Buy a lipstick for World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day. I know not everyone has time to volunteer, but it only takes a couple minutes to buy a lipstick. One MAC Viva Glam lipstick ($14.50) can really make a difference. 100% of every Viva Glam Sale goes to the M.A.C. AIDS Fund. Here are just some of the things 1 lipstick can contribute to men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS:

ONE Viva Glam Lipstick=
8 home cooked meals
1 b-day or x-mas party pack for a child who lost a parent to HIV/AIDS.
 A year's worth of school supplies for a child affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa
3 boxes of a weeks supply of fruits and veggies in Canada
2 meals for 2 children at an orphanage affected by HIV?AIDS in South Africa
1 weekly grocery shop (4 bags of food) for 2 people affected by HIV/AIDS

to see more info, visit www.macaidsfund.org

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Moisture Mask for Acne Prone Skin

"Moisture" is a scary word for people with acne prone skin. The fact is, that even the oiliest skin needs it. Finding the right balance can be difficult, though. Too much moisture causes breakouts. Lack of moisture causes excess shine. Well, for those of you who always have at least one breakout somewhere on your face, but feel dehydrated at the same time, Laura Mercier has the perfect moisture mask for you.
Laura Mercier's Intensive Moisture Mask ($32) is an oil free water-based hydrating formula that will leave your skin feeling baby soft. It's a green gel that feels super light weight, so you can pile it on as thick as you want and won't breakout. After cleansing your face, wear the mask for 5-10 minutes then rinse or towel off with warm water. After using this mask, not only did my skin feel soft and extremely comfortable, I was also more radiant. I've broken down some of the ingredients so you all can see that this mask is truly for all skin types and addresses all concerns.

moisture:
sunflower oil
sweet almond oil
shea butter

clarity/radiance:
grapefuit extract
rice protein
saxifragra extract

soothing/calming:
cucumber extract
barley extract
wheat germ extract
rose water

antioxidants:
tomato extract
vitamin e

firming:
coneflower extract

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Pure Vitamin C

Freelancing for a wedding last week really opened my eyes to a truth I thought I wouldn't realize for at least another 4 years; I'm aging. We all are. Everyday. The whole day I thought the bridal party was my age. They were young and fun and radiant. Later that night I asked how old they were, and as it turned out, they were a few ears older than me. Smoking, having 3 kids, living an emotionally stressful life, staying up late, bad eating habits...all of those factors can be read on a woman's face. Women know that looking 25 is very different from 29 even though it's only a 4 year gap. At that moment I decided it was time to step up my skincare from basic prevention to early correction. Aging is inevitable and irreversible, but it can be slowed down, and it can be corrected.
After expressing my aging concerns, friend of mine who works for Kiehl's gave me a sample of their Dermatologist Solutions Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate ($56). I know you all probably think I'm crazy and don't need an extra-strength anti-wrinkle serum, and you're right. I don't. What drew me to this product was the continuous delivery of 10.5% Vitamin C, or L-Ascorbic Acid. Kiehl's was able to stabilize the highest dose of Vitamin C available without a dermatologist's prescription. Since my second pregnancy, I've been looking for a product that gave retinol results without the retinol. This Concentrate tested the same against retinol without the sensitivity and irritation. That means this is a safe anti-aging treatment for pregnant women.
So why would a 25 year old need this? Vitamin C (aside from correcting wrinkles) improves skin texture and radiance; my 2 main concerns. Since using this Line-Reducing Concentrate, I noticed a brighter, more youthful complexion. I look healthy and energized. I actually feel like I look my age.

Eye Serum

You can wear this serum day and night under a moisturizer. I suggest wearing a SPF of at least 15 on top of the Concentrate because of the rapid exfoliation taking place. There is also a formula available for the eye area, which I also love. Your eyes are where you see the first signs of aging, so I highly recommend the Dermatologist Solutions Line-Reducing Eye-Brightening Concentrate ($40) as well.

Beyonce Inspired B.B. Homemaker Makeup Tutorial

Here's my latest makeup tutorial based on one of Beyonce's looks in her "Why Don't You Love Me?" video. I have it on YouTube, but they disabled my audio due to licencing issues, so I had to replace the soundtrack with one of their pre-authorized songs. The Vimeo version has the original soundtrack; a tribute to Miss Eta James.


Beyonce Inspired B.B. Homemaker Tutorial from Marissa Rhoades on Vimeo.

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Lip Stain!

