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Saturday, August 30, 2008

Total Beauty Weekend Web Tour


In honor of the newest limited edition collection from MAC Cosmetics, Cult of Cherry; Roselyn from Makeup Makes Me Happy does a gorgeous makeup tutorial, showing you how to achieve a fabulous look for this upcoming Fall season!.

Beauty Anonymous
reviews YSL's fall eye shadow palette.

Alison of the The Advice Sisters Guide to Life, Success & Happiness Blog thinks that
Sue Devitt's Bermuda Triangle is a Great Way to Banish Wrinkles!

Viva Woman
discovers that baking soda really whitens her teeth!

Looking for a lipgloss that will stay put and last a long time? Then check out The Makeup Divas review on the Mac Lustre Twins.

Fabulous Over Forty
discusses all week about her experience at the L'Oreal Color Space at the MN State Fair.

Monique at Beauty Girl Musings is surprised by a new fall lip color. Find out which one!

What are Jamie's 3 must-haves? Find out at Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog.

Crave for beautifully rejuvenated skin with absolutely no cost at all? Find out at Beauty Tyrant, she has whipped up a skin rejuvenating peach facial!. You'll love your skin even more now.

Beauty Blogging Junkie has partnered with Three Custom Color to provide 25 readers with TCC's new Watercolours for Cheeks in Wallflower, a dewy beige. Click here for more info on how to enter.

If you're a Bobbi Brown makeup fan (and who isn't?) Beauty411 has the latest on new Bobbi Brown palettes!

MissWhoever-You-Are
has found out how you can get a free tote YSL tote during Fashion Week. No Joke!

Wondering about Fall's Makeup Trends? Learn how apply a Pretty Power Pout like the pros on A Mom in Red High Heels.

Thought hair mousse was just an 80's trend? Think again. Daily Dose of Coffee tries out one of the most interesting hair mousses ever: Sebastian Whipped Creme.

Product Girl
shows you how to make your own lipstick palette and it's easy as pie!

Don't miss out on your chance to win the entire line of Sera Anti-Aging skincare products over at Beauty in Real Life.

Chocolate lipliner?
Sounds good, looks great! See it at Glossypink!

The Beauty Alchemist
hits drugstore paydirt with Jergens Renew Lotion.

LashBlast had better watch her back. There's a new voluptuous lash in town, and she's wearing Exceptionnel de Chanel Intense Volume and Curl Mascara. The creamy formula and six-sided brush took Spoiled Pretty's lashes up, up and away!

Butterfly Diary
reviews the luxurious collection by

Sultana de Saba , whose Body Karite Butter and Honey Mask will make Cleopatra wish she had been reborn. Check it out! .

Friday, August 29, 2008

Beauty Blog Network: Best Week Ever

In honor of the newest limited edition collection from MAC Cosmetics, Cult of Cherry; Roselyn from Makeup Makes Me Happy does a gorgeous makeup tutorial, showing you how to achieve a fabulous look for this upcoming Fall season!.

Beauty Anonymous reviews YSL's fall eye shadow palette.

Lilan of The Daily Cookie shows you how easy it is to use Anastasia's Brow Pen to tint your eyebrows with a fun video how-to!

The Muse from Musings of a Muse shows you three different looks you can create using Too Faced Smoky Eye Palette! She also reviews the Too Faced Mirror Mirror Gloss!!

A Touch of Blusher
looks at Paul & Joe's fall 2008 base makeup collection.

Looking for a lipgloss that will stay put and last a long time? Then check out The Makeup Divas review on the Mac Lustre Twins.

Need smoother legs longer? Cybelesays has found one that keeps legs smooth and totally moisturized.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic
has found natural, medium coverage foundation, from the drugstore!

Beauty Blogging Junkie
has partnered with Three Custom Color to provide 25 readers with TCC's new Watercolours for Cheeks in Wallflower, a dewy beige. Click here for more info on how to enter.

If you're a Bobbi Brown makeup fan (and who isn't?) Beauty411 has the latest on new Bobbi Brown palettes!

Rouge Deluxe offers a sneak peek at Lancome Holiday'08!

