Maybelline Dream Fresh Beauty Balm Skin Perfector Review

Although many types of makeup claim to look like skin, Maybelline Dream Fresh 8-in-1 Beauty Balm Skin Perfector with SPF 30 is one of the few products I have tried that matches my skintone just exactly, feels weightless and best of all, looks like my own skin but better.

When a brand lives up to its motto, I have to give it a round of applause. "Maybe she's born with it" has always been the rallying cry for Maybelline, and this balm is just so spot on.  I think this product is their best by far.

Once I smooth the Maybelline Beauty Balm Skin Perfector on my face, my skin appears much more even and gleams. It appears totally invisible to me and I believe the average person would think my skin is bare. I love it when makeup just gets better and better.

I really am quite pleased with my look with this amazing, amazing product that even has sunscreen to boot. Call me Venus de Milo and pour me a stiff drink!

Grade: A+++

Chanel 2011-2012 Paris-Bombay Accessories

I have never seen Chanel accessories shown this way before, so I couldn't resist sharing. Olivia da Costa took these beautiful, delicate photographs featured on Chanel News. XOX

Note how lovely the bold necklace looks against a simple, short-sleeved ensemble.

Diving for pearls.

A luxurious view.

Karlie Kloss and Joan Smalls W Covers: How to Get the Look at Home

Joan Smalls and Karlie Kloss W Magazine Covers.

Legendary hairstylist Oribe worked his magic on supermodels Karlie Kloss and Joan Smalls for the latest issue of W magazine. Just looking at the covers makes you want to paw their hair (or scalp them!).

"The shoot was all about exaggeration and luxurious volume," said Oribe.

To reproduce their look, just follow these easy steps:

1. Bust out Oribe Volumista Mist for Volume and spray.
2. Put hair in a velcro set.
3. Spray Oribe Dry Texturing Spray at the roots and Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray to give hair more texture and separation.
4. Choose a few curls that frame your face and apply either Oribe Smooth Style Serum or Curl by Definition to the curls. This will draw attention to your face and your fabulous waves.
5. If your hair gets too big, use Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray for a smoother finish.

In the comments section, tell Eyeshadow Government your summer hairstyling secrets!Would love to know more about you!

Joss Stone Performs "The High Road" on VH1

Joss Stone - Joss Stone Performs "The High Road"

Bottom's Up

I am going on a drinking binge this afternoon, but only with the good stuff - H2O straight up and no ice.

In the middle of a heat wave, it is tempting to drink sugary drinks to lift your energy but if you
can't resist that Snapple peach tea or root beer soda, try to offset this with at least three cups of water.

Simply drinking water is one of the best way to improve your complexion, plump skin cells, increase evenness of skin tone and reduce breakouts.

Outside my apartment in Brooklyn, where it is immensely hot, there is finally some rain (as of a few minutes ago) and huge claps of thunder. I can't wait for the city to cool down because lordy, I was really melting. The only downside to rain is I can't wear cute sandals. Stepping in New York gutter water in my new pedicure is not very moi! My toes and fingertips are freshly painted with Essie polish in Lollipop, a Coney Island-flavored red.

Must-Have Beauty: Aveda Star Coral Lipstick

Limited edition Aveda lipstick in Star Coral is a jazzy, happy hue that will complement many skintones. I am totally in love with it.

You can dab this fab lipstick on your lips and toss on a fringe suede jacket for a Laurel Canyon vibe. If your style is preppy, just add a neat, white dress, a matching coral necklace, and bejeweled sandals. 

Dazzle everyone and everywhere!

Always,
Anne Charlotte

P.S. I will add a picture of myself to show you what the color looks like soon. XOX.

Sweet Dreams

Hey gals,

I wanted to post this Sunday because I am in a terrific mood for many reasons, and not just because I had a solid night's sleep. I am working on a new beauty and fashion site, which I will tell you more about soon. I also can't wait to see my friends from L.A. this afternoon. Yesterday, I did the makeup and styling for a fashion shoot at South Street Seaport in New York, and so I was out quite late.  It was so much fun! When I arrived home, I played with a lot of new products by Neal's Yard Remedies, an amazing British organic natural beauty and health company. I just joined them as an independent consultant and I am excited about trying all of their products.

