How cool is this?

I've been selected out of hundreds...maybe thousands:p to review a product called the "Personal Microderm". This product really is one of the best beauty tools around. What the Personal Microderm does for your skin is miraculous. It revitalizes and cleanses the skin. I'm OH so very excited. Apparently I'll receive my Microderm in a week or two. Gotta love Apothica & The Fringe Network!

Expiration dates for YOUR beauty essentials

*Anti-aging and acne treatments: Three months to a year. Antioxidants are easily oxidized, so be on the lookout for any changes in color.
*Body lotion: Two to three years, particularly if it’s in a pump container.
* Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel: About three years.
* Bath oil: One year.
* Sunscreen: Check the package for an expiration date.
* Mascara and liquid eyeliner: Three to four months. Make sure you’re diligent about replacing these items to prevent contamination and infections.
*Eyeshadow: Up to three years.
*Concealer:Up to 12 months
*Make-up brushes: Wash every 2-3 months in a mild detergent.
* Eye and lip pencils: Three to five years. Sharpen them before each use as a way to preserve them and keep them clean.
* Lipstick and lip gloss: Two to three years.
* Foundation: About two years. Most bottles are designed to last that long. And if you don’t use it, chances are you didn’t love it to begin with.
* Perfume: About two years. To get more mileage out of a perfume, resist the temptation to display a pretty bottle on your vanity. Instead, stash it away in a cool, dark place.
* Nail polish: One year.
* Hairstyling products: Three to five years. Most are alcohol-based, which helps preserve the formula.
* Bar soap: Up to three years.
* Shaving cream: About two years.
* Deodorant: Up to two years.

Real eye opening info...You should totally bookmark this post!!!

Do you want makeup that looks good and is GOOD for your skin too?

Well...DuWop cosmetics was made with you in mind! I know that us gals have our own makeup dilemmas but mine is...RED LIPSTICK. I love red lipstick but I'm absolutely terrified of how it'll look on me. As a woman of color,I'm very concerned about drawing negative attention to my lips. Such effect will be called:CLOWN MOUTH,just tragic.

But DuWop is here to the rescue with their revolutionary lipstick "Private Red"!

Private Red is different from other lipsticks because it has "mood lipstick technology".Which always it to change color and complement YOUR skin tone.Thanks for solving my 3 year dilemma,DuWop:-) Not only that but Private Red contains nourishing ingredients like Vitamin E for conditioning and Henna for a non-fading pigment.It not only protects&conditions,smooth-ens but never fades! This isn't your mother's lipstick!

This is the lipstick of the new generation. It's a great buy that every trendsetter needs in her makeup bag. No more dry lips! No more weird smells! No more fading color! I'm a huge fan! I do not advocate anything I don't believe in so don't waste another dime on products that don't work.

XOXO

MAC Wonderwoman collection for Spring 2011

YES,The Makeup Gods have a great present in store for all of us beauty/MAC junkies.MAC will be offering a limited edition Wonder-woman collection that will be available in the U.S & Canada ON February 11th,2011.It will go worldwide in March!

Here's a little sneak peek:








Vanish any thought of being a Plain Jane: M∙A∙C and Wonder Woman have joined forces!

Press Release:
"For Spring 2011, take a trip to Paradise Island with a legendary line up of super-sized Mineralize Skinfinish, bold Eye Shadow quads, Pigment, Opulash, Lipsticks and oversized Lipglass, jumbo-big Powder Blush and Penultimate Eye Liner, Nail Lacquer and Lash inspired by the larger-than-life Bold Babe. Dashing and dazzling, the iconic super heroine reminds us that inside every woman is a Mighty Aphrodite full of courage, confidence and charisma. Kaboom! Mission Accomplished!

