The Life of A Ladybug

Tarte Blushing Bride Cheek Stain now comes in mini-size!

I've already reviewed tarte cheek stain and I love it!  What's exciting is that now, blushing bride, the best selling shade, is being offered in mini size, exclusively through Sephora Inside JCPenney, through June!  It's the perfect size to pop in your purse or to carry with you on your summer travels!

To find the store nearest you:   http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103344739686&s=12533&e=001MTcOpo452YvyexNG7vQLTi67_zzmDFRcl5Ug4zNyvU7kRn0qXKSw1_o_jrOMKGBlwaMgyZJbAPQVAtZRxxlpq-wMi_jYg0hTQ3v61dl1ohYxQ4qo7OU7aUKylGvzmaVy9LCFSuTUfeX4wfrPJm1WCQ==

Pur Minerals Virtual Looks Application

WHAT IT IS: An instant way to experiment. Want to try bold eye shadow shades without the commitment? Are you curious which hues work for you? Do you need to practice your application technique? Look no further than the virtual looks application on purminerals.com, your destination for eye shadow experimentation.
 
The interactive site lets you try out an array of Pür Minerals shades from the comfort of your own home. Just select your eye color, choose the brush you want to use (eye shadow, crease or eyeliner), then pick the shade you want to apply. The virtual brush lets you layer on shadow exactly where you want it, allowing you to create a multitude of eye looks. Love the look you create? Pür Minerals lets you add individual products to your shopping bag or buy the look with a single click. Since the feature’s launch in March, the application has had over 2000 visits and continues to gain more visitors daily.
 
 
WHERE TO FIND IT:  www.purminerals.com/pur-virtual-looks

Bronzers for Brown Girls: Physicians Formula Bronze Booster Pressed Shimmer Bronzer

Yay!  The warm weather is upon us and all of us are busting out the bronzers, are we not?  So, again, it is time for my fabulous series Bronzers for Brown Girls!

As I was strolling through the aisles of Ulta (as I am wont to do), I decided to peruse the Physicians Formula products.   The only product I've ever tried from Physicians Formula is the Shimmer Strips (which I like a lot, BTW).  What caught my eye about the Physicians Formual Bronze Booster is that it claims to enhance and extend the life of your tan.  Now, I'm naturally tan, of course, but for some reason, that claim appealed to me.

Hey, Brown Girls! Laura Geller Balance-N-Brighten in Tan (Ladybug Loves!)

I learned about Laura Geller from watching QVC's Saturday Night Beauty (which is now Friday Night Beauty, y'all - make sure to change your DVRs!).  I am intrigued with her products, particularly her Baked Collection and have tried many of them.  I have fallen in love with her Bronze-N-Brighten and Blush-N-Brighten (which I  have in 6 or 7 shades).  The only product in the Baked Collection that I haven't loved was the Balance-N-Brighten - the product that Laura created to function as a powder foundation or setting powder over a liquid foundation.  The Original Balance-N-Brighten was not exactly the right color for us brown gals and Laura suggested that we use the Bronze-N-Brighten as powder foundation instead.  Well, that wasn't exactly right and I went back to using the Bronze-N-Brighten as a matte bronzer.

Thank God, Laura thought about us brown girls and went back to the drawing board and made the Balance-N-Brighten in Tan for those of us sporting a deeper hue!  (BTW - Ladies fair, Laura made a "Fair" version of Balance-N-Brighten, too - you should totally check it out!)  Balance-N-Brighten comes in a nice compact with a mirror and you can buy it with the antibacterial brush (shown above), as well. I love this product because it goes on smoothly and softly and leaves your skin looking even and perfect, covering redness and slight blemishes without looking powdery and heavy as powder foundations usually do.  Brown girls, rejoice and then run out and get this! 

This is Brown Girl Approved!  Ladybug Loves!

Get the Look with Black Opal Cosmetics: Kerry Washington's Purple Peepers

 If you're like me, you're a fan of Ms. Kerry Washington.  I love the way she always looks fabulous and elegant, never overly trendy or as if she's trying too hard.  As you can see on Kerry here, she is rocking the saturated jewel-toned (in this case, purple) eye, combined with a peachy cheek and barely there lip.

If you want to "Get the Look", but you don't have many spare bucks, go for Black Opal Cosmetics' Mineral Brilliance Eye Shadow Mosaics.  In this case, you should reach for the Zanzibar shade (on the left).  Beautifully colorful lids look great on everyone, particularly you brown beauties!

For Mother's Day: Mom on the Go Lip & Cheek Stain

I've already talked about how much I love 3 CC's Mom on the Go Lip & Cheek Stain.  If you're looking for a great gift for a busy mom who wants to look her best, but doesn't have much time to beautify, Mom on the Go Lip and Cheek Stain is the perfect gift.

