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MAN BEHIND THE BRAND, a photo by DEX New York Cosmetics on Flickr.

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Balanced Skin

Are you taking all the steps necessary to get the proper facial cleanse? Here, we’re going to give you an overview of how to effectively care for your skin. 

The key to skin is BALANCE. This means for you oily skinned beauties, not OVER DRYING and for you dry skinned beauties, not OVER MOISTURIZING. In the same breath, over cleansing the skin can lead to irritated, dry skin that produces more oil to compensate, instead of a fresh glow. Your beauty routine should include three steps for day and night, with a light cleanse in the morning and a deep cleanse at night.

Morning Cleanse

1. NO CLEANSER—There is no need to cleanse in the morning as you have deep cleansed the night before. Therefore, we recommend that you just splash tepid water on your face.

2. Tone—Toners are used to balance the skin's natural acid mantle, as well as clean up the excess dirt from your skin and shrink the appearance of pores. Avoid alcohol-based toners which are too drying on the skin.

3. Day Protection—Find a moisturizer with a minimum of SPF 15 for the day. You can opt for DEX's Mineral Tinted Hydrator; which includes an SPF 20. Yes, UVA and UVB rays are still effecting your precious skin even if your not spending hours directly under the sizzling sun. What do we always say? SPF is one of your best friends when combating or preventing aging.

Evening Cleanse

If you have prescribed face washes, the time to use them are at night when you really want to cleanse all the dirt, makeup, and sweat from the day.

1. Deep cleansing—First off, make sure you remove all makeup with a makeup remover wipe or any form of makeup remover. Depending on your skin type you should choose the following based cleansers:

How to pick a night cleanser?

Dry skin—Water based

Oily skin—Oil based

Sensitive skin—Milky based

Combination—Oil based

2. TONE—Like the morning, spritz your face with an astringent to shrink the pores, as well as calm and balance the skin tone.

3. MOISTURIZE—Use a separate moisturizer from your day time one (with no SPF) for nighttime. You don’t want to use a moisturizer with SPF at night because it’s best to give your skin a break from it (also completely unnecessary in the dark).

There are a few extra steps that only benefit your skin more like topicals and exfoliation.

TOPICALS—The fourth optional step is any dermatologist prescribed topicals for acne, anti-aging or any other skin problems. Your skin heals while you sleep, so this is the best time to apply those heavy duty creams for your skin’s ailments. This includes eye creams which we will mention below!

EXFOLIATION—This is so crucial and is often forgotten! While exfoliation every night may lead to irritation, it is necessary on a weekly basis to rid the dullness of skin and reveal a softer, more glowing complexion underneath. Try to exfoliate 1-2 times a week either with a clean washcloth or a more high tech tool.


Clarisonic is one high-tech exfoliator that's hot on the market! With different brush heads targeted to your skin type from dry skin to acne-prone, there is no excuse not to add this pretty little item to your skin routine. The patented micro-massage movements twist back and forth to gently remove more makeup and dirt from your skin. You'll be left with that glow you've been dreaming of!

EYE CREAMS—The skin near the eyes is very thin and delicate, which is why it's one of the first places we see aging. What's the best solution? Add eye cream to your nightly routine and ensure that this sensitive area on your face is protected. Plastic surgery fixes a lot of unwanted wrinkle problems, but being PREVENTIVE by using a nightly cream is even BETTER. Christine Valmy's Valessence 100- Anti-Aging is special for eyes.

 For more tips, tricks and beauty fun, follow us on Twitter @DEXNewYork.

Stefanie Thompson

DEX New York Cosmetics, Inc.

Ready, Set... BEAUTIFY!

So you overslept and now are scrambling to get to work on time for that big meeting. I know the feeling: panicking, looking at the clock, wasting time trying to figure out what you can skip to shorten your morning routine. We’re going to give you 7 things to do on those mornings you only have 10 minutes to zoom out the door.

