Pimples Be Gone!

Ever try to cover up a nasty pimple with your concealer or foundation just to be left with a splotchy, mountainous mess actually attracting more attention than not? Yeah, me too! Don't worry, it happens to the best of us.

The problem with using makeup to cover up a blemish is that it most likely doesn't have the proper undertone to conceal the redness caused by the blemish. There is an easy way to determine what color concealer you will need to combat your skin discoloration. Simply use the good old color wheel as your guide. Whatever color you are trying to disguise will be counteracted by applying the color on the opposite side of the wheel. In the case of covering up a pimple, you would need a concealer with a green undertone. If you don't know what undertone your concealer may have, there are also color correctors that do just the job of concealing. Using a color corrector will require a top layer of your concealer in order to blend in the concealed area with the rest of your skin.

So now you know how to cosmetically cover up that annoying pimple. Let's work on eliminating it all together. There are lots of acne spot treatments offering a concealing effect. But none are as great as Dermalogica's new! concealing spot treatment. While masking your blemish, this spot treatment will kill bacteria, absorb excess oil, reduce congestion in the follicle, slough off dead skin cells, prevent overactive sebaceous glands and purify your skin ALL IN ONE! Is it a miracle? No, it's Dermalogica. That's what they do! With no artificial fragrance or coloring, you can be assured that this spot treatment's incredible blend of ingredients such as zinc oxide and cinnamon bark extract will bring your blemish down while making sure you look beautiful all the while.

California Baby

I know that I am not alone when I say that as a mother, I want only the best for my baby. Overexposure to the sun, air pollution and other chemical elements in our environment is bad enough for us adults, but imagine the damage being done to a child with such delicate skin. Jessica Iclisoy, a mother of two, is the creator of California Baby, one of the few all natural and organic skin care product lines for babies. This amazing skin care line has become extremely successful, catching the attention of many California local news channels, countless magazines, as well as celebrities such as Katie Holmes and Denise Richards.

California Baby does not only cater to children. All of their skin care products can be used on children and adults alike. In addition to skin care products, California Baby offers products for bath time, diaper care, SPF sun care, bug repellents, pregnancy and more! Jessica also created a magnificent line of essential oil blends that can be used directly on the skin, diluted in bath water or massage oil or diffused with a wall diffuser to create a pleasant aroma throughout the home.

Among my absolute favorites from California Baby are the California Baby Calendula Cream and California Baby Soothing & Healing Mist for Face and Body. These products are miracle workers for both my son's and my own battle with eczema. As well, I cannot live without the California Baby offspring Overtired & Cranky MOMMY & DADDY Oil Aromatherapy,which works wonders in helping to calm and soothe the whole family after a long and tiring day. California Baby has a unique line of products that are specially formulated for colds and flu. The California Baby Colds & Flu Aromatherapy Bubble Bath, Colds & Flu Massage Oil, and essential oil blend all work together to lower temperatures, relieve muscle aches, loosen mucus and ease congestion. This is extremely helpful when you have a young infant who has caught a cold or the flu and cannot be treated with medicine.

California Baby has a variety of gifts and totes that are great as "baby shower" or "welcoming baby" gifts. Any parent would be grateful to receive such a thoughtful gift that shows how much you care. Even better, California Baby is reasonably priced and conveniently sold at your local Target store, which makes it very easy to keep your shelves stocked with this terrific skin care line at all times. Travel sizes are a perfect way to try out something new and see how well it will work for you or your child's skin. I am sure you will absolutely love California Baby and become a huge fan, like myself and many others.

Beautiful Anastasia Brows

Who doesn't want great eyebrows? One of my favorite things to do is shape eyebrows. It is truly like art for me. It's so exciting to have a client come in with fully grown or virgin eyebrows and have them leave with these beautifully groomed and shaped brows that are picture perfect. Eyebrows frame the face and can make all the difference in your look. Creating the perfect eyebrow doesn't end with just plucking or waxing. With so many eyebrow challenges to be faced, Anastasia Eye Makeup offers the solution. Anastasia Soare is the absolute eyebrow guru. She is commonly known as the "Star Plucker" due to her extended A-list celebrity clientele. This woman is one of my beauty idols!

"Achieving a fabulous face is as simple as impeccable brows." - Anastasia Soare

I couldn't have said it any better myself! Here are some eyebrow disasters that can be easily fixed with a few of Anastasia's amazing eyebrow makeup products.

The Butchered Brow
So many of us fall victim to the "butchered brow". We all get tweezer happy sometimes and leave ourselves with these pencil thin eyebrows that end up never growing back. While some of us are happy with that end result, others wish they could turn back the hands of time and start anew. Lucky for those who are looking for a fresh start, Ms. Soare created an incredible serum to encourage new hair growth called the Anastasia Nu-Brow Brow Enhancing Serum. What is it and how does it work? This eyebrow angel is used just like a mascara wand. The serum is simply brushed onto the eyebrows to deliver a unique blend of vitamins and minerals helping to stimulate hair regeneration while conditioning and repairing the hair that is already there. With consistent use of at least two consecutive months, an increase in hair growth and density of eyebrow hair is evident.

