Beauty Hatchery

Blissimplicity

2009-06-22T23:41:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, I'm guilty of over-complicating things.

I have buckets upon barrels of beauty products. Don't get me wrong - I love them! I find it nearly impossible to part with any of them. I just adore trying new products and falling head over heels for the latest and greatest. This very obsession was the reason I started a blog!

But sometimes, life gets busy and I get a little frustrated digging through a drawer of serums just looking for a basic, daily moisturizer. Those times, my beauty junkie self has to take a backseat and I need a set of old-reliables to get the job done.

Let's be honest - this is Clinique's whole premise, right? Their 3-step program of Cleanse, Exfoliate and Moisturize has been going strong for decades. I was a faithful user of their Facial Soap, Mild Clarifying Lotion and DDML (Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion) back in high school.

Not to put down Clinique at all, but my current set of "reliables" is from Bliss. I have to say I just love their whimsical approach and the latest set of multi-taskers really lets me feel that I'm able to simplify without sacrificing all the skincare benefits.

Check out this simple routine:

Cleanse: Fab Foaming Face Wash

Created for demanding W Hotel clientele, this cleanser has it all: exfoliating beads, a nice fresh formula and can do what it's supposed to - remove makeup, oil and grime. Done.

Exfoliate: Daily Detoxifying Facial Toner

Newsflash to me! I always think of exfoliators as these grainy, messy things. I forgot that the action of sweeping toner over your skin with a cotton round exfoliates without the mess and need to rinse. How could I forget that!? Anyway, this one is great because it's not drying and has anti-oxidants.

Moisturize: Best of Skintentions

Lightweight enough for summer but hydrating enough for dry skin. Does it all: protects against UVA & UVB rays, illuminates skin, absorbs quickly, delivers vitamins, minerals and omegas to promote healthy skin and smells yummy.

So there you have it - for the days I need it, blissimplicity.

For the rest of the days, there are night creams, eye creams, serums, masks, balms, facial massage techniques... and the list goes on.

Interviewing Pretty

2009-05-22T11:48:00.006-04:00

The economy is suffering and everyone is writing about ways to economize.

This is not that post.

I'm writing for a very special segment: beauty chicks who are going on interviews. Maybe you are looking for a better opportunity, or worse, you are out of work and trying to find a new gig, pronto. You want to present your best self to the interviewer, but you've been know to, well... overdo it from time to time. Here are a few tips.

1. Keep the makeup light
You might be obsessed with the latest in thickening mascara, sparkly eye shadow, deep bronzing powders and lip lacquer - aren't we all? EVEN if you're interviewing for a job in beauty, you don't want your makeup to be center-stage. So apply with a light hand; you want to look like yourself, only better. Certainly cover up those 'I've-been-up-all-night-on-Monster.com' dark circles and 'I've-been-living-on-Ramen-and-M'n'M's' zits! My favorite concealer is Lancome's Effacernes - it applies evenly and is waterproof as well. There are lots of shades to choose from. I suggest applying with Lancome's #8 brush for the most natural look.

2. If you wear fragrance, think Light & Pretty
Conventional wisdom says not to wear fragrance to a job interview. Since fragrance is so subjective, it can easily give the wrong impression and it's too easy to overdo it. BUT if you are one of those chicks who feels absolutely naked without fragrance, and you can't feel like you look put together or pretty without it, I have a solution for you. The new fragrance by Elizabeth Arden, appropriately named Pretty, fits the bill. It's light enough that if you use one spritz more than an hour before the interview, it won't overwhelm. It's centered on Petalia, a "perfect floral" note developed by the famed fragrance house Givaudan. Accented with citrus fruits and sensual woods, it is a very soft and feminine scent. The bottle is designed to look like a bud vase making it look even more, well, pretty.

3. A readable resume. Duh.
The other day I was asked to provide some advice to a graduating college senior. She sent me her resume. It had like 2 millimeter margins, and her name was in such a crazy script font, I could barely tell what her name is. Friends, legibility and brevity are the key to killer resumes.

Now, go out and get em!

eos: an extraordinary option for shaving

2009-03-28T12:38:00.004-04:00

What do you look for in a shaving cream? A formula that won't clog your razor and provides good glide so you get a close shave are the basics. It's also nice to have a pleasant scent, nice packaging, skincare benefits and being environmentally friendly. eos has all that - and a great pricetag!
The eos Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream is fantastic. The formula is a thick cream that can be used wet or dry. It's so rich, you'd think it would clog your razor, but it rinses clean so you get a close shave from toe to top. The scents are great - choose from Pomegranate Raspberry, Island Blue, Vanilla Bliss, Lavender Jasmine, Cucumber Melon or Fragrance Free for sensitive types.

The bottle is so well designed you'd think it costs twice the price. First of all, it's the same kind of soft-touch plastic that NARS makeup compacts have, and has finger grip depressions - so it won't slide out of wet soapy hands. I love that it's plastic - say goodbye rust rings on the tub! The bottle is recyclable and the pump is 100% propellant free so you can feel good about the environment.

The formula is skin-friendly too. It contains aloe, oat, shea butter and vitamins E&C. My easily irritated skin felt calm and silky smooth.

Look for eos ultra moisturizing shave cream at Target, drugstores or grocery stores, or order online at drugstore.com. It's priced around $5, and the cheapest prices are at the eos store, where you can also find some really cool looking lip balms. I can't wait to see more from this brand - looks like they have a body lotion coming soon.

My Personal Sanctuary

2009-02-25T17:41:00.003-05:00

Years ago, I was travelling alone and befriended a great English gal. She let me use her shower after I used the pool after check-out time, and I fell in love with her Sanctuary products, which come from the esteemed ladies-only spa in London. I adored the Body Moisture Spray. It has a warm, spicy scent and absorbs quickly, leaving skin dewy but not greasy. This product is responsible for my long-standing obsession with spray-on body oils - because who really has time to slather on moisturizer after a shower? It's much easy to spritz on some oil while the skin is damp.

Anyway, I thought about these products long after we parted ways, and picked some up at an airport Boots (the fabulous British pharmacy) while on the way home. But, alas, my stash soon ran out. Imagine, then, my excitement when Target started carrying some Boots products in their stores, including those from The Sanctuary! I've stocked up on quite a few items from the Spa Essentials line, including the Bath Relaxer (a heavier oil, more like a baby oil, great for soaking in a bath or smoothing over extra-dry skin) and the Foaming Shower Mousse (a very rich and moisturizing self-foaming wash). I can't find the beloved Body Moisture Spray on Target's website so I'm not sure if they carry it - my current bottle came from a pal abroad.

Next time you're at Target, be sure to try this line. It's affordable, smells amazing and pampers your skin. For me, it will always bring me back to that sunny afternoon in Thailand, as I set forth for the next leg of my journey.

Black History Month

2009-02-06T17:22:00.009-05:00

February is Black History Month, and is a perfect time to take a look at the brands that celebrate the beauty of African American women. Not so long ago, women of deeper skin tones and coarser hair types had limited beauty product options. Just think about that section of the drugstore where products have unappealing names involving the words cholesterol or placenta.

Now there are more luxurious options, and their products are bound to find a following outside of their target market. And being beyond pale with thin, limp hair, I'm the perfect person to test that theory!

The first brand that comes to mind is Fashion Fair. Fashion Fair Cosmetics was introduced in September 1973 at Marshall Field’s in Chicago, and can now be found in over 1,000 fine stores in the U.S. and around the world. I have visited the counter in Lord & Taylor on Fifth Avenue several times. They have a huge range of makeup for all skin tones. I found the Finishings Lipstick to be richly pigmented, smooth and hydrating. When I feel like a bold, brown lip I pick up "Uptown Brown" which has reddish undertones.

Mizani is a salon brand designed for hair that is "naturally curly and highly textured to color-treated, relaxed and everything in between". Mizani is a Swahili word meaning "balance", and the founding principle of the brand is "Beauty and Chemistry in Balance." A favorite product of mine (and my husband's!) is Mizani's Spradiance High Gloss Serum. It is lightweight, imparts a ridiculous amount of shine and smells wonderful (a little bit like Mugler's Angel).

Next up is Dr. Miracle's. Now this is a funny story. I often receive emails from brands announcing new products and so on, so I can share the info with you. I got a very nice email from the people at Dr. Miracle's showing how People Magazine had highlighted their hair product that helps repair broken hair around the nape and forehead. Well! Since having my baby, I have dealt with thinning hair around the forehead and thought this might help me out. So I received the Temple & Nape Gro Balm and press kit, and ONLY THEN realized it was for African American hair. Oops! I sheepishly emailed the rep, asking if this would work on my blonde, thin hair, and she suggested I give it a try. The packaging is very retro and has a vague snake-oil-salesman a.k.a. infomercial look and tone to it. (Just check out their website and you'll see what I mean). I did try the formula and unfortunately it made my hair very greasy since I don't have any texture to absorb it. The "Feel It" Formula" (no, I'm not making this up) does tingle with a combination of menthol and clove oil, so I can imagine that it does stimulate blood flow to the area's hair follicles. Thanks to the kind folks at the brand, I do have a few bottles of the product - leave a comment with your email address if you're interested in trying the Gentle or Super strength formula.

Lastly, who hasn't drooled over the yummy-smelling formulations by Carol's Daughter during a trip to Sephora? While many of the hair products seem specifically designed to address the needs of ethnic hair, the body products and fragrance will certainly appeal to all. Personally, I'm dying to try Pearls, their latest fragrance release. First of all, I'm obsessed with pearls, and the bottle is adorned with a pearl topper. Secondly, it has wonderful notes of lemon verbena, a floral heart and a warm base of vanilla and sweet caramel. mmmmmm!

I'm sure I've missed ome of the exciting new brands for women of color, so please add a comment and let us know which ones to try next!

Warm Your Home with Cinnamon

2008-12-12T14:02:00.014-05:00

Cinnamon bush with bark peeled back, Zanzibar

Cinnamon is one of my favorite scents and flavors. As a kid, I really enjoyed buttered toast sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. When I studied in France, I was looking to buy cinnamon but didn't know what it was called , so I asked the grocer in my best French: "I would like the brown spice that one eats with apples" - and he amusedly pointed me to canelle. Even today, I have a really embarassing addiction to Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. So when I had to make cookies for a cookie exchange party I recently hosted, naturally I wanted to use cinnamon, especially because it has such nice nice fall & holiday associations.

In searching for a good cinnamon cookie recipe, I stumbled across a great blog - Kitchen Addiction. Rachel posts amazing recipes and I made her Chewy Cinnamon Cookies for my party. Her recipe held up to my numerous mistakes and they still tasted good. (She even fielded frantic questions from me via email - thanks so much!) But the biggest benefit of baking all day was that my house smelled deliciously cinnamon-y.

Now, to recapture that scent without the mixing, beating, measuring and cleaning up! Just like the gal in the silly Glade gingerbread man commercial (you know the one I mean), I burn a cinnamon candle. I have a few favorites:

For a spicy vanilla with a little bite, burn Votivo's Cinnamon candle, No 76. This is no longer on Votivo's website - very sad if discontinued - but you can find it here for $24.90.

Cinnamon is also amazing when combined with orange and clove, which is why the Arancio & Canella candle by Lorenzo Villoresi is such a delight. I got this one at Lafco NY; they carry Villoresi scents on their website; call them to see if candles are also in stock.

OK, how about a candle that we can actually find & buy!? For immediate gratification, head to your Bath & Body Works and get the Henri Bendel Cinnamon Bark candle. This candle features the unmistakable, timeless scent of cinnamon bark blended with frosted bergamot, fresh orange, clove bud and smoky musk.

Finally, if you prefer other ways to scent your home than just using candles (maybe little ones are about and candles pose a risk), then you can enjoy Slatkin's Cinnamon & Clove Buds scent in a "Right at Home" gift set of a 4-oz candle, 1.5 oz room spray and Wallflowers® Pluggable Home Fragrance Diffuser set.

Enjoy these candles on days you're not baking... and when you are, definitely head to Kitchen Addiction!

You Smell... I mean that in a good way

2008-12-10T00:26:00.004-05:00

Let's be honest, a big percentage of beauty purchasing decisions are packaging-based. I'm not even much of a soap user, but I was excited when I saw these soaps from YOU SMELL. Yes, that's the name. The packages say "You Smell" on the front and "like a " on the back.

The design is really fun - it reminds me of a cross between vintage fruit-box labels and old botanical prints. The copy is cheeky but not too silly; on the front we're reminded that "people like people who smell good" and on the side of the wrapper, we are assured that "help is on the way" and reminded to "resist the urge to eat it". Can't you just see these for sale in an Anthropologie store?

But of course, packaging is only part of the story - the product has to be good! These soaps are made from all-natural goat's milk and shea butter. It's hand-made from start to finish and has a smooth and creamy texture. I put them near my kitchen sink and used them for my frequent hand-washing, and they didn't dry out my skin.

There are only 2 fragrances at the moment - Lemon Verbena and Lavender Mint. I am partial to the calming Lavender Mint, but my recent houseguests preferred the zesty Lemon Verbena. Contrary to what the name might suggest, the soaps are not overly perfumed such that they leave a heavy scent on your skin, a benefit for those wanting little interference with their perfumes. The scent remains only as a hint, but I find myself wishing these lovely scents would stick around and make "me smell" a bit more!

The company is just getting started so you're hearing about it before the Anthropologies of the world make them available all over. For now, purchase online at YouSmellSoap.com for $8.50/bar. They would be a funny stocking stuffer for a sibling or anyone else who can stand up to being told, "You smell!"

Volume Control

2008-09-04T15:55:00.004-04:00

A few months after having a baby, I'm glad that my body is starting to get back to normal. But unfortunately, that means my hair is, too. When you're pregnant, your body doesn't shed the usual 100 hairs a day. That's why pregnant women often have thick, luscious locks. Sadly, the benefits don't last: a few months post-partum, your hormones change and tell those hangers-on that it's time to go. Result? Clogged drains, thinner feeling hair and baby fine wisps at the forehead. Even celebrities aren't exempt - rumor has it that Katie Holmes' bangs were an effort to camouflage postpartum hair loss.

While you're waiting for your hair to return to a normal state (6-12 months after the baby's arrival), you can experiment with different hairstyles and styling products. I got a trim, snipped some forehead-skimming bangs and discovered the John Frieda Luxurious Volume line.

The launch of these products came just in time to solve my tress distress! The shampoo, conditioner and trio of styling products work together to boost volume in 3 dimensions: fullness, thickness and lift. Basically, they attack the three causes of flat hair - fewer hairs per square inch, thin strands and hair that won't stand up at the root.

So, I put it to the test. The Full Splendor shampoo and conditioner clean well, rinse cleanly and strengthen hair without weighing it down, leaving it ready for styling. Sorry to break it to you, friends, but no matter what products you use, you can't get the full volume effect without putting a little effort into your blow-out.

The Bountiful Body Mousse really preps the hair by giving it lift at the root and making strands feel thicker - just run a dollop through damp hair. Then spray the roots in front and at the crown with the Lavish Lift Root Booster - this helps to help wimpy strands stand tall and protects against heat damage while you blow dry. Dry hair in sections holding it away from the scalp - and voila! Serious volume, no kidding around. To make the look last, blast it with the All-Out Hold hairspray. It has humidity protection to ensure that a spritz or sprinkle won't undo your do. And it really holds: it held my bangs in place through numerous downward-facing-dogs in yoga class. Final bonus? The whole Luxurious Volume line smells yummy and costs only $6.50 per product; find them at mass retailers.

It definitely felt good to have a good hair day - and have products that help keep the baby-fine hairstyle on the baby, where it belongs!

Mamma Mio, here I go again... my, my, how can I resist you?

2008-06-20T18:03:00.008-04:00

What series on pregnancy products would be complete without mention of Mama Mio?

First of all, their tagline is "Skincare for Supermamas" - and who doesn't want to be a super mama?

Secondly, their products smell amazing. Their Gravida fragrance was designed not to offend pregnancy-sensitive noses, and I just love how the citrusy-floral notes smell without overpowering.
Third? The products are safe for "any time from pregnancy stage to pensionable age". Their "No Nasties" policy should put even the most sensitive-skinned mom's mind at ease.

Last and most important: they work. I used the Tummy Rub butter and found myself digging the very last drops out with my fingernail. It's super quenching, itch relieving and doens't leave you feeling greasy. Similarly, the Tummy Rub oil quenches skin and soaks right in after a shower. I didn't get any strech marks (whether that is luck, genetics or careful skincare, we'll never know, but I'm glad I used these to take care of my belly!). The Wonder-Full balm is also a must-have... you can use it from lips to fingertips to alleviate dryness and heal abused skin.

What else? You can also find Mama Mio products in use at top spas. While on a "babymoon" long weekend at the utterly-fabulous Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys, I had a delightful pregnancy massage at their Spa Terre. They carefully positioned my body to avoid pressure points and scrubbed, smoothed and de-stressed my muscles with an array of Mama Mio "Mama's Touch" spa products. Find a Mama Mio spa by searching here.

Oh boy!

2008-05-30T23:52:00.001-04:00

Our little boy arrived on May 23! Everything went smoothly and he's a perfect little delight. For the purposes of protecting children on the internet, we'll call him J.J. (Being a new parent definitely has its moments of paranoia). Darling Husband and I are unbelievable smitten and thrilled and a bit exhausted, so you'll excuse a slow pace of blogging until we catch up on sleep... and who knows when that will be.

Earth Mama, Angel Baby

2008-04-15T17:13:00.007-04:00

While on the quest for the perfect pregnancy-friendly beauty products, I just had to include an organic line in the mix. After all, this is the time to be concerned about what's going on, as well as in, your body! I found Earth Mama, Angel Baby when I was writing a previous story on baby products, and this time got to test a selection of their products for myself.

First of all, Earth Mama, Angel Baby uses the highest quality oils and QAI certified organic herbs. Their products are cruelty-free, certified vegan, kosher, and 100% toxin-free - that means no phthalates, parabens, SLS, artificial preservatives, fragrances or dyes

Secondly, many products out there for pregnancy are really just amped-up spa products. Creams, oils, lotions, scrubs, soaks, etc... but Earth Mama, Angel Baby creates products that address some very specific, if not glamorous, aspects of pregnancy. Case in point: Morning Wellness Tea to helps quell morning sickness, Heartburn Tea for when even a glass of orange juice seems like torture, and Bottom Balm and Bottom Spray (which are not for baby's bottom, if you know what they mean). They also have some products to help ease the unimaginable pain of miscarriage or stillbirth in their Healing Hearts section.

So, what goodies did I try?

Of course, the first product I reached for was the Stretch Oil for stretchmark prevention. It has a mild scent, spread nicely and is pure and natural, with plant-based oils that are cold pressed without solvents to insure their purity infused with the healing herbal goodness of organic calendula, and calming chamomile. Borage oil, Vitamin E and neroli pure essential oil help nourish and encourage skin’s natural elasticity. It would be a great massage oil.

I also indulged in the Happy Feet foot soak. It looks like a jar of loose tea, and you put a scoopful in a muslin bag and steep it in your tub (or a small bucket) so the herbs can release their goodness. It contains organic lavender, yarrow, thyme, peppermint, osemary, salts and organic pure essential oils and smells wonderful. Feet emerge refreshed... and fresh smelling!

This is a company that celebrates all women go through when having a baby and have products to help every step of the way, from pregnancy, labor and postpartum, to breastfeeding and babycare. I am looking forward to trying the Angel Baby products on my little one. A great baby shower gift would be the Angel Baby Kit for $49.95 or the Deluxe Angel Baby Bucket for $119.95.

Basq-ing in the Glow

2008-03-15T16:45:00.001-04:00

Continuing the pregnancy product reviews, I now turn my attention to Basq, a NYC-based company that generously offered me their Bounce Back Aromacology Spa Kit to try out a variety of their products. It contains several products to help you look and feel your best while pregnant, recovering from pregnancy or looking to get your body back into tip-top condition.

My favorite product of the kit was the Resilient Body Oil. It is a fast absorbing blend of essential oils that works with the body's natural toning process helping improve elasticty and prevent the appearance of stretch marks. The blend contains Hazelnut, Rosehip, Grapeseed, Wheatgerm and Sweet Almond oils plus Vitamin E, all known to help tone and regenerate the skin. I used it frequently over my belly and hips and I love the scent. It reminds me of roses, without being too "grandma", if you know what I mean.

I also loved the Soothing Foot and Leg lotion. It is light and absorbs quickly (no more slipping around in your shoes) and has a cooling tingly effect that perks up tired toesies. Perfect for foot massages! I could also imagine this being tops for refreshing tired legs after travel.

The Cucumber Tea Eye gel is also very light and refreshing. The gel is water-based and refreshing, not heavy. It won't be replacing a thicker, more hydrating eye cream, but I'll definitely be using this to help camouflage the tired eyes from newborn-induced sleep deprivation!

Lastly, I got to try the Citrus Sugar Body polish. It's a nice texture: too many sugar scrubs are hard to scoop out of the jar and leave an oily film on the skin. This one has a soft, uniform texture and scrubs gently. It contains good-for-you antioxidants, vitamins plus Rosehip, Grapeseed, and Hazelnut Oils, White Tea and a whipped Shea Butter complex to replenish skin. The Orange Neroli scent is nice if you like orange blossom type scents, and reminded me of Jo Malone's Orange Blossom. It's not my personal favorite, but the scent doesn't linger too long on the skin, so I still enjoy using this on my legs to get them summertime-smooth!

The gift sets are a great way to sample these products or send good wishes along to an expecting friend!

Honey from Tummy to Toes

2008-02-10T21:17:00.000-05:00

I am so excited that we are having a spring baby. That means we can be out and about with the baby all summer, not cooped up, hanging around the house, dreading the 4:30 pm sunsets. But being pregnant over the winter does have one major drawback: itchy, irritated winter skin is kicked up a notch (or more...) due to hormones and all the stretching that comes with a growing baby bump.

Lucky for me, I found Bella B.'s Tummy Honey Butter ($19.95) It's a thick butter designed to prevent stretch marks and alleviate the itching of stretched-thin skin. In the tub, it's a solid - think of a true butter, not a cream-described-as-butter. It is not water-based, so on initial application it feels a bit greasy, but it spreads easily and absorbs quickly into skin. Still, because I like to dress and go in the morning, I reserve this for nightime use.

There's a subtle texture within the butter - like a very fine grain, maybe it's the cornstarch? - which actually helps to relieve itching as you rub it in (and probably helps exfoliate as well). Tummy Honey Butter includes such key ingredients as Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Vitamins D and E, wheat germ oil, olive oil (a sworn-by remedy in middle eastern cultures), avocado oil, jojoba oil, sesame oil, almond oil, and aloe vera.