Beauty Junkie in SF
recommends going nude with NARS Striptease lip gloss. It's HOT!

Beauty Banter
tests the Worlds first organic skincare range... and finds the most AMAZING moisturizer!

Elke shares a great tip on how to mistake fix your makeup.

Product Girl
shows you how to make your own lipstick palette and it's easy as pie!

Need a new body cream? See which are Christine's favorites over at Beauty in Real Life.

Kyle at , Face Candy, shows you how she is using Pashmina shawls to brighten complexions at her wedding.

LashBlast had better watch her back. There's a new voluptuous lash in town, and she's wearing Exceptionnel de Chanel Intense Volume and Curl Mascara. The creamy formula and six-sided brush took Spoiled Pretty's lashes up, up and away!

makeup loves me
wants to give you one of fall's hottest mascaras. click here to learn how you can win your own spinlash.

Shear Genius: Finally! The Finale!

Shear Genius wrapped up this week and not a minute too soon. I was all gung-ho to watch SG when it started, but I soon got fatigued by the whole thing. Anyhoo....here' my final recap of the SG finale.

Since this was the big, big show, there was no need (or time) for a short cut challenge. Instead Rene Fris (hi, hi!) explained (in a way only Rene can!) the final challenge. Each remaining contestant got a lock of hair in either blonde, brown, or red, and they were told they would be telling the story of one woman's life at four different points along the way. They were to create a story for this woman that tells who she is at 18, 30, 45, and 60. They would have four different models and would need to create hairstyles for all four models in just three hours.

Charlie, Dee and Nicole had the entire night to figure out their storylines. I must say, its a good thing these three are stylists and not writers, because their character stories were a bit, well, thin.

Dee's story centered around a "rock star." At 18, she was trying to make it (I think--I didn't totally get what the 18 year old was supposed to be), at 30 she had released her first album, at 45? I can't remember what she was...a washed up one-hit wonder? Getting ready for her gig as clip-show commentator on Vh1? At 60, she was a grandmother who went by Mama Red. Ok...if you say so.

Charlie's equally lame story dealt with a movie star. At 18, she was transitioning from a child star to a full-blown actress, I think that at 30 she had won an Academy Award or Golden Globe or something, at 45 she was sort of resurrecting her career by starring in a Hitchcockian film, and at 60 she went on to direct her first film. I may have that mixed up, but does it even matter?

Oh, I almost forgot Nicole's storyline. Hers was about an 18 year old who didn't have a lot of money but was the "it" girl at school, at 30 she was working but fell in love, at 45 she "had more money" and a pack of kids, and at 60 she was a grandmother and proud of herself for being a good breeder. A teary Nicole admitted to an equally teary Jaclyn that her character was based on her mother. Aw! Trying to get sympathy points to cover the lack of creativity. How sweet.

I didn't think that any of the four sets of final haircuts was "shear genius." Dee's 18 year old's hair was sloppy looking and had extra strings of hair falling into the model's face. The judges loved it, but I am not entirely sure I would want styling advice from Kim Vo and his inflated lips. The rest of Dee's looks were blah but passable. Charlie did a few up-dos that made his models look like they were coming from a set from a 1950s movie. They were dated, not retro. And according to Vo, the 18 year old had a "hair burrito." That sounds entirely unappetizing. That leaves Nicole who's average, story-less characters had average, wow-less hair.

In a not so surprising move, Nicole was sent packing. Then the Shear Genius Angel announced that Crazy-Eyed Dee was the winner of Shear Genius. It was Charlie's title to lose and he officially lost it. I guess his boyfriend won't be getting a new nose after all!

So that's it. Dee's the Shear Genius winner, whatever that means. I say: Meh. Yawn. SG went out with a fizzle. Oh well...

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Beauty Product of the Week: 3-Minute Mask

What is it? Frederic Fekkai's Technician Color Care 3-Minute Mask is "An intense and instant treatment designed to deeply nourish and protect color-treated hair. The luscious creamy formula helps extend the life of color treatments and maintain healthy, shiny hair. The triple-color protection complex helps protect hair from UV rays and color from fading, while it helps keep color looking radiant and lustrous. It is the perfect solution for just-colored hair that delivers a vibrant, silky feel without the wait." Available at Sephora, Ulta, etc. for $35.00.

