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Beauty, Body, Fashion, Hair, Makeup, Skin

#BeautyBookmarks: The News You Need to Know

There’s so much happening in the industry that I can’t possibly cover them all! But to keep you informed on what’s shaking, I’m serving up the biggest beauty and fashion headlines of the day right here!

Photos via Bustle and Glamour, respectively.

The Fenty Effect shows no signs of slowing down as new and established brands are bolstering their shade ranges. In fact, Revlon has partnered with Allure’s founding editor Linda Wells to launch Flesh, a new beauty brand with inclusivity at its core and foundation sticks that comes in 40 shades (Fenty’s magic number, which has now become industry standard for complexion products). The line is expected to hit Ulta stores exclusively on June 24th, so mark your calendars now, kittens! [Teen Vogue]

Another brand following in Fenty’s footsteps: Tarte Cosmetics. After its latest foundation and concealer launches were criticized for having a limited shade ranges, the brand went back to the drawing board to expand the Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Foundation from 25 to 40 shades and the Creaseless Concealer from 14 to 30 shades that just hit shelves. And it’s not stopping there, as the brand plans to do the same for other formulas in the line, stating, “We are excited to share that our shape tape matte & hydrating foundations, shape tape concealer & Rainforest of the Sea water foundations will get shade extensions this year.” [Bustle]

If you’re already on the hunt for Father’s Day gifts (it’s June 17th, but it will be here before you know it), Lush has got you covered. Forget the ties and grilling gear, the brand is serving up a batch of bathtime and grooming goodies, including a solid beard oil and a handlebar mustache soap you might want to snap up for yourself. [Allure]

Sure, we might use Spotify to listen to some of our favorite podcasts (The Read, Unladylike, and Fat Mascara quickly come to mind), but Tidal is taking streaming to a different level. The platform announced on Wednesday that it will add beauty content with an entertainment alongside some of its music-related shows. The first to hit small screens is Get the Look (hmm, that sounds familiar) in which various beauty vloggers will channel stars like Nicki Minaj and Rihanna in some of their hottest music videos., so if you don’t have an account, don’t forget to create another email account to score a free trial and check them out. [The Cut]

We’ve all been eagerly anticipating any new news on the upcoming Aaliyah x MAC collaboration, and we’ve finally got a better look at what’s expected to hit beauty counters this summer. The roster will include an orange-toned lipstick, a deep plum lip gloss, a bronzer embossed with the late singer’s signature as well as the nude lipstick and dark eyeshadow palette we’ve previously had a peek at —all housed in glossy, burgundy packaging. And we won’t have to wait much longer as the collection will become available online on June 20th before hitting stores the next day. Set your alarms because this one is sure to sell out ASAP! [Bustle]

But that’s not the only collaboration coming soon — far from it! L’Oreal is rocking the runway by linking up with Valentino to produce prestige beauty buys and fragrances for the brand that has already birthed a number of successful scents (I remember when Valentina and its second iteration first launched!). But if you’re looking for something with more sheen, Pinrose has partnered with Sephora to unleash a slew shimmery, holographic glosses, highlighters, and even a rainbow-hued brush set to ensure you can be seen from space all season long. [PopSugar, Elite Daily]

Since Memorial Day, everyone’s been looking to splash into summer. And it looks like mega model Hunter McGrady is making sure each beach body (because every body is a beach body) is ready with a line of sexy swimwear that budget babes will love in partnership with Playful Promises. With cute keyhole cutouts, little bits of lace, and a splash of sequins on a variety of sultry silhouettes, you can expect temperatures to rise (and pulses to race) as soon as you step onto the sand. [Glamour]

May 31, 2018 by
Beauty, Makeup

Bite Beauty’s Upcoming Zodiac Lipstick Doubles the Color & Doubles the Fun!

Courtesy of Bite Beauty.

Happy Birthday, Geminis! Bite Beauty is celebrating your birthday month in a big way by doubling up on a customized lip color that hit stores tomorrow.

While previous entries into the brand’s limited-edition Astrology Amouse Bouche collection have consisted of only one color, this tube includes a double-sided bullet that you can use to apply either hue or swipe on both for a tailor-made shade. One side features a warm nude with a slight pink undertone while the other is a fresh, cheerful red that allows you to easily switch things up and get as subtle or as bold as you want on a dime.