Last night, I used the Neal's Yard Remedies to Roll aromatherapy rollerball in the Relaxation blend ($12) before going to sleep, and I woke up feeling so well-rested.  I put it on my wrists and dabbed it on my temples as well. The Relaxation blend contains organic bergamot oil, organic lavender oil, organic geranium oil and organic orange oil. Sometimes I feel like I am just running and running in New York, and it can be hard to reach a moment of stillness.  I am glad to have this beautiful aromatherapy solution with me. Maybe it's just because so many aspects of my life are falling into place but I feel very calm and happy.

XOXO!

Buy It: Neal's Yard Relaxation Relaxation Remedies to Roll ($12), available online in the U.S. and at many Neal's Yard Remedies stores in England.

**If you purchase this Neal's Yard product through the links in my blog post, you will be supporting my general livelihood. I will receive a modest commission. This is new for me and only true for reviews of Neal's Yard Remedies products. I have a deep, personal connection to Neal's Yard, which I will tell you about soon as well.  All articles will continue to reflect my personal, extremely honest opinion. Thanks!**

Nylon + Puma Street Style Contest - Fashionista Heads Up!

The Perfect Nude Lipstick: Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick in Boy

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy.

Chanel always creates some of my favorite lipsticks, and I think every girl should own something from Chanel. Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick in Boy is a classic, nude color that glides on for glimmering lips.

If you are shy about wearing a full lipstick, this is a beautiful option to start because Boy is so sheer, natural, and universal.  I think it makes my lips look fuller and shinier. The texture is fantastic, very silky and moisturizing.

If you have owned this lipstick for some time, I am curious to hear your thoughts! I just started wearing it and absolutely adore it.

You Are What You Eat

I am shifting gears lately and pressing myself to be more conscious of what I eat and my general lifestyle. I really don't want to consume food that is overly processed or just empty calories. I have never been a huge soda drinker, but I have been drinking it more often in recent months. The only bubbly drinks I want to have are kombucha, sparkling water, sparkling juice and, well, champagne.

As for food, I ate whole wheat pasta and a delicious spelt salad today, but what happened to my veggies? I will be making sure to eat vegetables and fruit much more often. I have this weird quirk that I enjoy eating kale for breakfast because it gives me a boost of energy, but I don't do it often enough. Today, I ate sweet Canadian frozen blueberries instead of drinking caffeinated tea and I think it gave me a similar jolt. Skipping black tea also meant that I didn't need to pour any type of sugar into a liquid-filled mug because I was high on fruit sugars. The only dangerous part of eating frozen blueberries is it can stain your lips and make it look like you been drinking wine for breakfast (not ideal for that 9:00 AM meeting or if you're in school, math class!). As hobo chic is not my thing, I brushed my teeth and my lips thoroughly after devouring the berries.

Also, in terms of my fitness goals, I will be jogging, swimming and/or dancing every day. I wrote it down so it's got to be true! (Wish me luck!)

Eye Candy: Kevyn Aucoin Loose Shimmer Shadows

Kevyn Aucoin Loose Shimmer Shadows in Topaz, Rose Quartz and Citrine.

Kevin Aucoin Loose Shimmer Shadows in Lapis and Jade.

The new Kevyn Aucoin Loose Shimmer Shadows light up eyes with a subtle, alluring dash of sparkle. These easy to blend, buildable shadows are simple to use with the product's rollerball applicator. You could apply the Citrine shadow on the crease and then roll the Lapis shadow, which is a blueish-violet shade, fully across your eyelids for a high contrast look. Worn alone, they are fabulous for soirees or any occasion that calls for flirtation.

Buy It: Kevin Aucoin Loose Shimmer Shadow ($28), available at Barneys and the Space NK counter inside Bloomingdale's at 59th Street and Lexington.

