Make-Up Brush Care-

Makeup brushes, particularly made with natural hair, are easy to build up and
accumulate dust and dirt quickly. Dirty brushes become a breeding ground for
bacteria. Many women with oily skin often notice traces of inflammation that
appear on their face. They do not suspect that they keep infecting their
skin with their makeup brushes, provoking new rashes. That is why
regular care for your brushes is so important and helps make your
useful beauty kit last longer. Here’re some tips on how to
take proper care of your makeup brushes.

It’s enough to wash your brushes once every 7-10 days. You can
use makeup brush cleansers or any soft shampoo or liquid soap.
Pour warm water in your palm, add some mild shampoo or
cleanser, make foam and wash the brush. Then, rinse the
brush in running water until the water runs clear.

Gently squeeze your brush and let it dry in a standing position
with the bristles up. Make sure not to fluff the bristles. If your skin is oily

and inclined to rashes, it is recommended
you both cleanse and soak your brushes. In this case you
have to buy a special cleanser to “soak” your brushes in once
every three weeks. These cleansers are available at most
beauty supply stores and the Mac counter in your local
department store. There are different brands out there,
including Sephora and Smashbox. Never let anyone
use your makeup brushes. It’s not hygienic.

Article from The Unique Suite LLC's Newsletter

Personal Focus

found on http://www.theuniquesuite.com/

Product Review: Oyin Handmade

Oyin handmade started out as an online endeavour a couple of years ago. It's run by Jamila and Pier. They are the craziest couple I've ever come across. Their website presently sells their Body/hair products. I am SOOOO an OYIN honey. This means that I like: The honey hemp conditioner, the whipped shea, funk butter, Greg's juice, juices and berries ( oud to Coming to America here--lol), and stuff I haven't even tried. If you like hand make products, smell goods, or are a product junkie like ME--Oyin is for you.

So lets do a product breakdown:

Hair:

Greg's Juice:
Is a leave in hair pick me up. Great smell. Really light. For those with natural hair it won't weight it down. NH loves it. He actually commandeered mine..oh well. It beeez like that some times.

Juices and Berries:
Its the same type of product as Greg's Juice. Its more fruity than GJ. Just a great.

Burnt Sugar palmade:
I use this on my girls heads. It helps to control the frizzes and fly aways. Has a great smell that lasts. A little goes a long way so don't OVER DO IT. Remember that too much product can weight the hair down.

Head to Toe Honey Wash: Can we say: LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEE IT!! Some may disagree with me on this product but I use this for hair and body. Great on the kiddos. The only this is that it doesn't lather like traditional body washes or soap for that matter. Still a great product. I would suggest that you a poof when using it, even on the kiddies.

Honey-Hemp condish:
Love this too. It smells great. And the thing is that you can use it as a leave in if you cut some with water in a spray bottle. I'd just rather use the GJ or the J&B rather than do that. But it's an option.

Shine & Define:
I also use this product on the girls hair. They have a grade of hair that is very fly away when dry. So when I braid their hair weekly I use little dabs of Shine and Define as I braid it. This is an essential for my kids hair.

Grand Poo Bar:
I only bought this ONCE. It's too complicated. If your use to lather..it's not here. NOTE: you have to CUT the bar because you can't manipulate it as is. And for long hair..like Big A's ..it's a pain.


Of course there are things I want..but I'm a stick to the stuff I got. LOL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TaaaaaDaaaaaaaaaaaa

Oyin has a brick and mortar store. Check them out this weekend for the OPEN HOUSE.

Exit the Apple: Heart, body and soul
(oyinhandmade, music, books, art)
charles villiage neighborhood

B Beautiful
Umm Amirah

Show Me What You Got- Part 1

Salaams and Greetings-

Here are 2 pics of my stash...Being a makeup artist and estheiology student you can not imagine how much product I have. So here are 2 pics of some of my stuff- It will probably take way too long to show everything. But I will highlight some of my absolute favorites!
Highlights in the Picture

Eyelash Curler- (small red thing)- A must have for the finished eye look. When eyelashes are curled they make the eyes look larger, open and bright.

Ulta Brush Spray Cleaner- Perfect for quick brush cleaning to aid in color transitions without contamination. Just spray it on and tissue it off, then your brush is clean and disenfected. This spray is great but it is not good to get a really deep cleaning down through the bristles.

