Fly Beauty: About Face By Scott Barnes

About Face is a different type of make-up advice book. Acclaimed celebrity make-up artist Scott Barnes doesn't teach women how to look like a runway knockoff, he wants women to look like the best possible version of themselves. He doesn't believe in following beauty trends, "looking beautiful is the ultimate trend," states Barnes.

This beauty guide features step-by-step solutions on how to look like you, beautifully.

Fly Beauty: One Night Only: Meet Celeb Makeup Artist Sam Fine In NYC

Sam Fine creates magic on one's face. He's worked his magic on Vanessa Williams, Iman, Halle Berry, Brandy, Beyonce, Veronica Webb, and Tyra Banks. NYC fly girls, who are serious about looking red carpet ready, please go see Sam Fine. Here is a chance to get makeup tips from a professional who specializes in makeup for woman of color.

He also maintains his own blog, which provides shade-specific, step-by-step tutorials.


Here he shares his make up tips on BellaSugar.com

On his makeup philosophy:
"Makeup is about personality. I'm not a big rule-maker. If you want to wear red lipstick morning, noon and evening, why not?"

On the most flattering hues for women of color:
"There are a few shades that I don't use as much with women of color, like pink shades. Pink is not in the undertones of women of color, so I use bronzer instead. For me, it's all about the basics: Orange, coral, and golden shades look beautiful. But pinks are tricky, as are really pale colors."

For Sam Fine's tips on choosing color cosmetics and foundation, read more.

His foundation-shopping tips:
"Be savvy; shop around. Nowadays, you have lines like Bobbi Brown and MAC that have more than two or three shades. These lines may not be dedicated to women of color, but they have some wonderful options. You have to go from line to line. It's really trial and error. Don't think it terms of, 'This one line is my everything.' You'll have to pick and choose from different lines. Women of color are always going to have to do more work to find the right foundation color for their skin tones."

On finding the most flattering color cosmetics:
"For women of color, there's already color in the skin, so you need more pigment. Nars, Iman, and Fashion Fair are some lines that have truer colors. What you see in the tube is going to be the same on skin. You have to be careful in your color choice — that's true not just for women of color, but for all women. There's nothing you can't do, but you have to switch up the shade, not the color, to make it complement your complexion. For instance, the right blue for Vanessa Williams might be a different shade than the one that looks right on Patti LaBelle."

Beyonce's Dieting Secrets: “The Sasha Fierce Salad”

Beyonce is the female, you try to hate on but you can’t really find any fault in her but you still hate anyway. But love or hate her, Beyonce is on top and in the June issue of Self Magazine, she reveals her dieting secrets that helps her stay Sasha Fierce.

Sasha Fierce’s Meal Plan:

Breakfast: A granola or Special K cereal.

Snack: Sliced fruit or tomatoes and cucumbers with a vinaigrette and cayenne pepper.

Lunch: “The Sasha Fierce Salad” Lettuce, tomato, avocado, jalapenos, and chicken breast with oil and vinegar. Followed by a 100-calorie snack like Oreos or crackers.

Dinner: Fish and green vegetables.

Late night snack: A Soy Dream “ice cream” sandwich.

So, this is how B stays in shape. It’s a very strict diet but she continues in the magazine saying that once a week she treats herself to a comfort food meal like pizza and a glass of red wine.

Trust, I’m going to start making “The Sasha Firece Salad."

Fly Beauty Find: 70¢ Makeup

Glamour magazine is celebrating it’s seventieth anniversary, and all 99¢ Wet n Wild products will be 70¢ until April 10, 2009 at Walgreens. I haven’t used Wet N Wild products in a while but I took a look at their selection in Walgreens and they have really cute stuff that could hold you over until you hit up your favorite make-up counter. As a bonus their products are cruelty free.

Try Wet n Wild Mega Eyes Trio in Egyptian Sands and their Megaliner Liquid Liner.