The fragrance is a real pleasure too. Lots of pregnant gals are super-sensitive to smells, so sniff before you buy. This product has a very subtle scent coming from the cocoa butter, but it has a slightly floral aspect so it's not too chocolatey (like the Palmers products on the market). Natural-product lovers will appreciate that it's free of petroleum, lanolin and parabens, and has not been tested on animals. Not pregnant? I'd suggest trying this butter to re-hydrate cracked hands, elbows and feet, to relieve itchy eczema spots and to hydrate split cuticles.

Another fave product from this line is the Tummy to Toes, Feet & Leg Revitalizer ($18.99). I was recently on a business trip that required a 6-hour flight followed by days and nights on my feet (and in heels no less, hey - I was trying to be stylish!)... and my poor feet took a major beating. This thick cream provides enough slip so that you can deeply massage it into tired feet and calves - or better, get someone else to do it for you! There's a mild cooling sensation that helps revitalize tired feet, but doesn't have an overpowering menthol smell. Again, this would be appreciated by anyone who is tough on her feet, not just moms to be!

Have an expectant friend? Send her a gift set of Tummy Honey products. She'll thank you!

Pregnant Pause

2008-02-02T11:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not ignoring my blog - at least not on purpose, anyway. But it is true that my posts have recently become fewer and further between. What's my excuse? Well, I've been a little distracted...

Yes, this beauty chick has a new little chick on the way! We're expecting a little boy (who I sincerely hope won't roll his eyes at his mother's obsession with fragrances, bath products and makeup...). Overall, I've been feeling great but of course with the new excitement in our lives and a whole new calendar full of doctor's visits, my time has been a little bit stretched. I want to thank the patient readers who keep returning to pay me a visit!

Needless to say, my beauty routine has changed a bit as well. For starters, I didn't even want to go near fragrance in the first trimester, talk about a personality change for me! New obsessions? All sorts of creams, butters and oils to hydrate skin and prevent stretch marks. And do I have a bunch to share with you! Even if you don't have a stretching belly to care for, these products are great for parched winter skin. So stay tuned, more posts (and a bundle of joy) on the way...

Kiss Off: Lipstick & Laundry

2007-12-09T22:11:00.000-05:00

Beauty addicts tend to also be fashion addicts. And so it becomes one of the saddest possible moments ever when you discover that you left a lipstick in your pants pocket - and it went through the washer and the dryer, coating its perfect shimmery coral-red all over your load of khakis, jeans and towels.

If it had been a load of whites I would have doomed it all to the fashion graveyard. But since it was darks, I was determined to do my best to remove the offending spots which somehow evenly speckled my entire load like some bad case of Chicken Pox.

Researching the issue online, several sites suggested using the grease-fighting power of dishwashing liquid to get the oily waxy reside out of the fabric fibers. Others suggested specialized cleaning products which I sought in vain at my local K-Mart. As I wandered the cleaning aisles, I stumbled upon the carpet cleaning area and found something called SPOT SHOT which indicated it could be used to get lipstick out of carpet. This seemed to be the magic bullet, and I even endured missing my train to wait in line at K-Mart and buy it.

Round 1: First, I sprayed each spot with the Spot Shot. Then, I filled the washer with a mixture of dishwashing liquid (Dawn, I think) and laundry detergent (standard Tide). Then I let everything soak for almost an hour in warm water (hoping to melt away the waxes). Then I ran the wash. Once it was done, I was very happy to see that a majority of the stains came out of the jeans and corduroys, but the white tee-shirt was still in bad shape. Of course I didn't dry it, that would set the stains further.

Round 2: I pulled the wash out and looked it over. Every stain got a new spritz of Spot Shot, a drizzle of Spray N Wash, and a brisk rubbing. Probably should have rubbed or used a brush to attack the stains in Round 1. Finished the round with a soaking/washing in warm water. Results? Almost perfect stain removal on the darker, cotton-based items. But the polyester running pants and white tee-shirt were gonners. Put the well-cleaned things in the dryer and proceeded with the next and final round.

Round 3: This was just for my own satisfaction; I didn't really expect too much. I used a solid stain stick to really rub at the stubborn spots that remained. Washed again, and finally put in the dryer. Some of the clothes will be wearable: a few faint spots on running pants are no biggie, but the "I might be a murderer" red stains on a white tee-shirt relegated that one to the cleaning rags bin.

Lesson learned? Always check your pockets when getting undressed AND when doing the laundry. And have some good stain removers on hand. I'm going to buy some KISS OFF Stain Remover. Why? It lists lipstick first on the list of stains it removes - and secondly, who can beat the clever name?

Andy Warhol Silver Factory by Bond No. 9

2007-11-24T18:38:00.000-05:00

Andy Warhol comes to life in the latest scent by Bond No. 9, Silver Factory. There is such a rich story behind this scent, it gets me really excited.

First of all, this is just the first of 12 scents that Bond will be launching that are inspired by Andy Warhol, who had many haunts around NYC, the neighborhoods of which Bond has historically focused its perfumery. The first Warhol scent channels his iconic Silver Factory, where silkscreens were made and fashionable people hung out. In the spring, they'll be coming out with Union Square, and Empire State will follow. Apparently, Warhol loved perfume - if only he could sniff the dozen creations he's inspiring!

The brief for the Silver Factory scent was to be "Sex in a Bottle". Quite a tall order for any perfumer, but the woody floriental (with a combination of bergamot, incense, amber, iris and violet) comes pretty close. It's a perfume concetrate, so at 28% (vs. the usual 18-22% concentration), the scent hits hard and lasts a long time, with excellent sillage. It's quite masculine but will appeal to women who like hearty, heady scents. Personally, I liked it better after it dried down for about 30 minutes, when it lost some sharpness and had a muskier aspect.

The bottle is another great story. Its inspiration was one of Warhol's famous Campbells' soup cans, as you can see from the side-by-side image. I love how the "condensed" note on the soup can becomes "perfume concentrate" on the perfume bottle, and the "nYc" motif along the bottle of the perfume mimics the fleur-de-lis pattern on the soup can. A great side note: in honor of this launch, Campbell's is donating 10,000 cans of soup to NY soup kitchens!

Bond No. 9's Andy Warhol's Silver Factory will only be available in 100 ml bottles (that's about 3.3 ounces) for $230. Find it at the company's four boutiques in New York, Bond No 9.com, Saks Fifth Avenue nationwide and Saks.com.

Tagged!

2007-11-03T19:38:00.000-04:00

Image from a UK Daily Mail article about schools banning the game of tag because physical contact is "inappropriate behavior"

What fun! I've been tagged by the fun, friendly and fearless Makeup Junkie in Canada. What does it mean to be tagged? This is a blogging game where each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about him or herself. People who are tagged need to then report this fact on their blog along with their 7 things, as well as these rules. They then tag 7 others and list their names on their blog. They're also asked to leave a comment for each of the tagged, letting them know they have been tagged and to read the blog.

So, here is a little bit about me:

I'm the only person I know who wears slips. It seems really old-fashioned, but what else do people do when they wear a sweater dress over tights? Static cling is not attractive.

I love to go grocery shopping at night, when all the shelves are fully stocked and the store is nice and quiet.

I'm so pale, my mom used to attack me with blusher before school so the teachers wouldn't think I was under-nourished, terminally ill or kept in a dark basement.

Even today, I still can't figure out where exactly on my face to put blush. Isn't that ridiculous? On the apples of my cheeks looks too cutesy, the "racing stripe" on my cheekbones looks too 80s, and the all-over "Gisele" look makes me look like I'm about to pass out from heat exhaustion. Sigh.

Voyeurism confession: I ride a commuter train each day to work, and I secretly love to watch women put on their makeup. I try to cast a few sideways glances rather than stare, of course. But I can usually manage to see what brands they use and study their application techniques and finished work!

I am passionate about travel and have been to almost 40 countries. My husband is even more well-traveled, so I'm trying to catch up to him. We'll pretty much go anywhere together.

I must have been a flapper in a previous life. I love the music, styles and culture of the 20s and 30s, and F. Scott Fitzgerald is my favorite author.

Now, I'm passing it on & tagging some fun blogs that I enjoy. Pay them a visit!

Product Body Blog
Mythbuster Beauty
Make Her Up
Capitol Hill Barbie
Chaptastic
Product Girl
Lipgloss & Laptops

Indian Summer Scents

2007-09-30T20:50:00.000-04:00

Here in New York, summer and fall are playing a bit of a cat-and-mouse game. One day it's hot, the next it's cool. I can't figure out what clothes to wear! However, one nice effect is that it's giving me a few more days to indulge in my summer scents before packing them away for fall. I like fresh, citrussy scents layered with fruit, incense or marine notes. Here are my top summer scents of 2007:

Yuzu Rouge by Parfums 06130 - The citrusy top notes of grapefruit, Japanese Yuzu fruit and verbena make this perfectly refreshing on a hot summery day. The cassis and cardamom anchor it so the scent lasts longer and and has an alluring depth.

Un Jardin Sur Le Nil by Hermes - My aunt gave this to me, as it is her favorite summer scent. It quickly became one of mine, too! This is a very green, watery scent, inspired by the island-gardens on the Nile river. Notes include green mango, lotus flowers, aromatic rushes, incense and sycamore wood.
Note: I'm wondering if this is discontinued, since it's not on the USA Hermes website, nor on Sephora.com (and I recently saw it in a Sephora store). If anyone has info, please share!

Island Michael Kors - I probably got this 3 summers ago, and I still like it. It's a headier summer scent, better reserved for evening than during the hottest part of the day. There's something about it that does remind me of walking on a beach without shoes, where the breeze is refreshing and there are tropical fruits awaiting you under the shade of a palm tree. I've yet to try its sister scent, Island Michael Kors Hawaii, exclusive to Sephora. The clementine and orange notes in it do sound yummy.

Eau D'Italie - I got a travel set of fragrance, hair wash, hair balm, soap, shower gel and body milk at Lafco NY a year ago. I used it on a trip to Spain, and now anytime I smell the bright citrus scent, it takes me back to sunny days and ocean breezes. The notes are bergamot, incense, and blackcurrant buds. It's perfectly unisex, so you can share!

Eau D'Hadrien by Annick Goutal - My great-aunt took me to Paris when I was 16 years old; it was my first trip aboard. She always wore a sparkling citrus splash, and if this isn't it, it's as close as I can get. Eau d'Hadrien is a fresh, citrus fragrance in which a zesty touch of lemons from Sicily and grapefruits ripened under the Italian sun blend with the subtle notes of citron and cypress.

Fresh Cucumber Baie - Oh, sadness! This is no longer on the Fresh website. Luckily, you can find it here. This is a summer day in a bottle: drink in the fruity watermelon, grapefruit, and berry musk, balanced over fresh marine notes and cucumber pulp. It's fresh (no pun intended), not sticky sweet.

Tell us your top summer picks in the comments.

Northern (High) Lights

2007-09-16T22:16:00.000-04:00

Recently, I took a trip with my sister to Canada to do a little shopping, eating and relaxing. The US dollar is so weak, that our initial idea to go to Europe was pretty much thrown out the window. Canada offered a better exchange rate (although at 1 to 1, the Canadian dollar is at its strongest against the US one too), a less than 2 hour flight, and no jet lag.

We enjoyed shopping in Montreal and enjoying the food and architecture of Quebec. Then, I had a day to kill in Toronto before meeting up with my husband. I hadn't been able to get my roots touched up with a fresh set of highlights and hoped I could get it done in Toronto. Who did I call for advice on a salon? My favorite Canadian beauty bloggers/podcasters: Lipgloss & Laptops. Kerry Anne replied to my query super-fast, even getting her pals in Toronto to help guide my selection. Thanks Kerry Anne!

Unfortunately ,I got to Toronto late and didn't get to book an appointment at my first choice, an Aveda salon. Next choice had been recommended by several of Kerry Anne's friends - called Coupe Bizarre. With a name that translates to something like "Bizarre Haircut", I had to check the place out in person.

image from Montreal Mirror

I admit it: I was scared off by the asymetrical cuts, chunky striped highlights and a pervading aesthetic of tattoos and piercings. Have you ever noticed that Canadian gals are more adventurous in their hairstyles? It's true, it's like everyone is a rock star. Before you think me too straight-laced, know this: I do have a tattoo! But I also work in corporate America and have a preppy side, so an avante-garde look just in time for 4 romantic days away with my husband was not going to work.

So what's a girl with 1-inch roots to do? I decided that my highlights were already too bleached out and I'd be putting in some lowlights at my next salon visit. I had a brainstorm while walking through Shopper's Drug Mart (a much nicer store than the name suggests, even carrying luxury brands...). I would get a color-depositing glaze to tone down my highlights for the week in question.

I purchased Clairol's Color Boosting Glaze in #8, For Medium to Dark Blonde Hair. Back at the hotel, I followed the directions very faithfully, first dampening my hair, then saturating it with the glaze. I let it sit 5 minutes, then rinsed it out. Then, I added the ColorSeal Conditioning Gloss, let that sit for 2 minutes, then rinsed it out.

Unfortunately, when I tried to dry my hair, it was really gummy! There should be a shampooing step somewhere - because water alone (especially with less-than-great water pressure) didn't seem to get it all out. I hopped back in the shower and shampooed. I probably compromised the glaze, much like you're not supposed to wash your hair after a perm. But c'mon, I couldn't walk around the city looking liked I'd poured baby oil all over my head.

After the second wash and dry, I have to say - it did its job. The Color Boosting Glaze is NOT recommended for highlights, actually... but since I wanted it to tone down my highlights and achieve a more homogenous hair color, it was perfect.

A week after I got home, I went to my Old Faithful salon, where I got fresh highlights, fall-appropriate low-lights, and a just-edgy-enough-for-suburbia version of the bob. Kinda like Posh Spice meets the Stepford Wives. And I'm quite happy about it!

Don't Try This at Home

2007-08-30T18:29:00.001-04:00

I recently heard about a beauty trick that is secretly done in bathrooms across the nation. This is the practice of heating up your eyelash curler with a cigarette lighter (or, for the slightly more sane, a hair dryer), in an effort to get a tighter, longer-lasting curl. Talk about a new way to get a smoky eye.
A much safer, and more effective solution is to purchase one of the heated eyelash curlers on the market. Plus, they provide gentle, even heat to coax your lashes skyward, and keep them that way. Now, one of my beauty blessings is naturally curly lashes, so I haven't tested these options out. If you have tried them, please post a comment and let us know how it worked for you!

Crimp-style curlers sandwich lashes between two pads to create a curl and are either heated with batteries in the handle or sit in a heated base:

Talika Heated Eyelash Curler - $35. Raved about by Bliss and features a sleek design. Word in the Alley (makeupalley.com, that is) is that the body is made of cheap plastic and it isn't easy to use.

Hotlashes - $50. If you like using a more traditional curler but want to heat it up, this provides a heated base for a manual-style curler. It's a big investment, but some say it's worth it.

Wand style lash curlers allow you to hold the heat against the lash, reducing the risk of pulling your lashes out.

EyeCurl - £14.95. Seemingly only available in the U.K., this heated eyelash curler gets rave reviews from Kate Moss and other celebs. Plus, rave reviews from fellow beauty junkies.

Blinc - $24. Mixed reviews on drugstore.com. Star feature: blinc Lash Curler’s heated comb has a special built-in guard that prevents contact with your skin and eyes.

Japonesque Heated Mini Eyelash Curler - $16. The small size and fact you can use it over mascara make this one a good choice.

So, are you heating up your lashes so you can look smokin hot? Let us know which of these options has worked for you. Just please leave the flames in the bathroom for a candlelit bath.

Through the Looking Glass

2007-08-12T21:50:00.000-04:00

Think of the characters in your childhood stories. Who did you relate to the most? Or want to be like? Sure, there were moments where you'd have said Jem and the Holograms or She-Ra Princess of Power. But when pressed to think of someone more timeless, Alice in Wonderland always seems to come to the top of the list.

Alice is curious and brave, defiant but polite, and meets characters and has adventures far more amazing than most other childhood heroines. Old enough now to grasp the edgy side of Alice (the drug allusions, twisted logic and double entendres), I like her even more. She's sweet and pure, sure... but is also fearless and handles the surreal world in stride.

Makeup brand Goldie is uniquely edgy/sweet, with gorgeous shades and packaging decorated with an urban sort of scribble. Now Goldie is now celebrating both sides of Alice in a collection of cosmetics that are decorated with early Disney sketches of Alice and her friends "down the rabbit hole".

Check out the two beautiful face palettes, for example. Both include two shades for your eyes, lips and cheeks. The "Alice Silhouette" version shown here features pinky shades and the "A Monogram" version has warmer pink tones. The cases have sketches of Alice that spark the imagination, without being saccharine sweet.

The lip glosses and tinted lip balms are gorgeous, both in the variety of shades and the packaging. The caps are high-quality metal with a lacquered "A" monogram. The Cheshire Cat's smile on the balm makes me smile when I pull it out of my bag.

The collection is available at Bath & Body Works. Use them to get ready, for adventure is just around the corner.

21 Days of Ugly

2007-07-22T15:42:00.000-04:00

100% pure natural plant essences.

Active plant-based essential oils.

Immediate skin absorption.

These claims all sound great, right? Wrong. Not when the plant in question is poison ivy.

I happen to be one of those people who are highly allergic to poison ivy. Apparently, I am also one of those people who accidentally lets her guard down when gardening and pulls out a weed without even considering that it could be my plant kingdom nemesis.

Needless to say, I was rather confused when an itchy welt appeared under my chin a day later. And more confused still when my whole neck and face became red and inflamed. It was only when the rash had developed its characteristic blisters on my arms that I got clued in. And did it hit me like a ton of bricks!

I marched into my doctor's office without an appointment, and once the nurse saw the condition of my face, she got me in immediately. My doctor confidently announced, "Well, it's not anthrax." This is what happens when you see a city doctor for a country problem. After confirming a diagnosis of poison ivy, he gave me some high-powered steroids and allergy medicine, but could not assure me it would be cured immediately.

Rather, it continued to get worse before it got better. Sleeping was practically impossible, and being awake was miserable. And I didn't want to leave my house, such was the state of my face. (Why did I have to get it there? All over my legs would have been much more convenient for a girl whose alias is "beauty chick"!).

For days, I could not shake the feeling being self-conscious of my appearance and feeling that not only was I ugly, I probably disgusted other people. It made me realize what it must be like to have really severe acne or a disfiguring dermatological problem. It's just so emotional when your face is affected, because it's the very center of how you commuicate to the world.

So, holed up at home, I had plenty of time to research poison ivy treatments for me to use in the future - and for you, God forbid you have the same problem.

PREVENT

The trick is not to get poison ivy at all. First of all, follow the adage: Leaves of Three, Let it Be. Second, if you will be hiking or gardening and feel there's a risk of exposure, cover up with long pants, socks, etc. Or, use a topical skin protectant. IvyBlock is the only FDA-approved product that’s clinically proven to help prevent poison oak, ivy and sumac rashes before they start. It produces a clay-like barrier on the skin that protects against the oily resin in poison ivy, oak, and sumac. It must be applied at least 15 minutes before coming in contact with the plant.

CLEANSE

If you do think you were exposed, cleanse the skin immediately. It can bind with proteins in the skin in as little as 5-10 minutes!

Technu Extreme Poison Ivy Scrub - the first medicated product proven to remove poison ivy, oak and sumac oils and prevent it from spreading after the rash has started. This powerful cleansing scrub quickly removes the oils and prevents spreading, allowing the skin to heal. Active ingredient stops pain and relieves itching immediately. Use to stop the itch up to 24 hours after exposure.

Zanfel promises to completely wash away poison ivy, oak & sumac oils from the skin in 30 seconds. Zanfel works by surrounding urushiol and bonding with it, thereby enabling it to be rinsed away. It's priced around $40, but when you're in itchy agony, you'll pay any price.

IvyCleanse - easy to use wipes. Removes harmful Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac oils on skin, clothes, tools and sports equipment. If you're going to be hiking or camping, be sure to carry these with you!

Burt's Bees Poison Ivy Soap - Perhaps a bit less high-tech than the other products, this soap is 99.82% natural. It's a unique blend of jewelweed, clay and pine tar are carefully formulated to offer a mild and cleansing bar of soap, perfect for anyone who enjoys the great out-of-doors.

SOOTHE

If you've got the rash, there's not a ton you can do. It can take up to 5 weeks to completely heal. (Fortunately, my face was better in a week due to the medicine). In the meantime, you are going to itch a lot. These products and tricks can help.

Try not to scratch. Instead, apply cold packs to itchy areas to calm the itch impulse.

Take a soothing oatmeal bath. Aveeno's Soothing Bath Treatment comes in single-use packettes of powder, which is 100 percent pure colloidal oatmeal. It forms a milky bath when mixed in water. The Aveeno bath gently cleans ... no soap is necessary. When you're ready to step out of the tub, you'll find that your skin is softer, smoother and--best of all--your itchiness has been relieved.

Apply an anti-itch product. I avoid creams, because the act of rubbing them in can distrub fragile skin. Go for Cortaid's Intensive Therapy Cooling Spray. You can spray it wherever you itch (almost anywhere; it has alcohol in it so avoid sensitive spots.) The spray cools and the 1% hydrocortisone relieves itching on contact.

If you remember calamine lotion as a kid, you'll remember being covered in pink polka-dots. Now there is CalaGel Medicated Anti-Itch Gel, a clear, cortisone-free, antihistamine gel that stays where you put it. You'll get quick relief without the messy pink fluid on your skin and clothes. CalaGel dries quickly, leaving an invisible, anti-itch skin protectant shield on your tender skin.

Plant essences can be wonderful beauty-enhancers, but in the case of poison ivy, can make you look and feel ugly for weeks. So enjoy the great outdoors -but be careful! And should you get a case of poison ivy, hopefully the treatments listed above will help you.

Pedi Crimes

2007-07-01T21:23:00.000-04:00

Every weekend, I say that I need to go get a pedicure. And somehow, every weekend I manage to get busy (ok, lazy), and I don't do it. It's no longer the beginning of the summer. It's July 1 - and I've run out of excuses. It's time for a DIY Pedi.

Fortunately, I got my hands on some great products that make doing a pedicure at home a much more pleasant and easy experience.

SKIN CARE
Dr. Scholl's is a brand that knows feet - they've been in the foot care business for over 100 years. Recently, they've gotten much more hip and understanding of how women's feet are different from men's - and the fact that our sense of aesthetics is far more advanced! Hence, the new Dr. Scholl's For Her line. They bring you pedicare products, shoe insoles and problem solvers in seriously upgraded, cute packaging. With the following steps, my at-home pedi was almost as good as one in the salon.
1. Soak feet in warm soapy water.

2. Scrub with Dr. Scholl's for her Pumice Foot Scrub (if they're seriously bad, use their battery-operated Rough Skin Remover tool - shown above - to remove calluses).

3. Hydrate with Advanced Foot Repair Cream. Or, if you're going places immediately, I love the Foot Serum - it provides intensive moisturization with a super light, silky feel so you're not slip-sliding in your shoes.

