I don’t know about you, but when it’s time to hit up the club for a night of drinking and dancing, I hate having to worry about my bag and who’s going to keep an eye on it while I’m on the dance floor.

All of my bags are bigger than I am, I don’t own a bag that’s small enough to hold my must-have items, cash, ID, credit card, etc.

Well it seems like someone has come up with the answer to that dilemna… allow me to introduce the “Racktrap,” an undetectable pocket for your bra that holds your essentials. It’s made from hypoallergenic materials, and fits snugly inside any bra, no matter what size your bra cup.

Made for the woman-on-the-go, the Racktrap costs $7.95, but you can purchase a four-pack to “match any outfit” for $19.95 at the racktrap.com.

The best way to get rid of unwanted hair

How ugly is your beauty?

I have more makeup than I know what to do with, but I’ve been pretty effing lazy lately when it comes to mixing and matching colors. On a day-to-day basis, chances are I woke up late and don’t have much time to put more than little effort into making my face, so I slap on an eyeshadow, sometimes eyeliner, mascara, and run out the door. Unfortunately it wasn’t until I received a bunch of Motives makeup to try that I realized how severely I’ve been neglecting one of my only real passions: playing in cosmetics.

Motives Cosmetics by Loren Ridinger is a fairly new line that isn’t huge, but certainly should be. It’s not super pricey, and many cosmetics companies don’t understand that quality doesn’t have to be directly correlated with price. This, however, is not one of those companies.

The Pressed Eye Shadow ($12) feels literally like velvet. It picks up on a brush pretty easily, but I prefer to use my pinky finger to blend the colors. I tried on a bunch of different shades over the course of a week to get a feel for all of the colors. They aren’t super-heavy, so it’s probably not best as a stage makeup brand, but it works well for wearing to parties and the like. You can also blend the colors with a little water to get a heavier look. The Kohl Eyeliner ($14) goes on smoothly and also makes a good base for a liquid liner, if you plan to be out for hours on end and don’t want your makeup wearing out before you do.

I’m normally not a fan of powder foundation at ALL (it makes my face look dry and gross), but the Liquid Powder Foundation with SPF 15 ($24.95) went on smoothly and didn’t have a cakey finish. While I won’t wear it every day, it’s got great coverage for Saturday nights and times I’m on camera (High Definition is a bitch! Hmph.). Last Saturday I was headed to a party, so I thought it would be cute to layer their new gloss (coming soon on the site!) over the Rich Color Lipstick in Venetian Red ($14). I got a lot of compliments, and the boyfriend liked it, so when I woke up the next day still slightly tipsy and ready to wear a fun outfit for Sunday Funday (read: delicious breakfast and unlimited mimosas, amen), I wore it again for added oomph.

Lastly, I’ve been wearing the Pressed Blush in Runway ($13.50) for the past few days instead of my usual cheek stain. It hasn’t made a big difference, but that’s kind of the point, right? I wore it to a recent “Drinks With…” interview I did with Ginuwine this week, so when it’s up on TheUrbanDaily.com, I’ll be sure to post a video here so you can tell me if I look like a total clown or not.

REVIEW: M2M Nail Polishes

]]> http://hellobeautiful.com/263811/review-motives-cosmetics/feed/ 17 REVIEW: Motives Cosmetics (thumbnail) ionehellobeautiful motives cosmetics http://hellobeautiful.com/243581/review-paulas-choice-sheer-cream-lipstick/ http://hellobeautiful.com/243581/review-paulas-choice-sheer-cream-lipstick/#comments Thu, 14 May 2009 23:24:46 +0000 HelloBeautifulStaff http://hellobeautiful.com/?p=243581 ]]>

I’m usually a lip balm girl, but when I’m going out, at the most I’ll throw on a sheer lip gloss – I’m always on the go, and the time it takes to apply lipstick is usually more time than I’m willing to waste. So I opt for colors that I can throw on without the aid of a mirror, and I’ll never wear a lip color that doesn’t moisturize as well as my favored balm.

I recently checked out Paula’s Choice Sheer Cream Lipstick in SPF 15 because it touted to be moisturizing and look good against all skin tones, so a few coworkers and I tried all the different shades to see if the claim held true. Lucky for this review, it did! There are honestly only a few colors I can’t pull off (but only the extreme ones, like neon pink or something), so I wasn’t too worried about the line, but most of the colors looked good on the staff as well – and we vary by a few different shades. The colors were sheer enough to wear at work or to a nightclub, and I didn’t have to put lip balm on before applying the color.

If you’re looking for bold colors – reds, browns, and oranges, specifically – you won’t be in luck. But if you’re looking for light color with a hint of shimmer and a lot of moisture boost, Paula’s is neck and neck with my other favorite lip sheer that will remain unnamed (I have to be fair!). The color doesn’t last forever, but it doesn’t dry, cake up and look gross when you reapply more than a few times a day. And the best part is, it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, so if you’re the kind of person that applies lipstick a million times a day, you won’t be breaking the bank by stocking up on a few tubes to keep in your bag, home, and office.