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Speaking of Glamour, I must acknowledge my fellow fly friend, Kari Fulton, who is featured in the April issue of Glamour! Ms. Fulton was honored in part of Earth Day and Glamour's seventieth anniversary, as part of 70 female eco achievers.

In her work as a campus climate challenge lead organizer for the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative, Kari challenges students to get involved. Ms. Fulton is black but thinks green! Check Kari in action by clicking the video below and click here to meet Kari and the other eco heroes.

Bliss For Less! Spa Week is coming!

My favorite time of the year, Spa Week! Reducing stress is a necessity in this tough economy, luckily, during Spa Week, April 13-19; you don’t have to justify spending hundreds of dollars on massages and scrubs. For one week, selected services are being offered for an affordable $ 50. If you are longing for a deep body massage, a facial, a body scrub with deep-sea salt, and lavender oil on a heated bed, or a hand paraffin treatment, then make an appointment during Spa Week.

Check out Spaweek.org for a list of participating spas in the DMV area and make sure to book an appointment soon, they go so fast!

I just made an appointment at Elizabeth Aden’s Red Door Spa for their 50 Min Stress Melter Ritual. I can’t wait!

Lancôme is Pink Irreverence

I was walking thru Macy’s on a mission to buy some new eye shadow from the MAC counter but as I past the Lancôme counter, something caught my eye. Lancôme has a new collection, that is, dare I say- edgy. I’ve never seen edgy from Lancôme, as avid fan of Juicy Tube, Lancôme was always the go to counter for classic, golden-rose stamped iconic products.

So when I saw black nail polish with sliver sparkers, I was shocked. Low and behold, Lancôme has a new artistic director, Aaron De May, who is pushing the envelope with his designs. His first collection entitled, Pink Irreverence is filled with girlie punkish products, such as the Irreverent Madame Pink Palette, which creates a pink smoky eye, and color fever lip plumper in Rose Punk.

This is the new Lancôme woman who all about being irreverent, free-spirited, audacious and spontaneous. The Pink Irreverence collection takes the most feminine color statement twisted with punkish freedom. The makeup look is edgy, wearable colors that you can layer to play up the drama or bring down to an everyday look.

De May thoughts on his new collection? “It’s not about me telling women what to put on their face or when,” he says. “It’s about setting them free to play.”

My new favorite thing: Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara

I finally picked up the Maybelline Lash Stiletto and I love it. First, I love the packaging; it’s so sleek and classy. Secondly, Maybelline claims that Lash Stiletto is the " Ultimate Length Mascara...seductive length, shiny patent finish, strengths and conditions” and I couldn’t agree more!

My lashes look longer, seperated and shiny. I’ve been a Maybelline Great Lash fan since I started wearing makeup and the Lash Stiletto ties with the Great Lash. And for 6 bucks a pop (this price at Bed Bath & Beyond), it’s not a bad investment and can easily compare to the pricey designer mascaras.

Beauty Call! New Beauty Finds

Aww, summer is here and there is nothing more exciting than getting pretty for a summer night. Here are a few beauty finds for the three months of hotness, turn up the A/C and strut your hot stuff.








Carol’s Daughter Hair Balm- After being a beach bunny, drench your locks with this liquid shine- booster. For relaxed and natural hair, this hair balm also acts as an ultra-moisturizer, with the help of shea butter, cocoa butter and toasted palm kernel oil. $ 12







Tart Enbrightenment BriteSmile Lip Gloss-How cute and multifunctional is this? This magic wand whitens teeth and brightens your smile. One side is BriteSmile To Go, a mint-flavored formula that lightens teeth up to 8 shades in 8 days; the other side holds Tart’s t5 gloss in a rosy red shade with blue undertones to enhance your newfound whiteness. $26




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Smell Fresh

Enough of the woodsy, vanilla scents of winter, summer is all about floral, fruits and sun. Try my favorite summer scents.











