janie ilona's beauty rants

Kiehl's Cleanser Review (among other things):  (Before I begin, shout out to Alma at the Kiehl’s counter in Lord and Taylor at Fair Oaks Mall. She’s great)  My skin was feeling stripped and dry. In SUMMER, of all times. Not to mention I had run out of my Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser, so I was desperate for something that could cover taking off my makeup and spf… I was desperate.  I love the beauty section of department stores. While it doesn’t have the independence of Sephora or Ulta, there’s just something about being surrounded with luxurious products and people vying to give you a sample. Makes one feel fancy, or at least fancier than they would be in a different store, sweaty and crouched down trying not to fall over while testing an Urban Decay eyeshadow swatch (we’ve all been there). I digress.  So here I am, walking around Lord and Taylor covered in swatches up to the elbow— and I’m trying to find a way to get it off before I smear Chanel lipstick over half o

Products that fulfill the Scorpio in your chart As the end of Scorpio season nears (along with Mercury in retrograde— hold on y’all!)I've really been feeling out my Sun sign in dark, sultry looks with a focus on dark reds and black. Since Scorpio season is a time of transformation, I’ve responded with smudged berry lips and dark liner, but still retaining a bright apricot blush. I’ve also bought my first non-nude lip liner— yay! For lips: As I mentioned before, a dark lip in Scorpio season is the move— for many reasons. You can get away with just wearing a dark lip. Clean skin and a dark lip is the ultimate french girl aesthetic, easy but still alluring, just like those Scorpios ;). It can be worn in multiple ways— old school hollywood with clean lines and precision (Think Hedy Lamarr, Grace Kelly or Vivien Leigh— Scorpio icons). A bitten look, with color concentrated on the inside of the lip— reminiscent of the Halloween just passed...and maybe the Thanksgiving ahead? (“L