Makeup By Kim Porter

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Get Glowing, Wedding-Ready Skin Using derma e

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Whether you are attending a wedding, a member of the bridal party, or you are the bride herself, making sure your skin is glowing and picture perfect for the wedding day is important. This is why you are going to want to lock down a skin care routine using products that are natural and work well at ensuring you have glowing, wedding ready skin for the big day. That is where derma e comes in. Whether you have oily, hyperpigmentation, or dehydrated skin, derma e® will target your most significant skin concerns.

derma e skincare for wedding-ready skin

You always want to start off with a good cleanser. As an oily girl, who lives in New York City, I need a cleanser that will get rid of the sweat, oil and grime from the day, but without being too harsh on the skin. The derma e Purifying Gel Cleanser is perfect for that. This fragrance-free and sulfate-free cleanser uses activated charcoal to remove impurities from the skin. It also contains a potassium-rich, magnesium-rich seaweed – Kimarine® Wakame – that is clinically proven to protect skin against environmental pollutants that city dwellers like myself usually encounter, such as exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke, and heavy metals.

Wedding-Ready Skin using derma e

Between two to three times per week, I like to give my skin a good scrub. Sloughing off the dead skin cells that can make my skin look dull. The derma e Microdermabrasion Scrub is perfect for that. What I do is mix it with a little of the Purifying Gel Cleanser, and then get my scrub on. My skin is left completely smooth, clean and glowing. The great thing about this microdermabrasion scrub is that it can be used anywhere on the body where you would like softer skin, which for me are my elbows.

At this point we have smooth, and clean skin covered, right? Now, we can move on over to getting our skin brighter. I know you want that glow. And this is where the derma e Overnight Peel with alpha hydroxy acids come into play.

I’ve used my fair share of overnight peels, and this one is amazing. This overnight peel has a blend of glycolic sugar cane and fruit acids, along with 5% Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) for safe, and effective removal of dead surface skin cells to reveal brighter skin the following morning. At night after cleansing and toning, I apply the overnight peel in place of my moisturizer after applying the Purifying Youth Serum, and then wake up to beautiful glowing skin.

The next day, my skin is ready for me to apply my makeup, for the wedding day. Since my skin is already in top shape, thanks to these derma e products, I don’t need to get all heavy-handed with the foundation and concealer. Just check out this pic from a July wedding I attended.


After the wedding, and the fun is over, it is time to remove the makeup. I use the fragrance-free, oil-free derma e Makeup Remover to do the job. It not only does a good job at removing makeup, it contains ingredients like Chamomile and Cucumber extracts to help soothe, tighten and refresh the skin, along with eyebright extract, which shields skin from irritation. And then there is Bilberry extract that promotes healthy looking skin. Another great thing about this product is that it is ideal for contact lens wearers like me.


Lastly, remember to always keep hydrated. Drink half of your body weight of water in ounces, and if you like coconut water, try that too. It tastes good, is hydrating, full of electrolytes and potassium.

The next time you are searching for ways to achieve glowing, wedding ready skin, just check out derma e products. I’m sure you will find something that suits your skincare needs. Plus, derma e products are free of the following:

  • Parabens
  • Gluten
  • GMO
  • Cruelty
  • Mineral Oil and Lanolin

Note: When introducing new products into your skincare routine, always test it on a small part of your body first to ensure you will not suffer a reaction. Trust me, you do not want to try a product a few days or even a day before the wedding to only have a bad reaction.

How do you ensure your skin is wedding-ready?

The New Milani Essential Brush Set

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Milani, the affordable cosmetics line has launched its first brush collection – the Milani Essential Brush Set. This synthetic (nylon) brush set features six (6) brushes for the face and eyes to help create a beautiful makeup look using professional quality tools.

Milani Essential Brush Set in Brushfolio

I was able to test out each brush featured in the Milani Essential Brush Set, and I’m happy with how the brushes in the set performed. As a fan of synthetic brushes since they offer greater versatility and superior durability over time, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck since the brushes are affordably priced. The nylon bristles of the brush are soft, and allow you to create a flawless, streak-free makeup look.

Foundation Brush – $16

This flat top brush blends powder, cream and liquid foundation. I used it to apply my HG liquid foundation, and the brush applied my makeup effortlessly. My makeup wasn’t streaky, and uneven.

Milani Essential Brush Set Foundation Brush

Powder/ Bronzer Brush – $16

This dome –shaped brush is a 2-in-1 powder and bronzer brush that’s great for blending and buffing bronzer or powder into the skin. I used this brush to apply press (not buff) my loose powder onto my skin in the areas where I wanted to reduce shine like my t-zone. I also used it to apply my bronzer, but I found I liked it best for pressing in my powder.

Milani Essential Brush Set Powder Brush

Blush Brush – $16

The tapered bristles of this brush are perfect for precise application of blush. I applied one of my brightest blushes with this brush to test out how well it performed. The Essential Blush Brush worked well. My blush was placed exactly where I wanted it, and the brush blended the blush to perfection. No clown makeup here! I also liked to use it to apply my highlighter.

Milani Essential Brush Set Blush

All Over Shadow Brush – $8

This soft, flat brush is the perfect size for applying eyeshadow or base to the eyelids. It’s a good brush for packing on eyeshadow onto the lid. You can also flip it over to get into the crease.

