Beauty Archives | Blueprint for Style

Accessories

3 easy ways to add sparkle to your holiday looks

We’re in a new and different holiday season…and many of us are not feeling quite festive. To add a little gush to your holiday outfit whether it’s a Zoom party or small in-home soiree, here are three (3) easy ways to add sparkle to any occasion: Add shimmer to your cheeks [and face] with RMS Beauty buruti bronzer Add some sparkle to your feet…with blingy shoe clips [jazz up your house shoes if you want to!] Add glimmer to your mask…using

2020/12/10

This red lip color by Mansai7 is called Alizarin and is gorgeous

Beauty

a new red lip color

This red is a cool classic red with subtle blue undertones which means you won’t see any orange-yness and if you were to rock a pink/fuschia lip pencil underneath, you’d get a slightly softer red coloring. It pops. It’s organic. It’s hydrating. It’s deep. It multi-tasks (you can wear it on the cheek, lip or eyes). It works as a gorg lip tint. It’s a blendable formula or oils and waxes. It feels hydrating. The maker: Mansai7. They have a

2020/11/20

Beauty

beauty bombshell: correct order to apply skincare products

Boom ! It’s real y’all! There IS a correct order to apply your skincare products to make sure they’re working….and given how much we spend on our products, we need to get it right! Celebrity esthetician Renee Rouleau says products should be applied according to the size of the molecules they contain – so generally thinnest formula stuff first to the thickest! What gets us (read: ME) confused is that every skincare brand has its own philosophy

2020/08/18

Beauty

problem: mask + makeup, do I need both/either?

Problem: I’m starting to head out and everyone is talking about wearing a mask, but if I wear a mask, do I need to wear makeup too? Solution: Simply put….Yes. Yes. Yes and Yes. The mask: we’re in the midst of a pandemic people….so unless you are by yourself or with individuals you’ve been quarantining with…..YES, you need a MASK! The makeup: while it’s not necessarily ;life or death’, makeup is your new lifeblood to facial recognition! Here is what

2020/08/04

Beauty

my nails look a mess!

Before I had any idea quarantine was coming, I had decided to get my nails done and, to make matters worse, I had decided to get a gel manicure. Bad decision! Fast forward to day 50 of lockdown and my nails looked like a hot *ss mess. First ~ Steph saved me by doing a drive-by with some acetone nail polish…thank you! Then ~ my IG surfing yielded a new company called Static Nails that basically promises at least seven

2020/05/20

Beauty

facial mask mania

Before this pandemic, I did masks on occasion because someone said I needed to and, frankly. afterwards my face looked better LOL! But now that I’m home more, it allows me a little more time to get into a facial mask routine that has yielded some yummy results. First – remember that different masks are needed to address different issues. Second – remember the timing on when to use them because that affects their absorption and effectiveness. The masks I

2020/05/06

Beauty

bomb! facial mask

I picked up this exfoliating facial mask a couple of weeks ago during the Credo Beauty sale (20% off everything!) and have been following the directions. Can I say lov-ing it?!?!? A little goes a long way and the tingling sensation you get on application let’s you know it’s working. And the results? Immediate glow but also better absorption of my other products… WINNING ~ and just in time for the holidays!!

2019/11/26

Beauty

Best Hand Creams for Dry Hands – Top 3

It’s winter so every piece of skin is dry especially hands! And if you’re over the age of 30 then dry hands is almost a given so here’s the remedy – – – > hand cream! The top three hand creams: Weleda Skin Food ~ not only is loaded with essential fatty acids but it’s decadent. The key is to use less than you think….it’s super thick and emollient! Mario Badescu Fruit & Vitamin A Hand Cream ~anti-oxidant rich and hydrating…

2019/11/19

Beauty

without saying it, everyone loves straight, white teeth

OMG don’t look at me funny ~ it’s true! Years ago either Colgate or Crest commissioned a study but I couldn’t find it so, I went researching. Here’s some cake for you: a new study found that having whiter teeth makes you look more successful, more employable, more attractive and even five years younger. So when Smile Brilliant asked me if I would partner to test out a new toothbrush, the cariPRO ultrasonic electric toothbrush, I had to say yes!