With a pair of twins to represent the astrological sign, it’s no surprise that it was reflected in the lippie shades selected. As Tara Greene, the astrologer who helped the brand come up with the colors, explained, “Gemini—represented by twins—embraces duality and is all
about having fun. Gemini thrives on change and can’t stand too much sameness.”

After all, Geminis are some of the communicators and innovators of the zodiac. That’s why many actors and musicians like Tupac Shakur, Paul McCartney, Judy Garland, M.C. Escher, Angelina Jolie, Stevie Nicks, and many more are actual Geminis,  all discovering new ways to share ideas that connect us all. It honestly shouldn’t be that difficult to spot a Gemini in the crowd because they’re naturally social butterflies with a playful appeal. But if you’re having trouble finding one, Greene says you can usually find them “planning weddings and other big events, running their own PR firm, or leading a brainstorm meeting.”

With double the color, don’t expect this shade to stick around for too long when it hits shelves tomorrow, the 21st. And with Leo season drawing near, I can only think of the brand dreaming up the loudest, look-at-me lip color hitting shelves in the next few weeks to symbolize the zodiac sign that loves the spotlight. But until then, have your mice at the ready to snap this dual-shade up!

May 20, 2018 by
Beauty, Makeup

Rihanna Finally Reveals The Rest of the Beach Please Summer Beauty Essentials

We knew Rihanna couldn’t tease us for too long! After sharing a sneak peek of a few unfamiliar Fenty makeup musts during her Vogue beauty tutorial, everyone had their ears to the ground for any more intel (even in the midst of Savage x Fenty’s bug launch!). And now we finally get a look at Beach Please Part 2, and it’s even brighter than the original.

Courtesy of Fenty Beauty.

The products still play on Riri’s signature summer glow but turn up the wattage with a slew of major metallics and bright pops of color, starting with the new Killawatt Foil Freestyle Highlighter Duos ($36) that will become a permanent part of the line. Each compact comes packed with buildable color that you can use on your eyes or cheeks that deliver a chromatic shine no matter your skin tone. We already got to see the Mimosa Sunrise/Sangria Sunset and the Sandcastle/Mint Mojito hues in action in her tutorial (so you can follow along to recreate the look yourself). But I have a feeling Fenty fans will want to complete the collection with 7DayWKND/Poolside, a mauve pink and periwinkle blue combo that taps into the 2016 Colors of the Year.

Remember that pretty splash of sparkle she added to her inner eye corner? It was the Island Bling 2-IN-1 Liquid Eye Shimmer ($26), a limited-edition dual-ended liquid shadow that delivers a “sleek, metallic shimmer” on one side and a glittering topcoat on the otherthat you can wear alone or layer for multi-dimensional shine. While both shades are sunset-inspired and feature color-flipping micropearls that shift in the light, one’s got a pearly pink glow, the other offers a bronzier finish.

And as for that metallic lip gloss that even stunned the songstress herself? It turns out, it’s one of six Iridescent Lip Luminizers that you can choose to rock on its own or layer over any of the Mattemoiselle Lipsticks to customize the color. If you want the same shade as the Bad Gal, you’ll want to snap up the bright Summer Daze Trio that features the pretty pink (aptly called Ready to Mingle) as well as gilded orange (Bilingual) and an aqua blue (called Single). The Summer Nights Trio of darker holographic hues includes a rich olive (called Snake Skin), a deep coral pink (Vaycray), and an illuminating indigo (Mermaid Tights — a personal favorite for me).

If the tutorial wasn’t enough to set aside some of your savings for the new bevy of beauty buys, you have less than a week to count your coins before they hit Sephora shelves on the 21st.

May 15, 2018 by
Beauty, Makeup

Proenza Schouler Links up With Lancôme for a Colorful Collection

Photo via Women’s Wear Daily.

After linking up with the likes of Jason Wu, Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz, Sonia Rykiel, and Anthony Vaccarello (and many more), the beauty brand is continuing its runway domination by partnering up with Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez.

According to an exclusive with Women’s Wear Daily, the designers were given carte blanche when customizing the collection, which is slated to hit shelves in July. “Lancôme has always represented the epitome of luxury beauty products, so it is like a dream come true to be able to collaborate with such an iconic and historic brand,” the designers shared in a statement to WWD.

