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w&w answers: What’s the best face mask for me?

September 6th, 2010

Meghan

w&w answers: What’s the best face mask for me?

If you’ve ever spent time in a spa or even a Sephora for that matter, you know there are umpteen amount of face masks from which to choose to give yourself and your skin that much needed TLC. Which is why I thought I’d give you the run down on masks I’ve come to know and those that will help just about any ailment you may be lamenting over.

Best of Face Masks

Best Instant Pick-me up mask:

Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing mask, $52

This super quick fix mask has been an InStyle best beauty award winner for the past two years and for good reason as it delivers oxygen, antioxidants and Vitamin C to your skin with micro-bubbles that make you feel like you’re having a professional facial. The mask takes dull, tired and sallow skin and transforms it into a brighter complexion instantly that’ll leave your skin looking fresher and younger in just five minutes.

Best Exfoliating mask:

Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating mask, $22.50

Murad recently sent this mask to me to try out after I read that it won a SELF beauty award for best facial mask. Well, I’ll say that the honor was well deserved. After just one use my skin was brighter and tighter and for the 15 minutes it was on my face it felt as though I could feel my pores being cleansed with a cooling sensation as it was softly exfoliated. This mask is chock-full of antioxidants and frees your skin of dead skin cells while hydrating and conditioning it.

Best Deep Cleansing mask:

LaRocca 24K Gold Cocoa Gold, $50

Dirty, deep and downright great. If you crave purifying and an intense clean this is the mask for you. Get all the dirty details here.

Best Purifying mask:

Bliss Steep Clean Pore Purifying mask, $54

This mask is like a spa in a bottle and is great if you have combination skin or break out under stress or around your period and need to de-congest your pores. The Steep Clean mask regulates your oil production without drying your skin For all the full oohs and aahs, read WIT & Whimsy’s full review here.

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Posted in Beauty, Skin care

Tags: Bliss, face masks, LaRocca, Murad

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w&w tested: Fresh Minerals Tinted Moisturizer

August 31st, 2010

Meghan

w&w tested: Fresh Minerals Tinted Moisturizer

I have heard amazing things about Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer, but have yet to try it out due to the slightly hefty price tag. Thanks to freshMinerals, I’ve been testing out their tinted moisturizer.

With SPF 20 (a must!), this incredibly lightweight moisturizer protects and replenishes skin by adding a very near-sheer touch of tint. While I didn’t find it smoothed out my skin tone (I still need to use one of my favorite primers) as promised and the brush applicator can be messy, I still did find that this was a great moisturizer. Coming in five different shades, freshMinerals’ tinted moisturizer is loaded with vitamin E and C and will last you all day.

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Posted in Beauty, Makeup

Tags: freshMinerals, tinted moisturizer

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Tarte’s Bronze Smoky Eye kit is a treat

August 23rd, 2010

Meghan

Tarte’s Bronze Smoky Eye kit is a treat

I’m a big fan of relationships. In beauty, the relationship I love the most is when Sephora teams up with favorite brands to create great, exclusive beauty treats. You may have read my rave review on the Benefit limited edition collections now available, and now I wanted to write a little love song about Tarte and Sephora’s ‘Beauty in a Box’ set designed to create a gorgeous bronze, smoky eye.

The Tarte Bronze Smoky Eye kit is packed with old favorites and some newer ones and I love that all of them are waterproof, water-resistant, or long-wearing and it is especially true for the liquid eyeshadow in the most gorgeous bronze shadow ever. From lids to lips, each product works to create an overall bronze glow topped off with a modern (and much more wearable) take on an old favorite that is the bronze smoky eye.

Tarte’s Beauty in a Box is a $112 value for only $45 exclusively at Sephora. Grab it now as it’ll only be in stores until October. Many thanks to Tarte for sending a box my way to test out!

