Laura Mercier has a new spring makeup collection called Gilded Garden which features bold florals and shimmery glamour.

Start with the Laura Mercier Gilded Garden Mosiac Shimmer Bloc shown above, which gives a soft floral glow to the skin.

Then add a trendy yellow to the eye like Laura Mercier Luster Eye Color in Marigold.

Punch it up with bright lip color like Laura Mercier Lip Color Stickgloss in Azeala or Lip Stain in Hibiscus.

Pick up the Gilded Garden Collection by Laura Mercier online or at Macy’s.

Posted in Cheeks, Eyes, Lips, makeup collection ~ 0 Comments

Soap on a rope just got a whole lot better.  Skip the rope and get a trendy chrome soap holder with your choice of a scented soap from Red Leaf on Etsy.com.

These chunky soaps are easy to use, smell awesome, and are made with coconut oil.

Some of their awesome scents make you feel like you are on vacation in your shower like Plumeria Flower (Hawaiian vacation),  Beach (one of their best selling),  and English Coast (a Red Leaf favorite).  Check them out on Etsy.com!

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Spring is here, the sun is out and it is time to start easing into a natural looking tan. Here are three products, depending on your budget, that will help you gradually get the glow of summer.

On a budget: If you are on a budget then try Jergens Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer. A 7.5oz container costs around $8 and gradually firms and darkens skin tone.  Choose your shade, fair, medium or medium/tan (a Jergens tip to determine your shade: look inside your forearm to match the chart on the back of the bottle). Give it a week and you will see the difference.

Willing to pay: If you have a little cash to spend, then try St. Tropez Everyday Body. A 6.5oz bottle costs $30 and comes in two shades: fair to medium or medium to dark.  St. Tropez Everyday Body gives a natural radiance to the skin without looking orange and streaky.  St. Tropez Everyday won Instyle Magazine Best Beauty Buys 2009 in the category of Self-Tanner for Body.  You can find it online at sttropeztan.com or in most beauty supply stores.

Splurge: If you are willing (and able) to spend a little dough on self tanner then try Clarins Radiance-Plus Self Tanning Body Lotion. A 5oz bottle costs $42 and is available at department stores like Nordstroms. Tiny mother-of-pearl particles give an irredecent golden shimmer to your skin. One bottle works for all skin types and works to give you a tan appropriate for all year-round.

Click here to read about keeping up your tan in Bravadora’s article on Get Glowing: Tips to Keeping Your Tan in Winter.

Posted in Cold Weather Beauty, Skin ~ 1 Comment

If you are looking for a more natural cosmetic line at the drugstore then checkout Almay Pure Blends.

Almay’s new natural line, Pure Blends, includes a lightweight foundation, loose powder, eyeshadow, blush, and lipgloss.

The new line has over 95% natural ingredients, is hypoallergenic, and has eco-friendly packaging.

Bravadora is hoping to see mascara, eyeliner, lipliner, and lipstick in the future for Almay Pure Blends.

Click here to read about Cargo Cosmetics natural line, Plant Love, Bravadora’s article 6 Reasons to Love Cargo’s Plant Love.

UPDATE: Almay Pure Blends has introduced a their new Pure Blends Volumizing Mascara which is a hypoallergenic, 97.5% natural made with antioxidants like Lotus, Acai, and Orchid and features a container that is made from 36% recycled material. Mascara colors come in black, black-brown, and brown.

Posted in Cheeks, Eyes, Face, Lips, News ~ 0 Comments

Step 1: Do the healthy stuff…exercise, sleep, drink lots of water, and reduce stress. These are obvious solutions that help reduce dark circles, yet we often forget or deny that we need them.

Step 2: Use a brightening eye cream with Vitamin C: Wake up your eyes with a luminizing eye cream infused with brightening Vitamin C. Bravadora suggests Prescriptives Vitamin C Brightening Eye Cream which won Instyle Magazine Best Beauty Buys 2008 for reducing dark circles and puffy eyes.

Step 3: Use a good undereye concealer: A great undereye concealer that beauty critics adore is Cle de Peau Beaute concealer, a makeup line created by Shesido. Cle de Peau Beaute’s formula stays on, covers up dark shadows and won Instyle Magazine Best Beauty Buys 2009. Or for half the price you can buy Laura Mercier Secret Concealer, which beauty critics love and works great as well.

Step 4: Avoid dark makeup and curl your eyelashes: Stay away from smoky eyes, dark eyeliner, and dull grayish eye shadows which will just add to the dark shadows under your eyes. Keep your eyes light and bright. Curling your eyelashes with help to open up your eyes and make you look awake and alive.

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