Gloss, Glossier, Glossiest

The beauty industry is in its prime. Thanks to celebrity-backed and newly-founded ethical and sustainable makeup lines, beauty has surpassed the fashion industry in profit more than expected. Amongst the array of product lines developed during this beauty renaissance, Glossier has emerged as a leading brand while not fitting any of the criteria that have helped bring beauty into the spotlight. So how did founder Emily Weise build her pink empire of “Glossier Girls” in just under four years? The answer is clear:

Sharing Mentality

When mega skincare and makeup brands spend a fortune to hire Hollywood brand ambassadors, Weise found a better way to lure customers by capitalizing on peer-to-peer communication.  She invited beauty insiders, models, and influencers to her blog “Into The Gloss” and Glossier’s respective social media to create several “Get Ready With Me,” promos to build an organic audience. Whenever people shared their experiences, the Glossier team responded directly to their customers. Unlocking the power of women, letting them share and making a choice based on the unbiased reviews of the public which contributed to a 70% growth of the company.

Direct to Customers

You will not be able to find Glossier on your next trip to Sephora. Their direct to consumer model ultimately benefits both sides outweighing the convenience of being sold in a beauty store. Glossier has built unprecedented solid relationships with their supporters without the interference of middlemen. Thanks to these tight-knit relationships, Glossier has been able to integrate consumer preferences into their design and product formulas. Again, Glossier puts their customer at the center of the company. Every piece of their product development is based on the advice of everyone who shares and cares about Glossier.

Millennial Lifestyle

Pastel pink mood boards, photogenic packages, well-established social platforms, and a trendy slogan, “Skin First, Makeup Second, Smile Always”— Glossier tried hard to cater to millennials. Everything they do is designed to facilitate a digital conversation. The Glossier customer is engaged with their beauty movement. The brand doesn’t even need to advertise. Social media buzz is their greatest asset with their customers being their greatest ambassadors.

Some beauty gurus have judged Glossier’s products, and even doubted the transparency of their ingredients. Despite this, figures show that the brand has built the strongest affinity group online by using the most modern and millennial approach. And this year, they will expand the shipping areas to Sweden, Denmark, and France by October.

If Glossier girls represent the cross-section of millennial lifestyle trends, who cares if they’re worth the hype or not?

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5 Primers to Keep You Matte & Fab This Summer

Summer is officially in full steam and as the humidity increases, we’ve got a trick or five for you to keep your face looking matte. Whether you decide to use these products as primers for your makeup or simply to keep your bare face from glistening like a disco ball, the choice is up to you!

(1) Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector

As a personal user of this product, I can vouch for the ever-matte claim of this product. Make sure you only use a little bit because a little goes a long way. The product may seem a bit tacky and so it is better to dab and pat into the skin than to rub into the skin. Also beware that excessive application of this primer will yield a white cast.

(2) Makeup Forever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer

As a close rival to the Becca primer, Makeup Forever’s Step 1 Primer is perfect for keeping your face matte. It has the same formula as the Becca primer but make sure you don’t get confused with the other colors. For example, the primer comes in different options that you can purchase like “radiant primer – pink”, “radiant primer – blue”, “radiant primer – yellow”. These primers are also classified in “Step 1” but they do not offer the mattifying effect that we seek. So, make sure you choose the “matte finish” when purchasing or sampling!

(3) Kiko Matte Base Face

Kiko’s Matte Base Face used to be a perfect dupe for the Becca Ever-Matte primer, but with the launch of their new formula, Kiko’s primer offers magnifying properties that is not as strong as Makeup Forever or Becca’s. Thus, this product is great for those with dry skin who tend to get oily in specific areas because the product won’t dry out your skin as the Becca or Makeup Forever primers might.

(4) NYX Pore Filler

As the only product on our list without “matte” in its name, NYX’s Pore Filler may not be top on your list of magnifying primers, but don’t pass over this hidden gem! This primer is both an excellent pore filler and a fantastic mattifyant. Like with most primers on our list, the trick is to use less product. Also, with NYX’s Pore Filler, I recommend rubbing the product into the skin as opposed to dabbing or patting. This really is a product that needs to be worked into the skin to achieve seamless pores and the mattifying effect.

