Musings of a Muse

Let’s step into Summer for a second here. Can I tell you the life of a beauty blogger is so NOT fun. I hate that I can’t enjoy Winter without worrying about Spring or how I can’t just indulge in Summer makeup because I’m busy testing Fall….grrrrrrr!

So today let’s step back into Summer. After all we are in the heart of it right now aren’t we? It’s almost August and the sun is super bright today! Humidity is hitting my little city so hard and I’m smiling all the more for it as I’m tired of all the bloody rain New York’s been hit with lately.

Stepping into Summer reminds me I indulged in Guerlain Terracotta Blush & Sun. Oh Guerlain how you delight the Muse.

Jump back into Summer by taking the jump for a quickie review of Guerlain Terracotta Blush & Sun!

Guerlain manages to cover both the bronzing and the blush world by creating it’s Blush & Sun powder. Capturing the essence of a bronzer with a touch of sheer blush makes thee perfect go to powder for Summer. It’s a Summer must have in the Muse’s opinion.

The bronzer aspect of the product is ever so sheer so for all the bronzer dummies (like me!) out there or those nay sayers that hate bronzers (I used to be one of those!) this is the ideal solution for getting a kiss of the sun but still having the added benefits of a pinch of blush.

The product comes in three different shades all of which are very nice however the lightest shade, 01 Sun Light, is the best of the three in my opinion and should work well on light to medium skin tones. The shade is a golden peachy beige with a kiss of shimmer. The product works more like a blush than a bronzer which is what makes it so appealing however don’t let that fool you as it does give cheeks a sunny touch of color.

The finished look is probably one of the more natural ones I’ve come across. A sweep of this across your cheeks creates a very sunny, peachy look that not only wears like a blush but also manages to look as if you’re spent an hour at the beach and got a slash of color across your cheek bones. Very, very flattering.

Overall, if you’re scared silly of bronzers and aren’t tempted to try one out for size I’d say that Guerlain Terracotta Blush & Sun is the perfect product for you. A touch of the sun and a touch of blusher creates a super flattering look in this warm, humid weather!

Delicious!

Benefit Hello Gorgeous has been my BFF for a while now. I truly adore this powder especially for warm Summer days when my best friend Jai is using my forehead as a mirror…you know what I mean right? You have those days too dontcha?

I recently discovered Cover FX Powder FX and I’m thinking that Benefit Hello Gorgeous and myself could still be friends just not BFF anymore……oh hai Powder FX wanna go steadies?

Jump for the review.

Well wow I do believe that Cover FX Powder FX is possibly the most richly pigmented powder I’ve come across to date. I’m talking seriously pigmented. I’m talking covering up everything and the kitchen sink pigmented. I’m talking making me look all fresh and gorgeous with under 5 hours of sleep. Oooo I want to hug and pet it and maybe sleep with it tonight.

Seriously, loves it!

Cover FX Powder FX is a mineral foundation available in some ridiculous color line up. I swear if anyone complains they can’t find a correct color for their tone available from this line up we can no longer be friends. With 20 or so shades to choose from I’m going to go with, yes they have your color.

The powder is deeply pigmented as I stated so it’s going to work double duty at creating an incredible canvas for makeup. It makes me skin so very smooth and…well it makes me look perfect. The powder is supposedly enriched with oil absorbing qualities and I can account for that as it sticks around on my face for a nice long wear without a crop up of nasty shine, sorry Jai best find a new mirror! Cover FX calls the finish sheer to medium matte coverage I call them crazy. What? You can totally get heavy coverage from this! The powder is totally good enough for heavy, medium, or light coverage depending on how wild you go with your sponge or brush. It is a mineral foundation but it wears lightly and doesn’t feel like a mask nor does it cause an outbreak of the itchies (I’m talking to you BE!). It’s oil-free, fragrance-free, and paraben-free so you’re getting smooth, even coverage minus the gunk.

With proper prepping and priming I can get about 5 to 6 hours wear from the powder without touch ups in between. It wears incredibly well for a powder. It manages to not only even out my complexion but create a flawless finish to my skin. The powder is thick enough to conceal large pores, minor acne, and other flaws. It’s ideal for oily skin as it mattifies so very well.

