Beauty of a Site Blog

Before you go out tonight, give your brows a shape up.  Here are some pro tips for beautiful, quick brows: 1. Comb your eyebrows upward before you start, so that you're working with a uniform brow. 2. While a set of quality tweezers will help you get all of the stray hairs under your natural brow line, an at home waxing kit will help you control the downy extras between your brows and around the outside of your eyes.  We suggest Tweezerman's Speedy Tweeze for normal plucking and the Moom Face Kit (only $7!) for waxing. 3. Identify where your eyebrows should begin by placing a brush or pencil alongside the edge of your nose, vertically.  Anything on the other side of the brush needs to be plucked.  Place the same tool at the corner of your nose diagonally toward the outside of your eye.  Where the pencil hits the brow marks the natural end.  Pluck anything outside of this area. 4.  After plucking, dab milk (oh yes, you totally heard me right) over the plucked area to reduce swelling and calm your skin.  This will help to quickly reduce redness. 5.  To get a more uniform brow, * carefully * pluck out any hair that refuses to be shaped, is an off color or is longer than those in the surrounding area.  Do this only when completely necessary. Then, fill in any gaps with an eyebrow pencil, or an eyebrow mousse (like this one).

January is the perfect time to get our acts together; a fresh start when we can all get into the habits that will make the upcoming year an even better one than the year before. Here are five beauty habits that will keep you looking and feeling beautiful in 2011: Fresher Feet (1): We challenge you to a weekly pedicure.  With OPI's tropical scented scrubs and masks, five minutes in the shower keeps feet looking professionally pedicured all winter long.  Nothing makes you feel more beautiful than perfect soft and smooth feet in strappy shoes! Stronger Nails (2): Thirty seconds every morning with a clear coat of Dabu Nail Hardener not only keeps your manicure looking shiny and fresh, but protects nails from breaking, cracking or splitting.  Stronger, more beautiful nails only takes a coat a day! Younger Skin (3): Wash your face every night with a soap that does the hard work for you.  Cor soap's proven formula keeps skin glowing with a simple wash before bed.  Three minutes before bed and twenty years off your skin.  Definitely worth your time! Healthier Hair (4): Pamper your hair in 2011 with a decadent hair oil like Leonor Greyl's Palm Oil (Huile de Palme).  A pre-shampoo treatment intended to infuse your hair with moisture and protect it from damage.  A perfect treatment for anyone who's hair suffers from heat damage, over styling or winter dryness. Sexier Smile (5): The very best of any at home whitening treatments, Supersmile will help you achieve the perfect super-white sexy smile in 2011.  An easy and quick routine just like brushing your teeth at night will keep your smile more beautiful than ever!

As we're running around finishing up our perfect New Year's Eve look for tonight (nothing like shopping at the office!), we thought you might enjoy hearing about what we used to get the look!  We loved sparkly pinks, silvers and dark matte greys to build the perfect New Year's Eve glam! For Nails: From the OPI Burlesque Holiday Collection, we chose Sparkle-icious.  One of the six glitters (not shimmers, but glitters), this shade is multi colored (that's right... it matches everything) and adds just the right glitz to our get up. For Skin: To get the perfect pink glow, we skipped bronzer and used classic pink blush (Bed Head has a perfect selection), coupled with all over shimmer powder.  We concentrated the shimmer along cheek bones and even under the brow line for maximum impact.  We got the best results using Bed Head's Shake It Loose Powder in Shimmer. For Eyes: Natural mineral shadow, like the Orglamix Pure Mineral Eye Color adds the perfect natural sheen, while being easily blended and applied for intricate looks.  We thought the Twilight eye color kit was absolutely perfect, because it used the playful pink we love with darker grey tones and white highlights. * Pro Tip: Use the eye color kit picture on the website as a guide to blending and applying the three shades. For Lips:  Shimmering natural lips seemed perfect for the occasion, so we chose DuWop's Lip Venom to gloss and accentuate our natural lip color to the perfect kissable pink.  DuWop's Pink Shimmer Lip Venom gave us both the perfect pink tint and subtle sparkle that was essential for our NYE theme. * Pro Tip: Never accentuate both eyes and lips on one night.  If your eyes are dark and dramatic, let naturally toned lips do the kissing.  Or, if you're sporting bright red lip stick, keep the eyes simple.  Choose where you want the focus to stay!