Wonder Woman has always known the importance of astounding accessories. For her collaboration with M∙A∙C, we’ve infused her sense and fantasy and wonder into a vivid collection of awe-inspiring accessories as fierce and feminine as the heroine herself. Bright, bold, superhuman designs in Makeup Bags – from radiant Red to Bulletproof Blue, Utility Belt Brush Sets, and exclusively online, the WW T-Shirt and Invincible Mirror. Shazam!"


**I've been hearing hoopla over the "cheap"packaging. MAC just followed the comic book look that is Wonder Woman. I think it looks great..like expensive toys. Have some FUN!!! I can't wait to get this:-)

Trend Report

For Spring 2011


Textured Tights

This was a huge trend last year and it's back again! I love this look it can transform a rather boring outfit& make it young,edgy and fun. I know some of my gals are frightful about adding attention to their thighs but I promise you textured tights actually lengthen and disguise flaws. You'll feel a lot sexier too;] Celebrities like Leighton Meester and Ke$ha loves textured tights.


Leather bracelets
This leather bracelet is from $99.95
This is a very hot accessory for Spring. It's different and unique jewelry is very trendy now.I love leather bracelets with a white T-shirt,Jeans,a blazer and flats. This adds a more polished and cool look to outfits.


Nars Lip Gloss [Harlow] $24
It's a tad pricey but it is definitely worth it. Try and get a nude/matte color especially for spring. Spring is about understated and light colors. This lip gloss is not sticky and it lasts forever! Great buy!


Lace-up Wedge Booties [Chloe]
This was the main show for the Spring 2011 runway shows. It's east to see why,it's very funky,super comfy and FASHION FORWARD.Wedge shoes are raved for their comfort.The platform on this particular style of shoes has great support and balance. Gotta get me a pair:-)!!!



Cool Scarves
[Echo Design]
The trick with scarves is to HAVE FUN WITH THEM. There are tons of different ways to wear them. It's best to just throw on a scarf and go rather than trying to place it so perfectly. Also this year it's all about cool patterns!
Check out this helpful video from the lovely,Michelle Phan:


Lace
Words cannot explain how much I love lace...yet I don't own a single piece of clothing with lace detail. Well, his was be a major hit on the runway and it's made its way to the real world. Very romantic and adds an instant air of elegance! Little = More in this case. Too much of a good thing= BAD.

[Akris-Spring 2011]
Bold Prints
Designers went crazy this year looking for fresh ideas to create wild and crazy prints. You only live once right?

XOXO

Apothica Review

I can't believe I never did this. My poor lil 19 year old brain. In Early December,I received my lovely Apothica makeup via USPS.


(Not the best photos but these are the actual products.Cute,huh?)

I ordered the following:
JAPONESQUE Brush Set Touch Up Tube - Blue *****
Jane Iredale PureLash Conditioner *****
Borghese Linea Precisa Liquid Eyeliner No. 01 Black **
Pur Minerals Under Control****

Japonesque Brush Set is a travel tube that comes with five well crafted brushes. I was in desperate need of great brushes. My old brushes which I got from CVS were falling apart..literally. The bristles were falling out,just a mess. But these brushes have a smooth easy to hold handle and strong bristles.It includes two eyeshadow brushes,a powder/blush brush,concealer brush and a lip brush.Of course,the beautiful blue color is so MAGNETIC. Had to get it...

Jane Iredale PureLash Conditioner is a formula to strengthen,lengthen and add volume to eyelashes. The white and gold tube is very pretty,cute packaging. The formula is absolutely scentless.I have very sensitive eyes and this product DOES NOT irritate my eyelashes or eyes whatsoever. I've seen a difference in just the four weeks that I've been using it. My eyelashes are definitely fuller.You can wear the conditioner by itself or apply before mascara. It goes on white but blends into your eyelashes in seconds.

Borghese Liquid Eyeliner is a beautiful liquid liner from Italy.The packaging was very nice but it does not have any staying power. I've never seen a liquid liner disappear off my eyelid faster than Borghese. Maybe I just have oily eyelids? 0.o I got black,it's a shame because it goes on very smoothly. The tip is specialized to create a straight& smooth line.Maybe I should use eye primer than use this? I will report back!