Overall, I’m pretty impressed with Powder FX and do believe we’ll have many adventures together the remaining weeks of Summer. If you’re looking for something to mattify your skin while creating a picture perfect canvas for makeup, Powder FX is the way to go. Loves it!

Muse Approved for purchase. Finally a foundation powder to love!

P.S. If you noticed my skin looking all kinds of nice in some of my recent FOTD’s you can blame it on this powder.

I hate the beach. Sorry. Since I hate the beach it’s impossible to get beach hair. Beach hair seems absolutely essential to Summer and if I don’t have beach hair I might not be “in”….I must have beach hair at any cost!

Ok..dramatic I know but seriously. I don’t do beaches…sand, sea weed, etc…if God had meant for us to thread around on hot sand, wade in salt water, and have the sun beating on our heads, he’d have given us fins at the very least dontcha think?

Beach hair seems to be the in thing during the Summer months. That slightly damp, mussed up look a la the Little Mermaid. You know hawt tresses that look like you dived into the ocean, spread out on a beach towel, and let the wind dry out your salt laden hair to perfection. Who knew that the beach could do good things for your hair right?

If you aren’t a lover of the beach but still desire the hair that goes along with a trip to the shore peep at my review below!

Philip B Maui Wowie Beach Mist is awesome hair in a bottle sans the beach. A cocktail of sea salt, extracts of algae, orchid, Tahitian gardenia, aloe vera, oils of kukui and coconut and possible a little bit of sand (ok I made the sand part up) gives tresses texture, body, bounce, volume, and hold for that beach worthy look you’re craving.

God this stuff smells incredible. Can’t we has sniff o’ vision on the Interwebz? I’ll talk to Al Gore and see what we can arrange, the mighty guru of Internet creation. I wish I can explain the scent to you but it’s a bit complex…think fresh, think slightly floral, think…the beach…Maui with a little wowie thrown in there. Loves it!

So what’s it do?

Take your slightly damp hair (or dry but damp gets the best results in my humble opinion) and mist a bit of Philip B Maui Wowie Beach Mist onto your locks. Don’t comb it through just scrunch it gently if you like or flip it upside down and shake (this works a treat plus you’ll feel like you’re in some shampoo or styling commercial). That’s about it…the results are bouncy, textured locks, with a bit of volume that simply makes you look like you just bounced off the sand.

Beach hair easy and mess free in a bottle plus no sand in unusual places!

Adore this stuff. Muse Approved for Purchase, it’s one of my Summer Makeup Must Haves!

Anyone try?

Tell it!

Time to amp up Summer peeps. Want a perfectly cool coral blush for Summer? Loud, bold, funky, and fun?

My pick? the Balm Hot Mama! Likey!

Click it for a review!

I’ve been a big fan of the Balm Hot Mama since it’s release a few Summer’s ago. Such a great little blush. I’ve bragged it once or twice here and there and even did an article about it on Specktra’s Blog when I was posting over there for a spell a year or so ago.

If you like NARS Orgasm and Super Orgasm you’ll adore the Balm Hot Mama. Or maybe you feel like Orgasm is a bit too sheer and Super Orgasm a bit too shimmery…Hot Mama is neither. No shimmer here and plenty of pigment. It’s a warm, sizzling shade of popping coral that’s ideal for the Summer sun! the Balm loves making things easy to multitask so you can use Hot Mama on lids or cheeks, super!

I thought I’d pull it out today because it is one of my Summer Must Have Make Up Items and sure was worthy of a post all it’s own.

With a bit of pink, plenty of peach, and a whole like of heat this is a Summer blush you should be adding to your beauty arsensal!

Loves it!

Total Muse Approve for purchase!

I was even nice enough to compare Hot Mama, Orgasm, and Super Orgasm for ya. Aren’t I sweets?

Anyone own Hot Mama?

Lover?

Leaver?

Tell it!

This Summer I discovered that I like misting myself to death rather than suffer through wearing a facial moisturizer. I’m utterly obsessed with misting toners that offer moisture of any kind. Jane Iredale has my attention as does Jurlique and not most recently Cosmedix Mystic Hydrating Treatment!