 

(5) Cover FX Mattifying Primer With Anti-Acne Treatment

If you’re looking for a three in one product: makeup primer, oily skin mattifyant, and acne treatment, well you have hit the jackpot with Cover FX. As a company that focuses on both beauty and skincare, Cover FX’s Mattifying primer comes with a side of Salicylic Acid to help combat acne. As with any acidic product, don’t forget to apply sunscreen if you use this product continuously.

Ready, set, matte!

Also read:

5 Bronzers for Island Girl Glow

 

5 Colognes For Men This Summer

After Kenzo released their unconventional, jaw-dropping, hip-moving, and perfectly-choreographed perfume ad in 2016, I’m sure some of you men were jealous that you weren’t included in the fun. While we can’t promise that our list of colognes for the summer will morph you into a shirtless man emerging from a mist of condensed water, with square shoulders draped in a perfectly soaked and strategically un-crisp white button down shirt, we can promise that you’ll attract a positive whiff or two in a crowded metro cart!

(1) Acqua di Parma Colonia Essenza

One look at Milan Men’s Fashion Week Street Style will render many options for your future Italian husband. But in the meantime, as you perfect your pasta carbonara recipe, you might as well invest in a bottle of Acqua di Parma Colonia Essenza. Legend says: “one spritz on your pillow every night will eventually yield a refined, elegant, and stylish man that exudes a flair of Italian luxury mixed with woody and citrus notes.” If you start now, by fall, Pietro Boselli will not only be serving you a piping hot plate of pasta carbonara, but he will also have taken care of your pesky math assignment — he has a PhD in Mathematics from University College, London after all.

(2) Hermès Terre d’Hermès

Moving on from Italian seduction to French mischievousness, Hermès Terre d’Hermès offers rich and green notes with the initial spray and then it dries down to a sexy, rustic, and woody scent. Boys, if you have ever wanted to transform into Hugh Jackman as Logan in The Wolverine — particularly the lumberjack scenes where Jackman’s unattainably chiseled biceps prove to be more of the focus of the movie than the actor himself — Hermès Terre d’Hermès might be the closest thing to a fairy-godmother’s wand. Bippity boppity boo!

(3) Jo Malone English Oak & Hazelnut

As long as Henry Cavill plays Superman, Tom Hiddleston remains Loki, and Idris Elba becomes the next James Bond, we’ll do anything to exude their British sophistication. Thankfully, Jo Malone understood our genius plan and came up with the perfect combination of earthy woodiness and roasted oak that leaves an earthy, enticing, and enchanting impression.

(4) Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue

We couldn’t round up this list without a nod to our OG cologne by Dolce & Gabbana. Anything that can increase our chance of floating on a surfboard with David Gandy in nothing but white speedos is a plus in our books! D&G’s Light Blue is a classic, fresh, and sexy scent that is a must-have for the summer.

(5) Mont St Michel – Eau de Cologne

As summer befriends humidity and twice daily showers become a necessity, Mont St Michel’s Eau de Cologne is an affordable way to freshen up after a quick locker room shower session following a grueling ab workout at the gym — hey! no one said that getting the coveted #summerbody was going to be easy.

 

 

 

5 Bronzers for Island Girl Glow

Ah, Paris and its grey skies and spring showers. Despite the warmer temperature, it is impossible for a girl to keep a tan, or even to get one to begin with. But sunnier days are coming for sure and in a few weeks, we will surely be whisked away to some island with unlimited drinks, easy books, and sun chairs. Until then, let’s fake it until we make it!

Bronzers have always taken the backseat in beauty. A lot of girls would prefer blush, and even during the extreme contouring heyday, bronzers were discouraged for their warm-toned finish. Yet, if you find the right one that works for you, it is truly life-changing. Here are five tried-and-tested bronzers in the market right now.

1. NARS Liquid Laguna Bronzer 

An icon, reformulated to a liquid cream finish. Gives off a glowy, believable tan when applied on its own and can also turn any foundation you already have one shade darker when mixed with it.

