But this time, I don’t think it’s my mascara. I’m starting to think the common denominator is a new eyelash curler I’ve been using. Way back when, I wrote a whole post on my fear of eyelash curlers, so some of you may be wondering what’s up with my change of heart. But here’s the thing — the one I use isn’t your normal clamp-it-down-on-your-lashes-and-hope-they’re-still-there kind. It’s more of an eyelash wand/comb…and get this: it’s HEATED.

Japonesque mini eyelash curler

I found Japonesque’s Pink Heated Mini Lash Curler ($16) on Bloom.com when I had one of those shopping binges (which also makes bloom.com so wonderful, because it rewards you pretty handsomely based on how much you spend..but that was a wholeeee other post).

Heat switch -- the little orange light shows that it's on

But back to this curler’s awesomeness — I love that you just turn on a switch to heat it up (it doesn’t get like scorching hot, of course…just warm enough) and you can just hold it up against your lashes to get a deep curl that stays. It’s battery operated, and you can either turn the switch off yourself or it automatically switches off when you put the cap back on. I personally like it better than traditional curlers because it doesn’t pinch or break your lashes either. I can’t even count the times people have asked me if I’m wearing fake lashes since I started using this.

To curl lashes just hold the wand up against your lashes.

My lashes already have a bit of a natural curl to them, so I’m curious to see how it works for people with straight lashes. One thing I also wonder about is if it works on people with shorter lashes as well. Hmm.

If you want to try it, I definitely suggest going through Bloom.com. You accumulate points with purchases and they give some pretty generous customized gifts with your orders (based on your beauty profile that you create when you join!). Oh, and PS…it also comes in black .

x
Shy

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Rachel Roy Shadow collection

To celebrate the launch of her beauty line, Rachel Roy invited a select few writers to her studio in midtown to introduce her Shadow Collection and talk (what else?) makeup. I was honored to be there and get an up-close look at the shadows firsthand. We snacked on macaroons and cake pops (that were are in colors that coordinate the shadows in her palette nonetheless) and indulged in hand massages, before Roy herself emerged.

Day time shadows

Rachel Roy

My first thought when I saw the 37-year-old designer (who mind you, looks like she’s still fresh in her 20s) besides her obvious beauty is, “Man…Rachel Roy is tall!” She has to be at least 5′10 thought she was hiding some heels under her long wool slacks but no…all I saw peeking from under there were Chanel ballerina flats.

Macaroons in the shade of her shadows

After I met her, she briskly walked across the studio and first stopped by to see how the makeup artist (who was there doing mini-makeovers) was doing. Then she took a seat at a table across another chair facing her. I thought she was gearing up for a presentation, but instead, she took a few sips of her wine before picking her palette up and to do her co-workers makeup using her new shadows.

The collection itself is impressive with a gorgeous mix of 10 dark and light tones with the most interesting names. The day shades include: Balance, Fire, Energy, Galaxy, and Dark Magic. Night shades consist of Twilight, Infinite, Evil Eye, Empyrean, and Celestial. While she sat playing makeup artist, she was game for our questions:

When did you start dabbling with makeup?
I did [makeup] on my brother…he was my first victim. I would style him, but to me the styling wasn’t complete unless it was a head to toe look. I would just experiment with how I wanted makeup to look on me, but I needed to see that on someone else. I grew up not being able to afford the things I saw in movies or magazines. As a child, you get that through dreaming and fantasizing but with makeup you can get it quickly. So I had fun with it and my dad, being Indian, was always worried. I heard him talking to my mom saying, “This is going to be her life.” He worried that my nails were red, and my mom would say, “Oh, I did that when I was young, too, and look at me now. Don’t worry about it. This is not going to be forever.” Little did they know.

All of my aunts on my dad’s side didn’t have much. But they had beautiful saris, plastic bangles up their arms and a kohl eye no matter what. Some of them went to clean because they were maids, but they were the most beautiful maids.

I took about 10 of these cake pops home

Why did you decide to branch into beauty?
Sometimes when something comes to you as easy as breathing, you don’t realize it’s a gift or a talent until much later in life, and you start to become very thankful. When I went to Africa to visit the orphanage I work with, it was in such a rural place — very stereotypical with kids running up to the car because they never see cars and little girls tugging at you. All they wanted to do is look in my purse. They wanted makeup. Little girls are exactly same as [my girls at] home. Little girls are little girls are little girls. That was a turning point for me becasue I realized that makeup and fashion, it makes people feel good about themselves. The older you get you can start to think it’s a very vain thing, it’s a very self-serving thing. Self-serving can be good if you’re taking care of yourself and doing the right things for yourself.