4. If necessary, take care of any problems (corns, calluses, warts, blisters) with the appropriate Dr. Scholl's fix-her-up-ers. Nobody wants to see that nastiness!

NAIL CARE
Between Sephora and the Sally Hansen section of my local drugstore, I was able to find all that I need to create a great at-home pedi... and at reasonable prices, too!

1. Trim nails straight across with a good toenail clipper. Don't try using a fingernail clipper, or you'll get scalloped edges along the edge of your big toe nail. File smooth.

2. Push back cuticles with a great tool. I love this one from Sephora.

3. Trim off any hangnails or excess cuticles with a Cuticle Nipper

4. Use nail polish remover to clean nails of excess lotion and old polish.

5. Separate toes if necessary with a foam separator, cotton or just wound up paper towel.

6. Apply base coat to protect nails from yellowing. I like multi-tasking products, so Sally Hansen Diamond Shine Base & Top Coat is a good one because it's a base and a top coat.

7. Apply 2 coats of color. I'm in love with Sally Hansen's new Salon Nail Lacquer. Here's why: you don't see any brush marks in the color after applying! It kind of self-heals and forms a uniform coat on my nails, even when I apply it clumsily. Perfect for when you're a bit unsteady bending over your toes or applying with your less-dominant hand. Best colors? For me, I just love deep, shimmery red for pedicures, so Wine Not? and Ru-be or Not to Be are awesome.

8. Finish off with an application of top coat and DO NOT DISTURB. Go read a magazine or sip a glass of wine while they dry.

Now, that wasn't so bad! I didn't have to worry about the cleanliness of my tools or squirm with ticklishness when the pedicurist tried to scrub my soles. Plus, it was cheap and easy - and I'll always have the color on hand to do my own touch ups. You can flaunt a cheap & easy pedi for up to two weeks, if you hydrate feet nightly and apply more top coat every few days.

Connect to a Cause

2007-06-24T12:01:00.000-04:00

I'd like to thank everyone who left a comment on my recent post, "Comments for a Cure". I wrote about the organization Look Good, Feel Better, and pledged to donate $1 for each comment that was left on the post that week. Since the campaign ended, I decided to donate $10 for each of the kind, thoughtful posts. The donation goes to the Susan G. Komen Foundation which supports women affected by breast cancer. And I'd like to invite you to join me in making a donation.

My campaign is hosted at 411Karma, a new website dedicated to connecting like-minded individuals and letting them raise funds and awareness for the issues they care about most. 411Karma made it really easy for me to set up my campaign, make a donation on behalf of each of my wonderful commenters, and enable others to contribute to the cause. Please visit my campaign page.

Ever feel like you want to change the world, but don't know where to start? You can create a campaign like I did. Maybe start one for a disease that has affected one of your family members. Or raise funds to protect the environment. Even support your local Boy or Girl Scout chapter. Every charity you can imagine is here. One you join the community (which is easy and free), you can establish a campaign in no time at all.

A cool way to support your campaign and grow your Karma is to set up a Klog. Clearly, you know what a blog is. A Klog is blog supercharged with karmic power. You write about the issues you care about, and can back your Klog with a donation to a charity of your choice. The amount of your donation and the charity selected will appear next to your Klog's message. And since any member can respond to your Klog, they too can back their response with a donation. So as the discussion unfolds, not only will it benefit the minds of the community, but it will also benefit the world.

Now, that's what I call putting your money where your mouth is.

Rockin' Nails

2007-06-17T21:58:00.000-04:00

What do manicures and music have in common? Deborah Lippmann, the celebrity manicurist turned singing sensation.

Lippmann is manicurist to the stars, citing Meryl Streep, Mary J. Blige and Renee Zellweger as her clients. And while she loves her work as a celebrity manicurist and the Founder/CEO of her own nail care line, lippmann collection, her dream has always been to sing. In fact, it was Renee Zellweger who inspired Lippmann to pursue her dream and release her first album, Nightingale, which was very well received.

Her latest nail color collection and music album both share the same name - VINYL. The album includes jazz versions of famous rock anthems originally recorded on, you guessed it, vinyl. The album includes versions of “Satisfaction” (originally recorded by The Rolling Stones), “Message in a Bottle” (originally recorded by The Police), “Need You Tonight” (originally recorded by INXS), and “You Give Love a Bad Name” (originally recorded by Bon Jovi).

A super fun twist is that she has created nail shades for each song on the album. "Need You Tonight" is a passionate red. "Fade to Black" is a deep carbon black. "Wicked Game" is a deep, moody gunmetal, and the 80s anthem "You Give Love a Bad Name" is a super 80s neon pink.

In contrast to the classic shades of lippmann collection, Vinyl shades are big and bold, modern and edgy, just like Lippmann's singing voice. And, like Vinyl, they're naturally super shiny. They're purse-sized (.2 fl oz) and only $8.50, so you can afford to get a shade for fingers and toes. Only at select Bath & Body Works and bathandbodyworks.com.

A great nail polish tip from Lippmann: before using, gently roll the nail polish bottle between your palms. Shaking it vigorously can cause bubbles and streaks in your finished manicure. Who knew?

Comments for a Cure

2007-06-05T23:40:00.001-04:00

This week, I'm joining with my fellow beauty bloggers in the Beauty Blog Network to help raise funds and awareness about women's cancers. So please help me make a difference - for every comment you post below, we'll donate $1 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world's largest, boldest and most progressive grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, the only organization fighting to cure breast cancer at every stage. Maybe you want to share your own story of how breast cancer has touched your life, or those of your loved ones. Or perhaps you just want to say hello - either way, your comment will help raise money.

My friend Courtney was diagnosed with breast cancer in October. She went through chemo to shrink her tumor, and just this month, she had a double mastectomy/reconstruction surgery. I'm so happy to say that not only did she handle the ordeal with courage and humor, but she is now healing well and feeling great. Her whole story is available at her amazing blog, The C(ourtney) Word. She blogged about how her cancer treatment required her to explore new makeup like eyebrow pencil (for eyebrow bald spots) and accessories (like the Scarfabulous) previously foreign to her. You can see how a little expert help in navigating this new world would be appreciated! Fortunately, she was able to attend an event where experts on makeup and hair were available to help cancer patients learn how to look their best. She wrote a post about it, and I can imagine how it brightened the faces and spirits of the ladies who were there.

One organization has helped over 500,000 cancer patients at events like these. Appropriately named, they are Look Good, Feel Better. LGFB is a free, national program that helps women offset appearance-related changes from cancer treatment.

A Look Good, Feel Better before-and-after

They hold 2-hour workshops where patients can learn how to use makeup and accessories to help counteract some of the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. The cosmetologists and volunteers understand the unique ways that cancer treatments can affect skin, hair and nails and are able to demonstrate useful techniques and offer compassionate advice, tailored to what each patients wants.
The program is offered offered through a collaboration between the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association Foundation (CTFA), the American Cancer Society (ACS), and the National Cosmetology Association (NCA). Brands ranging from Avon to Estee Lauder to L'Oreal to Revlon donate products. You can get involved by donating or volunteering.

Please remember - cancer is not a disease you only get when you're older. Courtney is 33 years old. My other friend Asha had breast cancer at age 24. Please be sure to do your monthly breast self-exams and see your OB/GYN at least yearly. It could save your life!

Thanks for reading and please remember to comment! I'll donate $1 per comment posted before midnight, Sunday, June 10, EST (donation cap $500). You can also support the cause by shopping at our store. LASTLY... get ready for the beauty goodie bag of all time. We have asked our related clients, PR and beauty companies to donate a beauty product(s) of their choice for our ‘goodie bag’, which will be auctioned off on Ebay, through Mission Fish, with the winning bid to be donated to The American Cancer Society. Auction to run June 10-16th; more information located here.

A Spray A Day

2007-06-03T12:18:00.000-04:00

The beauty industry has been buzzing lately with products that are designed to be good for you. I recently wrote about some Good for You products. But none of these vitamin-infused cosmetics can replace the dose vitamins and minerals your body needs daily to look and feel its best. Yet we don't usually associate taking our vitamins with part of our beauty routine, do we? Maybe that's because the vitamin-taking process usually involves huge, nasty tasting pills and ugly, hide-in-the-cabinet packaging -- until now.

I discovered the brand Sprayology on a recent trip to New York's ultra-chic department store, Takashimaya. I was initially attracted by the beautiful packaging and stopped to learn more. I discovered that the line consists of oral sprays that promote beauty and wellness from within.

There are two benefits to oral sprays over pills. First, they're easier to take. I know several people who just can't take pills. Secondly, they're more effective. When vitamins and other nutrients are spreayed under the tongue, they bypass the digestive tract (which can reduce the restorative properties of tablets, liquids and capsues) and are absorbed directly into the bloodstream!

Sprayology has products to rejuvenate the body, relieve ailments, restore balance and rebuild the body. For general health, there is Daily Multi, B-12 + Folic Acid, and C + Z, with Vitamin C and Zinc.

For relief of occassional problems, there are several innovative formulas. PMSupport restores cyclical balance. SleepEase promises to relieve restlessness. DigestivEase relieves stomach distress, and it's helpful that it's a spray, considering that you rarely want to eat something when your stomach is upset! I keep a bottle of StressLess in my desk drawer at work!

But, naturally, of greatest interest to Beauty Chick are the products designed to enhance the appearance!

Body Skin Tonic rejuvenates dry skin and stimulates the body's own natural systems to promote softer, smoother skin for long-term results.
Hair + Nail Tonic combines homeopathic ingredients to promote more beautiful hair and nails while relieving such symptoms as dull slow growing hair, dry scalp and brittle nails.

Acne Tonic combines homeopathic ingredients to relieve acne discomfort and the common symptoms of acne including face and body breakouts, redness, itching and inflammation.

AgeWell Anti-Ox is sprayology's "Beauty Vitamin" that contains vital antioxidants and immune stimulating vitamins which help delay cellular aging, improve skin smoothness and elasticity, and prevent premature aging.

All Sprayology formulas are designed in FDA approved laboratories by expert medical doctors and homeopaths to create a balance between modern technology and holistic health. I've tried several of the products and can say that they are a quick, portable (and even tasty) way to my dose of vitamins. Products range from $20 to $48 and are usually about a month supply.

Want to try Sprayology? Beauty Hatchery is giving away a full-size bottle of Party Relief, which prevents and relieves alcohol-related discomfort. (Not that we condone such behavior! Beauty Chick recommends drinking in moderation.) If you're a party girl or know someone who could use it, just leave a comment below. In a week, I'll post the lucky winner and you can email me privately with your mailing address.

When I was in college, my mom's voicemails would always end with "Get some sleep and take your vitamins!" Now, at least half of that advice is easier to follow!

Face Mask Fancies

2007-05-16T22:01:00.000-04:00

It's funny when you think about how early beauty culture starts. My nieces, ages 8 and 10, slept over a few weeks ago. They know I have buckets of beauty products and always want to play. I can't indulge their bubble bath dreams due to their sensitive skin. And their mother won't be too thrilled if I paint their faces Jean Benet Ramsey style. So what's a cool aunt to do?

This time, the girls had an idea: they wanted to do face masks. And they were very specific. The mask should be green, and they wanted to have cucumber slices on their eyes. Where do they get these ideas? I know the image, like the one above, is fairly iconic of a day at the spa, but I didn't realize that kids who are otherwise preoccupied with gymnastics and softball would already have picked up on such an icon of beauty culture.

So of course I had to indulge. We bought a cucumber at the store. But I kind of forgot about the mask part (and frankly thought they'd be more into watching the Lion King Part 2 to remember the request). Well, they remembered. And I scrambled to deliver.

First - no green mask in any of my beauty buckets. Oil-absorbing, anti-aging, and painful peel-off vareities, yes. But all ran the risk abusing their already perfectly smooth and even complexions. So I had a brainstorm. Let's make a mask! Kitchen ingredients must be innocuous, and I dug into my memory for my own childhood mask recipes.

As I rifled through fridge and pantry, I scouted possible ingredients. I combined yogurt, coconut milk (left over from an exotic cooking experiment), honey, and oatmeal (the instant kind was all I had). The girls were skeptical, especially because it wasn't the requisite mint green shade. Would that I'd had avocado or at least green food coloring! They consented to try the masks on their faces, which I had to apply as they laid down, lest the chunks of oatmeal fall off. They giggled at how cold it was (fridge fresh!). It was fun, but not quite as restful and luxurious as they'd hoped!

What I later discovered was that the ingredients I sourced ARE actually good for skin!

YOGURT: The lactic acid in yogurt softens and soothes the skin. Think about how Cleopatra famously bathed in milk to keep her skin smooth! Nobody knows more about yogurt than the Greeks, and Greek brand Korres has a yogurt mask that uses the power of active yogurt and watercress extract to instantly hydrate and comfort oily skin that feels dehydrated.
HONEY: Honey cleanses and moisturizes skin. Honey is a humectant, which means it attracts and retains water. So honey is a natural fit for a variety of moisturizing products including cleansers, creams, shampoos and conditioners. Because honey is also an anti-irritant, it is suitable for sensitive skin and baby care products. (Thanks to Pioneer Thinking for the info!)
COCONUT MILK: Coconut milk is both nourishing and smoothening for the skin. Woman Junction recommends the following hydration mask: Mix half a cup of canned coconut milk, warmed in the microwave until runny - about 30 seconds on high - mixed with 2 tbsp of honey. Massage into the skin, rinse off after about 10 mins.
OATMEAL: Oatmeal is already known to calm skin, ease itching and exfoliate. According to Aveeno, who offers many oatmeal-based beauty products, oats have a rich history going back to the ancient Greeks and Romans who used oat baths to heal skin ailments.

Based on this info, I'm thrilled to discover that not only did I help the girls play "spa day", but I also whipped up something that is good for them, inside and out!

Mother's Day Makeover

2007-05-13T23:00:00.000-04:00

Today, I celebrated Mother's Day with my wonderful Mom. She's funny, caring and creative. We have tons in common. But although she may share my passion for beauty products, she doesn't treat herself enough. So this year, my sister and I decided to give her a beauty upgrade.

First, we selected a variety of luxurious department-store beauty products. Every part of the face was covered: For face, we had foundation, concealer & powder. For eyes, there was eyeliner, mascara & eye shadow. And for a dash of color, we offered blush, lipstick and a lip brush. Even the skin was pampered with exfoliant, makeup remover and hand cream. Each item was wrapped separately for maximum present-opening effect.

But the ultimate gift was yet to come. She's a fan of home decorating makeover shows, like Trading Spaces and While You Were Out. My Dad calls them "Scream Shows" because everyone screams at their newly designed room at the big reveal. We wanted to give my mom a mini-scream of her own by organizing her bathroom.

First, we had a look at the baskets and drawers that house her various makeup items. Then, we tossed anything old, including glazed eye shadows, dried out mascaras and lipsticks so old you can't read the shade name. (You know you have these, too - so start spring cleaning!) Then, we tossed almost-new products with shades that are not flattering. For this category, you either have to give them away to friends (or swap them on Makeup Alley). Lastly, I cleaned out the dust and debris and packed away all the new products sorted by category. And the screaming? A little for each tossed-out old friend, but definitely a positive one for the end result.

Mom did her face this morning and looked as beautiful as always. But she had an extra bright smile thanks to the pampering experience that a beauty upgrade can provide.

Need some help getting your own bathroom organized? Follow these basic rules:

If you bought it more than a year ago, toss it.
If you last used it more than a year ago, toss it.
Keep a second set of your most-used items in your purse, so you can avoid rushed mornings unpacking and repacking your cosmetic bag.
If you don't know what shades work best on you, invest in a makeover at the makeup counter at your local department store. Have them write down everything they used on you, and go buy whatever you couldn't purchase the first day whenever you want to give yourself a little treat.
Buy cosmetic organizers to sort and store your items. Separate items into skincare, hair, face makeup, eyes, lips and nails. Try The Container Store for some easy and affordable organizers, like those pictured above.

Whishes do Come True

2007-04-22T22:26:00.000-04:00

I remember once, when I was in college, walking down the street saying oh-so-sophisticatedly that if I ever met a man who used a shaving brush, I'd marry him. (I'd been spending a lot of time reading F. Scott Fitzgerald at the time). A rather debonair old man heard me and said that since he met the requirement, he'd take me up on the offer!

Inter-generational joking aside, it did draw to my mind the fact that there are no special shaving rituals complete with crystal dishes and soft brushes for women, who have a much larger body surface to shave!

Fast forward a decade later, and women need be jealous of men's shaving accoutrements no longer! Where did the idea come from? A woman who stole into her husband's European shaving cream and shave brush. She said it was the best shave of her life - and a business idea was born. The pair set out to bring luxury and comfort to a woman's shaving routine - and the wife's wish became WHISH Body.

The line consists of three Shave Crave shaving creams, a collection of badger-hair Body Brushes and Shave Savour aftershave for legs. They take old-school men's shaving tools and make them truly boudoir-worthy.

Shave Crave - A man's crusty cake of soap becomes a jar of thick and luxurious, pre-foamed shave cream. The glycerin-based formula is fortified with essential oils such as pomegranate, lemongrass and almond. They come in three beautiful scents: Pomegranate, Lemongrass and Almond.

Body Brush - A utilitarian wooden-handled tool gets a makeover with softest hair and a handle designed to fit securely in a woman's shower-wet hand. As you swirl the cream on with the brush, you exfoliate and create a smooth glide for your razor. Best of all? Brushes are available encrusted with Swarovski crystals to make you look forward to what used to be a chore.

Shave Savour - A brisk splash of Aqua Velva may be the man's answer, but today's woman needs to pamper her freshly shaved gams. Whish's Shave Savour is an aftershave for gals. Scented to coordinate with the creams, it glides on like a smooth gel and its natural, nourishing ingredients soften, moisturize and softly scent your legs.

The best way to make your Whish shave come true:

Soak in a warm bath or let a warm shower open pores and soften skin.
Soak the Body Brush in warm water for several seconds. Wring out excess.
Dip the brush into Shave Crave and swirl the head of the brush over the cream.
Brush back and forther over skin, using a circular motion to let hair follicle rise.
Shave with the grain in smooth, long strokes. Re-lather and shave against the grain.
Rinse brush thoroughly and wring out excess moisture.
Follow with Shave Savour to lock in moisture and leave legs silky smooth.

After following the steps and using these three products, I can tell you that I enjoy shaving more and my legs are ready to bare it all under spring skirts. Now, we need to make sure the guys don't get any ideas about using our shaving stuff!

Beauty Podcasts

2007-04-15T19:07:00.000-04:00

I am sorry for not posting last week! It's been a busy spring, but stay tuned because I'm planning to post twice a week - a mid-week quickie and a usual, longer-format post on weekends.

But what does one do when you don't have time to read or write blog posts? Listen to them, of course! I have recently discovered a few great beauty podcasts, and they are all in my iPod for those long commutes. Give 'em a listen!

LIPGLOSS & LAPTOPS
Kerry Anne and Airdrie, two moms from Canada, put on a great weekly show. They call Lip Gloss and Laptops "the free weekly health, cosmetics, and beauty podcast for the thinking woman". Usually about an hour, the show covers product reviews, makeup tips and updates on the two friends' lives. They have a casual approach and often giggle at each other, which makes me break out into a smile during my commute. You can subscribe via iTunes or follow these instructions for other subscription methods.

THE BEAUTY NEWSLETTER
The Beauty Newsletter is a blog by celebrity Makeup Artist, Elke Von Freudenberg, and she has a great podcast you can find on iTunes. Elke is a top editorial and celebrity makeup artist in Los Angles and New York. Join her as she shares her makeup tips and tricks, and reviews of beauty products and cosmetics that she gets to use on her photo shoots, and even herself! Elke is perfectly situated to spot emerging trends, so turn to her for advice on being au courant.

ORGANIC BEAUTY RADIO
Andrea Kane is the Organic Beauty Expert! Her blog is "the first and only blog for natural, handmade and organic body care products and services" and her podcast, Organic Beauty Radio, gives you "in-depth interviews with the people behind your favorite beauty products". She gets a tremendous array of guests, from the likes of Juice Beauty, Origins and vonNatur.

HOME SPA GODDESS BEAUTY
The Home Spa Goddess show is about bath and beauty, make up and hair and home spa products. The shows average about 20 minutes and air three times a week (MWF). The latest show is here.

PRODUCT GIRL PODCASTS
Product Girl is a blog and podcast for everyone who loves beauty products. She talks about favorite products, new collections, tips and tricks as well as upcoming collections. Each roughly 30-minute podcast covers topics such as drugstore finds, building a foundation and makeup expiration dates.

METRO MOMENT
As the name suggests, Metro Moment is "a vignette of metrosexual awareness grooming and guidance helping you to be fab, sexy, chic, neat, presentable!" Shows have looked at how you can fake a tan, get rid of lines and have sexy, shiny hair.

Have a beauty podcast of your own, or recommend others not listed above? Mention it in the comments!

Go on, Get Smiley

2007-04-01T21:20:00.000-04:00

Perfumes make me happy. I like to wear and collect them, try new scents and allow myself to be transported by unique and unusual notes. However, a new fragrance has appeared on the scene that claims to really make you happy. And it's aptly named "Smiley".

I encountered Smiley this weekend at Henri Bendel. You can't miss it: the bottle is sunshine-yellow, pill-shaped and has a nozzle sprayer. There's a cute smiley face right on it. Amongst the serious scents all around it, Smiley's simple design stood out. (French designer ora-ito is to credit for the design).

The print on the bottle says "Psycho-tonic perfume [normal dose] with micro-nutrients to activate happiness." That intrigued me. Who doesn't like to be happy? So I spritzed away. I didn't feel a wave of euphoria, but - I love the scent and can't stop smelling my wrists. It's zesty and warm at the same time, thanks to energizing top notes of bergamot and orange, a heart full of "delectable pleasures" of cocoa, praline and curaçao, and a relaxing base of patchouli, myrrh and musk. It is unisex, so everyone can get happy.

Aside from having aromatherapeutic notes, how does Smiley work as 'happy therapy'? The makers claim that olfactory molecules theobromine and phenylethylamine, both found in chocolate, can have an antidepressant effect. I definitely find chocolate to be a mood-booster, so I can believe it. And having heard that the skin absorbs much of what is applied to it, why couldn't these beneficial molecules be absorbed and scoot right up to the happy-center of the brain?

The fragrance, from the Arthes label, just launched at Colette in Paris and New York's Henri Bendel is currently the only store to find it in the USA (800) H-BENDEL. But you can purchase it online here: http://www.happytherapy.com/shop. There is a full body-care line as well, all in equally cheerful, medicine-inspired packaging.

Hey, at $45 for a 1.7-ounce bottle of eau de toilette, it’s cheaper than therapy!

Hypnôse for Her, Him & the Children

2007-03-25T22:47:00.000-04:00

Lancôme is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the launch of Hypnôse, a seductive fragrance based on notes of Passion Flower, Vanilla and Vetiver. I love this fragrance; it's warm and sexy and has great sillage and staying power.

