I find myself in the market for a new blush only every so often. Like most women, I have my staple products that I know and love (hel-lo Nars Torrid blush), but I do like to test out new products once in a while to make sure I’m not missing out on anything.

I was excited to learn about GloMinerals products. A beauty brand comparable to the beloved Bare Escentuals line, GloMinerals promise flawless skin with oil-free, light reflecting pigments, and SPF of 15 in most products.  Personally, I’ve always felt mineral makeup is the way to go.  It’s good for your skin and always leaves a natural, radiant finish…not to mention it’s incredibly easy to apply.

Thanks to my Irish roots, I have very fair skin with naturally pink undertones. For this reason I tend to select peach-toned blushes to play down any redness and add a hint of bronze glow to brighten up my face (especially during those sun-deprived, vacation-less winter months).

I selected GloBlush in Nectar – a peachy powder with a nude shimmer. When applied to my cheekbones and blended out to my temples, it highlighted my face nicely and gave a nice natural glow for daytime. I loved the color as a simple everyday look, and am definitely planning on trying their powder cheek stain (yes, a powder stain!) for a more bold look in the future.

Check out the GloMinerals website to view all products. If you need another reason to go shopping, the site promises a free gift with purchases over $150.00. Have you tried any of GloMinerals makeup?

Amanda Huggins

Amanda is a PR and communications girl living and working in the NYC area. She is a firm believer in the powers of a strong cup of coffee and fire-engine red lipstick.

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One beauty product that we all seem to have in common, both men and women, is lip balm. Although there are a lot of my male friends, and family members, who do not consider lip balm to be a beauty product but as more of a necessity (sorry guys it may be a necessity, but it is also a beauty product.)

Lip balm is one of those products that most people refuse to leave home without and also own a lot of.  I know of quite a few people, myself included, that have a lip balm (or two) in their purses, cars, desk at work, pockets, gym bags etc.  Admit it, we are all crazy about our lip balms.  It is an easy impulse item to justify because they are fairly inexpensive and for some odd reason, much like socks, we tend to misplace them a lot…I blame this on the size, so it makes perfect sense to have multiple balms stashed EVERYWHERE (even then I always seen to lose them.) What if someone made a balm that wasn’t so teeny so it would last longer and be pretty difficult to misplace?

Well, someone did, and that (or those) someone(s) is glōminerals and the lip balm is called, the mint balm.  It comes in a stick that is .65 oz, most sticks of lip balms are .15 oz, so the mint balm is a little more than four times the size of most lip balms.  The mint balm of course has a minty fragrance (perfect if  you are out of breath mints or gum) and is really moisturizing but without feeling thick and goopy.  I love that my lips feel cool, tingly and refreshed after I apply the balm, a welcome sensation in the summer and especially in 95-100 degree temps.  In addition to the light feel of the balm, it is also perfect for summer because it contains SPF 15.  It is also great as an after sun treatment for your lips because it contains ingredients such as hemp seed oil, meadowfoam and mango seed butter, which soothe and heal.

If you are looking to experiment with different beauty products this summer, the mint balm is definitely a perfect one to start with.  It is inexpensive ( just $12) and works great.  I have had it now for one week and have not misplaced it once (a record for me.)  I am sure this will be the first lip balm that will see me through summer, into fall and winter…and quite possibly even through spring into summer of next year, and that I would not mind one bit…all the money I will save from sticking with one amazing lip balm can go towards experimenting with other beauty items…I am remaining loyal to this one.

Gail Lewis

Gail is at times a model, most of the time a blogger, but always a beauty junkie.

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Guest beauty review from Marcia who writes the beauty blog, Beauty Info Zone, along with her blog partner Lisa. She’s been writing about cosmetics for 11 years, but has been a beauty aficionado for decades (and decades.) She used to have nightmares about being without eyeliner so you’ll find a lot of eyeliner reviews from her on her blog.

There is nothing quite like a black eyeliner. It goes with everything and just about everyone needs one in their life (I’m speaking about you beauty lovers of course.) Through my blog partner I’ve learned about one that has blown her socks off so of course I had to buy it for myself and see what she was raving about. Now my socks are blown off too so it’s a good thing it’s not winter in my part of the world. That eyeliner is Illuminare Beyond Black Everlasting Eyeliner.

