Protect those Kissers!

                                                   

Did you know that the lip area is one of the most suseptible places on the body to sun damage, windburn and air pollution?  Many cancers occur in the lip area so its SO important the we protect it DAILY! To make it look extra stylish, try using your favorite shade of lip liner first and using this glossy lip balm as a lip gloss!

Why not do it in style with MD Skincare Powerful Sun Protection SPF 25 Lip Balm ($18 at MD Skincare)?  It protects with full spectrum SPF, heals and repairs, infuses the area with antioxidants AND has a refreshing vanilla mint flavor! This is a super yummy and healthy must-have for the season!

Blow Dryer Sent from the Heavens!

                                                 

So one thing I will NEVER do is tell you to spend your hard-earned dollars on something that isn't worth every penny. This T3 Micro 1800W Tourmaline II Iconic Hair Dryer ($200 at Beauty.com) is life changing! Honestly. Take the time it normally takes you to blow dry your hair and cut it in half! Add to that soft, supple shiny hair and voila, you have the T3 Hair Dryer! It has cut my hair styling time in half and my hair looks SO much better since I've been using this dryer.

It uses 100% Tourmaline crystals and leaves the hair nourished and conditioning as well as uber fast!   

"Tourmaline works by itself, just like a magnet.  It naturally emits whopping amounts of negative ions and infrared heat.  It gives you the fastest drying without damage and increased moisture.  There is nothing else like it."

Miley Cyrus aka Hannah Mont-glamma!

                                                    

The adorable and multi-talented Miley Cyrus is making headlines of late due to some supposedly suggestive photos. The 15-year old star of Disney's "Hannah Montana," and daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus posed for the cover of Vanity Fair wearing only a satin sheet. The picture is, in my opinion NO BIG DEAL! It's as though people are waiting for this girl to become the next Britney Spears! Let her be! The photo doesn't show anything scandal-worthy! But I digress, Miley Cyrus looks elegant, beautiful and age appropriate on the red carpet as shown above.

Her hair and makeup do a superb job of complimenting her gown. Miley Cyrus kept her makeup glam and quite natural, with the pop being the red lipstick. To get this look, follow the steps listed below:

1) Start with exfoliated, moisturized skin. MD Skincare has great Alpha Beta Daily Face Peels ($75 at MD Skincare) 

2) Prime skin with Benefit Cosmetics That Gal, Brightening Face Primer ($27 at Benefit Cosmetics), which brightens and smoothes skin for a flawless look

3) Next take a liquid foundation with a natural finish like Shiseido The Makeup Dual Balancing Foundation SPF 17 ($36 at Macys) and blend out using a foundation brush

4) Conceal any dark circles or discoloration using Smashbox Camera Ready Full Coverage concealer ($18 at Beauty.com)

5) Follow with a loose transluscent powder like MAC Loose Blot Powder ($21 at Macys)

6) Eyes are kept relatively natural with a light shadow dusted across the eyelid. Try MAC Eyeshadow in Orb ($14 at Macys)

7) Follow with a black liquid eyeliner keeping it very thin and close to the lashline. Vincent Longo Liquid Liner for Eyes ($17 at Beauty.com) and lots of mascara. A great buildable mascara is Clinique's new Lash Power Mascara ($14 at Clinique)

8) Brows are filled in and defined using a brow powder such as ck Calvin Klein beauty's Duo Brow Palette ($22 at Sephora.com)

9) Cheeks are soft and semi bright using something such as NARS Powder Blush in Deep Throat ($25 at Beauty.com)

10) Finally lips are the glamorous pop of red. Use MAC Creme Lip Liner in Red Enriched ($14 at Macys) with a lip color such as Lancome Colour Design Sensational Effects Lipcolor Smooth Hold in Red Stiletto ($22 at Macys).

A Fine Line

                                        

Dear Nicciknows,

I have a question for you. Even though my foundation seems to match the color of my face, my neck seems to be lighter and I always seem to have that line of demarcation when I wear foundation. So frustrating!

What can I do to cover that line so that my foundation doesn't look so visible?!

Thanks,

Walking a Fine Line

Dear Walking a Fine Line,

Well this is something that happens with many women and most don't even notice it! So I'm glad you asked!

The truth is, your neck IS most likely lighter then both your face and chest. It is seldom ever exposed to the sun since it's shaded by your face, so there is a good chance that it is significantly lighter then your foundation.

