Marrakesh Exotic Beauty Face Mosaics

Marrakesh Exotic Hues Eye Shadow Trio

Gloss Gorgeous Stay-On Stain in Spicy

Escape to exotic Marrakesh with mark.’s new collection launching in May. The Exotic Beauty Face Mosaics illuminate skin for a subtle, entrancing glow. The Beauty Bug loves it’s silky feel  and smooth application. The eye shadow powders are bold, rich and high-pigmented. Finish the look with the Gloss Gorgeous Stay-On Stain in Spicy – it’s applies like a high-gloss shine, wears down to a stain and is peppermint scented.

The Marrakesh Collection will be available at meetmark.com in May. 

Kombucha anyone? The Beauty Bug doesn’t mind if She does…

For those who don’t frequent Whole Foods, let The Beauty Bug educate you – it’s not just an overpriced drink. Kombucha is a fermented tea known for its many medicinal uses.  When used in skincare, benefits of Kombucha include: hydrating and correcting the pH of the skin, minimizing the signs of aging, tightening pores, diminishing fine lines and blemishes, refining and balancing irregular skin tones, and reducing swelling and soothing skin ailments such as eczema, psoriasis, rashes and rosacea. Enter emerginC’s Scientific Organics Kombucha Cleanser, starring, of course, you guessed it… Kombucha tea. The spa brand stacked the deck with organically scoured ingredients and potent, proven botanicals including grape stem cells, algae extract, green tea, white tea and aloe vera.

The cleanser has a mild herbal/citrus scent that calms and soothes after a long day of the 9-5 nonsense. It lathers nicely and deeply cleanses, leaving skin hydrated and refreshed. After a light wash, The Beauty Bug’s makeup is easily removed and Her skin is left feeling great – never dry or tight.

Want to try a Kombucha cream to go along with your cleanser? Try a homemade one – the recipe is here.

The emerginC Scientific Organics Kombucha Cleanser is available at emerginC.com for $34. 

Because the weekends are for relaxing and recharging, The Beauty Bug will review a mask every Friday. Sit back, relax, put your feet up, run a bath, light the candle and slather away!

Unless you call the unexpected blizzard that brought 10+” of snow to Boston last night and today a special occasion (which some may), then The Beauty Bug is just gearing up for a regular old weekend, but with a radiant visage thanks to ELEMIS Fruit Active Rejuvenating Mask. The mask – perfect for special occasions/ideal for pre-party pre-gaming while you’re getting ready, or…snow storms – cleanses, refines, and revitalizes. And The Beauty Bug complexion needed all that and then some. She’s been tired, stressed and worn out since started a new job.

The mask is rich in active extracts of strawberry (helps to purify and exfoliate) and kiwi fruit (excellent source of Vitamin C) , with a Kaolin non-drying clay base.  It also contains macadamia nut oil, a powerful antioxidant that refines skin, Vitamin E, and Shea butter, which prevents dryness.

The Beauty Bug likes these before and after shots from The London Beauty Review - She just wasn’t brave enough to post pictures of her bare face! The Beauty Bug experienced the same results – her skin was noticeably brighter, smoother, more radiant and awakened. It’s a great quick fix  - esp if you’re looking to go sans makeup.  She recommends leaving it on for at least 15-20 minutes until it has all dried and isn’t as white in color.

The ELEMIS Fruit Activating Rejuvenating Mask is available at TimeToSpa.com for $46.

Death By Face Mask – Last August, Watsons, a health and beauty chain in Hong Kong, removed one of it’s own facial masks from shelves after it was claimed that  40 year-old woman died from using it. While the White Pearl Super-Whitening Mask did pass several safety tests, the woman’s relatives claim that her body turned red, and her lips blue, and she later died in the hospital. Doctors speculated that she had a severe allergic reaction.

North Korea Issues Menu of Sanctioned Hair Styles - Forget the menu at your local favorite blow dry salon – check this hair style menu of North Korea’s approved hair styles. Their concern with their citizen’s hair dates back to 2005 when they began airing a show called ‘Let us trim our hair in accordance with Socialist lifestyle’.  The show even sent out undercover teams with cameras to catch people in the act -the act of “falling foul of recommended hair styles.” Women can choose from 18 styles, most of which resemble mullets, and men have 10 options. As with most, if not everything, Amber, The Beauty Blogging Junkie, also has some choice words on this ruling. Wonder what their thoughts are on ombre…probably not acceptable.

The Case of the Mistaken Moisturizer - Bet your Valentine’s day present didn’t top this token of love, which is now costing the sender $300. A 19-year old student received a gift of what she thought was moisturizer from an adoring admirer. It was only after she had slathered it all over her face, did her roommate determine that it was not moisturizer, but sperm.  ”I love her so much but she didn’t know it and I didn’t know how to tell her”, said her admirer. But, perhaps there’s a silver lining?  The Huffington Post consulted with Cosmo Editor Helen Gurley Brown who said having semen spread all over your face can’t be that bad because it’s full of protein. Cue up the SOMETHING ABOUT MARY scene.