Here are the stats you need to know:
- Full size Lock & Roll 12-Hour Eyeshadow, burnt bronze
- Full size EmphasEYES™ Waterproof Clay Shadow/Liner, plum
- Full size Rise & Shine Lip Gloss And Stain, nude
- Full size Clean Slate Natural Face Primer
- Deluxe Mineral Powder Bronzer, park ave princess
- Deluxe Lights, Camera, Splashes! Natural Waterproof Mascara

What it is formulated without (love this!):
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petrochemicals
- Phthalates

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Posted in Beauty, Makeup

Tags: Beauty, Makeup, Sephora, Tarte

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Products We Love: Benefit’s Limited Edition Combination Sets

August 9th, 2010

Meghan

Products We Love: Benefit’s Limited Edition Combination Sets

If you’re a fan of Benefit, you know that co-founders, Jean and Jane brought on Jean’s daughters (aka: Jane’s nieces) awhile back as the global makeup trend artists for the brand. And Maggie and Annie’s latest endeavor for the chic cosmetic line is the new Sephora exclusive Maggie & Annie Collections. Benefit was nice enough to send me the two new kits, Sunday Funday and Scene Queen and I experienced love at first sight. Not to mention, got all glammed out with my girlfriends on a recent Friday using Scene Queen and it was a hit with all of us.

Here’s the scoop:

Sunday Funday – The New Maggie Collection

This set contains:

- Hoola, bronzing powder with mini natural-bristle brush

- Benetint, rose-tinted lip & cheek stain

- Shimmering Rose, lip shine

- Toasty Liner, eyeliner

- 4 eyeshadows in Smimmering Bronze, Pink Satin, Light Champagne, and Pretty In Plum

- 2 Fluff Shadow/Hard Angle Brushes

- Step-By-Step Makeup Lesson

“Sunday Fun Day is all about pulling together a fresh, fabulous look after a late night. Whether you were up watching movies or dancing ’til dawn, this kit has the prettiest eyeshadows and complexion essentials to make you look beautifully revived…just in time for brunch. Waiter, coffee and mimosas, please!”—Maggie Ford Danielson, Benefit Makeup Trend Artist

Scene Queen – The New Annie Collection

This set contains:

- Coralista, coral-pink cheek powder with mini natural-bristle brush

- High Beam, luminescent complexion enhancer

- Juicy Coral, lip shine

- Smokin’ Liner, eyeliner

- 4 eyeshadows in Charcoal, Shimmering Beige, Misty Blue, and Navy

- 2 Fluff Shadow/Hard Angle Brushes

- Step-By-Step Makeup Lesson

“Scene Queen creates the perfect ‘night on the town’ look. With incredible eyeshadows and vivid pops of color, this kit will pump up the volume and take you from the office to girls’ night out. Heads will turn, jaws will drop…and drinks will be on the house!”—Annie Ford Danielson, Benefit Makeup Trend Artist

The Scene Queen’s eye shadows are “I die” material for sure and Andrea herself is in love with the juicy coral lipshine the set contains as well. I am also a huge fan of Sunday Funday for being the perfect go-to for a fresh and bright look you can wear any day.

Yet again you score a home run, Benefit. Yet again.

Since these kits are limited editions, might I suggest you get your little tushes off those chairs and head to Sephora STAT to scoop one (or both!) up. You’ll be happy you did

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Posted in Beauty, Makeup

Tags: Benefit Cosmetics, Sephora

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Mi(a) Amore

August 4th, 2010

Meghan

Mi(a) Amore

CLARISONIC® 'Berry Mia' Set (Nordstrom Exclusive)

I’ve heard about the Clarisonic for a while now, but it wasn’t until I put a tweet out into the oh-so-full-of-opinions-and-feedback twittersphere that I realized I was missing out on the beauty that is the Clarisonic. They were kind enough to send one of their too-cute for words Mia sets (this one in particular is sold as an exclusive kit at Nordstrom for $149) my way to try out and I now am a full-time member of the fan club. In short, the Clarisonic is A-mazing.