2019/06/26

Accessories

my three morning style must-haves

Technically, the list could be very long but I can whittle it down to just three morning style must-haves when I’m traveling or on vacation: The goal is to wake up [refreshed] and head to breakfast looking like you ‘woke up like this‘ so a quick dress that says laidback cool, tousled hair to make the just-woke-up-thing real, and a clean face because sleep in the eye and random makeup isn’t pretty. Ready for lights- camera – action!! [show_shopthepost_widget id=”3165759″]

2018/06/14

Beauty

travel light, smell good…all the time!

So my girlfriend and I did some impromptu shopping on Saturday and, because she’s an enabler, I found myself at Ulta buying new facial cleanser – I snagged Dermalogica’s special cleansing gel because my face is still peeling just a bit as I am in week three of my Retin A treatment….. To add to my “booty bag” [is that not proper to say I ahve one…?!?!], I got a travel size of the Mario Badescu drying lotion and Origins checks

2018/03/01

Beauty

give good face in 2018

I saw this and instantly clicked to purchase it ~ this face serum is made from only four essential oils (tumeric, avocado, coffee and geranium). After talking with relatives, brow-beating beauty junkies and researching multiple blogs, I’m clear that serum is essential and that this one is a steal at under $30! If you grab it, let me know how you like it and, of course, I’ll plan to share in about a month or two any progress or status.

2018/01/19

Beauty

forever young with hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is in EVERY beauty product you have today because….it’s awesome! Part of stylish living is being the best you can be! Hyaluronic acid (HA) is actually naturally occurring in your joints, eyes and deeper skin It’s not acid-y acid like glycolic acid Dry aka “old-looking” skin = lines and saggy skin so HA plumps it up (temporarily) It’s a humectant which means it attracts water (!!!) BIGGEST STAT: it can hold 1,000 times its weight in water (=

2017/09/28

Beauty

an acquired taste…or smell

This Malin & Goetz deodorant has a cult following — but it’s not for everyone. It’s both alcohol+aluminum-free and uses eucalyptus (antiseptic and antibacterial) and citronelly to control odor. Be warned: your body will require some time to adjust to the natural products so give yourself two weeks (see website). That said, works well even in the summer heat!

2017/07/31

Accessories

4 Must-Haves Under $50 for Summer

Every summer you’ll get this list and plus-or-minus it doesn’t change less a quick switch with something that is more pressing…like sunscreen. This summer’s list of must-haves is easy: a simple tee, handheld bag, sunscreen, and sunglasses. The simple tee: for me, there’s nothing “simple” about it because I like color so mine is a vintage/destroyed tee or sleeveless u-neck so I can keep cool. [show_shopthepost_widget id=”2704369″] The handheld bag: this is because that quick run to the coffee

2017/06/12

Beauty

i am an oil baron!

I missed an opportunity – almost 20 years ago – to have a flawless face! As I understand it now, the key to aging as flawlessly as possible starts in your twenties and thirties…and I’m well on my way to the mid-century hashmark. That said, I have wasted NO time or resources in trying to make up for lost time and ‘save face‘ by going for the beauty juggler via serums and facial oils. They have almost exclusively become a

2017/03/13

Beauty

liquid beauty…literally!

I am continually on the hunt to find ways to age more gracefully (besides surgical enhancements). I shared a few new beauty products I’m in love with by Tammy Fender and I’ve got to share another —- L’Oreal‘s Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care moisturizer. Spurred by the K-beauty movement in Korea, this liquid care penetrates faster and provides hydration for up to 72 hours. Lighter formulation, more hydration, deeper penetration….all the hallmarks of beautiful skin. Do I really need to

2017/01/25

Beauty

a monday morning must-have

Organization is essential to style! And when you travel, things can easily go sideways…. Keep them on track by keeping everything essential in a small Truffle clarity pouch. The items in my on-the-go Truffle beauty bag include…. [show_shopthepost_widget id=”2333800″]