Set Your Body on Fire & Get Glowing Skin – Fire facial anyone? Didn’t think so. But if it does happen to tickle your pickle you’re in luck because it’s growing in popularity in China. The treatment, called Huǒ liáo, begins with your esthetician soaking a towel in alcohol laced with a “secret elixir” and then placing it on a “problem area” (face, legs, back or neck). The towel is then SET ON FIRE for several seconds before being extinguished. Fans of Huǒ liáo claim that it works beauty superpowers on ailments like dull skin, the common cold and obesity. Note: if you’re reading this, you’re never allowed to complain about getting a Brazilian wax. Ever.

Yes, ladies – heavy smoke comes in small packages. Enter Smasbox’s new Smoke Box – a smoking hot palette that creates some serious heat on the eye. The six smoke-tacular shades are rich in texture and color and blend together, resulting in the most perfect dramatic, smoky eye. It’s a lot of smoke for only $39.

Smoke Box

The yin to the Smoke Box’s yang? The Soft Box – for a softer, more everyday option. Whether you’re a softie at heart or not, every girl needs a staple like this in her makeup bag. It’s the perfect mix of versatile matte and frosted colors that all blend together for warm, classic looks. The colors are creamy and buildable. The price? That’s even soft too. Only $39.

Soft Box

 Each palette comes with a dual-ended brush. Apply and blend with one side, and line and smudge with the other.

Both the Smoke Box and the Soft Box are available at Smashbox.com and Ulta.com. 

Though Valentine’s day was a few weeks ago, love is still in the air with Lancome’s new Spring Collection  - In Love. The happy, vibrant, flirty shades do exactly what the thought of Spring makes you do – smile. The colors are fun and whimsical- think lollipops and cupcakes -and are suitable for all complexions and colors.

The Beauty Bug’s favorite items from the collection are pictured below. Available in both a coral-based shade and a mix of fuchsia and orange, Blush in Love  (pictured in red/Pommettes Damour) sculpts cheekbones and infuses them with a glow. It’s one of those products that you don’t know whether to use, or just store away and look at occasionally because it’s so pretty. The sheer tinted lip balms – Baume in Love – are Shea Butter-packed neon-translucent shades that awaken lips’ natural color for a bitten effect.Because really, who doesn’t want the bitten effect? See swatches below.

The collection also includes a dewy skin mist, enriched with essential oils to refines pores and smooth skin, new limited edition Vernis In Love Polish Shades, three new bright, richly pigmented shades of Khôl in Love, and six luxe shades of the creamy-powder formula of Color Design Infinité 24H crease-free luminous eye shadow.

Blush in Love in Pommettes Damour 

Midnight Rose (left), Coral Electric (right)

Coral Electric (left), Midnight Rose (right)

Edith Rose

The Oscars are The Beauty Bug’s Superbowl. The dresses, the makeup, the red carpet.

But, why do the celebs walk down a red carpet?  The origin of the carpet doesn’t exude the glitz or glamor that today’s does, however it doesn’t disappoint when it comes to some good ol’ juicy scandal and deception.  The tradition dates all the way back to ancient Greece  (458 BC) and the play Agamemnon. A character in the play himself, Agamemnon, King of Mycenae or Argos, is welcomed home from warfare (victory at Troy) by his wife, Clytemnestra. She greets him passionately and surprises him with a grand reception complete with a deep reddish/purple carpet, the color of the gods. She tells him:

“Now my beloved, step down from your chariot, and let not your foot, my lord, touch the Earth. Servants, let there be spread before the house he never expected to see, where Justice leads him in, a crimson path.”

Agamemnon, though an arrogant SOB, is confused. He credits the Gods for the win at Troy and knows that only gods walk on such luxury. He responds with hesitancy:

“I am a mortal, a man; I cannot trample upon these tinted splendors without fear thrown in my path.”

As most women always do, Clytemnestra gets her way. She wins by flattering him and convinces Agamemnon to walk across the red carpet, leading him through palace doors. She then murders him, emerging victoriously with a bloody axe. If The Beauty Bug has learned anything from her 48 Hours addiction, it’s always the wife/husband/signifigicant other, right?  In Clytemnestra’s eyes, she has finally avenged her daughter’s death. Prior to going to war, Agamemnon sent their daughter down the aisle to be married. Instead of meeting her husband, she met her maker -her throat was slain at the alter as a sacrifice to Artemis, who Agamemnon had previously pissed off. An unforgiving, venomous wife and a father who set-up his virgin daughter.  Really, a Dateline mystery in the making.

And from that bloody soap opera, the tradition of rolling out the red carpet for royalty was born.

