Which path do you want me to lead you down? Winged liner tricks? Cream blush how to’s? Face mask reviews?
The point of this “Pretty Addiction” blog is to give you tips, tricks, how to’s and recommendations to improve your beauty life. Several of the posts I’ve written have been upon request, and I hope they have been helpful. So I gots to know, what kinds of posts would you like to read in the upcoming months?
Please, comment on this post or on Facebook, Instagram or wherever you see this and tell me what you want, what you really really want. Which of the current categories do you dig the most? These are the options:
Boss Life. These posts are all about that entrepreneur life. I talk about my experience and things I’ve learned as a small business owner. Have a question as a business owner or aspiring business owner? I’d be more than happy to give my take on it.
Decades of Beauty. A series covering looks from the 1920s – 2010. Each decade has had several different popular looks, so I could go more into detail about a specific look or looks if that’s what your little heart desires.
Look Breakdowns. I find photos of popular looks or looks I love and give my best guess as to what products and techniques were used. If you want me to do a breakdown of a particular look, send me the photo and I’ll have at it.
Makeup Looks. Here’s where I talk about different looks (i.e. natural, 5 minute makeup, dewy skin) etc. in detail and explain how you can do it (and if you should). If you have a look you want to know more about or try, the suggestion box is open.
My Other Ramblings. If you want to read my rant about Instaglam makeup or know what I’m loving lately, you’ll find it here. And if you have a request for a post that doesn’t fit into one of the other categories, it would go here.
Pro Tips. Similar to the Makeup Looks posts, but more broad. For example, a Makeup Looks post might be about an Old Hollywood red lipstick look, but a Pro Tips post would talk about red lipstick in general, and how to choose the shades and textures that might work well on you.
Product Reviews. Self explanatory, I hope.
I want to hear from you! Please let me know what you want to read about so I can grant your wishes. I’m here to be your personal beauty expert, so you tell me what you want. I am nothing if not accommodating….
Those look like some other summer things I could love.
Summer goes by way too fast! Why does that happen? June comes along, then you blink once, Fourth of July. Blink twice, mid-August. If only miserable things would go by that fast…
Summer is my favorite season, and I’ve got some new favorites to go along with it.Ā Read on to find out what I am summer lovin’.
Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops. I have been on a quest for the perfect self tanner for years. The Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops, which you add into your face and body moisturizers, deliver the glow. I am giving them my pale girl stamp of approval. For more details, read my review of themĀ here.
Drop it like it’s hot.
The Anniversary Love. I started Allison Barbera Beauty as a one woman show back in the summer of 2008 and it’s grown to be a 17 person team that is doing 100+ weddings this year. I did my first wedding on 8/2/08, so even though I had the structure of the business up and running before that, I consider August to be the AB Beauty Anniversary Month each year. I posted about it on Facebook and Instagram recently, and I am really feeling the love and support. That makes this little entrepreneur very happy. Thanks, everyone!
“Nanette.” Have you watched Hannah Gadsby’s “Nanette” comedy special on Netflix? If you haven’t, go watch it.Ā Yes, right now! If you have any sense of humor, it will make you laugh. And if you have any empathy, it will make you cry. Hannah is an incredible comic and, I think, person in general and she deserves all of the recognition and praise she is getting. (I was in an elevator with her at the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival last month, and I’m kicking myself for not telling her how awesome I think she is.)Ā She doesn’t have a website, but if you want to show her some love onĀ Facebook, do it to it.
Sol De Janeiro Copacabana Bronze Glow Oil. Yup, talking about my tan obsession again. I bought this product before the Isle of Paradise drops and it works well on its own (but looks even better over my fake tan from the drops). It’s a bronzing oil that you apply to your body and it comes off in the shower. It is a little sticky (though not horribly so) but it smells great and gives a true bronze color–not orange or yellow–so I think it’s worth it. This is by far the best bronzing oil I’ve ever tried. It’s limited edition, so cop it and cop it soon atĀ Sephora.
It works great and smells awesome. A keeper.
Laughing Cow Creamy Swiss Cheese. These little wedges of soft cheese heaven aren’t new to me, but I seem to forget about them for months at a time, then they become a mainstay in my fridge for a while when I do rediscover them. They are delicious and only 50 calories per wedge, so a perfect small snack. I’m not going to fact check this, but I think most grocery stores have them.