What did you think? I've only tried one Frederic Fekkai product in the past and was thoroughly disappointed with it. Add to that my strange apprehension when it comes to spending a ton of money on hair products, and you'll understand why I was guarded when it came to plunking down the cash for this product. But I did....and I was not disappointed!

I use the mask in the shower after washing my hair. It feels very thick and combs through easily (in fact, I just run my fingers through my hair to apply it...there's no need to break out an actual comb!), and when it rinses out, my wet hair smells good and feels slick.

After blow drying, my hair looks amazing. It has more shine than I could hope for, and it even makes my blonde hair look even blonder. I haven't had my hair highlighted in a while, but after using this mask, my blonde stands out and it looks like I had some fancy salon treatment done.

The final verdict? Even though this is a spendy item, I think it's worth it. If you want to treat yourself and treat your hair to something special, pick up this mask! Who knows...maybe it will ultimately save you money because you can extend the life of your dye job by making your hair look amazing with this 3-minute mask. I was convinced I would hate this product, and am pleasantly surprised by the results I got with it. Try it!

Make-up Trend: Matte to Dewy Skin

Buh-bye high-shine makeup! Priyanka Chopra's skin looks ready for the transition from summer into fall with an ever-so-soft dewy finish on September's Vogue India issue.

Avoid the greasiness! Prep bare skin with an oil-absorbing makeup primer, which soaks up shine before it has a chance to affect cosmetics. After applying makeup, gently dab your T-zone with translucent powder. (Look for a finely milled formula, which looks natural, not dusty).

Rec:
Mally Beauty Perfecting Micro-Fine Loose Powder

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Everything Must Go: Get 75% Off EVERYTHING At Hard Candy


Word on the streetz is that Hard Candy is going out of business. I'm holding out hope that this is just a rumor. But right now, everything on their website is marked 75% off. Everything. So the drastic markdowns do nothing to assuage my fears. But if that is the fate of of this fun and fabulous brand, you might as well enjoy the sale and hoard you a little Hard Candy. Am I right?

At $2.75 each, you can afford to buy all seven shades of Sweet Spot Lip Gloss. The Eye Candy Eye Palette (left), with its nine best-selling shades, is only $5.50. That's 62 cents per shadow. Cha-ching! And it's not too early to start thinking about this year's Halloween costume...so stock up on Lash Freak Lashes (only $2 per pair)!

Inventory is gonna go, go, go. So get on over to hardcandy.com and start shopping. Make your dolla holla, honey!

Ken Paves Healthy Hair Boost Up Color Drops

As soon as I heard about Ken Paves Healthy Hair Boost Up Color Drops, I added it to my 'Needed This, Like, Yesterday' list.

Boost Up Color Drops can be used to extend salon hair colorings and keep color fresh – or to instantly brighten, darken or add warmth to your regular hair color. In addition to its color enhancing properties, the product also moisturizes, invigorates, and conditions and replenishes lost protein. The best part? One shampoo and it's back to the old you. "It's like cosmetics for your hair," Paves says.

Boost Up Color Drops are available in six shades: Beige, Black, Brown, Honey, Platinum and Red.

Get a .96 oz bottle for $39.95. Or purchase the Color Booster Explorer Kit from HSN (which includes a full-sized bottle of the Boost Up Color Drops plus shampoo, conditioner, shine serum and hair spray from Ken Paves' new Healthy Hair line) for the same price. This is a no-brainer.

Healthy Hair products are also sold at Henri Bendel. And sometime soon, you'll see this line popping up at Beauty.com, Macy's, Ulta, and fine salons near you!


Dishing On The Dish

Have you seen The Dish on The Style Network?

Hosted by Danielle Fishel (aka Topanga from Boy Meets World), this show takes an irreverent look at the weekly mishaps and meltdowns of celebrity fashion and lifestyle.

If you’re a Spoiled Pretty regular, you’re gonna love this show. It’s like The Soup for the ladies.

The Dish is one of my new favorite guilty pleasures…along with VH1’s Glam God (hosted by tranny-esque Vivica A. Fox) and The Cho Show. Watch them while your man is in the other room, or out doing 'man' things.