This is the blackest of any black eyeliner I’ve ever tried and I’m sure I’ve come close to trying them all. I love eyeliner and don’t go a day without it. My two favorite kinds are gel liners and liquid eyeliners. The texture of Illuminare’s Beyond Black is unlike any in my collection. It’s very creamy, actually it’s more like a mousse texture. The first time I dipped my brush into it I was surprised at the softness of it. Because it’s so soft you have to be careful with the amount you pick up so you don’t overdo it.

I use the Paula Dorf Eyeliner brush (holy grail item for me) since I like a fine line. The application of Beyond Black with this brush was the smoothest I’ve ever tried. It is so soft and so silky yet it dries down instantly. If you make a mistake with it you need to work quickly since it sets up so fast.

I don’t normally wear liner on the waterline but I decided to try it out for the sake of review. This black is so intense that it was more obvious than any I’ve tried before therefore it was too much for me, but I admire how it looked and lasted. The day I tried that I removed it after 6 hours and other than one area on my waterline where it was patchy, it was as black as when I started. On a normal day of wearing Beyond Black Everlasting Eyeliner it lasts the entire day, top and bottom lash line. You’d think with that kind of wear it would be a bear to remove, but that’s not the case at all. I use Mary Kay Eye Makeup Remover and it came off quickly and cleanly.

You can find Illuminare on their website but I bought mine from Dermstore since I love their policies (including free shipping). If you are a black eyeliner lover and haven’t tried Illuminare’s out, you are in for a treat. I wonder if my black gel liners will get much use now that I’ve got this.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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This past weekend I had the opportunity to head up to one of my favorite local spas, The Lodge at Woodloch, to meet up with makeup artist Christopher Drummond for a 1:1 consultation. Christopher Drummond Beauty is now being sold in The Lodge at Woodloch’s spa boutique and I am so excited that Northeast PA gets to experience this spectacular vegan makeup collection.

I’ve known Christopher for about 4 years now, but this was the first time we actually had the chance to meet in person. Like a mother hen, I am so proud of him because I knew him when he was just launching his line with only 1 product at the time: Saude Pele Radiance Booster. When I walked into the spa boutique, Christopher was working with another customer so I had a chance to talk with The Lodge at Woodloch staff, my favorite being Stephanie who was so personable and funny, I was ready to give her my phone number so that we could hang out some time. There’s nothing better than being able to feel at ease in a spa where the atmosphere is inviting versus some that are so pretentious with their noses in the air (do you know what I mean?)

When Christopher told me I had to arrive without any makeup on, I was ready to put a paper bag over my head with holes cut out for the eyes. My skin just happens to be breaking out and I feel like a new age spot is debuting on my face every day. Christopher promised that the products he would be using from his line would conceal the flaws and highlight my natural beauty. (Chris and I were laughing hysterically before the picture on the right was taken. This is our “trying to be serious” shot.)

Here is the before and after shot (i.e. before shot was at 10:30am sans coffee):

The biggest thing I notice between the two pictures is how much my eyes pop. Christopher used Alluring Apricot Sateen Blush on my eyes, Soft Black cream to powder eyeliner and his mascara. On my face he used Concealer in Light, Veludo Velvet Foundation in Luz/Light, Finale Finishing Powder in Branca/White, Alluring Apricot Sateen Blush and Bronzing Powder. Lastly, on my lips he used Coral Reef Lip Stain (LOVE.)

If there is anything that I can say about this makeup, it’s that it feels as light as air on your skin. With the concealer, it is creamy with great coverage without feeling thick or cakey. And the best part is that you only need tiny dabs of it on your skin, so a little goes a long way! The Veludo Velvet Foundation is AMAZING–velvet, indeed!

You can find all of these products online at www.ChristopherDrummondBeauty.com or if you are local here in Northeast PA, stop by The Lodge at Woodloch‘s spa boutique to see them in person (and book an out of this world spa treatment while you are there! I know that their Lotus Salon and I will have a date for a pedicure soon enough!)

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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It may be a tad too early to get a naturally sun-kissed glow (I suppose that will have to wait until after Spring Break), but that’s only more of a reason to fake it in the meantime! For the pre-Summer season, put the full-blown tan on hold and opt for a subtle neutral-toned shimmer that strategically highlights your best features — eyes, cheekbones, decolletage, etc. — without looking out of place or out of season in the rainy weather. Thanks to these handy all-over highlighters, you can multitask by playing up multiple features at once and cover larger surface areas like shoulders or legs (but be careful not to over-luster!), or pin-point smaller features for maximum impact like the inner corners of eyes or just underneath the brow.

