Stay Tan this Winter: Bronzers, Self-Tanners, Sprays

Ah, Winter - the season of beautiful snowfalls, cute scarves, mittens and adornments. It's also a season that leaves some of us cold, sunless, and helplessly pale. If you want some quick color without the major health risks, skip the tanning beds and lather on some self tanners or bronzers instead. Some simple radiation-less tanning methods include bronzer, gradual self tanner, instant self tanner, and tanning spray.

Bronzer, Gradual Self Tanner, Instant Self Tanner

Bronzer
Pros: Instant and immediate color, easy to correct or wipe off.
Cons: Most rub off too easily or are too obviously artificial.
Gradual Self Tanner
Pros: Gradual and usually more natural, easier to maintain through daily use.
Cons: Must use daily or at least very often to maintain color, difficult to see mistakes since the color changes gradually.
Instant Self Tanner
Pros: One application can last several days, many markets for great products.
Cons: Difficult to correct for blotches or mishaps.
Tanning Spray
Pros: A professional can make your tan look natural and can even customize the colors to the contour of your body.
Cons: Salons are costly and it is difficult to spray tan oneself.

Of course, a pro of all of these methods is that there is no risk of skin cancer from radiation like that of the sun or tanning beds. (A con is that most of them smell like chemicals.) If you opt to avoid the sun completely, however, be sure to get your vitamin D supplements.

My thoughts on some sunless tanning products I've used:

ASOS March 2012 Magazine Features Elizabeth Olsen

ASOS has released their new March 2012 online magazine featuring Elizabeth Olsen on the front cover. As a long-time Olsen fan, I just feel compelled to share some of the wonderful prints and stories.

Elizabeth Olsen, the 22-year-old American actress, indie queen, and younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, was photographed exclusively by ASOS at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York. Elizabeth was the star of the Sundance Film Festival 2011 (Martha Marcy May Marlene) and undeniably one of 2012’s brightest new talents. Her new film, Red Lights, premiered last week at Sundance co-starring Robert Deniro and Sigourney Weaver. Her second new film, Liberal Arts, debuted the same week and co-starred Zac Efron.

Sigma Beauty Oil Painting Inspired by Dare

View this month's new Sigma Brushes Coupon »

I absolutely adore Sigma Makeup's artist series featuring Hindash's paintings. What could be better than a combination of art and makeup? If you missed last week's edition, click here to see the Bare Eyeshadow Palette painting. We're still waiting on the Flare palette, which I am most excited about!

Urban Decay Beware: Anastasia All Eye Want Palette

If you've been searching for a quality neutral eyeshadow kit but haven't been able to get your hands on any of the Urban Decay palettes, don't fret. There has been an overwhelming amount of hype surrounding the UD Naked2 palettes in recent months, but you don't have to buy into it. There are many good dupes out there. The Anastasia Beverly Hills All Eye Want Palette is a great affordable alternative. The palette contains nine eye shadows, a mascara, brow gel, and double-ended brush. The brush itself is quite useless, but the eyeshadows, brow gel and mascara are great.

Eyeshadow swatches of the Anastasia All Eye Want Palette

Simple Everyday Makeup Tutorial

Hi everyone!

I'm Elena from Endless Summer, and I'm so pleased to be guest posting on Katherine's wonderful blog.Today I'll be showing you how to do everyday makeup. This is my first makeup tutorial ever so I have decided to show you how to do simple yet beautiful makeup, which is suitable for every occasion - from day at school or at work to night out with friends or a romantic dinner with your loved one. It's simple and quick and perfect for those who are new to makeup or for those who needs to simplify their makeup routine.

1. Let's start with a clean moisturized face.

2. Apply your foundation. Use concealer under your eyes, around your nose whereever else you fell necessary. For this tutorial as a foundation I used Luview Real Skin Primer BB Cream and Miracle Skin Transformer Treat And Conceal mixed together to create my own unique shade. I apply this mixture using my fingers. I don't use a concealer on a daily basis, so i skipped this step in my tutorial.