Black Magic: Exceptionnel de Chanel Intense Volume and Curl Mascara


Uh-oh, LashBlast…watch your back. Chanel is trying to steal me away from you.

I’m on the Allure Experts Panel (and you can be, too). Membership has its privileges, because, every now and again, they send me samples of exciting new beauty products. This time, Exceptionnel de Chanel Intense Volume and Curl Mascara showed up on my doorstep. And after using it, I was so in awe that I wanted to find the individuals responsible for bringing this mascara into my world – the folks at Allure...the geniuses at Chanel...the US Postal Service - and give them a big fat smooch.

Exceptionnel de Chanel Intense Volume and Curl Mascara delivers dramatic volume, voluptuous curves and clump-free, smudge-proof separation. The mascara doesn’t market itself as possessing lengthening aptitude. So when Exceptionnel took my lashes up, up and away…well, I was blown away. It was seriously like, ‘Go Go Gadget Lashes!’

The mascara owes its off-the-charts performance to the innovative, six-sided wand. The SCULPTVOLUME brush consists of three rows of combs that curl and groom lashes from root to tip, while three rows of brushes pump up the volume. To apply, place the wand at the base of the lash and gently rotate up and outward. The technique takes no time to master, and you’re left with the most perfectly lush (and lengthened) lashes – that last all day.


Me with bare lashes. Pathetic.


My eye wearing Exceptionnel de Chanel. Damn, girl!


Don't ask why I'm slightly orange. I'm a beauty blogger...not a photographer.

Exceptionnel de Chanel Intense Volume and Curl Mascara is available in four shades: Smoky Noir, Smoky Brun, Smoky Marine and Smoky Violine. One tube will set you back, $28 but it’s worth every penny. Besides...every woman needs a little Chanel in her life.

Get yours today at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, and Chanel.com.

Weird Beauty Advice

We've all done some strange things in the name of beauty. I've used olive oil to remove makeup, poured beer through my hair, and put toothpaste on a zit.

According to Cosmopolitan magazine, here are some crazy beauty tips that actually work:
  • Buff with Baking Soda: If you find yourself streaking (not glowing) after applying self-tanner, put some baking soda on a loofah, and scrub away the stripes.
  • Powder Your Roots: If your hairline starts to look greasy, dig up a big, fluffy makeup brush, and dip it into a pot of loose powder. Tap it once on the back of your hand to remove the excess, then dust it over your roots. It mops up oil and blends into your strands, so no one will know you didn't shower.
  • Soften Your Bod with Avocado: Take a ripe avocado, remove the pit and skin, and mash it up in a bowl. Slather it all over your body, let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse off. Your skin will be so soft — avocado is a natural moisturizer.
  • Boost Body Lotion with Baby Oil: If you're craving shiny legs that aren't greasy, blend a drop of baby oil into your normal body lotion for extra luster.
  • Freeze Your Eyeliner: If the tip of your eyeliner pencil crumbles and smears on your lids, store the liner in the freezer for 15 minutes before use so the tip is firm and goes across your skin smoothly.
  • Press a Tea Bag on Splotches: If your skin is sensitive or just looking irritated and puffy for some reason, steep a bag of green tea for a minute or two, let it cool down, and dab it over your face. The antioxidants in the tea take down inflammation.
  • Amp Shine with Vinegar: Mix one part vinegar with four parts carbonated water, and soak dry hair. Leave on for 15 minutes before you shampoo to lock in shine and combat dullness.
  • Make an Egg-White Mask: To revive tired, dull skin without hitting the spa table, try this: Crack open an egg in a bowl, separate the yolk, and use the egg whites to make a face mask. The proteins help to heal and restore skin's moisture. Leave it on for five minutes, then rinse off.
  • Customize Your Body Lotion: Instead of shelling out for an expensive perfumed body product, you can make your own by pouring a few drops of fragrance into any scent-free lotion. Rub it on — the scent will last for hours.
  • Super-Glue a Nail: Instead of tearing off your nail when it breaks, put a tiny dab of Super Glue over the split, and paint a generous layer of your favorite nail polish shade over it. Go for an opaque option (like red, purple, or coral) to camouflage and seal the crack.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Back To The Future: Fall 2008 Beauty Trends

New York Fashion Week Spring 2009 kicks off next Friday, September 5th. But before we get too ahead of ourselves - let's take a trip down memory lane, reminisce about the Fall 2008 collections, and take a look at the hot beauty trends designed to compliment the season's coolest fashions. Enjoy!