Milani All Over Eyeshadow Brush

Blending Brush – $8

The rounded, tapered Blending Brush is great for blending eyeshadow to soften lines, contouring, or even blending concealer. I used this brush for several things like blending shadow into the crease, blending my under eye concealer, and applying contour to my nose.

Milani Essential Brush Set Blending Brush

Crease Brush – $8

The small rounded bristles of the Crease Brush make it perfect for applying shadow to the outer v, sculpting out the eye with precision, for added depth and dimension. Think smoky eye.

Milani Essential Brush Set Crease Brush

The Milani Essential Brush Set can be purchased for $60 or each brush individually, but purchasing the set you saves you $9. The brushes can be purchased on http://milanicosmetics.com/Brushes/.

Milani Essential Brush Kit Results

Have you tried the Milani Essential Brush Set?

Which of these brushes would you pick up?

I got rid of my lady ‘stache using the Nair™ Moroccan Argan Oil Precision Kit

I’ve always had a little hair on my upper lip, but I was always scared to remove it. Why? I was told that if I got rid of it the hair would grow back thicker, and a full-blown mustache was not what I wanted so I put off removing it. But, my lady ‘stache was still a source of insecurity. When I applied my makeup, unless I color corrected my upper lip, I’d have a dark cast in that area. No Bueno! One day, I decided to finally get rid of my lady ‘stache, and picked up the Nair™ Moroccan Argan Oil Precision Kit for Face and Upper Lip.

Using the Nair™ Moroccan Argan Oil Precision Kit for Face and Upper Lip was easy. It’s a two-step system that requires you to first apply the hair removal cream using the precision tip, let it set for up 10 minutes, and then rinse off. Following the rinse, I’d apply the Moroccan Argan Oil Rebalancing Moisturizer, which prevented irritation and helped to keep the area smooth and moisturized.

Nair™ Moroccan Argan Oil Precision Kit for Face and Upper Lip -Two steps

The first time I used the Nair™ Moroccan Argan Oil Precision Kit I’d washed my face, but used my Michael Todd Soniclear. Bad idea. I have no idea what got into me because I clearly know that depilatory creams and exfoliating do not mix. Don’t try it. I’ve done it for you. And yes, my upper lip burned, but the silver lining came when applying the Moroccan Argan Oil Rebalancing Moisturizer. My upper lip had no redness or irritation after. That was pretty amazing.

Nair™ Moroccan Argan Oil Precision Kit_before During after

My upper lip remained hair-free for a few weeks, at least three, which is pretty impressive. No, my hair didn’t grow back thicker either. Yay!

I’m happy I chose to remove my lady ‘stache using the Nair™ Moroccan Argan Oil Precision Kit for Face and Upper lip. Because of it I do not have darkness around that area, and I spend less time applying my makeup. Also, my makeup applies smoother and my skin looks flawless and even.

I’d recommend picking up the Nair™ Moroccan Argan Oil Precision Kit for Face and Upper lip if you’re like me and want to test the lady ‘stache removal waters, but do not want to venture into waxing or threading the area. Plus, there’s no swelling or pain involved when using this as a removal method unlike waxing and threading.

Nair™ Moroccan Argan Oil Precision Kit for Face and Upper Lip

The Nair™ Moroccan Argan Oil Precision Kit for Face and Upper Lip retails for , but I picked it up on-sale for $5.00 at Walmart.

Have you tried the Nair™ Moroccan Argan Oil Precision Kit for Face and Upper Lip?

What’s your preferred upper lip hair removal product?

Brighten Your Look with the Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Lipsticks

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Although the weather doesn’t really seem like it, but believe it or not, spring is here. Usually, when people think of spring they think of spring-cleaning, but for myself and others in the beauty world spring means new looks using colors that pop! Elizabeth Arden’s Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick line makes it easy to add that perfect pop of color while keeping your lips moisturized.

Elizabeth Arden Grand Entrance Mascara

I’ve set aside my vampy lips in exchange for a fresh-faced look with just a pop of color using the Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick along with their Grand Entrance Mascara.

Elizabeth Arden’s Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick Pink Pink

First up, we have the Beautiful Moisturizing Lipstick in Pink Pink. Normally, I am not a fan of shimmer in lipsticks, I’m either a satin or matte type of girl, but Pink Pink looks nice on me. The blue-toned pink goes well with my skintone.

Elizabeth Arden’s Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick Wild Berry

Wild Berry, when applied looked a lot brighter than what I thought. I love bright lip colors, so that didn’t bother me. This one is actually my favorite.

Elizabeth Arden’s Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick Valentine

Valentine is so pretty! I’ve deemed it one of my favorite red lipsticks. My lips look so full and plump when wearing it. I see myself sporting it daily, whether to work or casually on the weekends.

Elizabeth Arden’s Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick Marigold

I love wearing orange shades of lipsticks, especially during the summer. I was happy to have received Marigold. It’s a red with more of an orange tone; however, when applied, it looks a bit redder, and not as opaque as the other shades. It’s pretty, but I prefer my lipsticks to have a bit more color.

Elizabeth Arden’s Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick Swatches brown skin

I love the look and feel of the Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipsticks. They do exactly what they say they will do: keep my lips moisturized and soft. The lipstick has pretty decent staying power, even after drinking a beverage. I also like that Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick, aside from Marigold, applies with full, almost opaque color with one swipe.

How do you update your look for spring?

Elizabeth Arden’s Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick Giveaway

Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick Giveaway