Poetic Wish: Van Cleef & Arpels

Once upon a time, Van Cleef & Arpels asked a diamond fairy to transform the colours of time. Thanks to her, complication movements, so precious to watchmakers and to watch lovers, became poetic. This was in 2007, Van Cleef & Arpels presented a Poetic Complication: the Lady Arpels Féérie watch, equipped with a retrograde movement.

Year of the Dragon: Chic Outlet Shopping

It's the year of the dragon and I bring to you a video by the Chic Outlet Shopping. Chic Outlet Shopping collection of 9 European villages with 900 boutiques of luxury designer brands with up to 60% off all year round. Their brands offer their previous seasons’ collections with savings of up to 60%, and sometimes more, on the recommended retail price, in their own luxuriously appointed boutiques, all year round.

Sigma Beauty Oil Painting Inspired by Bare

See the new Sigma Coupon »

I have never been much of an artist, but oil painting has always been a personal favorite. Last week, Sigma asked artist Mohammed Hindash to interpret their BARE, DARE & FLARE eye shadow palettes from Sigma Beauty to create a work of art. And so he painted the most beautiful of oil paintings. Only the Bare-inspired look has been released so far, but expect to see other inspired looks as well.

 I did not think too much of this art piece when I saw it initially, but after viewing the video demonstration, I was pretty impressed. It's difficult to come across good beauty/makeup inspired art. I think this one was done very well, especially with the layers of details the artist added. It is almost as if he were making up a real face. It's something I would be really proud to hang above my vanity. (Hey Sigma, consider making copies and releasing them to the public?)

Hindash paints an oil painting inspired by the Sigma Dare Eyeshadow Palette.

See how it's done in this very impressive demonstration video:

Beauty Break Time: Beauty Bloggers Against SOPA

The issue is not beauty related in itself, but as it will affect the beauty blogging community as well as the entire Internet, I thought I'd shed some light on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). SOPA is a broad US bill that proposes to expand the ability of US law enforcement and copyright holders to fight online trafficking in copyrighted intellectual property and counterfeit goods. Because ICAAN serves under the Department of Commerce, this bill will have a global effect. It is, as I see it, the beginning of global Internet censorship. I'm not well versed on political bills, but you can get the gist about SOPA on Wikipedia or see the proposed bill on The Library of Congress website.

Let me just say that I believe in copyright laws. I hate to have my property stolen as much as the next person. I have had mass chunks my images and writings copied. I understand some of the frustration and can only imagine the pain of piracy affecting my wallet as it does some companies. Despite that, I can't support SOPA. I believe that SOPA is a direct attack on bloggers and small media outlets. SOPA and PIPA are supported mainly by big companies and large media corporation. Once passed, the likes of ABC and NBC will have full power over their copyrighted materials, but our copyrights, as they've always been, will be overlooked. SOPA isn't just a mean of controlling piracy, it's a mean of controlling the Internet and its users, something I'm sure some governments have been looking into doing for quite some time. If passed, it could change the entire structure of the Internet forever. And whose to say it'll stop there? I can foresee a government-controlled Internet playing nice with big businesses to cripple the little guys.

Sigma Eyeshadow Palettes - NEW Slim Packaging!

See the Sigma Makeup Coupons » page for the full list of Sigma Coupons.

Finally, Sigma has reduced the weight and size of their eyeshadow palettes. If you remember my Sigma eyeshadow review from earlier last year, you'll know that the palette lost some heavy points for their bulky packaging. I'm just glad that Sigma took everyone's advice and reduced the size. It could save us the trouble and some shipping fees too.

Sadly, I already bought a few of the "bulky" packaging so I'm stuck with them for now. These new slim designs do have me salivating a little though. Finally, something I can carry in my handbag for convenient travel.

Sigma Eye Shadow Palette in Dare ($35 at sigmabeauty.com)

Sigma Eye Shadow Palette in Flare ($35 at sigmabeauty.com)

For Him or Her: inis the energy of the sea cologne

I'm still having a pretty difficult week at work, but I just wanted to share with you a recent favorite of mine. As I've been quite a busy bee, it's been very convenient to spritz on a versatile perfume that'll work both in and out of the office.