1. Baby powder that hair—Oily hair is a norm—luckily there's a quick remedy for those days there is little time to wash your hair. Sprinkle a bit of baby powder at the oily parts of your roots and pat it in. Make sure to brush through to rid the white residue. Throw it on at night so the powder can absorb the oil while you sleep. Added bonus—it helps stop oil from seeping on your face as you sleep!

▌The Europeans do have it right with hair care, the less you wash it, the cleaner it stays  for longer. As ▌Americans, we are obsessed with showering, but we're not saying give up your daily shower. Instead, try ▌washing your hair every other day; we swear you’ll notice a difference.   

2. Wash your face—No time for a shower! Use a light face wash for mornings with cold water to wake you up, instead of a shower. Your face will look fresher, and you’ll feel almost as good as if you had time to scrub down.

3. Brow It UP—Whoever declared skinny, bare brows to be the look of the century needs their head checked! We know women are terrified of looking like Frida Kahlo (rest her soul, we love her), but it COMPLETES every woman’s face. We’re not talking about creating a bigger brow, we mean filling in the goods you got to frame your face! Too afraid of that fake drawn eyebrow look with a pencil? Use eye shadows as brow filler with the DEX New York Flat Eye Shadow Brush (BR-07)  and the Mineral Pressed Eye Shadow in The Dakota Spice to match your hair color. It’s softer and makes your eyebrows look naturally fuller. Don’t believe us, check all the runways and find a designer who likes models with non-existent brows!

▌And next time you go threading or waxing, tell her to ease up on the tweezing. We love CLEAN brows, ▌not NAKED ones.

4. Eyelashes—We can’t stress enough the importance of eyelashes to your overall look. Like eyebrows, they MAKE the look. So YES, grab that scary looking eyelash curler and train yourself to use it. Load up on the mascara, which easily takes you thirty seconds. Sky-high lashes have as much of an effect as black liner. They awaken and open your eyes, making you look alert and fresh. If you have an extra ten seconds, swoop your lower inner eyelids with some white eyeliner to pop your sleepy eyes, while minimizing the red from them.

5. Perfume—“A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future.” Coco Chanel was a woman who knew what she was doing, listen to her advice! One who wears perfume gives the appearance of someone who had time to get ready in the morning and look her best. It gives an intangible addition of elegance to everyone. Spritz it on and you’ll instantly feel sexier and put together. This is the easiest step in a morning routine, it should not be skipped, NO EXCUSES!

6. Lipstick—Always have a neutral lipstick for the days you cannot plan what look you want. We recommend a natural pink like DEX New York lipstick in Court Street Apricot.

7. Tinted moisturizer—You don’t have to cake your face to look put together. Just make sure you give yourself something to add a bit of color to your face like our DEX NY Mineral Tinted Hydrator.

We promise you’ll be out the door within 10 minutes. Having a complete, ready-to-conquer-the-world look is not about layers of makeup, it’s about accentuating your features, and it doesn’t take long!

For more tips, tricks, and beauty fun, follow us on Twitter @DEXNewYork.

Stefanie Thompson

DEX New York Cosmetics, Inc.

Drama 101: Kim Kardashian’s Smokey Eyes

It’s her signature look and one that we all hope to covet for a night on the town. While a smokey eye is always a GO-TO red carpet look, it may not yet be your GO-TO look for the evening. We’re going to give you some tips on how to achieve your basic smokey eye without looking like someone GAVE you a black eye!

1. Primer up!- Make sure to use an eye primer before you begin the smokification. You can even use a tinted moisturizer if you do not have a specific eye primer. Make sure it's dry before you begin shadowing.

2. Begin by applying a neutral toned eye shadow to even out the skin tone. Use a shadow closest to your natural skin color, preferably a DEX Mineral Pressed Shadow in Bryant Park Bisque (PS-23) or Dakota Spice (PS-12).

3. Curl your LASHES- I know an eyelash curler looks like a scary torture contraption that's about to chop off your lashes, BUT it is actually a girl's best friend. Don't shy away! Practice makes perfect, it takes time to get used to eyelash curling, but it is SO worth it. I started when I was teenager and there was no looking back! Revlon's Cushion-Grip Lash Curler is by far the comfiest and most effective one I have used.