Click for a review!

Cosmedix Mystic Hydrating Treatment is an oily free, moisturizing mist for all skin types. Oily skin types can totally appreciate this best as it offers moisture yet doesn’t clog pores or make skin oilier than it already is. Those with dry skin will be thrilled to use it in place of their normal moisturizer in the Summer and dry skin types will appreciated how it allows skin to remain dewy and fresh while allowing it to breath and break away from heavy lotions, potions, and creams.

Mystic Hydrating Treatment pretty much takes the place of normal moisturizer which is a welcome relief as having to apply base, spf, a moisturizer, foundation, and the dozen other creams that come with makeup application is ridiculous. A quick mist of this gives me just the right amount of moisture while leaving my skin soft without making it oily. Although I’m doubtful I can use this as my regular moisturizer in the Winter it comes in mighty handy right now.

Compared to other toners and mists I thought this particular one offers the most moisture, after all it is advertised as just that, a moisturizer. Not a toner, not a mist, but a moisturizer, in a bottle, in liquid form. Coolness!

Of course you can use it to set mineral makeup as well as for me it just leaves my skin beautifully prepped for makeup. Perfect Summer treat for skin! Loves it!

Muse Approved for purchase.

Oily skin? Skip the moisturizer and head straight for this! You’ll thank me! Dry? Snag some of this to use as your Summer moisturizer!

Seriously, it’s worthy of a try.

What are some mists you love using in the Summer?

Any take the place of your regular moisturizer?

Tell the Muse!

Can you guess what this is?

Nope, it’s not a sugar cookie actually it’s not a cookie of any kind. Not a Chinese dumpling either. In fact you can’t eat it at all but that doesn’t mean it’s not good for you and your body!

Click ahead to find out what it is!

Those of you who guessed that it’s a Lush Sugar Scrub guessed correctly! Looks kinda edible doesn’t it?

Ok, you need these in your life. You need these if your skin is rough and flaky. You need them if you want a moisturizing exfoliating scrub that’s sooooooo super luxurious. You just need ‘em period.

If you love Buffy you’ll absolutely adore how Lush has taken exfoliation to the next level with their brand new Lush Sugar Scrubs! The scrubs are delicately packed together lumps of joy. I do say delicate since if you handle them incorrectly and with out a little TLC you’ll find yourself with a fist full of sugar, be gentle. Each scrub is packed into a dome, raised cookie shape kinda like a scone! The scrubs are available in two versions for $4.95 each and you can probably get one to two uses if you want to super scrub your rough bits or about four uses if you’re stingy. As for me I’m terribly rough so I use an entire one for my knees and elbows plus Lush does suggest using one per a shower. The basic idea is to break it in two pieces, wet the area you’re working with, wet the scrub in your hand and proceed to rub it anywhere you want smooth, silky skin. The scrub quickly breaks up into grains of sugar and after a little scrubbing they sud up and disappear. They leave behind smooth, silky, moisturized skin. You need to try ‘em yourself as they are truly a little joy in the bath and body world.

The two scrubs available are Sugar Scrub and Sugar Babe. Sugar Scrub is Vegan where as Sugar Babe is not.

Sugar Scrub has a herbal lavender scent and is green in color. Lush says it’s good for scrubbing away dead skin cells, tackling cellulite, and and invigorating sluggish skin.

Sugar Babe is my favorite of the two. At first sniff I didn’t like it as it had a weird sour milk gardenia scent but once it’s wet it smells oddly of Lush Snowcake but with quite a bit more of a floral underlay which is a bit lily-like and a bit of gardenia as well. Lush recommends this for upper arms, thighs, and stomach. It has a center of extra virgin coconut oil which is revealed as you scrub. The actual scent is ylang ylang but for me it smells quite like Snowcake when damp. Loving it!

Lush Sugar Scrubs are available now from www.lush.com

Muse Approved for purchase! I love these. Absolutely an awesome idea and a great product for getting smooth, silky Summer skin.

Anyone try yet?

Loves ‘em?

Leaves ‘em?

Tell the Muse!