Redken Chemistry System is Your Hair's Super-Enhancer

Some time ago, I had the chance to try the Redken Chemistry that offers a fast (about 15-minute plus blow drying), in-salon treatment that your stylist can personalize to address your specific hair type and challenges.  It's actually not terribly expensive (less than a mani-pedi at $15-$25.00) but you can consider it a value, because of what it does, and the way it lasts!

There are plenty of at-home treatments you can buy (and Redken has a wide variety, including specific at-home products to keep The Chemistry System treatment lasting longer). But the in-salon Chemistry System treatments are nothing short of amazing.

Maybe you've never considered adding a hair treatment to your regular cut, blow-out,  or color.  Perhaps you're wondering why you would even go to a salon just to get a specialized treatment?  Well, it's simple:  Redken (and other salon-quality products) offer excellent do it yourself hair treatments, but this Redken Chemistry uses a formula that's much more intense than what you'd get for at-home use.  For that reason, it requires the skilled hands and experience of a salon stylist, who can decide not only what "shots" (treatments) will benefit your hair the most, but also how to apply it properly.

So what's the Redken Chemistry System?  It is a two-step process that offers a variety of options to help your hair look, feel, and behave, it's best.  For example, if you hair is weak and damaged, you can add a "Strength Shot" There's an "All Soft Shot" for dry/brittle hair; a "Dandruff Control Shot" for dry/flaky scalp (all the shots can be blended together except for the "Dandruff Control Shot); Extreme Shot Phase is for deep treatment for weakened, distressed hair; Smooth Down Shot is a deep treatment for very dry, unruly hair; Color Extend Shot protects color-treated hair to help the color last longer; and the "Real Control Shot" works to repair damaged areas of the cuticle so really distressed hair looks and feels smoother, stronger, and more manageable. The Clear Moisture Shot offers deep treatment for normal to dry hair.  Your stylist can blend a couple of these shots to give you a truly customized treatment.  When you go for a Redken Chemistry System treatment, your stylist will decide, based on your hair and goals, what shot or shots (up to three per treatment) your hair needs. Then s/he applies the first part of a five-minute treatment called the "shot phase." After that, a "Shot Phix Phase" will be applied (and stay on your hair for another 10-20 minutes). This second phase seals the treatment benefits into your hair. The second phase also rebalances your hair's pH level (healthy hair hovers around a 4.5 pH), and seals the cuticle to leave hair in its healthiest condition.

David Stanko with Model

David Stanko, in my opinion, is one of the best colorists in the Country.  I'm a big fan, and I'm honored that his handiwork is always on my head!  David works out of the Angelo David Salon when he's in New York. 

The first time David applied the Redken Chemistry System to my hair for think he used two shots:  Real Control and Smooth Down.  In any case, my hair looked much smoother and less frizzy, and it almost glowed with shine.  I loved it! 

Alas, nothing good lasts forever. The Chemistry System Treatments will last several weeks, depending upon your hair, but Redken has a myriad of take-home products including shampoos and conditioners that correspond to the treatment you've just had, to prolong the good works a bit longer: Clear Moisture, Extreme, Color Extend, All-Soft, Smooth Down and Real Control.  Be sure to get yours from a reputable source such as your salon. You don't have to have received any additional services (or any services) to go to your salon and get the Redken at-home products you want. Any authorized salon will be happy for you to just come in and get your goodies and go home, if you're not interested in anything else.
For me, that first Chemistry System experience was not only great, the in-salon treatment made perfect sense.  Why settle for hair that is less than great, when you can make it great in less than a lunch hour?  Since my hair is always frizzy, the last time I visited David at Angelo David he treated my hair with a Smooth Down shot.  When I arrived, my hair was frizzy and dry, and not all that shiny.  But when I left, my hair was smooth, shiny, and frizz free!  Even more amazingly, it stayed that way not only through one of the most humid and rainy weeks of the year, and as I type this, it's been a few weeks and my hair is still soft, sleek and shiny. Normally, I am forced to use a fair amount of frizz-fighter and a flat iron, but for a couple of weeks after the Smooth Down treatment, my hair "behaved" amazingly well on it's own, with neither frizz serum, nor flat iron. Now that's amazing!

frizzy at Fashion Week

Smooth and shiny after Redken Chemistry System

Everyone wants great looking hair.  I highly recommend Redken Products, and if you have just a little bit of room in your budget for some rock-star hair pampering, give Redken Chemistry a try! To locate a salon featuring Redken Chemistry, please visit http://www.redken.com/ /or call 800.REDKEN8.  



Dunham. All rights reserved.The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email Me. Subscribe to this blog -options on right hand column. Follow me on and I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

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MAC Cosmetics Venomous Villians -- Very Sexy! Very Collectible!