Cher and Christina Aguilera graced the red carpet this week at the premier of their new movie, Burlesque.  Two truly talented divas, these women have come together to create a musical masterpiece. And we're pretty dang excited to see it. To get in the mood, consider trying out some of OPI's Holiday polishes, inspired and named after the movie, Burlesque.  Featuring as much glamour and exuberance as the movie, each of these colors either shimmers or glitters, just in time for a season of parties, holidays and reasons to look gorgeous. Click here to check out these new colors!

From a quick survey of the internet, it's oh so obvious which halloween costumes are going to be the most popular this year: Lady Gaga, Jersey Shores cast members, Twilight Characters, Alice is Wonderland, Avatar... and the list goes on.  Unfortunately, these had been all of my first picks as well, so the question remains: What can I do to set my costume apart? Ladies, the answer is always the same: The costume is in the details... it's time to accessorize! Here are some tips to make the three top costume choices your own, with a little help from Beauty of a Site: 1.  Lady Gaga with Falsies:  There's no question about it; if you want to rock Lady Gaga, you've got to rock some wicked cute false eyelashes.  And you know how it goes- the crazier the better.  We suggest something lush and dramatic like Eye Candy Strip Lashes or something jeweled and sparkly, like Tinsel Town Strip Lashes. 2.  Jersey Shore with Some Serious Volume: If you're going to pull of Snookie's look this Halloween, you're going to have to not only temporarily dye your hair black, but you're going to have to sport that massive bump in your 'do.  For some serious height, try Tigi Catwalk's Your Highness for Volume line.  Find root boosters, sprays and even a shampoo and conditioner that will help you get that elevation you need! 3.  Sexy Vamps with Glistening Complexion:  It always takes some skill to pull off Twilight cast costumes, because they dress like normal people.  The biggest difference between an undercover vampire and you and me is some super pale, lovely, glittery skin.  Add a little glitter to your powder to pull off the look!  We suggest using a mineral powder, like Orglamix Pure Mineral Powder in light Balsa, and mixing it with a fine silver glitter.  Not only will the mineral makeup give you a flawless complexion, but the bit of sparkle will have you looking like Alice, Rosalie or Edward in no time!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Beauty of a Site is inviting you to join the fight by making one simple decision: shop pink!  Some of our favorite brands have made their best selling products (that you already love!) available in pink versions to raise money for major breast cancer research and support organizations.  The more we buy, the more money is raised for the cause! Click here to browse all of the products that you can purchase to raise money for breast cancer!  Here are some of our favorites: 1. China Glaze Fight Like a Woman Nail Polish Collection: Featuring three dazzling pinks to both raise awareness and support the cause, this new collection features Empowerment (cotton-candy creme), Encouragement (pink shimmer) and Endurance (raspberry shimmer).  Available for a limited time only, order today! 2. Woody's Real Men Wear Pink Daily Grooming Kit: The perfect way for a guy to join the fight!  Featuring the pinkest boxers we could find, as well as a Woody's Daily Shampoo and Woody's Mega Firm Gel to help you rock your boxers in style!  It's like they say- it takes a real man to wear pink. 3. Tigi Bed Head Masterpiece "Pink" Shine Hairspray: One of our favorite "keep-it-right-there" hairsprays, Bed Head Masterpiece helps you capture your creativity and keep it where it needs to be, all day long.  Bright pink and in support of the City of Hope, Masterpiece is perfect for October and any time.