2017/01/22

Beauty

2017 beauty routine

Tammy Fender is the name. You may have read about her in Vogue, Elle, Essence, Allure…. Her products are 100% botanical formulas, certified organic, deeply moisturizing, cell rejuvenating, and so on…. I was gifted the quintessential serum (I love all serums!), capillary strengthening oil and essential C tonic. I’ve been using them since late December and am, frankly, in love! he products are readily available but tried-and-true, I headed to Amazon to re-up on my stash! [show_shopthepost_widget id=”2331951″]

2017/01/17

Beauty

Give Good Face

I was listening to Jim Gaffigan‘s Obsessed album– it’s hilarious! – and in one section called “Don’t Want to Smell” he dicsusses the “advent” of body cleansers and how he had to get used to using certain cleansers to avoid smelling bad….. He obviously didn’t try this DDF Advanced Micro-Exfoliation Cleanser! I’ve been using it for almost a month now and I’m convinced it’s responsible for the smooth transition of my face from summer/fall to winter. I had less ashenness

2016/12/09

Beauty

Curated Holiday Gifts: How to Be Beauty-ful!

Beauty is all about the little niceties that get us to age more gracefully…..which items are your favorite?! The Escentric Molecules scent is at the top of my list…with the Oribe Gold Lust set in a close second. Check out the items and click below to get the link for whatever you want!!! We also added a few other must-haves to consider…. [show_boutique_widget id=”513759″]

2016/12/08

Beauty

Final Style Download…All About Beauty!

For now, this is the last in our series of new – FREE! – style downloads. This one is for any woman who knows that her smile (and skin) are just as important, if not more, than her outfit. These are my seven beauty must-haves that in regular rotation – and most are even #travel-friendly! Spend a little now to save your skin later!! Enjoy – and download HERE!

2016/08/20

Beauty

Tackle Hair Loss & Gain Style

Part of my beauty routine revealed…. For most women, hair is their ‘crowning glory’ and their pride and joy but, for some women it can be a source of angst and frustration – and not just on ‘bad hair days’! I am not experiencing hair loss but I did go through a period many years ago when my hair was coming out and thinning. For me, it was huge because while my hair length was never my crowning glory, my

2016/07/07

Beauty

Use A Mask To Uncover Your Beauty

Sounds counterintuitive, right? Well if you try the Sulwahsoo Snowise EX brightening mask, you’ll know exactly what I mean. The last few weeks, my face/skin has looked unremarkable and while much can be attributed to the change of seasons (skin tends to act out when it doesn’t know whether it’s cold or warm outside….), I also needed a boost. Enter stage left is my beauty partner-in-crime who gifted me with a Sulwahsoo brightening mask. 12 minutes later, I’m thanking God

2016/03/29

Beauty

Personal Branding at Washington School for Girls

I was connected with the Washington School for Girls through Junior League of Washington and while I was unsure how I could help, I ended up teaching a fall course to nine young ladies in the 7th & 8th grade! The importance of understanding how their personal appearance and how they view themselves affects how other see them is a point that I’m working to “make real” every week. From sessions on key interview tips to nail care to looking

2015/10/29

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News, Articles & More

3 easy ways to add sparkle to your holiday looks

a new red lip color

beauty bombshell: correct order to apply skincare products

problem: mask + makeup, do I need both/either?

my nails look a mess!

facial mask mania

bomb! facial mask

Best Hand Creams for Dry Hands – Top 3

without saying it, everyone loves straight, white teeth

my three morning style must-haves

travel light, smell good…all the time!

give good face in 2018

forever young with hyaluronic acid

an acquired taste…or smell

4 Must-Haves Under $50 for Summer

i am an oil baron!

liquid beauty…literally!

a monday morning must-have

2017 beauty routine

Give Good Face

Curated Holiday Gifts: How to Be Beauty-ful!

Final Style Download…All About Beauty!

Tackle Hair Loss & Gain Style

Use A Mask To Uncover Your Beauty

Personal Branding at Washington School for Girls

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