October brings a chill, darker days, and falling leaves, but it also brings a lot of beauty -- and Halloween.  This year, from September 30th through October, 2010, it also brings a most unusual, and sure to be highly coveted, new makeup collection from MAC Cosmetics called: "Venomous Villains." Four Separate mini collections feature limited edition packaging with one of three female "dark ladies" from Disney fame and one "dastardly" Dr. Facilier (the voodoo master from Princess & the Frog). As the MAC press literature tells is: ."Bad never looked so good! This is a "M∙A∙C and Disney collaboration to celebrate the dark side in every one of us, in a glamorous sort of way. Who’s the fairest one of all? Four separate mini-collections, in haute animated couture. The incomparable Cruella de Vil and Snow White’s Evil Queen, each featured on one ultra primary displayer Sleeping Beauty’s Maleficent and The Princess and the Frog’s Dr. Facilier are both up to no good on their own. Uniquely designed iconic packaging you will kill for, cunning characters and bedeviled beauties that are so alluring, you can’t help but wonder: what would it be like to be one?"

Packaging:  The idea is cute and collectible, and the collection is big, with some limited editions, some items from MAC's permanent collections (or re-promoted from other collection). The entire array is truly astounding, not just to wear around Halloween, but to feel a bit "dangerous" and "daring" all season long. Every woman has a tiny bit of the "dark side" in her, and it's sexy to be "evil"  -- now and then.  The packaging has all the elements a collector will want, featuring the "villains" in full color, in different poses, depending upon the collection and the product.

Colors:  The quintessential female villain has strong lips, brows and eyes, with a cheek, according to MAC's Jennifer Balbier, the VP of Product Development.  Villains are all about strength,  without focusing on one single feature. Cruella De Vil and the Evil Queen have a “real woman” shade palette, so MAC went with recent trends, such as vibrant red lips. Maleficent has more deep purples and blackened shades, plus glittery nail polish I can't get enough of!  All the characters share intense, powerful shades and strong, royal hues. Disney actually provided MAC with Pantones of actual colours used when drawing the characters). It's fun to "dress up" and try new things!  Here is how the Venomous Villains from MAC Cosmetics collection breaks down into "characters" along with a few, personal notes on items I personally tried.  Whether you grew in the 1950's or 60's or are just old enough to wear makeup after seeing the Princess and the Frog, there are elements of these mini collection you will not want to be without! 

Cruella de Vil:


Eyeshadow ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Sweet Joy  -  Frosted creamy pale gold (Frost) (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Passions of Red) * this pale, lemon yellow adds just a hint of golden glow to lids. As a highlighter, it's nice. As a lid color with a deep liner, it's exciting!

De-Vil Rich -  copper (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition) *this super-shimmered copper is intense, and on my fair skin, looked less like a penny, and more like an orange. But that's the color of the moment (and of the season), so if you want to be trendy, this is the color to pick!

Carbon Intense black (Matte) (Permanent)  * as a powder liner, you can't get any better -- and there's the added fun of Cruella's head on the clear top. As a lid color, use it full strength to make a statement, or blend it out until it's a softer shade, and go from there.

Lipstick ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Innocence, Beware! Light yellow pink (Cremesheen) (Limited Edition) * the antithesis of Heartless, below., This pale, warm pink adds a sexy, medium nude tone to lips. Try it with an overlay of a shimmery gloss.

Heartless - Cherry red (Amplified) (Limited Edition)  * this deep, bold, blood red is a startling, but glamorous one. If you have the confidence to pull it off, Cruella's red lips are yours!

Lipglass ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Wicked Ways - Deep fuchsia with pink pearl (Limited Edition) * my first reaction to this color on my skin was WOW! It's bright. But I fearlessly swiped it on my lips, and magic happened. The super-hot, shiny pink looks awesomely sexy even on my pale skin.  This will flatter everyone, differently. You must try it and then, you will know you must get it!

Devilishly Stylish -  Light nude with gold pearl (Limited Edition)  * I  love the depiction of Cruella with her "dalmation" pups, but the peachy-pink gloss with golden pearl adds barely-there color perfect for just adding shimmer and shine to lips.
Powder Blush ($19.50 U.S. / $23.50 CDN)

Darkly My Dear -  Dirty brown plum (Matte) (Limited Edition)  * although plum blush doesn't flatter every complexion, this one has enough brown to make it modern, and not "disco."  It will flatter cooler, deeper skin tones, the most

Beauty Powder ($25.00 U.S. / $30.00 CDN)

Her Own Devices - Cool nude (Limited Edition)  *this smooths out some imperfections, but doesn't really add much color. It's just fun to take out of it's compact featuring Cruella with red gloves and a wicked expression, and dust on to diminish shine

Penultimate Eyeliner ($16.50 U.S. / $20.00 CDN)

Rapidblack True black (Permanent)

Evil Queen:

Eyeshadow ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Her Alter Image  - Light violet (Veluxe Pearl) (Limited Edition)  *if the Evil Queen has a softer side, that has to be it. A sweet, very pearly, light lilac has just enough "ashy" qualities to make it ready for Fall, and not Spring.

