Cravette Beauty Report - Ongoing blatherings about all things beauty,\...

Welcome to The Cravette Report, read on for the latest hot craves at Crave Beauty Boutique and CraveBeautyOnline.com, and all the other stuff that makes it into my bathroom drawers!

I admit to being of somewhat advanced age, but am vain enough to cling to the belief that no-one notices (ha), and bloody well bloody-minded enough to firmly believe the next big thing in lip gloss will change my life for the better. For what it is worth these beauty tips have been gathered over a lifetime of excessive and relentless product use, and much discussion with like minded friends and customers.

Obviously we stock what we love for the most part, but this list also contains products that we do not stock. We would love you to visit us at CraveBeautyOnline.com as we are delighted to add move Cravettes to our customer list. We would be thrilled to see you, but if not we hope you enjoy our ditherings here and we would love to hear your comments!

Watch this space for additions to these tips, as always at Crave, we wish you glossy lips….

Peeling nails have tried to ruin my life; I can honestly say that Essie Sensitivity Base Coat has saved it! I have gone from 3 self-induced manicures a week to 1. I now remain chip free for the week, as my nails are smooth and healthy again.

Chipping Polish! If you find you have smooth nails but your nail polish still chips the day after you put it on, my tip would be to ditch the fast-drying top coats. Use a spray or a drop, such as Creative Nail Design Solar Spray (love!), or Essie Quick-e. This is a dirty little secret if you ask me, but these products dry just as fast or faster, and do not cause unnecessary chipping.

These essie products are available at CraveBeautyOnline.com

NEWSFLASH: My new favorite top coat was a bit of a surprise, it is by Sally Hansen, Hard as Nails -  Hard as Wraps. The stuff is really good, lasts a long time as a glossy non-chip top-coat. Me likey! Cheap and available at all drugstores.

Liquid Liner, I love the look of this – on others! I have seen people apply liquid liner perfectly, sans mirror! I was agog, this lady was an opera singer and used to getting glammed up stage side. But, sadly this is not a skill in my repertoire. I give full credit to Carmandie on What Not to Wear for this tip, it works for me. For more control in applying liquid liner, try applying with an old liner brush, preferably made of man made fibers, (see below). Just dip the brush in the liquid and press into your lash line. Voila! We suggest the Alison Raffaele Wet/Dry eyeliner brush - make sure to wipe clean so as to not ruin the brush.

This wondrous little brush also works well wet with powder eyeshadow. I have to wear somewhat subdued shadow colors during the day, but I do like to show my wild side with a hint of crazy color as a liner, my current favorite is for a vivid violet or turquoise green just to keep things interesting.

Takelon Brushes: Liquid or Cream makeup such as concealer or liquid foundation should only be applied using a brush with man made fibers. Liquids will ruin natural bristle brushes, plus man made fibers such as these are easier to clean and cruelty free. Try Alison Raffaele’s new line of Takelon fiber brushes, the concealer brush duo set is fantastic, as is the brand new foundation brush. The Kabuki brush is a bit of a splurge, but it is so soft, and works so well for application of mineral powder.

The Beautyblender, when I first saw this product I thought it was a big rip-off. After all why should a pink, egg shaped bit of foam cost over $20. Then I tried it and I’ll be darned if it is not a magic pink egg shaped bit of foam. It blends perfectly and effortlessly and is easy to clean with soap and water.

Beautyblender and the sponge / cleanser duo are available at CraveBeautyOnline.com

Revitalash, this is a dear to my heart product that I would grab on my way out the door if the house was burning. This is a liquid “cosmeceutical” that actually makes your lashes grow thicker and longer. Applied to the lash line once daily, it is easy to use and converted my stubby little lashes into something approaching a fringe. Horrendously expensive it is, but it works – for me anyway. I saw results in just over a week, 3 weeks is the average for results. My goal is to knock people over when I blink, I will let you know when that happens.