On my venture to buy makeup for my Drug Store Beauty Queen Tutorial, I found a precious gem. Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstain in Cherry Pop (Target.com, $6.49). I've tried department store stains like Benefit's Bene-Tint ($28), but I like this one better for 2 reasons; convenience and price point. To me it looks just like the product that costs $21 more, except instead of having a messy loose liquid, it's all contained in a little pen. The coverage is buildable, so you can keep coloring until your lips are as dark as you want it. It stays on all day. I've even slept with it on and my lips were still red the next morning. Color Sensational Lipstains are perfect for someone who doesn't like to reapply lipstick or gloss though out the day and wants a natural looking lip. I like to wear it with a moisturizing lip balm on top. Even Chapstick would work. Love it!
Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstain Demo:

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Brighter By Nature

Radiance and clarity are my main concerns for my skin, so naturally I had to try Origin's new Brighter By Nature High-potency brightening peel with fruit acids ($37.50). These mini-peel pads are loaded with skin brightening, anit-oxidant packed fruity acids from blueberries, Goji berries and grapes. Chamomile, aloe and lavender soothe redness and sensitivity. Test results showed that this treatment can be comparable to a 30% glycolic peel.

While this product claimed to be a "glycolic peel without the redness," I did see a little red. The box also indicated that a "tingling" sensation is normal, but what I felt was more of a sting. It wasn't unbearable, just a little uncomfortable. Both of those side effects are well worth the face I woke up to the next morning. My skin was noticeably brighter and acne scars were faded.

I recommend only using the peel pads two nights a week. Don't use them in the same 24 hours as your regular scrub and mask. You should use a broad-spectrum SPF everyday, but it's especially important after this treatment. Your face just shed several layers of dead skin, so your skin would be more vulnerable to UV rays.

Remember: Not every cosmetics counter girl knows what they're doing. The employee turnover rate in cosmetics is high, and most don't get formally trained until they've been there for a few months. It's not rude to ask how long they've been there and if they've gone to class yet. This is YOUR skin. Don't put its care in the hands of an untrained sales person who hasn't got the proper product knowledge.

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Cream Blush is All You Need!

These days, the average woman is on the go all day long. Whether you are a student or a carpool mom, there is always somewhere we have to be. Most days I don't even wear makeup, but sometimes while I'm driving around I'll get a call that sounds something like:
 "Hey, Hunny. I left my phone charger at home, can you drop it off?"
or
 "Hey, Marissa! I need you to come to work and sign some papers."
I'm not trying to go to my husband's office looking all haggard, or to my job looking like everything BUT a makeup artist. So I always have two things in my purse: face powder and cream blush. You don't need powder if you don't have oily or blemished skin, but I keep it just in case.
The real must have is cream blush! You can use it to add a natural flush to your cheeks, brighten your eyes, and add color to your lips. Cream blushes are truly an all-in-one freshen upper.

Favorites:
M.A.C. Blushcream ($18.50)
Lancome Color Design Blush ($27) Hurry! These are being discontinued!
Clinique Blushwear Cream Stick ($18.50)

Now enjoy my mini tutorial on how you can quickly apply cream blush no matter wear you are!

Marissa's Pick of the Week - The Perfect Red!

So, a few days ago I made the mistake of walking by a Sephora. I swear that store pulls me in like a magnet. I left with a list a mile high of everything I wanted, but what stuck out to me the most was Make Up For Ever's new Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick called "Moulin Rouge." ($19)
I remember the whole magical experience exactly how it happened. I walked into Sephora and headed straight for the Make Up For Ever counter (naturally). I was excited to see that they finally came out with some new stuff. As my eyes wandered up to the new lipsticks, the perfectly shaded red was the first I snatched. I swiped it on the back of my hand, then gushed over that little stick of color as if I just gave birth to it. Not too orange. Not too pink. Just red.
I know everyone has a different perfect red, but I am positive "Moulin Rouge" will be red red red on most of you who try it. So if you "can-can-can," stop by a Sephora store to try it or buy it.

Beauty Junkies CAN Travel Light!

Leave those train cases at home! With a few of tips, we Beauty Junkies won't have to sacrifice any part of our makeup regimen when we travel. I remember the days when airlines allowed each person 3 pieces of luggage and 2 carry-ons. Now, we're restricted to 1 suitcase under 50 lbs. Anything over 50 lbs. costs extra. With all our skin care and makeup that won't even fit on our vanities, how do we choose what to bring? I hope this short video will help. Happy Travels!

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Double Duty

Double Duty Strengthening Base & Top Coat (average MSRP, $5.00) by Sally Hansen is the best top coat I've ever used. My polish usually didn't last for more than a week without chipping, but this has helped my nails survive cleaning and making jewelry for over 2 weeks. It's also a money saver because it's a strengthening base coat.