Who doesn't!? Applying false eyelashes can seem pretty daunting, and without some tips, it can be a big fat mess.  But never fear- when done properly (and when you have the know-how) it's a breeze and looks great every time! 1.  First things first- trip 'em up!  False eyelashes are one size fits all, so to make sure that they look natural on your face, trim them to the exact size and shape of your eyes.  Feel free to adjust the length of the individual lashes and the density of the group to get the look you're wanting. 2. Don't over-glue.  Glue is the "scariest" part about applying your own lashes, but it doesn't have to be.  Squeeze out a little bit of the glue onto a paper towel, a sponge or even the back of your hand, and carefully dip the edge of the falsies into the glob, getting just enough glue on the lashes.  This way, glue stays on the lashes and can't drip where it shouldn't be. 3. Make sure to mascara!  The best trick for getting your false lashes to stay put is by applying mascara very carefully after your lashes are firmly dried in place.  By applying mascara over both your natural and false lashes, the normal adhesion of the mascara holds both groups of lashes together and makes them blend perfectly, for extra hold and a perfect match! 4.  Get gutsy.  The best part about false eyelashes is their ability to give you a totally new look.  Try thicker, thinner, more colorful, more dramatic or sexier lashes to fit your mood, costume or plans!  Here are our suggestions for the best lashes for your style: Sexy: Eye Candy Strip Lashes, $9 Gaga-style party: Tinsel Town Strip Lashes, $9 Dramatic: Been Around Strip Lashes, $9 Natural: Black Sweeties Invisi-band Lashes, $6.50 Classic: Black Demi Wispies Invisi-band Lashes, $6.50 Click here to browse all of these sexy lashes!

It's been cool enough here in the Midwest this week for us to talk like it's Fall.  Along with cardigans, books and other Fall goodies, we're making some subtle adjustments to our cosmetic bag that scream, "hey, it's Fall!"  Here's our quick guide to small changes you can make to freshen up your style for the Fall season: 1.  Neutral nail shades.  Glamour's August issue warned us that we'd be seeing neutral nail shades everywhere we looked, and we're here to report that we are!  Along with Glamour, we totally recommend Essie's Mink Muffs (a classy, sassy taupe) and OPI's You Don't Know Jacques! (funky grey-beige creme) as the coolest neutrals of the season. 2.  Pucker up with red lips!  Whether you're heading to a show with friends or to an office meeting, rock classic red lips to liven up your look.  The bright lips work best with simple eyes (maybe even mascara only) and only a light bronzer instead of pinker blush.  Let your lips do the talking!  Do it best with DuWop's Private Red Lipstick which magically adjusts to be your own personal perfect red shade! 3.  Eyebrows that show.  That's right kids... stop plucking those suckers.  This trend started showing up earlier this year, but has really established itself both on the runways and in our own back yard.  With neutral makeup and a clean look being such a big part of fall style, having eyebrows to shape your face and give your look some color is a welcome change.  Keep your brows even and in order using Blinc's Eyebrow Mousse in the color that's right for you!

Whether you're a mom of four, a busy college student, or a hard-working principal of your local middle school, back to school means back to being busy.  Often being gone from your dorm room, house or apartment for an entire day, being in the swing of the school year necessitates makeup that you can apply in the morning and count on it to last- all day long.  Here are our top three products that we consider back-to-school essentials for makeup that lasts: 1.  Bella's Face Palettes:  Artfully designed to match any complexion beautifully, Bella Il Fiore's Face Palettes provide an easy-on-the-go makeup solution packed into one travel ready case.  Small enough to fit in a backpack, purse or even your pocket, the Bella Face Palettes expertly combine color, saving you time, and fitting easily on your person for touch ups. 2.  Blinc (Kiss Me) Mascara:  Blinc's Mascara is "totally tubular," featuring not a plastered, impossible to get off stick mascara, but an expertly designed tubing formula that literally creates a tube around your lashes.  The mascara won't even budge throughout your day, even with sweat, itchy eyes or P.E., but when combined with a little warm water at night, the tubes will slip off almost effortlessly.  We LOVE it. 3.  Last but not least, Model in a Bottle Setting Spray is like hairspray for perfect makeup.  Apply any makeup, just how you like it, and spray just a couple of bursts of Model in a Bottle over the top to set in your cosmetic creation for the entire day, while absorbing oil and keeping away unwanted shine.  Available in both an original and sensitive skin formula, don't worry about irritation.  This weightless, invisible spray will keep the attention where it belongs- on you!

