Makeup Mondays With Mario: Skin Care Superstars!

Celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic is answering your burning beauty questions!!! Every Monday, he will answer a beauty/skin care question as part of a weekly column on Spoiled Pretty, Makeup Mondays with Mario.

Mario,

This is so exciting being able to ask you a question. I am a regular visitor to your blog and have learned so much about makeup from you. But my question isn't about makeup. It's about skincare. I'd love to know what your favorite skincare products (cleanser, moisturizer, scrub, makeup remover and lip balm) are and why.

Thanks and keep up the awesome work,
Jessica

Hi Jessica,

I have tons of favorites when it comes to skincare products. For cleansing, I love La Mer The Cleansing Foam; it feels amazing, smells good and spreads nicely. A less expensive and comparable cleanser (and one of my all time faves) is Olay Deep Cleansing Face Wash with Witch Hazel. A great, basic and cheap scrub is St. Ives Apricot Scrub. I try not to exfoliate every day though - it can be too harsh on your skin. Once or twice a week I use DDF's Glycolic 5% Exfoliating Wash. To remove your makeup, I recommend Josie Maran's Bear Naked Wipes. I love everything about them and I'm sure you will too. Wipe away makeup and then follow with your normal skincare routine.

When it comes to moisturizing, I tend to use products that are not too thick or oily. I love La Mer The Moisturizing Lotion. It comes in a pump and is more lightweight than the popular creme. Cetaphil is still a favorite of mine also and works well on a lot of skin types. Sara Happ's The Lip Slip is a very nice lip balm and you should try out her lip exfoliators that come in lots of great flavors. I also love MAC's Tinted Lip Conditioner w/ SPF 15. I saved the best for last - The Eye Balm by La Mer. It's a new eye cream and it's the creme de la creme! I use it like three times a day and I LOVE IT!

Thanks for visiting Makeup Mondays with Mario!

xo,
Mario

Got a question for Mario? Email your makeup and skin care queries to spoiledprettyquestions@gmail.com, and check back next Monday to read Mario's expert advice!

Winner of the Thanksgiving Beauty Giveaway

Congratulations to the winner of the Thanksgiving Beauty Giveaway, Alexandra Wagner. Alexandra will receive:

Sara Happ Lip Scrub, $24
C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Cordials, $7.50
June Jacobs Perfect Pumpkin Peeling Enzyme Masque, $78
June Jacobs Creamy Cranberry Cleanser, $44
Philosophy Pumpkin Spice Muffin Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath, $16

Many thanks to the sponsors for making this contest possible! And stay tuned for Spoiled Pretty's next amazing giveaway.

NBC 10! Show Segment: Beauty Products You'll be Thankful For

This morning, I appeared on Philadelphia's NBC 10! Show, to share some of my favorite Thanksgiving/holiday themed beauty products:

Sara Happ Lip Scrub, $24
If you’re in dire need of a pucker-perfecting product, look no further than Sara Happ’s Lip Scrub. This sugar-based exfoliant acts like a lip loofah and leaves your pout kissably soft. The Lip Scrub comes in six lip-smacking flavors – three of which are perfect for this time of year: Brown Sugar, Cinnamon Sugar, and Vanilla Bean.

C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Cordials, $7.50
Treat your lips to delicious new flavors that'll remind you of your favorite winter drinks. C.O. Bigelow's Mentha Cordials combine the high shine and breath-freshening benefits of Mentha Lip Shine with a host of new seasonal flavors: Hot Buttered Rum, Triple Hot Chocolate, Warm Spiced Cider and Vanilla Cream Eggnog.

June Jacobs Perfect Pumpkin Peeling Enzyme Masque, $78
This deliciously spicy, skin purifying pumpkin enzyme masque is a natural, gentle enzyme "peel" designed for home use. Gently digests and exfoliates dead skin cells and impurities as it delivers pumpkin’s botanical repair benefits into the skin. Leaves the skin cleansed, detoxified and silky smooth. Age-fighting anti-oxidants and vitamin A protect and silken the skin. Roughness retreats and dryness disappears.

June Jacobs Creamy Cranberry Cleanser, $44
This hydrating creamy cleanser provides moisture and nourishment to the skin during the cleansing process with a bouquet of fresh cranberry. Active antioxidants and nourishing botanicals soothe and protect from moisture loss leaving the skin revitalized. Completely water-soluble emulsion, rinses off easily, leaving the skin refreshed.

Philosophy Pumpkin Spice Muffin Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath, $16
Philosophy Pumpkin Spice Muffin Shower Gel smells absolutely scrumptious. The ultra-rich formula cleanses skin and leaves it feeling soft and hydrated. Not only is the warm, gooey smell of pumpkin spice muffin appealing to the senses - according to scientific research, this aroma has been found to arouse men and women. It's a smell that's so irresistible, you'll lather, rinse, and definitely want to repeat.

Studio audience members received a gift bag that included a C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Cordial, and samples of the June Jacobs Pumpkin Peeling Enzyme Masque and Creamy Cranberry Cleanser...but I'm sweetening the deal for one lucky Spoiled Pretty reader. One of you will win ALL of the products!

To enter the giveaway, send an email to spoiledprettycontests@gmail.com. Be sure to include your full name and mailing address. The subject line should read "Thanksgiving Beauty Giveaway." The contest ends at midnight (EST) on Tuesday, November 17th. One winner will be chosen at random from among the entrants. On Wednesday, November 18th, I'll announce the winner's name. Please, only one entry per person; duplicate entries will not increase your chances of winning. Contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents.

Good luck!