Avon's New Lipstick Has Serious Bite for Under $10

I can’t resist a bold lip. It’s one of my favorite beauty looks to rock for any and all occasions— to the office, on dates and girl’s night. The only issue I have with choosing a bold lip is the maintenance. Constantly having to check in a mirror and reapplying is annoying. While it is worth it, thanks to Avon’s new Ultra Color Bold Lipstick I’m not awkwardly looking into the camera on my phone to check my lipstick anymore.

Avon came out with eight new shades for their Ultra Color Bold Lipstick and they’re amazing. From Magenta Peach, to Ruby Shock and my favorite, Fearless Fuchsia, there’s a color for everyone. Whatever color you choose, the lipstick’s pigment is intense. But if you don’t want such an intense color, a little blot of a paper towel removes the shock factor of the bright color and evenly blends the lipstick into a more subtle color.

Not only does it look amazing, but the way it feels on is not what you think when you think lipstick. It almost feels like a chapstick when you apply it because of how smooth and creamy it is. The moisturizing texture dries to a satin-like finish. This smooth texture also keeps the lines in your lips from showing unlike some other matte-finish products.

With such moisture you would assume that the colors spreads and wears really easily. But it doesn’t. I wore a different color almost every day to shows during NYFW and I every night I came home and had to take a makeup wipe and wash it off. The staying power is really a pleasant surprise.

And the cherry on top... it only costs $8.

Avon Makeup Backstage Elizabeth & James

Here's a peek behind the scene's of Mary Kate and Ashley Olson's fashion show for their line, Elizabeth and James through the eyes of Irina Shayk, Avon's Global Ambasador and (I had to say it...) Sports Illustrated Super Model.  Loved the video. Had to share!

5 Favorites from Kiehl's, Laura Mercier, Jin Soon & More

Since I'm just kicking off this feature, it's so hard not to do this post daily.  Of course, when it comes to beauty loot I have a ton of favorites, but I promise to always bring you a well edited list of the best of the moment.  When I walk into a drugstore, Sephora or department store, I am beyond overwhelmed with options so I hope this helps you cut through the clutter.  If you're looking for something specific and need a product recommendation, you can always reach me on Facebook! Truth is you hands and your neck give away your age quicker than your face.  That's thanks to the extra TLC we give our faces in preventative and corrective measures.  I was super impressed when I was introduced to Avon's Absolute Even Multi-Tone Skin Corrector + Hand Cream, because it has SPF 15 for protection, but also helps to even out your skin tone.  I use hand cream about eight times a day and now don't have to think about getting old lady fingers.

While Laura Mercier's Cavier Stick Eye Colour, $24was created to help enhance a smoky eye, I like using it in Rose Gold as a wash of faint color all over my lid.  It makes me look more alive and is perfect for daytime.  Believe it or not, it consists of a creamy texture that doesn't crease and stays put all day.  Promise.  Since it's creamy, if you plan on layering it, let it dry between coats or it will be sticky.

While I normally like wearing dark greys or almost black shades on my tips, I am completely obsessed with Jin Soon's new Nail Polish in Blue Iris, $18.  The electric blue pigment is so bold that it's a conversation starter all on its own.

Anything that's labeled "stress-minimizing" is worth a try.  My latest conquest has been the Kiehl's Skin Rescuer Stress-Minimizing Daily Hydrator, $40.  Truth is, it helps minimize and prevent the effects that stress can have on your skin like fine lines, blotchiness and inflammation.  Yoga classes are still helpful.

While It Factor's new product Simply It, $21.50 cuts drying time, I'm kind of obsessed with it because it makes styling so much easier and let's just say that this bob isn't always willing to cooperate.  It literally does everything like adds shine, acts like a detangler, adds moisture and is a heat protectant.  I like it because it smells so clean.  I start my day using it and even use it mid day for touch ups as a style refresher.

The Best Summer Beauty Buys, Aruba Approved

Packing for Aruba was intense.  Literally, I had a carry on sized suitcase just for my toiletries and I wouldn't even consider myself high maintenance.  I was (naturally) elected by my family to bring as much sunscreen as I had for the 13 of us on the trip and of course packed different forms of UV hair protection, cream based cosmetics and you know, hair removing essentials.  Here's a peek at the products that proved their worth from my packing list...  

Shiseido Urban Environment UV Protection Cream - I tried a variety of sunscreens while I was in Aruba with SPF's of 30 to SPF's of 60.  This was one I used often on my face.  It has an SPF of 35, protects from UVA and UVB rays and is water resistant.  I liked that it was light weight and didn't clog my pores.

L'Oreal Sublime Sun SPF 50 - I found myself liking the spray version of this SPF.  I started out using the 50 since I'm so pale and the sun was so strong.  As the week went on I switched to 30.

Philosophy Here Comes The Sun Age Defense SPF 30 - This is the spray I used once I switched to SPF 30.  The mist is more targeted than the L'Oreal one, but no matter which one I used, I made sure to rub them in as well.

