mark Totally Balmed SPF 15 Tinted Lip Balm and Glowdacious Illuminating Powder

it's summer, beauties-- time to get your glow on! right now i'm loving mark Glowdacious Illuminating Powder-- it highlights and adds a pretty sheen to my skin. in addition, i have been pampering my lips with mark Totally Balmed SPF 15 Tinted Lip Balm in Totally Bare. the hint of color is perfect under any sheer gloss.

other than my face, i like to add Glowdacious (pictured above in Shimmied Up) to my decollete and shoulders for day, and have been known to add it to my legs at night (makes me feel like a celeb to some degree, LOL!). i love that the finish isn't uber glittery, but looks just right when it catches the light. i apply it using Eco Tools Bronzing Brush-- the perfect, big brush (and so soft!) for applying the powder to my body.



Tinted Lip Balm is a bit stiff in the tube, but manages to glide on smoothly. the color isn't the least bit intense, so there's no worry about feeling like you're too made up when you're just at the beach or spending time lounging by the pool.

find each at meetmark.com

xo
samples featured were sent to me by the brand for review consideration; pics taken by me :)

Get Glowing with NARS Orgasm Illuminator

NARS Orgasm Illuminator is the latest in the family of Orgasm-colored products and probably my most favorite.

if you don't already know, in the world of beauty NARS Orgasm Blush is a "must-have", "perfect for all skintones" blush. sadly, this isn't quite true. i myself am not a fan of the blush on its own, but find it to be a much better highlighting shade on my darker complexion.


stars like Molly Sims, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez and Zoe Saldana have been wearing NARS Illuminator to various events this year.

the Illuminator, thankfully, is much more flattering. as described by the brand, it's a sheer wash of gold, peach and pink fluid. i like to refer to the finish as being more of a pretty sheen than a shimmer. it's uber-wearable and perfect for the upcoming season. it's versatile enough to be worn on bare skin or with makeup. as a highlighter over blush, it creates a gorgeous finish-- it makes cheekbones really pop!-- and can also be blended with foundation to give skin a little extra something. it's also great applied on your decolletage or shoulders.



me wearing NARS Illuminator :)

a word of caution when you use this-- begin with a tiny bit and build to get the effect you need. and note that the finish is sheer and will not reflect the same indoors as it does out. :)

find NARS Orgasm Illuminator at your local NARS beauty counter, at Sephora and online at narscosmetics.com

xo

TotalBeauty.com: Best Legthening & Volumizing Mascaras

mascara is one of the must-haves in any beauty "wardrobe" no matter how much, or little, makeup you wear on a daily basis. think about how you look with mascara and how you look without it-- there's a difference, right? :)

whether you look for a lengthening or volumizing formula, Total Beauty recruted twelve women to do the testing, and they gave their honest opinions. take a look...

Top Mascaras for Length & Volume

What clumped, what ran and what truly transformed our real-woman testers

We had 12 beauty-junkie readers test out so-called lengthening and volumizing mascaras. Their verdict: You could spend a fortune on the best -- but you don't have to. See mascaras

xo

review: Kinerase Under Eye Rescue

for many of us, me included, eye creams are a must-have beauty product. i don't really care what anyone says, i need my eye cream! i believe it is what keeps the skin around my eyes hydrated and looking fresh, even on days when i haven't gotten the sleep i so desperately desire.

Kinerase Under Eye Rescue claims to immediately hydrate and smooth the under-eye area, while the advanced peptide formula reduces the look of under-eye circles and puffiness.

hmmm...guess my skin didn't get that memo...

not that it didn't hydrate, it did, but all of the other things i didn't notice. maybe because i don't have dark circles, but when i used this, i didn't wake up looking as good in the eye area as i had hoped.

also, this stuff stung my eyes every time i applied it. i was super careful, too, but each time i used this, found myself having to let my eyes water in response to it. i tried patting it under my eyes, just under my lashes, but something in this irritated my eyes. they were watering like i was cutting an onion.

strange...i've never had a problem like this before!

while i know everyone has different reactions to different products, reading the review on this stuff has me convinced that i am a rare case. many others find it works brilliantly, and will never go back to their old eye cream. unfortunately, that wasn't my experience, so i'm moving on...

Kinerase Under Eye Rescue can be found at sephora.com


xo

Keep Your Brows in Place with Anastasia Brow Gel

i have never been one to use anything to keep my brows in place. i never thought i really needed it since i don't have very dense, unruly brows, but when i was given Anastasia Brow Gel, i figured it wouldn't hurt to try it!

i have heard many wonderful things about it ("it doesn't flake", "it keeps brows in place all day" "it's a must-have!"), and since it's made by the brow guru herself, i had high expectations.

i wasn't disappointed! this stuff works great!

i love that this is as easy to apply as it is to brush through my brows, and if i have to add more brow color after the gel has dried, it doesn't flake off. i also noticed that my brows weren't left stiff, but managed to stay in place all day. even after rubbing my brows (on purpose, of course), i still found there was no flaking!

so if you've been searching for a brow gel that doesn't flake and still keeps your brows in place, definitely give Anastasia Brow Gel a try!

available in 3 colors, Clear, Blonde and Brunette, you can find Anastasia Brow Gel at Sephora stores and online at sephora.com

xo
photo: sephora.com