Belle Belle Beauty

Find Your Favorite Concealer

A good concealer can often stand on its own. Covering redness, dark circles and a rogue blemish can give the appearance of even skin without the need for a heavy foundation. That’s why I always recommend starting your makeup with concealer – you’ll find you don’t need as much foundation or tinted moisturizer as you thought!

But how do you find the right formula? I have loads of favorites and they are each suited to particular skin types and concerns. I’m guessing one of these will tickle your fancy:

Benefit Erase Paste is a new find and I am wild about the creamy, blendable coverage. It doesn’t disappear in the middle of your day. And it works on both blemishes and under eye circles. The texture is a little thick to cover redness. Best suited for: under eye circles and blemish-prone skin.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer Custard has been in my rotation for months and is the one I reach for most often. The smooth and buildable texture does wonders on my areas of redness. And I love the luminous correction on darkness under eyes. Best suited for: drier skin and redness.

Cle de Peau Concealer has long been a makeup artist favorite. While pricey, this little tube lasts forever. I find the formula works best if you warm it up between your fingers and pat on. It covers blemishes and dark circles like a champ. Best suited for: normal to oily skin, acne-prone skin and dark circles.

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage is a long time classic but has a new long-wear upgrade. The two shade system, one to match the skin’s depth of color and one to match the skin’s undertone, ensures a perfect match. Used with a precise brush, this camouflages any spot into a flawless complexion. Best suited for: skin with age spots and blemishes.

Lancôme EFFACERNES Waterproof Protective Undereye Concealer has a balanced finish, somehow being matte but still with some radiance. But the real beauty to this concealer is its waterproof properties, making it well-suited for tearjerker events, long days or hot weather. Best suited for: oilier skin, brides and those who need all day coverage.

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Londontown Nail Treatment and Color

I’ve been putting my nails through the ringer lately, testing and reviewing loads of nail art and polish. But amazingly, my nails have never been stronger or longer. Under all those coats, I’ve been using Londontown kur Nail Hardener. Not only is it improving the condition of my nails, but the entire Londontown line has crazy healthy formulations.

Londontown was created when founder Natasha Dillon noticed negative effects of UV gels (they always leave my nails stripped and weak too). Building on a family remedy, Natasha developed kur, a treatment system, and lakur, nail color. Both kur and lakur are “5-free” (Formaldehyde-free, Toulene-free, DBP-free, Formaldehyde resin-free and Camphor-free), vegan, gluten-free and cruelty-free. And the entire line is infused with rapeseed flower oil, evening primrose and biotin to strengthen and hydrate nails.

This line isn’t all about treatment. The lakur line has fabulous and fashion-forward shades. They are infused with the same healing ingredients. A sample of two favorites:

Thames From The Eye

Purple Reign

Also impressive, the Protective Top Coat contains nourishing vitamins and minerals and leaves nails chip-resistant and glossy. If you are in the market for a little rehab in the manicure department, look no further. This line is guilt-free and performs. Shop the post here:

Indie Lee Vanilla Citrus Moisturizing Oil

Indie Lee went through a terrifying experience to inspire her all-natural and sophisticated skin care line. Suffering from headaches and change in vision, she underwent an MRI and discovered a life-threatening brain tumor. The tumor was successfully removed, but they discovered it was caused by enviromental toxins.

Motivated by the impact of what we put into our bodies, Indie developed natural alternatives to combat our main skin care concerns. Relaunched in April of this year, her products and packaging are sophisticated, sleek and modern. Plus, full of all that good stuff so you can feel guilt-free about slathering it on.

While I haven’t tried the skin care – hope to soon! – I have tried their body oil. You know I am a sucker for any body oil. This goes above and beyond, also suited for face and hair. The formula isn’t greasy so I can see all skin types loving it. The vanilla and sweet orange scent is very subtle, but pleasant. I love that it won’t interfere with my favorite fall fragrance.

The oil is made from four simple ingredients: Simmondsia Chinensis (jojoba) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (apricot) Oil, Vanilla Planifolia (vanilla), Citrus Aurantium Sinensis (sweet orange). Just a very small amount goes a long way. Apply 2 to 4 drops of oil to hands and rub palms together to warm. Massage gently over face or body until skin feels hydrated. For best results, apply to damp skin after bathing to seal in moisture.