The men's fragrance, Hypnôse Homme, just came out. I don't often go for his and hers, matchy-matchy fragrances, but this smells amazing on my husband. It's a seductive amber aromatic of spicy black cardamom, a heart of lavender and the warmth of amber and musk. It's fresh and sexy at the same time. Plus, who can resist Clive Owen as a spokesmodel?

So, you may ask, is Hypnôse for Kids next? Well, yes, in a way. The company asked the two of the hottest emerging designers in America, Proenza Schouler, to design a dress that evokes the Hypnôse scent, bottle and woman. The dress, a couture creation valued at $20,000 in the fragrance's signature violet, will be auctioned on eBay beginning April 1st. The proceeds will go to benefit Save the Children, an organization that helps children in need. The auction listing will be reachable through the Hypnôse Couture website. Watch a behind-the-scenes video with Daria Werbowy and Proenza’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez that celebrates this project.

This is not the only Proenza Schouler partnership with Lancôme this season. You may have read some of the buzz about the Le Rouge Absolu lipstick in "Proenza Pink", a surfer-girl milky pink. Sorry to inform you that it's sold out, but hey - while you're on eBay looking at the Hypnôse dress, you can see if there are any Proenza Pink lipsticks listed!

Guyliner

2007-03-17T21:46:00.000-04:00

If you’ve seen Pirates of the Caribbean, you have been exposed to Guyliner. Johnny Depp looked pretty hot with kohl-rimmed eyes, didn’t he? And he’s just the latest bloke pulling off eye makeup.

The angry boys of rock have been sporting guyliner for years. It gave them an angsty, badass look. Take Alice Cooper for example.

For Green Day frontman Billie Joe, eyeliner became his signature look.
If you’ve seen any of the historical, testosterone-filled battle movies (Alexander, Gladiator, Troy and 300 to name a few), you’ve seen how sexy and manly smoky eyes can look on a guy. Of course, the glistening six-packs help too...
Hunks of Hollywood have been experimenting with eyeliner, with mixed results. Jared Leto sports eyeliner even off the set of Alexander. And Ewan McGregor applies it with a light hand, for a come-hither look.

But is this a look that the average guy can pull off? A few bold companies offer cosmetics for men. Jean Paul Gaultier offers a line of men's makeup, Le Beau Male, that includes eyeliner, a concealer and a bronzer. He says, "Every man has the freedom and the right to acknowledge his own personality. To develop his sensitivity. To be different ... to dare to be bold. To end taboos." For the cosmetically challenged man, the website even offers application videos; here's a still. Several other companies offer skincare and makeup - including eyeliner - for men:

4VOO

Studio5ive

KENMEN

Male Species

If you’re ready to start the movement, get a set of his and hers “Real Men Wear Eyeliner” tee-shirts!

Guyliner: hot or not?
What do you think? Would you like to see your man bring out his baby blues with a little eyeliner? Are you a man who’s confident enough to try cosmetics? Let us know in the comments.

Weekend Beauty Bites

2007-03-16T18:00:00.000-04:00

It's time again to enjoy some enjoy tips and ideas from my fellow members of the Beauty Blog Network. Hey, great minds think alike! :)

Henna Singh from Canadian Beauty gives us great coverage of L'Oreal Fashion Week.

Teri at Beautiful Makeup Search wonders about Smashbox's new O-Glow.

Beth Shea at Ageless in Los Angeles asks Gray Hair- No Longer Something to Hide?.

At The Beauty Newsletter, Elke attends the Max Factor Fashion Show!

The Makeup Bag fills us in on Chanel Summer Exclusive Colour Collection

Let's talk about beauty and health covered weight loss through soup.

Lipstick Powder 'n Paint explains how to Recapture Youthful Radiance with Olay's Latest Body Wash.

Pretty by Nature helps you practice a healthy nail ritual.

At Spa Blah Blah, Lisa put the boys to work with Boy Tested and Spa Girl Approved: LUSH Fresh Face Masks.

Don’t Sweat It

2007-03-10T16:49:00.000-05:00

TMI alert! ('too much information' ahead...)

Embarassing but true, I've always had a problem with perspiration. I had the stinkiest feet in middle school gym class. My summer morning subway commute would leave me fearing I'd arrive already damp to work. And sometimes I'd even sweat when I was cold. Now, that's not fair!

I tried all of the anti-perspirants on the market - powders, gels, sticks, crystals and creams. Nothing helped enough. So what's this all about? Diagnosis: hyperhidrosis. That's a fancy way of saying that the sweat glands are hyperactive.

I've been told that a lady does not sweat, she "glows." Well, whatever you call it, I wanted it to stop! So I saw my dermatologist and she wrote me a prescription for Drysol. This is a high-concentration aluminum chloride solution that you apply nightly to underarms to stop the sweating. After a week, one or two nightly applications per week to maintain the results.

Even though it can sting upon application, it worked and I was so happy! I helped my sister move into her North Carolina college dorm in August and could lift my arms without embarrassment. That’s what I’d call passing the test!

If you’re not ready to see the derm but would like to put a stop to over-sweating, try CertainDri. It has 12% aluminum chloride and is used the same way as Drysol. Since you’ll still want to use a deodorant/anti-perspirant during the day for added protection, CertainDri now has an AM Underarm Refresher with a subtle scent. It does take a little while to dry, so if you’re in a hurry, go for one of the super-strong products out there, like Secret Platinum that promises 24 hour protection or Mitchum for Women, which is "so effective, you could skip a day".

Look forward to sporting spring's sexy styles with confidence!

Weekend Beauty Bites

2007-03-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

Birds of a feather flock together. And so, this chick has joined the flock of great beauty bloggers in the Beauty Blog Network. They're a fantastic group and collectively we provide all the beauty news that's fit to print! Check out their fun and informative blogs featuring timely articles with beauty tips that cover you from head to toe!

Ageless in Los Angeles introduces us to Earthworks products.
Beautiful Makeup Search tells you about Clinique's newest innovation - the Continous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer.
Beauty and Fashion Tech reviews two Drugstore Mineral Powder Foundations: Neutrogena Mineral Makeup Sheers and L'Oreal Bare Naturale foundation.
Do you have a problem with eczema? Let's talk about beauty and health has some great advice.
Lipstick, Powder 'n Paint tells us how to get a "Bathina body" with Benefit's great line.
Pretty By Nature has great tips for taking the ultimate relaxing bath.
The Beauty Newsletter reviews Wet & Wild's Spring collection and says it a winner!
The Life of a Ladybug hits us with detailed reviews of Urban Decay Smoke Out Eye Pencil, Bobbi Brown Eye Brightener, Bobbi Brown Blush in Coral, Milani Crystal Gloss.

Happy reading!

Adaptation

2007-03-04T14:51:00.000-05:00

Makeup can be used to perfect, enhance or completely change our appearance. More often than not, we just want to look like ourselves, but better. Hence, the proliferation of beauty-junkie terms like MLBB, which means My Lips But Better. They key to looking like yourself but better is makeup that perfectly matches your coloring. A new crop of makeup has just arrived that promises to do just that.

Face: Almay Smart Shade Makeup
This product claims to magically transform into your ideal shade. The foundation comes out of the tube colorless, and then the shade appears as you rub it into skin. It takes the guesswork out of matching your skin tone.

How does it work? There are microscopic color beads inside that burst as you rub it in. The coverage is sheer, which also makes it easier to get a good match to your own skin tone.

Verdict? First, the product only comes in three shades: Light, Light/Medium and Medium. I’m sure that doesn’t make darker-skinned women too pleased. Also, some gals complained that the product turned a bit orangey on them. So, although it's a big step forward in makeup innovation, I think the quest for complexion perfection is still ongoing.

Cheeks: Smashbox O-Glow
What is the most natural blush shade for you? The color your cheeks become when you exercise or are out in the cold! Now, Shashbox offers a blush that goes on clear and promises to transform your cheeks into your best personal flush.

They tell us that this clear gel reacts with your personal skin chemistry to turn cheeks the exact color you blush, naturally in just seconds! How does it work? It stimulates microcirculation to bring a flush to cheeks and energizes skin for hours. Don’t worry – it goes on silky smooth, like Smashbox’s primers, and doesn’t sting or anything. Initially, the color was quite fuchsia on me (more of a post-marathon look, rather than a healthy glow!), but the hue quickly faded to a natural sweet pink. It’s also part of the "good for you” trend with its unique Goji Berry-C Complex formula that’s full of antioxidants like vitamin C, pomegranate seed oil, and marine plankton for added healthy-skin benefits.

Lips: mark. Glossblossom Ripening Lip Tint
This lipgloss goes from clear to pink in seconds and transforms into a custom-color shade for you. At $6, they’re a steal, but buy ‘em up quick gals, because I think Glossblossom is sadly heading for discontinuation.

I love the idea of makeup that adapts itself to each person's coloring and I'll be sure to report any other finds that help create YLBB (your look, but better!).

Good for You

2007-02-20T09:49:00.000-05:00

When you use the amount of beauty products that I do, you find yourself wishing that they did a little more for you than just beautify on the outside. What if they could improve your health as well? Read on for two innovative products that promise to do just that.

LIPGLOSS

Did you know that the average woman consumes 6 pounds of lipstick in her lifetime? It's a disgusting statistic, but according to About.com, the ingredients in lipstick won’t harm you and are broken down by stomach acids. And if you're a lipgloss girl, stats say the average woman ingests between 2 to 4 pounds of lipgloss in her life. The folks at Tarte cosmetics decided not harming you wasn't good enough and teamed up with BORBA (of drinkable skincare fame) to fortify their glosses with ingredients that are actually good for you.

Tarte's Inside Out Vitamin Lip Gloss is the ultimate in double-duty beauty. The long-lasting, moisturizing lipgloss works to soothe and hydrate lips, while BORBA’s nutraceutical blend delivers powerful skin-caring ingredients. And it's great to know that you're doing your body some good with every application!

The potent cocktail includes:

Acai & green tea extract help strengthen capillary walls, reduce epidermal irritation and enhance skin’s clarity and radiance
Grape seed extract & Vitamin C help accelerate production of natural elastin, protecting skin against free-radical damage & restore skin’s clarity
Vitamins A, E & K act as antioxidants to give you that healthy glow
Lychee extract promotes long-term skin hydration and chamomile extract soothes skin and helps to counteract redness

The pomegranate-scented lipgloss is mouth-wateringly gorgeous with its hint of sexy sheen, plus it smells absolutely divine! Three shades are available (shown from left to right above):
om: sheer shimmery pale pink
apple-a-day: sheer shimmery hot pink
liquid sunshine: sheer shimmery nude

FRAGRANCE
Knowing that traditional fragrances are primarily complex mixtures of synthetic chemicals that can absorb into the bloodstream and irritate the senses, the cofounders of Lavanila Laboratories began thinking - what if fine fragrance, a staple in most people's daily beauty routine, not only scented your skin, but was actually good for your skin? Suppose fragrances weren't full of harsh synthetic ingredients that dry and damage skin, but instead, healthy ingredients that nurture and condition the body with each spray?

They've turned the basic act of spritizing yourself with perfume into a health-building experience by infusing pure essential oils with 100 percent active botanicals for natural fragrances that are fresh, clean, and nurturing. With each spray, proprietary natural technology wraps the skin with super antioxidants goji berry and kakadu plum, soothing willowherb, and hydrating olive leaf for a healthy dose of 30 essential vitamins and minerals and 19 amino acids.

Each scent is based on a vanilla note - Vanilla Grapefruit, Pure Vanilla and Vanilla Blossom. I tried Vanilla Blossom on a recent trip to Sephora (the scents are exclusive to Sephora) and it's just intoxicating. I couldn't stop sniffing my wrists. Now, if only the act of inhaling fragrance could be as healthy as applying it to your skin...

Let's hope more companies jump on the bandwagon and help us become more beautiful, inside and out. Here's to your health!

The Key to Thy Heart

2007-02-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Whether you're sharing love with someone else or celebrating your love of your self, the day calls for some pampering gifts. My long-long-time friend Stefanie Wolf is an extremely talented jewelry designer and has put together some truly special items for the occasion. She gave me a lovely necklace and earring set for my wedding, and I treasure it (and get compliments on it) still. If you're looking to treat yourself to something pretty, look no further.

Heart Key Necklace
It was love at first sight when Stef came across this sterling key, and her imagination was off and running...What door will this key unlock?...Does a secret await? All her dreaming led to this brand new heart key cluster necklace that she is thrilled to bring you just in time for Valentine's Day. Whether it's a secret crush or a long time affair, this heart key necklace will remind you where your heart is. Choose from cool ocean blue (featuring Peruvian opal, new jade and ocean quartz) or heat it up with fiery red (with ruby red jade, garnet and carnelian). $60

Harmony Set

Uncomplicated, just like you. The simple, yet elegant lariat design of this necklace & earring set features a sterling silver chain showcasing a single glass tile.

The pendant, chain and clasp of this necklace all flow as a single shape in perfect harmony. This elegant lariat design features a delicate yet sturdy 18" sterling silver chain showcasing a single glass tile from the Czech Republic. This 'Picasso Window' tile is a deep, rich red with a multicolored border. Front closure on the necklace allows you the freedom to adjust the style and length of your necklace to suit your mood. The coordinating earrings, which feature sterling silver ear wires and chain, drop 2 inches to sway gracefully with your every move. The set is 25% off for a limited time ($60, regularly $80)

Here's to a love- and beauty-filled Valentine's Day!

Vanity Quest

2007-02-11T15:59:00.000-05:00

I mentioned in my Favorite Things 2006 post that I was looking for a vanity table. I've looked around a lot, and vanities are frankly hard to find. I guess they're old fashioned. But, in my opinion, seriously needed by beauty junkies!

Well, I found some inspiration. Have you seen the new Estee Lauder counter design? (It was installed in the Bloomingdale's at 59th St this fall and is also featured in their boutique in Manhasset, N.Y.) It's simply gorgeous - and the centerpiece is a mirrored table around which you can gather and try all their makeup.

Picture from ddi design center

And I thought, a mirrored vanity would be just the thing! Elegant, feminine, matches any decor... Starting from that idea, I found what I think would be the perfect vanity table at a great store called The Paris Apartment.

In addition to being mirrored and fabulous, it has seven drawers that can easily store all my stuff. One for eyes, one for lips, one for face... you get the picture. You can even get the drawers custom-lined with tufted silk or velvet padding to store jewelry. Is it not the height of fabulous!? Alas, it also comes with a corresponding price tag: $5400. A quick search on a great antique furniture website 1stDibs.com showed that this, sadly, is the going rate for such a fantastic piece. So for now, I'll keep looking.

Much less of a budget-breaker is this pretty piece called a Glamour Chest from Bombay, for $299. While it does not fulfill the requirements to be a vanity table, it could be a lovely little side table, bedside table or near-vanity storage piece.

The quest continues. Please post any leads or ideas in the comments!

Moisturizing Addendum: Like Buttah

2007-02-08T15:25:00.000-05:00

From my previous post, you can tell I've been battling crazy dry skin lately. It got so bad this week, even a light cotton blouse felt like sandpaper against it. Lucky for me, I just got some samples from the much-raved-about Product Body line.
Their Whipped Shea Butter is double-whipped to make it easy to use. This is essential, because the last time I tried to use a 100% Shea Butter, I had to scratch it out with my fingernails. Whipping it not once but twice, Product has given shea butter the texture of frosting and it simply melts into skin to hydrate and soothe.

Given how it really does feel like butter melting into my skin, I was worried that I'd be both shiny and oily after application. Not so! It quickly sank into my skin and left it baby soft and not a jot oily. I tried it in Pink Grapefruit, but it comes in other scents and unscented as well.

Added bonus? Product Body's products are hand-formulated to be fresher than fresh. They make them to order in small batches from the finest ingredients available. They even import their shea butter directly from Africa!

My next Product purchase? Crush on You, a body wash, scrub and moisturizer in one!
So naturally, I am all over this Valentine's Day deal: the "I've Got a Crush on You" gift set. It includes Vanilla-Sugar scented Whipped Shea Butter and Crush on You for $33 (a $38 value) - and it comes all boxed up with chocolate in an adorable chinese-style take-out box covered with hearts. What better way to love your body?

Moisturizing and Quality of Life

2007-02-04T09:18:00.000-05:00

I realized this week how much moisturizing your skin can really improve your life. It may sound silly, but being comfortable in your own skin – figuratively and literally - is at the root of happiness. When your skin is hydrated and doesn’t feel tight and itchy or look dry and scaly, you feel comfortable and that you look your best.

This weekend, I rediscovered the joy of comfortable skin when I put on Avon’s Skin So Soft Whipped Body Oil after my shower two days in a row. This is creamy and deeply hydrating, but absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave skin feeling oily.

Unfortunately, during the week, I don’t usually have time to moisturize my skin before rushing out to work. (Occasionally, I don’t even leave enough time to do my makeup and do it on the train!) But now I’m going to make sure I leave two minutes for the following quick-moisture options.

The first option is a dry spray oil. You can spray it on shower-damp skin, rub it in and then towel off. Try Shea Terra's Shea & Vitamin E Body Spray, which is 100% natural and made with shea oil, fruit extracts, essential oils and a whopping 5% natural vitamin E in every bottle.

Secondly, when you’re really on the go, try Spa Towells. Each towelette comes in an individual pouch and contains a rich blend of natural oils with outstanding conditioning properties, powerful antioxidants that can help reduce free radical damage and humectants that aid in preserving skin’s moisture. The formula smells lovely and absorbs quickly. One 8”x8” towellette is big enough to hydrate your whole body and can be tucked into a gym bag or your carry-on.... That's right - they’re air-travel friendly!

Let’s remember what’s responsible for my uncomfortable skin - dry winter air, high heat and too-long hot showers! Since I’m not willing to lower the thermostat or take shorter showers, my other weekend fix involved hooking up my humidifier. My skin and sinuses already feel better. Bed, Bath and Beyond has several nice ones at a variety of price points.

Here’s to feeling more comfortable in your skin!

The Perfection Question

2007-01-28T17:14:00.000-05:00

When it comes to beauty, what is perfection? Is it the attainment of an ideal? That’s a dangerous idea, since Dove has so powerfully pointed out that society’s “ideals” are often manipulated images and not based in reality.

It’s understandable that the word perfection can evoke very charged reactions. Yet the notion of reaching the ultimate level of beauty (be it perfect skin, a perfect body, a perfect smile, etc) is undeniably alluring. So it’s no wonder that the “P” word keeps popping up in product names. Here’s a look at some of the products promising perfection.

Origins’ A Perfect World Line

We all know that the world is full of free radicals that can damage your skin, and antioxidants can protect you from that damage. This line of face and body products features Silver Tip White Tea, a super-charged antioxidant. They say that “A Perfect World™ creates a protective bubble around skin so that no static, stress or toxic grime can age your skin before its time. And by helping repel negative forces, skin is free to renew, repair and protect itself in the way nature intended.” There are 9 products in the line and I’m itching to try the Firming moisture treatment with White Tea for Eyes.

Creative Scentualization’s Perfect Perfumes
Creative Scentualization's Perfect Perfumes line features nine signature fragrances that were created to meet the demand for both nature-identical florals and new interpretations of classic favorites such as vanilla and "clean." I’ve had the chance to try four of them, thanks to the nice folks at Fragrances & More.

* Perfect Veil: The ultimate skin scent, it’s slightly musky and can be worn alone like a soft blanket over the skin, or to enhance your other perfumes.
* Perfect Vanilla: My perfect vanilla would capture the spice’s mystery and warmth, without being too cloying or sweet. With hints of blood orange and tobacco in it, this one does it.
* Perfect Gardenia: You wear it and you’re looking around to find the flowers, it’s that faithful.
* Perfect Bliss: The perfumer designed this one to smell like her wedding bouquet, with an initial dash of fruits balanced on a sexy, warm base.

Per-fect Beauty Skin Perfection Gel
Two “perfects” in the product name – let’s see what they have to say! “Per-fekt Skin Perfection Gel is a silky smooth, sheer color gel that 'per-fekts' and enhances the skin. This advanced formulation glides on effortlessly to instantly improve skin tone plus smooth enlarged pores and fine lines. Alpha lipoic acid improves skin clarity and vitamins A and E help repair, protect and prevent future skin damage. This oil- and fragrance-free formulation helps maintain hydration, leaving skin with a healthy glow.” It sounds like a supercharged primer and comes in Translucent plus four tints. Please post a comment if you’re tried it!

Nick Chavez Perfect Plus Hair Products
“Perfect” is a tall order as it is, but here, Hollywood hairdresser Nick Chavez is promising us Perfect PLUS! Woo-wee! Sorry to burst the bubble, ladies, but my great-aunt bought this stuff on QVC and it’s pretty cheap and nasty – it left my hair rather straw-like, not all poufy and full of body as promised.

Perfectil Triple Active Beauty Nutrition Tablets
Hmmm… perfection in a pill? I certainly agree with them that “certain nutrients are vital to help maintain healthy looking skin, hair and nails in both women and men." They go on to claim, "Their effect is of greater importance than even the most expensive creams and conditioners because they are delivered via the bloodstream, at the very deepest level. Perfectil is designed to complement your daily skin and hair care routine with a range of over 20 micronutrients specially formulated for utilization by nails, hair follicles and the skin's lower dermal layer.” I wonder if this could help me grow out that bad haircut any faster?

So, we’ve just scratched the surface of the great beauty perfectors! Let us know if you’ve tried any of these products and whether or not you were perfectly pleased.

Letter Pressed

2007-01-18T23:59:00.000-05:00

Pardon the slow start to the blogging year, but the writing I should be doing is my holiday thank-you notes. I am grateful for the wonderful gifts I received, but somehow putting pen to paper to express that to the kindly gift givers feels like a chore. Sigh.

What can turn a chore into a joy but (of course) some nice products!? A nice box of artful stationery, finely weighted pens and artistic stamps can turn an obligation into an art of self-expression. With such pretty things at hand, I love to sit down and hand-write letters and cards.

In today's email age, your sentiments are a Delete keystoke away. But when you send your thoughts or thanks through the mail, it takes on more meaning. Special paper can even make your note feel like a little gift in and of itself. This is why I love stores like Kate's Paperie! I go gaga over their pretty papers, ribbons, journals and fountain pens. (I designed my own wedding invitations and got all my supplies there.) Today, I got lucky and found some gorgeous letterpress cards at Anthropologie from Hello! Lucky and Elum.

What is letterpress? One of the oldest forms of printing! I took a class on this in college and it was so much fun selecting the individual metal type letters, locking them into their arrangment, putting them in the press, inking the type and literally pressing fine paper onto the inked-type bed. The results are always quirkily individual and there is a satisfying indent in the paper where the type pressed into it that says "authenticity." Letterpress cards are a great way to send a small piece of art to those you love.