A perfect bronze, subtle shimmer, silky moisturizers and even a bit of sun protection- we call it: the recipe for sexy summer skin. DuWop calls it: Revolotion. DuWop's Revolotion features a breakthrough blend of intense moisturizers, SPF 15, and a bronze shimmer that is perfect for highlighting face, shoulders, legs- anywhere that deserves subtle attention.  Revolotion is available in two shades to help this sheer body makeup blend seamlessly with any skintone to enhance your body's complexion without rub off, lines or unnatural color. DuWop even suggests that this miracle moisturizing blend can be applied to provide instant slimming effects! Watch the video below, produced by DuWop, to learn how to use Revolotion today!

Try Revolotion during August only and save $5!  Normally $28, purchase this here, at Beauty of a Site, for $23 through the end of the month.  Click here to shop this and more excellent DuWop cosmetics procucts!

One of Beauty of a Site's most beloved brands, Bella Il Fiore, has released fresh, innovative and beautiful new cosmetics. Compact, masterfully grouped and adorably packaged, Bella's newest makeup is perfect for the girl on the go! Visit our collection of Bella Il Fiore products here, and make sure to try these new ones: Bella Il Fiore Eye Shadow Palette: Bella Il Fiore Eye Shadow Palette is an 8-color eye shadow palette for all your color scheme needs. Flattering palettes correspond with the larger, full-face "Bella in Bloom" palettes... read more. Bella Il Fiore Glam Box: Bella Il Fiore Glam Box is a full-color, full-product make-up palette for literally all of your make-up needs! Featuring 24 eye shadows, 27 lip glosses, blushes, bronzer and a built-in mirror for ease. Everything a girl needs to look her very best dressed in Bella’s signature... read more. Bella Il Fiore Mineral Bronzer: Bella Il Fiore Mineral Beauty Bronzer is an oversized body bronzer, and when we say oversized, we mean it! As big as a small plate, this bronzing compact really gives you freedom in blending for the perfect skin mix. Apply to your face & body... read more. Bella Il Fiore Mirror & Compact: Bella Il Fiore Mirror Mirror - Compact Light Up Mirror allows you to never be caught without your best face forward. Use Bella’s light up mirror for fab glam wherever you are!. The mirror lights up when opened and features regular view, plus magnification... read more. Bella Il Fiore Sugar Shack Lip Gloss Set: Bella Il Fiore Sugar Shack Lip Gloss Set is a full-color, lip gloss palette for literally all of your glossy needs! Featuring 20 gorgeous shades of gloss guaranteed to go from day-to-night and back again. An added bonus, the delicious chocolate infusion will... read more.

As Beauty of a Site's resident Twilight addict, I went and saw Eclipse the very first moment I could.  And as expected, I loved it (no spoilers... don't worry). The newest director was wonderful, and truly brought out the beauty not only of the story, but of the characters!  Rosalie, in particular, was more beautiful in this movie than in any other thus far; her costume designers and makeup artists finally managed to totally capture her inner Cullen. And as expected, the Team Jacob / Team Edward tension couldn't have been hotter.  Jacob and Bella's relationship reaches new heights, and the movie accurately captures the difficulty of being trapped between two loves. * sigh * If you're like me, and you want a little more vampire-inspired magic in your life, try using DuWop's newest Twilight Venom Blush, a new shade of the classic lip plumper that celebrates the Twilight movies.  A warm pink, with a bit, the Twilight Venom Blush Lip Plumper uses essential oils to plump your lips- as if freshly bitten- and adds a natural look blush to intensify color. Click here to purchase your own product today!