Whatever I had in my purse I showed them, what they looked like, and you can see them…they were so proud of themselves. It made them feel good, something as small as that. There’s definitely a good side to beauty and to feeling beautiful. As you get older, you realize if you don’t have the balance and you’re not doing every single step to get that, it’s never just never gonna be there. As a little girl, it’s just fun. The older I get the more I learn, I try to pass on all those tools on how to do makeup and those other tools to feeling beautiful.

What are your beauty must-haves?
For me, mascara and eyelash, eyelash eyelash. If that’s all I can do I feel good with an eyelash. It makes me feel younger and more awake. One of my favorites is Estée Lauder’s Turbo Lash. I love a blush from By Terry. It smells like roses. It’s this peachy shade that gives a glow and works on every skin color.

Do you do your own makeup?
Yes, all the time! For television, I’ll get someone to do my foundation because I can’t gauge how much I should put on and how it’ll look like under the lights in the studio. And I’m not good at putting lashes on. If I can master that…because it’s all about the proportion, how big do I want to take my eye, I want to take it out. I want it to be blended because it represents effortlessness it looks lived in and real. And no one can really get that except me so when I work with makeup artist, it can be offensive becasue I keep changing what they’re doing so I like doing it myself. It eliminates one stress in my lfie. I just enjoy it — it’s quick and it’s fun. I tried a green smoky eye for the CFDA one year and a friend of mine walked up to me and is like, “Why?” And I was like, “It’s pretty! And its new, that’s why!”

What’s your favorite way to wear a smoky eye?
I like to open my eye outwards as oppose to most people. It’s instantly sexy. You can dress very classic but still have this way about you that’s quite down to earth. And the messier, the better. I’m not one to hide my wrinkles, but I hide it with [smoky eye]. This is amazing for crow’s feet. When I get complemented on being 37 and maybe not looking quite 37, it’s definitely my Indian pigment and also that I cover my eyes with makeup. The smoky eye is the answer to everything! Also, Brigitte Bardot’s look was so effortless because her makeup was so lived-in and not too precise. It also allows me to wear the type of clothes that I love because if I like to wear something classic, the smokey eye always makes me look so relatable.

The darker Night shadows

How did you choose the colors in your palette?
I literally went through [so many colors]. I wanted something for day and night. Thankfully there’s a palette that’s big enough for both. I tried ried them on with my staff and we literally put [it on our hands] and when something was close put on face. I wanted something that wasn’t a typically smoky eye. For me purples and navys work well with black [shadows] and for day, you know not everyone could go to the office with makeup this heavy, so I wanted browns and ambers. You still want fun and you still want color and something a little bit newer and fresh.

What colors are you wearing tonight on your eyes?
Tonight I personally have on Evil Eye [dark gray] and Celestial in the crease and I take a little bit of wet and put on top, so that gives my eye I think it makes it look a little wet, I like a moist look. I do like a a wet liner, the shadow.

Rachel Roy

Do you relate more to your Dutch or Indian side?
Clearly, I’m an Indian girl. My [Dutch] mom had an Indian daughter! That said, I do spend more time with Dutch side because they help to raise me. I don’t have dad’s family here. What I get from my Dutch side is how I raise my children and how I am in my personal life. They are kind and sweet people — very genuine. I my business side from my father.

Growing up, my mom always told me not to wear makeup — I think they didn’t want us to grow up tpp fast and it’s also probably why I’m so obsessed with makeup now! You always want what you can’t have. Did you have any similar experience from your Indian side growing up, and does it affect your decision to get into designing or makeup at all?
There might be a connection subconsciously. But I think you are born with gifts you discover them as you grow. My dad is quite outgoing and charming. He’s a professor of sociology so he’s serious and focused. He was in the Indian Navy and he made costumes for himself. He would go into my mom’s trunk and sew up pants for himself. He was the life of the party. As much as he wanted me to be a doctor (he’s probably still waiting for me to be a doctor…waiting for my “real” job). He’s one of those people that has that flair for him as well. He’s very alpha though. [My parents] were hippies when they got together. They’re also the same height so they could wear each others pants. I think no matter who I was born to, I would love the same things. don’t know if I would bIe at the same place, he had two-three jobs and my mom had the same job for 40 years. So the work ethic came from the family definitely. My brother as well — he’s the film curator at the MoMA and you have to be very patient to get that type of job. That came from them. No matter what family I was born into, I think I would have the same loves. I just don’t know what I’d be doing with those loves.
—-