Aquolina Pink Sugar All Over Body Spritzer- An intoxicating blend of Sicilian orange with hints of raspberry, fig leaves, strawberry, vanilla and caramel. $20

Stella Sheer by Stella McCartney- Light and fresh, perfect for the summer, Stella Sheer is a summarized version of Stella. A lovely combination of peony and white fressia combined with spicy pink pepper, rose, white mush and crisp raspberry. $54

Juicy Couture Rollerball- How Cute! How Juicy! This cute little rollerball of fragrance is so portable, you will always be a juicy girl. Filled with Juicy’s signature fragrance of watermelon, mandarin, pink passion fruit and caramel. $20

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Color Me Bad

Its summertime, time to bring out the bold, bright, tropic-inspired shades, check out a few of my faves.




Stila Eye shadow Palette- Shimmer and spice and everything nice. This glittery limited edition of shades from bronze, copper, to pinks and peaches. $20








M.A.C. Nail Lacquer in Phosphor- Why not match your nail polish to your mood? Feeling sunny? Try this goldish- yellow shade from M.A.C. Cosmetics. $10

Dazzleglass

Make-up Art Cosmetics, better known to most as M•A•C, has done it again! First, they teamed up with Heatherette, now M•A•C has possibly made the best lip-gloss for the summer.

I literally gasped when I walked to the M•A•C counter and saw, Dazzleglass. M•A•C has never been for the timid and they proved their theory with a lip-gloss that adds light and shine to bring a dimensional pop to your lips. Dazzleglass, contains these large particle pearls that reflect and refract light to mimic quartz and opal crystal. You can either wear it alone, or layer over lipstick; it also features their signature vanilla aroma.

I picked up Spanking Rich and I’m thinking about going back to grab Glamour O.D.

Ho on the Go kit!

Found on PatriciaField.com, Ho on the Go kit, is for those fly girls who just can't make it home. Equipped with a thong, a toothbrush and toothpaste, moist towelette and two condoms. Fly girls should always carry protection! This kit would be prefect if it included a mask for your walk of shame.

You don't have to be a big slut to love the kit, keep Ho on the Go at the gym, or in your big tote for that time of the month.

Blue Magic: Chanel's Blue Satin

Call yourself a true fashionista if you can literally get your hands on Chanel’s newest nail polish shade, Blue Satin. This color is number 461 from the highly coveted Le Vernis Nail Colour line from Chanel. Just introduced and already hard to find, Blue Satin is a great funky alternative to black nails. Just in time for the transitional state of Winter into Spring, Blue Satin is a perfect pair for the in-between stage of your wardrobe.

When the light hits your nails with this dark shade, it casts a beautiful sparkle that shows its blueness. It’s already sold out on Chanel’s website and at Niemen Marcus, so hit up the Chanel counter or if you must have this shade, try Ebay, though bids are starting at 60 bucks.

Start making Valentine's Day Plans

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Electric Relaxation

The New Year has just started yet your stressing out already. There are numerous reasons that reducing stress is critical for your health and wellness. When you’re stressed out your more prone to illness, and high stress over a long period of time can spur ailments such as heart disease, high blood pressure, migraines, insomnia and ulcers. When you’re stressed, you’re irritable, snappy and agitated. Try these five tips to calm your cute butt down and improve your overall outlook on life.

1. Just breathe and stop: When you’re stressed, we usually forget to breathe because we’re straining ourselves. First take a few deep breaths. Next, give this pranayama technique a try: 1) Inhale deeply. 2) Hold your breath for 4 seconds. 3) Exhale for count of 4 seconds. 4) Repeat. Continue this pattern for about one minute.

2. Shake it Off: Sometimes stress is so habitual that we have to literally shake it off. Try standing up with extended arms and imagine yourself as a soggy wet dog and shake the stress off. Also try going for a short walk and take the scenery.

