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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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!

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

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.

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

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!

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.

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!

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?

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!

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!

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!

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!).

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!

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!