The intrigue of nothing. The fragile come-on of 70s-style innocence rendered here in the nothing-but-everything lip that works against eyes swiped by a shadow. At Carlos Miele the signature Sweet Baby Jane look created by Lipstick, Myth and Plushglass, Nice Buzz.



The lips could have gone redder, but in an enigmatic, underplayed, sexy, and too coy 70s twist, the lips on show at Kai Kühne offered a pliant light-shined softness against eyes dramatically swiped by line and shadow. The palette: Show Orchid, a bright floral fuchsia, with a Tinted Lip Conditioner, Gentle Coral.



Amidst Elie Saab's glamour parade, an eye that was summed by M·A·C's Gordon Espinet as evoking the glama-duo of Cher and Diane Ross. And of course, this high class disco rework would be nothing without Blue. Here it is in modern shades of Freshwater and Carbon Eye Shadow, soft smudge-able Eye Kohl in Blooz, Plush Lash Mascara in Plushblack.



At Luca Luca, designer Luca Orlandi's beautifully spare and precise designs were timeless, the right setting for a richly goldmined eyes that pitted precious metals against velvet against satin to evoke the expensive glamour mood of the 70's. Features: Pigment, Golden Lemon, Eye Shadows, Carbon and Brun, and 7 Lash.



Antonio Berardi's stridently, almost fetishistically black fashions were supported by looks that were consummately masculine-feminine. Key feature was a brow, rendered in the form of a strong, lengthened hyper-groomed arch, matched against lids that were soft of colour yet deftly defined. To get the look: Brow Shader, Auburn/Malt; Eye Shadow, Dazzlelight; Fluidline, Dipdown; 263 Small Angle Brush; Zoom Lash, Zoomblack.



Against fuss and florals, anoraks and countryside, the look at Matthew Williamson was of a no-nonsense English Rose. Lending the fresh feel - the no-drama eyes created by Brow Set, Clear; Paint Pot, Groundwork; Pro Lash, Coal Black.



At Isabelle Marant the attitude was soft and easy. Models breezed down the runway, hands in pockets. And on their faces: nothing much. Given the relaxed attitude, it was just right. For the lips: Slimshine, Funshine with Lip Conditioner SPF 15.



Referencing the bold panache of comic book Spiderwoman and slipping them into soft, sexy modern armour there was no war paint at Sophia Kokosalaki. These modern heroines like it bare to become face-naked, all-powerful. Key elements: Lipstick, Myth, Pretty Please and Powder Blush, Pinch Me.



Fashion tribes of any DNA have long hankered after the black lip. As the fashion goth's matte black sees the ghost, backstage at Giles there was a fabulous reworking in fabulously noir patent black. Glamorous against any colour of skin. Blend your own: Lipmix in Black with rich browny-black Copper Walnut Gloss.



High Priestess of Glama-Punk, Vivienne Westood's Fall inspires a glittering archly-glam lip. Light up your dark side. The essentials: Lipstick, Dark Side; Lip Pencil, Nightmoth. For the highlights: Glitter Reflects, Rust, and Clear Lipglass.



At Manish Arora the speak-with-your-eyes glamour of Bollywood and the mannered demure of Paris couture fuse in eyes smoothly and fluidly articulated with a languorously flirtatious wisp of lash. The 5 essentials: Fluidline, Blacktrack; Eye Shadows, Soot and Blanc Type. The 2 Lash. Duo Adhesive, Dark.



Graphic, part geisha, Nathan Jenden' s blushing beauties evoked reactionary femmes from every era from Restoration-style ladies of some repute to deft 80's glam. The tools: Powder Blush, Frankly Scarlet, Set Powder, Invisible, and the must-have 168 Brush for the defined stroke.