2. Chanel Les Beiges Bronzer

I say this through gritted teeth: Chanel bronzers work. I tried their blushes which were basically blocks of color with chunkier blocks of glitter and just kind of gave up on Chanel makeup. But their bronzers are smooth, blend like a dream, and there is not one speck of glitter in sight. And can we talk about that super chic packaging?

3. Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer

Another legend. One of the first brands to truly understand what we look for in a bronzer. A good shade range for different skin tones and for different seasons. (Yes, I am that girl wearing a bronzer during the dead of winter.) This one is very finely milled, super pigmented so apply with a light hand and one compact will last you ages.

4. Bourjois Maxi Delight Bronzer

A welcome detour towards the drugstore. This one by Bourjois offers a natural bonne mine effect as the French like to call it. Blends really well into a realistic sunkissed effect. Not surprising because rumor has it, Bourjois and Chanel makeup products all come from the same factory… (You didn’t hear it from me.)

5. Benefit Dew The Hoola Bronzer

This is more for the lighter-skinned sisters. As you guys run more risk of looking like a stripy orange when it comes to using bronzers, this liquid formula from Benefit is a perfect medium shade. You can never go wrong. For deeper skin tones, this functions more like a natural-looking highlighter.

 

5 Beauty YouTubers Who Made Their Own Beauty Line

At the time that beauty YouTubers have become among the most influential powers in the industry, it’s no surprise that brands use their names to trigger sales. Some vloggers even created their own beauty lines. This phenomenon might prove that nowadays the public rather believes approachable on-line stars than celebrity endorsements.

We’ve listed 5 brands or collaborations made by the most popular YouTubers. Tell us if we miss any names.

1. Zoella Beauty

With 12M subscribers, Zoella‘s influence won’t be smaller than that of any celebrity. Sugary fragrances with cute packages, her products are designed for those who pursue cozy and girly lifestyle.

2. KL Polish

Being one of the most trustable YouTubers, Kathleen often collaborated with American cosmetics brand COLOURPOP. This time, she finally created her own line, which only sells nail products.

3. Makeup Geek

Admittedly, I knew Makeup Geek before knowing its founder- Marlena Stell. Multicolor and super affordable eyeshadows are the biggest selling point of Makeup Geek.

4. Becca X Sananas Parisian Lights

It’s not often that big brands reach out to French beauty vloggers for collaboration; however, Sananas’ French charm and influence power made BECCA do it. BECCA created a limited edition in collaboration with Sananas for their signature product, Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter.

5. EM Cosmetics

The founder of EM Cosmetics is Michelle Phan. In her YouTube channel, she often shares not only makeup and styling tutorials but also fun lifestyle videos. Different from her playful YouTube channel, in EM Cosmetics, you can only choose a lip gloss or an eyeliner.

Snapchating with Dior Backstage

Just when you thought Kylie Jenner killed Snapchat, Dior Backstage brings to us an exciting collaboration with the app. Recently with a complete software change, Snapchat confused its users which led to many deleting the app. The collaboration with Dior backstage is making many old and new users of the app download and play with its filter again. The filter has three variations of bold, medium and nude make up options. You can now Snapchat your friends wearing no makeup while looking fabulous with the filters.

The launch of the new make-up line Dior backstage by Peter Philips, has a range of 40 face and body foundation shades on offer, meaning the line is ultra-inclusive. The colors are housed in transparent bottles so the shade is immediately visible. The brand quotes “Dior backstage is an asset for makeup artists working in the hectic backstage atmosphere as well as for women looking to find the right shade immediately.” The collection also includes two eye palettes and eyebrow palettes, face sculpting, highlighting and lip palettes. And 14 brushes: seven for the eyes and seven for the foundation. 

The promotional music and video are extremely catchy with Bella Hadid who fronts the new range and has also designed the face sculpting palette so her enviable cheekbones are one step closer to becoming a reality in our everyday. Bella is joined in the campaign by Ruth Bell, Manuela Sanchez, and Chu Wong.