Vainglorious  - Bronze burgundy (Frost) (Limited Edition)  *kudos again to MAC for making a glamorous burgundy that doesn't make you look like you have "rabbit eyes." This one has enough warmth in bronze to make lids shimmery and sexy!

Vile Violet  - Deep dirty blue purple (Matte) (Limited Edition)  *"Vile" is beautiful!  This is the type of versatile, deep purple color that MAC does so well. Add this one, with the Evil Queen's head on the clear top, to your collection!

Lipstick ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Toxic Tale -  Bright coral (Satin) (Limited Edition)  *it's bright coral, bold, and very warm--but it's also a great way to wear a bold lip without going the red or purple route

Sinister Soft brown plum (Lustre) (Limited Edition) *this silky, sheer brown is spiced with a hint of plum/pink.  If you want to try a brown-ish lipstick but don't like it to be too deep and "goth," this one gives you a sheer brown/pink you can't help but feel good about. Swipe it on when you don't feel like wearing "too much"

Lipglass ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Strange Potion - Soft coral pink (Limited Edition) * nothing is really "strange" about this one!  The color is creamy and intense, but there's enough pink in it to rescue the tone from being "beachy" to more "earthy/peachy."  If you love the look of coral, you'll want this for your collection

Hot House Deep -  raspberry with pink pearl (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Strange Hybrid) *this bright, intense raspberry is warm enough not to look "ghoulish" and looks great on just about everyone. Raspberry is a great alternative to red for a bold lip!

Powder Blush ($19.50 U.S. / $23.50 CDN)

Bite of an Apple -  Soft coral pink (Matte) (Limited Edition)  *clearly, the Evil Queen looks kindly on warm-toned complexions. This bright coral will perk up even the sallowest skin and add a pop! of color to cheeks

Beauty Powder ($25.00 U.S. / $30.00 CDN)

Oh So Fair  - Clean pink with gold pearl (Limited Edition)  * The Evil Queen holds up her tempting apple on the top of this compact, but the sheer, soft, velvety, clear pink multi-purpose powder/blush within, will tempt you far more. TIP: Dot some on your lips for an instant, clear, matte pink-in-a-pinch, as well as on your cheeks!

Maleficent:

Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo ($21.00 U.S. / $25.00 CDN)

My Dark Magic - Deep pink with pink pearl / Deep plum with purple pearl (Limited Edition)  *The marbleized powder looks like a Halloween sky, but mixed together the blackened purples and plums with a hint of silver morph into a most amazing, shimmery, smoky plum eye.  If you want just one eye shadow to give you all the drama you need -- this one has to be it!
She Who Dares -  Deep navy with blue pearl / Deep forest green with lime green pearl (Limited Edition)  *I like the navy and the green, used separately. Together they look a bit muddy. But each on it's own--a modern, glittery, smoky eye to die for!

Lipstick ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Violetta Bright clean violet purple (Amplified) (PRO) *although the color looks shocking in the tube, cool skinned ladies will love the look of the hot violet for a bold lip. Against pale skin, it looks shocking --but it makes for a head-turning villainnesses!

Dark Deed - Burgundy plum (Amplified) (Limited Edition)  *OMG! If this intense, almost blackened violet red, isnt' the perfect animated villianous lip, drawn by Disney,  I don't know what is! Palefaces will want this for true drama--I think best at night--deeper complexions will be flattered at any time with a bold, deep lip.

Lipglass ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Revenge is Sweet Light yellow purple (Limited Edition)  *this sheer, bright pink is loaded with shine and shimmer, and makes lips look just a bit more pouty and deeper-toned than natural. I love this one for an everyday gloss or as an overlay for deeper colors in the Venomous Villains collection

Wrong Spell - Deep plum with pink purple (Limited Edition) *it is a semi-sheer, deep, blackened plum, but it looks almost brown or "fig" in different lights. On lips, it's a bit "goth" but the plum keeps it just a bit warmer.

Beauty Powder ($25.00 U.S. / $30.00 CDN)

Briar Rose - Soft violet pink with pearl (Limited Edition)  *this multi-tasking powder comes in an insane compact featuring Maleficent and her "vulture" with outstretched arms (and wings). Inside, a sheer,cool,  medium rose powder can be used as a blush, all over, a highlighter or even on eyes and dotted on lips. Gorgeous and useful!

