Blush Makeup Artistry

Kiss of Death

Lately the story on every beauty’s lips has been the ingredients in her lip products. It seems cosmetics manufacturers may be mum on whether or not their products contain unhealthy ingredients. Consumer advocates are concerned exactly what is in that tube of lipstick as the average woman ingests six pounds of lipstick in her lifetime.

According to an article by Q by Equinox, “lip glosses are some of the worst heavy metal offenders, often containing the highest levels of lead, arsenic, and cadmium.” Due to slack regulations, you won’t find a product’s questionable ingredients listed on its packaging. If you beauties are super curious how your favorites shades stack up on the lead-o-meter, check out www.fda.gov or www.safecosmetics.org.

A study done by The Beauty Brains, however, informs beauties that you would have to chow down and ingest fifteen entire tubes of lipstick in one day’s time to have a toxic level of lead in your bloodstream. If you are a little leery next time you pucker up and apply your favorite shade, check out this list of seven “healthy” lip options offered up by Q by Equinox.

1.     Bite Beauty Acai Superfruit Butter

2.     KTO Lip Gloss

3.     Yes to Carrots Sweet Fig Lip Butter

4.     Dr. Lipp’s Original Nipple Balm for Lips

5.     Intelligent Nutrients Certified Organic Lip Delivery Antioxidant Gloss

6.     Sonia Kashuk Moisture Luxe Tinted Lip Balm

7.     Alba Botanica Hawaiian Lip Gloss

If these options are a little too “crunchy” for you beauties and you long for something that would make beauty editors swoon, check out Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics line of Lip Tar. All of the shades are lead and paraben free and can be mixed and blended together. OCC’s Lip Tars are formulated with hemp oil, peppermint oil, and vitamin E. Bite Beauty also features an array of lip products in fashion forward colors all of which are formulated without parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMO’s, and triclosan.

Are you beauties concerned with the ingredients in your lip products? Or do you prefer to bite the bullet, ironically enough, and rock your favorite shade despite its heavy metal content? Beauties, it’s time to put your lipstick where your mouth is!

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“Eyebrows, there should be two!”

Did you beauties recognize my title from the fabulous cinematic hit Miss Congeniality? This
memorable quote is said by Michael Caine’s character, Victor Melling, while he utilizes his
team of beauty professionals to create a pageant queen out of Sandra Bullock’s, Gracie
Hart, tomboy character. This scene has impacted numerous beauty routines and grooming
habits, reminding women and men alike to not forget about one of the most important
features on their faces: their eyebrows.

Stencils and templates are no longer just for arts and crafts projects. Makeup artists and
novices alike have incorporated stencils into their beauty routines by airbrushing leopard
print over their eye shadow, or by adding some non-permanent stars to their faces á la
Kat Von D. Truly adventurous beauties can airbrush wood grain, foliage, and even
gears to their faces. The newest trend on the stencil front is a collection of eyebrow stencils
based on the brows of famous females throughout history. Bad A** Stencils has added Bad
A** Brow Stencils (BABS) to their anthology of templates, including Bad A** Full Size Stencils,
Bad A** Mini Stencils (BAMS) and Bad A** Half A** Stencils (HAS). Beauties of varying levels
of celebrity can achieve fame with stencils mimicking Marilyn Monroe, Angelina Jolie,
Coco Chanel, and Audrey Hepburn’s statement making brows, among countless other
unforgettable women. If that isn’t quite your style, beauties can choose from an array of other
patterns to grace their brows ranging from “Clown,” to “Fire,” and even “Smoke.”

The entire line of BAS are designed by makeup artist and body painter Andrea O’Donnell. Each
template contains two sizes of the same design, allowing you to have more control in achieving
your desired look. These stencils are also solvent-proof, perfect for multiple uses. Are you
ready to raise a few brows of your own? Check out Bad A** Stencils on www.istencils.com. If
you beauties have caught the stencil bug and are interested in learning more about the world
of body painting and airbrushing, check out www.babodyart.com for details about BAS
designer Andrea’s workshops, classes, demos, and seminars taking place at Skincognito
Makeup Art Studio & Supply in Howell, Michigan.

Can’t get enough of my beauty tips and tricks? You’re not alone!
Follow Blush Makeup Artistry on Facebook @blushmakeupartistryco
and on Twitter @BlushMakeup_WV

Lipstick on Your Collar

            If you fellow beauties are skeptical of fortunetellers or palm readers, perhaps you should try this latest beauty oddity on for size. Lose the crystal ball and pucker up for “love fortunes” by a lipstick kiss fortuneteller. Although a quick Google search will display many mystics who specialize in kissing and telling, the original concept comes from none other than a woman named Sasha Nanus. Nanus developed her idea of trading kisses for fortunes on the very common handwriting analysis after working with various cosmetics companies.

Beauties start off by applying a lipstick shade that suits their particular energy or personality. They then kiss a small card, a step up from your typical napkin. Your mystic will then “read” your lip print, spilling the beans on many attributes of your personality, including where you are in your life. Some lipstick kiss fortunetellers may ask you to kiss twice, once for the past and once for the present. Some may also allow you to ask one deep, burning question.   

Although lipstick kiss love fortunes are super popular in major cities, Victoria’s Secret often hosts events complete with kiss fortunetellers in their Herald Square store located in the heart of New York city, long distance beauties need not fret. The mystic Anita Miranda offers readings to beauties in the San Diego, California area, but she also offers readings via telephone and Skype. Interested beauties should check out her appropriately titled site, www.lipstickreadings.com, for details and pricing.

Who knew a simple tube of lipstick held the key to who you are as a person and where your future will take you? Apply your chosen color generously and pucker up to the future beauties!

Can’t get enough of my beauty tips and tricks? You’re not alone!

Follow Blush Makeup Artistry on Facebook @blushmakeupartistryco

and on Twitter @BlushMakeup_WV