The designers were inspired by painters like Carmen Herrera and Ellsworth Kelly, who both loved working with bold color, but there might also be a few additional editorial touches pulled from the line’s Fall 2018 collection. While there’s no word yet on what products will be included in the collection, Vogue Runway noted that featured designs inspired by the handicrafts from the early ’70s like tie-dye, macramé, woven leather, prints, and Western patchwork that could work incredibly well with the pops of sunset orange, marigold, goldenrod, olive, and sandstone red seen throughout the pieces. I mean, the pair have previously released an ombré blush, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see a tie-dye printed face palette amongst the many upcoming makeup musts.

Proenza Schouler has seriously stepped up its beauty game in recent years. Back in 2013, the company first dipped its toe into cosmetics with a vibrant, surf and skate-inspired collection of limited-edition beauty buys with MAC Cosmetics that even came housed in a hazy gradient rainbow hues. And just last year, the brand added fragrance to its repertoire with Arizona, a light, floral aroma of white cactus flower inspired by the spirit of discovery. And with the dynamic duo’s track record, the collection will likely be a kaleidoscopic close to summer that we’ll want to wear well into the next season. I’ll be keeping an eye out for a sneak peek of what we can expect!

May 14, 2018 by
Beauty, Body, Hair, Makeup, Skin

Sephora Is Sprucing Up Shelves With a New “Clean” Beauty Category

Embed from Getty Images

Sephora is proving that you don’t have to wait until Earth Day to clean up your act or your beauty routine.

On June 1st the retailer is launching a new category called “Clean at Sephora” as an easy way for shoppers to snap up beauty buys that don’t contain harmful ingredients like parabens, formaldehyde, mineral oils, and phthalates. According to Women’s Wear Daily, Sephora partnered with over 50 brands, including fan favorites like Drunk Elephant, Boscia, Supergoop, and more, with over 2,000 qualifying products that will receive a “Clean at Sephora” seal on the packaging and the products’ pages on the site as well as its own landing page. Plus, green beauty brands like Indie Lee and Go-To Skin Care will find their way to more Sephora shelves and employees will be educated on the new initiative so they can steer you in the right direction.

Photo courtesy of Sephora via Allure.

“Sephora continues to demystify beauty choices for clients, helping them find the right products for them, based on their lifestyle needs,” the brand explained in a statement to Allure. “Many of them are looking to shop brands and products that are ‘free of’ and Sephora is responding to help them do that, easily and conveniently in-store, online, and on mobile. Together with Sephora’s brands, industry experts, external council — including feedback from clients — Sephora has curated a partnership with its brands across cosmetics, skin care, hair care, and fragrance that stand behind the ‘Clean at Sephora’ category.”

So what kind of products ingredients wouldn’t receive the “Clean at Sephora” seal of approval? According to Allure, aside from the ones mentioned above, products containing ingredients like the sulfates SLS and SLES, retinylpalmitate, oxybenzone, coal tar, hydroquinone, triclosan, and triclocarban won’t be included. And the ingredient list grows when it comes to fragrances.  The gloss also notes that beauty brands that qualify should have “less than one percent of synthetic fragrances and no undisclosed fragrances.”

While the news comes on the heels of other retailers like Neiman Marcus and Bluemercury taking similar steps to clean things up as well as Kourtney Kardashian‘s recent trip to Capitol Hill to call for updated cosmetics regulations, WWD says Sephora has walked this path previously in 2008 and has continually made efforts, especially with its . But the clean up won’t stop at just the shelves either, as the retailer is looking to install LED lights in all North American stores and even developed a zero-emissions delivery truck at its headquarters.

As Sephora’s Chief Merchandising Officer Artemis Patrick put it, all these changes came from listening to customers. The store’s studies found that 60% of shoppers peruse a product’s ingredient list before they buy, and 54% only stock natural or clean items on their vanities. (So remember that your dollar is your vote for what you want more of!) “We have identified some common chemicals that are in certain products that our clients have asked about. It’s not about whether it’s good or it’s bad, it’s about being transparent, ” he told WWD. “While this is not necessarily a new thing, what we have seen is that the efficacy of the products that are out there are at an all-time high, so you can actually get products without these ingredients if you so choose and still get the efficacy of the product that you want and love.”

May 11, 2018 by
Beauty, Makeup

CoverGirl Launches Its Largest Shade Range of Foundations Ever

Photo courtesy of CoverGirl.