Nail Lacquer ($13.00 U.S. / $15.50 CDN)

Bad Fairy - Red with red multi-changing pearl (Limited Edition)  *not your "ruby slippers" red, this one is slightly darkened, almost garnet. One coat gives you a wash of red with sparkle, two, dark red encrusted "badness"

Formidable! -Purple with pink multi-changing pearl (Limited Edition)  *a deep plum that sparkles with a blue-ish shimmer that's dark and sexy and just a little bit "vamp-ish"
Mean & Green  - Purple with teal multi-changing pearl (Limited Edition) *a sexy, deep teal with an unusual mix of red flecks just :blackened" enough to avoid looking Christmas-y

Dr. Facilier:

MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder  * this product comes in a shaker jar and it looks like an ordinary loose powder (with Dr. Facilier's face on the cap), but I've never tried anything quite like it. The Voodoo Master has created a powder that feels "wet" like a mist on your face, but it seems to smooth out skin tone, leaving nothing but a flawless, slightly matte complexion with a bit of shimmer. You can use it over foundation or wear it on bare skin and make it look much better--almost like magic! I love i

Truth & Light Sheer  - shimmer that reflects silver and pink (Limited Edition) *my skin looked better than Snow White's on the silver screen!  Just a hint gives your skin a more flawless look and a pink-ish glow. I can't get over it--just gorgeous. Get one before they're all gone!

Cajun Sheer bronze - shimmer that reflects gold (Limited Edition) * this looked so deep in the shaker jar, I was almost afraid to use it, but the powder is super-sheer and adds nothing much more--at least on my fair by ruddy-ish skin -- than a bit of golden shimmer just a "little something"--it's pretty and fun to use.

Lipgelee ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

Resort Life  - Off white with pink pearl (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Lillyland)  *this gives you a dramatic, almost 60's style lip look. It's too shimmery/pearly for my taste, but the golden shimmer makes it sexy on the right complexion.
Greasepaint Stick ($17.50 U.S. / $21.00 CDN)

Slick Black  - True carbon black (Limited Edition) (Repromote) * no villainness can do without cats-eyes--and this inky black,creamy "pencil" brings it all together. You can use this smudged on lids, or even dotted on lips for a goth look.  A must-have!

French Quarter  -  Dirty black green with multi-colour pearl (Limited Edition) *applied full strength, this creamy stick of intense color looks black, but once you've smudged it a tiny bit it looks like a glorious bronze, with golden shimmer. If you want a long, long, long lasting eye liner or smoky eye, you can't go wrong with this awesome color.

Pigment ($19.50 U.S. / $23.50 CDN)

Melon Soft bright golden peach (Frost) (Permanent) * Pigments tend to be a bit too much shimmer and color for me in general, but this one definitely,  I'm using!  It gives skin a starry wash of golden shimmer--the peach is so sheer you hardly see it.  For a glamorous evening out, it's a new must-have

Brash & Bold Bright magenta (Frost) (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Makeup Art Cosmetics)  *If you're into bright, bold color, you'll want to add this hot pink to your collection. I dabbed a bit on lips and cheeks, but I saw plenty of red/pink colors on lids on the runways, so if you're fashion-forward, you'll use this many ways.
Push the Edge  - Deep bright purple with pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition) (Repromote from Makeup Art Cosmetics)  * What you see is what you get, a deep purple with a pink-ish hued shimmery perle. It's bright, but pretty used with a bit of restraint-or not!

MAC I’m So Vain Mirror ($12.00 U.S. / $14.50 CDN) - Compact inspired by collaboration; interior contains standard mirror on one side and magnifying mirror on alternate side. (Limited Edition)

Zoom Fast Black Lash ($14.00 U.S. / $16.50 CDN)

One Shade Deepest black (Permanent)

Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved.The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email Me. Subscribe to this blog -options on right hand column. Follow me on and I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

MAC Cosmetics' ProLongwear Lipcreme, Foundation and Concealer are High Tech Beautifiers

 Some good things in life fade in moments, but others, like MAC Cosmetic's ProLongwear Lipcreme, Foundation and Concealers, last a long time.  This pro-style collection was tested backstage at Fashion Week, but it's available to you right now, with "time" related names for the shade, such as “Made to Last,” “Till Tomorrow!” and “Goes & Goes." 