There are two items which will solve your problem. First, a buffing brush from MAC ($40 at MAC Cosmetics). Taking this buffer brush and blending in rounded motions along your jawline will buff out the demarcation line. Then to address the problem of the color difference, take a bronzer like Benefit Cosmetics natural bronzing powder in Hoola ($28 at Benefit Cosmetics) and brush it over your neck to add some color so that it's even with your complexion!

Best,

Nicciknows

Two Sides to Every Story

                                                  

If you've been a regular Nicciknows reader, you already know about Intuit Beauty's Enormous Lash ($95 at Nordstrom.com), the amazing lash enhancing serum that helps your lashes grow. The the perfect compliment to that and also the perfect compliment to ANYONE and EVERYONE's lashes is the new Guerlain Le 2 de Guerlain Mascara ($35 at Sephora.com). A bit pricy maybe, but this new mascara is so innovative its worth every penny!

The N1 side of the mascara contains a wand that is similar to Chanel's Inimitable Mascara (another Nicciknows favorite), which works to lengthen, volumize and curl. The N2 side of this two-sided mascara is a miniature wand which is tilted 7 degrees and is perfect for the inner and outer corners of the lashline as well as grabbing the smaller and bottom lashes. Besides the fact that its an ergonomically correct and really well thought out mascara, the packaging is also REALLY cool!

Beauty Deals and Bargains of the Week

                                          

Estee Lauder and Nordstrom have another great gift this week that is available while supplies last. With any Estee Lauder purchase of $37.50 or more, get your choice of the Prevention or the Lifting/Firming gift. To find out more and to qualify for this gift, take a look at Nordstrom.com.

Nicciknows thought it was cute and worth mentioning because its a $100 value and you get a great collection of products! To spend the qualifying $37.50, a couple of products to consider are Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Luminous Liquid Bronzer ($28.50). This can be mixed with foundation or worn over it to give the skin a radiant bronzed glow. The Estee Lauder More Then Mascara ($21) is a great mascara as well for long, natural-looking lashes.

                                                      

This is a great gift from Philosophy at Nordstrom! With your $50 online purchase, get two FULL-SIZE products free! A supernatural lip pencil in Neutral and the supernatural lip gloss in Soft Peach, a great spring/summer set! Available online only and while supplies last at Nordstrom.com.

We recommend qualifying for this adorable gift by picking up the Philosophy 'Change Your Skin Overnight' kit ($58). It contains a 2 oz 'Purity Made Simple' cleanser, a 'Help Me' nighttime retinol treatment and a 'When Hope is Not Enough' replenishing cream! All the must haves for perfect skin!

                                                

Macys and Prescriptives are offering a free sample trio AND free shipping with any $50 Prescriptives purchase! This online only offer is available while supplies last. The trio includes a Beyond Long Mascara, a mini Tint Balm in Smoothie and a Lash Builder Mascara Basecoat! We love all three of these products and recommend that you jump on this offer while its hot!

To qualify there are lots of yummy Prescriptives products to get but the must-haves certainly include Super Line Preventor Xtreme (1.7 oz for $76)! This is a fantastic serum which protects skin from environmental damage while acting as a perfect makeup base! All products available at Macys.com.

                                                      

Beauty.com and Fusion Beauty are offering a cute gift! When you purchase a Bling Fusion Lip Gloss ($49), recieve a free mini LipPlump in Bloom.

"LipFusion harnesses the clinically proven plumping and hydrating powers of new, patented marine collagen-filling spheres, a technology that dehydrates the collagen molecule into tiny microspheres, in order to penetrate and then search for the body's natural water to re-hydrate creating a beautifully natural, full-out pout."-Beauty.com

Fiery Femme Alicia Keys

                                                

The only thing that rivals Alicia Keys' always glamorous look, is her soulful and stunning voice. This young Grammy winner is truly the embodiment of a star! Alicia transcends decades with her timeless elegance and undeniable talent. The best thing about her look as shown above is that it works on almost all skin tones and skin types!

