Interview With Deidre Wengen, The Beauty Behind PhillyBurbs.com's Beauty Blog

My husband says [of me] that he’s “never met anyone more proud to be a Philadelphian.” I think that pretty much sums me up. I love my hometown, and it is my pleasure to bring some global exposure to Philadelphia beauty brands, events and experts.

So listen up…whether or not you’re from the City of Brotherly Love, you’ll benefit from the knowledge I’m about to drop on you.

PhillyBurbs.com’s Guide For Her serves up tasty morsels of beauty, fashion, and pop culture news…and since discovering the site in May, it has become one of my favorite daily online destinations.

Recently, I interviewed the beauty behind the blog, Deidre Wengen. Here’s what she had to say:

When did you first realize that you were beauty obsessed?

That's a tough one. I've always loved playing around with makeup and hair products for as long as I can remember. I am from a pretty small town so I was never really exposed to any big-name department stores or beauty supply stores. I think the first time I really got the beauty bug was when I walked into Sephora at the King of Prussia Mall during my first year in college. I was blown away by all the brands and products under one roof. I have recklessly proceeded to spend my money on beauty
products since then.

What is your favorite thing about being a beauty blogger?

I am really fortunate to have a job where I can write about and blog about things that I love. With that being said, I try to make my weekly column a cross between a blog post and an editorial feature. Our beauty coverage on PhillyBurbs.com is relatively new. I am just getting my feet wet in the already buzzing beauty blogging world. But meeting new people is my favorite part of being a writer in general. There are so many talented and dedicated beauty bloggers out there and I hope I have the chance to chat with all of them in the future!

If you had to limit the scope of your blog, which one of these categories would you focus on: skin care, hair, nails, cosmetics, beauty tools/implements, or fragrance - and why?

I hope I never have to limit it! But if I did, I would probably stick with cosmetics. I will never get tired of trying new lip gloss or playing with different colors. Plus, I am continually in awe of makeup can really enhance your features. I really think that it is somewhat of an artistic expression and I love the creativity that cosmetics offer.

What are some of your favorite under-the-radar beauty brands?

One thing I've quickly learned about the beauty industry is that there are so many small or independently run companies that make exceptional products. Currently I am in love with a couple of bath and body brands such as Shea Terra Organics, LaLicious and Soaptopia. They all have amazing scrubs and body lotions that smell incredible. I also love Jaqua products, but I'm not really sure how under-the-radar they are since a lot of celebrities seem to love them as well!

How do you feel about Philly being named the ugliest city in America?

All I have to say is that the violence in the city is ugly, the people are not. Philadelphia has some beautiful, talented and incredibly artistic people. I cannot count the number of times when I have been walking down the street and been nearly knocked off my feet by a striking woman who just oozes confidence and style. There are plenty of good looking men too. I think that the claim is pretty bogus.

Name three beauty products that, in your opinion, are splurge-worthy.

One would have to be Skyn Iceland's Pure Cloud Cream. It retails for $75, but it is honestly one of my favorite products EVER. It is so light and airy- kind of like a marshmallow- and it make my face look glowy and feel super soft. Another would be Kerastase's Volumizing Shampoo. The price is $32 which, to me, is kind of pricey for shampoo, but it works wonders for my limp hair. I love all of the volume products from their Volumactive collection. They're amazing. My last pick would probably be Ole Henriksen's Micro/Mini Peel System. It retails for $95, but it is seriously like a spa treatment that you can do at home and it lasts for a while because you only need to use it once a week. It really does amazing things for my complexion. I highly recommend it.

Which mascara do you swear by?

I have to say Fiberwig. Have you tried this stuff? It claims to be "Paint-on False Lashes" and I think that's a pretty fair assessment. It contains tiny fibers that latch onto your lashes and lengthens them. Plus, it doesn't smudge throughout the day and it never irritates my contacts.

Do you have any beauty-related old wives' tales that you actually practice?

None that are really well known. However, my grandmother used to always say that eating the crust on bread makes "Polish girls beautiful." Needless to say, I always eat my bread crust - even though I don't like it that much.

What fragrance do you consider your signature scent?

That would have to be DKNY Be Delicious. I absolutely love it. But I have been cheating recently with a sample of Hanae Mori's Magical Moon that I scored from Sephora - it's the perfect summer fragrance.

If you could only use one beauty brand for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

Hands down, it would have to be Tarte Cosmetics. I have yet to meet a product that I was disappointed in from this brand. I am a blush addict and I am obsessed with their cheekstains.

Plus, I really admire the goals of their recent Health Couture initiative. I just love their products.

Deidre really is a wealth of knowledge, isn't she? Head on over to PhillyBurbs.com Guide For Her. And while you're there, check out Deidre's interview of yours truly.