Pur Minerals Under Control is a primer for oily skin. My secret is out! I have the oiliest T-zone of all time. The T-zone is the forehead,nose and chin. Pur Minerals DEFINITELY reduces the amount of oil especially on my worst part-my nose. You have to use a dime-quarter size amount for maximum protection. It's scentless and I'll definitely buy it again! Pur Mineral is a non sticky cream that allows your skin to breathe.It feels like you've put nothing on. Most primers feel like sticky film ;( Best primer out there!

I also got two free samples: a herbal bath gel and an acne cleanser.
In summary,I LOVE APOTHICA:)

Congratulations to...

Thifa! Yes, Thifa with the email address(thifasblog@gmail.com) Beautiful,you won a $25 gift certificate from Apothica!!! I will send your info over to Apothica by Monday. You'll be shopping in no time:-) Thanks everyone! Merry Christmas xoxo
-Sharifa

ATTENTION ALL GLAMAZONS--WIN FREE MAKEUP!!!!

As some of my extra glam readers may know Apothica is one of the leading carriers in Make-up,hair and skin care,fragrances & many more!I’ve teamed up with them to bring you this phenomenal contest. Apothica carries the leading brands in beauty like Smashbox, Urban Decay, Too Faced and Bobbi Brown to name a few…

My personal favorite is Too Faced cosmetics.Their Transculent Powderis light and leaves skin soft with a romantic glow. It’s colorless and blends into YOUR skin tone. Every girl needs a fab concealer right? Here’s one.

I’m giving away one $25 gift card! Starting from December 3rd...

RULES:
.Must be 17 + to enter
.You must be following my blog. Scroll down the sidebar until you see a box that says Google Friend Connect,follow!
.Must comment THIS post with preferred email address

You can submit up to 10 + entries!!!

Additional ways to enter:
-1 entry for becoming a fan of Apothica on facebook
-1 entry for following Inside The Fashion on facebook
-1 entry for following me on twitter @SharifaKnows, tweet me “GIMME APOTHICA”
-2 entries for following Apothica on twitter @apothica
-2 entries to retweet Apothica’s tweet about Inside The Fashion’s giveaway
-2 entries for leaving a comment about what they’ll purchase with gift card in this post.

What the Winner of the Apothica Giveaway Needs to Know:

1)Inside The Fashion will provide Apothica with the winner's contact information
2)Apothica will contact the winner to verify information is correct
3)After verification, Apothica will email the a code for the gift card to be used at SkinCareRx.com, Apothica.com, and SkinBotanica.com
4)SkinCareRx.com and SkinBontanica are sister sites.

Please, save SkinCareRx as a contact in their email box so that we don't go to the Spam/Junk Mail folder

CONTEST CLOSED,WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON!!!!!!!!
THIS IS A WORLDWIDE CONTEST SPONSORED BY APOTHICA.COM

Winter Beauty Tips :D

For the harsh winter months it's important to protect our skin more than ever! That's why a good moisturizer is essential. I'll recommend one from Clinique

Prices range to $12.50-$50
A good moisturizer is the ultimate base for makeup. It should go in the order of Clean face,Moisturizer,Wait,Primer,Wait then Foundation.Clinique is a wee bit expensive but it truly works!Enriched with Vitamin E to quench thirsty skin;There's lotion and gel for all skin types oily,combination and dry with SPF.

Ever wonder how some women seem to have the glow during this season? It's either: they're in love,pregnant,both or they use highlighters and bronzers!

They're highlighter powder and creams but you can also use gold eyeshadow without sublte to no shimmer to "highlight" your features. Your features can be your cheekbones,brow bone etc. Using a powder/blush brush brush up towards the hairline.

