Beauty and Fashion Tech

New Beauty Book From Latina Recording Artist Thalia

Latina recording artist Thalia has entered the world of publishing with this new beauty book: Thalia: !Belleza!: Lessons in Lipgloss and Happiness.

Some time back I worked fairly diligently at regaining my use of the Spanish language. As part of my practice, I would listen to music in Spanish. I found a number recording artists that I really liked that way. Thalia was one of them (Shakira’s Spanish language music is another). I adore Thalia’s music!

So I am quite excited about this book. I haven’t actually gotten my hands on one yet, but I plan to check it out. From the description, it sounds like it is pretty comprehensive with a positive outlook. Heck, the title itself is pretty positive. Can’t complain about lipgloss and happiness!

If anyone picks this up before I get to it, let me know what you think of it!

By Carleenp Posted in Book Reviews | 2 Comments

M.A.C. Cosmetics Smoke Signals Collection

The M.A.C Smoke Signal Collection is truly gorgeous. With beautiful smokey browns and grays, along with neutral lip colors and muted blush shades, It reminds me of classic and classy fall style. I am a neutral makeup type of girl, so this collection fit me perfectly.

The eyeshadow comes in two quads, one leans more to gray/brown and the other more to blue/gray. Both are beautiful. I have taken to wearing the light pink/taupe from the smoking eyes quad (pictured) with just a brown eyeliner (also from the smoke signals collection) and hint of the taupe in the crease. The look works wonderfully for day, and it is easy to move it to evening by adding a bit more color to the lid and adding a bit of the darker brown along the lashes and blending. The collection also adds some more very nice pigments to M.A.C’s list.

The lip products are also outstanding. The lipsticks are all beautiful neutral shades, ranging from quite light to a deep, rich wine. They are complimented by some equally nice lip glass shades. Add one of the muted and unique shades of blush that seem perfect for fall, and you are ready to go!

The line also includes nail polish. If you wanted to try black last year, you will have your chance again in fall 2007. It appears to be back and in style as much as ever. M.A.C’s black shade is quite nice. There is also a deep purple shade with red pearl that looks quite interesting. It isn’t the type of color I tend to go for, but I tried some on my toes and kind of liked it!

As with many of M.A.C’s collections, this is limited edition, so I suggest grabbing some of these really nice shades while you can, especially the eyeshadow quads.

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By Carleenp Posted in Blush, Eyeshadow, Lip Products, Nail Products, Palettes and Collections | 4 Comments

Dior Diorissime Fall 2007 Pallette

Dior has a gorgeous fall palette out consisting of 4 eye shadows and two lip glosses. I believe it is slated to be offered in two different looks, one for day and one for evening, but right now I can only find one of them (#002, pictured).

I really don’t need one of these, but have been debating getting one anyway. The colors are beautiful and the case is so darn pretty! I want, want, want it!!! In a feeble attempt to talk me out of it my boyfriend said it would make me look fat. Yeah right….

For some more pictures and a look at a couple of wonderful fall 2007 Dior handbags, take a look at A Touch of Blusher’s post on the Dior fall products. I can’t let myself get one of the wonderful pink Dior handbags, so maybe this is the next best thing, even though I really don’t need more eyeshadow.

Should I get a a Dior Diorissime pallete or not? Someone talk me into it or out of it!

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By Carleenp Posted in Accessories, Eyeshadow, Lip Products, Palettes and Collections | No Comments

DermaQuest Dermalash: Eyelash Fortifier?

Can lashes really be made longer, stronger, and healthier with a product? It seems like it should be possible in theory, but I am skeptical.

DermaQuest DermaLash is a product that makes such claims. After trying it, I am unable to definitively say yes or no on the matter.

DermaQuest Dermalash consists a conditioning serum with a small brush. The idea is that you are to brush Dermalash at the base of your lashes, and over time the lashes will be fortified, conditioned, longer, and stornger. The serum itself feels fine, and I had no issues trying it and then wearing my contacts. So it seems perfectly safe. But whether it is effective is a big question mark for me.

How can a person really measure this? I used it for about three weeks and can’t say that I noticed any difference, but I’m not sure that I really would. It is not like I examine my eyelashes to the point of noticing minute changes. So, I am skeptical, but the product also did no harm. I can’t say that I would purchase this (I got mine in some beauty samples and promotional materials), but if you have some eyelash concerns, I suppose it can’t hurt anything but your pocketbook to try it!

If anyone has experience with this stuff please post a comment. I’m curious if others saw anything from using it!

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By Carleenp Posted in Eyelash Care, Mascara, Skin Care | 7 Comments

Review: Thermaclear Acne Treatment Device

The Thermaclear Acne Treatment Device is quite the shocking device. Literally! But it is shocking in a good way.

The rise of technology using heat devices to treat acne is one of the best things to arrive on the beauty scene. Indeed, one of the first things I did when I started Beauty and Fashion Tech was review the Zeno Acne Treatment Device. In that review, I mentioned “zapping” zits. In light of trying the Thermaclear device, I probably should have used the term “heat” with the Zeno and reserved the term “zap” for the Thermaclear! The Thermaclear device is similar to the Zeno, and it also works. Yet Thermaclear is also wildly different. Where the Zeno applies heat over several minutes, Thermaclear quickly shoots them with a jolt of heat.

The Thermaclear device operates on two AA batteries and heats up in a matter of seconds. Once ready, the device is held to a pimple and a button is pushed. Then the thing ZAPS the zit with heat– as in shocks, fries, and jolts it. This is where it is so different from the Zeno, which heats up and then is held on the area for several minutes. The use of the Thermaclear takes only a second. It is also ready for reuse almost immediately. I really like the efficiency it.

The zap is literally a bit shocking, which takes a bit of getting used to. I found that at first it stung quite a bit and that I would flinch in anticipation of it. But after several uses, I was less surprised by it and no longer had that problem. After about six uses I was completely used to it. There is also something rather satisfying about jolting a zit with a shock of heat.

Real life re-enactment: My boyfriend is in the bathroom and I hear the Thermaclear beep that it is ready:

Thermaclear: Beeeeep
Boyfriend: Ouch!
Thermaclear: Beeeep
Boyfriend: Ouch!
Thermaclear: Beeeep
Boyfriend: Ouch!
Boyfriend: This Thing Rocks!

Once you get used to that jolt of heat, the Thermaclear Device really does work. I used it on some emerging acne and it was gone the next day. On some tougher acne, the time was cut at least in half. I am quite pleased with the device. Like the Zeno, the Thermaclear is not meant for deep cystic acne or blackheads, although I tried it on cystic acne and thought that it helped bring it to a head a bit quicker.

Both the Zeno and Thermaclear are expensive, although the Thermaclear is a bit cheaper, both intially and with upkeep. Overall, I prefer the Thermaclear because it is so much quicker to use. It also does not need its tip replaced as often as the Zeno does and the battery operation is nice. But if the idea of a true zap of heat makes you nervous, the Zeno is a bit more comfortable to use. It just takes quite a bit longer.

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