Marissa's Pick of the Week- Moisturize Your Stress Away

YES! YES! AND YES!!! Clinique's Superdefense Triple Action Moisturizer had everything i wanted in a day cream. Then they went and changed it on me...for the better! The original formula launched back in 2005 when I was a proud lab coat wearing skin care geek. Since then, I haven't tried a moisturizer (almost a dozen) that I liked better. I loved it it because I was a fresh faced 20-year-old concerned with preventing skin damage and signs of aging such as fine lines, age spots and loss of radiance. The original formula was a skin care technology break through, offering broad spectrum protection and pollution filters in 3 formulas for different skin types.
Jammed packed with potent antioxidants, Superdefense shielded you from UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays with an SPF of 25 (the highest SPF I had seen in a basic daily moisturizer at the time), and had IPF (Immune Protection Factor) technology.
At the time, most moisturizers with SPF only protected you from UVB rays, leaving your skin vulnerable to the harsh effects of UVA damage. Remember that UVA are the sun rays that age your skin. It attacks the layers of your epidermis that can attribute to age spots, wrinkles, and The Big "C." Yes cancer. The Langerhans cell, which identifies skin cancer cells, is a big fat target without UVA protection. Can't get much better than that! But wait...
The new formula IS better than that! This amazing face armor, now called Superdefense SPF 25 Age Defense Moisturizer ($42.50) does all of the above PLUS battles emotional stress damage and repairs signs of aging. How? I don't know. That's the stuff only Clinique people know, but it's pretty awesome!

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Brush Savers

I love, love, love The Brush Guard! ($5.50 per pack) They help to expand the life of your cosmetic brushes by preserving its shape and allowing upside down dry time (!) after washing.
Caring for your makeup brushes the right way can save you hundreds of dollars in the long run. The most important thing to know is how to wash them. Use baby shampoo, antibacterial dish soap, or makeup brush cleanser to thoroughly cleanse each bristle until water runs clear. Never leave your brushes to dry standing upright. This can cause water to drip back into the ferrule (look at the diagram below), loosening the glue that holds the hairs together. The result? Your $50 powder brush starts balding. Until I discovered these money savers via Michelle Phan, I laid my brushes flat to dry.

To use, slip the appropriately sized Brush Guard over your cleansed brush extending the tube about 1/2" over the bristles. Place the brush upside down in a cup over night. When your brush is dry, slip the tube off (upwards, not down the handle) and your brush is good as new!

If you can't purchase brush guards right away, you can do wonders with rubber bands! :)

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Nail Art Pens!

Since I'm currently between jobs, I've been a little less into makeup and more into nail art. As a true beginner with no knowledge of anything that had to do with nails, I swiped a couple of Nail Art Pens by Sally Hansen. You can pick these pens up at drug stores and beauty supply stores for an average price of $6.99. They come in 8 colors and dry fast. It takes some practice to draw designs that actually look good. I started off horrible, but now I'm kind of good. Well, good enough to not have to go to a salon and pay 3 to 4 times more than a couple of these pens cost. This picture shows the first batch of nails I'm not embarrassed to show. Hopefully with enough practice, other people will want me to do their nails for them!

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Solid Serum for Oily Skin

My new love is Lush skincare. Everything is handmade with natural, perishable ingredients. The most interesting of my purchases is the Saving Face solid serum ($13.95). I have to admit that the bizarre idea of a solid serum is what initially attracted me to this product. After reading the ingredients and viewing a demo, I took one home with me and fell in love after the first use. I have now been using it for 3 weeks and still get as excited to use it as I was the first time. This vegan wonder tablet is loaded with so many skin delicious ingredients, I can't believe it all fits into something I can hide in the palm of my hand.

Super Awesome Face Saving Yummies:

On top of powerful antioxidants found in all the cirtrus oils, shea butters give just the right amount of moisture oily skin types need while kaolin clay and talc absorb excess oils.

Thyme - This key ingredient helps with acne because it is a natural astringent, helps keep skin clear due to its anti-fungal and anti-viral properties, and protects skin because it's a free radical crime fighter (powerful antioxidant).
Jojoba Oil - lasting moisture and antioxidant
Chlorophyllin - Naturally derived from plants, it is a great antioxidant and repels pollutants such as cigarette smoke, smog, and diesel emissions.

Don't let the the "oils" in this recipe scare you. What a lot of oily skin types don't know is that natural essential oils are good for us. It's mineral oil that is our enemy. My skin started clearing up when I added Saving Face to my regimen. Try it out at your local Lush store. They are VERY generous with samples.