Available at IndieLee.com, Urban Outfitters, and Dermstore.com.

Candy Corn Nails

I got a little festive for my sixth and last installment of nail art with Suave^® and Q-tips^® for their awesome ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes. October might just be my favorite month of the year. I love the cooler temps, football and, of course, candy corn. For a calorie-free treat, try a little candy corn on your digits. Along with getting creative with nail art, I’ll also be sharing tips on keeping skin moisturized and nails looking clean and healthy with a precise finish.

Up first, a little detail about the ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes– make sure to head over to the Suave Beauty Pinterest page and pin one of my featured looks (or any other looks by my fellow influencers) and copy the pin URL to the Suave Beauty Facebook page to enter for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style!

After a couple of weeks of slathering on Suave^® Skin Solutions Smoothing Body Lotion with Cocoa Butter & Shea, I really can see that my skin and cuticles look both richer and healthier. After moisturizing, I pushed back my cuticles and prepped nails with a strengthening base coat. Before the base coat, I used a little alcohol on a Q-tips^® Precision Tips™ cotton swab to make sure my nail beds were oil-free.

To start, I painted my nails a base coat of a white. You could also use an ivory. Don’t worry if it isn’t completely opaque – the tip of the candy corn is actually a little translucent.

Allow the white base coat to fully dry. For the orange layer, I used a fine nail art brush to paint a border. Close to a half-moon shape, I wanted the white area to be slightly rounded. The Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs come in handy if you need to clean up any mistakes.

I then painted the area from the border to the tips a bright and bold orange. Allow this layer to fully dry. Use the Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs to get a precise line.

Similar to a French Manicure paint the tips of nails a bold yellow or gold. I opted for a metallic to up the glam level. Or mirror the actual shade on the candy corn for a more authentic interpretation. Finish with a top coat.

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Influencer for Suave® and Q-tips^®. Visit www.facebook.com/SuaveBeauty for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style.

Emily and Tony’s Aromatherapy Massage Candle in Fougere

File this under “sexy”. I’ve been burning Emily and Tony’s Aromatherapy Massage Candle in Fougere the last couple of weeks and happily enjoying it while feeling a little bit naughty. While some could say this is designed to be used with a significant other, I’ve had a blast using it all by my lonesome.

First, the scent is right up my alley. Top notes of licorice and cardamom are layered with mid notes of cedar, vetiver, patchouli, amber and nutmeg. Base notes are vanilla bourbon and licorice. A little spicy, a little woodsy and a little gourmand. Perfect.

What makes this candle special is that you can scoop out the melted oils and use to moisturize. I also tried pouring it into my hands but that got a little messy. It applies like a body oil and seriously heals and nourishes my skin. I’ve been using it at night and the sultry scent is pleasant to fall alseep to. My skin is radiant (and smells amazing) in the morning.

Burns up to 50 hours. Also available in Coco and Creme de Vanille. Buy yours at emilyandtony.com.

Live Twitter Chat with Allison Williams and Simple Skincare

I don’t usually fawn over particular celebrities, but Allison Williams is definitely my girl crush. Her style is impeccable – see this post about her look at this year’s Emmy’s. So you can imagine my excitement when I found out she also works with Simple Skincare. As an ambassador, we both have been incorporating Simple Skincare’s products into our routine. I know it has made a tremendous difference in my sensitive skin.

On Thursday, we will have the chance to hear how Allison has been using Simple Skincare and tips from her new life. She’ll be sharing fall fashion and beauty trends and how she manages her schedule while maintaining healthy, natural-looking skin. It is our chance to ask her all about her routine from fitness to diet to skincare!

The details: live Twitter Q&A with Simple ambassador, actress Allison Williams, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. EST on Thursday October 10th. Follow @SimpleSkincare on Twitter and tweet with the #AllisonWilliams hashtag to keep up with the conversation. And a bonus! By chatting, you’ll also be entered to win some of Allison’s favorite Simple products!

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Influencer in the Simple® Skincare Program. Visit www.facebook.com/SimpleSkincare to share your story on sensitive skin.