Shop Talk : The Beauty Spot

This edition of Shop Talk will be about a relatively new store that has me basically mesmerized - enough to have me going back to spend money twice in one week. My gripe with Jamaica is that we have such a small selection of beauty products that is rarely consistent and even more rarely up to date. Thankfully, someone heard my plea and opened "The Beauty Spot" a quaint little store located on Brompton Avenue (behind Spartan Gym).

They basically have everything - brushes to skin care to makeup to nail polish. Their feature brand is Maybelline but they also sell Mac, Urban Decay, Nars, Sleek, Inglot, Milani, Too Faced, Iman, Mary Kay, OCC,  BH Cosmetics and many more. If you are searching for new products on the market this is where you can find it.

I picked up a couple nail polishes, a duo fibre blush brush, replaced my black kohl liner and picked up a coloured liquid liner. I got a complimentary makeup bag with an attached mirror inside and I am super happy with the quality and the presentation of the products.

A couple things I am lusting after that are there are the Urban Decay Naked palette, a couple shadows from Inglot, the OCC lip tars (*squeal*), a Nars blush and a Brush set. I'm sure that list will have additions pretty soon because they add new stock pretty often.

The customer service at the Beauty Spot is unrivaled. When you walk in you are greeted with a smile and a warm welcome, parking is secure and unlike a certain store the sales clerk doesn't remind you of a pushy car salesman. I wasn't at all intimidated by her but it felt like I was chatting with a girlfriend about makeup. She asked me what I liked and what I had tried, she even took a few suggestions I had for products as well as told me what she had tried out and what worked for her. Perfect balance of knowledgeable and open to learning more.

They open Monday to Saturday and are located in Suite #2 of the Spartan Wellness Centre at 1 Brompton Road Kingston 5. You can call them at 63105507/288-2194. I am not affiliated with them nor am I sponsored by them I am just a big fan because I like what they're doing and I want to support them.

You can follow them on Facebook here. They are having a contest to search for the next Maybelline make up artist to be selected right out of our little island. Get excited! lol. But for real, pass by and check it out. You won't be disappointed. 

They were nice enough to let me snap some quick pictures. Check them out below.

Till later,
**Jane

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Review: Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara

Mascara is pretty much a part of my daily routine and it was one of the first beauty products I ever bought. I've pretty much tried almost all drugstore mascaras so when I saw the ad for the Mega Plush Mascara by Maybelline I knew I had to try it.

The ads promised lashes that were flexible to the touch, voluminous and non-flaky. I was excited. As a be-spectacled young lady, flexible lashes meant that my lashes could bump my lens without flaking and breaking like crusty dried up matta. Score!

I purchased it in 'Black' at Chesterfield Pharmacy Beauty Counter and ran home to try it. I eagerly unscrewed the cap and was promptly disappointed. The wand was one of those bend-y wands which, in my experience makes wiggling the wand through your lashes that much harder. The formula was also pretty wet which means a longer drying time. Now, this could be good news if you enjoy putting on more than one coats of mascara but since I have the particular problem of the corners of my top and bottom lashes sticking together (even without mascara) I would  have to refrain from blinking for a full 60 seconds to let the coat dry to not have my lashes stick together the entire time.

That aside, I applied the mascara. After one coat, I did notice a bit of lengthening and some slight curling. However, nothing fantastic. I waited for it to dry and I checked it. No difference. I applied one more coat to the underside of my top lashes and noticed some clumping on the ends of the lashes. I let that dry then combed through the lashes with a lash comb and waited...

After about five minutes, I noticed that the ends of the lashes had gotten a bit fatter (read: voluminous) but that was it. Needless to say I was not impressed. I went back a third time - can you tell I was getting desperate? Because really who has time for three coats!!? - I went through my lashes from the top side wiggling the brush through the lashes and rotating the wand. (Getting real technical and all). The only difference was the slight wilting of the lashes.

So here's my breakdown:

Price
This can be bought in Jamaica from $600 to $1100 depending on where you buy it.


Packaging

  


The bright blue packaging with the purple metallic trim and lettering is attractive and functional but not classic. The handle is pretty bulbous and is a tad more awkward to work with than a cylindrical tube but not anything to really complain about. The weight is pretty light.


Wand

  

As I've said, the wand is one of those bend-y ones which I am not a fan of. I'm not really sure how bendy wands benefit persons with natural lashes. If you wiggle the wand that hard, your lashes will probably fall out. This kind of mascara is probably better suited for blending your natural lashes into false lashes. So no-go for the average woman.

Brush

The brush is spider-y. It actually reminds me of the bottle brushes you use to wash out baby bottles. My lashes are longer on the outer ends and shorter towards my inner eye and so are most of the women I know. So I'm not sure how tapering on both ends is supposed to be better. I found myself using the tip and middle of the brush only.


Formula

This is a wet mascara. This means that you will be able to build coats to fatten up lashes but it will not separate your lashes. I prefer a voluminous fanned out look to a super-long spider-legs-y look so this is not my favourite formula. True to its claim, it did not flake at all and I was super impressed by this but this is the only thing that distinguishes this mascara from any other.