The lip products are particularly astounding.  I love the slim, matte, black tube  with slated tip for more control than a normal lipstick bullet.  And these don't just look different in the tube, they feature high tech formulas that  help lips look soft and moist and full of intense color that looks amazing from the moment you swipe it on, to hours later (and yes, I tried it and these lipcreme lip colors really do stick around).  You can get the lipcremes in frost or a creamy, moist texture.  Here's the collection:

Pro Longwear Lipcreme:

Made To Last Deep plumy brown (Frost)

Till Tomorrow Greyed mauvy brown (Cream)

Sweet Ever After Copper (Frost)

Faithfully Yours Blackened dirty purple (Cream)

Goes and Goes Blue violet (Cream)  *not quite a "goth" purple, but it's dark and cool--best for deeper complexions that aren't too warm.

Love Forever! Bright blue pink (Cream)

Perpetual Flame Pink cranberry (Cream)  *pretty and bold, but even a redhead like me, can wear it

Unlimited Muted dirty rose (Cream)

Overtime Light baby pink (Cream)

Extended Play Blackened brick red (Cream)

Good To Go Loudmouth orange (Cream)  *wow! It's really orange, but it's dramatic with the right attitude. I'd blot it down a bit and add a shiny gloss for a new way to wear a bold lip

Prolong True red (Cream) *if there is a perfect red goddess out there, she surely created this bold, pure, lovely red that actually is universally flattering --a true miracle!

Suggested Retail Price $16.00 U.S./$19.00 CDN

Pro Longwear SPF 10 Foundation & Concealer: 

In truth, foundation lasts a shorter or longer period of time depending upon what products you use prior to, and after, it's application, and of course, on the environment and temperature, and your skin's personal characteristics. But some do last longer than others.  While MAC's new PrLongwear Foundation and Concealer didn't really last the 15+ hours the press literature claims, it did stick around a long time, offering a lovely, buildable semi-opaque coverage (thanks to medical-grade patch polymers).  Even better, they didn't "transfer" onto clothes, even in the heat, so you can wear that high turtleneck and not have the collar look like a patchwork quilt before the day ends.  I like the pump bottle that keeps fingers clean and gives you just the amount you need.  Micronized pigments give you a moistly matte finish that feels so lightweight, you'll forget you have makeup on.  If you're the type that never wears foundation becuase you don't like the feel, the look or "messiness" of it, this is a foundation you must try!  Even more to my liking is the concealer in a pump bottle.  It blends beautifully, seemingly melting into skin to cover flaws and dark circles, while still managing to look like it's part of your genuine complexion -- genius!  There are plenty of tones you can choose from ranging from very light to deep--one is calling you name right now!



NC15, NC20, NC25, NC30, NC35, NC40, NC42, NC45, NC50,

NW20, NW25, NW30, NW35, NW40, NW45, NW50

Suggested Retail Price $29.50 U.S./$35.50 CDN


Pro Longwear Concealer:

NC15, NC20, NC30, NC35, NC42, NC45, NC50, NW15, NW20,

NW25, NW30, NW35, NW40, NW45, NW50

Suggested Retail Price $16.50 U.S./$20.00 CDN

*for more perfect application, consider using one of MAC's pro-style brushes to apply foundation ande concealer just as you want it.  You can use your fingers, too, of course.

190 Foundation Brush A professional-class foundation brush designed to provide a smooth, even finish. - Suggested Retail Price $32.00 U.S./$38.50 CDN

195 Concealer Brush A flexible synthetic fibre flat brush with slight pointed tip for precision application and
blending of all concealer formulas and other emollient products. - Suggested Retail Price $22.00 U.S./$26.50 CDN

If you want to try this long-lasting collection, you don't have to wait.  It is available now at all M·A·C locations and you can rejoice becuase they're part of the permanent collection!

1.800.588.0070 and www.maccosmetics.com


 
Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved.The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email Me. Subscribe to this blog -options on right hand column. Follow me on and I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

Make Up Designory's Must-Have Makeup for Fall 2010

 In September, I reviewed a fantastic kit from Make Up Designory, called "Autumn Splendor" from marvellous, Make Up Designory (MUD) that offered a complete look for day and night for just $54.95.  But one of the things I really like about MUD makeup, is that the colors and trendy but really wearable. 

Lips and eyes are a real focus for the Fall season.  But if money's tight, no need to worry about what to get.  I have selected a few, new eye shadows and lip colors From Make Up Designory that can easily and automatically update your look without breaking your budget.  If you can't spring for a whole new makeup collection, here's what to get:

A bold lip is a definite must-have for Fall, but if you don't the type to wear a bold color,especially a bright red,  I suggest warming your lips up with A MUD Satin Lipstick ($15.00) called a rich burnt red.  MUD's satin lipstick formula is moistly-matte (very trendy), but silky and long lasting.  The color is deep, but since it is more like a what your own lips might look like (instead of candy apple or blue red), it doesn't scream out as much as just look powerful and pretty. You can use a brick lip pencil with it for more definition.  If your skin tone is deep, it will blend, but if you are pale, it will give you that bold, red lip look that you can wear in the daytime without fear.

