Beauty

Summer 2013 beauty trends: my top picks

 in Beauty  tagged reviews / summer 2013 by

There are so many classic beauty looks and trends from the spring/summer 2013 runways which have hit the streets for summer. Below are the trends I find the most flattering and modern for the current apparel looks from the runway which have hit the streets.

Blue eyeliner and eye shadow:

There are two distinct trends in eye make-up for the summer 2013 season; the smoky eye and the colorful eye. While designers have variations of blue, green and purple eye make-up for summer 2013, blue has moved to the front of the pack and has claimed the title of the “IT” eye color for summer 2013.

Bright or nude nails:

Nail polish is on opposite sides of the spectrum for summer 2013. There is the bright nail which is being shown in blue, green and orange hues as well as the ultra-chic “nude” nail shown in slight rose and coffee hues. If you find yourself wearing apparel and accessories in the same color family, the bright nail will be fairly easy to pull off this season. If you find you are enjoying every print and color palette being shown for summer 2013, a more neutral, nude nail might be the way to go this season.

Nude and sheer lipstick:

Since the emphasis is on eyes and nails for the summer 2013 season, lipstick has taken a quiet, neutral turn for the warm weather months. Designers are opting for nude, ice pink, neutral and sheer lipstick hues this season which blend well with the season’s heavy eyes and bright apparel trends.

Matte foundation:

Gone are the days of the dewy face or slightly glittering face. Summer 2013, and moving into fall 2013 as well as 2014, the matte look is in. This season, skin is finished; and foundation returns as the most important backdrop to everything else which appears on your face. My pick is Dolce & Gabbana’s matte foundation and concealer line since they work wonders on skin, offer SPF, and come in a large variety of skin colors.

I have a few favorite beauty items for the summer season. To shop summer 2013’s beauty trends, please use the shopping widget below. Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 

Niven Morgan for men skin care review

 in Beauty / Men's Fashion  tagged bath products / men / reviews by

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Photo: c/o Niven Morgan; “Blue” conditioner, shampoo, body lotion and body wash. “Jean Baptiste 1717” hand lotion and “Gold” hand cream.
Niven Morgan creates luxurious, fragrant skin care for men which offers masculine scents and optimum results. The summer 2013 collection includes bath products, body lotion, hand cream, cologne and home fragrances. Rob tested out the body lotion, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand cream, hand lotion and body wash from three of Niven Morgan’s fragrance groups. The results were amazing!

Rob works out and plays a lot of tennis; as a result, his hands get dry easily. To combat his dry hands, Rob tested out Niven Morgan’s “Jean Baptiste 1717” hand lotion and also Niven Morgan’s “Gold” hand cream. He tested the two hand products on different days, and they both did wonders for his hands! Love that!

Rob has fine, slightly wavy hair. He tested out Niven Morgan’s “Blue” shampoo and conditioner. Normally, conditioner make his hair look instantly greasy, but not Niven Morgan’s! This conditioner softened his hair without adding weight or leaving a film. The shampoo worked perfectly too, it left his hair squeaky clean!

For the body lotion, Rob tested out Niven Morgan’s “Blue” body lotion. The lotion worked well and left his skin moisturized after a day outside in the sun playing tennis. He also enjoyed using Niven Morgan’s “Blue”body wash in the shower. The body wash has a nice fragrance and left his skin squeaky clean. Perfect!

Niven Morgan’s “Jean Baptiste 1717” collection features fragrance notes of Water hyancinth, jasmine, tuberose, wild rose, princess lily, caramel, creamy vanilla, rich woods and warm patchouli. The result is a warm, slightly gourmand yet masculine fragrance experience perfect for cool or moderate weather; and foggy Bay Area days!

The “Gold” collection by Niven Morgan offers warm, woody fragrance experience with notes of vanilla, amber, neroli, bergamot, sandalwood and musk. This fragrance works well in moderate to warm weather and offers a luxurious scent.

Lastly, the “Blue” fragrance collection for men by Niven Morgan combines cool and spicy fragrance notes of amber, sandalwood, lemon, mandarin and bergamot. This is the perfect fragrance experience for warm and hot weather.

Rob rates the Niven Morgan summer 2013 fragrance collection for men five out of five stars! (tested and reviewed by Rob, written by Cathy)

To shop Niven Morgan’s summer 2013 skin care and fragrance collection for men, use the shopping widget below. Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 

Dolce & Gabbana Gentle nail polish for summer 2013 review

 in Beauty / Nail Polish  tagged dolce and gabbana / reviews / summer 2013 by

Dolce & Gabbana’s “True Monica” collection for summer 2013 embodies the modern beauty look straight from the red carpet and the Milan Fashion Week runway. This collection features a Smokey eye and nude, to pale lips and nails. Although considered classic and chic, this beauty look is hot for summer 2013.

From the “True Monica” collection by Dolce & Gabbana is a nail polish hue named “Gentle.” This dark “nude-like” hue offers a cool rose color which is dark enough to wear through the summer season and into the fall 2013 season. Love this!

I tested out “Gentle” by Dolce & Gabbana and the nail polish proved to be long lasting! Dolce & Gabbana “Gentle” stayed chip-free a full eight days with only a base coat and two coats of color. I did not use a top coat.

This is a great color to have in one’s nail polish collection. “Gentle” is a classic color which easily blends with any color palette from any season. The classic nature of the color transcends trends making it ultra-chic. Love that! Since Dolce & Gabbana nail polish is long lasting, “Gentle” is also a wise investment purchase!

Dolce & Gabbana “Gentle” is priced at $30 and can be found online here.

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Photo: c/o Dolce & Gabbana “Gentle” from the “True Monica” collection for summer 2013.

Credit: Cathy/Bay Area Fashionista 2013©