While all fashion and beauty brands are collaborating with Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, Dior has managed to launch an excellent campaign through Snapchat which has created a lot of buzz for both the companies. It was a risk, but the risk was worth taking. Today marketing campaigns are highly influenced by social media and this new media has taken over the budgets of traditional media. Dior Backstage was all about fun and its diverse range reached out to many of the diverse users of Snapchat.

 

Issa Style Guide For Afropunk Paris 2018

Summer is slowly creeping up on us, and we’re not complaining! As the weather warms, Paris becomes a European pitstop for many music, fashion, and lifestyle festivals. In July, Afropunk is coming to Paris. It’s a two day festival on July 14 and July 15 that brings popular artists from the continent of Africa and the diaspora in an effort to celebrate Afrocentric culture, music, and art. There’s still time to get your tickets!

We’ve created a guide for you to look your quirky best. Psstt, don’t forget to give us credit for the look when you end up featured on the front page of a magazine for your unique look!

Before we get into the fashion, we must settle what we’re going to do with our hair. Afropunk is an opportunity for everyone to try a new hair color. If you’ve been itching to bleach your hair, I recommend scheduling your appointment one day before the festival–this way you have no way to back down or hide inside your apartment after the bleaching is done! If you don’t want to commit to permanent hair dye, try adding some colorful extensions to your hair.

Once the hair is taken care of, it’s time for the makeup. Remember, the goal is to be spotted from a mile away! Now is not the time to advocate for neutral makeup. Although we loved bright lipsticks, it’s important to remember to have a lip liner in hand or stay away from plastic and overly light pastel lip colors. A classic red or purple, or even a simple nude lip is enough to grab attention without giving off a clownish look.

Hair ✓

Makeup ✓

Now, it’s time for the main course- the outfit. The festival is going to be a long day and so although you may think about putting so much effort into your outfit, I advise against it. A simple chambray or linen ensemble should be comfortable and yet fashionable enough for you to get through the Parisian heat while also grabbing the eyes of photographers during the festival. Pastel and stripes are in this season!

If you still want to be extra at Afropunk, befriend your local florist and have them create a beautiful bouquet that will go hand in hand with your colored hair. Et voila! You are ready for Afropunk Paris 2018.

 

 

 

 

MARIJUANA: THE NEW HEALTH MARKET?

We’ve heard about the many contemporary uses of marijuana, from baked brownies to marijuana yoga, but the best is yet to come. In fact, one of the new ways to use cannabis is through a massage using infused topicals. The massage itself has many benefits like reducing stress, pain, and muscle tension. It is also ideal for people who are experiencing chronic pain.

In 2016, Denver became the first city in the United States to legalize cannabis for recreational purposes, and many other U.S. states are slowly beginning to legalize recreational cannabis – paving the way for new patterns of consumption. In this context, the Utopia All Natural Wellness Spa and Lounge may soon open, the first “cannabis spa” approved by the state of Colorado to legally accommodate customers. There, consumers will be able to smoke freely, while relaxing with THC-infused massages, acupuncture sessions, Ganja-Yoga (meaning: yoga under the influence), cooking classes, series of activities and seminars around marijuana. Cosmetic products made from natural hemp will also be on sale.

In fact, if you go further than just the basic use of “pleasure” of consuming drugs, a study proves that cannabidiol (CBD) – one of the marijuana substances – has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the human body. Marijuana would, therefore, relieve the skin, as well as reduce puffiness under the eyes.

With the legalization of cannabis in the U.S. economy in 2017, the marijuana market is estimated to be around 40 billion dollars. And by 2021, it could climb upwards of 68.4 billion dollars, according to the high range of estimates made by Marijuana Business Daily.

To this day, brands such as The Body Shop, Cap Beauty, Vertly and Milk Makeup have already used marijuana in their products, and they have all been successful with these hemp-based products. Will marijuana be one of the next key ingredients in the field of cosmetics? The answer lies within our creativity!

Beauty Trends Roundup Report 2018

Trends often come and go, season after season. Let’s take a peek into the newest trends straight off the runway that can easily be worked into your day-to-day beauty routine.