Another way to be bold, but more subtle, is with a lip stain or gloss.  MUD's Sheer Lipstick ($15.00) in "Eggplant" is a deep purple, but you can apply it lightly, like a lip stain, or swipe on several coats for a very glossy, more intense color. I would never personally pick a purple color for my complexion, but this one is universally flattering because you can adjust the color so well.  So, take it from me -- anyone can wear a bold color if it's done in a sheer. If you want to be in fashion, but don't really like the opaque, bold lip lip, MUD Sheer Lipstick will give you all the advantages of a high quality lip gloss, and the look of a shiny stain in one!









A focus on the eyes is also important for Fall.  Make Up Designory's pressed powder Eye Shadows ($13.50/each) are silky, blendable, and come in literally dozens of different colors. The compacts are slim and plain black, with frosted plastic covers, but the colors inside are awesome! Use these long-lasting shadows as-is, or we them with a brush for a vibrant eye liner or intense eye. 

"Berrywood"

 One that I really like is Berrywood.. It lets you wear the purple/berry eye look that is so popular now, without looking like you have "rabbit eyes," because it is a rich, browned burgundy, so it looks nice against your skin.  The matte formula makes it wearable even when it's intense. Use it as a liner or an accent in the crease, too. 

Cashmere is another way to wear mauve/plum/purple this fall. This softly shimmery rose is subtle and warm on lids, but it has enough color so it's not "nude."  use it as a highlight, too.  It's flattering on just about every skin toone.

Brown is a must-have in every eye shadow wardrobe, but MUD's Espresso is a deep rich, chocolate that is so intense and matte, you can make use it for a modern, intense eye, as a liner, or as an accent in the crease. It's versatile, modern, ands beautiful!






Make-up Designory (MUD) is a line of makeup created by pros, for pros, but you can also help yourself to a pro-style look with some of their fine products from their online “MUD Shop.



Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved.The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email Me. Subscribe to this blog -options on right hand column. Follow me on and I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

Backstage Beauty at Michael Angel with Maybelline Fashion Week Spring 2011



a few pieces from Michael Angel's Spring 2011 collection,  backstage



minimal makeup & hair look just  right with bright clothes on the runway

 Some runway shows surprise you with their beauty, in ways you're not expecting it.  That's certainly true of Michael Angel's Spring 2011 runway show.  The hair and makeup, plus black nails, was austere and startling, but really quite beautiful.  Charlotte Willer for Maybelline used many products you can find on the shelves right now, to create a shimmery, fresh, pale face that went well with the severe, slicked-back faux bob created by Dennis Lanni.  The somewhat androgenous look simply enhanced the bold prints and elegant, dressy fabrics of the clothes.

Thanks to Maybelline, I got a chance to see makeup artist Charlotte Willer work her magic on the models, backstage. For this low-key look, Charlotte used Maybelline products, including Dream Liquid Mousse foundation, plus Mineral Concealer and Definer Brow. Charlotte used some of the colors in a very lovely eye shadow quad called "Copper Chic," (mostly copper and bronze, with a yellowed ivory highlighter), and then coated top and bottom lashes with Stiletto Voluptuous Mascara.  For lips, Willer used  Maybelline's Color Sensational Lip Gloss in "Sandstone" for a "just barely there" look. Charlotte said that she felt a natural look would be in store for Spring 2011, but that there would "be some surprises," too!

Maybelline makeup artist Charlotte Willer works on a model





I love this fresh, clean,dewy look on the runway!



Maybelline makeup kits lined up with everything needed to create the look, and more!


  If you want to get the look yourself, you can!  These items are in mass market retailers and drug stores, right now.

It is always hectic backstage. This Maybelline makeup artist posed for a second, before an army of video cameras marched in



the hair look from the back, on the runway during rehersal



The hair look featured a slicked-back bob, with the model's own hair meticulously tucked under and held fast with pins and products (from Bumble & Bumble). Black nail polish finished the beauty portion of Michael Angel's vision for Spring 2011. 

***watch this colunn for a report on the Michael Angel Runway show and video of the finale!  To be sure you don't miss it, subscribe to this blog and/or follow me on Twitter @advicesisters
Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. all photos by alison blackman, and all rights reserved.The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email Me. Subscribe to this blog -options on right hand column. Follow me on and I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

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Beautyblender Beats Fingertips for Makeup Application & Supports BCA this Month

Beautyblender travel kit supports Breast Cancer  Awareness

When I first saw the hot, pink, Beautublender sponge up close and personal, my first reaction was that it looked like a nose for a female clown!  But it's not a toy or a nose, or for a clown--quite the opposite.  The Beautyblender is a clever, useful, and effective way to get your makeup looking as flawless and even as when a pro applies it.