3. When you’re smiling: Give yourself a happy break. Just like whistling a happy tune, smile to fake a happy mood. Smiling sends a message to your unconscious mind and automatically generates a positive mood and attitude. If you fake happiness long enough, you might just start to believe that it’s true. If that isn’t working, pick up the paper for today’s comic strip or watch a 5-minute funny video on YouTube.

4. Tight like That: Lie flat on the floor. Starting with the feet: tighten and squeeze your feet as much as you can. Then move upward, tense and relax the ankles, calves, knees, thighs and entire body one by one. When you get to your head, lift the head off the ground and squeeze all the muscles of your face. Lie quietly for a minute afterward, noticing the change in your body and basking in the calm.

5. When you’re dreaming: Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Imagine a bright red rose in front of you. Notice the vibrant petals, its color and its texture. See this rose clearly in your minds eye. Take another deep breath and smell the rose. Savor its scent and let it fill your body. Slowly open your eyes. Keep your eyes soft for just a minute longer, lingering on the beautiful rose.

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When the New Year comes, you enter January with a list of things you need to change which can be depressing. Why not use what you've got and upgrade them this year? Try these 10 examples to make you feel happier:

1. Since it's winter, buy a year-round flowering plant for your crib so you'll feel lively and springy even if it's freezing outside.

2. Monday morning, upgrade your coffee to a latte.

3. When Wednesday rolls around, celebrate the fact that you've made it midweek, by treating yourself to dessert at lunch. Go ahead and order that cupcake!

4. Rule of thumb: Never go on a date without wearing your sassy panties and matching bra, even if he won't see them, you'll feel sexy and confident.

5. Make a energizing and inspiring play list for your commute to work, then make a calm, relaxing one for your commute back home.

6. After a long day at work, there is nothing like a nice glass of wine. Splurge on a couple snazzy, high end glasses, like Riendel. They are designed to optimize the aroma and flavor of your wine, which can make all the difference.

7. Turn your bathroom into a spa. Fill your bathroom with scented candles in relaxing scents like lavender.

8. Looking forward to your big plans on Friday night? Plan ahead and take the day off. That way you can spend all day primping and relaxing so you'll have a more enjoyable girls night out.

9. Love sleeping in? Make your bed even more comfortable by upgrading the thread count of your sheets. They must be at least 250 count and higher, the higher the number the softer the sheets.

10. Buy cute, flattering gym clothes, you'll actually look forward to sweating.

Need more relaxation? Click the video, A Tribe Called Quest: Electric Relaxation

Go Green with Style

Are you Black but think Green? ( Thanks Kari!)

You can save the enviorment one lipstick at a time! Cargo Cosmetics has came up with a brillant idea. Try Cargo Cosmetics' Plant Love Lipstick, each lipstick tube is a compostable tube made of corn. Plant the box that your favorite Cargo shade comes in and it'll grow a patch of wildflowers.

Botanical Lipstick What it is: A lipstick tube made entirely out of corn - a renewable and abundant resource. This environmentally-friendly innovation also emits less greenhouse gases, which many scientists believe to be the major cause of global warming. The outer carton is made of flower paper embedded with real flower seeds. Simply moisten, plant, and wait for a bouquet of wild flowers to grow!

What it is formulated to do: Smooth and silky, the innovative botanical formula is infused with Orchid Complex™ and meadowfoam seed oil as well as jojoba and shea butter. Not only that, but it's environmentally friendly, containing no mineral oils or petroleums.

What else you need to know: Cargo is donating two dollars from the sale of every shade to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The PlantLove seeds we sow today affect future generations so we are investing in the earth and our children for the future of the planet!

Bonus: Six of these gorgeous lipsticks were designed by your favorite celebrities:

-Evangeline Lily -: Lindsay Lohan

- Maria Menounos -: Mariska Hargitay

-Sarah-: Sarah Chalke

-Cece-: Courteney Cox

Saving the environment has never looked flyer!