It was so fun speaking with Roy, and I was dying to try the shadows myself. Everyone knows I’m not normally a shadow girl (I can use liners to death), but these shadows are truly stunning. They have everything you need for easy day and night makeup. The palette also comes with a blending and smudging brush so you can perfect your smoky eyes. I thought the brushes would be hard to use, but to my delight, they make applying the shadows around your lashline pretty easy.

Natural day look

Playing with the darker shadows

I love that it simplifies by including shadows that are essentials but still come in gradients of ambers, golds, violets and other colors that are not totally typical. I usually don’t even pack shadows with me, but this palette most definitely was packed for my Argentina trip! The price point is amazing too — for 10 gorgeous shadows and two brushes, it’s $32. I’m telling you to run, don’t walk, to get yours too! It makes a perfect gift too…just TRY to find me a girl who wouldn’t love this…I can so quickly change her mind .

The Rachel Roy Shadow Collection is available at rachelroy.com and macys.com for $32.

x
Shy

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Sophia Loren and her dramatic lashes

Falsies have almost always played a prominent role in designer beauty—think Falsies have almost always played a prominent role in designer beauty—think Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, Kim Kardashian. And access to falsies is relatively easy: go to the drug store, pick up a set, glue ‘em on, and voila. A transformed pair of eyes. It’s simple, if you’re willing to settle for a one-night only affair with your lashes. Because those babies fall off as soon as the clock strikes midnight. (Or, as soon as you wake up and find them all over your pillow…).

So you can imagine that as I was preparing to go on a week-long vacation, I started considering my options. The thought of applying falsies every day was more than a little irritating, and add the fact that there would be tropical temperatures—which meant swimming and perspiring, two mortal enemies of drug store lashes—I knew I had to find an alternative. And that’s when I came across Eye Candy Lash Extensions and Skin Care Boutique, owned and operated by Kristen Balyeat, who I later learned is a veteran NY esthetician; she’s worked at Ajune on the Upper East Side and Spa Merge in Midtown. Balyeat’s method is to apply individual false lashes to each natural lash with surgical-grade adhesive. She offers different packages, anything from the natural look to a dramatic one. The idea is that these babies should stay put, rain or shine, sweat or swim, for about 2-3 weeks.

Kristen Balyeat of Eye Candy Lash Extensions

After reading rave reviews online, I made an appointment with Kristin and was more than pleased when I arrived at her adorable studio, adjacent to the Flatiron building (and next door to the delicious Hill Country Chicken and Eataly). The studio’s design itself had won me over even before I laid down on her treatment bed. With stylish photography donning the walls (which I later learned was her husband’s, who is a professional NY photographer) and light-hearted hot-pink accents, I knew I had found the right place. Plus, I have to say, Kristin herself is gorgeous. Her skin looks like a 9-year-old’s, and her lashes are perfectly lush. All in all, I trusted her.

So here’s what went down. Before we began any treatments, Kristin did a quick study of my eye shape and lash length, and then made her suggestions. I wear glasses, so she suggested a slight cat-eye look–longer on the end, and slightly shorter in the middle where my glasses are closest to my eye. Then she began the process, which took about an hour, during which I was a polite and friendly client fell asleep.

I awoke to what can only be described as life-changing. My lashes are by nature short little buggers, but after the session my lashes looked so beautiful I almost cried. The picture does not do them justice–basically, I felt like the best version of myself possible. I will never go without them again. Ever. That’s how strongly I feel about this.

My after pic!

Because she did such a beautiful job, I asked for a peel too. Why not? Kristen uses Sanitas products, which from what I can tell, are really high quality. The peel made my skin glow. So when I get my lash refill, I’ll ask for a full facial to boot.

Sanitas products

Visit Eye Candy Lash Extensions and Skin Care Boutique’s website for more info! Has anyone else ever tried lash extensions? What did you think?