The soft sponge is a teardrop shape that lets you apply liquid or cream foundation easily and smoothly.  The wide part is for most of your face, and the tip of the teardrop helps you get around your nose, eyes, and anywhere else that requires a more specific application.  As you dot (not rub) your foundation on your face, the sponge curves to fit the contours of your face.  I dampened the sponge, used a little bit of liquid foundation and applied it to my face.  Although I'm pretty good with my fingertips, the results were impressive. I did a little less well applying blush with the sponge, because I am used to controlling it with my fingertips.  But if you want a large area covered quickly and smoothly, the Beautyblender is amazing.  No fingertip or brushes can offer the smooth (and fast) coverage of a sponge.  This one is also hot pink (fun to use) and it is latex free, non-allergenic and odor free. 


One of the problems with using a sponge applicator is that once you use it, you have to clean it. If you can't cleanse it thoroughly, you run the risk of getting bacteria on your face.  But there is help for this as well. A cleverly packaged cleanser called Blendercleanser gets the sponge clean in seconds.  The glass bottle has a push-top dispenser with a little, clear, plastic "well" attached just the right side to place your Beautyblender sponge. When you depress the pump top, the cleanser come up through the well and into the sponge.  Rub it around with some water, rinse, and then place the sponge back on the top of the Blendercleanser and let it dry.  If you leave this on your skin, you will always have a clean sponge right at your fingertips, literally.  And, the cleanser worked well on all types of  foundations.  It even removed super long-lasting products that are heavy and difficult to clean. The lightly-scented-with-lavender cleanser hasn't any dyes of skin irritants, and it has a soy-based, low-suds formula  so it's good for the Earth, too. 


You can purchase the Beautyblender and the Cleanser separately, but there is a special, Beautyblender Travel Kit with both products available during the month of October to support Breast Cancer Awareness. It comes in a cello gift-able box (just add a bow and you're good to go) and would make a great holiday gift.  This set is available this month at Sephora and at www.BeautyBlender.net, it's just $23.95 -- and 10% of all sales to the Breast Cancer Support Community





Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved.The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email Me. Subscribe to this blog -options on right hand column. Follow me on and I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

Clinique's novel makeup gets the RED out!

no, my face isn't really this red--it's photoshopped--just to prove a point about Clinique's Redness Solutions!

 If you have ever seen a person with very ruddy skin and wondered why they look like a lobster, often-times it is due to facial flushing, caused by inflammation or blood vessels sitting at the surface of the skin. Emotions, food, alcohol, climate or hormonal changes can cause flare ups. It's embarrassing, and until now, there has been little offered to the general public to deal with this problem.


But to the rescue, is Clinique. Their new Redness Solutions Makeup SPF 15 with Probiotic Technology ($24.50), and their Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder ($32.50) and Targeted Corrector (concealer) $19.50, all help to keep redness under control.

One of the more common forms of facial redness is rosacea. More than 14 million people, according to Clinique, suffer from this problem. Clinique's latest and greatest Redness Solutions Makeup SPF 15 doesn't just cover up the redness (which it does, of course), but it also calms and soothes the skin, so the flushing and sensitivity people feel from Rosacea is diminished. Although the foundation in a tube looks like any other, it's a soothing, oil-free foundation infused with probiotics, antioxidants and SPF so your skin is getting a modest, but appropriate treatment, while you're dealing with the issue of redness. Those with dry, combo, or oily-combo skin types will benefit most from this foundation, and it's really for those with mild to moderate rosacea. I liked the coverage, which was fairly opaque but not mask-like (if you have large pores you might want to use a primer, first).

Even more impressive is the Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder. The slightly yellow-tinted powder is supposed to measurably reduce redness on contact. I can tell you from personal experience, that it does. I've always been a fan of Clinique's loose powders, and this oil-free, talc-free powder would wow me even if I didn't have ruddiness in my skin. A patent-pending formula includes caffeine, extracts of magnolia bark, and poria cocos (mushroom), plus citrus grandi peel (grapefruit) to calm redness. And there are natural minerals including calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium plus Vitamin E. The soothing, velvety powder instantly covers redness and broken capillaries -- even the ones near my nose that nothing seems to cover. It worked beautifully, even on bare skin. A nice touch is the anti-bacterial brush in it's silvery, swivel up case. This one is truly great for people with mild-to-moderate Rosacea or reactive redness .I've switched powders to this one because it gives me all the benefits I want from a translucent, semi-sheer, loose powder, and helps dull the redness, too. TIP: Note: the retractable brush can hold a single application of powder for later use. Dip the bristles into powder, twist down and cover with the silvery lid. Carry the "loaded" brush in your bag for when you really need it. Trust me, if you love this powder as I do, you won't want to leave home without it. I love this powder!  It's just, fantastic!