1. Flashy Eye Shadows

One of the trendiest color to wear this season is the aqua-blue shade, this captivating blue hue offers a major pop of color and is flattering on all skin tones. The strong lilac tint was a hit at Missoni’s Spring Summer 2018 show. A wash of lime-green eye-shadow came in with a bang on the runway at Tracy Reese. The sunshine shade or the yellow eyeshadow cannot be ignored!

2. Dramatic Eye-liners

The upside-down line at Oscar de la Renta is a look to treasure. The zipper eyes mark liner at Lanvin is completely desirable. The notable Cleopatra’s lined eyes was an inspiration seen all over the runway which was more dramatic than usual was seen at Paul & Joe, Roberto Cavalli, Marc Jacobs and Versus Versace.

3. Glossy Red Lips

Haider Ackermann, Philosophy, and Yang Li all had the reflection of the red shiny glossy lips. Some opted for an overdrawn lips such as Sies Marjan. The perfect look of the bitten lips with the raspberry wash is a minimal beauty trend this season. At Philosophy the W7’s lips with cherry stained lip gloss looked extra lucious.

4. Sparkled Eyes

At Dries Van Noten you could see the sparkled eyes with crystals all over, from the eyes to the lips. Mie Pang had crystal placed on the side of the nose as well as below the eyelids resembling a teardrop. Jeremy Scott used fresh and minimalist makeup but the crystals under the eye were the highlight matching the skin tone of the model’s.

5. Silver Shimmers

Inner eyes brushed with shimmer was seen at Ralph & Russo. Dewy skin and shimmering eyes are makeup trends we can 100000% get on board with. Well done Alberta Ferretti. Flipped Glitter liner at Anna Sui recall the eyes of a clown but in a more glamorous way. At Francesco Scognamiglio eyes seemed like a piece of art with all that loaded glitter topped with sequins.

6. Clumped Lashes

Lashes have become more and more creative these days. Finish the eyes with messy and clamped lashes, glittery lashes or spider lashes. If Cushnie Et Ochs, Ryan Lo and Dior can do it, so can you!

Easy yet trendy beauty looks to try!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Into Fleekness With These 5 Makeup Tricks

Last season, we hooked you up with the must-have winter makeup, and now that the clouds have cleared up to reveal our precious sun, we’re bringing you our top 5 makeup tricks that’ll help you shed the winter gloom just in time to be spring-ready!

(1) Skip the contour, make the blush do the work

We know that contouring has been one of the biggest revolutions in makeup for the past five years, but if you don’t really know what you are doing, you can end up looking like a sad, melted, chocolate, under the spring sun rays. Stretch your blush to the area where you would have put your contour and use a fluffy brush to feather it out so that it’s not too harsh. We love orange blushes for spring and Nars’ Taj Mahal has quite the pigment and works on all skin tones!

(2) Keep it matte or you won’t last

As the sun continues to creep out from under the winter gloom, we have to start leaving behind the hydrating primers for ones that can mattify our faces. This is especially true for the T-zone area (the forehead, nose, and cheeks), which can get oilier faster. The more oil you let through during the day, the more your foundation and makeup will crack. Becca makes an excellent mattifying primer that’s available in Sephora.

(3) Ditch the brown, embrace the color

During the past couple of years, we have embraced and glorified the 90s trend of a classic brown lip. Spring is coming, and we’re not in the 90s, so it’s time for us to re-add some color back onto our lips! Pinks, purples, fuchsia, and reds– the choices are endless.

(4) Let go of the shadow

With color on your lips and cheeks, it is best to keep the eye to a simple eyeliner and mascara, or you can skip the liner all together and use the mascara to get thick and long lashes. We love the Marc Jacobs black velvet mascara. It’s so unbelievably black!

(5) Leave the cake in the kitchen

It’s time to start shedding some of the weight of heavy foundations. Spring is fresh and vibrant without the burden of winter’s gloom. Likewise, it’s time to shelf all the full coverage liquid and powder foundations that can lead to a “cake face” makeup look. Instead, we love the Bare Minerals pressed powder foundation. It comes in 30 shades, so you are sure to find one that’ll suite you. The powder is lightweight and extremely natural looking, and it lasts all day!