Clarisonic uses it fancy patented sonic frequency to deliver more than 300 movements per second to your skin that gently (and I mean gently- it’s so soft and smooth!) and effectively loosen dirt and oil to cleanse your pores. According to Clarisonic, in just 60 seconds a day, the micro-massage action cleans more than twice as effectively as manual cleansing. Love the sound of this, right!?

Now you and I both always hear companies that make claims, but aren’t able to deliver, but I’m happy to report that Clarisonic is not one of them. After using the Mia system for over two weeks now, I can attest that it does in fact live up to all the hype. It will indeed deliver the following:

Remove 6x more makeup than manual cleansing
Leave your skin feeling and looking smoother
Cleanse so well that products absorb better
Be gentle enough for twice daily use
Help reduce oily areas, dry skin patches and blemishes
Help reduce the appearance of visible pores

Legitimately, Andrea and I have been using the Mia every day now (the cute Nordstrom kit comes with two heads, how convenient for roomies like us) and are obsessed. Conversations in our bathroom have turned into, “seriously, this is incredible” and “I love, love, love this thing!” Not to mention, their Gentle Hydro Cleanser smells and feels like a dream. You can also use it in the shower. Seriously this little guy is nothing short of amazing.

The Clarisonic is indeed our mi amore. As if you couldn’t already tell…

p.s – For more Clarisonic be sure to check out their newly launched blog, Sonic Chatter. And for a great little step by step tutorial on cleansing with the Mia, check out one of our bff’s, Inspired Shannon’s, guide.

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Posted in Beauty, Skin care

Tags: Clarisonic, Mia, Nordstrom

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Friday Loves 7/30

July 30th, 2010

Meghan

Friday Loves 7/30

Last week WIT & Whimsy launched ”Friday Loves,” a new series that’s all about sharing the things we love from the current week in a series of photos.

This Sweet Tart ruffle skirt from Calypso as seen on Refinery29

Enjoy…and tell us your loves in comments, too! We’ll have some great treats for readers who tell us what their Friday Loves are, so be sure to drop us a line below! xo.

And don’t miss the chance to get $100 to spend on pretty much any garment, accessory, etc. from Beso.com! Entries till midnight on Sunday accepted!

The darling set sent to me & Benefit Cosmetics from Kat of Polyvore

All the amazing bloggers in SF who came to WIT & Whimsy's Style & Beauty blogger meetup this week

Stuart Weitzman booties I'm wearing today

Lulu's 40 dresses under $40. And there are plenty more where these come from.

Rebecca Minkoff dropping her prices on her classic bags by 15% - Hey O!

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Posted in Beauty, Fashion, Lifestyle, WIT & Whimsy

Tags: Friday Loves, Lulus, Rebecca Minkoff

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San Francisco Style & Beauty Blogger Meetup

July 29th, 2010

Meghan

San Francisco Style & Beauty Blogger Meetup

So last night, WIT & Whimsy hosted the first (of hopefully many!) San Francisco Style & Beauty blogger meetups and it was so much fun! I loved meeting the ladies behind so many of the blogs I love to read and meeting bloggers I hadn’t yet discovered but now know as a result of the event.

I’m so grateful to Benefit Cosmetics and Shop It To Me both of whom attended and gave out goodies to attendees (including the newest of the Benefit Crescent Row fragrances, of which I loved Eva!.) If you don’t know both of these companies, you absolutely must. They’re like an addiction for product junkies & shopaholics alike.

Hopefully there will be another meetup in the near future, but for now I’ll leave you with the very few shots I got (I forgot to take pictures till nearly the end cause I was having too much fun chatting with everyone!)

Thanks to everyone who came out for it! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did & I’ll see you all soon!

xoxo,

meghan

Katie, of AOL Styleist, Lucky and others (and soon to be contributor to NBC!), Christina of Profreshstyle, Laura of On the Racks, Yuri of Lookbook.nu and moi