Schick Hydro Silk Razor & Skintimate Shave Gel Pack – I really like this razor because it has five blades and dispenses a smoothing serum when it gets wet, but this pack came with a travel sized shaving cream so it was convenient and a great bang for my buck.

Bumble & Bumble Color Minded UV Protective Polish – After drying my hair at night I smoothed a dime sized amount of this lightweight serum through my strands and it gave my hair a great sheen while protecting my color.  Since I didn't wash it again when I woke up to go to the beach, it continued to protect it from the sun all day long.

Avon Glow Eyeliner in Copper Paradise – This is my fave summer liner.  The creamy consistency glides on smoothly and the shade makes my hazel eyes pop especially when I'm by the ocean.  It's a nice change from a sharp black or brown.  Perfect for a beachy locale.

Genius Product Alert: Mark Cosmetics Double Do Shape & Gloss Kit

Last month I attended an event for Mark Cosmetics at Milk Studios in celebration of their new haircare line and chatted it up with Celebrity Stylist, Angie Barton about one product in particular that blew my mind, Mark's Double Do.   A genius two-in-one hair product that lives in a compact so you can take it anywhere.  I'm surprised no one thought of this earlier. The collection includes a variety of styling products that use light-weight exotic oils to help replenish hair without weighing it down.  A nice balance indeed, but when I saw the compact I was immediately drawn to it.  As a beauty editor, it's not often you find something this innovative.  Introducing the Double Do – the square compact has two styling products inside: a shaping wax for texture and definition and it flips over revealing a solid gloss to smooth fly aways and add shine.

"I use it on everyone from Hugh Jackman to Miranda Kerr, because both products are buildable and will take you through a day and into the night," comments Barton.

It's great to pack for a summer vacation or even throw into your purse for touch ups.  You can find Mark's Double Do Shape & Gloss Kit here.

Hunger Games Beauty: Jennifer Lawrence's Makeup Artist Dishes on Transforming Katniss Everdeen

It's Hunger Games Day!  I was suppossed to see it at midnight last night and my flight from Arizona got in a bit late so I didn't make it!  So anxious!  In honor, I'm giving you the scoop on what it's like to work with Jennifer Lawrence straight from her makeup artist, Jillian Dempsey, the Avon Global Creative Color Director, who worked with her for the LA Premeire.  She transformed the girl in the woods into a head turning, red carpet beauty with intoxicating eyes.   Did you collaborate with the rest of her glam squad before creating her look?  What was that like?  

Yes, I collaborated with both the stylist Elizabeth Stewart and hair stylist Mark Townsend to create Jennifer’s look.

Was her look based off of her gorgeous Prabul Gurung gown?

I was definitely inspired by Elizabeth’s choice of the metallic gold Prabal Gurung gown. It was bold and so glamorous, and I wanted that sexiness to be reflected in her makeup. We wanted to push the eyes to the extreme to complement the striking outfit.  That's why I decided to put the focus on Jennifer’s eyes.

How did you create such a striking effect?

I started by by lining them with a deep black liner and then layering a gold eyeshadow on top.  Using a featherbrush, I blended the edges of the liner with the gold shadow. By merging the two textures and colors, I created a multidimensional effect that appeared as a sparkling black to match the graphic elements of the gown. I also darkened Jennifer’s brows to further accentuate her eyes and frame her face. Mark pulled her hair back into a loose, low bun which helped highlight her eyes as well.

Key products used to create the look were: 

Eyes: Laura Mercier Caviar Eyeliner in Black

 Face: Jillian Dempsey for Avon Professional Perfect Contour Powder in Blissful (available in April), Be Blushed Cheek Color by Avon in Tropical Peach and StilaConvertible Color in Peony

Lips: Ultra Color Rich Moisture Seduction by Avon in Nude Perfection and Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Lip Stain in Coral Aquatique

My PiX 11 Segment: Back to School Makeup

Go Backstage at Mackage

I woke up this morning feeling like I was about to go through sorority recruitment all over again, or my ninth season of fashion week!  An intense week of events and a huge work load lied before me, but being the first day of New York Fashion Week, I sprung out of bed this morning (flipcam and crackberry in hand) and was at the tents by 8 am to cover backstage for Mackage.  

Walk of shame hair was the inspiration behind the "perfectly unperfect look" styled by Anthony Barrow for Avon. You can easily pull it off for a night out (or the morning after) by dramatically parting your hair to the side showcasing one eye and blow drying straight.  Before securing in a clear elastic at the base of your neck, tease the crown to create texture and finish with a shine spray.

A strong eye like the one Shiseido artist, Nobuko Yamada, created for Mackage is easy to achieve.  The key to creating a wet look that stays put is eye gloss.  Yamada first lined the outer and inner top and bottom lids with black liner, then used a black shadow and topped it off by patting eye gloss on top.  Tip: If you don't have eye gloss, you can use a clear lip gloss to create the same effect.

Check out the below video for a sneak peek of behind the scenes and click here to view the show.