Diptyque 34 Boulevard Saint Germain

Don't you love a fragrance with significance and meaning behind it?  Diptyque's new 34 Boulevard Saint Germain scent collection is about as storied as it gets.  It was launched to celebrate the legendary company's 50th anniversary and is named after the original boutique's Parisian address.  Perfumers collected fragrance molecules off the floor of the boutique and blended them to create a scent that ideally captures the best of every fragrance Diptyque offers.  It's meant to evoke the scent of the store itself!  Interesting at the very least, no?

Have you had a whiff of 34 Boulevard Saint Germain?  What's your favorite Diptyque scent?  I have yet to own a candle, but a girl can dream!

Ask Away: How Do I Get Rid of Blackheads?

And now, I bring you the very first installment of Ask Away!  Where you, dear readers, send in questions and I offer solutions.  Got a skincare or makeup concern?  Hit me up! appliedglamour (at) hotmail (dot) com

"Know of something that would be good for taking care of blackheads on the nose and upper cheeks?"

Yes!  You've got several options.

For a quick fix, you can go to a professional aesthetician for a facial and they will perform blackhead extractions. I've never had it done, but from what I hear it can be a bit painful...you may want to take an Advil or some such pain reliever about an hour before you go!  A tool called a comodone extractor is used to remove all the blackheads out of your pores.  Although you can buy the extractor at drugstores and go the DIY route, it's really better of you leave this up to the professionals.  Book a facial at a reputable spa and they will do extractions if you ask.  The results are instant!

Another option is to try skincare products that specifically target blackheads. When I had blackheads in high school (confession time!), I used a blackhead eliminating exfoliating cleanser by Clean & Clear.  It worked really well but it will take about a month to really see results.

Once you've gotten rid of the blackheads, you'll want to keep them from returning.  Since blackheads are caused by excess oil that's trapped in your pores, skincare products that target oily skin will work wonders to prevent them.  One particularly great option is to use a deep pore cleansing mask once or twice a week.  This one from Origins ($22) contains activated charcoal to cleanse your pores, Boscia's Luminizing Black mask ($34) dries and peels off, taking impurities with it, and this clay mask from Boots ($9) balances skin and cleanses pores at a bargain price!

I hope this helps!  You'll have clearer skin in no time!

MAC Girls Night Out for the Birmingham AIDS Outreach!

Last weekend I had the pleasure of donating to the Birmingham AIDS Outreach (a fantastic organization!) and in return I got a lovely makeover by MAC artist Natalie.  She truly went above and beyond to ensure that by experience was amazing!  Pictured above is the color chart she used, and look!  She even colored in the eyes to match my own!  She was also extremely patient and thorough in answering my endless questions, and I learned a TON of new makeup application tricks.

Natalie first asked how I usually do my makeup.  I answered, "Red lipstick, black liquid liner, very retro, very Dita Von Teese...but I don't want that!  I want to try something different!"  I ended up with candy colored eyelids and nude lips; it was a fun change!  At first it definitely felt weird for me not to have color on my lips, but I think I may have to add a nude lipstick to the family.  Natalie explained every step of the process, went into detail about the brushes she used, and taught me how to duplicate the gradient effect of the eyeshadows.  She also took the time to write down everything she used, which I definitely appreciated!

I still couldn't resist playing with lipsticks and investigating all the new products, like the Style Driven collection of super long-wearing makeup.  I swatched a few of the lip liners and they Did. Not. Budge.  Even when I used cleanser to remove them, the color barely came off!  It was amazing.

The best part, though, was the eyelashes!  I chose the most glamorous pair and Natalie trimmed and applied them for me.  Typically when you wear false eyelashes, you know you're wearing them; your eyelids feel weirdly heavy.  But with these fancy MAC eyelashes?  I couldn't even tell they were there!  They felt so light and natural!  Totally worth the extra $$$.

 

 

I couldn't have had a better time!  Supporting a great organization and getting a makeover: heaven!