For any other procrastinators out there, my internal Emily Post says that holiday thank-you notes absolutely must be sent by the end of January. If you don't have a Kate's Paperie or Anthropologie near you, here are a few places to find cards that will make writing more pleasurable for you and the recipient of your note even more charmed (conveniently distracting them from the fact that you're late!)

The typesetting image above is from Crafty Cards, and I am just in love with their special Valentine's card. It features"LOVE" in storybook letters, framed in red velvet and mounted on a gold and white yuzen paper. What a way to say you care! $4 for a 5x5" card

Whether you still need to send thank-you notes from the holidays or are getting a head start on Valentine's Day cards, try Egg Press, makers of the adorable cards at right. This collection is full of love, adorned with sweet patterns and one adorable love bug. The set includes valentines as well as everyday love and friendship sentiments. The Love, Valentine Collection includes: 3 letterpress cards and 2 letterpress die-cut cards with specialty vellum envelope and seal. $22 at EggPress.com.

If you want to get your shopping done in one fell swoop, there's a great set of "Every Card You Need This Year"! It has 40 cute and original cards, 42 envelopes and 13 great designs, all printed on 100% post-consumer paper. Box includes: 6 birthday, 2 congratulations, 2 valentines, 6 thank you, 2 mothers day, 2 fathers day, 2 sympathy, 2 anniversary, 4 blank, 2 get well, 6 holiday and 4 new year. So you'll never be without a card again. $60 at Elsewares.com

Greener Grass Design offers many beautiful cards, including this one, which of course is 100% Beauty Chick approved! A set of 8 cards of animals and botanicals is $40 at GreenerGrassDesign.com.

Once I've completed my thank-you notes, I'll be back with some reviews of the great new beauty products I've been trying. My new Test Tube arrived choc full of goodies, so stay tuned!

Black & White & Red All Over

2007-01-14T14:32:00.000-05:00

On a recent business trip, I found myself in a hotel that provides lit magnifying mirrors in the bathroom. Nice touch, right? Well, it was a mixed blessing. Sure I could apply my makeup with amazing precision. But I could also see all my clogged pores and imperfections.

So, I decided a peel-off mask would be just the thing to pull all the nastiness out of my face. I went to a C.O. Bigelow store and asked for a recommendation. The sales girl pointed me to Kose Seikisho Mask White, a Japanese whitening mask. I said, "I don't need any whitening! Any whiter and I might as well be Casper the Ghost!" She assured me that it wouldn't really whiten my face, that rather it's supposed to clear out imperfections and leave you with a clear, radiant complexion. Given the jet-black color of the mask, I was intrigued and gave it a try.

Back at the hotel, I applied a thick layer of the black, honey-consistency mask to my face, avoiding the eyes and the hairline. It really stuck to my face and was even a little hard to rinse off my hands, so make sure not to get it under your nails. It took about 20 minutes to dry and got quite tight. I could barely smile, so thankfully nobody was there to make fun of me. Because, you know, I did look like a Victorian-age chimney sweep!

Image of the first female chimney sweep in the Highlands & Islands of Scotland!

Once it was completely dry, I was ready to peel the mask off. Ouch! This product really binds to the skin, so it was pretty hard to remove, and hurt a bit as I had to tug it off. (Make sure the layer you apply is pretty thick or you'll have trouble peeling it off later.) My skin was red for a short while from the peeling, but afterwards I could see that I had fewer blackheads and a smoother, more even complexion due to the intense exfoliation.

On the chance that it does provide a whitening benefit, I am careful not to use this too often! However, whenever I feel that my pores need a strong deep-clean, this product is definitely the one I reach for.

$28, available at C.O. Bigelow stores (but not at C.O. Bigelow online, no idea why) or at Blissworld.com

Tweeze Freeze

2007-01-09T21:49:00.000-05:00

You know how hard it is not to touch your brows between waxing! These insolent little stragglers show up and as you reach for your Tweezerman, you remember your brow sylist's warning to let them grow out and recover from your LAST over-zealous tweeze-fest (note to self: Chardonnay and plucking don't mix). So I was a good girl and waited until the growth was too much to bear and made an appointment at the Anastasia brow studio at Sephora on 5th Avenue.

First, my tech Sonia praised both my self-restraint and my brows in general. Then she showed me the three points in a well-shaped brow. 1. Find the start of the brow by tracing up vertically from the side of the nose. 2 The end point is found when you make a line from the nose to the outer corner of the eye. 3 The high point of the arch is just outside your iris. As Sonia traced these lines on me, she marked the three points with a bit of dark powder on a smudger brush.

Points thus established, she then selected the right stencil for me. I am the 'high arch'. The stencil is applied over the brows and aligned with the three points. Next she colored in the stencil with dark powder. The idea is to see what your brow will look like before waxing. Once you're happy, she removes all hair that's outside the lines. Her ultra-precision was amazing, and she even left a few hairs untouched so they can grow in and replace what I'd mistakenly removed. the finishing touch was trimming my brows with scissors so they were neat and trim.

My brows looked great, perfectly shaped for my face and beautifully symmetrical (something I can rarely achieve). But that was not the end! No, she applied concealer to cover the redness, filled in the brows with powder with a stiff angled brush, and drew ribbons of highlighter underneath to show off my perfect arches. The makeup created a stronger brow look than I'm used to, but I think I dig it. I do plan to purchase the under-brow "Eye Lights Shimmer" stick - it added so much light to my face!

She suggested that I come back in 6-8 weeks, but said I could pop in for free touch-ups in between... anything to stop me from being a do-it-myself brow gal (and, of course, to keep me as a client)!

Price: $32 plus tip. Verdict: no spa-like experience,this: she was a little rough at times. But I loved the attention to detail with measuring and stencilling. The results are great. I'll be back.

If you ARE a DIY yourself gal, you can get a great system for home use! Get Anastasia's All About Brows Kit ($141 value for $75) and you can replicate the steps above at home. Just put the wine glass down first!

Images from Sephora.com , except the 3-point guide is from Laurie Anne Lamothe, inspirational coach.

Favorite Things 2006

2006-12-29T01:00:00.001-05:00

I'm very excited to participate in "Favorite Things 2006" with my fellow beauty bloggers, organized by Annieytown at Blogdorf Goodman! It's also a special time for me to reflect on the last year, since earlier this month, I celebrated my 1-year "bloggiversary". So without further pomp and circumstance, I present to you the best of what I tried, discovered and lusted after in 2006.

Best Innovation: Freeze 24/7 Ice Shield
I am still blown away by the idea that you can wash ON your sunscreen. It's like a whole step forward in cosmetics! I'm all for multi-tasking and ease of application.

Best Sunscreen: Clarins UV Plus SPF 40 Protective Day Screen
This is a daily-use sunscreen that is a pleasure to use because it's thin as milk, silkily spreadable and leaves no sticky film. It has won tons of awards from the big magazines and love from bloggers too.

Best Fragrance Line: L'Artisan Parfumeur
With every new fragrance, the artists at L'Artisan Parfumeur continue to surprise and inspire. Whether it's an overripe fig, crisp mandarin zest, the incense from Bhutan or Middle Eastern spices, the inspiration for these fragrances seems limitless and has the power to transport me.

Best Entertainment: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Years ago, I received the book Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind as a birthday gift. I loved its main character's dark obsession with scent. I was thrilled to hear it was being made into a movie (released just this week, absolutely gorgeous - review to come!). The soundtrack is hypnotic as well. If that were not enough, Thierry Mugler has developed a coffret of 15 scents inspired by the book. I can't imagine anything better for fragrance lovers.

Best Pick me Up: Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Face Mist
Full of antioxidants and refreshingly but lightly scented, this face mist gives you a burst of hydration whenever you need it - before moisturizer, while traveling, or when battling drying winter air.

Best Skincare Treatment Category: Serums
2006 was the Year of the Serum for me. I went from a cleanse & moisturize gal to a cleanse, treat and moisturize woman. Frankly, I tried so many (including Obagi Professional C Serum, Wexler Skin Regenerating Serum, and SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic) that I can't say which one worked best for me - BUT I am a believer that giving my skin a nightly dose of vitamins, anti-aging agents and antioxidants has improved my skin's radiance and dimished those little fine lines.

Weirdest Concept I Got Around to Liking: Cleansing Oil with Oil
I guess if you can fight fire with fire, you can rid your skin of dirt and oil by applying... more oil. Yes, it seems to be true. I enjoy using Shu Uemura's High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil. Even though it seemed weird to me to slather oil on my face, it removed my makeup and left my skin clean but not tight. In a similar vein, I have recently been trying Clinique's Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm. This product looks like candle wax in the jar, but smoothes over skin and rinses away with all your makeup and the day's impurities.

Best Makeup Innovation: YSL's Perfect Touch Foundation
I'm sold on the idea that using foundation brush to apply foundation provides a more flawless look with less product. But it's easy to be in a rush and forget. So it was a stroke of genius when YSL took their Touche Eclat concept and created a foundation with a brush attached.

Best Hair Product: Mizani Spradiance High Gloss Serum
There are lots of shine and de-frizzing serums out there, but this one is lightweight, smells amazing and imparts shine without looking greasy. Although Mizani is designed for African hair, this product is great on my super-fine blonde locks, so everyone should give it a try.

Best Hair Appliance: CHI Flat Iron in Pink
This submission is from my sister, who complains that her hair's natural state is "Bad 80s Perm". I saw before my very eyes how this flat iron tamed her frizz into straight, silky hair. Pretty impressive, and the pink color makes it fun too.

Most Gorgeous Packaging: Besame Cosmetics
Channeling retro Hollywood boudoir glamour, Besame presents the prettiest compacts, lipstick tubes and jars out there - all decked out in gold and red, they are precious and sexpot all at the same time.

Best Multi-tasker: NARS The Multiple
Perhaps the most fittingly-named product out there, the Multiple comes in at least a dozen shades designed to bring color and light to eyes, lips, cheeks - even body.

Most Desired Beauty Item: A Vanity Table
Needless to say, I have tons of beauty products and it's very hard for me to part with (or sometimes even find) them! I would like to find a cute vanity table with lots of drawers to organize my stuff, a petite chair and magnifying mirror. What I have seen available is often frou-frou, childish or doesn't have enough storage. So the quest continues.

Best Overall Discovery: Sniffapalooza
A NY event that brings passionate perfumistas together to sniff, discover and share new fragrances, Sniffapalooza exposed me to new scents, new friends and an understanding of what can happen when a few people combine their passion with organization and dedication!

I could go on and on... but truly, the best part of The Year in Beauty for me was writing this blog and reading other blogs. I have learned a lot and enjoy all the comments you all leave, so please keep it up. Thanks for reading!

Check out my fellow bloggers' favorites of the year! Among their product lists, you're sure to find some old friends, new discoveries, and new obsessions... happy browsing!

Beauty Blogging Junkie

Beauty by Nadine

Beautiful Makeup Search & Beauty Blog

Brain Trapped in Girl's Body

Koneko's *Mostly* Beauty Diary!

No one knows why the wolf laughs

Now Smell This

Perfume Smellin' Things

Peppermint Patty's Perfume Posse

Platinum Blonde Life

Product Girl

Scentzilla!

She'll Be Feverish After So Much Thinking

Slap of the Day

The Customer Is Always Right

The Daily Obsession

The Great She Elephant

The Life As A Ladybug

The Non-Blonde

Urbane Girl

Victoria's Own

Hostess Gifts for the Perfumista

2006-12-27T12:09:00.000-05:00

It seems that everyone I know is visiting friends this season. Fragrance makes a lovely hostess gift. But what if you don't know exactly what scent she'd like? Try the following sets, which allow her to channel her inner perfumista to find - or develop - a scent that is hers alone.

Body Shop Invent Your Scent

A portable perfumery - nine gorgeous fragrances, nine different scent personalities. Just mix and match them to suit your mood. Kit comes in a sleek white rectangular plastic case that contains 9 x 3ml EDT vials. Comes with a leaflet to tempt and guide. $30

Ineke Deluxe Sample Collection

A deluxe sampler of Ineke's first four fragrances. Adorably alphebetized, the scents included are After My Own Heart, Balmy Days & Sundays, Chemical Bonding, and Derring-Do for Men. The 1.5 mL spray samples come in adorable sliding matchboxes, with blotters and a soft bag for travel. Best part? The $12 fee includes shipping and is fully redeemable toward the scent you liked best!

Aroma M '11 Years, 11 Fragrances' Sampler Set

Aroma M Perfumes specializes in Japanese-oriented eaux de parfum and perfume oils, accented with East Asian packaging and décor. Now, you can try "11 fragrances 11 years", an exquisite limited-edition sampler box set. Discover all 11 fragrances in mini-flacons (large vials), each one candy-wrapped and twirled closed in its own patterned Yuzen paper wrapper, chosen to match the style and colors of each scent’s fragrance ingredients. Available only through February 14, 2007. $40

Bond No. 9 Perfumista Blending Box

The ultimate gift for the chic fashionista and fragrance connoisseur. Bond’s perfumista’s custom blending box includes a selection of their most desirable fragrances* in refillable, travel-ready, foil-wrapped spray flacons, and one comes empty—so you can mix your own Bond blends. As an added bonus, they throw in favorite blending recipes. $240.

*(Broadway Nite, Central Park, Chelsea Flowers, Chez Bond, Chinatown, Eau de New York, Eau de Noho, Fashion Avenue, Hamptons, Little Italy, Madison Soiree, New Harlem, Nuits de Noho, Park Avenue, Wall Street and West Broadway)

Happy visiting and scent-sampling!

Giving You Lip

2006-12-22T18:00:00.000-05:00

Now that the weather has changed, we need to take even nicer care of our kissers. Sure, slathering on the lip balm can help. (Nobody can tell you more about lip balms than the folks over at Chaptastic - they are awesome!) But sometimes you need to bring out the big guns. The following Lip Treatments are sure to keep the pretty pout in your pucker.

I've tried the first three, and they're great. Don't expect the kind of emoillency that a waxy or oily balm provides; rather consider these like skincare for your lips. The texture is creamy and absorbs pretty quickly.

SkinCeuticals Antioxidant Lip Repair
Two powerful antioxidants, vitamin E and silymarin, form an exclusive combination antioxidant therapy for the lips. This powerful treatment helps prevent premature signs of aging, while restoring moisture and smoothing the surface of the lips.

Kinerase N6-Furfuryladenine Lip Treatment
Kinerase Lip Treatment helps visibly smooth and plump lips and surrounding skin while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A high concentration of kinetin and rich emollients deliver essential nutrients for a younger looking smile.

Lancome Primordiale Optimum Lip Revitalizing Treatment
This super-concentrated lip treatment helps minimize the look of fine lines. Delivers 100% Botanically Pure Vitamin E—via Nanocapsule technology—and Gatuline, a gentle alpha-hydroxy-acid alternative, to reduce lipstick bleeding and feathering due to fine lines and wrinkles. The Result: Softer, smoother, younger-looking lips.

There are certainly lots of options out there. Here are a few more - let us know if you've tried any!

Lash Jewelry

2006-12-20T22:23:00.000-05:00

Thinking about your New Year's Eve look? Dressing up is one of the best parts of New Year's Eve, and now you can dress up your eyelashes to coordinate with the rest of your look. Check out the glitteringly gorgeous options below.

For false eyelashes, nobody beats Mr. Shu Uemura. He created the famous mink and diamond lashes for Madonna! Lucky for us, he also makes much more affordable and wearable options too. Try his Basic Lash Collection for a your-lashes-but-better look or his Fantasy False Eyelashes for a more dramatic look, including a reproduction of the Madonna Dazzling Diamante lashes.

But, hey, when it's New Year's Eve, Fantasy may not be enough. You might need something from the Tokyo Lash Bar Collection. Here, you can find the most gorgeous feathery lashes, like the ones seen on the model above, which make you look and feel like a fluttery butterfly. I'm craving the Premium Radiant Blue False Eyelashes, which are a "radiant deep blue and black and accented with a touch of green" and they "alternate in length and gradually lengthen outward for a dramatic flare;" wearing them, I think I'd feel like an exotic peacock!

Whether you're wearing falsies or not, you can now use some innovative products to accessorize your lashes, like jewelry! Check out the following...

Too Faced Lash Gems $15

A set of tiny weightless spheres for decorating lash tips. Just like jewelry for your lashes, Lash Gems add twinkle to the tips of your lashes. Can also be used on false lashes. The smudge-proof, long lasting, pearly finish plays with light for a sexy wink. Set includes, pre-glue moistened Lash Gems in white, black, blue, and pink, plus an applicator.

Givenchy Lash Pearls $22

Dress your lashes with transparent pearls! A unique gel that hardens to form crystals on the lashes. When applied to the tip of the lash, this clear gel naturally forms a drop for a spectacular jeweled effect, like diamonds on lash tips.

To use: Apply a small drop to the tips of your lashes, in the middle and at both ends. Allow to dry. Fill in gaps to the left of center first, let dry, then fill in the gaps to the right and let dry. Can be used with or without mascara.

Charmed, I'm Sure

2006-12-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

All glammed up for a holiday party, but you can't fit one more beauty item in your evening bag? Try these charming baubles - for all ages and price points - that allow you to wear your beauty!

mark Lip Lock-It Color Charm Necklace
The ultimate in portable makeup. Two jeweled, smoky-crystal lockets dangle from an adjustable burnished silver chain. One contains a dusty pink lip color, and the other a shimmering gloss. $18

Anna Sui Lipgloss Ring
A Ring-Form Lip Gloss. Cute and wearable on finger. Captures light and makes your lips look shiny. Long lasting effect. Many colors available at Amnazon.com. $13-17.60

Dior Pretty Charms
A couture-inspired, heart-shaped locket surrounded by dazzling crystal pearl drops and filled with two complementary lip colors. Inspired by couture trends of floating, feminine, shimmering colors, this crystal-laden, heart-shaped locket contains one .05 oz shade of lipstick in matte pink and a .05 oz glittery gloss in shimmering bubblegum pink. $55

Sephora Piiink VIP - My Deliiicious Bracelet
Piiink VIP is your all-access pass to cutting-edge beauty. From shimmering shadows to luminous, glowing lashes and nails to glam accessories, this collection is designed to guarantee your place in the spotlight.The ultimate accessory, this adjustable silver-tone, link-chain bracelet sports three super cute charms, plus a tiny lip gloss bauble (in baby pink) for quick touch ups. $8

Too Faced The Beauty Brooch - Cameo Rebel Romance
A beautiful faux onyx cameo filled with shimmering lip gloss suspended from each safety pin-esque brooch embellished with funky, retro charms. Just a little bit punky-goth and a whole lotta glam, these convenient and innovative pieces will create a look sure to get you plastered all over the front pages of every beauty and gossip mag in town!Charms include: a black puffed heart, skull, pearl, a tiny charcoal chrystal, and a and a large cameo lipgloss charm filled with shimmering champagne beige gloss. $28.50

Sephora Piiink My Deliiicious Bijou
Some of life's sweetest treats are pink - bubblegum, cotton candy, and cupcakes, to name a few. Sephora Piiink celebrates beauty and fashion with a hip, young spirit. Sparkling colors for the eyes and lips, plus stylish accessories and super cool packaging - what more can a girl ask for? Charms available two colors: A "P" charm (for Piiink) encrusted with sparkling crystals, a mounted feather, a translucent heart on a detachable ball chain, and a glitter gloss bauble. $8

Lancome Juicy Tubes Bracelet
It’s fun, functional and funky! If you have a passion for lip fashion, you’ll be charmed by a trio of mini, mouthwatering Juicy Tubes Lip Glosses to wear on your wrist. Features assorted shades, strung together on a sleek, silvery chain bracelet with rose and rhinestone details. $40

Sephora Girls Lip Gloss Bracelet

An adorable, flexible, pink cuff bracelet containing two strawberry-scented Sephora Girl Lip Glosses.What else you need to know:Sitting atop this must-have accessory is a tiny clear compact containing two heart-shaped pans of fruity lip gloss (one clear with pink glitter and one pink pearl). $5

Dinner Party Tips and Tricks

2006-12-11T23:37:00.000-05:00

Purchase this adorable Tin Sign at VintageVending.com!

Saturday night I hosted my first, real dinner party. Since I was lucky enough to have the help of my mother, the consummate hostess (who disappeared 30 minutes before the guests arrived so I could take all the credit!), I thought I'd share a couple of tips with you.

1. Get Help from Someone Experienced

Mom was great at helping me figure out the timing of when to cook what and what dishes to use to serve everything, so I'd be relaxed when the guests arrived. She also got me out of bed by flicking water in my face, but that's another story. Get your most fabulous friend or relative to walk you through the basics your first time.

2. Use a Crock Pot

Gals, I thought Crock Pots were as old-fashioned as Pond's Cold Cream (sorry again, Mom!) but seriously, they're a lifesaver. Picture this - when I cook, I dirty every dish in the house. But when you prepare your dinner 4 hours before the guests arrive and allow it to simmer into delectable, meat-falling-off-the-bone goodness, you have plenty of time to clean up and give the impression that you're as neat as June Cleaver. I made a Moroccan Chicken recipe similar to this one. Check out more recipes at Crockpot.com.

3. Marathon Makeup

OK, face it - once the guests arrive, you're going to be busy serving drinks, facilitating conversations and checking on the meal. You will not have time for a makeup touch-up. So, I suggest the following:

Waterproof concealer, so your imperfections won't be revealed under a faceful of steam. try Laura Mercier, Maybelline or Lancome.

Absorbant Powder, so they'll never see you shine. Try Estee Lauder Double Matte Oil-Control Pressed Powder or LORAC Oil-Free Wet/Dry Powder Makeup for more coverage.

Long-Wearing Lipstick. I broke out my Max Factor Max Wear Lipcolor for the occassion and still had pretty pink lips after numerous cheek-kisses, a glass of wine and eating dinner. The first step locks the color to your lips and the second seals it in with shine.

Good luck with your own holiday entertaining & feel free to post any other tips in the comments.

Fashion Pet Peeve #1

2006-12-02T14:24:00.000-05:00

It's after Thanksgiving, the weather has turned chilly, and the streets of New York are teeming with shoppers and tourists wearing coats. As I walked down the street this week, I had several sightings of my #1 fashion pet peeve: the stitched-down rear vent.

In case you don't know what I'm talking about:

As you can see in the image at left, there is a slit in the back of the coat starting at the hem. This vent is meant to open and provide greater range of movement as you walk. However, in an effort to avoid wrinkling in transit, many manufacturers will put one or two small, loose basting stitches to hold the two sides of the vent together. These stitches are meant to be CLIPPED before you wear the garment. Yet, time and time again, I see people with well-worn coats where the vent has never been opened. So they walk down the street, coat flapping behind them, looking ridiculous because there is a foot-long gash in the back of their coat held together at the bottom only by a stich or two.

I thought about playing Fashion Police on 5th Avenue for a couple of hours, armed with a pair of scissors to help out the offenders. But then I saw a busload of tourists get out at Rockefeller Center at 9 am all decked out in Santa hats and appliqued holiday sweaters, and I knew I had a more important mission ahead.