Girls love their bud, and nowhere is it more apparent than at Carmen Marc Valvo. Wine red shades, definitively applied are left to speak, truthfully, for themselves. The shades that say it all: Lip Pencil, Cherry for supreme definition and Lipstick, Pink Nouveau for fill.



Richard Nicolls' exaggerated forms demanded a minimal canvas and largely there was a sense of "mummy having hidden the lipstick". But there was still work for the sommelier. The perfect wine to decant here: Lipstick, Plumful.



Against soft forms, draped silhouettes what was consistent at Donna Karan: the red wine tailored lip. Distinctly Chateaux MAC 2008, here was a lip that punctuated the runway with a robust, sexy, splendour. Lipstick Lovelorn and Lady Danger.



At Rodarte where lips went a bit-of-a blot to a deep red kabuki bow, it was the eyes that held the look of bare-faced intrigue with an unexpected wine stain that find itself in creases or stroking the under eye. The shades: Eye Shadows, Post Haste, Dazzlelight.



Against Hérve Léger micro-forms, what else but deceptively minimalist lines rendered in matted chalky tones of pink. Part mod; part art school sophisto, part boho with a pout. Key for the legions who will love this look: Layer Lipsticks, Snob and Pervette. Don't wait for Art Basel (wear it now!)



With windblown hair and blush that knows no border, Fall at Romeo Gigli pointed to the art of pushing limits, and having fun. Here Powder Blush, Fleur Power sweeps up the cheeks to under the eye to create one single wash of colour. For lips: Lip Pencil, Redd; Lipstick, Lady Danger.



Influenced by the flora and fauna-inspired art of the Lalannes Catherine Malandrino's palette becomes nature based with the key eye shaded as colourfully as a turning leaf. The palette: Eye Shadow, Gorgeous Gold, Coquette and Flourishing with Fibre Rich Lash, All Black.



At Monique Lhuillier eyes became "accessory", the dynamic counterpoint to Lhuillier's forms of sculptural simplicity. At work: the tonal capacity of colour to create a mood of dark. Eyes dappled with the triple-colour shading that deliberately put the eyes in full-focus. For shades: Eye Shadow, Beauty Marked, Deep Truth, and Trax. Define with Technakohl Liner, Auto-de-Blu and top off with Pro Longlash, Pitchblack.

Source: MAC Cosmetics

*Receive FREE STANDARD SHIPPING with any Autumn Winter Trends purchase. No offer code necessary. Offer is valid until September 22nd, on orders shipped to US and Canadian addresses only.

Drugstore Heros

I am currently giving away some St. Ives products, and many of you have commented on your fondness for St. Ives' signature product, Apricot Scrub.

All this got me thinking about drugstore products that have taken on cult status, and I'm going to need your help with this post.

In thinking about my favorite drugstore products, I came up with a short list:
  • Maybelline's Great Lash mascara
  • Olay's daily moisturizer
  • Noxzema deep cleansing cream
These are products I've used throughout my life, and they're products I trust.

But now I want to hear from you...what are YOUR favorite drugstore beauty products? Please leave me a comment and let me know. I'll use your comments to review some of your favorites here on my blog. And who knows...maybe I'll have a drugstore giveaway soon. But I need your feedback on this one...I fear I have gotten out of touch with some of the treasures that can be found outside of a Sephora!

Make-up Trend: Shiny Nude Lips

Rani Mukherji finally came out of hiding, and was found in the buff this week at a book launch. Her beige glossy pucker played up her signature pouty lips without the "Look at me!" statement of an ultra-bright hue.

Looks can be deceiving when it comes to nude lip gloss. If you wear it on bare lips, the final shade will look muddy. Instead, diminish pinkish tones in your lips with a light coat of foundation before applying nude liner and gloss.

Rec
:
Dior Creme de Gloss in Beige Elixir

Monday, August 25, 2008

Carrie Underwood Is Just Like Us: She's a Makeup Junkie!


Carrie Underwood is Allure's cover girl for their September 2008 issue.


Makeup artist Brigitte Reiss-Andersen was inspired by glamorous Bond girl Ursula Andress. "The idea with Carrie's makeup was to showcase her eyes and give them that 'pop,'" says Reiss-Andersen.