Inis the energy of the sea cologne spray

I'm not one to experiment with perfumes, but I've been finding my beloved Chanel Chance a bit too heavy for daily use. I'm so glad to have discovered Inis. I've honestly never heard of the brand before and I have no idea why. It's fabulous!

If you are in need of an androgynous gift, consider the inis the energy of the sea cologne spray. The scent is extremely clean, perfect for both men and women. It is fancy enough for a night out, but clean and subtle enough for the office. It is a very classy cologne indeed.

See you soon lovelies! 

P.S. I'm thinking of making a Valentine's Day gift guide. What would you like to receive for Valentine's Day?

Sephora and Urban Outfitters Haul: Clarisonic, BDG

I promise to get back to a regular posting schedule soon. For now, I'll leave you with a quick update on my recent purchases. I know I'm on a makeup ban, but my clothes have been raggedy and my skin has been misbehaving, so I thought I'd have a little Winter treat. (And excuse the poor lighting but my town hasn't seen the sun in days.)

I ordered from Sephora the Clarisonic Mia in pink. They have just released a new one, but I decided that I don't really need to pay $30 extra for an additional speed option that I probably wouldn't use. I've only used the Mia for two days so I can't say I see much of a difference, but I like it already. The size is very convenient for travel. The vibration is a little louder than expected, but I love the feel of it on my skin.

Included with my purchase were three sample packets and two deluxe samples.

What really sold me onto ordering on the Sephora website were the deals they offered. I don't care much for the three sample packets that they always included with my order, but this time around they also offered two deluxe samples. I picked a Bobbi Brown eye cream and the Too Faced Shadow Insurance. I ran out of the Shadow Insurance last month and had no intention of picking up a new one any time soon, so it's nice to be able to carry a small one with me in my bag. I have never tried the Bobbi Brown eye cream before, but I'm looking forward to it. It appears very thick and creamy - plus there seems to be a lot of it!

Nominated: Marie Claire Magazine Best Beauty Feed

Recently, @handmadereviews was longlisted for the Marie Claire UK Best Beauty Twitter Feed. I know that there has been quite a controversy brimming in the beauty community concerning "blog awards" but I want to take the time to thank you, the readers, for the support and nomination. I wasn't really expecting this (nor was I even emailed by Marie Claire and informed of my nomination). I was only informed of this award via Twitter by other bloggers. Regardless, I feel honored being included on a list alongside the likes of @FleurDeForce, @gemsmaquillage, @modelrecommends, etc.

The winner of the award will be invited to be a guest editor on @MarieClaireUK. There are three other award categories, including Beauty Blog, Fashion Blog and Fashion Twitter Feed. If you are interested, you can vote here for all four categories. (Voting closes January 20, 2012.) While I would appreciate a vote for me in the Beauty Twitter Feed category, I see the appeal of the other nominees. There are too many fantastic bloggers on the list that I don't anticipate winning, but I wanted to let the readers know that I really, truly, appreciate the thought. So thanks again. :)

UK magazines and media are becoming very active in promoting and using the beauty and fashion blogging communities. I haven't seen that much of a trend in US media as of yet. The one trend I'm hoping US magazines will pick up soon enough is the one in which freebies come with the purchase of magazines. (I wouldn't mind being bribed into buying magazines as long as the bribe involves pretty polishes and shiny glosses.)

Have a lovely week everyone! I'm going to have a busy two weeks, so please be patient with me if I slack on the posting. ;)

My $25 Sydney Evan Love Ring

If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know my obsession with the Sydney Evan Love Ring, which is priced at nearly a thousand dollars. There's no way I could afford a real diamond ring on my current income, but I've found a good, cheap dupe over at Stanton James. It isn't quite at delicate and doesn't have any of the diamonds... but it'll make do for now.

My new Stanton James Lush Jewelry Love Ring (plus a new mug!)

