Bunny's Current Obsessions

1) Anything from LUSH especially their Honey Bee Bath bombs or Soft Coeur massage bars. I cannot get enough of the smell of these products. I literally buy them in bulk. (Fresh Handmade Cosmetics).
2) YSL Faux Cils (= fake lashes) Mascara in Black or Purple
3)Majenty Fragrance Oils-especially "Hidden Cove" and "After Hours"
4)Laura Mercier Hydratints (SPF 15) in "Nude" and "Crimson". They are like chapstick with tint. Comes in many diff colors.
5)Diptyque "Tam Dao" Fragrance-like Sandalwood but better
6)Voluspa 3 wick candle in "Truffle White Cocoa"
7)Natura Bisse C+C Vitamin Scrub (for face)-it smells like an orange grove
8)Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Soothing Lip Balm in "Soft Petal"
9)Bath and Body Works Anti-Bacterial (PocketBac) Hand gel in "Warm Vanilla Sugar". Obvi.
10)The Lip Scrub by Sara Happ in "Cocoa"-blissful and you will wonder how you ever lived without it
11)OPI "Russina Navy" (Matte) Nail Color
12)Essie "Chinchilly" Nail Color

I'm always on the prowl for the latest and greatest. Stay tuned....

Did You Eat Fried Chicken On The Way To Work?

Don't get me wrong, I love my lip gloss. Especially Laura Mercier Violet Glace or NARS Risky Business. But too much lip gloss can make you look age inappropriate. Gloss is to jazz up your boring lipstick or to give you a nice pout. It is NOT meant for you to use an entire tube in one night. There are so many fancy glosses and flattering colors on the market, but lets be real, you're not J.LO, and if you are....hi Jenny! Be mindful of the amount you apply before stepping out of your house. Use your mirror. Lets avoid our lips looking like Beyonce's ass covered in olive oil. Lip gloss is the fastest and easiest way to sexify your look, but be careful. We all want to look our youngest and prettiest, but age appropriate is always most lady-like. Trying too hard is tragic.

If It Looks Good, Buy It

I've lost count of how many times I have purchased cosmetic items just because of what it looks like. The packaging is everything...or is it? Sometimes that is the only reason that a product will fly off the shelves. Pretty paper, pretty ribbons...my dear friend and makeup artist Ryan would sing while he would wrap up and package gift items in our store. If it is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, we are more apt to buy this item rather than a similar product that exists in a more plain/boring package. And how much fun is it to pull your new product out of your bag while you are amongst friends? They all want to know what it is that you are coveting in there. Which brings us to the age old question "How many products does one person actually need?" MY answer is that products make us feel better, look better, smell better. When it comes to finding the right products there is a whole lot of trial and error and perhaps the grueling chore of "process of elimination" (being sentimental about products is a sickness...throw them away!) Out with the old, and in with the new.
The beauty industry rakes in billions of dollars every year and is exponentially growing. If you are a self proclaimed junkie (or branded this type by a family member, friend, or significant other) you are not alone. I'm going to ask everyone to post pictures of your cosmetic drawers of abyss so that we can unify and share the same sentiments. PJA-Product Junkies Anonymous...well, maybe not so anonymous. We heart retail therapy!

Blush Matters

Once we have solved our skincare issues and found/matched the perfect foundation or tinted moisturizer color/texture we are sitting pretty. But...something is still missing. "Why am I all one color? I look washed out." Here lies the reason why every lady should wear cheek color or blush (rouge, as my Grandma Angie would say). Blush wears a few hats. Not only does it add life and color to your face but it makes the skin appear more youthful and healthy. Like you've just been kissed by the sun for a moment or as if someone has just pinched your cheeks. Blush color should be chosen based upon what compliments your skin and what you are most comfortable wearing. Don't let the MUA (makeup artist) talk you into a color just because it is new. To assure that you are chosing the best color, ask a salesperson who has her makeup done close to the way you would like yours to look. Chances are, that person will be more understanding of your needs (this goes for any cosmetic product you're seeking-knowledge is power). But also, don't count new colors out. Playing with blush is super fun and anything can work if your willing to try new things. A little goes a long way so always start off small-subtle washes of color are most flattering. If you feel as though you need more, you can always build onto a color by applying more. It is easier to add more than to take away too much. Happy Blushing!