Results

My lashes were slightly lengthened, definitely darker and slightly fatter. There was no flaking and though they did not feel soft to the touch they were flexible as promised. After wearing this for about six weeks, I would give this a 6 out of 10 and I probably will not re-purchase this unless they make some changes.

Have you tried this mascara? Do you like it or hate it? Do you have a product you want me to try to see if it's worth your money? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Till later.
**Jane

ps - I got instagram! Follow me : @janekoysen
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Five Products to a Sultrier You

Sometimes, a lady just needs a little help to feel sultry. When it's been one of those weeks I rely on these five products to put the sashay back in my hips. (*insert wink here*)

1. Cocoa Butter/ Neutrogena Body Oil

I like using extra moisturizing products after a long hot shower to put the moisture back into my skin and to make my skin touch-ably soft instead of just plain squeaky clean. You don't need to use these specific products but plain lotion won't do. Baby oil gel is a favourite of more than one of my girlfriends as well, and I enjoy using that too. An extra trick that works great at night on the legs or on the shoulders is if you add a dollop of highlighter to your moisturizer and run along the centre of your shin or along your shoulders and collar bone. It gives a sultry glow that makes you look radiant in low light.

     2.  Mascara

I cannot even begin to describe the wonders that mascara works on any woman. It opens the centre of the eye and elongates the end of the eye giving that Cleopatra effect. If you are new to mascara then try a dark brown voluminous mascara. That way if you mess up it won't be too obvious. If you are more daring then you can try a combo of a charcoal eyeliner with blue mascara. The effect at night is gorgeous. (Don't worry the blue isn't super obvious but has an eye-opening effect).

  3.   Red Nail polish

It's a classic. Red nail polish is sophisticated and classy and just a little bit sultry. (Just don't apply them to bitten down nails unless you're going for an ironic vibe).

 4.   A Heady Scent (Vanilla, Musk, Sandalwood)

Scents that remind you of food, vanilla, cinnamon, spices etc will get you compliments from the fellas. Lol. don't even try to figure that out, just accept it and move on. I like to mix Bath and Body Works - Warm Vanilla Sugar and Ralph Lauren's Romance for a musky vanilla scent

 5.  Charcoal Eyeliner

Smudge this into your lashes and swipe over with a cotton swab or smudge brush for a no-fuss smokey look. Much softer than black and more sultry than brown.  

What products do you use to make you feel sultry and sophisticated? Share in the comments below and I'll be sure to give them a try

Till later,
Jane

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Hot Weather Makeup

You spend time and care putting on your makeup so you want it to last right? Here are a few of my tried and true make-up tips that help makeup to last in the hot weather of a Jamaican sun.

• Less is more : Dilute your foundation by mixing two parts foundation with your moisturizer ( a colourless serum would be best). Apply with your fingers and blend in, then go over with a brush or a very slightly damp clean sponge. The brush or sponge will take off and blend in any excess product, while mixing it with your moisturizer will allow you to apply a thinner layer that will last longer in the heat.
• Set it and Forget it: Translucent powder will be your best friend in the heat. Do not however apply this with a sponge or pad of any kind as that will most definitely cause caking. Get a very dense brush and sweep over your face after your foundation has completely dried. Here's the trick though - apply the translucent powder only where your face sweats. For most people this is the top of your nose, your temples and/or eyebrows and along your hairline.
• Powder products are your best friend: Powder blush, and eyeshadow always last longer- I'm sure you've heard this many times. But what they don't tell you is that a thin layer of a cream product underneath a powder product will last all day. Simply put, apply a cream blush and blend it out then follow with a light layer of powder blush. This combination has always served me well, as my blush is usually the first thing to fade. For eyeshadows - the NYX eyeshadow pencils (the big fat jumbo ones) or any other similar products or bases worn underneath an eyeshadow helps to make the eyeshadow stay put all day
• Ink over Wax: Eyeliner in the pencil form contains wax, which melts in the heat. If you don't want your eyeliner to migrate down the side of your face then switch it out to liquid liner. In fact, many liquid liners come in a 'pen' form and are water-proof which contributes to longer wear.If you only have pencil eyeliner then sharpen the pencil and use a thin line (if you're going for a heavily lined look then draw lines on top of each other rather than going back and forth). Then on a liner brush, use an eyeshadow of the same shade as the eyeliner and pat on over it.
• Flake free: For mascara, waterproof formulas last the longest BUT what helps your mascara to last longer is if you do a thinner layer. This will encourage it to flake less and irritate your eyes. What I like to do is use my waterproof eyeliner pen and run along the topside of my top lashes to darken then follow with the mascara wand. Now, usually,mascara is applied to the underneath of top lashes and the top side of bottom lashes. If I want it to last in the heat though, I ignore my bottom lashes and focus on the topside of my top lashes. Tightlining your eyes is also a great idea
• A Swing and a Miss: I have no idea what makes lip products last longer - unless we're talking about smudge-proof lip liner or a lip stain. I can do a post on how to make your own lipstain, separate and apart from that, someone will have to educate me on this. Leave a comment if you have a trick to keep lipsticks and lipgloss on your lips in the heat.

As always, you can contact me via email, or leave me a comment here.

Till later,
Jane

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