The biggest party you will attend this year is right around the corner, so don’t you want to kick it up a little bit when it comes to your hair? Clip-in hair is the only way I go as it’s simple, easy to put in for the regular person and really shoozhes up a look, no? The latest brand I tried is HAIRDIAMOND ITALIA. They make pieces in real Remy hair (this is real human hair!) and Keraflex, which is a heat resistant fiber hair that can be treated like your own hair. So no matter which you chose, you can use that curling iron or flat iron on them!

They come in 13 different colors and the Remy comes in 14”, 18” and 23” lengths and the Keraflex ones come in 14” and 20” lengths. And if you are looking for specific pieces, they make those too, like toppers and bangs.

The style I tried was the FastClip 14” Remy Extension in a really light shade of blonde. I recently went to get my hair touched up from my hair stylist Kristin Merkling, freelance hair/makeup artist based at KimVo salon in Beverly Hills, and brought the FastClip with me I was sent to try. Since she is a professional in this area, I wanted to get her input on clip-in hair pieces.

So I have to ask ...

What Makes for a Good Quality Clip-In Hair Piece?

Click here to read more

Ok, ok, we’ve all used the plastic lash combs but can we get serious?? They suck!! Really. Truly. Suck! The plastic teeth are just too thick to get through lashes when they are coated with mascara and when I do get them through, the teeth seem to clump together 3, 4 or 5 eyelashes together. Done with that and believe me!

So I have to ask ... 

What Makes for a Great Eyelash Comb?

Here are my selling points for making eyelash comb with metal teeth the only ones in existence!

• The teeth in metal combs are thinner so they are able to get in-between each lash easier.
• The metal teeth clean up easier with a little makeup remover.
• The metal teeth don’t break.

Here are a few that get my stamp of approval:

PERFECT LASH COMB ($15.95 @ perfectlash.com) – This one isn’t in my Hall of Fame for nothing! And the added bonus of curving to the shape of your eye makes using this one quick and oh so easy. 

SEPHORA COLLECTION Pro Brow Comb #21 ($14 @ sephora.com)

MAKE UP FOR EVER #276 Eyelash Comb & Brush ($28 @ sephora.com)

ARDELL Lash Comb ($1.65 @ amazon.com)

What kind of lash comb do you currently use? Let me know in the comments!

I often wonder what percentage of women goes to the salon for their mani/pedi vs. those that do it at home. Since I fall mostly in the latter category, I still want mine to last as long as the ones I’ve gotten in the salon. And what’s their secret to the longevity? The prep! So the last time I went I observed and observed and came to a few conclusions.

So I have to ask ... 

What Makes for a Good Mani/Pedi?

A few things seem to make a mani/pedi last and skipping just one in the process can make all the difference in it lasting a few extra days.

1. Don’t soak your nails after taking off polish. It can diminish nail polish adhesion.

2. Apply a nail dehydrator the nail bed like this CUCCIO Dehydrator ($8 @ hbbeautybar.com). It will remove any traces of any product left on nails to help the polish adhere better.

3. A good base coat – this is so key! A base coat will also prevent nails from turning yellow, especially if you are wearing a dark color.

4. Make sure you keep nail beds and hands moisturized while wearing polish. For cuticles, I apply CUCCIO Conditioning Butter Stick in my favorite scent they make, Milk & Honey ($7 @ amazon.com) and for hands I slather on FRESH Brown Sugar Hand Cream ($18.50/2.5oz @ fresh.com). Afterward, if my hands aren’t too slippery, I gently push back my cuticles with a cuticle pusher like the one shown in the picture that you can find on amazon. The curved end makes it super easy to push cuticles back. 

5. And when I’m doing a pedi, I follow the above, however, I do give my tootsies a good sugar scrub down with Moisturizing Body Truffles ($3.75/1oz @ bonblissity.com) from the BON BLISS line. I know, it says “body” in the name but these are the perfect size to use on both feet and you can really target certain areas of the feet. And these smell so amazing! This Sweet Satsuma smells of mandarin orange.

Do you have any suggestions for getting the best at-home mani/pedi?

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes. Some I bought.

Now that summer has wound down, so have the vacations. But we still want to go on those getaways, if only for a weekend but how many times have you forgotten something?

Here are some essentials you should pack before hitting the road next time:

Makeup Bag - SEPHORA COLLECTION The High Roller ($48 @ sephora.com) – this one had velcro’d in see-through makeup bags inside that you can store all your weekend items. Unroll it and hang it from the door with its built-in hanger to see all your items at one time.