4. Let the shadowing begin- My GO-TO colors are always DEX New York Mineral Pressed Shadow Wall Street Onyx (PS-01)and Empire State Platinum (PS-03). Brush Empire State Platinum on the eyelid with Flat Eye Shadow Brush (BR-07), but very lightly in the inner corners. Gradually make it darker as you move to the outer corner of the eye with the Blender Eye Shadow Brush (BR-09). The inner corner of the eye should have very little amounts of grey, while the outer part of the lid should be dark grey; layer it darker.

5. UPPER Lash Line- Close to your lashes you can either use a pencil or a shadow to create the dark shadowing. With a black pencil liner roughly line your lash line and use a Q tip to smudge it imperfectly and blend in. OR you can use our Mineral Pressed Shadow in Wall Street Onyx by following your upper lash line with our Angled Liner Brush (BR-06). Blend it into the grey shadowed part of your eye to make it look fading from black into grey.

6. LOWER Lash Line- Using the Angled Liner Brush (BR-06) line your lashes with Wall Street Onyx and then use the Eye Smudge Brush (BR-05) to blend in the black along your lower lashes. You can also do the same with a black pencil liner if you choose.

7. Brows- Don't forget about these bad boys, your look is incomplete without them. Be sure to fill them in either with a brow pencil or (my personal favorite) an eye shadow color that matches a blend of your skin and brow hair color.

8. Brighten your eyes; a very important step that is often forgotten. Dab a silvery or white eye shadow or highlighter to the inner corner of your eyes. Instantly adds brightness and enhances the smokey eye look. Try our Mineral Pressed Shadow in The Met Star White or Winter Garden Cream. Also, be sure to add a bit of highlighter or shadow under your well groomed brows.

9. With your new curled lashes that you never knew you had, load up on the mascara! With such a sultry look you should make sure to give your lashes a good coating.

  

10. A nude lip or pale pink is best for your lips when rocking a smokey eye look! Don't overpower your eyes by opting to apply a bright lip color - it's a big NO NO! Depending on your skin tone try our lip glosses in York Avenue Cream, Franklin Street Nude, or Columbus Ave Copper. 

The DEX New York color line has a shade for every woman from Sweden to Sudan, so we've got you ALL covered.

Don’t forget to clean up the excess shadow that falls!

For more tips, tricks and fun, follow us on Twitter @DEXNewYork.

Stefanie Thompson

DEX New York Cosmetics, Inc.

Coconut Oil: Dreaming of Paradise

OK, we're not going to talk about the beach, even though our minds are there right now; but instead, we will look at the wonderful uses of coconut oil. The benefits for your skin are endless, but it’s also a fabulous addition to keeping your insides healthy as well. Here are some easy, everyday uses of coconut oil or as we’re going to call it “CO”. Be ready to change your hydrating lifestyle!

For Your Purse:

NATURAL LIP BALM

Throw a little container of coconut oil in your purse and you got yourself a DIY lip moisturizer. Let’s be honest, we all know you have at least three lip products in your purse at all times. Make one a natural remedy!

For Your Body:

HEALTH MACHINE

CO improves the ability of your body to absorb minerals and vitamins. It also has anti microbial properties that help fight bacteria and infections in your digestive system. Add it in your diet as a substitute for vegetable oil and you’ll be fortifying your immune system. Make sure to get the non-hydrogenated organic CO! But how do you choose one, find out here.

For Your Hair:

PRE-SHOWER CONDITIONER

Use it before the shower to make your locks sleeker. Run some CO through the ends of your hair and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then proceed to shower and shampoo your hair as you normally would. Voila, we love silky hair!

For Your Skin:

BODY SCRUB

CO is great as a body scrub! Simply use a few scoops and add sugar or salt depending on your preference. The CO moisturizes and the salt/sugar will scrub away the dead skin. The best part is there are no extra chemicals in your scrub!