Bronzer like this one from NARS gives a natural glow that's ideal for all skin types

$32;It has a subtle shimmer

Now! What about your beautiful lips? It's crucial to keep them moisturized and looking kissable.Have you noticed the abundance of lip treatment ads lately? I honestly can't recommend you a lip plumper. I'm very blessed in that area but my favorite lip gloss beside the Classic Cherry chapstick is Dylan Candys Bar Lip Saver
$3.50

They're available in an array of delicious flavors. Small and super cute!

"Winter Wonderland Look"
I came up with this last year on a complete whim. Every time I wear it I get tons of compliments.
What you'll need:
-White Eyeshadow -Eyeliner brush
-Blush -Powder brush
-Primer -Concealer brush
-Moisturizer
-Mascara
-Foundation
-Concealer
-Pink lipstick or gloss

1) Every artist must work with a clean canvas....After washing your face,apply moisturizer. Wait five minutes before applying an oil free face primer.A face primer sets your makeup for a matte finish.

2) This step is optional.If you regularly use foundation,apply after primer.Wait five minutes for makeup to set and apply concealer with your fingertips or brush to conceal dark spots,dark circles and acne.

3)Now the magic begins. Using an EYELINER brush dip into white eyeshadow and line the upper and lower eyelids.Don't try to make a straight line right away!!! Pace yourself,try making small dots and connect them. Fact:White eyeshadow opens your eyes and appears to make them bigger. Note we're going for a thin line. Be careful not to get the powder in your eyes!

4)Apply mascara,I recommend 4-5 coats. Wipe away excess dust of your face and prepare to apply blush.

5)The correct way to apply blush to SMILE and apply the powder to the "apple of your cheeks" towards your hairline.

6)If you're using lipstick. Line the lips with a pink liner.Moisturize lips with a clear gloss and add lipstick with a lip brush (preferred) than using it straight out the tube. Its better for a softer look.Rub your lips together,fix the edges and pucker UP!

&There you have it :D
**I love rocking bouncy curls with this. The white eyeshadow symbolizes snow,get it?

XOXO

Rainbow Brite!

Vibrant pigmented highlights are ON the rise. Maybe it's a trend inspired by Halloween. Hmmm...?
Recent Runway shows have been incorporating two tone hair but there's a new look on the scene. Maybe thanks to Rap Queen,Nicki Minaj:
Burnt Orange;Black w/pink

In NYC- I've seen just about every color known to man. They were highlights not a full dye.It's a fun way to make winter bright and fun:)


Pink;Rachel McAdams


Purple & Blue;Katy Perry



Yellow&Orange;Hayley Williams


An example of wild hair dye-Rihanna
Why Riri Why?!
If I'm feeling bold I'll try blue....

Bored+Nail polish =This

WHO MISSED ME? :D
I'll try to keep the hiatuses to a minimum. This is some of what I've been doing since I've been gone-

Red Spark


French Mani [Professionally Done]


Purple Zebra

What's your favorite?

Too cute!!!

I love headbands! I've been wearing them before Gossip Girl premiered and everyone was like "Why are you always wearing a headband" "OMG you have so many". These are the same people that started wearing them after Blair Waldorf made them her signature. Sigh. Anyway,my aunt gave me a bunch of adorable hair accessories. You must get these:


AH-DOR-ABLE^_^
Scuni Sweet sticks are non edible fake lollipop sticks to place in your bun/ponytail just for fun.They're like chopsticks. I had two sweet sticks in red and yellow. They retail for $3.99.


Scuni U-go! mini clips,$2.99


This is a gorgeous barrette from Bellissima.It's better than your plain ole scrunchie! Retails for $8.00


Leopard is huge this fall. Wearing leopard in SMALL AMOUNTS is also cute and trendy so why not try a headband?! I have an Amci head band it was about $10 bucks.