The drugstore beauty aisle is going to need to make more room on its shelves for CoverGirl this summer, as the brand is the latest to launch an inclusive shade range of foundations.

After last year’s Fenty Foundation Frenzy sent a shockwave in the industry, CoverGirl sought to create a complexion cosmetic that would meet the needs of makeup mavens of all shades by connecting with them directly through interviews as well as on every social media platform. The result is the upcoming TruBlend Matte Made Foundation, which is slated to hit shelves in June for $8.49. It boasts medium to full coverage, a long-wearing matte finish, and 40 shades made to match 99% of skin tones. And the brand has made discovering your perfect shade a breeze by labeling the bottle with four numbered ranges, Light (L), Medium (M), Tan (T) and Deep (D), as well as warm, cool, and neutral undertone call-outs.

The fresh formula also checks off every box that beauty buffs have for their dream foundation. That includes flexi-hold technology that responds to your facial movements but doesn’t budge an inch, so there’s no transfer or awkward patches of melted makeup. There’s also an oil-absorbing powder that holds 2x its weight as well as light scattering technology whose powers combine to ensure your skin stays picture perfect and shine-free throughout the day — all without weighing it down.

While we still have a month to wait to actually get our hands on it to the dismay of many fans who were excited to test-drive the fresh formula as soon as possible. But we’ve already seen the formula in action. It had a star-studded debut earlier this week as both Issa Rae and Katy Perry rocked the coverup on the red carpet of the 2018 Met Gala where both looked utterly ethereal.

CoverGirl’s latest launch is another ripple in the recent wave of change to the industry, which has been in the midst of a major makeover after ignoring the needs of consumers of color for years. But it has been making strides to offer inclusive options for every budget. While listening to the concerns of consumers of all backgrounds should be the priority of any brand, it seems the industry is trying to turn the corner towards a future where everyone can have fun with cosmetics.

May 9, 2018 by
Beauty, Makeup

Wait, Did Rihanna Just Give Us a Sneak Preview of New Fenty Makeup?!

Photo via Vogue.com

We all woke up to watch Rihanna do her makeup for Vogue, but we might’ve also scored a sneak preview at what Fenty might be launching next.

The songstress-turned-beauty-mogul, who’s also on the glossy’s latest cover, appeared in its Beauty Secrets get-ready-with-me style video series. The playful tutorial featured Riri going from bare-faced to “ready for the club” in a mere 10 minutes using her own eponymous products.

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May 3, 2018 by
Beauty, Makeup

Massy Arias Makes Serious Moves With CoverGirl’s New Mascara

Photo: CoverGirl via YouTube.

You might’ve spotted her as you scroll through Instagram or even signed up for her MA30Day Programs to build up your strength. But Massy Arias, better known as Mankofit, is moving beyond our social stream to take over our TV and newsstands as the face of CoverGirl’s latest launch, Flourish by Lash Blast Mascara, as part of its #IAmWhatIMakeUp campaign.

The personal trainer and model first found fitness as a way to work through her depression and found it to be a drug she couldn’t get enough of and spurred her to help others. According to Trimmed and Toned, Arias began making a splash on social media after setting up boot camps and workout classes in parks around New York City where they became popular through word of mouth and her Instagram. Her motivational posts, featuring tips on proper nutrition and technique as well as a variety of different workouts (like resistance training, calisthenics, yoga, high intensity interval training, and sprinting) for fans to try, built a following of millions and foster a community built on hard work and dedication to fitness goals, no matter what they were. And she has the opportunity to reach beyond the fitness community in her first video ad which was unveiled on Tuesday and that you can check out below.

Arias saw her partnership with CoverGirl as a way to not only continue to shake up beauty standards but also show how they can change their lives by taking care of themselves whether it’s with a workout or a swipe of mascara in the morning. “The standard of beauty is continuing to change; it starts with finding beauty in what sets you apart and owning it,” she captioned a sneak peek of the clip on Instagram. “Every milestone I hit makes me more humble than I was before.”

And every milestone hit should come with some reward! In fact, that need for self-care was what initially sparked the idea for the fresh formula in the first place. The mascara uses a blend of papaya, avocado, and coconut oils to nourish and condition while defining each lash and pumping up their volume for lashes that look lush and feel strong with no clumps or flakes to be found. Since the new mascara shouldn’t flake or smudge, I bet it would hold up well during an intense sweat session whether you’re working out with Arias’s program or doing your own thing. As long as you’re taking time for yourself, that’s all that should matter.