For extra sheen (or if you’re prone to flaky skin), use a cream-based highlighter like Edward Bess All Over Seduction highlighter or Trish McEvoy Highlights All Over Face Color, or for a pretty all-over shimmer, dust Victoria’s Secret Brilliant Shimmer All-Over Powder to speed along shorts season with glowing gams! MAC Special Reserve Highlight Powder is the perfect universally-flattering sheer champagne hue for a luminous glow, or customize your perfect shade of shimmer with Stila All Over Shimmer Duo!

- Alex Gambardella

*Guest beauty post for A Girl’s Gotta Spa! from my friends at TheFind.com.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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Last weekend I returned to my home state of Rhode Island for a family event. As always I snapped a quick shot of the beauty products that came along for the ride.

From left to right: Navitas Naturals Cacao Power lip balm (Yum chocolate), Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder and Kabuki brush, Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Ultimate Concealer, MAC Cosmetics SuperSlick Liquid Eye Liner, MAC Cosmetics makeup brush 190SE, MAC Cosmetics Burmese Beauty Eye Shadow Quad (LOVE), MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Lash mascara, Anastasia Brow Pen, Vis-a-Vis Cosmetics blush, Sigma Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki brush, Exuviance Age Reverse (both day & night creams), Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste, Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Facial Towelettes, L’Oreal Texture Expert Infinium 4 hair spray. (Not pictured, because I forgot, ARROJO Gentle Shampoo & Conditioner.)

Do you have any of the beauty products mentioned above in your makeup bag?

Shannon Nelson

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Sure I could’ve cleaned up the Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics products in this picture before snapping it. But that would defeat the purpose of this beauty review…because this is must-have makeup, which means I really do use them. What you see here is Youngblood’s Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder in Translucent (bottom), Ultimate Concealer in Medium, and Pressed Individual Eye Shadows in Orca (top) and Jewel (the teal color.)

Eye shadows: The highlighter is “Orca” and the contour “Jewel.” (On the lid you would wear more of a nude/natural color.) I have hazel eyes, so Jewel really makes my eyes pop. It also creates more of a smoky eye look, as well. I can say that at first when I saw Jewel I was nervous because I immediately had a flashback to a bad 80′s blue eye shadow experience.  Thankfully, this teal colored shadow is gorgeous. If Youngblood’s Ultimate Concealer is applied first to your eye area, these shadows won’t crease. 

Ultimate Concealer: This is a staple in my makeup bag. Due to the shadowing in the picture, it appears darker than it really is. It is creamy, yet seems to dry to a powdery feel on the skin. It also has buildable coverage, so whether you need light coverage under your eyes or heavy coverage on a blemish or redness, this concealer will get the job done. The best part is that it has Jojoba esters, which prevents your skin from drying out in the areas that you use it in. (Which is great especially in the winter!)

Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder: No, this white powder won’t make you look like a clown or appear paler than you are. It simply gives you coverage like nothing I’ve seen before. I have combination skin, so shine is always a problem for me. I also have a bit of redness on each side of my nose and some wrinkles (good grief the wrinkles!) under and around my eyes. This powder not only mattifies the shine for a long stretch of time, it also diffuses imperfections so that I can look like I have perfect skin (even though I don’t…AT ALL!)

Not seen here, but deserves an honorable mention (because I carry it in my purse all of the time) is their Pressed Mineral Rice Powder (I have it in Medium). It has a super silky feel on the skin and mattifies wonderfully. I keep it on me to use for touch-ups when I’m out and about.

Do you use any of the products mentioned above (or any other makeup from Youngblood)? Let’s discuss in the comments!

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Shannon Nelson

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A few years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Pauline Youngblood-Soli, President and Founder of Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics, when I gave a presentation at the HBA Expo. Since my makeup bag seems to be overflowing with Youngblood products these days, I asked Pauline if she would contribute some thoughts on Summer makeup.  And she did!

Summer is the perfect season to lighten up your makeup routine. It’s all about effortless beauty. I recommend using products that feel airy, won’t clog pores and hold up to the heat and humidity. 