The Shy Brow
Maybe you have all the hair you want, but you just can't see it. If you have very light eyebrow hair but don't like the idea of using pencil or powder to darken them up, then the Anastasia Tinted Brow Gels are perfect for you. These brow gels will add subtle color to very light and sparsely haired eyebrows for a more natural look. The brow gel is also great for keeping your brow hair and skin hydrated and nourished which will promote hair growth and prevent flaking of the skin.

The Unruly Brow
Oh, the unruly brow. These are the eyebrows that require brushing, trimming - the whole nine yards when being shaped. They also need constant grooming to keep tamed and in control. A lifesaver is the Anastasia Brow Gel For Eyebrow Control, Clear. This flake-proof and colorless brow gel will keep your crazy brow hairs in place all throughout the day. You will also get all the conditioning benefits of botanical extracts and hydrating ingredients.

The Disappearing Brow
Do you have to fill in or extend your eyebrows with powder or pencil? Then you probably also deal with the worry of accidentally "wiping off" your brows during the day. Who has time to worry about these kinds of things? The Anastasia Brow Fix Wax Pencil will bring you instant relief. The brow fix is a colorless wax and is meant to be applied over your entire brow to hold your everything in place, including the filled or drawn in areas. Like all of the Anastasia Eye Makeup, the wax pencil will also condition your eyebrow hair and skin while providing long lasting wear of your makeup.

If you've already taken the first step in achieving the perfect eyebrows by having them professionally shaped every two weeks, complete the process by keeping them well-maintained in between your appointments. Believe it or not, your eyebrows have much to do with the impression you leave on others. Beautifully shaped eyebrows never go unnoticed! The Anastasia Eye Makeup line offers a wide variety of makeup and tools for your eyebrows. To see more brow tools and makeup like eyebrow grooming kits, eyebrow pencils, eyebrow powders, classic eyebrow stencils and eyebrow brushes, visit Beauty.com.

Homemade Facial Tips

We don't always have to spend a lot of money or depend on someone else to enjoy a refreshing and uplifting facial treatment. You can treat your skin to a quick midnight snack right at home with a few items that you most likely already have in your kitchen! Some of your most commonly used food ingredients have surprising benefits to your skin. I have searched far and wide and found some of the best homemade facial masque recipes. These scrumptious homemade facial masques will fill your skin with delight and satisfaction.

Take a few minutes to whip up these simple recipes, follow my Five Easy Steps to a Self-Facial and bask in the moment of self-indulgence. You deserve it!

Honey & Egg Masque - Dry Skin
Mix together 1 tablespoon warmed honey, 1 egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon almond oil and 1 tablespoon yogurt. Apply to the skin and relax for 10-15 minutes. For easy removal, use a warm, (wet, squeezed-dry) face towel.

-Honey has many hidden talents. Most people are not aware of the fact that honey is a main ingredient in many anti-aging and moisturizing creams on the market. As a natural antioxidant, honey offers superb moisturization and anti-microbial properties.

-Yogurt is a terrific moisturizer and also offers a mild level of exfoliation. The lactic acid present in yogurt will help to refine your pores and smooth your skin by removing dead skin cells. The natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties will aid in fighting off germs and bacteria, which is wonderful for congested skin.

Egg & Cucumber Masque - Oily, Dehydrated Skin
Juice from 1 Cucumber (whole cucumber pureed and drained through a sieve), 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon witch hazel, 1 egg white (beaten until stiff). Apply to the skin and relax for 10-15 minutes, remove with warm towel.

-Eggs are great for all skin types. An egg applied to the skin will encourage tightening of the pores. Their high level of antioxidants will also help to protect the skin against free radicals and premature aging.

-Cucumber juice provides excellent skin hydration.

-Lemon Juice is beneficial to the skin for a couple of reasons. The citric nature of lemon juice works to draw impurities from the pores and will help to reduce their large appearance. The combination of Citric Acid and Vitamin C will also help to brighten and smooth the skin's overall texture and tone.

Oatmeal Masque - Combination, Sensitive Skin
One beaten egg, 1/2 cup cooked instant oatmeal (ground with coffee grinder or blender), one teaspoon olive oil. Apply to the skin and relax for 10-15 minutes, remove with towel.

-Oatmeal is beneficial to all skin types, helping to restore the natural moisture balance of the skin. Oatmeal is most ideal for sensitive skin because of it's superb healing properties.

Chamomile & Herb Masque - Normal Skin
1 teaspoon finely crushed and dried chamomile flowers, 1 teaspoon of fresh mint finely chopped, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 egg white blended all together in a blender. Apply to the skin and relax for 10-15 minutes, remove with warm towel.