DEEP MOISTURIZER

The feeling is so pure! Use a spoon to swoop out some CO and lather up your legs, arms, face, neck… you name it! Wherever your body needs some hydrating. It’s gentle enough that you don’t have to worry of harsh breakouts, but super, super moisturizing so next day’s skin is SMOOTH. The key is to let your skin absorb it. Nighttime application is best and by morning, your skin has drunk it all in!

HEALING SCARS

A great natural remedy for cuts, burns, stretchmarks and any other type of scar. The healing properties are ENDLESS! Just rub some on that boo-boo next time.

EYE CREAMS

Smooth some on your eyelids, under eyes, and the sides before bed and you’ll be completing your bedtime routine with this addition. Who needs expensive eye creams when coconut oil does the same thing!

For more beauty tips, tricks and fun, follow us on Twitter @DEXNewYork .

Stefanie Thompson

DEX New York Cosmetics, Inc.

Introducing Josh Galarza National Artist for DEX New York

Get to know Josh Galarza with his tips, tricks, and advice!

1. How did you get started with makeup?

I went to Art School in Puerto Rico and accidentally ended up becoming a makeup artist. I was discovered by the lead makeup artist of a telenovela in Puerto Rico and started my career with Telemundo and Univision as a makeup artist. From there, I worked on other telenovelas in Venezuela and Mexico. A few years later, I moved to Paris and began working for François Nars and attended Carita School of Beauty in the 16^th district of Paris for a year. In Paris, I worked on tons of glamorous events like Fashion Weeks in Paris, London, Milan, Berlin and even Tokyo. I worked on tons of couture shows, photo shoots, and campaigns for various designers across Europe.

After my jaunts across Europe, I moved to NYC to become the Color Director/ Lead National Makeup Artist for Estee Lauder. As the Color Director, I had the opportunity to work with top makeup artists in the industry, celebrities, the Golden Globes, Oscars, various Red Carpet Events, and several other top award shows.

Now, at DEX New York as a National Artist, strutting to Parisian house music in our private makeup studio, I work with clients one-on-one to help them create their own customized look. At DEX we focus on educating our clients, rather than just giving them the typical department store makeover.  I also do private makeup parties at DEX called “Girls Night Out”, Bridal Makeup, DEX Workshops, and red carpet events. I’m super busy, and love the boutique concept of making up!

2. How much of makeup is skin preparation?

It’s everything, GIRL! Without proper skincare, you won’t get the proper look. Extremely important! Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! I believe in eye creams and primers; they truly make a huge difference. Gotta get that face READY!

3. What is the best makeup tip you can give?

Use the right tools; without the right tools you won’t get the look you’re trying to achieve. It’s EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to always have your brows groomed and well done because they make 70% of the eye look (they are the frames of your eyes).

4. What is the biggest mistake you see women make?

A huge mistake is when a woman uses way too much blush and doesn’t use bronzers to balance out the blush, big issue!

5. What is the one thing that is a “makeup must” when running out the door in the morning?

Listen close hun, here are the three essentials…Powder, mascara, and a lip product. You can apply all of these under 60 seconds, no excuse to miss one!

For more beauty tips, tricks and fun follow us on Twitter at @DEXNewYork

Stefanie Thompson

DEX New York Cosmetics, Inc.

Guiltless Pleasures

Spruce up your fruit intake this summer and enjoy summer’s bountiful treats! We know you may be enticed to snack on junk, but here are some quick snack ideas that will satisfy your cravings, while not making you beat yourself up later.

1. Up your water intake with fruit: Getting at least eight servings of water every day can be a challenge and sometimes you may be tempted to grab a juice on your way to work. Remedy this by slicing up your favorite fruit, like oranges and freezing them. In the morning, throw them in your water bottle for a refreshing ZANG to your water. You can even throw in some frozen strawberries, blueberries, lemon, or lime. The possibilities are endless!

