Monday's Product of the Week:

Liquid Lustre Lip Gloss

Little Goddess Liquid Lustre glosses = intensely shiny lips with sexy pops of shimmery color! Some women feel that gloss is a summertime product, but I wear gloss almost everyday, year-round, because it makes my pout pop! My favorite Liquid Lustre color of the moment is "Seduction"... a perfect combination of pink with gold shimmer that lives up to its name! Little Goddess Liquid Lustre's are always slick and never sticky. Wear alone or layer over lipstick and lip-liner. Available at littlegoddesscosmetics.com

What is an Antioxidant?

I have written so much about putting antioxidants on your skin and how good they are for you, that I should actually explain what an antioxidant is for those of you who don't know.

Antioxidants are substances that prevent or slow oxidation (think about a peeled apple browning). Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that protect the body from free radical damage. Free radicals are a result of an unhealthy diet, sun, pollution, smoke, and chemicals. Free radicals attack healthy cells and can lead to many diseases. Free radicals also break down collegen and cause premature aging. Antioxidants help prevent the good cells from turning bad. They have also been reported to promote cell growth, collegen production, and prevent sagging.

The most common antioxidants are vitamins A, C, E, Beta Carotene, and Selenium and the best way to get them is by eating a healthy well rounded diet. Your plate should be colorful! You can also get them by taking a supplement. You can apply antioxidants to your skin by applying creams and serums that contain antioxidants. Also keep in mind that antioxidants used in conjunction with a broad spectrum sunscreen decreases UV damage compared with using sunscreen alone. So be sure to apply an antioxidant serum to the skin before you apply your sunscreen or use a sunscreen that contains antioxidants. Remember, Little Goddess products such as our foundations, blushes, powders are full of antioxidants-not only do we look great-we are great for you too!

Monday's Product of the Week:

Little Goddess Hydra-Radiance Age Defying Mineral Powder Foundation

Mineral foundation is great for people who don't like wearing foundation. It is very light and natural looking, you can have that polished look without looking "done". Minerals have natural light reflectors that create a soft finish and hide any imperfections. It is buildable coverage so you can wear it sheer or build it up for full coverage. It is also great for the summertime as the powder absorbs some of the oiliness that comes along with summertime skin. It also has an SPF of 15 and little moisture spheres for a little added moisture, however, keep in mind this is a powder and if you're looking for moisture you should go with a liquid or a creme like our Mineral Sheer Tint.

Available in 4 shades. Samples available at littlegoddesscosmetics.com.

Dr. Oz's Show: How your Cosmetics are Killing you. A Rebuttal

I feel that I should respond to Dr. Oz's show on Wednesday about how your cosmetics are killing you.

Although he made some very valid points; I feel the products he singled out, and the reason's he reported were unfair and a little far-fetched. I feel his producers were reaching a little too much in order to make a controversial show.

The 1st Culprit - Mineral Powder Foundation. The reason? Because if you inhale it, it can cause lung damage. This is all well and good, however Dr. Oz then showed how this happens and proceeded to churn up the powder with a brush until there was a big cloud of mineral foundation floating in the air. I am sorry but when I apply mineral foundation to myself or anybody else, there is never a cloud of powder enveloping us. He then said that when construction workers work with concrete, which has minerals in it, they wear masks and don't see the damage for 20-30 years. Really? Are you really comparing the 30 seconds it takes to apply mineral foundation to breaking up concrete all day long? Yes, it is true you should not huff your mineral foundation but there are plenty of products that are inhaled daily that probably aren't good for you. What about hairspray or spray tans? I bet a lung full of either is not good at all!

The 2nd Culprit: Anti-wrinkle Creme - The reason? The speed with which it enters your system through the skin. Understandable, but why anti-wrinkle creme? What about body lotion, self tanner, sunscreen, deodorant, etc.? There are a plethora of products that we apply to our bodies everyday that come in contact with our skin and I'm sure they all contain ingredients that we would not want absorbed into our bodies.

The 3rd & Last Culprit - Petroleum Jelly. I am going to write a separate post about petroleum jelly as there has been a lot of grumblings about it and I would like to research it more. I have been slathering Vaseline on my lips since birth, however Dr. Oz's statement that "putting Vaseline on your lips is the same as drinking gasoline" is a bit unbelievable for me. I would like to pour some Vaseline into his gas tank and see how that works for him.

So basically, you must do your research and find what you are comfortable with. Not all products are good for you -"natural" or not and a lot of terms-like "natural"-are not monitored by the FDA, so therefore they mean nothing and are a marketing ploy. With that said, I feel like Dr. Oz unfairly targeted some products that do not deserve to be singled out and I wanted to present the other side of the coin. I hope I helped provide a different view.

Grammy Awards

Another Sunday, another awards show! I have to say the Grammy's were very entertaining and I enjoyed them. 

