30 Days Of Bronzing: Korres Monoi Oil Bronzing Powder

On your mark, get set, GOLD! We're bringing you 30 solid-gold days of bronzers, as reviewed by Sephora's own!


Bronzer:
Korres Natural Products Monoi Oil Bronzing Powder

Reviewer:

Kim Burrs, Marketing

Gold & Gorgeous:

"My new favorite must-have for summer is Korres Monoi Oil Bronzing Powder. It gives me the perfect sun-kissed no makeup makeup look.

The all natural formulation glides onto skin and blends perfectly. Plus, as I discovered, you can really layer this one on to get as deep of a bronze shade as you want."


Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo
"For when I don't have time to re-wash and style after the gym or pool!"








Sephora Waterproof Triple Action Mascara
"This and a bronzer are all I need for summer makeup, and it keeps my mascara where it should be: On my lashes not on my cheeks!"






Murad Perfecting Day Cream SPF 30
"My daily dose of SPF (and best beauty secret)! This absorbs completely into my skin, leaving it hydrated, soft, and protected."





More of The Bold & The Bronze: See all 30 golden days of bronzing at Sephora!

Poopsie Daisy: The Solid Waste Face (Mask)

*Sniff. sniff.*

Ok, everybody needs to check the bottoms of their shoes. Or the contents of their face mask.

The latest beauty trend we are definitely not stepping in is a face mask said to brighten and whiten skin. The magical ingredient: Uguisu no fun. That's Japanese for "nightingale excrement" (let's pause here for a collective shudder followed by an, "Ewwww!").

The bird droppings are turned into powder before being added to a special face mask. And before it's smeared on faces, this poo-wder is treated with high heat to kill off bacteria.

But...are you ready for this? One bright skin-seeking spa gal described the mask as, "Creamy and rich" (gag me!).

Better idea? These products that brighten skin without the poopy parts:

Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Protective Moisturizer

Brightens, hydrates, and protects with plant extracts, thankyouverymuch.

Rx For Brown Skin Bright and Healthy Regimen Set

Say so long to dry flakes and ashy color, and hello to hydration.

Want more excrement-free brightener? We got 'em. Hey, I'm all too happy to help.

BEAUTY ROUNDUP: Simply the Best

Since I started blogging here I've tested a ton of great prods. And honest to Ganesh, I've loved every. single. one of them, but there are a few that have taken up perm. residence in my (admittedly spotty) routine, so I felt like they needed an extra shout-out. Here are my tops so far. - Jenna Mahoney

Clarins Younger Longer Balm ($98)
Forget the needles, his heavy-duty wrinkle combater is the hands-down, best thing, I've tried so far. All of my friends have bought it, with similar raves. I'm telling you this balm is the bomb.

Lorac Hollywood Heat Collection ($35)
Between the bronze pouch carry-all, mini TANtilizer self tanner and the copper two-toned blush/bronzer, there's no weak link in this chain. The only downside is the fact that I'm using it all up at an alarming pace. Well, at least I'll have the cute bag as a reminder of all of this fabulousness.

Doubleglow 7 by DuWop ($25)
Anything that does double-duty gets an A plus in my book. But this thick balm's ability to completely camoflauge under-eye circles in a single application is the top reason (among many) why the pot takes up space in my daily makeup bag.

Benefit "That Gal"($27)
This is one of those if you buy anything this month, get this products. It is so universally flattering, so pretty and so smooth, it makes me feel polished and picture ready in seconds. I mean really, it is so simple, all you need to do is click and go.

Keep It Simple, You Stunner: The No-Makeup Makeup Tutorial

The girls from WhoWhatWearDaily took a time-out from fashion fabulosity today to instead practice perfecting their fresh-faced summer makeup routines.

