Beauty news from around the Web:
Suddenly, it seems like Paris Hilton is everywhere, with an array of products with her name affixed to them.
I recently did a little impulse shopping at Dollar Tree and found a few beauty goodies that were too fun not to share. Are they game-changers? Maybe not. But they’re definitely fun, functional, and surprisingly useful—all for $1.25 each. Here’s what made it into my basket
The Lip Exfoliator looks like a plastic tongue scraper, but it’s for your lips! Nubby surfaces on both sides help buff away dryness. It’s fun to try, but a textured washcloth works just as well.💄
This little makeup sponge holder is made of soft silicone and even has a suction cup base—perfect for sticking to your mirror or sink. It holds a Beautyblender or a dupe (mine’s a Dollar Tree dupe!) and keeps it clean and dry.
The Cuticle Oil Balm Stick is my favorite find of the bunch (with the makeup sponge holder coming in a close second). Super convenient—just swipe it on like lip balm. I like to apply it to all my fingers while waiting for the cuticle remover to soften my thumb cuticles. So handy!
Have you tried any of these? Or scored a Dollar Tree beauty gem that readers should know about? Drop it in the comments! 🛍️💬**
✨ a word about AI
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It’s been a crazy ol’ time as hubby and I are holed up at Comfort Inn, waiting to move into our apartment.
As hubby was shopping for clothes, I browsed JCPenney’s beauty department. As you know, Sephora used to be inside JCPenney stores, but now Sephora has a tie-up with Kohl’s.
JCPenney has now set up its own beauty department, and I couldn’t be happier. I like discovering new makeup brands, especially brands not carried by Sephora, Ulta, or CVS.
JCPenney carries these makeup brands:
Visit your nearby JCPenney to check out the variety of beauty brands it carries. I visited my local JCPenney store at Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax, VA. Alternatively, browse JCPenney Beauty online.
There’s nothing I like more than a matte neutral (or nearly neutral) eyeshadow palette. My latest acquisition is the Flora 9 in Matte Agave eyeshadow palette comprising nine earthy shades from Jason Wu Beauty.
Alas, Kathy Hochul defeated Lee Zeldin 52.9% (3,026,034 votes) to 47.1% (2,699,054 votes)
I am stunned and saddened to learn that makeup artist and brand founder AJ Crimson passed away. He was only 27 years old. The cause of death has not been revealed.
I had the pleasure of interviewing AJ Crimson for the Cold Cream ‘n’ Roses blog:
Part 1 – An interview with makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur A.J. Crimson, Part 1
Part 2 – An interview with makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur A.J. Crimson, Part 2
NYC plastic surgeon Dr. Lara Devgan has launched her own line of skin care products. Prices range from $65 to a whopping $300.
Skinskool is a website that finds dupes for skin care products, based on an ingredient-based product discovery algorithm, which it calls the Dupe Finder. The algorithm returns results that reveal which products are most alike, based on ingredients. This is represented by its Match Score.
Given that prestige retailers such as Sephora, Violet Grey, and NET‑A‑PORTER carry Dr. Lara Devgan’s skincare line, Skinskool was stunned that almost every product in the line has a 98% – 100% Match Score comparable to products selling at a fraction of the price.
Skinskool opines that Dr. Lara Devgan beauty is likely a private label line with customized packaging. As Kat noted, It is far easier to customize skin care or hair care products than lip liners or pencils and the like.
Skinskool stated that:
Many doctor’s offices or estheticians have their own brands, but it’s rare to see a private label line marketed so aggressively and at more than 3X the price of comparable products.
Skinskool asks:
What do you think? Does this affect your opinion of the brand? Of the retailers? Should this have been caught by someone before it hit the shelves of Sephora? Or do you think that Sephora could care less because if consumers buy what is marketed to them, it’s on us?
My take:
Many prestigious skin care lines are way overpriced. I’m more or less satisfied with drugstore skin care (Olay, CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, the latter for its range of sunscreens) and The Ordinary. Sephora, Violet Gray, and NET‑A‑PORTER could care less if consumers buy what is marketed to them: after all, it’s more money for them.
Gucci Westman, formerly creative director for both Lancôme and Revlon, has launched her own #cleanbeauty line Westman Atelier.
Below she demonstrates how to do a dimensional (read contouring and highlighting) face using three shades of her Vital Skin Foundation Stick ($68.00 a piece!). She blends ATELIER I (Fair, with neutral undertone) and ATELIER II (Medium fair, warm beige undertone) to create an under eye concealer.
Gucci Westman on Instagram: westmanatelier and gucciwestman
I recently cleaned my makeup brushes:
Brands include Real Techniques, Beauty Strokes, Sigma Beauty, and Wayne Goss.
I picked up the following method from the Internet. If I knew who offered the advice, I’d credit them.
I then swirl my makeup brushes in the mixture and wash, rinse, and squeeze out excess water out of the brushes using the two-sided 2X Sigma Spa© Brush Cleaning Glove (one side for face brushes and the other for eye makeup brushes).
The glove costs $39.00 through Sigma’s web site.
Want to know how to use it? Sigma has made this very helpful video:
Cold Cream 'n' Roses 
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