Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Pretty&Cute Update: Skin79

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You may have noticed a recent slight increase of price in our Skin79 products. Pretty&Cute has been an authorized retailer for Skin79 for years and have fought to keep our prices low for our wonderful customers. As our contract has been renewed, it was mandatory for us and all other authorized retailers to also adjust our prices accordingly. 

We thank you for your continuous support over the years and appreciate it sincerely. 

Monday, April 15, 2013

The Entire Miryoku Collection by Pretty&Cute


Our Miryoku Eyelashes that are affordable lashes made with thick fibers for a long lasting look, but is still very flexible to form to your lid perfectly.  Styles vary from dramatic to natural. No matter what style you choose, these lashes will accentuate your eyes with a hint of glam. What's even better? You get 10 pairs in an adorable pink box with a heart-shaped cut out for easy visibility!We've collaborated all of our lashes into one easy to navigate page here so that you can look at our entire collection by scrolling through each style. Whether you're looking for something natural and simple, dramatic and voluminous, you'll be sure to find something you'll enjoy over and over for any occasion here.  Take a look at our three categories:







[Sweet & Flirty]
  
[Big & Bold] 

 [Nice & Natural]



 

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Spring Cleaning! Makeup Products - When to Toss It?


        
       It's no lie that we love our beauty products. We love using them and we also love having 
them sit on our vanities looking fabulous like a decor piece. The love is especially true when we find a product that is limited edition, hard-to-find or just a piece you feel you never want to throw away.
      But of course, we must come to our senses and know when to toss some of our products out. It makes your heart sink to think about it, we know. We feel the same way. But in order to maintain healthy skin, hair, and nails, we must keep things sanitary. In addition, you will get only the best results and quality from your products when they are refreshed. Make room on your vanities and in your makeup drawers and start making room for new things, it's time for some SPRING CLEANING! Photo credit: Ekimura


  • BB Creams - An unopened BB Cream can last anywhere up to 3 years. Once opened, it will remain fresh and usable for anywhere between 1-2 years. Of course, it may be shorter depending on how much you use it. Be sure to store your BB Cream in a cool and dry location away from extreme humidity and always be sure to cap it tightly if your BB cream requires it.
  • Concealer - A majority of concealers, despite the form they come in should be around for only about a year. Concealers can dry up over time so be sure to also store in a cool area.
  • Blush & Cheek Products - These can last awhile, up to about 2 years. Just make sure to always use a clean brush each and every time.
  • Powders - Remember to cap and seal these properly for a long term usage life of 2 years. 
 
  • Lipsticks/ Lipgloss - These should last around 2 years. Since you reapply directly onto your lips each time, its smart to not let the bacteria build up over time.
  • Lip Liners - We suggest up to 3 years as lip liners tend to be dryer types of makeup that don't build up much bacteria and maintain their color for long periods of time.
  • Lip Balms - We typically use lip balms all year round since our lips can get dried and cracked in both Winter and Summer. This is why we suggest up to a year max on lip balms. 



  • Mascara - Refresh your mascara every 6 months at the max. It is important to do so because its liquid-like formula can 1, dry out quickly and 2, it can build up bacteria with every stroke.
  • Eyeliner - Pencil liners can last years up to about 3 years. Liquid liners on the other hand should be switched out every 6 months or so for the same reason as mascaras.
  • Eyeshadow (Liquid) - Switch these out every 6 months as well. Anything liquid should be switched around this time frame.
  • Eyeshadow (Powder) - This form can last any where up to 3 years. Since the formula is already dried, its color and form can last.
  • Eyeshadow (Cream) - We suggest anywhere up to 1 year as cream is typically a more moisturizing formula than powder and requires fingers for application.

  • Shampoo & Conditioner - These products are probably the most used in the beauty department especially on a daily basis. Regardless, we suggest up to 3 months before a new set should be replaced.
  • Acne, Anti Aging, Specialized Products - Otherwise directed, these items should be tossed at 1 year max. These typically have  ingredients that target their specific functions and work best when they are at their newest stages.
  • Facial Lotions - Up to 1 year. Your face has the most sensitive skin on your entire body so it is best to give your skin the best nourishment!
  • Body Lotions - Up to 1.5 years. It's likely you have a giant bottle of body lotion somewhere, right? You don't have to rush through it. Just keep it in a dry and cool place for best results. 