Coat shown: Burberry London Islington nylon trench at Net-a-Porter.com. It would be a SIN to insult this coat by not cutting its vent. Enough said. /rant.

One-Day Sale at Beauty.com

2006-11-28T21:31:00.000-05:00

Just in time for stocking up on stocking stuffers - or stuff for you. Get 20% off everything at Drugstore.com and its sister site Beauty.com, one day only.

So if you're someone who spends $2.50 or $25+ on a lipstick, you can enjoy savings on some things that never go one sale!

Just click here to take advantage of the offer. Orders must be placed before midnight (PST) on Wednesday 11/29. So get shopping!

My picks?

For me:

Stephanie Johnson Makeup Case in Chocolate Flower

Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil

Vincent Longo Water Canvas Blush

NARS Mini Lip Lacquer Palette

For gift giving:

Korres Natural Products Guest Kit

Philosophy Candy Cane Suitcase

Fresh Fragrance Quartet

LoLLIA Satchet - Breathe

The 311 on Travel Beauty

2006-11-19T18:00:00.000-05:00

Many of you will be flying this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. There is still the big "Liquids & Gels" security, so here's what you need to know.

The latest requirements are as follows (but be sure to check before flying, as the TSA may change them at a moment's notice):

Liquid/gel beauty products are allowed on board, but the container must be 3 oz or smaller (i.e. a half-full 6-oz container won't fly)

All of your beauty products must fit in ONE clear, quart-size zip-top plastic bag. This is for real: my sister's concealer got confiscated because it was not in a plastic baggie!
Have a question about whether a specific product is allowed on board? Check out the TSA's official list here.

So what products can help you avoid the checked-baggage blues? Sephora, who always makes it easy to part with my money, has created a useful list of Airplane-Approved Beauty, products ranging from fragrance to moisturizers to dental care.

My favorites? Bliss' Foam For The Holidays travel-sized gift set (I love their Lemon Sage scent), L'Occitane's Shea Butter Hand Cream (protects against drying airplane air) and Tarte's Slide Tin Lip Balm, which has a honey sugar cookie flavor, a subtle tint and a sleek container.

Trying to catch some in-flight zzzz's? A neck pillow, ear plugs and eye mask are key. But how many times have you woken up with your mascara and eyelashes stuck to your face? Deal with that no longer with the 40 Blinks Eye Mask, which is ultralight and molded to give your luscious lashes plenty of room.

Rubbed the Wrong Way

2006-11-13T23:56:00.000-05:00

To rub or not to rub? Ay, that's the rub.
Forgive the Shakespearian allusions (more below), but the question of whether rubbing perfume into your skin alters the fragrance is probably as old as the bard himself. He probably knew a thing or two about fragrance... after all, he did pen the aphorism, "That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet."

So, perhaps it follows that "A scent sprtitzed stays true, no matter what you do"? Hmmm. Perhaps I should leave the quotations to the experts. And in this post, I'm leaving the opinions and research to the experts as well – the leading fragrance bloggers. Let's see what they have to say!

INDIE PERFUMES
On the question of why people are bound to rub, Lucy at Indie Perfumes observed that “people do it just to get it to ‘dry-down’ a bit quicker, to get it to meld more into the skin more quickly, and to spread it to a larger surface area if too much was put in one place.”

SCENTED SALAMANDER
Marie-Helene at the Scented Salamander is a bit more of a purist, and warns that rubbing "will alter the delicate balance of your fragrance; you should resist the temptation to rub the fragrance into your skin as this will result into upsetting the pyramidal structure of the perfume (i.e. top, heart, and base notes; there are other types of fragrance structures but this is the most commonly used)."

What to do if you want the purest scent on your skin? She advises, “the best way to do it is to spray, from a distance of about 8 inches, and let the scent air-dry even if the quantity you spritzed appears a bit excessive. Often people spray from too close a distance which results in this reflex to rub the scent in, for example with both wrists, to disperse the excessive amount of it. Another way to go about it, if you feel your spray nozzle is too quick to respond and difficult to control, is to spray in front of you and walk through the mist; this will allow you to modulate to a certain degree the intensity of the scent.”

THE PERFUME CRITIC
Marlen, a.k.a. The Perfume Critic, took it upon himself to conduct an experiment for us on whether there is a difference in the scent of rubbed and air-dried perfume! Here are his field notes:

“’To rub or not to rub,’ sounds a little kinky, but when talking about perfume, it takes on a new meaning. I've often been told that ‘rubbing’ a fragrance into the skin, specifically alcohol-based fragrances like eaux des toilettes, ‘crushes the molecules’ (oh stop, those aren't my words!) and changes the overall aroma.
Having always been a rubber and crusher by nature, I felt compelled to respond to Beauty Chick's question by actually presenting my scented wrists to neighbors to see if they could determine which was rubbed and which was merely shpritzed. Wearing the new Tom Ford Black Orchid, I tried 2 different experiments. First I rubbed the fragrance into both my wrists and asked a group of three if they could tell any difference. One person reported that the right wrist smelled sweeter while the other two reported no perceivable difference. Again, this first time, both of the wrists had been rubbed. Then, this morning, using the same scent, I sprayed the back of my right hand without rubbing and then sprayed the back of my left hand and rubbed it on my leg (only in perfumeland could I be writing this). I asked the same three people and this time they each reported no perceivable difference.
Now, let it be said that this is a very simple experiment and if you wanna go getting all academic on my ass then of course we would need a larger sample size, a wider range of scents and subjects, and additional trials to prove any kind of point. From my own perspective, I can't really say I subscribe to the "rubbing is bad" theory, and from this experiment it would seem that others can't perceive a difference between rubbed and shpritzed.

THE PERFUME BEE
Christine, who writes Perfume Bee, alerted her readers to rely on a published beauty writer's advice in a post entitled, “Rubbing Wrists Together Does NOT Change Perfume Scent” (which I think makes her position rather clear.) She refers to Linda Wells' new book, ALLURE: Confessions of a Beauty Editor, in which Wells writes: "Finally an astute reader with a doctorate in chemistry wrote in and pointed out that if it were that easy to crush single molecules, her job would be a lot easier. Good point, Maggie Topp from the Netherlands. From now on, we'll rub to our heart's content."

AND YOU?
Thanks to all the great fragrance bloggers for weighing in on the debate! Be sure to read their blogs for many more insights. Here’s my take-away: if you can’t stop yourself from rubbing your fragrance in, rest easy - it really shouldn't matter. And if you’re such a fragrance aficionado that you’d rather not take any chances, we admire your dedication and patience in air-drying.

A FINAL NOTE
For those who appreciate Shakespeare and scents, be sure to check out Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's Shakespearean Collection where you can get a scent designed after Juliet herself - or perhaps Ophelia or Desdemona is more to your liking. And since they're perfume oils, you may not have to face the air-drying dilemma at all!

I'm Rubber, You're Glue.... (+ see inside for contest!)

2006-11-11T23:48:00.000-05:00

Lengthen, separate, thicken, curl & darken - without clumping, flaking or smudging. We ask a lot of our mascaras.

Now there is a new generation of mascaras that promise the above and more, with the help of revolutionary molded-plastic wands.

Image from GEKA Brush, makers of injection-molded brushes

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery?
Chanel recently launched their latest mascara, Inimitable ($26.50), promising that it's "a new standard in mascara with a formula that does it all". They say that their sophisticated formula and unique brush design combine to lengthen, plump and curl, delivering lush, long-wearing colour so precisely that each lash, even the finest, is perfectly defined and separated.

The white brush is made from soft elastomer bristles that hold the proper amount of product, are flexible enough to move with your lashes and aligned in perfect symmetry, so that each lash is coated to perfection.

Users praise its ability to go on smoothly and evenly with no clumps, creating an easy-to-achieve false eyelashes look.

By definition, "Inimitable" means Chanel doesn't think anybody can copy them. But they should watch out for the following...

CoverGirl LashExact
Cover Girl's LashExact mascara ($6.99) has a purple injection-molded thermoplastic brush (sounds very high-tech, doesn't it?). The molding technique gives the bristles extra support to deliver exact lash definition, and the smooth, tapered bristles glide through individual lashes to gently separate and lift.

When I tried this, I have to say that it delivered on the number one promise: it doesn't clump! My lashes were extremely long, defined and separated. My mom saw the results and immediately asked what I was using. Being such a nice girl, I gave her my tube and she says that she loves the long-lash look it gave her, and she was happy there were no clumps. Additionally, she noted it didn't run when her eyes were tearing (we think from allergies - not the mascara!).

The only complaint? LashExact is great for a day look, but it doesn't deliver a lot of volume. Well, gals, I'm here to tell you that these clever folks are coming out with VolumeExact in January! I already spotted it at my local Eckerd drugstore, so you might get lucky and snag a tube in advance of the launch.

Finally, the nice folks at Cover Girl are doing a giveaway of Lash Exact - go Cover Girl's website for details. And in addition, I'm doing my first ever **Beauty Hatchery giveaway**! I have a brand-new, sealed Lash Exact in black that I'll send to a randomly-chosen winner. Just leave a comment on this post with your name or nickname, and in a week, I'll randomly choose someone and leave a comment with the winner's name. Then you can privately email me your address and I'll pop it in the mail.

Max Factor Lash Perfection
Max Factor invented the first mascara wand, and have turned it up a notch with new Lash Perfection Mascara ($8). The flexible bristles of their yellow, rubbery iFX brush deliver the volumizing mascara evenly, to coat and define your lashes from root to tip. The patent-pending brush technology and our advanced formula mascara work together for lashes that look full and long.

Verdict? My lashes look longer, more defined and more lush (but not as luscious as other volumizing mascaras on the market) - without clumps. The look stays all day, but is a little hard to remove with my usual cleanser-and-water routine.

Lash Perfection was selected to be one of InStyle Magazine's best beauty buys 2006, and now the company has launched a waterproof version. Max Factor is running a "MAXimize your Eyes" sweepstakes, and the prize includes lots of goodies, including a year's supply of Lash Perfection Waterproof. Enter by 11/24/06.

Rubberama
Each of these mascaras has a high-tech, molded wand and has generated rave reviews. Whether you go for white, purple or yellow, chances are that you'll be one step closer to mascara nirvana.

Things that Make you go Hmmmm....

2006-11-04T17:49:00.000-05:00

Anyone who's ever been on vacation with me knows what a freak I am about sunscreen. I can't have fun if I'm worrying about getting burned, which happens in about 0.0001 seconds.

So, I'm always on the lookout for new ways to protect myself. I was very excited to discover two products that promise to make quicker work of protecting your skin. But I'll warn you, they may sound too good to be true.

CLEANSER WITH SPF
Freeze 24/7 recently launched the first-ever wash-on sunscreen, Ice Shield. I don't know about you, but I've always been under the assumption that cleansers are designed to remove things from your skin. And here they promise that by washing your face, you can get SPF 15, UVA/UVB protection!

How it works: A revolutionary innovative encapsulation technology allows Ice Shield™ to bind sunscreen to the skin while the mild cleansing system washes away dirt and impurities. Apply a nickel size amount to wet palms and work into a rich creamy lather BEFORE applying to face, neck and ears. Leave on skin for at least 1 minute; this allows the sunscreen to penetrate your skin. Rinse off and PAT dry, to avoid rubbing off your protection. Please note that Ice Shield is not designed to replace your regular sun protection regimen. Rather, it super-charges your protection (and helps you out on lazy days when you forget to apply sunscreen).

Ice Shield uses Avobenzone, a key sunscreen active ingredient and recognized by the FDA as an effective UVA filter. I'm inclined to believe the hype, because sunscreens are regulated by the FDA, and they don't take approvals lightly (think about how long it took them to approve Mexoryl!). If you still need convincing, it's also recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation as an effective UV Sunscreen.

Purchase for $48 at Bliss. (Currently on sale at Overstock.com for $42.99).

SUN PROTECTION PILLS
Ever dreamed of being able to simply pop a pill and protect your skin from the sun? I have, every summer as I slather on creams, lotions and sprays. Well, it seems that my wish may have come true. Two companies now offer oral supplements that are supposed to boost your sun protection. And the best part is that protection is systemic - head to toe, even if you miss a spot with your creams.

Heliocare is an oral dietary supplement that claims it has antioxidant properties that help maintain the skin's ability to protect against sun related effects and aging. The key ingredient (Polypodium leucotomos) is derived from the fern plant and is full of antioxidants that become active within 30 minutes of swallowing the pill.

Experts say those antioxidants pick up the damaging free radicals that are released when UV radiation penetrates the skin. This sun damage contributes to wrinkles and skin cancer. Note that Heliocare is NOT a replacement for topical sunscreens. Its main function is to enhance the body's ability to deal with UV that gets through topical sunscreens.These supplements are not cheap, costing about a dollar a day. Purchase 60 tablets for $59.99 at Drugstore.com

SunPill, another dietary supplement, promises enhanced sun protection with daily use. They recommend taking one tablet daily in the morning, and taking two during prolonged sun exposure. Like Heliocare, SunPill advises use with a traditional topical sunscreen and says it's most effective when taken as part of an ongoing health regimen.

Some writers are more skeptical about SunPill, especially since it doesn't publish its ingredients on its website. ABC News noted that "SunPill has been less enthusiastically received by skin care experts. Doctors interviewed by ABC News say the SunPill doesn't have the science to support its claims as a 'digestible-sunscreen.'" Another news article bashed their claim-testing methodology.

SunPill is available via its corporate website, with various pricing plans averaging out to a dollar a day.

HMMMM?
So what do you think? I love new technology, especially things that save me from worrying about getting a sunburn, developing wrinkles or heading down the road to skin cancer. These products may provide more help in the battle against sun damage, but it looks like we'll have to wait a bit longer for the holy grail: never having to spend time applying topical sunscreen or worrying about whether we're perfectly protected.

Pink Ribbons Everywhere

2006-10-26T08:25:00.000-04:00

Back in May, I wrote a post about beauty brands that support Breast Cancer Awareness. Now that it's Breast Cancer Awareness month, and so many sources have covered the issue so well, I thought I'd skip the topic. But I can't - I just found out that one of my girlfriends was diagnosed with breast cancer last week. At age 33. So I would like to add my voice to the call for awareness and support.

PROTECT YOURSELF
Early detection is key. Please see your doctor regularly and do monthly breast self-exams (BSE) starting at age 20. I've had two friends under 35 diagnosed with breast cancer, so please don't think that you can put it off. Remind all of the women you know and love! Here are some BSE resources:

The Liv Breast Self-Exam Kit provides ease and effectiveness for your monthly breast self-exam. The Liv aid has two sheets of soft, latex-free polyurethane filled with liquid lubricant. During an exam, the bottom layer stays put, while the top moves for reduced friction -- and enhanced touch.
Comprehensive audio/video BSE instructions can be found on the Komen website
Or just print out this handy guide and tape it inside your closet door so you are reminded.

SUPPORT OUR SISTERS

During the month of October, there is a huge outpouring of breast cancer awareness. Every year it seems more companies jump on the bandwagon, offering products that raise funds for developing a cure and assisting women who are affected. Rather than create another list of the great products out there, I'm going to refer you to folks who've done the legwork for us - thank you!

Use these resources to find products that can make you feel beautiful - and help put an end to this disease.

Retailers/Organizations

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation lists out their cause-supporing "Pink Buys" (shown above), with 14 beauty items including Jo Malone and Creme de la Mer
Sephora features "Beauty with a Cause" - 15 gorgeous pink ribbon products including Murad, LORAC, Stila and Skyn Iceland
Beauty.com lists out 9 great products, including Paula Dorf, Urban Decay and Jen Lew
Glam.com provides products ranging from apparel, beauty and home

Bloggers

Beautiful Makeup Search has gone all the way, with 19 posts so far reviewing individual beauty products that help raise funds. Truly inspiring.
All About the Pretty lists beauty, fashion and home products that support the cause
Beauty Addict, as usual, provides well-chosen picks
A Socialite's Life takes time out from gossip to list her fave breast cancer awareness beauty goodies
Beauty and Fitness Addict takes a short break from beauty to point out pink tools to make housework and exercise more fun
Beauty Banter raves about Boscia's Rose Blotting Linens
eBeauty Daily reviews Chi's pink flat iron and hairdryer
Lipstick, Powder N Paint reviews Bare Escentuals' Rose Radiance Collection

Happy shopping - and remember to stay aware of breast cancer every month of the year!

For The Beauty Addict-in-Training

2006-10-25T08:44:00.000-04:00

I just discovered Club Libby Lu, an adorable store targeted at tween girls who are into fashion, beauty and being treated like a princess.

Naturally, I loved it immediately.

My favorite part? They have a Sparkle Spa - where you can create your own beauty products. How cool is this - you can make your own lip gloss! Take a pot of clear gloss, add drops of color and glitter, stir it up, and decorate the jar to make it your very own. I mean, that's totally awesome.

Other do-it-yourself spa treats include:

Soapy Sugar Scrup Sundae - Four flavors to choose from (strawberry, citrus, peppermint, and chocolate) complete with sprinkles you can add to your perfect sundae combo
Fruit Smoothie Mask - Five fruity-scented colors to mix and match
Kool Karma - A body spray or lotion that you can add glitter or beads to
Shimmery Sparkle Dust - Sparkle to add to your hair and body comes in colors representing luck, love, friendship and happiness

This is a super interactive birthday party idea (for girls who have gotten too cool for Build-A-Bear) because each girl gets to take home her own creations. OR, you can have "Fun, Funky Club Counselors" give the girls a "Libby Du makeover" complete with a "pink carpet" fashion show at the end.
If you can't get to the store to experience the magic of creating your own potions (locations listed here), they have great gifts you can give your favorite little princess. I got my 8-year-old niece a set of Pink Twinkle goodies (candy pink lip gloss, roll-on glitter and nail polish) and a tank-top and shorts set. They come in a cute shopping bag gift box. As a beauty addict-in-training, she loved it.

Un-Happy Little Trees

2006-10-22T10:25:00.000-04:00

I was recently stuck in a taxi in traffic for what seemed like an eternity, especially because I was subjected to the driver's brand-spanking-new cardboard air freshener. It occured to me that there has to be a better-smelling, more sophisiticated option than the ubiquitous Little Trees that dangle ominously from taxi mirrors. Please, no more "Forest Fresh" or "Vanillaroma"! These are especially headache-inducing when the oh-so-attractive plastic covering which you're supposed to to remove litle by little is ripped off, Band-Aid like, and you are overwhelmed by a shockwave of synthetic scent that would be more at home in a hospital than as a choice for your personal space.

The only attractive car air freshener I have been able to find is by Zuq and Zoe, makers of super-cute paper goods, and it's an auto-mobile (get it? like a mobile for your car...) of fragrant cardboard circles and beads.

They come in several scents, each with a corresponding color: Blueberry/blue, Citrus/orange, Vanilla/beige, Green apple/green, Lilac/purple, and Strawberry/pink. And they come in slick metal tins, perfect for gift-giving or stocking stuffing. Purchase for $8.50 at Pixelgirl Shop, a place to find cool handmade goods.

*The title of course refers to the "happy little trees" that artist Bob Ross encouraged us all to paint on his TV show, "The Joy of Painting".

Test Tube, baby!

2006-10-13T23:29:00.000-04:00

Today, I received my first TestTube by special delivery. No, I haven't enrolled in a chemistry correspondence course. I've signed up to receive New Beauty magazine's product sampler that comes in a cutely-designed "testing" tube.

The idea is simple: sign up and you'll receive 4 tubes a year. You pay $25 per tube (plus $6.95 shipping, but they do send via FedEx so it's speedy) and you receive a tube filled with generous samples and other goodies and a handy guide explaining how the products are to be used. Then, you can go to New Beauty's website and write reviews of the products - and get the chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree at Nordstrom.

The first test tube contained 6 products and a gift certificate with a total value of over $200. The products are quite skincare-oriented:

GoSMILE’s Weekender Kit, $15 value
Dr. Brandt’s Laser in a Bottle, Laser Tight, $40 value
Obagi Systems Professional-C Eye Serum - full size, $75 value
Jane Iredale PurePressed Pressed Minerals (Must note: these were missing from my tube - perhaps they've run out?), $15 value
Babor HSR Lifting Cream for Eyes, $15 value
NIA 24 Physical Cleansing Scrub, Skin Strengthening Complex and 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30, $20 value
Spalook.com Gift Certificate worth $25

So basically, you get a huge amount of value for spending around $30, when shipping is considered. You get to try out new products and know that your opinion will be heard by the companies making them. And then, even if you didn't like any of the stuff you got for free in the tube, you still get your $25 back to pick out exactly what you want from Spalook.com. Personally, I'm going for some nice, yummy-smelling bath products from Molton Brown. And watch out for Spalook's free shipping days to maximize your value.

Brands to look for in the next TestTube are below. (Note: New Beauty's site doesn't say when they're switching from the current selection to the new one, so order soon if you liked the product list above.)

Lancome
Supersmile
Babor
Frederic Fekkai
ROC
Youngblood mineral cosmetics
Skingenic Indochine

They've Done it Again

2006-10-11T22:56:00.000-04:00

Remember my story on fragrances for TV shows? Desperate Housewives' Forbidden Fruit is still rather fresh in the market. But now the younger, fresher, perhaps even more twisted show "The O.C." is launching its own fragrance this month.

According to sources, The O.C. for Her is a fruity floral that captures the beachy spirit with exotic flowers like hibiscus and exotic fruits like guava, laid over a sexy base of amber and vanilla. The O.C. for Him evokes the beach with notes of ozone and sea spray, spicing it up with pepper, crisp citrus, alluring lavender and rose, and sensual woods. The fragrances will debut just in time for the show's fourth season, which starts Nov 2 on Fox.

Now, seriously folks - isn't this getting a little out of hand? Who is so obsessed with a TV show that they want to smell like it? Sorry to beat a dead horse, since I've already covered this topic... and don't even get me started on celebrity fragrances! Hilary Duff, anyone?!

Beauty Bookshelf - Allure: Confessions of a Beauty Editor

2006-10-08T13:58:00.000-04:00

Linda Wells, editor of Allure Magazine, just published a book called Allure: Confessions of a Beauty Editor.

If you like the girlfriend-to-girlfriend, not too serious tone of Allure magazine, then you'll like this book. While there is some new material, the book is more of a reference guide containing the best info that the magazine has provided. That's great news for me - I can finally throw out my two-foot high pile of back copies!

The book is organized into chapters like Skin Care, Face, Lips, Haircut & Color and Body. Within each, there are Tricks of the Trade, Beauty Myths debunked, 101's (how-to and step-by-step instructions), Beauty 911, and age-specific recommendations. Each chapter ends with the 10 Commandments - the key lessons boiled down into easy-to-remember aphorisms, like "More isn't always better. A pea-size amount of face cream is enough".