Yay! Contest!

I will be hosting 2 drawings for 2 awesome prizes!

Contest #1 Youtube! 
Subscribe to my YouTube channel, KitschkweenDIY, and once I reach 100 subscribers, I will randomly pick a winner using Raffle King. The winner will receive 3 mini Lancome Juicy Tubes (about a $20 value) in "Simmer," "Dreamsicle," and "Magic Spell." After this iconic lip gloss launched 10 years ago (stumping the sales of every other lip gloss on the market) almost all other cosmetic lines had to release a similar product to keep up with the trend. After 10 years and some tough competition, Juicy Tubes are still a best selling brand.

Contest #2 Blog Comments:
Comment on any of my blog posts here (not on Facebook), and I will draw a name after 100 comments. The winner will receive A full size Arbonne NutriMin C RE9 RElease Deep Pore Cleansing Masque ($31) This vitamin packed mask sucks all the yuck out of your pores while it tones and firms your skin.

I need a lot of participation for this contest to work, so please tell your friends about it. The more entries I get, the sooner I pick a winner!

Good Luck!

Ganguro Girl

Ganguro girls in Japan are often perceived as trashy. So I thought, "This is perfect for me!" Stay tuned after the credits for a short Japanese lesson. ^_^ 

I hope you enjoy this tutorial!

Ganguro Makeup Tutorial from Marissa Rhoades on Vimeo.

A shorter youtube version is also available here:

Bahirah's Pick of the Week- Milk Pencil

The NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in "Milk" ($4) Has become a staple in my makeup wardrobe since I first saw it used in a video makeup tutorial. It is the perfect brow bone highlighter, giving a natural matte finish. If you are lucky, you can find a Milk pencil at your local beauty supply store for a cheaper price. If you do, get a bunch at a time. They are always sold out at the store I go to. You can of course get them on the NYX Cosmetics Website. $4 is still a steal for this professional quality must have.

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Charcoal Mask

Using a deep cleansing mask at least once a week is important for acne prone skin like mine. Luckily, Origins has their Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask ($21). Activated charcoal is a great skincare ingredient used to detoxify and clarify. It works as a filter, trapping impurities in the skin (kind of like how a water filter works) therefore leaving your face squeaky clean. The added benefits of White China (Kaolin) clay stimulates circulation, heals acne and removes dead skin cells for a clear and bright complexion.

Marissa's Pick of the Week - "Aqua Net for Your Face"

Fix + by M.A.C. Cosmetics ($18) is a must have in every makeup artist box! I also recommend this product for the Party Girl or someone with a 14 hour or more work day. You can use it alone to re-freshen your skin, or on top of makeup to set everything in place. With ingredients like green tea, chamomile, and cucumber, even sensitive skin would enjoy this thirst quenching cocktail. I have used Fix + on every client I freelanced for. Such events include weddings, parties, and funerals. When I followed up with my clients they all said their makeup stayed in place until they washed it off. I did makeup for a party at 11 AM, and they said their makeup was still fresh at 2 AM. As strong of a sealer as it is, it feels just like water. It's not sticky or heavy, so you won't even realize you sprayed it on after it dries. It's like glue for your face, or as a friend of a friend said, "It's like Aqua Net for your face!"

Bronze Beauty Makeup Tutorial

My favorite summer look is a monochromatic bronze face. Your complexion is flawless and tanned. You shimmer in the sunlight. You glow in the moonlight. It looks like the sun just melted on you.
To give a natural sun-kissed look,  I didn't use any pencils. I wanted everything to blend together without any hard lines. All the makeup and brushes in this tutorial is Lancome.

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Best Sunscreen!

Since May is both Skin Cancer Awareness month and Asian Pacific American Heritage month, I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone feed two birds with one pine cone for this week's pick.
IQQU Advance Sunscreen ($28.99) by Michelle Phan is unlike any other sunscreen I've seen. It's oil free, paraben free, fragrance free, and won't clog your pores. The consistency is kind of dry- not so much powdery, but not creamy either. (You have to feel it for yourself.) It's got an SPF of 35, protecting you from both UVA (aging rays) and UVB (skin burning rays) damage. What makes this formula even more special? You can apply it on top of makeup without messing it up!

Important Sunscreen info:


SPF doesn't last all day. In fact, to calculate when to reapply your sunscreen, take the SPF and multiply it by itself. The answer is how many minutes your protection will expire. For example: SPF 35 x 35 = 1225 minutes (just under 21 hours). So for those of you who think SPF 15 is enough, I hope you are only outside for 3 hours a day. Remember that some indoor lighting is also harmful to your skin.