A pleated tie-dye headband from Echo Design,$21.
Gorgeous shade of silver...
Silver headband w/jewels;$21 from Echo Design

Lace Headband from Echo Design;$13.
I can really see this headband on my vintage loving girls and film noir fanatics.
****I'm doing something very special w/Echo Design next week. Sooo stay tuned****

They only want you when you're seventeen...

When you're 21 you're no fun. Some of you may have smiled at my post title it's a lyric from the amazing song by Ladytron called Seventeen. CHECK IT OUT. I got this idea from another blogger,creating a some of my favorite things list.This list isn't in a specific order and if we share anything in common..don't be afraid to leave a comment.
1)Starbucks or Chock full of Nuts Iced Lattes
Every New Yorker knows what I'm talking about. Starbucks is the ultimate then Chock full of nuts then second cup:)
2)Cosmopolitan,Nylon&Vogue magazine
Cosmo is my guilty pleasure. Nylon feeds the hipster in me. Vogue inspires the high end fashionista in me.
3)
Glam Eyes Lash Flirt is the best mascara ever wanted or I would like to think so. There's no clumps or messiness.It lifts and separate your lashes for the highly desired lush and voluminous eyelashes. For those that have sensitive eyes like moi this is PERFECT. My eyes didn't water or turn red as it usually does with other mascaras.It's available in all drugstores and it costs roughly between 6 and 8 dollars.I'm not really a makeup kind of girl but everything once in a while a little mascara won't hurt.
4)
Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash (Grapefruit)Um,yeah this thing is amazing. I have oily skin,like out of nowhere my nose will get really oily...even shiny. I've been using the unscented acne wash for years and let me tell you it works wonders.I've gotten so much compliments on how clear and even my skin tone is.Now that it is in grapefruit it's all the more pleasant. In the morning it's great,the smell really does wake you up. It's about 6,7 or 8 dollars. Use it ladies&gents.
5)
Headbands
Let me just say that I've been wearing headbands way before Gossip Girl. I've been wearing headbands since I was 14..I'm almost 18 btw. When I used to wear them all the time people were like"You're always wearing a headband...why" " Can I try it on?" "Sharifa and her headbands..." OK,my rant is over but you get the point. Memo to self:I need a black headband.
**These headbands are from elizab.com
6)Exotic/Fashion JewelryIf you know me personally you've probably seen me in real jewelry i.e gold,silver, maybe a handful of time. You've seen me in fashion jewelry more than you can count. I love love it. It adds a different look to your clothes: a more modern,fun, and funky look. How can you resist peacock earrings or pink pearls? For my exotic jewelry lovers,I think we all lust for a snake bracelet(Pic above).
7) Autumn
Fall w/e you want to call it. I love everything about it: the leaves,the air,the way everything seems to be going at a slower pace,THE WEATHER. I hate summer it makes me sweat and my hair poofy and curly-.- The best thing is going for a walk in central park during fall right around mid October or so. Just like Heaven.
8)Good music & Good people i.e my family and friends.I listen to all kinds of music but I have this soft spot for rock n roll. I grew up listening to Guns N Roses,Micheal Jackson,Prince. Slowly but surely I started listening to hip hop,softer rock,indie,pop,techno and country.There's something on my play list for everyone.
9)Sugar
I have a serious problem-everyday I must intake sugar. Whether it's Raisin Bran Crunch,starbust,cupcake or latte. I have a serious sweet tooth. If you never had a Godiva chocolate shake,I highly recommend one or two. **Workout everyday or every other day if you plan to eat like me,ah aha
10)Books
I love a good read! Here's some book that you should definitely check out:

The Alchemist-Paulo Coelho
I hope they serve beer in hell-Tucker Max
A piece of cake-Cupcake Brown
Three cups of tea-Greg Mortenson
Hard Love-Ellen Wittlinger
Prep-Curtis Sittenfeld
Delivery man-Joe McGinniss
The giver-Lois Lowry
That's it for my favorites list,look out for a pt.2 to this list...
Much Love,
S