Take That, Second Day Hair: Retro Revival Shower Cap

If you've been reading Handmade Reviews for long, you'll know my love-hate relationship with my hair. As much as I would love to be able to wash my hair everyday, it's way too dry and damaged to take the stress of daily washing. I usually just tie my hair in a bun every other day to avoid getting it wet in the shower or bath. It usually ends up getting wet anyway, but I don't let it bother me since I'm already pretty unhappy on days that I don't get to wash my overly flat, volume-less hair. Then comes along the cutest shower cap to make the annoyance a lot less annoying. I'm kind of glad I don't get to wash my hair every day now. What other chance do I get to wear this adorable cap?

Retro Revival Shower Cap in Dotsie

NYC Makeup Workshop January 7th 2012 (Sigma)

Check out the new February 2012 Sigma Coupon Codes!

If you're in New York City tomorrow, Celebrity Makeup Artist Mario Dedivanovic will be having a workshop with Atelier of Beauty, sponsored by various beauty sponsors including Sigma Beauty. The registration fee is pretty hefty, but I thought some might be interested. Mario Dedivanovic have worked on Kim Kardashian as well as a lot of well-known celebrities, so his tips and tricks might come useful.

My Dearest Makeup Bags

As part of my initiative to use up all of my old makeup, I've been digging through my closet for cute, yet reasonably sized makeup bags to store my must-use makeup. I know I'm on a makeup ban, but reviewing my old makeup bags makes me realize that I want more of them. Shopping: it's an illness.

Makeup Cases I'm Loving:

Urban Outfitters Trompe L'oeil Pencil Case

A pencil case, really, but it's chic, cute, adorably tiny and a perfect storage solution for the smaller handbags. I love the France postage on it. The quality, like most cute Urban Outfitters accessories, isn't superb, but it reminds me of the postage accessories line by La Don Don.

On not becoming a makeup hoarder in 2012

As much as I love to shop and spend money on things I don't necessarily need, I'm not as much of a hoarder as I may lead you to believe. I try to use things up - or if not, give them away. I have relatives and friends that are more than willing to take up any beauty products I may not use - and I am more than happy to let go. That said, I have a very difficult time giving up things that I love; and being a beauty blogger, I tend to love a lot of things.

In the past month, I've been very adamant about tossing away expired makeup, using up skincare products, not leaving just that bit of orange juice at the bottom of the container, etc. For the most part, things have worked out well: I am now in less danger of makeup poisoning, I've learned to regularly hydrate and take care of my skin, and my family is a lot less disappointed when opening the fridge. All said and done, I am still unhappy with the enormous about of makeup I tote around. Do I constantly need three bronzers, four blushers,  and several shades of pinky nude lipstick? No, I certainly don't. And here's where my 2012 resolution comes into play.

Happy New Year 2012

Happy New Year everyone! I wish everyone a happy, lively and healthy 2012. What are your New Year resolutions? I know I tend not to keep my resolutions all year, but it helps for at least a month if I make them. I don't have high hopes - just some. *crosses fingers* I hope to work out regularly, consume less junk food and alcohol, and spend less money on things I do not need.

Psst: I recently downloaded Nike Training, a free workout app for my iPhone. I've been loving it like crazy! It's a must try!

Giveaway Updates: Julep Maven Giveaway and Sigma December 2011 Giveaway has ended. The winners will be announced in a few days. The new January 2012 giveaway will be up very soon!
Sigma Coupon 2012: The new February 2012 coupons have been posted on the Sigma Coupon page.

Sigma Brushes Coupon 2012 - Sigma Discount 2012

Updated NEW 2012 Sigma Makeup Coupon Codes »

This coupon code has expired: 0112XJML   10% off  Sigma purchase plus FREE gift when you use coupon.

More Sigma Coupons, Sigma Free Shipping Codes, Exclusive Deals »

Sigma had said previously that they were not releasing new coupon codes, but decided against it and created new Sigma coupons for the 2012 year. :) I know a lot of readers (and myself) depend on these codes for the extra 10% off Sigma makeup brushes so I'm really glad Sigma decided to continue it. I can see their sales dwindling if they do not continue to offer these discount codes we've been so accustomed to having. Thanks Sigma!

Disclosure: I am an official Sigma Representative and provide Sigma coupon codes to readers courtesy of Sigma Beauty. Visit the Sigma Makeup Coupon page for the complete list of coupons.