Right now, Three Custom Color Specialists is offering a multi-tasker sale where you can purchase Mom on the Go Lip & Cheek Stain and a get a free coordinating lip liner!  Ding!  Pick it up!

Smith's Mocha Rose Lip Balm

You guys already know how big a fan I am of all the Rosebud lip balm products.  I own just about every one of them and use them religiously.  I am never without one in my purse, on my nightstand or in my car.  So when I heard about the Mocha Rose version/flavor, of course I jumped right on it!

It is as luscious as all the others, mamas.  For all you chocolate lovers, you will be extra happy with them.  It has all the luxurious plushness of the other formulas, but it smells like a chocolate covered rose petal!  There's definitely the yummy fragrance of mocha, but underneath, there's also the light and fresh hint of rose and the warmth of vanilla.  

If you're looking for a lip balm that works and feels like a pampering lip treatment, but doesn't break the bank, Mocha Rose Lip Balm (or any of the other Rosebud lip balm products) is the way to go.  You can find the Rosebud lip products at www.rosebudsalve.com or at Sephora.
 

Guest blogger Wendi talks about her keratin treatment experience, Part II

Sorry guys for the delay. I wanted to wait a few weeks to give you an honest opinion about how I feel about the Keratin treatment.

Wendi, pre-keratin treatment
 
I didn't want to wash my hair and then say that I hate it. I actually did. I thought I looked like a wet dog. I am used to my hair bouncing into curl position with some frizz to follow. This wasn't the case - my hair just laid there. I was waiting for it to dry and shrink up. You know when you get your hair blow dried, your hair is longer straight than it is curly. Now, my hair is pretty much the same length curly ... well, I guess I should say wavy now because I have no curls. It's pretty much the same length wavy as it is straight. I do have to add product to my hair if I want to wear it "wavy" but not as much as I needed when I wore my hair curly.
 
If you have hair like mine or similar to mine you are familiar with putting 5 or 6 different products in your hair. One for frizz, one for curl, one because if you don't put it in your hair it won't look right, etc.. I only use one or two products now and I don't have to use as much. I do however have to "encourage the curl" as a good friend of mine always tells me. That gets to be annoying if I want to wear my hair "wavy". Some parts just dry straight. There is nothing I can do about that. Good news: There is no frizz :) Oh and my hair is lighter weight and thinner. I do love it now.
 
As far as the time it takes me to flat iron it. I will have to give it the highest star average that is on your scale. I am not the "flat iron queen" so it takes me about 30-35 min to do my entire head. Please keep in mind that I was introduced to flat ironing my hair 2 weeks ago. The first time I did it, it took me almost an hour. If you are familiar with flat ironing your hair, I don't see it taking you longer than 15 minutes to do your hair (depending on your length).
 
I love it straight. When I say straight, it's bone straight. It took some getting used to. I changed the color of my hair, and 2 days later I changed the texture of my hair as well. A shock is what I wanted, and a shock is what I got.
 

Check out these pearls! MAC Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner

The MAC Pearlglide Eyeliner isn't new, but now MAC has taken the Pearlglide and made it more ... intense.  The intensity is through added shimmer.  So now, not only is the Pearlglide luscious and luxurious to apply, not only does it smudge like a dream before setting to a long-lasting line, but it also adds some shimmer and shine to your eye.  LOVE.  Between this and the Greasepaint Stick, I am falling for MAC's liners head over heels lately.  You need these liners in your life ... trust.

Ding!  Pick it up!

Guest blogger: Wendi shares her experience with the keratin hair treatment

I have always worn my natural curls. I would only wear my hair straight in the winter because, like most people's, my hair reacts to the weather. Straight hair in the summer, if you have a lot of it, is just too hot. I always went to the salon to get it straightened. I didn't have the patience to do it myself. It was just way too much hair. I hate going to the salon because there went half of my day just to get my hair straight. I rather enjoy the convenience of comb, gel and go. That's what I have been doing until recently. A friend told me that she was going to have a procedure done that cuts the time in straightening your hair and eliminates the frizz when you wear your hair curly. I looked into the Keratin Treatment and let my friend be the "guinea pig".  She has had this for over a month and loves it. I am at a stage in my life where I wanted to do something drastic and I wanted something different. I went and got the Keratin Treatment.
 
With this treatment comes rules:
Do not get your hair wet
Do not pull your hair up in a clip, bun, pony tail etc
Don't sweat :)
Don't shower
Pretty much: Don't Touch it for 4 days
 
With these rules and what I paid to have it done, I didn't want to chance anything.