My Favorite 12 Piece Brush set- I got these brushes on ebay and they came with a rolling case which is perfect for storing brushes. The set goes from a 2inch round powder brush and the smallest is a detail brush simular to a lip brush. In this picture-

Some of my favorites in my absolutly favorite train case. It is perfect for traveling because no matter how many times it bounces or rolls around, all the products stay in place. I love mac lip color and eyecolor. Mac has some of the best high quality pigments in the business.

show me what you got: a quick sally's haul

2 color applicator bottles (for my oils and elixirs)
1 China Glaze adhesive base coat
1 China Glaze polish in Frostbite
1 pack of plastic hair baggies (for henna and deep conditioning)
1 packet of Aphogee protein treatment

I left the house tonight for the first time in a week!! I needed to get some things from Target aka My Side Piece ;) and Sally's is right next door so you know! I did not know Sally's carried China Glaze polishes!! I'm so stoked! I wanted to get a bizillion colors but the Spousal Unit and Bambino were waiting in the car for me so too much pressure! Since I had time constraints I forgot a couple things and actually have to go back to Target tomorrow for Dr. Bonner's soap and to Sally's for an application brush and a Denman like brush. So if I haul any tomorrow I'll be sure to share with all of you.

bisous/besos/kisses

It's Me, Dynamic Radiance

As Salaam Alaikum Beautiful Ummah Fashionistas!

So I guess it's my turn to introduce myself. If you would, take a moment and imagine the intro drum line from Diva Diana Ross' "I'm Coming Out" song (as background music)....First, I am thrilled to be working with fabulous muslimahs who take beautification seriously. I can only imagine what fun it will be to share my beautifying advertures with you.

So....here's a little about me:
Known as a very loyal line consumer, I love the craft of face and body art. Growing up in the theatre, I've experimented with many cosmetic lines, products, and styles. Here are some of my favorites:

Face: The best moisturizer (not most healthful) is Vaseline. I also like Oil of Olay Day Moisturizer. For cleanser, I use Neutrogena's Oil Free Acne Wash. It must work because I've never had acne and have been using it since I was 16.

Foundation: Die hard MAC Studio Fix Liquid and Powder fan http://www.maccosmetics.com/. (note: women of color, MAC has a selection for you. Other lines claim the ability to provide a perfect match for most complexions, but do not. Try MAC if you're struggling with a foundation that is too ashy, shiny, light or just not right.) One more plug for MAC foundation-if you're preparing for a professional photo shoot or just taking pictures with your digital camera, try MAC's Studio Mist Airbrush Foundation. Talk about perfection!

Cheeks: MAC Sweet As Cocoa for Winter
NARS Cream Blush in Cactus Flower for Spring
Chanel Bronze Universal Del Chanel Sun Illuminator for a light Summer shimmer. (Good old faithful is MAC Bronzer in Golden Bronze)
Urban Decay Exhale and Fetish for subtle color in the Fall

Eyes: Hands down for mascara-Lancome Defincils in Deep Black. Close runner up is Maybelline Great Lash in Very Black. Trust me, I've tried them all.
Benefit has a decent concealer. I've used Boi-ing in the past but you will need a very skilled pinky to apply. I think I'll share my eyeshadow favorites over time since there are too many to list. I have fallen for the HIP (high intensity pigments) eyecolor offered by L'Oreal. The colors are rich and so much fun to use and blend. I've also found that HIP eyecolors work well when paired with other brand colors. But it's all in the blending technique. At this moment, I crave to wear bold Beckoning to the office. (yeah right)
Oh! You should definitely try Mary Kay's liquid eyeliner with the felt tip applicator.
On eyebrows-whatever you do, just make sure they're neat. Period.

Lips: My lip color selections are an interesting phenomenon. I waffle between little to no color with shine and rich, deep hues. I live in a colder (notice I didn't say coldest) part of New York, so it's more about moisturization then glam this time of year. I currently wear Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush lip gloss in I Want Candy, although I have 22 of the 24 shades. My secret all time favorite color is Chanel's VAMP. It's such a...1995 throwback...so MJB's Not Gonna Cry vid...so mysterious...goth...and totally halal sexy.