$10.50, paulaschoice.com

REVIEW: Wink Beauty Bar, Brooklyn, New York

]]> http://hellobeautiful.com/243581/review-paulas-choice-sheer-cream-lipstick/feed/ 1 REVIEW: Paula's Choice Sheer Cream Lipstick (thumbnail) ionehellobeautiful paulas choice lipstick http://hellobeautiful.com/179861/spa-review-wink-beauty-bar-brooklyn-ny/ http://hellobeautiful.com/179861/spa-review-wink-beauty-bar-brooklyn-ny/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:08:08 +0000 HelloBeautifulStaff http://hellobeautiful.com/?p=179861 ]]>

I don’t know if you know this, but a lot of nail salons and spas are GROSS. And you don’t even know it. But I like to be in denial about things, so I figure, what I don’t see won’t hurt me. However, I DO love all-natural products. I have a seriously lame immune system and my skin is super sensitive, so I’m always looking for things that don’t have harsh chemicals and over-processed ingredients. The new Wink Beauty Bar, in Brooklyn, proved to cater to all of my paranoias at once.

I won’t lie – it’s not very big. You won’t be waiting in a giant lounge, sipping fruit water while wearing a robe and slippers. But the body treatment room is intimate and smells amazing, while the manicure and pedicure stations have more of a fixed-basement feel than an acetone-infused nail hell. The pedicure stations have big, comfy leather chairs and copper foot bowls (the owner uses copper because it doesn’t harbor bacteria like most salons’ pedicure baths. A little traumatizing – I know.), while the nail stations are pub-style, with raised chairs and standing manicurists who treat you from across a long bar.

The beauty bar is also an apothecary, where you can customize your own lotions, body butters, soaps and scrubs. You can use your custom blend for a treatment, or mix a larger-sized product to use at home. I received a Wink manicure, which involves a hand exfoliation and lotion massage. It’s kind of amazing. I wanted to go around feeling people’s faces, but that just would have been creepy.

From manicures to waxes to body wraps to bikini/fanny facials, every producted used in the store is organic. And that’s totally hard to come by these days. The hippie in me relished the thought of doing something good to the earth.

Wink’s grand opening was this week – stop by and get green treatments for you and someone you love in celebration of Earth Day on April 22!

Wink Beauty bar, 602 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY. 718.230.3443 | winkbeautybar.com

Looking to end your day of beauty with a new hairdo? Try hitting up Phyto Universe while you’re in New York!

As a girl with processed (relaxed) hair, I’m verrrrrry picky about what I put in it and where I get it done. But Phyto Universe looked promising enough, so my colleague Mary HK Choi from GIANT and I decided to do a comparative analysis with our Black and Asian hair types.

The results? Happiness, shininess, and total sexy hairhavingness. Check out the article here and book an appointment ASAP!

Phyto Universe isn’t the only place I’ve played guinea pig! Check out the most recent Test Dummy pick here.

Fact: When I was in middle school, I was completely OD on nail polish. As in, I used to pick out my outfit the night before, then polish my nails in colors that coordinated with my style. It got old after a while, but rarely will you ever see me out without at least a coat of clear on my natural nails. In fact, I often walk around with a randomly bright pinky nail, the result of some tester color catching my eye on a trip to the drugstore.

So when M2M nail polish co-founder and celebrity manicurist Myrdith Leon-McCormack walks into a GIANT photo shoot last week, with a giant bag of her polishes in tow, I couldn’t resist sitting down and trying the lacquer on. In fact, I had such trouble picking one color that I decided on… as many as I could fit on two hands.  15 minutes and 9 different-colored fingers later (I painted both thumbs the same color… I had to draw the line somewhere), I decided M2M was going to be my go-to polish brand for the summer.

Here’s the thing about polish – it looks good for the first couple days or so (unless you’re swimming or doing some heavy dishwashing or something), and then it starts chipping away and looking funky. And the darker the color, the cheaper it looks. You can make it last a little longer if you apply a clear top coat every other day or so, but I’m profoundly absentminded and honestly can’t be bothered with my manicure until it’s time for a polish change. To my surprise, however, my multicolored M2M manicure lasted for over a week – no joke. And I never actually applied a top coat over the colors in the first place. Every color stayed shiny and fun and didn’t dull or chip until around day 8, much to the dismay of my mother and various friends who’d decided I was entirely too old for multicolored nails. Whatever.

M2M polishes retail at $11 for colors and $13 for nail treatments. Go to m2mdamorejon.com for store locations and other info.

On a budget? Find out how to give yourself the perfect manicure here.

Need a good blush? Try POP Beauty’s “Apples of the Cheeks” blush – and read our mixed review here!