Hair Volumizer - TAYA Amazon White Clay & Acacia Collagen Hair Plumper ($24/8oz @ tayabeauty.com) – no matter where I travel, I seem to bring my flat hair with me but this one seem to keep the case of the permanent flatsies at bay. The combo of a mousse and hairspray in one helps give hair volume and hold.

Nude Lippie - HOURGLASS COSMETICS Femme Nude Lip Stylo in Nude No. 5 ($30 @ violetgrey.com) – I love a lip balm when I’m traveling but I also need a little color or rather polish to my look, so what better way then with a nude lippie?

Sun Protection for Hair - L’OREAL Everpure UV Protect Spray in Rosemary Mint ($8.99/8.5oz @ amazon.com and drugstores nationwide) – since going full on red, as in redhead, I am super protective from keep it true as long as possible. The sun can wreak havoc on hair color, so do yourself a favor, if you’re not wearing a hat, spray on this protective “hat” of sunscreen. You spend good money on your hair color so shouldn’t you make it last?

Sun Protection for Skin - COPPERTONE Faces Sensitive Skin Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50 ($9.89/2oz @ target.com) – no matter what time of year it is, You. Need. Sunscreen! Sometimes sunscreens can sting but this one is formulated for sensitive skins and doesn’t leave a white hue behind.

Deodorant/Antiperspirant - CERTAIN DRI Antiperspirant Roll-On for Excessive Perspiration ($6.29/1.2oz @ walgreens.com) – I’ve tried sooooo many out there and at the end of the day, this seems to be the only one that works and works consistently.

Cheek Color - NARS Multiple in Portofino ($39 @ sephora.com) – I find that a medium coral on cheeks looks swell any time of year and is unexpected in the fall to winter months. And it makes me look wide awake than I may be feeling.  

Face Mist - NEAL’S YARD REMEDIES White Tea Facial Mist ($19/1.52oz @ nyrorganic.com) - to soothe skin with the possible climate changes. No matter what time of year, I like to have a face mist on hand and this contains 92% organic ingredients. 

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes. Some I bought.

After running this feature on Smashbox’s new eye liners and seeing all the makeup sharpeners I owned, it got me thinking. What makes for a good one? As in, what makes for a good makeup pencil sharpener or what makes for a good anything really? After trying and playing with products for the past 12+ years, I think I have a bit of expertise when it comes to specific topics and what makes for a good something.

So I decided to start a new on-going feature called …

and in these features I will discuss what I think makes for a good product or way of doing something beauty-related.

This first one will investigate what I think makes for a good makeup sharpener, so let’s get to it!!

What Makes for a Good Makeup Sharpener?

Like the ones shown in this picture I took of the ones I own, they all fill a purpose. Since there is no set size for any pencil for lips or eyes, you will probably find yourself having to own quite a few different ones.

If you are just going to invest in one or two of them, here is what you should look for in a good one. I like a duo sharpener like this one from Pixi Beauty I recently featured. Also, since I don’t have a trashcan next to my makeup table, a case that surrounds the sharpener to catch the shavings is also convenient. And with all the ones I’ve tried, that small pokey thing to poke color and shavings away from the blade is totally underrated. Believe it or not, only some include this pokey thing.

Here are some good ones that can get you by.

Clockwise:

• URBAN DECAY Grindhouse Double Barrel Sharpener ($10 @ ulta.com)
• JAPONESQUE Dual Sharpener ($10.99 @ amazon.com)
• SEPHORA COLLECTION Colorful Dual Antibacterial Sharpener ($4 @ sephora.com)
• ULTA Cosmetic Pencil Sharpener ($2.50 @ ulta.com) 

But if you really want the best of the best, I’ve tried a bunch and these ones below are the best as they meet the key criteria:

1. Should be able to sharpen two different sizes; so make it a duo, please.
2. Should have a blade-cleaning pick with it. This is so useful!
3. Should be encased to catch the pencil shavings.

Clockwise:

• KEVYN AUCOIN The Precision Pencil Sharpener ($8 @ barneys.com)
• TWEEZERMAN Deluxe Cosmetic Pencil Sharpener ($4 @ amazon.com)
• MALLY BEAUTY Dual Sharpener ($12.50 @ ulta.com)
• ELF Dual Pencil Sharpener ($1 @ eyeslipsface.com)
• DuWOP Beauty Blade, Antibacterial Dual Eye and Lip Pencil Sharpener ($11 @ dermstore.com)

So do you have a favorite makeup pencil sharpener? Let me know in the comments!