Rules of Thumb (or brush) Vol. 1

1)NEVER wear red clothing when attempting to try on/purchase lipstick. (Orange and pink clothes are also a no-no...sorry).
2)Be aware that the word "TESTER" means that product has most likely been exposed to fingers and mouths before yours. Hygiene is the way to go. Yay!
3)Cosmetic brushes are to be washed regularly (at least every 2 weeks) to avoid transfer of dirt, dead skin, bacteria, and oils back onto your clean skin. Think about it...YUCK. Wash them with cosmetic brush cleaner or baby shampoo.
4)The purpose of foundation is to match and even out your skin. We do not purchase foundation that is a different color than our skin. When we match, we can avoid our face and neck being 2 different colors. Bronzer is used to make us look more tan...please always mind your neck.
5)Make sure your skin is properly exfoliated and hydrated before applying makeup. No makeup will ever look good if your skin isn't healthy. Ever.
6)You must not get sentimental about your cosmetics! Throw them away if you're not using them or if they smell funny. If it is a liquid item, one year is almost too long and these types of cosmetics/skincare have shelf-lives and can go bad and cause infection and irritation. Dry products have longer shelf life but can be just as dirty if your not washing your brushes or not using clean fingers. Anything with sunscreen has a shelf life of one year only. After 1 yr, the SPF is no longer effective.
7)Mascaras (each) should be in your life for 3-5 months. Thats it. I don't care if it was $50. They eye doctor will cost way more. Throw it away. Now.
8)DO NOT go to bed with your makeup on. Each offense costs you irreversible aging.
9)Exfoliating everyday can be irritating and too harsh for most skin types. Alternate days with your regular face wash.
10)Use sunscreen...everyday...for the love of your youth! Its never too late.

Finding The Right Lipstick Is Like Finding The Right Pair Of Jeans

Much like discovering super flattering jeans and buying more than one pair, when you've found a lipstick that you simply cannot live without, you should always buy several just in case it is ever lost, broken, retired or discontinued. Or, so you can have one in the house, one in the car, and one in your bag. Don't laugh or the naughty discontinue fairy will come snatch your lipstick (better known as the product development person at the manufacturer...who you can always write e-mails to about your long lost faves. It can't hurt. This could potentially push your must-have item back onto the market someday. I've seen it happen many times). My can't-live- without red lipstick is"Sexy Lips" by Laura Mercier. Although the color has remained the same, they have messed with/changed the texture a few too many times and in true cosmo-junkie form, I've obtained this color in every texture it came in. Different textures prove different pigment application and sometimes a totally different look, even though the color is the same. The final (current) texture is called "Stickgloss" which means it goes on like a lipstick and looks like a lipstick in the packaging, but acts/feels more like a hydrating gloss with color. Its sheer enough that my lips don't walk into the room before I do and its just enough color that I can call it "red" without having Ronald McDonald mouth...no disrespect, Ron.
We may branch out or stray from our best/favorite colors, but we always somehow return to what works/looks/feels best. We are creatures of habit. Us junkies.

Buying Blush From The Boogie Man

So you've recently justified purchasing some new cosmetic must-haves. Those just-stocked coveted beauty mag items that you need to have before everyone else. "All the new colors are gorgeous, but which one is for me?" "I need new skincare, but I want whats best for my skin type." You find yourself at your nearest department store or cosmetic boutique anticipating the swipe of your plastic and the bliss that only the savviest of product junkies could ever fathom. You identify the object(s) of your desire, but little do you know, you've been spotted (or possibly sprayed already...new Prada fragrance? No.). A salesperson.*Much to your dismay, the appearance of the salesperson not only makes you want your mommy, but has you pondering how such an individual was even hired to advise you on your aesthetic well-being. (And what does the person that hired them look like?...Yikes.) You know who they are...please check all that apply. They can be male or female...negative energy, bad breath, possibly hungover or contagiously ill, horrifying or no makeup at all, 2 inch+ roots/bad hair, little to no hygiene, cracked nails or no manicure, no fashion sense/no style, inappropriate clothing/size, gum snapping, lying, can't form full sentences, and not caring in the slightest way. Please feel free to add to the list. Unfortunately, this happens ALL too often and must be stopped. Infact, I will do my personal best to put down my pedicured foot(OPI Russian Navy Matte...must-have) for as long as I am foreseeably involved in this industry. I don't care how long that thing has been working at that counter or in that store, I want someone who looks the part and knows what they are talking about and can educate me on how this ____ will benefit me and won't just get thrown into my drawer of cosmetic abyss. Ok, here it is...you are selling a look, an attitude, a feeling. If you don't look or act the part, you are not the least bit convincing. If you can't at least pretend, please step aside. Let someone else who knows how to care and think do the job. Make me spend my money! I'm not even talking about age here. I don't care how old you are- just do something with yourself. Nobody wants to buy a $700 anti-aging skin cream from someone with bad skin...hello? Nobody wants to buy their first red lipstick from Marylin Manson's female twin. Stop telling me how amazing the new mascara is that your wearing when you haven't removed the tarantulas off your eyes from Saturday night (see Tammy Faye Baker-RIP). And don't tell me you are a professional makeup artist or skincare specialist when you look like poo. Its not brain surgery (although it does seem to be). I don't believe anybody in their right mind is comfortable buying beauty or skincare products from despicable sub-par salesbeings.

*This is based upon personal experience. I'm a cosmetic specialist/product junkie/product consumer in CT/NYC... where I work and prey. These observations are specific but not limited to said areas...sadly.