Sam I am

Heeeeey!
Wassup chicas? This is me in the illustrious, generous, fergilicious (couldn't resist) Sam Fine's house, minutes after he made me over something fierce for my new author photo! This is also me calling Adam to inform him his wife was somewhere out in the world looking quite DANGEROUS. But back to Sam. This man, as they say in the industry totally BEAT MY FACE. For those of you in the dark, Sam Fine is one of the most beloved and famous makeup artists in the game--and certainly the most beloved among black supervixens like Tyra, Naomi, Iman, Vanessa, Brandi, Mary (he did the Real Love video, okay? Yep, it's that deep)...and, ahem, me. He also wrote the black beauty classic, Fine Beauty. Look into it. Anyway, Mr. Fine was sweet enough to fit me in his jetsetting schedule...and do you see the brilliance, here? I quickly just want to share with you some of tips I picked up from the beauty Buddha:

1.) To ensure that your look lasts till the wee hours, blot down foundation with a tissue before applying powder. Sam finished me around noon, and I was amazed to find that my situation was flawless 8 hours later. Too bad I had nowhere good to go that night.

2.) Don't be scared of brown shadow. I never, ever use brown shadow, or anything in that family. I mistakenly believed it was muddy and drab. Well, Sam blessed my crease with a stunning deep coffee-reddish-rust color, and I was shocked! The smokiness was a less slutty than when I apply black or khol shadow to the crease...and it really made my eyes pop.

3.) I always thought I did a yummy job of plucking my own brows, but when Sam saw me he almost kicked me out of his apartment. The problem? My arch was super-skinny, and my front piece was too thick. Ladies, keep things balanced. If you favor a thin brow, make sure the whole thing is on the thin side. And the reverse for a fuller look. Sor-ree, Sam.

4.) If you're going to be taking pictures, give your skin some ooh-la-la love by lightly dusting a deep bronzer—a shade or two darker than your skin—all around the perimeter of your face (i.e., along hairline, jaw and chin). Not sure why, but it helps to give your face dimension and brightens the hell out of your complexion.

But enough about me and my get-gorgeous guru. This week, it's all about you and the beauty products that get you through the night. Take notes, ladies...I'm beginning to believe that my SYB'ers know more about this stuff than I do, dammit.

Love ya, mean it,
Tia


SEXY LADY: Economista (love the name, babe)
BEAUTY SHARE: Bare Minerals Foundation, $25
WHY: "I used to be a MAC devotee, but now I can't see myself using anything else. The key is to find a color that's as close as possible to your original color, and the let it sit for 5-10 minutes. It does tend to look a little powdery when you first put it on, but once it mixes with the oil in your skin, it looks like an airbrushed glow."
MY 2 CENTS: Lots of you ask me about Bare Minerals...FYI: its a preservative/fragrance/oil/talc/wax-free powder foundation that's perfect for super-sensitive, easily irritated skin. And it really does goes on like silk...believe the hype.


SEXY LADY: Anonymous
BEAUTY SHARE: Sebastian Colourshine Cellophane, $21.50
WHY: If you're looking to punch up your haircolor without commiting to hardcore dye, Miss Anonymous suggests using Cellophane, a protein-rich, super-conditioning color rinse. "You can just do a clear one if you don't want to add color to your hair. I find that when I use cellophanes my hair comes out better and last longer.
MY 2 CENTS: The delicious thing about this see-through rinse is that it leaves a sheer wash of super-glossy color on hair--nothing harsh or crazy. Oh, and it fades away naturally, too, so there's no gross rootage. The treatment's usually only available in salons, but I found a really bootleg website that sells it. You know you love me.


SEXY LADY: Ashley Smith
BEAUTY SHARE: MD Skincare Face & Body Peel, $78
WHY: "Not only is it the best exfoliator ever for ashy legs and feet, but it is also helping to get rid of the scar that i have on my knee!"
MY 2 CENTS: Yeah, it's expensive, but ritzy dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross' skincare line is GENIUS, especially if you've got body scars you're dying to get rid of. Storytime: When I worked at Glamour, a good part of my job description involved booking Dr. Gross appointments for the then-editrix-in-chief, Bonnie Fuller. His MD Formulation stuff worked miracles on her acne scars, but did absolutely nothing to mask her claws and fangs.


SEXY LADY: Christie
BEAUTY SHARE: L'Occitane Sweet Honey Lip Gloss, $12
WHY: "Honey child, this gloss is the business. It is hands down the best lip gloss I have ever bought. You must try it. It has a wonderful honey scent and it also has shea butter in it. Too too much!"
MY 2 CENTS: In a pinch, this lush lipbalm also doubles as a kick-ass cuticle moisturizer.


SEXY LADY: Quel
BEAUTY SHARE: Chi Flatiron, $89.95
WHY: "I'm growing out my relaxer right now and I'm not really ready to cut my hair short again. My newgrowth/relaxed ratio is about 40/60, which could be scary. But my Chi flat iron has saved my life."
MY 2 CENTS: It's a known fact in the beauty world that Chi makes the Muhammed Ali of flatirons. Think glass-straight, weave-glossy swinginess. It usually retails at around $200, but look, I found it for more than half off at folica.com! Gently forward the website to your man or your mom, and ask for it as an Xmas gift.