2. Apples and honey: So you have a bushel of apples, but are tired of munching on one at work. Next time, grab the honey from the cabinet and use it as a peanut butter replacement. Less calories, but just as delicious.

3. Oranges with Cinnamon: A trick I learned from my wise Spanish host mother: slice up a few oranges in a bowl, sprinkle them with cinnamon, and let them sit. WOW…. Talk about an unusually mouth-watering combo. I felt like I was having a rich dessert without the unwanted calories.

4. Soy Smoothie: Growing up my mom’s favorite mid-morning or afternoon snack was always a soy smoothie. Depending on the fruit availability, she would whip up a smoothie using bananas (especially the browning ones that are too old to eat), strawberries, or blueberries. No guilty conscious and this snack will fill you for hours! Don’t like soy- replace it with skim milk!

5. Tomatoes, Olive Oil, and Oregano: Living in Italy taught me one of the most delicious snacks is also the most basic. It’s summer, so chop up those juicy, ripe tomatoes and drizzle them with olive oil and oregano. If you want more of a kick, throw on some balsamic vinegar. You’ll be licking your plate, literally! Want to make an easy appetizer for friends coming over? Just add some buffalo mozzarella or place the tomatoes on crunchy, toast up little bread-toasts with olive oil and garlic. E presto, we have a quick appetizer that’s sure to please all your guests.

 Lesson of the day, Mom knows best!

For more beauty tips, tricks and fun, follow us on Twitter @DEXNewYork

Stefanie Thompson

DEX New York Cosmetics, Inc.

Elizabeth Johns Grand Opening Party

 Wednesday night, Elizabeth Johns Bridal and Evening hosted their Grand Opening at her beautiful, newly opened three floor boutique in Morristown, NJ. DEX New York sponsored the makeup for makeup artist Asif Zaidi for Elizabeth Johns’s show of bridal and evening collections from Anne Barge, Carolina Herrera, Elie Saab, Junko Yoshioka, Lela Rose, Liancarlo, Manuel Mota, and Pronovias.

It was a whirlwind of excitement! After a last minute decision to attend the event, our Studio Admin April swirled me up into an elegant Helmut Lang body hugging dress in a shale tone and black pumps of course (always a girl’s best friend). Next, Dex whipped me into the studio chair at 4PM to glamour me up for the night’s event. He painted my eyelids Carnegie Hall Caramel and Bryant Park Bisque Mineral Pressed Eye Shadows, then he gave the eyes a fresh, clean smoothness that widened them and enhanced the dramatic black crème line that I rock everyday, okaaay!! And of course he used DEX Luxe Crème Eyeliner in Alegria.

For a final touch he used Mineral Pressed Blush in City Hall Terracotta layered with MoMa Golden Pink for a warm glow. I can’t forget about the lips! To finish off the look, Dex applied Coney Island Cotton Candy as a base with East End Perfect Pink lip gloss, giving me Pout and POW, subtle, yet sleek.

The set was beautifully designed with silver, whites and translucent chairs that seemed to melt into the scenery. Lime green and baby blue accented the room with little bouquets of white flowers.  Colin Cowie presented and opened the show with raffles and his brusque, British accent; simply smashing. The opening of the show had a James Bond-esque theme as two handsome models sat down lazily on couches to the side of the catwalk and gazed out at the crowd. The dresses left onlookers awestruck as beautiful models filed out and strutted their stuff to “Diamonds Are Forever”. As I sat next to show producer Deno Ferraro, his face gleamed with happiness and pride for the show’s success!

As for me, it was an amazing experience and world win of an evening. After all, what girl doesn’t love a black tie fashion show?

For more tips, tricks, and beauty fun, follow us on Twitter @DEXNewYork

Elizabeth Johns Bridal is located at 1099 Mount Kemble Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960.

Stefanie Thompson

DEX New York Cosmetics, Inc.