To get Alicia's look you'll want to do the following:

1) Start with Chanel Teint Naturel Liquid foundation SPF 8 ($57.50 at Macys.com)

2) Use a brightening concealer around the eyes like Clinique's Airbush Concealer ($19.50 at Clinique.com)

3) Round out the flawless canvas with MAC Iridescent Pressed Powder in Belightful ($21 at Macys.com)

4) Eyes are brightened with a soft gold eyeshadow all over the lower lid. Use Smashbox Eyeshadow in Honey ($16 at Beauty.com)

5) Deepen the eyeshadow by blending a darker bronzer on the outer corner and crease. A perfect shadow for this is Stila Eyeshadow in Twig ($18 Beauty.com)

6) Define the eye with a black liquid eyeliner like ck Calvin Klein beauty Electric Edge Marker Pen in Black ($16 at Sephora.com)

7) Mascara is dramatic. For this use Benefit Cosmetics BADgal Lash ($19 at Benefit Cosmetics.com)

8) Cheeks are soft and shimmery. The perfect color would be NARS Powder Blush in Torrid ($25 at Beauty.com) Make sure to blend at the apples of the cheek and sweep upward to give a lift.

9) Lips are bold and gorgeous. Line with MAC Cremestick Lipliner in Sweet Brown ($14 at Macys.com)

10) Lips are then filled in with Prescriptives Colorscope Lipcolor in Chutney ($17.50 at Prescriptives.com) and finish with none other then Chanel Glossimer in Sunset Gold ($25 at Macys.com)

Sexy Springy Lips

                                                      

One of the seasons key trends in beauty is a bright, bold lip. We saw this at all the Fashion Week shows in New York, Los Angeles and Milan (see Style.com). These silky lip colors from Benefit Cosmetics are the perfect answer! They feel light and weightless on the lip but deliver smooth, even color and moisture to the lip. These come in a wide range of colors but if you want to wear the hot color for the season, try the shade Frenched ($16 at Benefit Cosmetics.com).

Remember that a bold lip color can be toned down slightly with a more neutral lip liner. Try ck Calvin Klein beauty lip liner in Trust or Honest ($15 at Sephora.com). Also keep in mind that with a bold lip color, you'll want to keep the eyes fairly neutral and use a blush to balance out the eyes and the lips.

Enjoy!

Stila Cosmetics-Inside Scoop

If you are like me, you were really sad when Stila Cosmetics disappeared from department stores and closed its boutiques a couple of years ago. Well, the good news is that Stila Cosmetics is back! Here are a couple of Stila updates that Nicciknows is bringing directly to you for your beauty pleasure!

First, for the Los Angeles based Nicciknows readers, Stila is having an impossibly amazing warehouse sale this Saturday from 8:00am-4:00pm in Hollywood. Products will be marked for 50-80%!!!!

Here are the details:

Where:

1161 Vine Street (between Lexington and Santa Monica)

Hollywood, CA 90038

When:

Saturday, April 26th from 8:00am-4:00pm

Important Reminders:

No backpacks, strollers or large handbags allowed inside. Purchases limited to $600 MAX per customer and cash and credit cards only .

Second, Stila Cosmetics have pre-launched their summer collection exclusively on their website. Check it out at Stila Cosmetics.

Third, Stila Cosmetics is now working with Beauty Crunch.com. It's the only authorized website that sells Stila vintage products at a discount!

So there's the Stila skinny!

As a Nicciknows FYI, some of our favorite Stila products are the All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer ($22), Stila Sun Shimmer Dry Oil ($26), Eyeshadows in Sun, Kitten and Pigalle (each $18) and Plumpling Lip Glaze in Melon Mint ($24). All items available at Beauty.com.

Good in Bed!

                                                               

Good in Bed is Prescriptives revolutionary new moisturizer! It's a skin restoring, night-time moisturizer that adds radiance to the skin. Packed with skin-soothing emollients, it works overnight to replenish, restore and strenthen your skin. It also has very subtle self-tanners, so you wake up with radiant, glowing and sun-kissed skin. TIP: Make sure to give the moisturizer a couple of minutes to absorb before going to bed to avoid changing the color of your pillow!

The thing we love about this product, besides the fact that it does everything that it claims to do, is that is has no trace of a self-tanner smell to it. The tanners are very subtle and it doesnt have that distinguishing fragrance.  People tend to overuse moisturizers....you want to remember that all you need is a dime-sized amount for your whole face and neck. At $65 for a 1.7 oz jar, this is a must have moisturizer for Spring/Summer! Available at Prescriptives.com.