** Before serving these delicious snacks to your skin, be sure that you do not have allergies to any of the ingredients. Even though you will not be ingesting the ingredients, you may still suffer an allergic reaction when they are applied to the skin. **

Advantages of Enzyme Skin Care Therapy

Enzymes possess, among other things, properties that make it a natural for skin care. They are by far the best and safest way to exfoliate those dead skin cells. Enzymes have the ability to dissolve those dry dead skin cells while leaving your healthy skin and pH balance untouched.

When the biological systems that control and regulate the skin’s renewal process function efficiently, our skin is healthier and more youthful. With age, our bodies slowly lose the ability to sufficiently perform the skin renewal process. Additionally, skin suffers damage from our harsh environment. These two conditions are detrimental to the health and appearance of our skin.

Created and produced through various processes, such as fruits, vegetables, animals, and marine life, enzymes are vital to every living process. Our bodies recognize over 3,000 types of enzymes, with our different cells utilizing different types of enzymes. Enzymes provide the ability for our skin to fight off free radicals and turn over new skin cells. Enzymes used in skin care are protease, which have the ability to break down human skin proteins like keratin.

Arazyme is an enzyme discovered in recent years by Dr. Ho-Yong Park, the first doctor of insect pathology in Korea. His extensive bioprospecting research led him to this enzyme isolated from the golden orb spider, which exhibited remarkable properties. Due to this bioactive enzyme, the spider had an extraordinary ability to decompose and consume a wide variety of prey, by dissolving and drinking it.

Used in skin care products, Arazyme mimics the role of our own body’s natural acid proteases found in the epidermis. It promotes our skin’s ability to breakdown those proteins that hold our dead skin cells together and aids in accelerated cell renewal. It also stimulates the turnover by degradation of keratin, a main component of epidermis.

Arazyme skin cleansers effectively remove protein impurities from the skin’s keratin layer, and provide benefits such as softening of the skin, decomposition of dead skin cells, acceleration of skin metabolism, and facilitating application of cosmetics. After just a few days of using Arazyme, you can begin to see the enhanced clarity and radiance of your skin without irritation or harsh effect.

For more information about Arazyme skin products, visit www.ArazymeSkincare.com.

A Flawless Face for Fall

Leaves aren't the only thing changing this fall. The beauty trend for fall makeup 2007 takes the dewy, sheer look out and brings in the matte and the bold. Put those glosses away and start stocking up on the lipstick. This season's fall makeup look dates back to the 1940's with the smooth black liner, long fluttering lashes, full-defined brows and red lips. Now is the time to take advantage of the deeper, rich hues that we would normally steer clear of.

Keep your daytime look simple by using monochromatic eye shadow colors like soft-golds and taupes. Define your eyes with soft black liner on your top lids only and lengthen those lashes with dense black mascara. A wine or berry lip stain will keep your pucker pigmented throughout the day.


To transition your daytime fall beauty face into a look that's ready for a night out on the town, swipe on some matte black, grey, navy or plum eye shadow for a classic smoky eye. Add some deep cheek color and for a hint of shimmer, just a touch of illuminator on those cheek bones. Then, top off your flawless fall face with some red or crimson lip color and you can call it a night.


This year's fall makeup trend is simple yet classic and looks good on anyone. Start updating your look now and stock up on some of this season's fall makeup must-haves like CARGO Smoky Eye Fall '07 Value Kit, LORAC Front Of The Line Waterproof Eyeliner, Black and Vincent Longo Gel Stain For Lips and Cheeks, Liquid Kiss. Strut your stuff in style and in the know!

Support the Beautiful Cause!

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Skinstore.com is playing an important role in supporting the cause and is giving us the opportunity to share in the effort. There are several skincare and beauty products that can be purchased in which a portion of the sales will be donated toward breast cancer research. Down below are a couple of these beauty items that Skinstore has to offer. You will find that there are some great gift ideas. To view the full list of skincare and beauty products designated to support the worthy cause, visit SkinStore.com or click on one of the links below. Let's help do our part in finding a cure for this disease!

DuWop Purse Your Lips
DuWop introduces Purse Your Lips: an adorable pink miniature purse with a wrist chain strap, filled with DuWop's Pink Shimmer Lip Venom. A portion of the proceeds from Purse Your Lips will be given to CEW's Cancer and Careers, an organization that helps provide inspiration and insight to working women living with cancer. Pink Shimmer adds sparkle and shimmer to any makeup application for a rosy pout that cannot be achieved by wearing ordinary lip gloss.




Boscia Rose Blotting Linens
Absorb excess oil without disturbing your makeup using finely woven linen made from 100% natural leaf fibers from the exotic Abaca tree plant. Slim package is ideal for purse or drawer. Boscia will donate 10% of the proceeds from the sales of the Rose Blotting Linens to the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation to support breast cancer research. Boscia Rose Blotting Linens are infused with the exquisitely feminine essence of Rose to help soothe your skin and uplift your psyche.