Just like summer, this routine is a beauty breeze to pull off. Watch the tutorial:


Try it! You just need these beauty goodies to get this look:

• Tinted Moisturizer
• Bronzer
• Blush - The makeup artist used the super-popular NARS The Multiple
  
• Brow Gel
• Eyelash Curler
  
• Cream Shadow - NARS to the rescue, again!
• Mascara
• Lip Gloss - Recommended colors are gold, nude, or pink
  

Suds In The Tub, Suds In The Mug: Soap Made From Beer

Yes, what you are looking at is soap made from actual PBR beer.

To me, this is #6 on the list with those other seven signs of the Apocalypse. To others, beer apparently makes a great soap. No word on specifically how anyone found this out.

As I've never taken a can of beer with me to the shower, I'm having trouble imagining this process of discovery. Was this created by someone who regularly raids kitchens for "soap-like things?" Not that I'm judging. Hey, I get it. We all need a break from smelling like roses...uh, I guess.


But beer? I have some better ideas.

How about coconuts?

Philosophy's The Tiki Hut Gift Set comes with coconut-scented treats that smell just like pie. Or, for you beer-washers, just like a pina colada.







Or! Brown sugar?



Fresh's Brown Sugar Body Wash can make your whole tub smell like a bakery. And doesn't that sound nicer than a brewery?





Or how about an entire fruit basket?


Sephora's got an entire line of bubble bath that smells like fresh fruit. Guava? Lime? Nectarine? Peaches? Grapefruit?









Plus, just think: By not turning that beer into soap, you won't have to field any more of those pesky, "Whoa, someone have a late night last night?" questions from your coworkers.


Beauty Counterpoint Alert! We just heard from a soapmaker who uses brews in his bubbly blends. Here's the haps on those hops: The barley in beer can soothe skin (hey, we've done it with our oatmeal), and hops are full of b vitamins, calcium, zinc, and manganese. How about a toast to your tub!

Tried +Tested: Sephora Brand Nail Patch

Calling all Virgos, perfectionists and chicies with little to zero time. Have we got a phenom. for you. The brand-spanking new Sephora Brand Nail Patch ($10) promise long-wear, chip-less color with zero drying time. And in the words of those crazy kids at Seattle Grace—seriously. The peel and stick lacquered pieces deliver non-streaky, super-even and fantastic, stay-put color. And we're not talking of the 80s press-on nail variety. These strips actually adhere to the nail a-la polish, but sans the wetness, smudginess and waiting time of the traditional method. I tried the pink, which pack some serious She-Ra Color. And after a week of wear, they look almost as fresh as the first day, which is an extra-special plus if, like me, you spend oh, um 18 hours a day typing. And since the patches require nail polish remover to disappear, I'm totally going to be feeling all Princess of Power for a few more days. - Jenna Mahoney

30 Days Of Bronzing: Laura Mercier Cheek Duo in Coral Bronze

On your mark, get set, GOLD! We're bringing you 30 solid-gold days of bronzers, as reviewed by Sephora's own!


Bronzer:

Laura Mercier Cheek Duo in Coral Bronze

Reviewer:

Jessica Anderson, Marketing

Gold Coast Gal:

"My #1 life lesson as a redhead: Fake some skin tone, stat. Speaking as someone who’s definitely been around the bronzer block, I can say I truly heart this bronzer. It’s half bronzer, half blush, so it creates the perfect flushed hue when blended together. Sun-kissed with a gold sheen—not too wild and orange-y like a lot of great glow wannabes. It comes in a darker version too, Pink Bronze, so it can work with deeper skin tones as well."

Philosophy Falling In Love Fragrance
"I’m secretly convinced this perfume attracts boys. (Much like Philosophy’s pheromone spray, which has sadly been discontinued!) It’s a soft, flowery scent that doesn’t overdo the jasmine and vanilla like a lot of other florals."




Duwop Lip Venom
"Beware: This lip plumper is A-D-D-I-C-T-I-V-E. My best friend and I used to apply it religiously in high school, and I’ve sworn by it ever since. One you get used to the spicy, tingling sensation, it’s all poutiness from there."





Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo
"Cleanliness is next to godliness, buuuut sometimes you have to fake it. This oil-absorbing hair powder can seriously stretch your 'do for days—just don’t quote me, I’ll deny it."




More of The Bold & The Bronze: See all 30 golden days of bronzing at Sephora!

Damage, Controlled III: The Skin Strikes Back

Didja know this? The process of creating new cells and pushing old ones to the surface of your skin takes about 28 days.

And that's for relatively young skin - for more mature skin, the regeneration cycle is more like two full months.

First off, no wonder docs and derms always recommend trying a product for at least a month before throwing in the towel.

And secondly....ain't it the truth! I'm Week 3 into my test-drive of Philosophy's Help Me retinol cream and I'm starting to feel like my face is molting. But..uh, in a good way.

As I confes- er, mentioned last week, I didn't do such a hot job following package directions, instead mentally modifying the, "Follow application with your favorite moisturizer" to "...but only if you really feel like it, Jenny. Maybe you'd just rather go watch reruns of 'The Nanny.'"

Yes, I'm lazy, and because I'm lazy, I've got a light bit of peeling going on around my nose. But in a way, it's almost better I'm a flop at directions because hey, my momma didn't raise no peeler....and yet here I am with flaky little confirmation tickets from my skin telling me, "28 days? Pshaw! We can beat that."

30 Days Of Bronzing: Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder

On your mark, get set, GOLD! We're bringing you 30 solid-gold days of bronzers, as reviewed by Sephora's own!

Bronzer:

Guerlain Teracotta Bronzing Powder

Reviewer:

Dana Icaza, Marketing

Getcha Getcha Gold:

"Guerlain Teracotta Bronzing Powder has a creamy, smooth texture with an excellent smell – very floral. This is so luxurious – I want to douse my body in it!

The bronzer goes on very smoothly, but I opted for a few extra applications to really get a nice, dark color. Although it looked a little orange at first, the color faded to a beautiful golden tan by the time I was done with the rest of my makeup.

With other bronzers, sometimes when I rub my fingers on my face, I can see the bronzer come off on my fingers. Not with this one! And it still washed off more cleanly than other bronzers.

This is my new favorite! I’ve used it for a week straight and love it!"


Korres Yoghurt Cooling Gel
"I absolutely love the sun and summer. After a day at the beach, this is the perfect remedy to soothe and hydrate my skin. I would take a bath in it if I could - it has the best smell. Because it moisturizes, it keeps a tan going longer as well."




ck Calvin Klein Delicious Pout Flavored Lip Gloss
"These new lip glosses are excellent - they go on smoothly and have a subtle shimmer to them, perfectly complementing tan skin. They aren’t sticky and have a terrific grapefruit scent. Gold Frost especially is the best color when you’re already a little tan."




Frederic Fekkai Summer Hair Zero-Humidity Frizz Control
"Since I have naturally curly/wavy hair, and summers are so humid in NYC, this is a terrific product to give defined texture to my hair. In the summer, it's my alternative to my ghd Smoothing Balm For Hair Straightening. Even when I'm not at the beach, I have those beach waves."




More Of The Bold & The Bronze: See all 30 golden days of bronzing at Sephora!

Tried +Tested: Benefit Luster Duster

One word: Pretty. Really, honestly, I could end this post right here. Or I could just copy and paste Pretty over and over again and you'd really know how I feel about the new Benefit Luster Dusters ($18). The 10 different loose powders are finely milled, oh-so-subtle-shimmered shades formulated for eyes and face. The colors range from an iridescent white, Snow Bunny, and an innocent Barbie pink, Jelly Roll, to a vibrant deep violet, Punk Royalty, and a surprisingly universally flattering green, Moon Doggie. They can be layered or wore alone on lids. (My personal fave combo is the bronzed Big Daddy highlighted by the golden Nugget.) And when swept across the cheekbones, the effect is like a sweet, glittered kiss. (I'm crushing hardcore on the peachy Goldilocks.) Oh so pretty! But did I really need to use that word again? The answer is totes.