This Bomb Ass Arm Workout. I’ve been doing an arm workout with free weights for years, but it seemed like it recently stopped having any effect. I foundĀ this video on YouTube and I shit you not, my arms starting looking a little more toned after I did it three times. Maybe that’s my wishful thinking or a positive kind of body dysmorphia, but I can definitely feel the workout as I’m doing it and I swear I see the results, so I am sticking with it.
Celeb Luxury Viral Blue Colorditioner. I have had blue balyage on the ends of my hair for five years. I like my blue to be vibrant, but it has historically faded pretty quickly. Jennie Kay Plumb, one of the hair stylists I go to (of course I go to a few) suggested theĀ Celeb Luxury Viral Blue ConditionerĀ to extend my color between touchups, and it has made a huge difference. I use it as a regular conditioner when I’m pinched for time, or leave it on dry hair for 20 minutes when I can. With both techniques, my blue is revitalized, but the 20 minute technique yields better results. They make this conditioner (and its shampoo partner) in a variety of colors. Jennie told me not to buy it off Amazon, so your best is to get it from a salon. This stuff is so good that I haven’t had to do an actual blue touchup since I got it. I think I can now get away with just using this conditioner for touchups between my twice-a-year appointments for the balayage.
Blue balyage forever.
Queer Eye. I mean, how awesome is this show? I binged the second season when it came out on Netflix in June, and I am in love with the Fab Five. Jonathan, the groomer/beauty expert on the show, might be my favorite person ever. I watched him do a live podcast at the Just For Laughs Festival and he was like a gorgeous ray of sunshine. The guys from the Fab Five seem like they have great hearts and truly care about people, and the show seems to really help people. I can’t wait for the next season.
V Clear EPs 7630. I can not get sick, especially during wedding season. I don’t have sick days, and I can’t send anyone to cover me for many of my jobs. My miracle worker MD/ND, Dr. Abbas Qutab, told me about V Clear (previously called “Vira Clear”) a few years ago. I take it as soon as I started feeling any symptoms of a cold or flu, and I end it the day after I stop feeling symptoms. I swear it has saved me from getting full blown sick many times. My whole family takes it, and we call keep it stocked up. It comes in a dropper and tastes like a strong cough medicine, but you can handle it. It’s out of stock on Amazon, but you can get itĀ here. (Disclaimer: It looks like they only make a cherry flavored one now and I have it but haven’t tried it yet, so it may taste better than the original flavor.)
Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter in Vanilla Apricot. Smells amazing, softens my skin, and is vegan, cruelty-free, synthetic-fragrance-free, paraben-free, GMO-free and formaldehyde-free.. What else can you ask for in a body moisturizer? It does leave a non-sticky sheen to the skin, so if you like fast absorbing, matte moisturizers, this may not be your jam. But I think a lot of people would love this. Here’s another one forĀ Sephora cart.
Whip it real good.
Pandora Comedy Stations. I know, it’s not cool to listen to Pandora and I’m old. Don’t care. This one isn’t new to me, but I’m a huge comedy geek and I’ve found myself listening to more of the Pandora comedy stations I like (the Sarah Silverman, John Mulaney and Chris D’Elia stations are my favorites) lately. I put these stations on the way other put background music on. What can I say? I love to laugh.
Sleeping In. On one hand, I love the days when I naturally wake up before 7:00am, because I get SO MUCH work done before it’s even 10:00am. But on the other hand, how good does it feel to sleep in? One of the perks of owning my own business (and, I suppose, not having kids or pets) is that if I don’t have any morning clients, meetings or appointments, I can wake up whenever I want. We are having a record-breaking year with team size, wedding bookings and revenue so I am working stupid long days. (I haven’t had time to eat dinner until 10:00pm the last two nights, if that tells you anything.) So when I can, I reward myself by sleeping late. Of course I feel some guilt for doing it, but I’m not the best entrepreneur, friend, relative or makeup artist I can be when I’m tired and dragging.
Ice Cube On The Face Trick. Sometimes I wake up with a puffy face, undereyes or eyelids. It’s not cute, but there is a way around it. Lisa Eldridge explains it best inĀ thisĀ video. I’ve been doing this a lot more lately, and it really does make a difference.
That’s all for now. It’s back to work for me, but I would love to hear some of your faves!
A Pretty Addiction 