Game Night

Just came home from a long day of work or school and looking for a way to unwind? Try your hand in Lush's Play Your Cards Right Massage Bar ( $9 lush.com). Lush's Play Your Cards Right Massage Bar is a solid bar that your poker partner can massage onto you as the bar softens as it warms. It might feel a little awkward rubbing a slab of lotion on but the scent of Jasmine makes up for it. This is one card you should include in your deck- just make sure your partner plays the right hand. No reneging allowed.

Try other bath and body products from Lush at lush.com

Sealed with a Kiss

Was your New Years resolution to lose weight? Try losing your holiday pounds the fly and glam way. You know there’s gross tasting nail polish to stop you from biting your nails now to keep you from overeating, there’s gloop that smells like Starbursts.

FUZE (the beverage company) and Too Faced cosmetics has collaborated and resulted in FUZE Slenderize Guilt Free Gloss ($18. 50, Sephora). The lip-gloss comes in three “flavors”- Dragonfruit Lime, Strawberry Melon and Blueberry. They are very fragrant but licking your lips provides no satisfaction. FUZE Slenderize Guilt Free Gloss are infused with energizing ingredients and Super Ceriman, which is supposed to suppress the appetite.

So go ahead, make sure your lip-gloss is poppin', try Fuze Slenderize Guilt Free Gloss and watch the pounds melt away.

Winter Blues

Winter Beauty Misery- Beauty Solutions:

Winter’s snow might be pretty but there is no other season that is worst on your skin and hair. Try these beauty tricks, and you won’t be singing the blues anymore!

Cracked, Peeling Lips?
During the winter months, your lips become dry and start to chap. And on a dry mouth, bacteria pushes their way in, causing more chapping.

Beauty Solution: Spread on CO Bigelow’s Soothing Lip Formula to buff away the chapped lips. This gentle lip exfoliator is the perfect remedy for flaky, peeling, chapped lips. Made with mango butter,shea butter, and cocoa butter. $ 7. 50 bigelowchemists.com

After you’ve buffed away the chapped lips, follow up with Kiehl’s Lip Balm # 1 in Cranberry. Packed with the antioxidant, Cranberry, it boosts softness. $ 8.50 kiehls.com

Try this at home recipe for recipe for chap lips (Do this twice a week to get kissable lips):

What you will need:

1 tsp. Sugar

1 Green Tea bag

1 tsp. Olive oil

1/2 Cup cold water

3 disposable cups/bowls

First, put the sugar into a small bowl or cup, the olive oil into another, and pour 1/2 cup of cold water into the remaining cup. Dip the tea bag in and out of the water a few times. It's definitely know a lot easier when it's hot, but it is important that the water be cold, to soothe and revive lips.

Next, add the tea water, drops at a time, into the sugar. Mix together until it becomes the consistency of wet sand. Using the tips of your fingers, apply the sugar and tea mixture to your lips . Gently rub in a circular motion. Don't rub too hard. Do this for 10-20 seconds.

Rinse your lips with water and pat dry. Squeeze out excess water from tea bag and use it to pat lips. Do this for 30 seconds. Let your lips air dry.Dab the oil onto your lips with your fingertip. Don't over do it. It should be as if you are putting on lip gloss. Leave on for 2 minutes. Wipe off excess oil with tea bag.

Chapped Hands and Brittle Nails?

The wintry combination of freezing winds and then the heat being indoors weaken your hands and nails. Try Mary Kay's Satin Hands Pampering Set.

The Satin Hands Satin Smoothie Hand Scrub cleanses and exfoliates. It's an everyday treat for hands to leave them feeling smooth and soft instantly. And you'll love the fresh peach scent. It's part of the Satin Hands Pampering Set for irresistibly smooth, super-soft hands in three easy steps. The Satin Hands Pampering Set includes Extra Emollient Night Cream, Satin Hands includes Satin Smoothie Hand Scrub with a convenient pump dispenser and Satin Hands Hand Cream to condition and moisturize for hours. All three come in a pretty peach-colored bag. $ 30 marykay