Today The Beauty Bug went to Her local SpaceNK store for their ”Master Class in Spring Beauty” event. To celebrate the season, SpaceNK offered appointments with guest experts from various brands for personalized classes, makeovers, advice and tips. The best part of the celebration? This gift with purchase – a bag chockfull of samples (yes, some are full-sized) valued at $325. Spend $250 now at SpaceNK.com and use the code BAG14 and it’s yours.

The Beauty Bug had the opportunity to speak with Marianne Gottas, national trainer for Kevyn Aucoin Beauty. Marianne filled her in on the lastest Spring trends and what new products the brand is releasing next month.

“For Kevyn Aucoin Beauty, Spring is all about matte colors. We are incorporating a lot of new colors into our existing lines and adding a few new products as well. We are expanding our line of famous Eye Pencil Primatifs  - which now come in basic black and basic brown. For the Spring, we will introduce 4 new colors – a navy, a blackish green, a blackish  purple and a different shade of brown. They are gorgeous. The formula will still be the same pure kohl formula that glides on effortlessly and our pencils are so soft, that you can even apply on your hand first and use a brush for more control.

We’re also introducing six new shades of our Matte Lip Color.  It’s an amazing 8-hour wear lipstick that NEVER dries out – not even when you leave the cap off.  Also launching, and this is going to be a first for us, is a lip balm/moisturizer/primer  called The Sensual Lip Balm (available for pre-order here) made primarily with Japanese rice extracts which promote moisture in the lip. Apply any textured lip (gloss, lipstick, etc.) over it.

New for skin, keeping with the matte trend, we’ll have a new powder foundation – six new beautiful shades that come with a double sided sponge. One side will give you more sheer coverage, while the other side will give you complete, full coverage. It’s all about the texture of the magical sponge.

Finally, our first nail polish. Kevyn’s favorite lipstick was Blood Roses, hence the burgundy packaging. It’s his favorite color. We’ve never had nail polish before, but will release this one color since we know how much he loved it.”

There was an extra spring in The Beauty Bug’s step today. Not just because it was Valentine’s Day, but because She was basking in the glow of  the new Naked Flushed bronzer/highlighter/blush. Part of  Urban Decay’s new Spring Collection which just hit the shelves, this little hot number is the cheapest threesome around at $30. The Beauty Bug lightly contoured Her pale skin with the bronzer, which isn’t too dark or muddy, (girls with a medium-dark complexion apply with a heavier hand) and the blush, which She applied the blush to the apples of Her cheeks, was the most perfect flush color. If you only add a few products to your makeup bag this Spring, make sure this is one of them.

Also launching are seven new single eyeshadows – including three never-seen-before shades and four shades that were previously only available in palettes. The shades include Heartless (brand new), a pale pink satin, Uncut (brand new), a smoky purple with a reddish shimmer, Snare (brand new), a smoky olive green shimmer, SideCar (previously exclusive to the Naked Palette and the Book of Shadows)a beige sparkle, Omen (previously exclusive to the 15-year palette), a metallic bright purple with a blue shift, Deep End (previously exclusive to the 15-year palette), a bright teal shimmer and Faint (previously exclusive to Naked Basics), a warm, dusty brown matte. Keep them in their gunmetal compacts or pop the shadows out and transfer theminto a customizable palette.  The Beauty Bug’s picks include Snare (pictured below), SideCar and Faint (also pictured below).

And finally, Lip Junkie Lipgloss fans: rejoice! There are three new shades to obsess over – the aptly named Obsessed (a creamy baby pink), Trashed (bright pink shimmer) and Flushed (creamy pink mauve).  The Beauty Bug’s picks include Obsessed and Flushed.

Flushed (creamy mauve pink)

Obsessed (creamy baby pink) & Trashed (bright pink shimmer)

Trashed, Flushed, Obsessed

Naked Flushed

Naked Flushed

Snare (smoky olive green shimmer), Faint (warm, dusty brown matte), Heartless (pale pink satin)

Faint & Heartless

Snare & Faint

Urban Decay Lip Junkie LipGloss is available at Sephora.com for $19.

Urban Decay Naked Flushed is available at Sephora.com for $30.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow is available at Sephora.com for $18. 

1 . Lancome Blush In Love

2. Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Gloss in Pretty in Pink and Cherry

3. Carmex Cherry Moisturizing Lip Balm

4. Diptyque Valentine Rose Duet Candle 

5. Sarah Happ The Gift Set

6. Stila Passionfruit Crush Lip & Cheek Stain

7. Essie So Haute Nail Polish Strips 

8. MAC Cosmetics Year of the Snake Beauty Powder

9. Smashbox Love Me Eye Shadow Palette

10. Esty Love Pair iPhone 5 Cases

11. Felix Rey Kissy Face Cosmetic Bag

12. NYX Cosmetics Born to Glow Illuminator