Category: news

Look Beautiful, Feel Beautiful and Shop for a Cause!

I am proud to announce I am part of the second annual BeautyBloggers.org charity auction!  This year’s Beauty Sale Benefits Doctors Without Borders.  There are tons of fantastic beauty goods up for action including my Holiday Beauty Kit below.

Participants have donated a treasure trove of the best lotions, potions, products, and gadgets. Donated items range from the hottest items from this year’s holiday collections to hard-to-find exclusives and limited edition cult favorites. When the auction ends, winning bidders make their donations directly to Doctors Without Borders, through the site’s secure giving page. While you can see many if not most of the items up for bid right now, the auction will be live Monday, November 28th and run through Monday, December 12th.

Holiday Gift Guide

Probably no surprise to you, but beauty gifts are on the top of my wish list this holiday season.  Here are some of my favorites:
  1. Bobbi Brown Party Eye Palette: A set of beautiful, classic nudes that every girl could use
  2. Laura Mercier Travel Brush Set: hauling around full-size brushes can be a drag during a holiday getaway. These are perfect to keep in your purse or for packing.
  3. Deborah Lippmann Get This Party Started Nail Lacquer Trio: festive shades from the queen of glitter polishes
  4. Malin + Goetz Essentials Kit: fun way to introduce yourself to this brand
  5. Laura Mercier Mini Lip Glace Set: high shine gloss with loads of shades to play with
  6. Dior Beauty Deluxe 2011 Palette: true essentials in a classic, Dior tweet case
  7. Bliss Six-Pack Lemon and Sage Travel Pack: mini-lux skin and bath treats
  8. Le Metier de Beaute Ken Downing’s Lip & Nail Duo – Red My Lips: Lady-chic set from Neiman Marcus for the on-trend elegant lady
  9. NARS Sea of Love Set: cult-classic shades all in one box
Don’t forget to enter my giveaway to win a basket of Salma Hayek Nuance goodies valued at $100!!!

Salma Hayek Nuance $100 Giveaway!

I am loving Salma Hayek’s Nuance line available at CVS, especially the Oxygen Activated Foaming Face Wash.  And now is your chance to win a basket (worth $100) of my favorites!

First, I love this line because of Salma’s genuine and active involvement in development of Nuance. Salma Hayek was heavily influenced by her grandmother who was a trained cosmetologist in Mexico. I admire a celebrity who choses an active role in development of their brands.

Secondly, I am just a little obsessed with the CVS Beauty Club. They give you a 10% off beauty pass when you enroll.  Every time you spend $50 on beauty products (quite often for me!) you receive $5 in ExtraBucks. AND you get $3 in ExtraBucks on your birthday.  CVS Beauty Club is social media savvy with special offers and content on Facebook and Twitter.

Read more “Salma Hayek Nuance $100 Giveaway!”

SircuitSkin Fall Facial – Carrie Berry Skincare

Frankly, I wasn’t really feeling the holiday spirit.  Halloween was basically a non-event, having forgot to buy candy (and it isn’t exactly my favorite holiday).   Yesterday it was 88 degrees here in Austin – I’m not complaining, but it certainly doesn’t feel like November.  But after a blissful hour with Carrie from Carrie Berry Skincare I could have belted out a holiday tune.

Carrie Berry Skincare is located at Bella SALON & Spa in downtown Austin.  The salon staff were very welcoming and the spa, in typical Austin fashion, was casual and cozy.  Carrie has that friendly, nurturing way about her (she’s a natural with that Oklahoma background).   Plus, she finally validated me by conclusively confirming that I do indeed have dry skin, perfectly suited for the fall facial featuring Youth Accelerator Pumpkin Enzyme Peel by SircuitSkin.  Actually quite a deal at $75.

SircuitSkin is one of those skincare lines you can’t help but love.  They have been in business for almost a decade and I am shocked that more people haven’t heard of them.  They have been “green” since inception with focus on pure, fresh ingredients and cutting-edge technology.  Products are cold processed and formulated in small batches.  And I love they are always cruelty-free and have absolutely no fillers, artificial colors, artificial preservatives or artificial fragrances.

The pumpkin enzyme peel was incredibly gentle – my skin felt hydrated and clean.  The peel actually never tingled, which is rarity for me.   But I could sense it was active.  Pumpkin enzymes naturally remove dead skin cells and deep clean pores while nourishing with Beta Carotene and other nutrients.   The fragrance was definitely pumpkin but not in an overly sweet way.  I will admit, I had to stop for a Starbucks Pumpkin Latte on the way home.

And it is worth mentioning, I discovered my new favorite cleanser.  SircuitSkin X-trap is a super gentle cleanser (can even be used on post-laser/surgery skin and those with rosacea.)  But it still has that gratifying foaming action.  Smells amazing and works perfectly with the Clarisonic.

 

 

Belle Belle Beauty Makeover

Belle Belle Beauty is getting a makeover!  This weekend, we will be transitioning to the new and improved website.  The address will still be the same: www.bellebellebeauty.com.  I will continue to post images and inspiration over on tumblr at bellebellebeauty.tumblr.com.  And make sure to check out my fashion blog, Su-perb.

Meanwhile, I am channeling this bold lip and fresh face look this weekend.  For the lip, I am picking up NARS lipstick in Niagra.  Can’t wait to hear what you think of the new design!

Retro Style

Retro revival has been inspiring me all year and I decided to collect some of my favorite products to recreate the look. Yesterday, I picked up Red Revival lip color from Maybelline.  It is so incredibly hydrating and long-wearing.  (side note: I also recommend Fifth Avenue Fuchsia)  The application is creamy, but highly pigmented.  What a great color range!  And the price, great excuse to pick up two or three!

For the eyes, my first step was a rediscovered favorite: Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eye Liner Black Ebony.  I spray some Shu Uemura Depsea Water Facial Mist in Bergamot on the Laura Mercier Flat Eyeliner Brush, a couple swipes on the cake, and tuck the brush along my lash line.  Don’t drag the brush , just press and repeat until you have covered the entire lash.  The look is definining and demure – but utterly sexy.

A bold brow is the cornerstone of the retro look, and requires a brow pencil.  My favorite these days is Le Metier de Beaute Brow Bound Eyebrow Pencil.  It has a gel consistency and I work it onto the hairs rather than the skin.  I blend and tame flyaways with the brush include on the other end of the pencil. 

Dramatic mascara extends the pigment from the lash line through the lashes.  Lancome Hypnose Custom Volume Mascara adds just the right amount of volume.  A little highlighter like the gorgeous Lumière Sculptèe de Chanel Highlighting Powder on the inner corner of your eyes and cheekbones and you are set!