 


We hope this helps! Happy Spring Cleaning!






Thursday, April 4, 2013

All You Want to Know about BB Creams

(1) What do you know about BB Creams? 

BB Creams have been what nearly all beauty gurus and beauty enthusiasts have been absolutely raving about for the past couple of years. In the Asian market, BB Creams are known as "Blemish Balms", whereas; in Western markets, they are known as "Beauty Balms". BB Creams are basically the all-in-one beauty product that replaces foundation, primer, moisturizer, sun screen and many other functions. They come in many forms for different skin types such as dry, oily and combination but all have all the basic functions. Primarily, they originated as Asian cosmetic products but recently, the Western market has incorporated the concept of BB Creams into their cosmetic companies.

Some interesting background: the original BB Creams were actually created in Germany and made its way through Asia where it became an iconic beauty product. Read more about this below under 5.

(2) What's so great about BB Creams?

Imagine in the morning - as you get ready for your day, you get to brush away multiple products from your vanity that you once had to use and reach for just one. Not only do BB Creams give off a flawless look to your skin making you feel like you don't even have anything on, they help to save you time and money! Even better - a little goes a very long way! Unlike your ordinary makeup, you typically would only need a pea-sized amount to give a complete coverage on you skin.

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No longer would your skin feel cakey and overdone under the sunlight as the cream blends into your own skin and looks completely natural. BB Creams come with a variety of functions including: oil control, SPF protection, wrinkle improvement, whitening and brightening properties, nutrition for the skin, and many more to suit your skin type.

(3) What's the main difference between BB Cream and foundations?

As mentioned above, BB Creams contain many more functions and benefits for the skin than an average foundation does. Surely they provide coverage but they can help with correcting the skin's complexion, brightening and help with other areas such as preventing sun damage, acne and wrinkles.

A majority of BB Creams also contain moisturizing benefits or oil-absorption properties which extremely dry and extremely oily makeup users enjoy.


(4) How long can BB Creams last?

 Generally, a BB Cream that has been unopened can be stored (in a cool area) for up to 3 years. An opened BB Cream can last anywhere from 1-2 years depending on how much you use it and how you store it. BB Creams do last quite a long time since you really don't need much at all in one usage!

(5) When and why was BB Cream invented?


The first BB Cream was formulated in the 1960s by a dermatologist named Christine Schrammek (pictured on the left via Schrammek.com) as a health-related product not cosmetic. Originally, she had created the formula to protect the skin of her patients after undergoing surgery.  Eventually, around the years of 1985-1990, Japan and South Korea adopted the concept and became a "holy-grail" product as bright, clear and flawless skin is very much valued and prized. Many women in Asia who star behind cameras fell in love with BB Creams and how they made their skin look on camera and several had eventually become spokespersons and sponsors for different brands.

Take for example Mayumi Yasutomo, an Asian newscaster and the creator of Fairydrops Cosmetics. When she created the oh-so-popular Fairydrops Candy Bar BB Cream, she wanted to create something that made her skin look flawless yet naturally on camera. She designed the product to be shine-free, oil-free and waterproof which was the solution.








 (6) Asian vs. Western BB Creams

It is no doubt that BB Creams have become quite a hit in the Asian and now Western market. Many drugstore cosmetic brands have recently incorporated BB Creams into their product line. Take a look at this video by YouTube's Prettyshinysparkly about both types of BB Creams. Do you have an opinion on this?




(7) How do I begin to figure out which BB Creams match me?

When customers contact us with questions on how to find a BB Cream that matches their skin type and preferences, we always ask them the following questions to better assist them individually:

1)      What is your MAC skin tone color (i.e. NC15, NC20, NW20, etc)
2)      Do you have cooler undertones, pink/gray? Or warmer undertones, yellow/tan?
3)      What type of skin do you have (i.e. oily, dry, combination, normal)?
4)      What functions are you looking for in a BB cream (i.e. whitening, SPF, Moisturizing, etc)?

If you aren't sure of your MAC skin tone color, you can refer to the following photo (credit: KaylaSugar.net)


You can send us an e-mail at inquiry@prettyandcute.com or find us on Facebook with your answers so that we can assist you in finding your perfect BB matches. If you have any additional questions regarding BB Creams or any other topic, feel free to let us know!