I loved Lady Gaga, she is a true artist and I love watching her performances. She is one girl that makes her makeup artist WORK! (Picture me saying that like RuPaul). She had 3 completely different makeup looks!

I also loved Pink - she is a bad-ass lady and very talented. I always enjoy her songs and the lyrics sound like they come out of her head and her heart, and not from a corporate machine. Her performance was very beautiful and impressive being she was singing as she was spinning high above the audience, and then had perfect balance when she landed. I can't even balance standing still on my Wii Fit (I won't even tell you what it registered my real age as). Pink used to be a gymnast.

The Black Eyed Peas were upbeat and full of energy and as always looked like they were having fun.

I almost fell off my couch when Stevie Nicks came onstage - what an Icon! I LOVE her and was mesmerized while she was singing "Rhiannon", however I do not feel she should have sung backup on Taylor Swifts song "You Belong with Me".

Another band that was a little disappointing for me was Green Day. I am a HUGE Green Day fan and have followed them for years. I think American Idiot is one of the greatest albums ever written, so 1st disappointment: American Idiot is going to be a Broadway play. 2nd disappointment: their performance of "21 Guns"  with the cast of American Idiot bordered on cheese. The band who has sung for the past almost 20 years about being rebels and happily being the minority has jumped the shark.

Beyonce was also a bit rehearsed and theatrical and why did she grab her crotch? 

Lastly, Katy Perry is gorgeous! I never realized how beautiful she is until she guest hosted American Idol last week and looked vavavavoom in her corally pink dress and she looked just as stunning at the Grammy's.

Monday's Product of the Week:

Little Goddess Absolute Cremeliner

I Love Black Eyeliner! I have been wearing eyeliner since I was 12 years old. I loved how all the glamorous pinups like Bridget Bardot and Marilyn Monroe looked with their sexy dark rimmed eyes. It is the one cosmetic I feel absolutely naked without-I seriously can feel when it is not on my face. I would go buy my Maybeline eyeliner in Velvet Black and burn it before I put it on. I still keep a lighter in my kit because you never know when your gonna have to burn an eyeliner-it just seems to make everything darker and smoother! **Please allow to cool before you stick a flaming hot eyeliner in your eye-that would hurt!**

One eyeliner that does not need burning is my Little Goddess Absolute Cremeliner. Little Goddess Cremeliner is a creme pot eyeliner that glides on smoothly and stays on all day. It will never, ever flake or dry out. It melts into your skin and retains an element of creaminess. It is the perfect eyeliner to create the perfect pinup girl cat-eye, however it can also be blended and smoked out to create a smokey eye. Wear with caution--those sexy dark eyes are bound to stir up some trouble!

**Quick Tip: When wearing a cream eyeliner, take an angle brush and apply a dark eyeshadow over the eyeliner to set the eyeliner so it last all day.**

Green Tea as Toner

There is a lot of debate about toners and if they are a necessary step in a skin care routine. Some people swear by toners and believe they help do a multitude of things from tighten pores to providing extra moisture to the skin. Others feel toner is an unnecessary step. Some people feel a toner helps take off makeup you may have missed, and others feel if you are using a proper cleanser, you don't need a toner.
 

Personally, I like the added security of having a toner take-away whatever my cleanser may have missed, but I also do not believe in spending a ton of money on skin care. So instead of running to the drugstore, an even better place to find quality products with incredible ingredients is in your kitchen! Which is why I use Green Tea as a toner. 

I brew a cup of green tea and save it in a tupperware in the refrigerator. At night, after I take my makeup off, I saturate a cotton ball with the green tea and wipe it over my face. This will remove any dirt and makeup that may have been missed and also deposits a heafty dose of antioxidants to your skin, and it is pure - just one ingredient - green tea. Since I have been doing this, my skin has been really clear and healthy looking with much less breakouts! 

I only do this once a day as twice would be too drying and if your skin is sensitive, test it out first to make sure it is not irritating for you. It is your choice as to when you want to do it, either morning or night. They say that antioxidants help your sunscreen work better, so applying the tea in the morning is probably a better option for some. I like using it at night to wipe away the day. It is also fantastic in the summertime when the air is thick outside and skin produces more oil to take that cool tea and cool down!  Happy Brewing!

It's awards season!

The Golden Globes were last weekend and the SAG awards were on Saturday night, all leading up to the big night -The Oscars! This is the time of year that all the pretty people have to look their absolute prettiest.

The SAG awards cover both television and film so you get to see the best of both worlds, and they are fun because they aren't as serious as the Oscars and Golden Globes and the recipients actually look like they are having fun!

My thoughts on who looked Fabulous:

Edie Falco looked very young and refreshed. I don't know if it's her hair and makeup or she's had something done but she looks about 15yrs younger than Carmella Sorprano.

I loved Anna Paquin's dress-very youthful and appropriate!