My obsession with lipstick started at a very young age, and I still get a thrill when I open a new tube. The baby of the family and a die-hard tomboy, there was something about lipstick that turned me on. I would wait until my older sister was out of the house, sneak into her room, and try on the various shades of lipsticks that were laid out on her dresser. Even though I was too young to wear makeup, my friends and I would “borrow” a tube of lip lacquer, put it on at school, armed and ready, and wipe it off before we got home. This must be the reason why, to this day, we feel naked without it.

Fast forward to my twenties and loving the fact that I’m all girl, I was on a mission to find the perfect lipstick. Brand after brand, you name it; I’ve tried it. I just couldn’t get enough. If I were stranded on a desert island, the one must-have item would be…yup, you guessed it: lipstick.

Keeping it real, I was a die-hard MAC girl for the past couple of years until my co-worker/hair-stylist coerced me into to taking a mid-afternoon Sephora run. We ended up at the Urban Decay counter gushing over their eyeshadows and eyeliners. I was hooked, though I fell in lust with their 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil, another Hello Beautiful favorite, and was sidetracked for a hot minute.

Back to the lips! When I found out that Urban Decay was coming out with a new product line for fall, I knew my lips were in for a special treat. Leaving no shade unturned, Urban came armored with a menacing dagger, in a form of a teardrop shaped bullet. A weapon of creamy, long-lasting color and texture. The lipsticks are enriched with vitamins, A, C and E (hmm, sound familiar?) Only a NYC girl will get my drift.

I have to admit, it was really difficult to choose from all the shades that were being offered, but I finally settled on Requiem, Pistol and 5150. I loved them all, but my favorite was 5150, a coral semi-sheer shade that complimented my skin tone and wears off without leaving a ring around my lips. Looks like I may have to go on another mid-afternoon run to Sephora to sample some more of these goodies.

$22, urbandecay.com

I’m a shine junkie, hands down!!! If it’s out there, I’ve tried it. And I have to admit: I am that girl who will walk into Sephora and collect samples of every shine product on the market. After trying numerous products, there was always a little voice saying “ there has to be something better out there,” and yours truly continued the hunt. I recently colored my hair (ladies, we all know how dull our hair gets when we add color!), and my hair was definitely lacking the luster I desired.

Let it be known that I have fine hair, and I have to be careful when I add product, as it can really weigh it down. However, I recently got my hands on Bumble and Bumble Shine, which I’m officially anointing as the BEST hair shine product in the world.

The main thing that really sets this product apart is that it really does create amazing shine, almost like your hair has been clear-coated. With my fine hair, the shine may be too much, making it appear a little greasy. However, I’ve never noticed it weighing down my style at all.

This is the best hair shine spray out on the market. I’ve tried hundreds, and this is number one by far. I’ve never been so happy with any type of hair product as I am with this one. It has a bit of a strong smell when you spray it on, but it DOES NOT remain on the hair whatsoever. You can even say it is odorless. Divide the hair into sections and either apply directly on the hair or on the palms of your hands. I apply directly to my hair. It immediately gives shine and removes flyaways. It also retains body, softness & movement without oilyness, flakiness or stickiness.

And try not to be put off by the price; a little goes a very long way. You will not be disappointed.

4oz bottle, $34 at bumbleandbumble.com

Okay I admit it, I slacked off on my pedicure game…This girl usually goes once a week to get the toes right, but lately I’ve been so busy, I have not given them a second thought. Until today.

Let me start by saying that, as much as I love the N-Y-C, it is dirty, grimy and disgusting in the summer. Even though the toes are in desperate need of a pedicure, yours truly decided to wear flip-flops to work today (mistake #1). As I entered the building, I looked down and was horrified at the condition of my feet. Picture this: grime and dirt taking up residence on my feet. What is a girl to do?

I went for the quick fix (mistake #2): going into the ladies room, weting a paper towel, using the mystery soap and proceeded to scrub the dirt off, and frowning at my lack of progress. So, for the remainder of the day, I tried to hide them under my desk, that is until I walked by my co-worker’s desk and saw – yes, wait for it – Dr. Scholl’s “For Her” Pumice Foot Scrub and Foot Butter. I snatched them up quicker than a bridezilla looking for her wedding dress at the “Running of the Brides Sale” at Filene’s Basement.

As soon as I got home, I went straight into the shower, armed with my newfound products. My feet were begging to be scrubbed, exfoliated and pampered. The moment I massaged my feet with the pumice-infused, peppermint-scented foot scrub, I was hooked. My feet felt great instantly and were noticeably smoother all over. The scrub was less abrasive than an actual pumice stone, and the light peppermint scent was not as overwhelming as I thought it would be. Once I got out the shower, I opened the foot butter, which contains a deep moisturizing blend of shea butter, glycerin and lavender (one of my favorite scents) and proceeded to massage my tired, aching feet. My feet felt instantly softer. I may actually use this on my elbows and knees as they, too, could use some help.

After indulging in these products, I didn’t feel so bad about skipping the salon.
Pumice Foot Scrub, $4.99
Foot Butter, $6.99
Drugstore.com