It’s only Tuesday and it’s already been a big week of celeb news: Kim K’s divorcing and Jessica Simpson’s having a baby! Breakups suck, but personal experience proves they make you stronger. Babies, on the other hand, are the biggest gift of love. I can’t believe my little man Rex is already 8 weeks old! I admit, the past couple of months have been grueling between the sleepless nights and never-ending bouts of spit up. But they’ve also been the most rewarding, magical moments of my life.
Jessica’s announcement got me thinking about how far I’ve come as a mom. Like, I went from not knowing what a breast pump was to being able to put the parts together in the dark. And the full five minutes it once took me to change a diaper has been shaved down to seconds. In just two months, I’ve become fluent in baby from gadgets to products. I still have a lot to learn, and I’ve been greatful to all the moms who have shared their tips with me. Now, it’s my turn to pay it forward. I’ve listed a few of my favorite finds (more installments to come!). Hopefully these will come in just as handy for baby Simpson and all the future tots-to-be.
Baby Aquaphor: I oil Rex up from head to toe every night. I keep a tub by his changing table and a tube in my diaper bag. I swear by this ointment. It’s kept his pretty baby face acne free, has fended off diaper rash and stopped the first signs of cradle cap in its tracks.
Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash: After washing Rex’s hair and body with this, he smells just like a baby should — fresh, clean and yummy all at once. I’ve been sent a lot of baby bath products from a bunch of different companies and will report back on the others as I give them a try.
Kicky Pants, Ralph Lauren and Splendid onesies: A onesie is the baby equivalent of a dress. Just slip it on and the look is complete. From preppy to hipster, I love dressing Rex up in stylish looks, and I’ve fallen in love with the fashions from these three brands. Kicky Pants onesies come in fun prints and are made with a bamboo fabric that’s so soft, I wish they made clothes for adults. Rex may as well be a model for Ralph Lauren because every other thing he wears is RL baby. From the most precious white nighty (shown below) to a velour jumper, there’s a wealth of adorable options, especially for boys. Splendid wins for creating mini versions of fashions that you’d wear yourself. Like the brand’s adult line, the clothes are comfy and cute. Check out Rex in the lower photo with his teddy. He’s rocking a Splendid hooded onesie.
Giant Teddy: This is the granddaddy of all gifts. Our friend Brad went above and beyond to welcome home Master Rex with this GIANT, loveable, squeezable teddy bear is. I pose Rex next to his forever friend for all of his milestone photos (see below!) and know that he’ll love this bear more and more as he grows.
Marc Jacobs Pretty Nylon Elizababy Bag: A happy mom means a happy baby, and every time I carry this bag, which is 24/7, it makes me happy. To me, a diaper bag was an excuse to get an awesome new accessory, so I was on the hunt for a tote that was as practical as it was fashionable. I fell in love with this one from Marc Jacobs. It’s lightweight, has all the compartments I need and is roomy. Plus, my husband is as into this badass navy and rust panther pattern as I am, which means he’s just as happy to have it on his shoulder. I was so excited when it arrived, just days before Rex did, that I snapped a photo of me trying it on for the first time. 
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A Safe Frizz-Fighting Treatment
“Everything good in life is either immoral, illegal or fattening.” During her badgirl phase, Nicole Richie spoke those wise words…and I’d like to add carcinogenic to her list.
The Brazilian Blowout was all the rage last year. It became known as the professional frizz-eliminating treatment that was gentler and safer than its predecessor — Japanese straightening. But true to theory, as one of the good things in life, the Brazilian Blowout is now apparently carcinogenic as it contains formaldehyde.
Thankfully, there’s a new pro treatment that’s quicker and safer. The Keratin Complex Express Blow Out is a one-hour, in-salon process that infuses keratin proteins into the cuticle to make strands smoother and less frizzy. The main difference between this treatment and the Brazilian Blowout, aside from the fact that the formula really is supposed to be formaldehyde free, is that it smoothes and de-frizzes but doesn’t straighten and flatten the hair.
Nicole enlisted me to try out the Keratin Complex Express Blow Out at Chicago’s Studio 110 salon to see if it really works.
Full disclosure: I have relatively straight hair with a little bit of bend. But I also have a lot of breakage, which creates a lot of flyaways, so I was excited for this service. First, my hair was shampooed, conditioned, and given a quick tousle with a hair dryer. Then, the keratin solution was applied to my hair in small sections using a brush like the one used to apply hair dye. Next, the stylist went back over my strands with a fine-toothed comb and a flat iron to help the keratin fully penetrate my strands. When I left the salon, my hair looked shiny/slightly greasy and stick straight/flat (see the above pic). I was told to keep it dry and elastic free for 8 hours—not 3 days like other keratin treatments out there. Whew!
After my first wash, I air-dried my hair and was thrilled with the result — there weren’t any frizzies in sight. My hair still had its natural shape and curvature, minus the straggly, frizzy flyaways. Talk about a miracle! The Express Blow Out lasts about 5-6 weeks and is a fraction of the cost (about $100) of the full-fledged Natural Keratin Smoothing Treatment that lasts up to 5 months.
My verdict: The Keratin Complex Express Blow Out is great way to give conditioning treatments a try without the commitment. And it’s not immoral, illegal, fattening or carcinogenic.
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A Nail Polish That Reads Your Mood
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An Incredible Oil-Based Cleanser
Here it is: my first official post on The Beauty Girl. I’ve been Nicole’s intern since this summer and now that she’s busy with her new job as baby Rex’s mommy, I’m helping her stay afloat during this wonderful and busy time in her life. I’ll be reporting from my college dorm room with the scoop on beauty’s latest and greatest from oscillating thing-a-ma-jiggs to moisturizing what-cha-ma-call-its starting…now…
I love to wash my face—just one of the simple pleasures of my life. But getting cleanser crazy can turn a simple pleasure into a simple disaster. Think: flakiness, redness, dehydration, the works.
Cetaphil has been a long-time favorite, but there’s a new kid on my block who’s got my pores in love. Origins Clean Energy is God’s gift to the earth — especially if you have dry skin or live in a cold climate. It’s a hi-tech, hybrid formula of olive, sunflower, sesame and safflower oils. It’s not what you’re thinking—a thick, pore-clogging, residue-leaving, crude oil type of situation—it’s a silky fluid that turns into a frothy lather when it meets water. So, instead of feeling like you’ve rubbed grease on top of existing dirt and makeup, skin feels refreshed as the oil washes away.
One complaint: the packaging. The bottle has a wide opening, which makes it very hard to dispense the small amount of oil that’s needed. I recently discovered that the company makes a pump to replace the regular cap that comes on the bottle. It’s a few dollars, but well worth it for the extra product that ends up dumping out of the wide spout.
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Nicole Pearl, The Beauty Girl, has written for national publications including Allure, Cosmo, Marie Claire, Self, In Style, Seventeen, and more. She appears as a beauty and style expert on TV for shows like TODAY, Windy City LIVE, and more. She's covered NYC and LA Fashion Weeks, has been a guest speaker for corporations, hosts events and offers services. The Beauty Girl blog is Nicole's exclusive insider notebook, sharing her V.I.P. access to the latest in beauty. Welcome! Still curious about Nicole? Click here.
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