Plus, it's attractive: this hardcover, large size book is filled with gorgeous photography and is definitely vanity-top worthy. Keep it handy to reference professional advice that can keep you looking your best from head to toe.

Seven Layer Dip

2006-09-27T08:06:00.000-04:00

From an Elcaya Face Creams advertisement, Ladies Home Journal, April 1928. White River Valley Museum Archives.

My husband's friend facetiously refers to his wife's skincare regimen as the nightly application of her "Seven Layer Dip". Now, anyone who has tried the Mexican-inspired appetizer by the same name realizes this is not exactly complimentary!

But tonight as I applied product after product to my face, I began to take note of what my own seven layers of skincare are. You can surely tell I'm not exactly a loyalist (this blog would be quite boring if I were); I love to check out new products and therefore rarely use the same combination of things twice. But here is tonight's "dip" - and I hope you'll share yours!

Lancome BiFacil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover to remove mascara and eyeshadow
Body Shop Vitamin C Cleansing Face Polish to get squeaky clean
L'Oreal Paris ReFinish Micro-Dermabrasion Cream
Sovage Idebenol "facial anti-oxidant" moisturizer
Bliss Wrinkle Twinkle around the eye area
Philosophy Hope in a Bottle, spot applied on blemishes
Aclovate ointment on chapped lips (this is RX, if you don't need prescription-strength, go for Aquaphor).

Needless to say, I don't use seven products every night! In fact, I'm usually lucky if I do more than cleanse and moisturize. But it's fun to experiment. I know: many experts would say that you have to stick to a regimen to allow the product to demonstrate real results. But to me, that's like asking, "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?" Nobody knows, because you can't resist biting. And I can't resist the next new beauty product.

My next purchase? A rich night cream for use in the dry winter air. What's yours?

Oh, Momma!

2006-09-24T13:59:00.000-04:00

In honor of my friend Beth who just gave birth to her first child - a beautiful little girl named Illiana - this post is dedicated to pregnant ladies.

The lovely Illiana

Here are some of the latest and greatest products for pampering the pregnant body - from head to toe. Use this list for yourself or as a shopping guide next time you're off to a baby shower.

For the FACE

Basq Rebalancing Facial Cleanser: As your hormones change during pregnancy, your skin is naturally affected. While you need an effective cleanser for break outs and blemishes, many contain ingredients that should be avoided during pregnancy. Basq created this whipped cleanser with micro exfoliators, rich emollients, ylang ylang and imported oak root extract to rebalance and refine the appearance of your skin.

Belli Anti-Chloasma Facial Sunscreen: A lightweight broad-spectrum tinted facial sunblock. Used daily, it can protect against chloasma-- dark brown splotchy areas on the face that occur in 70% of pregnant women.

thatglow Refresher Face & Body Mist: Help calm the stresses of pregnancy and keep your energy alive. Spritz your face and body to feel an instant pick me up. For an extra treat, keep one in the refrigerator and use throughout the day.

For the BOOBS

Mama Mio Boob Tube: Boob Tube is a leave-on moisture mask for the very delicate skin in the bust area. This skin does not take well to large size changes and however much you wish your fantastic pregnant profile was permanent, it isn’t. It is on loan and the rent is high if you don’t take care of your skin. Trust us, you will be paying for years to come! So keep rubbing in Boob Tube – an EFA-rich blend of skin-soothing oils.

Bug & Pickle Nipple Cream: Mum can help prepare her nipples prior to the new arrival by using our rich ointment daily during the final trimester… and definitely be sure to have plenty on hand for those first few weeks after the baby comes.

Propoline Mult-Mam Nipple Cream: For a natural approach during pregnancy, use Multi-Mam Massage Balm with Aloe & Tea Tree. Heals and protects cracked or sore nipples.

Mustela Specific Support Bust: Helps promote firmness and prevent loss of elasticity. Helps relieve skin tension and soothe breast tightness.

Bug & Pickle Hooter Hiders: Allows mom to nurse her baby without showing off her hooters to the world! The soft fabric comes in a variety of fun patterns.

For the BELLY

Henna Belly Painting Kit: Henna use during pregnancy is an ancient practice and is soothing as well as calming. It is believed to help bring about an easy birth and healthy child. (Note: Having henna applied during a healthy pregnancy is generally safe but it is always a good idea to speak with your doctor.)

Mama Mio Tummy Rub: Mama Mio Superstretch Tummy Rub is a super-nourishing blend of the richest and most healing oils available. It absorbs quickly, leaving your skin feeling soft and nourished but not at all greasy.

Miss Oops Popper Stopper: You're five-months pregnant and you look beautiful. You slip into that form-fitting top, proud to show off your new bump. But wait--there's a bump on your bump! Miss Oops Popper Stoppers to the rescue.

Tummy Honey Stretchmark Prevention Stick: It has a solid, oil-based formula that penetrates deep into the skin layers, maintaining skin moisture and elasticity for several hours.Tummy Honey STICK has a mild natural cocoa butter scent - no flowery or overpowering fragrances. This ideal stretch mark prevention solution is the winner of the iParenting Award for Excellence.

Preggie Pop Drops for Morning Sickness: A delicious and discreet way to fight morning sickness - all day long! Comes in 3 wonderfully sour flavors - raspberry, lemon and tangerine.

Naked Paint Belly Butter: NakedPaint's Belly Butter is a maternity cream for expectant mothers that combines natural ingredients to help increase hydration and elasticity and is designed to minimize the stretch marks, dryness and itchiness often associated with skin's expansion during pregnancy.

Belli Stretchmark Minimizing Cream: This highly effective, nourishing treatment features darutoside-- a molecule from the Asian plant Siegesbeckia Orientalis, which has long been known for its wound-healing properities. Recent research has shown it's ability to minimize the appearance of stretchmarks by stimulating tissue regeneration and promoting growth of the collagen matrix.

For anywhere SKIN

Active Birth Organic Pregnancy Bath Oil: A luxurious organic bath oil with warm, exotic fragrances to soothe away tiredness and keep your skin beautifully moisturised. Use daily for a balancing effect on the emotions, to restore energy and enjoy a welcome respite from the extra weight of pregnancy.

Mama Mio Wonder-Full Balm: A blend of nine different oils and waxes, this product is super-targeted moisture. Designed to rid you of those obscure little dry patches (a weird side-effect of pregnancy).

Nicci Maternity Body Creme: Extra- rich, and deeply nourishing Shea Butter from Uganda combined with a mild blend of Orange Blossom and Lavender.

For the LEGS & FEET

Belli Foot Relief Cream: During pregnancy, swelling and cramping may cause discomfort of the ankles, feet and calves.

Bella Mama Foot Salts: Rest tired, swollen feet in a bath filled with these uplifting salts made with a wonderfully cool and refreshing citrus aromatherapy blend.

Mustela Instant Comfort Legs: Immediately relaxes and refreshes legs. Ensures long-lasting hydration and toning.

For your EMOTIONS

Earth Mama Angel Baby Happy Mama Spray: For Morning Sickness and the Baby Blues, Happy Mama Spray is virtual bliss in a bottle! It's a wonderfully uplifting aromatherapy spray made only with pure essential oils and flower essences created for new mamas as well as seasoned ones.

Basq Sweet Dreams Aromatherapy: It’s often hard to give your body the rest and relaxation it needs during pregnancy. This beautiful lavender-pear aromatherapy blend helps your sleeplessness and promotes relaxation.

The Beauty Hatchery salutes all moms and mothers-to-be and hopes these products may help ease your body's adjustments as you await your new(est) little one!

Got a preggie product to share? Add a comment!

Taking Care of (Lady) Business

2006-09-14T09:11:00.000-04:00

There are so many beauty products out there, it's hard to believe (and I know - because I'm trying to store them all under my sink!) But there is a growing category just for ladies... and companies are coming up with pretty unique products that can help us pamper ourselves and deal with the sometimes not-so-great parts of being a chick. Check out the following products that make taking care of Lady Business much more fun.

Sweetspot Labs: First of all - love the name. Their philosophy? You don't wash your hair with toothpaste, so why should you use just any products on your sweetest spot? Their products are intended to nurture and complement your natural, delicate bodily functions, avoiding commonly used ingredients that are known to create sensitivity or cause irritation. Products include Gentle Wash, Balancing Mist, On-the-Go Wipettes, and Eau de Spot, and they come in scents like citrus galbanum, geranium lavender, basil grapefruit, and, for the ultra-sensitive, you can also get them unscented.

Girl Balm: Here's a belly balm that helps you ease cramps - and promises to melt away the grouchies too! Massage a fingertipfull of Girl Balm into your lower belly, as often as needed. Then stretch, breathe and enjoy - feel lighter and quieter. The organic and wild-crafted essential oils of Clary Sage, Rose Geranium, Ginger Root and Black Pepper encourage hormonal balance and circualtion. The base is made of unrefined beeswax, organic hemp seed oil and jojoba, to soothe and soften. As reviewed in Daily Candy.

Lush silky underwear dusting powder: OK, this is a cool idea - a dusting powder that's made to be worn with (or instead of) your very best undies. Unlike talc-based powders, it's made from cornstarch and china clay with tiny pieces of coca butter to moisturize your skin. The formula is scented with vetivert and jasmine to boot. Only drawback? The Kraft 'Parmesan Cheese Shaker' packaging doesn't match up to the luxurious formula.

Vinnie’s tampon case: "Vinnie" lets you approach that time of the month with humor. Check out his funky, retro-styled zippered case designed to protect all your feminine products in your purse. He encourages you to know your flow with a "Giant Roller Coaster Period Chart".

Mrs. Meyers Unmentionable Wash: This has been designed for those special items that you need to launder in private. Gentle, yet effective, it contains Anionic cleansers from plant-derived sources plus Cotton Extract and essential oils for garden-fresh fragrance.

Kama Sutra Honey Dust: What good would talk of lady business be if we didn't include something sensuous - you know, just for pleasure? This sensuous, edible powder is made with pure, natural honey, one of ancient India's most prized skin conditioners. Dust it on yourself and your lover, leaving a silky-soft glow, a delicate fragrance and a irresistible taste.

Anti-Panti: A complety adhesive-backed cotton disk that sticks to the inside of your jeans. The soft cotton flannel protects you from your jeans and your jeans from you! The Anti-Panties come in a pack of 5, in assorted colors and patterns. Commandos: Similar idea, different shape (so as not to bunch while hugging your curves).

Reduce/Reuse/Recycle: It's staggering when you think how much garbage our monthly visit from Aunt Flo can generate. Two companies take a novel approach to solving the problem. Both Red Rag and Sckoon offer washable fabric pads that come in a variety of sizes and patterns.

Note To Self (Hair Powder Misadventures)

2006-09-10T21:32:00.000-04:00

Note to self: Avoid beauty product experimentation one hour before any major event.
I went to a wedding on Saturday night and, of course, wanted to look nice. I had gotten highlights and a trim the night before and wanted to maintain the blow-out for the event. Since I usually can't go 24 hours without washing my hair, I didn't want to arrive at the party looking greasy. I remembered that I'd just read about Bumble & bumble's new aerosol Hair Powder in Allure magazine. It is supposed to add body and absorb excess hair oil. Sounded perfect. I popped into a store, picked up a mini-can in the "blondish" shade (at $19!!) and thought I was good to go.

Fast forward two flights, and I'm arriving at my hotel in Martha's Vineyard an hour before the barefoot-on-the-beach ceremony is to begin. Just enough time to change, freshen and walk over. I whip out the Hair Powder, shake, hold 10 inches from my scalp, and spray onto hair. This might have been fine if I had SHIELDED MY FACE. When I looked in the mirror, I looked like I'd been dragged through the desert - and every nascent wrinkle was emphasized in the dirty debris because I'd been squinting against the blast.

Though I could have washed my face and reapplied my makeup, I decided to take a shower, wash my hair and blow it out again. I had fears of the sky opening up and beigey rivulets of hair powder water running down my face and onto my dress. Of course, this do-over made me almost late to the ceremony! Moral of the story: don't try a new and tricky-to-apply beauty product moments before a big event. It could backfire in your face.

All of that said, I'm still going to give the Hair Powder another try. In the privacy of my own home, with nowhere to go and nobody to see! For additional testimonials and tips on how to use it, see the great review and comments at Jolie in NYC.

Go for the Glow

2006-09-07T13:09:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe it was only last summer that Jergens Natural Glow hit the market. Summer '05 saw glow-seeking consumers flocking to drugstores - and finally, eBay, to get their hands on this must-have product. Now that this summer '06 is winding up and cooler temps are setting in, pasty gals like me want to extend whatever summer glow they were able to acquire - and we find ourselves with a veritable Everest of options. It didn't take manufacturers long to realize that they could add a dash of self-tanner to their moisturizers and capitalize on this huge trend. See the list below - then let me know which one is your favorite.

Jergens Natural Glow: The original, now in three shades and formulated for face. Body formula has some shimmer, which can look glittery in certain light.
Johnson's Holiday Skin: This was a huge sell-out hit in Summer '05 in the UK. Now, US shoppers can buy the body products (not yet, however, for the face products) through Drugstore.com. Interestingly, they have a "Night" version of the body lotion, designed not to stain sheets.
Olay Touch of Sun: Last summer, Olay launched Quench Radiance Reviver, which worked well but didn't quite communicate the sunny-glow benefits. Touch of Sun body lotions come in in Normal and Dry skin formulas, and there is a product for face with SPF 15.
Dove Energy Glow: Daily Moisturizer with Subtle Self Tanners available for Fair Skin Tones and for Medium Skin Tones.
L'Oreal Paris Sublime Glow: Comes in Light and Medium shades, and the formula contains "light-capturing micro-pearls" to add shimmer to skin. contains mango butter, vitamin E and sweet almond oil.
Neutrogena Summer Glow: They have added SPF 20 to their body lotion, a great idea. The face product only has SPF 15. (This looks to be a much better product than their Build-A-Tan, which comes in body and face versions.)
Vaseline Healthy Body Glow: Daily Replenishing Moisturizer & Touch of Self Tanner, in Fair and Medium variants.
AVEENO Active Naturals Continuous Radiance: Combines natural soy with a subtle color enhancer to help even out skin tone and texture.
Hawaiian Tropic Island Glow: Daily moisturizers for Light and Medium skin tones. Soothing Green Tea fragrance.
Coppertone Gradual Tan: The body lotion comes in a pump, which is nice, and they have just launched a Face product.
Clarins Radiance Plus: Self-Tanning Creme-Gel for Face, or Body Lotion with tiny mother-of-pearl particles to give skin a glow.
Lancome Hydra Flash Bronzer: Daily Face Moisturizer with Nanocapsules of pure Vitamin E and a light touch of self-tanner

Post a comment with your own review and let us know which of this vast array of products is your favorite. You can read more reviews of Glow lotions on iVillage.

Here's to keeping a warm, summery glow as the days get shorter!

All that is Solid Melts into Air

2006-09-05T11:01:00.000-04:00

I like to carry perfume with me when I go out, but fear that one day, the bottle or vial will break, and I'll waltz into a restaurant or something and be the perpetrator of a major olfactive faux-pas. The solution? Carry a solid perfume. Whenever you need a refresher, just whisk your fingers across its waxy or powdery base and apply to pulse points.

SOLID!
Here are some solid versions of today's favorite scents. Many come in gorgeous compacts or slim touch-on pens:

Marc Jacobs Perfume Solid Compact
Estée Lauder Pleasures Touch-on Perfume
Philosophy Amazing Grace perfume solid compact
Bvlgari Pour Femme Perfume Solid
Bvlgari Omnia Perfume Compact
Origins Ginger Essence Perfume Compact
Pink Sugar Solid Perfume
Stacked Style Baroque Bleu and Rococo Rouge Gelee de Parfum
Stila Jade Blossom Solid Perfume
Britney Spears Fantasy Solid Perfume Compact
Fracas Solid Perfume
Rouge Hermes Solid Perfume Stick
Boucheron Parfum a Poudier
Boucheron Trouble Solid Perfume Compact

WEARABLE SCENTS

Designers have discovered a way to let you wear their fragrances in two senses of the word - as scent and accessory.

Angel by Thierry Mugler Midnight Collection Lucky Touch Pendant
Island Michael Kors Solid Perfume Pendant
Donna Karan Pure Cashmere Solid Perfume Pendant

COLLECTORS' NOTE

Many compacts and pendants housing solid perfumes are limited editions and thus become collectors' items. And of course, there is a whole website dedicated to collecting them! Visit SolidPerfume.com for information, pictures, items for sale, and much more.

DIY

Interested in learning to make your own solid perfumes? Mandy Aftel's book, "Scents & Sensibilities" features descriptions and detailed instructions on making solid perfumes at home with beeswax, jojoba oil and essential oils.

* bizarrely enough, the title quote is from Marx's Communist Manifesto!

Eating Her Heart Out

2006-08-16T02:53:00.000-04:00

Apologies for the long delays between posts. I've been traveling (more on that to come) - but now I'm back and promise to resume being a diligent blogger.

Speaking of dedicated bloggers, I just read Julie & Julia, the story of a woman in NYC who decides to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year - and blogs daily about her successes and failures. She accomplishes this feat in a tiny NY apartment kitchen. As she turns 30. While her husband tries to prevent her from having a complete mental breakdown.

As someone who watches the Food Network for hours on end, who has coped with a 2' x 2' NYC apartment kitchen, who subjects her husband to bizarre recipes, who tries to remain faithful to her blog and who (confession alert!) just turned 30, I can completely relate to Julie Powell. I finished the book wishing I could have joined one of her midnight dinner parties - except, perhaps, when calves' brains were on the menu.

The book comes out this week in paperback. Highly recommended!

The Rains of Africa

2006-07-31T08:57:00.000-04:00

Image of Baobab tree in Bostwana from Destination: Botswana

Touring through the dusty veld of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Bostwana in the heart of the dry season, I gained a deep appreciation of the importance of rain to this sun-parched land. Wherever water can be found, life teems around it. Cruising down Botswana's Chobe River, one can see herds upon herds of elephants, hippos, babboons and water buffalos reveling in the river's life-giving flow. Even the currency of Botswana reflects this truth: the unit of currency is called the "pula" - the same word used for both rain and luck.

Taking a break from safari at one of Johannesburg's great shopping malls, I discovered a range of beauty products that celebrate the gifts that the rains of Africa bring forth. Aptly named, RAIN aims to bring the aromas of the diverse African continent into your home with its unique ranges: Marula and Rooibos, Savannah, Avocado, African Rain and Wild Cotton. Their latest range is Rain African Spa, a full range of spa products that can be used for both home spa and in the professional wellness centers and spas. I particularly loved the Baobab massage oil... it contains oil from Africa's most distinctive tree and has a delightful aroma.

More updates and photos from the (dusty) road as soon as I am able!

The Pen is Mightier

2006-07-07T13:32:00.000-04:00

When Edward Bulwer-Lytton wrote that "the pen is mightier than the sword," he probably wasn't thinking how the might of the pen could improve cosmetics. Yet now, one needn't always have the perfect brush or applicator handy - cosmetics in pen form are meant to provide precision on the go.

YSL's Touche Éclat (Radiant Touch) was the first pen-based cosmetic to command my attention. I liked the clicky wand, the silky brush, and the concealer/radiance-enhancing brightener. Basically, I go for anything that helps chase the shadows from under my eyes. Its runaway success inspired several other companies to launch similar products - which come in a variety of price points, listed below. My love affair with Touche Éclat ended when the brush developed a stinky smell that would persist through washings. Let's hope these new players have overcome the challenges of brush-rot!

Sephora Light Touch Highlighter $10
Bourjois Illuminating Concealer Pen $15
Biotherm Light Catch $16.50
Givenchy Mister Light Instant Light Corrective Pen $31
Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen $33
Guerlain Issima Precious Light Smoothing Iluminator $43

The precision of a pen is now appearing in all kinds of cosmetics - see the fine-tipped collection below.

Let's face it - aging is most obvious around the eyes and the lips. Bliss' 'peri' Godmothers Set includes products to smooth and improve the 'round the mouth and 'round the eye areas. It includes bliss spiff upper lip and bliss wrinkle twinkle (buying the set saves $6 versus purchasing separately). Of course, I love the fact that wrinkle twinkle can help eliminate dark undereye circles with continued use! I'm also impressed that spiff upper lip helps reduce upper lip fuzz.

Eyeko's Fruity Felt Lip Pen applies a liquid lip stain with a precision point. Just apply to clean, oil free lips and the color lasts all day. I like to put a gloss or chapstick over it so my lips don't look and feel dry.

Fleur de Sephora Fragrance Pens have a sheer gel formula in a twist-up pen for on-the-go application that won't spill in your purse. Try the spill-free scents in Lotus, Peony or Rose.

Cellex-C's Skin Perfecting Pen can be used as a spot treatment to heal blemishes or as a soothing treatment to ease the itch of insect bites. Or if you have dark spots, try Clarins' Bright Plus Target Zone Brightening Corrector. Its exclusive "Lock-Around System™" promises to reduce freckles, sun, age and dark spots as it soothes.

Elemis' Pro-Collagen Wrinkle Smooth Pen promises that a more youthful, radiant appearance is just a brush stroke away. At a $158 price point, I am afraid I won't be trying it and reporting to you all. Please comment if you've tried it!

Lola Cosmetics' Pops Eyeshadow Pen is two-sided with complementary eye shadow colors. Each tip has a pointed sponge applicator that dips into loose shadow when the tip is closed, ensuring a spot-on application.

Lastly, we don't always succeed at application perfection. Then, the pen can be an eraser to removes stains and mistakes! Case in point (no pun intended): Rembrandt Teeth Whitening Pen gives you a precision application of nighttime whitening agent, so you can target the areas that need it most. Made some nailpolish mistakes? Fix them up with Sephora's Nail Polish Corrector Pen. I won't say more, as the product has already been delightfully reviewed at Real Girl Beauty.

Got other "magic wands" to share? Post a comment!

Exfoliation Nation

2006-06-26T15:53:00.000-04:00

Magazines and experts advise us to exfoliate regularly, but not to scrub too hard. Try telling that to a Moroccan.

They traditionally go to the hammam once a week to soak, steam and get scrubbed. The hammam is a public bathhouse and is an important social (but not religious) aspect of life in many Islamic countries.

In Marrakesh, I was feeling a bit grubby from walking around in near-100 degree heat, so I decided to try a "Berber Hammam" offered by my riad (small guest house), a treatment fashioned after how the mountain people of Morocco bathe.

The Hammam at the Riad Jnane Mogador

I was led to a marble room with pretty fountains in it - small enough for just 1 client. After being instructed to leave my clothes in a locker, I sat upon the warm marble floor and the attendant used copper bowls to scoop water from the fountain over my bare skin.

Next, she gave me a blob of a black soap, which had the consistency of Vaseline, and indicated I should spread it over my body, head to toe. She let the soap soak in for a few minutes, then rinsed it off with more scoops of water.

