Brown Girl Gumbo

Want to get Paula Patton’s gorgeous glow from last night’s Jumping the Broom premiere in L.A? If so, celebrity makeup artist Sam Fine shares the steps he took to make the already pretty, Patton even more beautiful so that you can recreate the look too!

Inspired by her dress, Fine wanted Patton’s look to be, “fresh, yet defined, and nothing that would compete with the drama of the dress!” Using COVERGIRL products, he created the look by following these easy steps:

SKIN: “I began dabbing COVERGIRL Queen Collection Natural Hue Concealer in Light directly underneath her eyes, closest to the lashline to highlight and conceal. Then, I used my fingers to apply COVERGIRL Queen Collection Natural Hue Liquid Makeup to unify varied tones and give her skin a flawless, yet natural-looking finish. After applying foundation and setting with powder, I used COVERGIRL Queen Collection Natural Hue Mineral Bronzer in Light Bronze to add luminosity and dimension to the skin. I often suggest using bronzer as blush, but this time I opted for a pop of color using COVERGIRL Cheekers Blush in Classic Pink.”

EYES: “I decided to go for a clean eye and well-defined eyebrow. Whenever I address brows, I always begin by using COVERGIRL Professional Natural Lash Clear Mascara to groom the brow and hold it in place. Then, I gently stroke pencil through the brow with a pencil a shade lighter than the hair, so it never looks drawn on. I played up Paula’s eyes using liner and lots of mascara. I used COVERGIRL LineExact Liquid Liner in Very Black to draw a fine line that wasn’t overly dramatic, then added a few coats of COVERGIRL LashBlast Fusion Mascara to upper lashes to make eyes appear “lifted”.”

LIPS: “Lastly, I chose COVERGIRL Queen Collection Lip Color in PowderPuff Pink to complete this feminine, fresh look.”

Are you planning to see Jumping the Broom?

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Still looking for that last-minute gift for Mother’s Day? If so, Aveeno has the perfect pampering solution to your gift-giving needs. Why not gift mom with the AVEENO® POSITIVELY AGELESS™ Complete Starter Regimen? Enriched with a unique blend of Shiitake and Mannentake mushrooms, this luxurious collection acts as an anti-oxidant to help protect skin while leaving it radiant and revitalized.

If you happen to be shopping for someone who is a new mom, the kit also includes the AVEENO® Baby Eczema Therapy line, perfect for mother and baby. Eczema is such a common skin condition for babies, which is why Aveeno has come up with a formula that has been proven to improve the symptoms of eczema, including roughness, dryness, itchiness and scaling. I use Aveeno Baby on Ava and it is truly the best and I’ve tried several cleansers and lotions.

One lucky reader will win this special Aveeno Mother’s Day Kit. Simply leave a comment telling me what makes your mom special. The winner will be announced later today so get those comments in! 🙂 Btw, this contest is restricted to US residents only.

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My cousin who is a professional makeup artist hipped me to Black/Up makeup about a year or two ago. Ever since, I’ve been dying to try a few products from their line, but could never get my hands on the popular makeup especially made for us brown beauties. Now that I’ve had the pleasure of applying their incredibly pigmented products such as the eye shadows and blush, I’ve been hooked. The eye shadows stay in place and don’t crease, while the blush gives a sultry glow without making cheeks appear overly made-up.

Not only does the line carry cosmetics that complement our varying skin tones, but also sells skin-care products to help maintain a healthy complexion.

Have you ever tried Black-Up products? One lucky reader will win a product from the line. Simply leave a comment and a winner will be randomly selected and announced later this week.

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You guys know I’m a huge fan of Carol’s Daughter and can’t wait to try their new Monoi Repairing Collection, which is a 3-step hair system made with authentic Monoi Oil that will be introduced on May 1st. Read below for more details and catch the video w/the brand’s new spokeswomen!

Click here for the entire letter.

Be sure to follow @Carols_Daughter and join in on a live chat with founder, Lisa Price today @10 a.m.

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I’ve been a fan of the Say Yes to Carrots brand for several years now. So when the line expanded with cucumbers, tomatoes, and most recently blueberry-infused products, I’ve been saying yes ever since.

One of my favorite beauty must-haves from the Say Yes to Blueberries line are The Brightening Facial Towelettes. They’re wonderfully practical for women on the go like me and easily fit into handbags.

The natural lemon peel and apple extracts help brighten and refresh skin while cleansing and moisturizing. Not to mention, the towelettes are 99% natural and biodegradable. So, if you’re like me and tend to get oily in the warmer months, having these blueberry beauty wipes handy will quickly turn your “glisten” into a glow.

Have you ever tried Say Yes to Carrots products?

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