NEWSFLASH: Sadly this product is no longer the wonder it once was. Those meanies at Allergen have greedily pulled back the active ingredient in this product so they could sell their own product, available only by prescription and called Latisse. This works just as well as my old Revitalash, but I still have several tubes stashed in the basement, don't tell them please - I do not want Allergen police at my door.

The new Transparent Finish by Alison Raffaele has made a believer out of me. It is a wonder powder that sets any liquid makeup products. Use it to set concealer, foundation, cream eye-shadow, lipstick or even use it to powder your eyelashes before mascara, your eyelashes will appear thicker and longer.

I am also quite fond of Make Up For Ever (MUFE), rather an unfortunate acronym I think. Anyway, their High Definition Powder really is a wonder, I use it only when I know a photographic opportunity will occur and it has not let me down. I KNOW when I am wearing it in photo's and I feel smug.

Blinc Kiss Me products really should get an award for their innovative products. Talk about re-inventing the wheel! The Kiss Me Mascara is totally different from all others on the market; each lash is coated in a teeny tiny tube, not coated as in traditional mascara’s. These tubes slide right off into your hands with water and pressure. This is the only removal method that will work; Kiss Me Mascara is smudge proof, sob-fest proof, sleep proof, and fiber under the contact lens ouch proof. We must post a warning though, when these tubes do slide off they look suspiciously like your lashes, at this point there tends to be a bit of screaming and running to the mirror to ensure your lashes are still there.

Get Blink @ CraveBeautyOnline.com

For traditional mascara days, I wholeheartedly recommend Bloom Mascara, my hair stylist swears this is the best mascara she has ever used, and you know I want to keep her happy. I also like the Dior Show line, it seems to lengthen and plump to a satisfactory degree.

Skin Primers: Don't miss out on Alison Raffaele's complexion products. Newly designed and re-packaged, Alison is a makeup artists - makeup artist! Now included in the line are two skin primers, Age Response and Acne Response. They are silky and lush on the skin, makeup glides on for the flawless finish that is Alison's specialty. My best friend and I both use the age response primer, and as we are both primer fetish folks this is saying a lot. They work year round and work to make your skin better all day. I know the Smashbox primer is popular but it is just too slick for my skin, everything slides off onto my chest which defeats the purpose.

Added to her cult favorite True Concealer and Reality Base is a proprietary "Frutta di Vita" (Fruit of Life) anti-oxidant complex that makes it easy to do good for your skin while looking good doing it. We love these new products, they may not get a lot of attention, but they are the worker bees of makeup.

See the Alison Raffaele line at CraveBeautyOnline.com

We have two new loves of late, one is the Melange line of perfumes, both solid and roll-on formulations are available. I become a bit unhinged for grapefruit scents and the one offered by Melange is heavenly.  They also have too cool for school palettes which allows you to mix four coordinating scents to achieve your own wonderful, oh so personal blend. This will allow you to say "oh, it was created just for me" when asked what scent we are wearing. Watch this space - these palettes are shipping soon and we are waiting by the door for UPS.

The entire Melange line is at CraveBeautyOnline.com cos we love it

The second new love was a bit of a shock. We thought we knew our way around a beauty routine but something was missing! Lip scrubs are not a waste of time people! They not only smooth away flakes, but they super moisturize, plump and make lips all pink and puffy. This is good. This product promises with use to help minimize and short circuit those little vertical lines around your lips which must come from blowing kisses or something. If there is any chance in hell that those suckers will fade, count me in. See The Natural for a great flavored, scented and wholly organic line.

See The Natural at CraveBeautyOnline.com

Wow - just have to share my most favorite secret weapon, the Clarisonic Skin Care Tool, it is pricey at $195 but those Clarisonic people make products to last. I had my original Clarisonic toothbrush for close to 15 years, yes - of course I changed the brush bit, but the handle lasted that long.  Anyway, I digress - the skin care brush makes such a huge difference to the texture of my skin, I take it everywhere.  Splurge on it, you will not regret it. Available at Sephora and Ulta.

Many thanks to all who plowed their way though this page. Watch this space, new tips will be added often. We wish you glossy lips..........