Skin Superheroes

Beach season is upon us and with that comes the joys and pains of days out in the sun. There is something so pleasing about feeling the sun radiating all over and warming your body. But then of course, there’s the brutal post-beach day sunburn to kill the rest of your weekend, not to mention the long-term damage of sunburns. While we cannot express enough the importance of protecting your skin during these blazing summer days (which should be protected everyday anyway), here are other ways to ensure your body is able to cope with harmful sun rays.

1. Eat foods with antioxidants.  Make the following foods everyday staples in your summer diet, because they can fortify your skin protection on the beach as an added bonus to sunscreen. Try adding more dark green veggies like kale, collards, spinach and broccoli, as well as tomatoes, carrots, watermelon or any other brightly colored fruit or vegetable.

2. CHOCOLATE- Yes, believe it or not, dark chocolate has a wonderful source of antioxidants, just remember to consume in moderation like a small square or a cup of hot cocoa.

3. Green and Black Teas- Whip up a batch of cold ice tea with lemon and throw in some frozen fruits like strawberries to make a tasty beach cooler.

4. Big Hat Diva- Over-the-top brim hats are in! Why not add one to your beach look and protect your skin while looking fabulous on the beach!

5. THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND- Whether you are laying out in the sun with that book you’ve been dying to read or absentmindedly watching fellow beach-goers, pay attention to the wind. You may feel cool from the beautiful breeze, but the sun is still beating on your skin.

For more tips, tricks, and fun with beauty and health, follow us on Twitter @DEXNewYork

Stefanie Thompson

DEX New York Cosmetics, Inc.

Drama 101: Eyes like Adele

The sultry cat-eye: some of the greatest women through history from Cleopatra to Adele have been cat-eyed. How many times have you felt brave enough to try the sleek wing that always seems to fill the pages of Vogue? This timeless look is sometimes a girl’s worst nightmare when the stroke between crisp and sloppy is small.  As a daily cat-eye girl myself, I do admit there are days I just can’t seem to get it right. Here are some tips on how to make your cat-eye clean without throwing your tube of liquid eyeliner in the garbage.

1. Use a sharp felt or solid-tip black liquid eyeliner or a cream liner like our DEX New York Luxe Cream Eyeliner in Alegria.

2. Curl your eyelashes. A cat-eye opens your eye and makes it look wider; compliment this look by making your lashes sky high.

3.  It’s about building the line, NOT sweeping it. This translates to a step-by-step process. Start by closing the eye you are about to do and place your finger in the outer edge of your eye and pull gently. This creates an even, steady area to create your line.

4. Next start your line midway between the inner corner and mid-eye and slowly following your lashes to the end of your eye.

5. STOP RIGHT HERE- The most challenging part of the cat-eye is the tail. Slowly extend the tip to your desired length slightly curving outward, but not too much (note: if your eyes are smaller don’t make too long a line!) Add slight thickness by making a very thin triangular shape at the tip.

6. Once you have the rough thin-line, go back slowly and make your line thicker or smooth it out.

7. Steadily connect the main line towards the inner corner of your eye. Be careful not to make it too thick, but more of a diminishing line as you get closer to the inner eye.

8. Try to avoid using colored eye shadows with a cat-eye. The cat-eye is elegant and clean, you don’t need any other extravagance added.

9. Practice makes PURR-FECT. You may not become an expert after the first time, but don’t give up and soon enough you will be an expert cat-eye applicator.

For more beauty tips, follow us on Twitter @DEXNewYork.

Stefanie Thompson

DEX New York Cosmetics, Inc.

DEX and Stella & Dot

DEX and Stella Dot, a photo by dexnewyork on Flickr.

DEX BODY GLOW Exclusive Offer

DEX BODY GLOW RETAIL PROMOTION, originally uploaded by DEX New York.

Glow all day, shine all night with DEX New York Body Glow sunless
tanner. Gives skin an instant bronzing fix and a radiant sun-kissed sheen
as it creates a lasting Caribbean glow. This DHA based misting formula
provides smooth even coverage without streaking.

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Offer Ends 2/10/12

Dex Phillip, Founder of DEX New York Cosmetics with Dr. Steven Ringler.