Kyra Sedgewick always looks fantastic, I think she looked very classy, and Felicity Huffman's dress was very nice.

The girls from Nine all looked amazing! Penelope Cruz looked stunning, her makeup looked fantastic. I know Scott Barnes did her makeup for the Golden Globes, I don't know if he did her makeup for the SAG awards but she looked great-she's a very sexy lady and pulls off the black eyeliner look fantastically. Kate Hudson does the Golden Glowy Goddess in white look very well, and Nicole Kidman just stands out in a crowd-with her hair, her coloring, and her unique style.

My favorite of the night however was Helen Mirren-she is one stunning lady. She is 64 years old. Her dress and skin were glowing. I hope I look as good as she does when I am her age.

Julianna Margolis is a very attractive lady, however her dress was very unflattering.

What was wrong with Drew Barrymore? Besides the fact that I desparately wanted to put lipstick on her, she seemed very intense and inarticulate accepting her speech-was that an act?

I can't wait for the Oscars to see what all these lovely ladies do to top themselves.

Monday's Product of the Week:

Mineral Sheer Tint SPF 20

Monday's are Little Goddess Cosmetic's Product of the Week and currently my favorite product of the moment is the Mineral Sheer Tint SPF 20! This is a sheer foundation that is similar to a tinted moisturizer; however is highly pigmented so you get really great coverage! 

I love it because in this cold, dry winter air, it is oh-so moisturizing keeping my skin dewy looking, even as I sit indoors in the forced air heat. Besides being a great foundation and moisturizer chock full o' antioxidants (including vitamins A, E, as well as Ginseng and Ginko) it also works as a sunblock with an SPF of 20! It is a bunch of different products all rolled into one which is why it's my Product of the Week! 

What's Available? There are 6 shades: 3 that have a "glow" - a little added radiance, and 3 that are just creamy dreamy. Mineral Sheer Tints are hypoallergenic, oil free, fragrance free, water resistant, and great for people with sensitive skin. 

You can order samples at littlegoddesscosmetics.com for only the price of shipping and handling!

****QUICK TIP: When choosing a shade for your foundation, try matching it to your chest. The skin on your face tends to be a shade or so lighter than the skin on your chest. This way you can create a little more warmth in your face and also create a more uniform look between the skin on your face and the skin on your body.

I LOVE Olive Oil!

I love cooking with it and dipping my bread in it... but I really love olive oil as a beauty product!

I use olive oil for everything and you can too! I like to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as it is natural, pure, chock full of antioxidants, and there are no additives or preservatives.

Here are some ways you can use Olive Oil: 

• As a Moisturizer: Don't worry, you won't smell like a salad... In the morning, I take 2 drops of olive oil and massage it into my skin before I put on my sunblock (wait a minute for the olive oil to sink in). It keeps my skin supple and conditioned all day long and it also helps my mineral based sunblock go on very smoothly. Keep in mind that oil and water do not mix, so if you are using a water based product such as foundation over olive oil, there is a chance that it will cause the product to move around on your skin. Some people may want to add olive oil to their night time routine instead. Olive oil, along with some other non-fragrant oils such as jojoba oil; mimic the lipids found in the skin.

• As Eye Makeup Remover: At night, I rub a couple of drops onto my eyelids to loosen the makeup, then I just rinse with my regular face wash.
  
  
•  As a Face & Body Scrub: I mix olive oil and sugar together to make a face scrub which I use about once a week. Just make a bigger batch and use it in the shower as a body scrub.
  
  
• To Clean Makeup Brushes: I put olive oil on a paper towel and rub the brushes around it until all the makeup comes off. The olive oil gets the dirt out and conditions the bristles. Then I wash them with shampoo.

As I said before... I love olive oil and for many different reasons. Remember, Sophia Loren was quoted as crediting spaghetti for her sexy looks(which she has denied saying) but I think it was the olive oil.

Welcome to My New Makeup Blog!

Hello Ladies! Allow me to introduce myself... My name is Jessica and I am the owner of Little Goddess Cosmetics. I've started this blog because I L♥VE talking about makeup, skincare, and beauty. I also love talking about food, so you may see a food post sneak in here once in a while. 

Besides chatting about beauty, I also want to introduce you to my makeup line, Little Goddess Cosmetics, which I started so that all you beautiful ladies (and gentlemen) could rely on a trendy and affordable makeup line for the modern day pinup!

Here on my blog you can learn tips, tricks, and step-by-steps. You can also ask questions and get answers! Now, I am by no means a makeup or skincare expert, but I do have a ton of knowledge and experience. I will be posting step-by-step videos featuring Little Goddess products, so if you have any requests for looks you may want to see, please ask!

Thank you so much for visiting/subscribing! I will be posting a few times a week so check back and participate regularly and don't forget to visit us at littlegoddesscosmetics.com!

Love to all,

Jessica