Lady Gaga Born This Way - Unseen Footage

All aboard and hop into Lady Gaga's kaleidoscope. Watch her lips float inside weird shapes in this previously unseen footage for "Born This Way."



Source: SHOWstudio/YouTube.

Super Crush: Alice + Olivia Platform Wedge

These Alice + Olivia patent leather floral wedge shoes ($295, Shopbop.com) are, like, glued to my brain. Does shoe desire have a certain intensity for you or do I have problems? Of course, I would like my feet to be lifted up and away in a bouquet of flowers. Also,  I have a tendency to tilt, stumble and crash in stilettos, so I am more of a wedge gal.

XOX!

Lush No Drought Dry Shampoo Review -

I'm on the run today and blogging from my iPhone. This afternoon, I popped into a Lush store and bought this amazing Lush No Drought Dry Shampoo. My hair was totally clean but a little limp at the roots from walking outside. A small sprinkling of this dry shampoo delivered instant volume and made it look like I had just washed and dried my hair. I am way sold! The light orange blossom scent is unobtrusive as well, which I really appreciate.

Earn Your Stripes

This Thakoon Addition shift dress would look just as natural on a trend-setting girl in Thailand as a young socialite in New York. The high-low hemline is a flirty touch, and I love the multi-colored stripes and peekaboo detail as well. Such verve!

Buy it: Thakoon Striped High-Low Shift Dress ($790), Bergdorf Goodman.

Monday Makeup Lesson: Two Lipsticks Are Sometimes Better Than One

Here's a quick snapshot of me. If you can't tell, lately I'm trying to be less camera-shy. I love this lip color, but it's not a shade you can buy off the shelf. First, I put on Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick in #7 Chalys, a coral shade. Then, I apply Clinique #10 Red-y To Wear lipstick, a pinkish berry color, over the coral shade. This creates my favorite pink lipstick with orange undertones. I really press a lot of the Chanel Chalys lipstick onto my lips and then apply the Clinique lipstick with a gentler hand. You can experiment with what works best for you too.

XOX!

I can't live without these Chanel and Clinique lipsticks.

5 Reasons to Love the Humidity and Your Hair

This year, I decided the humidity is no longer a problem for my hair...my look...or my attitude. Well, it still is some days for my attitude. It's okay if hot weather makes you a little grumpy too. Humidity can affect your hairdo, but what's wrong with a touch of frizz?

1. Humidity makes naturally wavy hair even curlier. I love having ringlets without using a curling iron.  Don't you?

2. The moisture from the air helps your hair appear shinier. Glory in it.

3. If your hair gets super-frizzy, think about all the artistic magazine shoots and runway looks with ethereal, frizzy hair. If some of the top stylists make hair look that way intentionally (!), maybe you shouldn't sweat it.

4. Being yourself means stick straight hair, just like a stick straight body, isn't all that necessary or even desirable. If it takes a lot of work to make your hair look flat, remember your curls are gorgeous and what make you fab.

5. Whenever anyone tells me the humidity is making their hair look frizzy or just messed up, I often can't even see what they are talking about, yo. You notice it. But does anyone else? Prolly not, friend, so if it normally bothers you, try your best not to worry.

Hot, humid weather is just a lesson in self-acceptance from Mother Nature. I was going to write about products that will "tame" the effects of humidity, but let the lion out, my kittenish friends. Untamed, loose, curly, kinky, frizzy hair is where it's at!

XOXO!

Window Hopping: J Brand Capri Jeans

I saw these J Brand jeans through a glass window clearly in Brooklyn and needed to show them to you. The boutique Diane T is selling these mid-rise, capri jeans for $200. Couldn't you just lick the window? A profusion of flowers in cool blue tones adds a sweet twist to any ensemble. You could wear these denim capris with a simple black crop top for a daytime outing and then, if the weather cools, toss on a light beige sweater to appear very stylish (and not too match-matchy). 

Buy it: J Brand Jeans ($200) at Diane T, 174 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY (718) 932-5777.

Have a terrific weekend and stay tuned for more posts today and tomorrow!