Give your foundations with heavier coverage, eyeliner and lip liner a break. Instead, use a stiff angle brush to softly define eyes with taupe or brown eyeshadow. Our highly pigmented Pressed Individual Eyeshadow is an ideal choice — it can even be used wet!

Tinted moisturizer is a great foundation alternative this time of year. Youngblood’s Mineral Radiance Moisture Tint provides sheer coverage with a natural-looking glow. It’s chock-full of antioxidants including kiwi and algae extracts, plus vitamin E.

Those with oilier skin or living in high-humidity conditions may prefer lightweight Natural Mineral Foundation topped with a light dusting of Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder. This combination is a “must!” The loose foundation creates that flawless no-makeup look and contains Titanium Dioxide for sun protection, while Hi-Def offers non-drying shine control to help you look fresher, longer.

Natural Mineral Foundation can be blended with your favorite moisturizer to make a beautiful body makeup. Use it to cover those tiny veins, marks and flaws so many of us have. Fawn is a great shade for giving fair skin a natural-looking tan, while Toffee is perfect for giving medium to darker skin terra-cotta tones. For a touch of bronzy color and sheen, I like mixing Lunar Dust in Dusk with my lotion. Try it when wearing a strapless dress!

And my favorite summertime staple has to be lip gloss. We have a new shade coming June 1, called Guava — a translucent, juicy pink-red with natural plumping properties. It also has a subtle honeysuckle scent so lips look and feel delicious!

Shannon Nelson

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I first came into contact with Christopher Drummond back in 2007 when he was getting ready to launch his company. And with all of the buzz going on right now about his skin care and cosmetics line, I thought it would be the perfect time to ask him to share 3 tips for looking brilliant this New Year’s Eve. 

1. Start the year off with a beautiful complexion, and make one of your resolutions to use healthier skincare and cosmetics. Start with Christopher Drummond Beauty’s Revitalizing Facial Serum. This all natural, organic-based serum is power-packed with “everything you need” in one bottle, but with none of the harmful ingredients that are used in many other lines. It is so gentle, you can also use it under your eyes. It also works amazing as a makeup primer, so it does double duty and saves you money! Plus, it has great ingredients like meadowfoam extract, carrot extract, antioxidants, DMAE to help firm, sugar cane extract to exfoliate, and Aloe to soothe and hydrate.

2. Multi-task with your Shimmer/Glitter. Get a beautiful shimmery/glittery eyeshadow like the icy-blue Relache Ice from CDB. Use it not only on your eyes, but your cheeks and also on your lips. It will take you from being “average” to “phenomenal” in one minute flat. Don’t forget to mix it in with your moisturizer and apply it all over your body. NYE is the one time of the year you can look glittery, shimmery and fantastical without being judged….so go ahead, have fun!

3.  Use highlighter to focus on the positive. Saude Pele Radiance Booster by CDB works great as a highlighter. When used correctly, it will make your cheekbones look higher, and your nose and face look thinner. Simply apply small amounts on the cheekbones, eyelids, forehead, the bridge of the nose and on the chin. This “highlighting” technique, which has been used for years by makeup artists, helps thin out the face and make your skin look more lustrous and decadent.

Where you can find Christopher:

Twitter: @cdrum30
Blog: http://blog.christopherdrummond.com
Website: www.christopherdrummond.com

Shannon Nelson

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Fusion of Color Cosmetics is a mineral makeup line of products aimed at leaving your skin looking flawless without appearing like you are trying too hard. And I think you know what I mean…call it ghosts of pancake makeup past.

They offer a wide variety of mineral makeup from concealers and correctors to finishing powders, eye shadows, blush, etc. I also loved that for some of us still set in our ways of press powder and cream concealers…they offer that too. Their fall palette of colors are gorgeous!  Working Girl and Too Cool are beautiful.

But my favorite of their line had to be their foundation. I really loved how well it blended with my skin tone, evened out the redness I always have around my nose and mouth and really made me look natural. The foundation is very light feeling on my skin and they even have a Matte Finishing Powder that works great that I swiped over top.

The best part? They are affordable! (And I love indie beauty companies and love to showcase them.) Check them out at www.fusionofcolor.net. If you’ve used their products, be sure to share your experience in the comments!

Shannon Nelson

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