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May 2, 2018 by
Beauty

Sephora Wants You To Treat Yourself While You Shop for Mom

Embed from Getty Images

Most of might put off our Mother’s Day purchases until the last minute (including me), but Sephora’s giving us plenty of incentive to start our shopping now by gifting us with a gift card so we can splurge on ourselves afterward.

The brand is offering $20 gift cards to shoppers who purchase a $100+ eGift card until tomorrow, May 1st! And yes, Bustle says you have until 11;50 PM PT to add it to cart before it’s too late and you miss out. The promotion isn’t available for gift cards purchased in-store — you’ll need to order the gift card online in order for it to count — but the gift cards can still be used to purchase items online or at a Sephora location near you. But if you don’t have that big of a budget but still want something extra, you can also score a 45-minute makeover with a Beauty Adviser when you pick up a $50 gift card, so either you or your mom can get some well-deserved pampering and maybe discover a new makeup must in the process.

While some might ask, “Only $20?!” It’s honestly not a bad deal at all. It pretty much makes any of the trial-sized items you might add to your toiletries bag basically free, you can also use at like a discount card and put it towards pricier products you might not want to pay in full without having to wait until it goes on sale. Or as Bustle suggested, using that extra card to buy a small physical gift to go along with the gift card so Mom has something to open on her special day.

I get that some might feel that getting an online gift card is too impersonal, but it doesn’t have to be. You’re not restricted to the black and white color scheme of the gift cards that line the store shelves. Bustle noted that Sephora’s site allows you to totally customize the look of the gift card with one of the pretty holiday-inspired templates, or you can add your photo or video to add that special touch. Either way, you’ll be coming out ahead on the Mother’s Day gifting game. So don’t wait until the clock strikes midnight on May 1st!

April 30, 2018 by
Beauty, Makeup, Skin

You Might Not Want To Swatch That Lipstick In Stores After Reading This!

Embed from Getty Images

Last Sunday was spent not only sipping and supping on Dos Caminos‘ amazing brunch menu but also perusing the shelves at Sephora in pursuit of its bevy of beauty-inspired enamel pins (VIB points well spent!). But as I was scoping out the shelves, I spotted a slew of shoppers applying tester lipsticks directly to their pouts, and in one instance, someone creating a smoky eye using a shadow from a tester palette (Insert pearl clutching gif here). As horrifying as all that sounds, new findings from Sitejabber, which specializes in customer ratings and reviews of businesses, might gross you out even more!

The review-aggregating site told PopSugar that it discovered that of its 24 swab tests taken from three anonymous beauty retailers, the average beauty tester has almost 200 times the bacteria of the average toilet seat! To compare, a beauty tester is about 20 times germier than your own cell phone, which a 2017 study found has over 17,000 bacterial gene copies on the phones of high school students. A toilet seat tends to have around 20 colony-forming units (CFU) or bacteria per square centimeter since they’re cleaned fairly frequently while cell phones and beauty testers don’t often receive the same treatment.

I seriously suggest keeping any test eye products as far away from your eye as possible (I’m talking to you random stranger I saw swiping on that test shadow!). Eyeliner was found to be the germiest of the bunch with 98,000 CFU, and mascara came in second on the gross factor with 32,000 CFU, which Sitjabber says is dirtier than a pet toy. And those germs can cause some serious illnesses beyond a bad breakout or pink eye, as PopSugar noted that a woman filed a lawsuit against Sephora in December claiming that she had contracted herpes from a sample. It’s a suit similar to the one MAC dealt with in 2013 when a woman claimed that she had also contracted the STI from a tube of Riri Woo lipstick during the star’s Diamonds tour.

But there are plenty of ways to stay safe while you swatch. First, carry a bottle of hand sanitizer in your bag so you can start and finish with a clean slate since our hands have loads of germs that can easily be transferred to everything you touch. Second, use new and clean applicators — they’re often readily available on the endcaps for shoppers to use when trying on the formulas. Third, keep the swatches to your hands and arms, not your face or near any broken skin to prevent any harmful bacteria and virus from entering the body, and you should be set. Keep it clean, folks!

April 27, 2018 by