MICA Beauty Cosmetics...Sun Kissed Pigments

MICA Beauty Cosmetics
http://www.micabeauty.com

There are a variety of natural mineral cosmetics available on the market, I happen to come across this particular brand by accident.  I was in the market for gold and bronze toned eye make-up and browsing thru Lenox Square Mall in Atlanta Georgia. I was debating on trying a few M.A.C. shadows when a guy at a kiosk on the main level of the mall grabbed my attention. I do LOVE that mineral make-up in general is gentle on my eyes, so I thought why not give this a try. The retail value of each color is $9.00...and the salesperson offered a buy 2 get 1 free sale. I decided to purchase these three shades:

L-R: Striptease#27/ Carnival#9/ Nature#39
http://www.micabeauty.com

A color swatch of the colors against my skin tone...

For this particular look I use:
 Striptease as the highlighter color, its a nice taupe color that has shimmer great for the brow bone and inner tear duct are.
Carnival, the gold tone as the all over lid color, and eye liner.
Nature the deep brown as the color to accent the crease and give depth and shape to the eye.

To ensure I would have good adhesion, long wear and pigmentation of color I used a M.A.C. paintpot as a primer. Unfortunately the name has rubbed off the bottom of the pot so here is a pic of the color I used.

MAC PaintPot as Primer

When applying the MICA pigments keep in mind to apply your foundation after you complete your eye look, the pigments do fall a bit on the cheek area etc. I will be using 3 different brushes to apply the pigments.

I use a flat head natural hair bristle brush from the art supply store as a highlighter brush to apply Striptease. It perfectly applies color to the brow area and the inner duct crease. For more intense color dampen the brush and pigment and pat onto the eye area.

Then the Sonia Kashuk eyeshadow brush is used to apply the all over lid color Carnival. This brush can be purchased at Target and is a great buy, truly a great brush. Again depending on the intensity of the color you can dampen the brush and pat the color in place. I chose to go for a golden/bronzy look for a sun glow appeal so I used a damp brush.

Finally to accent the crease and add depth to the look I used the M.A.C. 219SE crease brush to apply Nature. I prefer to allow the brush to push into the crease and apply color in a small circular motion.

 Another great perk about using mineral pigment make-up is that it can also be used as a lipgloss!...Awesome gotta Luv versatility.
Just take the color pigment of your choice and apply a dab of lipgloss/lipglass, or I prefer to use Neosporin Lip Health mix well and apply with a lipstick brush.

M.A.C lipstick brush. Carnival Pigment, Neosporin Lip Health

Final Results of Sun-Kissed Summer Look

MICA beauty cosmetics offers a great color pigmentation product and I would definitely repurchase. They also offer a full line of natural mineral make-up and brushes. http://www.micabeauty.com
 Enjoying the Sun:

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2012 Men Fall Fashion Style Guide..Season of the Blazer

This Fall/Winter the tuxedo look makes yet another appearance...this time its re-invented itself into a structured yet relaxed look. Using a skinny lapel and tailored thru the body fit allows it to balance formality and edgy. Push up those sleeves fellas:0)..You want the look to showcase the layers under the jacket. You could wear it alone with a tailored button down as shown, and also layered with a vest.

Courtesy of SneakOutfitters.com

Courtesy Neiman Marcus Yves Saint Laurent

                           Leopard-Print Patent Loafer

Courtesy of SoleStruck Jeffrey Campbell

Using footwear is a great way to introduce trends you might not feel so comfy wearing on your body. Animal prints are HUGE yet again and very versatile when applying impact pieces to your style. The leopard print loafer pic'd above offers that perfect balance of logical fashion.
Also please note that square toe shoes are definitely not whats hot...keep your eyes focused on rounded toe footwear, such as the classic lace up Jeffrey Campbell pic'd above.  And just as with sneakers look for unique styles, uniqueness always is noticed. Think about it... Have you ever known a female to NOT look down at your shoes?lol no right:0) so they are worth the investment. Some of my personal fav shoes right now for both men and women are designed by Jeffrey Campbell.

Jeffrey Campbell

Courtesy of GQ.com

Along with blazers its a great idea to invest in cashmere or wool blended v-neck sweaters. These are the best staple layering pieces that add such a "umph" to most looks. Also if the blazer is removed the outfit will continue to look polished and pulled together.

Courtesy of SneakOutfitters.com

Color blocking continues to make its impact as we approach fall 2012..and men are not excluded from achieving this dynamic look. The trend becomes easy to pull off with adding a pop of color blazer to jeans, cords, or slacks. Also keep in mind when wearing casual blazer looks its perfectly ok to roll up those sleeves. Giving the look a more at ease and confident look with carefree approachable appeal.

Adidas Courtesy of SoleStruck.com

Of course do not underestimate the power of footwear, and its color blocking abilities. Even on a "low-key" basic t-shirt and jeans day a shoe such as the Adidas Mens Penny Loafer x Jeremy can enhance that look. Giving an effortless image, thats still very much pulled together and comfortable. If you are wondering what colors are best for color blocking this fall here is a helpful color guide:

Courtesy of Pantone.com

The emergence of country chic is in effect, which is a great way to introduce vintage into the wardrobe..adding a bit of versatility and fun.  Flannel's, T's, and all things in between flow with cowboy or rider boots. The more broke in the better...adds to the rustic appeal.

Timberland Boot Co. Tackhead

Vintage Fry Boots

Hope you find this Style guide helpful in your quest to remain fashionably powerful. If you have any further questions/ inquiries feel free to comment .
Thanks for reading.