Putting a foundation with SPF 10 on top of a moisturizer with SPF 20 does not equal SPF 30! This is a common  misconception. You will only have the protection of the highest SPF you are wearing.

Sunscreen is not sunblock. Sunblock disables your skin from absorbing almost all sun rays. Sunscreen actually absorbs some of the ultraviolet rays. This allows for a tan, but protects from burning.

Marissa's Pick of the Week! -Tweeze Me, Baby

I really loathe plucking my eyebrows, but since waxing regularly doesn't fit in my budget, I might as well get some good tweezers to make the process easier on me. Tweezerman makes excellent quality grooming products to fit the needs of everyone. My favorite product is the Pointed Slant Tweezer ($30) recently released by Benefit cosmetics. These are super sharp, therefore precise. You can pluck out super short hair and thin hair with these. If you want save $5, you can get the simple stainless steel ones on the Tweezerman site.

AIDS WALK & RIDE 2010

Unfortunately, Jay couldn't be with us because of major surgery the previous day.

Thanks to everyone who donated money on  behalf of Pomps n' Gloss, and to Bahirah for joining me this year.

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Tapered Shadow Brush

The Tapered Eye Shadow Brush is my favorite eye shadow brush ever! In fact, I love it so much, I have 4 of them- 2 for me, and 2 for my artist box. I only own Lancome's Blending Brush #17 ($27.50), but other lines carry similar brushes. This brush gives the perfect shape on your outer corner and crease everytime. I also use it to apply shadow all over, and to flawlessly blend colors together. Another great use for this brush is settling your under eye concealer with a loose powder. Holding the brush vertically, roll it across under your eyes with just a little bit of powder. To see the use of this brush in action, view my last video tutorial.

Smoky Eye Tutorial

This was a very unplanned, spur of the moment video tutorial of how to create a smoky eye. I've never edited video, but I tried my best. Please try ignore the lame Musak, and occasional whining child in the background.

Marissa's Pick of the Week - NYX Pigments

NYX Loose Pearl Powders are sold as eye shadows, but work like pigments, and for only $2.50 a pop, why spend up to $20 more on department store brands? The highly concentrated powder can be used on your eyes, face, lips, and eyelashes. You can find NYX products at www.nyxcosmetics.com, Ulta stores, and Ulta's website.

Here's a rundown of my NYX Loose Pearl Powder look:

Eyes:

All Over - Yellow Pearl

Outer corner, fanned out from the top of my cheek bone to the temple - Orange Zest Pearl

Under eyeliner and lashes - Jade Pearl





Face:

Apples of cheeks & bridge of nose- Very Pink Pearl







Lips:

no lip liner- Orange Zest Pearl on top of Make Up For Ever Lipstick #201

Marissa's Pick of the Week- Asian Beauty

Yes. My pick this week is a book, but not just any book. What I have chosen for you is the best beauty book I have read so far. This includes books by Bobbi Brown, and The African American Women's Guide to Successful Makeup by Alfred Fornay. Not only is this a great reference for makeup application techniques, but it also has suggested skin care regimens, beauty tool knowledge and lifestyle recommendations for better looking skin.

Margaret Kimura (pictured right) has finally put a guide out into the world that focuses on the unique texture, skin tone and features of the Asian Woman in her book, Asian Beauty ($30). Her book models range from Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Korean to Indian, Filipino, Malaysian, and mixed races. Other ethnicities can benefit from this book, as her techniques have been used on hundreds of people in Hollywood and skin care tips are universal. Known as the "Blending Queen" in the makeup artist industry, her book is 210 pages of how to achieve a smooth, natural looking complexion to build the perfect canvas for color.

Check it out at the library first. Chances are, you'll want to buy it. It also makes a beautiful coffee table book at the very least.

Marissa's Pick of the Week - Glitter!!!

1. I like glitter.
2. I like inexpensive, quality makeup
3. I LOVE NYX Glitter Cream Palette!

The website says it's 6.00 USD, but I purchased my pallet in "Sureal" for only 4.00 at a beauty supply shop (probably because "palette" was spelled wrong). I like using this formula with powders because it intensifies the pigments while adding a glittery effect. After experimenting with this cream shadow, I learned a couple things. It does not play well with other cream formulas, and it's a must that you pat it on, not stroke or rub. I like using a foam tip eyeshadow applicator or a concealer brush. It can be a little frustrating to get the hang of it at first, but once you figure out how to apply it, you will love it.

Here are the shades on my bare skin:

With a black base:

With a white base:

You can see how the glitter is subtle so that it's fun and pretty, not strippery.