Favorite Scent: Again, it's seasonal for me. But during winter, Michael Eau Du Parfum by Michael Kors, is magnificent. It's light, refreshing, and distinct.

Hair Product: Carol's Daughter Tui Herbal Hair Smoothie does wonders for my hair. Especially since I'm "inclement weather hair" challenged.

Internal beauty: Daily Dose of Salat, 5 times a day. Remembrance of Allah (swt), cardio exercise at least 3 times a week (chasing the kids doesn't count), and at least 15 minutes of uninterrupted silence every day.

I guess I could go on and on so I'll end here. There's definitiely more to come. So look for my Blush reality series commentary and "must try, must have" product of the month.
Looking for eye combo ideas, check out Medusa Makeup eye dust at http://medusamakeup.com. My fav is Red Baron.

Black History Month- African-Americans Makeup Artists Highlighted

Salaams and Greetings All,

I had to do a short report on a famous makeup artist for class. I did a google search and guess what I found? BLACK MAKEUP ARTISTS!!!! Lots of them, so I thought it would be good to highlight some African American Makeup Artists for Black History Month. Today I chose Sam Fine. Enjoy!

Sam Fine- Make Up Artist

Sam Fine is a world renowned makeup artist who hales from Chicago, Illinois.. His clientele consists of Patti LaBelle, Vanessa Williams, Halle Barry and Vanessa Webb, just to name a few. His client list spans over one hundred names of very famous and glamorous individuals. Mr. Fine started his makeup career at a cosmetics counter in a Chicago department store . He specializes in showing women how to accent their best and unique features. He made his bones at the local department store with everyday ladies, showing them how to define and accentuate their features using a palette of colors that best suited their complexion.

Mr. Fine’s work has appeared on the covers of Essence, Harpers Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, MarieClaire and Vibe magazines. He was chosen as the first African-American Spokesperson for Covergirl Cosmetics. His experience at the makeup counter inspired him to write his first book, Fine Beauty: Beauty Basics and Beyond for African-American Women, which is a how to guide that also includes his professional resume.

He has appeared on The View, The Tyra Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show New York, BET Heart and Soul and many other national shows. In Mr. Fine's new book, Fine Beauty, he shows new makeup techniques and basic tips in a step-by-step style accompanied by beautiful color pictures detailing each step.

Mr. Fine has a numerous amount of resources for those who are interested in the beauty industry. He writes a blog, has a namesake website and does numerous tours and live appearances. He is defiantly a pioneer of top makeup artistry.

For more information on Sam Fine go to his website- http://www.samfine.com/
You can also find lots of interviews and videos of Mr.Fine on youtube

Show Me What You Got Pretty Lady: Pure Luxe Cosmetics

ASA Beauties,

So the Beautification team has decided to show you our Hauls. My first one is of Pure Luxe cosmetic mineral eye shadows. HA first introduced me to Pure Luxe. From the first LOOK the pigments were H.O.T..okay. The PRICE was even hotter: $1.00 samples. That couldn't be right...OH but it is.

My first haul was in November of 2008. It's below. I spent about $20.00 including shipping. Shipping is $6.00 so I like to buy $10 to $11 worth of product. So I experimented with some colors. My eye colors were: Peach Parfait, Warm Sugar, Chocolate Oranges, Ballerina, Rose Gold, Hello Sunshine, Amethyst (for you Gamma Ladies), Frolic, Wizard and Spring. I bought 1 blush: Cheeky, 1 lippie: Lewd, and 1 liner: Dirt-e Girl.



My second haul was a gift from my GIRL HA. Awww she was so sweet to bless me with Pure LUXE!!! This haul (below) included: eye colors-Scandalous, Buttered Rum, Intimacy, Twinkle, Supernova, Femme Fatale, Raisin, Charm, Tart( not discontinued!!!),Olive You and the lippie-Sexxxy.



Okay...I am currently waiting for my latest haul from Pure Luxe!! I'm so hooked.

As for a review: Pure Luxe is for those looking for a more natural make up company. The owner prides her self on the fact that she does not deal in the fillers that BIG companies use. Her colors POP, look great foiled. I can't complain. The price is great. I mean $20.00 gets you a lot. Its great for sister's on a budget. Try it..you might like it.
More to come.

B Beautiful
Umm Amirah