First, she sponged on a light wash of foundation and dabbed the apples of Underwood's cheeks with a peach cream blush. Then she rimmed Underwood's eyes in charcoal liner and blended cranberry and nude eye shadow from the lash line to the crease. She added "tons of fake lashes" as well as mascara. Finally, Reiss-Andersen applied a sheer and pearly lip gloss so it "didn't compete with her eyes."

To re-create the look, try:

* Chanel Soft Touch Eyeshadows in Cinnamon and Beige
* Chanel Powder Blush in Horizon
* Chanel Aqualumiere Gloss in Bonbon

Reiss-Andersen offered to tone down Underwood's makeup before she headed out the door, but the singer loved it so much that she kept it. She signed a few autographs for the crew before heading off to shop for cosmetics at a local mall with her mom and sister - fake eyelashes and all!

Source: Allure

Don't Hate The Hairspray, Hate The Hold


Raise your hand if you're a hairspray hater. I'm right there with you. My fine, limp hair and falls flat at the mere mention of heat or humidity...but I'd much rather sport listess locks than a shellacked style, any day.

I believe that hair should move...so give me a firm hold formulation and that mess is going straight into the trash. No helmet head for me, thank you. And flexible hold hairspray is a joke. I like my Kentucky Fried Chicken crispy...not my hair.

After years of playing Goldilocks - desperately searching for a hairspray to hold my hairstyle (not hold it captive), I've found one that even the most staunch haters will absolutely adore.

Ted Gibson Beautiful Hold Hairspray is quite possibly the best hairspray. Ever. Unlike so many that promise beautiful, touchable hold - this one actually delivers. The fool-proof formula allows it to be layered depending on styling needs: natural, light or for greater hold. And the gardenia scent is so sophisticated, you can give your perfume the day off.

Ted Gibson's hair care line can be purchased at tedgibsonbeauty.com and (drumroll, please) Sephora!

ModelCo Giveaway Winners!!!

Watch out, JLo...Sydney Brougham, Rachel Campbell and Carina Zhong are about to show you how to glow.

These lucky lasses are the winners of the ModelCo giveaway. They will each receive:

* ModelCo Body Meringue: a revolutionary 4-in-1 product - and instant bronzer, shimmer and self-tanner with anti-cellulite benefits.

* ModelCo Shimmer Airbrush Illuminiser: this illuminising mist evenly covers your face and body - leaving your skin with a shimmery, youthful glow.

Thanks to everyone who entered. And special thanks to ModelCo for sponsoring the contest!

If you didn't win this giveaway, you can still get glowing. ModelCo products are available at Sephora and modelco.com.au. Body Meringue and Shimmer Airbrush Illuminiser are among my top picks for summer - so trust me, you will not be disappointed.

Check back soon for our next giveaway!

Make-up Trend: Rosy Cheeks

"We wanted Bipasha's makeup to be very soft and glowy to match her ultra-feminine white Blank dress," says celebrity makeup artist Satorii Pond. "She looked like a young girl who had just been running outside in the meadows."

The best trick to get photo-friendly shimmer that's not too high-shine? "Build shiny blush across the cheekbones up to the temples, sweeping only a light layer at a time with a fan brush," adds Satorii.

Rec: M.A.C Mineralize Blush in Gentle

Autumn Beauty

Autumn is almost here! The unofficial end of summer, Labor Day, is just days away and school is starting soon. This is my favorite time of the year. It's like a second "New Year's," a time to make changes and to start fresh.

If you go to your favorite place to buy books and magazines, you'll no doubt notice that the September issues of Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Lucky, Allure, etc. are all massive. They're loaded with advertisements and articles about the coming season. It's my philosophy that true fashion only happens in fall and winter.

