Marissa's Pick of the Week - M.A.C. Lip Pencils

I absolutely love M.A.C. Lip Pencils ($13)! They glide on smoothly, wear for a long time and have great coverage. I like wearing these more than lipstick because you get more precise results. I like to wear 2 lip pencils; one for the liner and one as the lipstick, then top it with a Lip Glass ($14.50) or Tinted Lip Conditioner ($14.50) Some of my favorite combinations are:

Bright Hot Pink-
Line: Cherry
Lip: Magenta
Gloss: Viva Glam Gaga lip Glass

Neutral Brown-
Line: Cork
Lip: Subculture
Gloss: Soothing Beige Tinted Lip Conditioner

Red-
Line: Brick
Lip: Cherry
Gloss: Viva Glam Cyndi Lip Glass

Nude-
Line: Stripdown
Lip: Oak
Gloss: C-Thru Lip Glass

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 - 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.

Makeup Mondays: Neon!!!

It’s no secret that I LOVE the 80s. The 2010 summer trend definitely brings it back with bold neon colors that make me squeal with excitement! Hot pinks, vivid tangerines and shocking yellows will blind you with such ferocious fierceness, you’ll want to get out your metallic leggings and rubber bracelets.

Available Now:

M.A.C. of course has a variety of neon colors. I plan to get the following on my next visit:

Eyeshadows ($14.50) in Rule (vivid orange) and Bitter (vivid green)

lipsticks ($14) in So Chaud (intense reddish orange), and Morange (loudmouth orange)

Then I went on a mini neon splurge at Sephora yesterday and looky what I got (From Left to right):

Make Up For Ever Eyeshadows ($19) in #75 Neon Pink, #18 Tangerine, and #2 yellow 2;

Sephora by O.P.I. nail color ($9) in Hi Def

Kat Von D. Painted Love lipstick ($18) in A Go Go

Brands to look out for:

Chanel has a stunning 2010 summer collection coming soon. I’ve seen it, but don’t have a picture (boo!) due to the super special agents making sure online pictures don’t leak before it is released. You can, however, pre-order the nail polishes here. Keep checking Chanel.com for updates.

Also available soon: China Glaze's Poolside collection.

Makeup Mondays: The Matte Movement

Remember when the cool, special makeup colors had shimmer, and matte color was the normal boring stuff? Nowadays it's the opposite. Of course shimmer and glitter and sparkle are everywhere! The girls love it! Supply and demand, right? I'd like to present a challenge to all you millennium kids: leave the shimmer behind. Don't get me wrong, I love shimmer too, but there comes a time for change. I personally think matte makeup is more sophisticated and does a better job at defining facial features. Maybe it's my inner goth, but deep merlot lips and black shadowed eyes exude seductive, mysterious and inviting. My softer side thinks matte neutrals are perfect for achieving a romantic, vintage look. The best brands I've seen for matte makeup are Make Up For Ever and M.A.C. Matte will probably be a new trend this fall, so keep a look out for limited edition matte makeup from your favorite brands.

My faves!

Eye shadows:

Carbon (MAC, $14.50) - the blackest black. I also use this as an eyeliner.

Orange (MAC $14.50) - the perfect orange.

Fuchsia (Make Up For Ever, $19)

Teddy Bear Colour Surge Eyeshadow Quad (Clinique, $25) - I wear this quad on simple days to brighten my eyes. It enhances a very naturally.

Lipsticks:

Plum (Make Up Forever, $19) - a deep burgundy

Rust (Make Up For Ever, $19) - warm nude

Pink Chocolate (Clinique, $14) - neutral warm pink

Diva (M.A.C., $14) - reddish burgundy; this is my favorite plum ever!

Viva La Glam I (M.A.C., $14) - intense cool red; %100 of the profit goes to M.A.C.'s AIDS find

Viva La Glam III (M.A.C., $14) - warm plum; %100 of the profit goes to M.A.C.'s AIDS fund

Sephora Flame (NARS, $24) - the perfect red for warm skin tones

Blush:

Peach Apricot (Make Up For Ever, $19) - a light coral for a natural look

Pumpkin (Make Up For Ever, $19) -orange for bright and kind of crazy

Dusty Pink (Make Up For Ever, $19) - warm dusty pink for a natural look

Fever (M.A.C., $18.50) - Intense reddish burgundy for a vampy look

Melba (M.A.C., 18.50) - soft coral

Foundation:

Teint Idol Ultra (Lancome, $40) - oil free, buildable coverage, and wears for 14 hours

Perfectly Real Makeup (Clinique, $23) - long wearing, light weight, natural finish

Studio Tech (M.A.C., 29.50) - compact makeup that diffuses light and had a powder finish

Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation (Make Up For Ever, $34) - oil free, controls shine, water-resistant

Dream Matte Mousse Makeup (Maybelline, $8-$10 available at drugstores) -super matte finish, light weight, buildable coverage

Makeup Mondays: Pink!

Until a few months ago the color pink made me uncomfortable. It was so feminine, so demure, so "girly." To me, "girly" was a bad thing. It meant giddy, air headed, boy crazy and shallow; everything I didn't want to be. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I would tell people "no pink please," in fear that she would inherit those traits by simply wearing the color. Well, just a few weeks ago I admitted to the Facebook world that I liked pink! What really triggered my admiration for the color was Aaron de Mey's debut color line for Lancome, Pink Irreverence.

I was practically forced into liking pink. As I looked through my Lancome spring business planner, I stopped jaws dropped on the pages gushing with hot pinks and sparkly blacks. I could hardly contain my excitement...for pink? A couple months later the line launched, and I was surprised to find out that I actually looked good in it! I then declared that anyone can wear pink. It's just a matter of finding the perfect shade for you.

I would go into detail about how to chose and wear the right pink for you, but cosmetiholic already interviewed me for this very subject. I was featured on her "Makeup Artist Monday" article back in June. You can view the blog here: http://cosmetiholic.com/2009/05/31/makeup-artist-monday-marissa-rhoades.aspx

Here are some of my favorite pinks:

Eye shadow:

• "MMM...Brains" by Coffin Color
• "Romping," from M.A.C.'s Hello Kitty "Too Dolly" eyeshadow quad ($38)
• "The Pink Carpet" by Lancome (unfortunately this color is discontinued, but you can search eBay for it.)
• "# 26 Fuchsia" by Make Up For Ever ($19)

Lips:

• "Bamboo Pink" Long Last Soft Shine Lipstick by Clinique ($14),
• "Rock Icon Fuchsia" Color Fever Lipstick ($25), and "Electric Pink" La Laque Fever Gloss ($26) by Lancome
• Posie Tint Lip and Cheek Stain by Benefit ($28)

Blush:

• "Iced Lotus" Blushing Blush by Clinique ($18.50)
• "Rose Fresque" Blush Subtil and "Shimmer Pink Pool" Blush Subtil Shimmer by Lancome ($29.50)
• "Thrrrob" cheeck powder by Benefit ($28)