Victoria's Secret Hypnotic Beauty Kajal Eyeliner

I came across this kajal eyeliner from their limited-edition Hypnotic Beauty Collection first when scouring their website recently. If you remember, the last kajal eye liner I tested (and loved) was Guerlain’s Kohl Kajal which costs about $36. But if you don’t have that kind of dough to shell out, get this: VS’s costs less than half that – $15!

Victoria's Secret Hypnotic Beauty Kajal Eyeliner

I’m a sucker for packaging, and the royal blues box design and gold case that it comes looks like it’s ready to take a trip down the runway itself.

Kajal Eyeliner stick

Keep in mind, the kajal stick is comparatively a bit shorter than Guerlain’s so could be that it won’t last as long. But the real test for me was how it applies. I tried it for the first time this morning and it has an extra pointy tip to make it easy to apply on your lids and waterline for an intense effect that can easily be smoked out.

Wearing VS new kajal eyeliner

I’d run to VS to get this one — especially considering it’s from their limited-edition collection.

Hypnotic?

Victoria’s Secret Hypnotic Beauty Collection Limited-Edition Kajal Eye-Liner can be purchased at stores or online at victoriassecret.com.

Will you be buying one for yourself? And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with making it your “I-survived-Hurricane-Irene” gift to yourself .

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Shy

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Your eye-related questions

I love getting reader questions because I always learn something new in pursuit of the answer. Yesterday, someone asked me about dark circle creams and somehow we got onto the topic of milia. I do have a current favorite eye cream (more on that soon), but keep in mind I don’t really have dark circles (before you hate me, I do have other skin rants, but that’s for a later post). In this case, I usually go by what people rave about from their own experience, or more likely, I’ll turn to the experts. Dr. Robert Schwarcz, a cosmetic and facial surgeon in NYC, came highly recommended to me. He was named the best doctor for eyes by W magazine, so I thought he’d be perfect to answer some of the eye-related questions that came up yesterday:

BATF: What exactly is milia?
Dr. Schwarcz: Milia are tiny hard white cysts that are filled with keratin (hard protein like substance produced by the skin) Milia are found on the skin of people of all ages.

BATF: What are some ways you can treat it? Any product recommendations?
Dr. Schwarcz: The best solutions for curing this include (1) having a professional pierce each milium with a sterile lancet (a cutting instrument) or scalpel followed by removal of the cyst material with a tool called a “comedone extractor”; (2) topical retinoid cream such as tretinoin, tazarotene, or adapalene; or (3) a series of acid peels or microdermabrasion procedures at the dermatologist’s office.

BATF: Can it only be removed by a derm?
Dr. Schwarcz: No, aestheticians can remove them as well. If the milia is close to the eyelid, the patient should seek help from an ophthalmologist. They are treated by manual extraction with a needle, so it is important to be careful when especially close to the eyes.

BATF: Will they come back once they’re removed?
Dr. Schwarcz: They will not come back if properly removed.

BATF: What are treatment/products he can recommend to reduce dark circles around the eyes?
Dr. Schwarcz: It depends what it is causing the circles. Dark circles are usually caused from the shadow effect which is solved by either fillers or surgery. I have a lot of patients that come to me with this issue and every recommended treatment really depends on the severity of the problem. If it is increased pigmentation, it can occasionally be treated with a bleaching cream, but the cause tends to be genetic and is usually impossible to treat with bleaching cream alone.

BATF: Do you have any favorite eye creams you can recommend?
Dr. Schwarcz: Products I really like include SkinCeuticals and RoC eye creams. It never hurts to have a consult with an oculoplastic surgeon just to understand your options as creams alone will not remove dark circles.

BATF: If you have milia, can you still use the same eye creams for fine lines and/or dark circles, or are there certain ingredients you want to stay away from?
Dr. Schwarcz: Creams have no bearing on milia. Stay away from very caustic ingredients that remove too much of the top layer of skin though.

Dr. Schwarcz does not recommend any products for milia aside from many the topical retinoids as they really do not work. For bleaching, prescription strength hydroquinone 4%.

Photo credit: AOL

I know, I know. I’m so insanely late in posting this video that maybe many of you KK or Klum fans have already seen. I saw the link earlier but I never got around to checking it out since I was at the office. But I thought this was a fun watch to see another technique in doing the signature Kardashian smoky eye look. There are so many different eye shapes and colors that I’ve realized there are just so many ways to make it look smoky, so this is a little different than the way I learned from, say, Mickey’s team. But still just as pretty. Watch on:


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Shy

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