So now that the fall season is just about here, I have been slowly getting new products to update my look. Here's what I'm picking up now to get ready for my fall look
  • Shine busters. Like many of you, I have combination skin. As the day goes on, my T-zone and chin get greasier than other parts of my face, and that oil build up means shine and foundation slippage. The way to stop it? Shine blockers like Philosophy's Never Let Them See You Shine, Sephora's Anti-Shine Primer, or Smashbox's Photo Finish.
  • Gray eyeshadow. I have used shadows in the brown family for years. This fall, I am going to shake things up and use black eyeliner and gray eyeshadow. Try NARS Eye Duo in Pandora or Paris or one of Sephora's many eyeshadow palettes.
  • Darker lips. Bye bye summertime shine, hello autumn seduction! Lips are going to be dark this year. I'm loving NARS Lipstick in Flair and Smashbox's Lovely Wicked. Yum!
  • Clean brushes! I am terrible about cleaning out my makeup brushes. Even though I know I need to clean them regularly, I often forget. Time to bust out my Sephora brush cleaner and get to work....and you should do the same!
Of course, with a new season coming, I am also feeling the need to drastically change my hair. That's a scary thought, but I want to do something with this mop on my head! I've had long, blonde hair for as long as I can remember...I just don't know how far I want to push it.

Are you making any plans to change your look for the new season? If so, let me know what you're planning on doing.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Target Hits The Beauty Bullseye: JK Jemma Kidd, NP Set, and Pixi Now Available!


Target’s newest makeup lines – JK Jemma Kidd, NP Set, and Pixi – are now available in stores and online.

The JK Jemma Kidd line includes 95 face, eye and cheek products, as well as makeup tools, inspired by the catwalk. The color items have been designed with strong pigment to produce bold statement colors, and prices range from $14 to $39. In the September 2008 issue of Vogue, Kidd describes the line as being targeted (pun intended) to “makeup junkies. It’s for girls who want to experiment with color. I am bringing high fashion colors into makeup but making it very wearable.”

NP Set, Napoleon Perdis’ “masstige” collection, is comprised of 85 eye, face and lip products. Perdis says that NP Set is more fast-paced and playful than his eponymous line, which is sold at his four concept stores in California and in Sephora. NP Set products retail for $12-$30.

Pixi Cosmetics, a makeup line founded by three sisters based in the U.K., is collaborating with Target for Pixi by Petra Strand, a 101 piece collection “take on the original’s ‘skin-loving’ positioning, and infuse beneficial ingredients into sheer shades. According to a Target press release, “Pixi creates a flawless, photo-perfect finish that leaves women looking like themselves, only better.” The collection ranges from $12 to $39.

Because the price points are higher than you would find at most mass retailers, Target have added testers to the beauty shelves – to encourage customers to try before they buy.

“We understand that buying cosmetics is different than buying a top or sneakers,” said Joshua Thomas, a member of Target Corp.’s communications department. “When you buy [beauty] there is that emotional investment. We understand and appreciate that and the [new beauty displays] will reflect that.” He continued, “We want to see guests walk in the section of the store and interact with the beauty brands. It gives them a chance to touch, smell and feel the brands.”

Source: Target and WWD

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I've made some changes to the appearance of Kiss and Makeup! I got a little bored with the red and gray. We'll see how long the new colors last. Love it? Hate it? Let me know!

Belle Of The Brows: Anastasia Brow Enhancing Serum


Between shaving, waxing, threading, and laser removal, women spend an inordinate amount of money getting rid of unwanted hair. But it only costs $35 to restore thin, over-plucked, and undernourished eyebrows - thanks to Anastasia.

Brow Enhancing Serum is a colorless and odorless gel, comprised of a unique blend of proteins. The deep conditioning action works to help stimulate the hair follicle in as quickly as 4-6 weeks. An easy-to-use applicator allows the non-greasy formula to glide on smooth without tugging or pulling and is gentle enough to be used every day. Brow Enhancing Serum is not harmful to the eyes or the surrounding skin area, plus as an added bonus, it also slows down excess hair loss, which results in a healthier fuller-looking brow.

For quite a while, I've been trying (in vain) to embrace the thicker brow trend. But genetics have not been in my favor. After using Brow Enhancing Serum, I noticed an improvement very quickly...quicker than the 4 weeks Anastasia promises.

I haven't experienced any negative side effects, so I fully intend to continue using this product until I achieve brows a la Camilla Belle (left).

Anastasia Brow Enhancing Serum is available at Sephora and anastasia.net.