Rounding out the trio of redness fighters from Clinique is a swivel up concealer spot treatment in a silvery tube. The creamy, one-color stick is a faint yellow to help minimize the look of red skin. It's got similar good-for-your-skin ingredients to the powder, including magnolia bark extract, citrus grandis peel (both strong antioxidants), caffeine (for anti-redness bennies), plus poria cocos extract and murumuru butter to protect skin from environmental saboteurs, I like the consistency of this concealer--it's creamy but it almost automatically melts into your skin, making it easy to blend. It's a bit on the light side,but blend-able. I tried it not on red skin, but on an ugly, red zit that was about to ruin my complexion. It covered it completely. This is another powerful weapon in the arsenal of skin correction. It is also allergy tested, 100% fragrance free, oil-free, and non acnegenic.

Thanks, Clinique!  Get these now at your favorite Clinique makeup counter, or visit Clinique online at www.clinique.com


Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved.The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email Me. Subscribe to this blog -options on right hand column. Follow me on and I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

Memorable Fall Makeup from Shiseido for 2010

Shiseido Fall 2010 - all you need for a trendy look

these palettes were inspired by Dick Page's photos



Boudoir was inspired by an umade bed in a room bathed in pink light

 As a writer who is also a photographer, I really appreciate makeup artist and Shisedo's Artistic Director Dick Page's vision for the Shiseido Fall 2010 makeup collection. Dick Page has been busy at Fashion Week, creating looks for United Bamboo and Band of Outsiders.  Add a new, Shiseido, Nourishing Mascara Base ($23.00) and get moisturized, volumized lashes. Then add a Shiseido Perfect Mascara Defining Volume in brown or black (with Pantenyl ethyl ether to stimulate lash growth - $23.00/each) and you've got the trendiest eyes around!   * there's also a long-wearing click-it-pen-style eye liner.


The seven, new,  Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trios ($33.00 each)  were inspired by photographs Dick took in his travels. For example, The silvery "Snow Shadow"palette was inspired by a shot in Long Island; while the tiger-colored "Fire" was inspired by a campfire in Nevada.  As you look at all of the palettes, you can see Page's colorful view of the world, made wearable in makeup, for fashionable women.  And the beautifully packaged palettes are far from ordinary.  They feature micromatic color pigments, Super Hydro-Wrap Vitalizing DE and dual optimizing powder ingredients.  Without all the tech-speak, these eye shadow reflect light and have a natural sheen on the lids, they apply velvety smooth,a nd even help to avoid that dry, crepy look that you can sometimes have, especially in cooler months.

...but of course, there's more to a complete makeup look than just the eyes.  Shiseido always takes the trends and turns out makeup collections that reflect the latest and greatest, but in formulas and colors that every woman can select for a beautiful look.

Here is what else Shiseido has in store for Fall 2010:

Natural Finish Cream Concealer $25.00  five shades: Light (1), Light Medium (2), Medium (3), Dark (4), and Deep (5)

Pore Smoothing Corrector $30.00 (featuring Dual Optimizing Powder – Minimizes the appearance of fine lines; and Oil-Absorbing, too)

Softening Makeup Primer SPF 20 $30.00 (helps to prevent shine, adds a natural sheen, provides a smooth finish, and gives skin a moisturized look all day long).  Perfect Rouge Lipstick (intense, long lasting color that goes on moisturizing, and divine!):  Divine (PK331): Cool, bright pink; Blush (RD732): Natural pink that is warm and subdued but adds just enough "oomph" to pale lips; Caramel (BE333): Warm, mid-toned brown with traces of gold; Roseate (RD734): A rose color with a fine touch of silver that looks sexy day or night, and Tawny (BR735): A dusky, pinkish brown

 
---and there's also a new Future Solution FX Eye and Lip Contour.

As skin ages, it loses suppleness and resilience causing wrinkles and grooves to become more permanent. The New Future Solution LX Eye and Lip Contour
Regenerating Cream features a patent-pending Skingenecell 1P and
the new exclusive Form Support Veil to deal with these visible signs of aging, and also protect your skin for now into the future.  It's packed with exotic, cutting edge, and powerful ingredients. I hope to review this in greater detail in the future. You can get it now, however, $130.00 for 15 mL

I am wearing the tiger-colored "Fire" trio and Roseate Lipstick
This makeup lasted for hours!

Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved.The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied with written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally: Email Me. Subscribe to this blog -options on right hand column. Follow me on and I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column