After she uttered a few words in a mixture of French and Arabic, I figured out that I was to lie flat on the warm marble floor for the gommage, or scrubbing. She put on a rough fabric mitt and began rubbing it all over me, one limb at a time. Eyes closed (because you really don't want to look at the person who's seeing you nude!), I focused on the sensation and decided it felt like a rough cat's tongue - but much harder. At times, the scrubbing hurt a bit, but I didn't want any special treatment because I was tourist. Besides, you can't help but feel that if it hurts, it's got to be good for you.

When I did peek my eyes open, I could see she'd manaaged to roll dead skin right off. After a few rinses, she doused my head and washed my hair with rhassoul - a dark, clay-like substance. After a final exfoliation on the face and a few more scoops of water, and I was left squeaky, shiny, pinky clean.

Create the hammam experience at home with Red Flower's Hammam line of bath and body products. They smell fantastic. I'm especially in love with the Cardamom Amber Oil. If you can't decide what to get, try each product in the gorgeously packaged Hammam Gift Set - or buy it for a friend who needs a little body TLC.

Tadé makes a Turkish Black Soap that looks quite similar to what I tried. If you'd like to try the cleansing clay, The Body Shop makes a Rhassoul Soap and Lush's Reincarnate Solid Shampoo also uses the Atlas Mountain mud in its formula.

Pick This Up!

2006-06-08T16:05:00.000-04:00

You might know Zoe Rice from the hilarious and true entries on her blog, Real Girl Beauty. But now she's officially a PA - published author. Her novel, PICK ME UP, has just come out! This great summer read has something for everyone - a romantic triangle, hidden secrets, laughs, and a heroine you'll want as your best friend. Plus, it offers an insider's look at the New York art world. Zoe is heartfelt and hilarious as a person and her book promises to be that and more.

Read the synopsis or, better yet, just run to your local bookstore (or Amazon.com) to get it!

Event Note: For those in the New York area, she'll be doing a reading in Brooklyn on June 14th at 7:30 PM at the Park Slope Barnes & Noble: 267 Seventh Ave. (corner of 6th St.) The F Train stop at 7th Avenue is only three short blocks away.

Mountain Makeup of the High Atlas

2006-06-06T13:39:00.000-04:00

When I'm traveling, it's always fun to learn about local beauty rituals. Right now, I'm in Marrakesh, the former capital city of Morocco. It's a wonderful city, set against the mountains, where snake charmers, beaded slipper sellers and carpet salesmen compete for every tourist's attention.

Deep in the labrynthine market alleys, we visited a pharmacy where locals go to get nature-made remedies for every ailment. Rose oil is said to eliminate under-eye bags, and jasmine oil smells lovely and has the benefit of helping mosquito bites (in which I am covered). I also saw how Berber women use kohl to line their eyes and dried poppy juice to rouge their lips and eyes. Of course, I had to get examples of these natural and centuries-old beauty treats, which come in wooden and clay jars (which look like mini tagines, the conical clay pots in which the most delicious stews are cooked). You apply the kohl as eyeliner by dipping the wooden stick into a reservoir of ground minerals inside the wooden bottle at left. The dried red poppy powder can be applied dry as rouge to the cheeks, and if you dip your finger into water, you can apply the resulting crimson liquid to your lips. The salesman promised that the pigment would last 24 hours - I think I have found the original mineral and long-wearing cosmetics!

Here's hoping I'll have more international beauty secrets to share in the coming weeks.

TV in a Bottle

2006-05-31T14:14:00.000-04:00

We all have our favorite TV shows. Admit it, sometimes we even dress like our favorite characters or sport their haircuts (remember Charlie's Angels' feathers and the "Rachel"?). But did it ever occur to you that you might want to smell like your favorite TV show? I don't mean smell like a celebrity - celeb scents are a well-discussed topic - I mean scents inspired by the show itself. Read on.

Image from Scorpiofiles, home of lots of Dynasty trivia!

Although this trend is reaching never-before-seen proportions, it seems to have begun in the 80s, with Dynasty. Oh yes - the hit show marketed a fragrance called Forever Krystal for women, based on the the character played by Linda Evans. Carrington channeled the sexy Blake Carrington, played by John Forsythe. You can still obtain bottles of these decades-old scents!

Image of ad from Patrick de Warren Photography

Another soap opera followed the trend - with the launch of several scents from All My Children. Enchantment perfume promises you can "be a part of the glamorous life and join the story." Their second fragrance launch was Fusion, a spirited and spontaneous fruity floral. Both were developed and launched as part of the show's storyline!

In February, Apothia launched a fragrance simply called "L" which is inspired by Showtime's hit drama about lesbians living in L.A., The L Word. The development process included getting input from 7,500 L Word fans who submitted surveys describing what they would like in the fragrance. According to PlanetOut, The "L Word" perfume is billed as embodying the show's essence, with a scent that is "deeply feminine and sexy while exuding a very confident and powerful edginess and independence."

American Idol fans can feel part of the drama by spritzing on American Idol Moments for women or American Idol Spirit for men. Kimberly Caldwell, former contestant, is now the fragrance spokeswoman. She said,

"I have been traveling all over America to the different JCPenney department stores, promoting the new fragrances. It gives people the opportunity to take home a piece of the show. The fans are the biggest part of the show's success, so this gives them something to enjoy from the show."

For me, when I think of the show, I imagine the smell of fear, sweating under the lights and getting humilated in front of the world. No thanks!

The biggest and most recent news is that Desperate Housewives is launching a scent of its own, called Forbidden Fruit (thanks to Now Smell This for relaying the news). The scent will be "as complex, beautiful and sexy as the women of Wisteria Lane" and will be released as a Macy's exclusive this September. Reportedly, the fragrance is a fruity floriental, including notes of crisp Rome apples orange flowers and juicy peaches, a heart of wisteria (natch) and a drydown is of cedarwood, sandalwood, vanilla and tonka bean.

If you enjoy mixing entertainment and fragrance, keep your eyes out for the movie, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, which stars Dustin Hoffman and is to be released this holiday season. It's based on the book by Patrick Süskind, which I highly recommend!

I Can Fly!

2006-05-19T15:51:00.000-04:00

OK, I know that this is a beauty blog. But flying is a beautiful thing. Overcoming fear is a beautiful thing, too. So please indulge my gushing for a minute.

This morning, I went to Trapeze School New York with three of my girlfriends. We arrive just moments before the skies opened up and poured, so thank goodness they've added a tent over the equipment. If you saw the Sex & The City episode (#82, "The Catch") where Carrie goes to the same trapeze school, you'll remember that it was open-air.

We got a safety talk and were strapped into a corset-tight harnesses. First, we practiced on a bar that was barely over our heads, just to try getting our knees on the bar and hanging upside-down. I could barely get my legs up there (um, just a little out of shape!), so I wasn't very confident about climbing up to a 23-foot-high platform and attempting the trick in mid-air!

Once I got the "Hep!" to jump, there was no going back. The momentum of swinging in the air and pure adrenaline pumping through my veins helped me get my legs up. Next, you hang upside-down in mid-air while swifly gliding through the air and reach back in a gesture of ultimate freedom. Whee! Then, you bring your legs back down and they encourage you to do a backflip into the net! A backflip? My first time on a trapeze? No way. But, I did it the second time! :) You really do feel weightless up there.

After a few more practices, our series of tricks became a bit more routine. I was shocked when I was pronounced "ready for the catch". What?! Oh yeah, someone will catch you in mid-air, remove you from your trapeze, swing you from his hands, then drop you into the net. I'm thinking, isn't that an advanced class? We've only been here an hour!

I was absolutely amazed when the catcher's hands reached out through some slow-motion of space and time, grabbed me by the forearms and I was swinging free. It was an exhilarating rush. They say you should "Forget fear. Worry about the addiction." I can see why. I was already thinking about joining the circus!

There are also Trapeze Schools in Baltimore and Boston, and a quick Google search can help you find one in your area.

The Laundry Room

2006-05-18T18:01:00.000-04:00

Purchase this cute tin sign at the Old Town General Store

Hate doing laundry? Don't we all. But now there are some great products to get the job done well - and leave your clothes smelling marvelous.

DETERGENTS

The Laundress offers many special-purpose products to pamper your wardrobe, like separate detergents for lights and darks. Now that we're headed into the summer season, be sure to check out their Swimwear Care, which is designed to get the salt and chlorine out of your itsy bitsy teeny weeny bikini - without being too harsh.

Art Home Botanical Detergent for Delicate Fabrics is ideal for lace, silk, wool, cashmere, nylon, lycra, rayon and all other synthetic fabrics. Available in blue lavender and tulip scents.

LCDP Luxe liquid detergent was recently featured in Daily Candy. Made from old-fashioned Marseille soap to be gentle on sensitive skin and is presented in a gorgeous gothic-lettered bottle that you won't want to hide in your laundry room!

STAIN REMOVERS

Let's talk about a special problem. Have a set of underwear for monthly use? Accidentally stained a favorite pair of panties? Laundry Spa's Stain Remover removes these embarassing stains. It’s scented with a light lavender and vanilla fragrance and contains only natural and biodegradable ingredients.

SOFTENERS

Without softeners, your jeans could end up so stiff they could walk away on their own. Try these options - with scents a bit more sophisticated than Grandma used to use.

Mrs. Meyer's aromatherapeutic household cleaners can make any household task easier, better smelling and with their cute packaging, even a little more fun. She has three scents of fabric softener - Lavender, Lemon Verbena and Geranium. Bonus: they contain natural essential oils, are biodegradable and phosphate-free, and they never test on animals.

Caldrea offers fabric softeners in 6 scents, ranging from Citrus Mint to Basil Blue Sage. They contain plant-derived softening elements and essential oils.

FRESHENING

Your going out clothes reek of smoke or fried food from the late-night diner. Rather than rack up more dry cleaning bills, try these at-home fresheners.

Art Home's Botanical Room and Fabric Deodorizer comes in a gorgeous glass bottle you needn't hide away in the laundry room. Its powerful formula comes in Blue Lavender and California Grapefruit.

Did you know that the scent of lavender can help ease you into sleep? Jane, Inc.'s Sweet Sheets Bedding Spray can freshen clothes and scent your sheets and help speed you off to dreamland. Buy at drugstore.com.

SPECIAL HELPERS

The Laundress Static Solution helps eliminate embarassing static cling, without the telltale odor of Static Guard. Their classic fragrance smells fresh and clean without being overpowering.

Got a white streak on your little black dress? Deodorant marks can be hard to eliminate, but are no match against Miss Oops. Use these little foam sponges to whisk deodorant, dirt and powder off your clothes without discoloring them with a damp cloth or creating pills from too much rubbing.

REPAIRS

Don't forget to travel with a sewing kit. Made by women in Nepal, this cute fair trade sewing kit supports their livelihood, comes in a cool black wool case and lets you do quick fixes on the fly.

Torn your favorite jeans? Let Denim Therapy save them! No simple patches here; they will literally reweave your jeans so they look and feel like like it never happened.

Kicked out a hem with your stilettos? I'll let you in on a secret. When I don't have time to sew it myself (ahem, I mean ask my mom or tailor to), I use Dritz' Stitch Witchery, a tape that you put between the layers of fabric. Simply iron it and it melts between the layers, fusing them together. (They can later be separated for real repairs).

Bottom line? Nicely-scented, well designed products make any chore more fun!

A Beauty of a Cause

2006-05-09T12:47:00.000-04:00

This past weekend was the Revlon Run/Walk for Women in New York, which helps in the fight against women's cancers. I participated last year and it was truly inspiring to see men, women and children dressed as a sea of pink, supporting those who have been lost and those who have survived breast cancer. Having lost my grandmother to breast cancer when I was 10 years old, I walked in honor of her memory (read about her here).

Additionally, Avon sponsors a Walk for Breast Cancer in 8 cities every year - check the schedule and participate in a Walk near you! Revlon and Avon are not the only beauty companies that have gotten on board with breast cancer support and awareness. Check out the outpouring of support (and lovely products!) that all beautifully support the cause:

Lacoste's Touch of Pink fragrance comes in a pink bottle and a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of each 1.6 oz Eau de Toilette Spray will be donated to the Young Survivors Coalition, an organization that lends help and support to young women with Breast Cancer. The scent will be perfect for summer with heart notes of jasmine and violet blended with fresh, fizzy notes of coriander leaves and blood orange, and soothed with soft sandalwood, musk, and vanilla. Blood orange is one of my favorites!

Tarte's Heart To Tarte Collection lets you show off your breast cancer support and tote around your beauty essentials in style. Choose from the Pink Go Dutch Clutch (the perfect party clutch), or the Heart-To-Tarte Lip Balm (a vitamin E and avocado-laden, candy pink lip soother). For both products, Tarte donates a portion of their proceeds to the Young Survival Coalition, an organization that aids younger Breast Cancer Survivors (most under the age of 35).

GoSMILE, whose products brighten smiles, are now using the proceeds of their Morning Rush toothpaste to help create a bright future without breast cancer. GoSMILE Morning Rush Toothpaste is a welcome wake-up call sparked by lively essential oils of lemon, lime, orange and mandarin, cleverly infused with uplifting peppermint for a splash of morning excitement. A percentage of the sales from this product will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Printed on the packaging is the signature pink ribbon indicating support of breast cancer awareness with, "smile for the cure" written above.

Philosophy invites us to "Shower for the Cure" with their Pink Ribbon Shower Gel. They say, "the search for a cure is a cause that we at philosophy hold near and dear... 100% of the philosophy proceeds from the shower for the cure pink ribbon body wash are donated to the Women's Cancer Research Fund."

Clinique's Breast Cancer Awareness Palette has three complementary pink shades of Shimmering Tones Powder to give skin a luminous all-day glow. Wear the caring pinks, knowing $8.00 from your purchase helps support the Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation and the mission to find a cure in our lifetime.

Pier 1's Komen Candle in an iridescent mosaic glass jar does more than just light up a room. It comes with a lapel pin symbolizing support for breast cancer survivors and co-survivors. And 25% of its purchase price is donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to support breast cancer research and outreach programs. Would be a great Mother's Day gift!

Now, for some things to wear to support your sisters.

She Beads makes great jewelry pieces that show the world which casuses you support. Their very popular Pink Ribbon beads are still going strong. With each sale, a donation goes to support The Pink Ribbon Girls, a support network for YOUNG women with breast cancer. (Thanks to GKFA for introducing me to them.)

Lily Pulitzer has lent her colorful talent to the cause by designing this lovely scarf. This limited-edition, 100% silk scarf features a colorful print of pink chrysanthemums and blue daisies on a green background. This exclusive Lilly design symbolizes the spirit of hope, courage and life that people who participate in the Race for the Cure exemplify.

Post a comment if you know of other cause-related beauties!

The Green Fairy

2006-04-19T11:21:00.000-04:00

Absinthe is an intoxicating aperitif with a high percentage of alcohol (up to 72%) and oil of wormwood, among other herbs. This drink, with nicknames such as "La Fée Verte" (The Green Fairy) was surrounded by ceremony, mystery and a sense of danger - it is reported Van Gogh was under the influence when he cut off his ear. Other artists like Picasso, Manet and Degas painted pictures of zombie-like people drinking absinthe alone in cafes.

Absinthe is not legal in the US, but the beauty industry is now bringing us products that let us indulge in its unique herbal scent and mysterious reputation.

FRAGRANCES

L’Artisan Parfumeur’s rich and woody "Fou D’Absinthe" Eau de Parfum will be released in mid-May. I was able to get a preview at Sniffapalooza this month. It has strong woody notes with something sharp in it - perhaps the prick of the fairy herself? I was so looking forward to sampling this scent, and was really disappointed not to like it! It's very masculine and quite strong... some complain of L'Artisan's staying power, but I couldn't even wash it off. That said, I wouldn't mind smelling it on a poet sitting in the shadowy back of a cafe, stirring a sugar cube into his milky green absinthe.

IUNX's No 3 L'Eau Ivre is an icy potion spiced up with green anise, absinthe and everlasting flowers. Apparently the Paris boutique is as lovely as the fragrances themselves and has become something of a tourist destination. Check out these mentions in Wallpaper* and the New York Times.

Absolument Absinthe is a unisex "skin perfume" that adapts to your own chemistry. Absinthe and cannabis (oh, to revel in the use of illicit substances!) are among the 51 fragrance notes contained in this green-tinged alchemist's concoction. I have to say, I love the bottle design, too!

Gobin Daudé Parfums' Biche dans L'Absinthe reportedly has leathery notes with artemesia (absinthe), immortelle flower, green hay, and tobacco leaf... I haven't smelled it, but the description certainly makes it sound fun: "A doe fuses in absinthe, princess of nature, quivering, wild and sensual, happily surrendered to the magic of foliage..." Sounds like someone should take a course in perfume-description-writing!

Lolita Lempicka's "Au Masculin" has top notes of aniseed, green ivy, rum, and absinthe. For the man whose heart lies in the depths of the forest.

GROOMING

Korres' Absinthe Brushless Shave Cream has absinthe extract, and is rich in essential oils and flavonoids to soothe skin and protect it from irritations.

MAKEUP

Yves Saint Laurent Eye Shadow Quartet in #3 Absinthe Green

Zuzu Luxe is a vegan makeup line Made from pure minerals. They have an eyeshadow called Absinthe (a matte, warm yellow/green)

CANDLES

D.L. & Co's Absinthe candle has notes of star anise, grand wormwood and bergamot.

Jimmy Belasco: Jimmy's Absinthe candle blends notes of Lime Peel, Patchouli, Amber, Lavender and Sandalwood.

> Learn more about absinthe at the Virtual Absinthe Museum.

In Memoriam

2006-04-06T22:14:00.000-04:00

Just this week, I lost yet another of the spunky dames of my family. As I was talking about these ladies with my mother, trying to envision them at their most alive, I realized that scent is one of the strongest emotional triggers. So I present to you an 'olfactive memorial' of these very special women.

Grandma Eleanor and my dad, New Jersey, circa 1947

We lost my grandmother this week. She'd been slipping for a long time, and I like to think that she's happily reunited with my grandfather (after 10+ years), sipping martinis and dancing to Frank Sinatra. She was a vibrant woman, the consummate hostess and an adventuresome traveler. She always brought my sister and I dolls from their trips which were dressed in the region's traditional dress. These mementos sparked my love of travel, and I pay it forward by bringing ethnic accessories to my nieces and nephew from my trips.

Her scent was YSL's Rive Gauche. The aldehydes, lemon and bergamot top notes remind me of her sparkling, bright personality - and the lemon and lime trees she grew in Florida. The rose and jasmine heart are evocative of her ladylike elegance and the santal and oakmoss base remind me of the outdoorsy life she shared with my grandfather, a passionate sportsman.

Auntie Bobbie, New York, 1945

Last summer, we said farewell to my Great Auntie Bobbie. She'd been raised in orphanages along with my grandfather. After growing up with very little, she took a job as a telephone operator and loved to spend her hard-earned money to dress glamorously and lavish gifts upon her nieces and nephews - and later, her great-nieces & nephews (a group I am lucky to be a part of). One of her funny habits was always leaving the price tags on the gifts! :)

Bobbie's signature scent was Shalimar. The name comes from the gardens in Agra where the emperor built the Taj Mahal as a tribute to his departed love. I imagine her reaching for its elegant bottle, shrouding herself with the richly opulent notes - and releasing her inner queen. Like a benevolent monarch, she took care of everyone around her and was adored by loyal friends. We honor her memory still.

Image: Bobbie looking regal on New Year's Eve, 1956

Grandma Berta in the 1980s

My Grandma "Berta" (Roberta) passed away almost 20 years ago from breast cancer. [I am reminded that a number of companies sell products to benefit breast cancer research - stay tuned for a feature in coming weeks.] My mother remembers that "GrammaBerta," as we called her, wore Tabu. Its spicy-sweet, amber musk fragrance probably made her seem much more imposing than her 4'11" stature. This fiery lady never let her small size get in her way - she'd even stand on a stool to whoop my rambunctious uncle!

One other scent I associate with her is apple pie. She made the most beautiful pies for Thanksgiving... and the apple pie emerged from the oven with a perfect, bonnet-like pastry crust. The hot apples were just bathing in cinnamon, rivaled only by the spices lurking nearby in the pumpkin pie. Of course, I had to have a "sliver" of each!

The last "Grand Dame" of my family is still with us, but sadly my Great Aunt Eunice seems to be following the same path as her sister, my Grandma Eleanor. I don't have a picture of her now, but will try to find one soon. She's a lovely, elegant lady - a lover of art, a Francophile (she married a Frenchman and split the year between the Hamptons and Lyon), and took me on my first trip to Europe when I was 16. She's the only person I ever met who could downshift from 5th gear to 2nd on the highway and not notice!

Eunice always smells citrussy and fresh, and I had thought perhaps she wore Roget & Gallet's Extra-Vieille or Annick Goutal's Eau d'Hadrien. Tonight, I found out that her scent is "4711" - a light refreshing cologne that was invented in Cologne, Germany and has been popular for over two hundred years. Like her, it's a true classic.

> One piece of advice to all of us: have professional portraits of yourself taken every few years. It may seem vain at the time, but trust me that your family will cherish them for generations to come.

Gettin' Figgy With It

2006-04-04T08:57:00.000-04:00

Adam and Eve used fig leaves to cover themselves the in Garden of Eden. Since then, figs haven't been used much for beautification - except perhaps eating Fig Newtons as a diet food.

The fig was rediscovered as a beauty element in 1994, when L'Artisan Parfumeur launched a scent called "Premier Figuier" or "First Fig" - and indeed they were the first to explore this note in perfumery. Later, they launched the "extreme" version, now available in a gorgeous Flacon de Collection.

Now, we can find the earthy scent of fig in dozens of products. Here are some favorites, from body to home, inexpensive to spendy.

L'Occitane's extra gentle shea-butter soap pamper the skin with a delicious Fig scent.

Burn's Fig Leaf Candle has the touch of sweetness from ripe figs but is grounded with wood notes and crisped up by black currant leaf. Would make a nice addition to a bachelor pad!

Keep a bottle of Cucina's Fig & Fresh Herbs Purifying Hand Wash next to the kitchen sink for clean, moisturized and fresh-smelling hands.

Another figgy fragrance is Heeley's Eau de Figuier for those who are looking to capture the sparkling freshness and full-bodied ripeness of a fig at the height of its season.

Pacifica offers a Body Butter, Soy Candle and Bar Soap in its own Fig, which includes notes of palm, cyclamen, moss, and clove set in a base of woody sandalwood. The packages are beautiful and the trio would make a lovely hostess gift.

In makeup, "fig" is either an earthy-neutral shade or a rich, dusky purple. Check these out:

Stila's Lip Glaze in Fig
Chanel Glossimer in Barely Fig
Clinique's Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher in Fig
Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Personnel Lipstick in #17 Sensual Fig
Prescriptives Colorscope Eye Color in Fig
Prescriptives Softlining Pencil in Fig
Origins Lip Pencil in Fig