subscribe to beauty blog via RSSMind Your Sternum, Girls On Film, And More…
November 20, 2009
In the age of the navel-dipping dress, sternum maintenance takes center stage. [Glamour]
Fashion companies aren’t the only ones making films to push product these days. Nick Knight and Pat McGrath recently teamed up to put Max Factor back in the movies. [WWD]
A female Viagra? It could be closer than you think. [WebMd]
After six unisex scents, Costume National’s first men’s fragrance, which reportedly boasts a “heart of rock ‘n’ roll,” will hit Barneys next week. Ladies need not apply—although we might anyway. (Nobody’s keeping us out of that boys’ club.) [WWD]
tags: Costume National, Fragrance, Makeup, Max Factor, Nick Knight, Pat McGrath, Viagra
Au Naturel Color Correction For Winter Skin
November 20, 2009
With November more than half over, we’ve officially entered our blotchy period. The coveted tan we managed to procure from a few weekends at the Jersey shore this summer is completely gone, and in its place is patchy pigmentation and an overall pallid aura (our olive complexion tends to turn a shade of neutral green when deprived of the sun). It’s around this time every year that we turn to tinted moisturizer for its tone-unifying and skin-quenching powers. Ever conscious of the risks of photo-aging (yes, we beach but we’re extremely diligent about sunscreen application), we also look for products with a high SPF level. As such, Marie-Véronique Organic’s Crème de Soleil Tinted SPF 30 has been fitting the bill nicely lately. It contains zinc oxide, the only known agent that protects against the complete UVA/UVB spectrum—as well as essential fatty acids like emu and sea buckthorn oils to provide additional moisturizing and antiaging benefits. The universally flattering fluid goes on matte, unlike a lot of other SPF moisturizers, which have an oiliness to them that we actually kind of like. But pearl powder provides a slight all-day sheen, which is a nice way to get the glow we’re after without the greasiness. The Berkeley-based line will undergo a major packaging overhaul come January, but for the time being, the tried-and-true organic formulas are available in their original apothecary style jars here.
tags: Cr�me de Soleil Tinted SPF 30, Marie-V�ronique Organics, Skincare
A Gossip Girl Double Take: Will The Real Queen B Please Stand Up?
November 20, 2009
We posted the above image of Leighton Meester on Wednesday, when she attended the grand opening of the American Eagle Outfitters’ New York flagship store sporting a matte red lip and gray/violet raccoon eyes, which is why seeing Taylor Momsen at the Cinema Society and D&G screening of New Moon last night was particularly jarring. Sure, Momsen used a softer gray shadow in lieu of her go-to black eyeliner and included a glossy red lip instead of a satin finish but, like…really? As looks go, it’s a pretty bold one to repeat less than 48 hours after Meester. Who do you think wore it better?
tags: American Eagle Outfitters, Leighton Meester, Makeup, New Moon, Taylor Momsen
How To Get The Face Of An Angel, The 2009 Edition
November 20, 2009
The “biggest show on earth” took place yesterday, with a live performance from Fergie to boot. But before all of the winged action on the Victoria’s Secret runway began, we made our way past the weapon-sniffing dogs and waded through piles of rogue hair extensions backstage to chat up makeup artist Tom Pecheux, who was turning a bevy of supermodels into Angels. Heidi Klum, Doutzen Kroes, Sessilee Lopez, Caroline Winberg, and Chanel Iman pranced around in short pink and white satin robes waiting for their turn in the makeup artist’s chair, where he was applying what he described as a “sophisticated fresh look” on Miranda Kerr. “I’m using gentle shades,” Pecheux said, adding that there would be “no aggressive colors” on his divine creatures. A tan, rosy cheeks and contouring, and pink lipstick topped off with peach gloss are practically pre-requisites at the VS spectaculars. But Pecheux did add his own flair to the signature look, replacing harsh black liner with a gray version that he dragged beyond the outer corner of the eye to dress up taupe and pink shadows, which were pressed into the crease for a “banana” effect. And since he’s of the mind that “a full fringe drags down the face,” he applied single lashes for added glamour. The finishing touch? A lot of glow. Shimmer was generously applied to Kerr’s cheek and brow bones with a little smidgen added to the inner corner of the eye as well. “That’s the bling-bling,” Pecheux said.
tags: Caroline Winberg, Chanel Iman, Doutzen Kroes, Heidi Klum, Makeup, Miranda Kerr, Sessilee Lopez, Tom Pecheux, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
The Rules Of Finger Painting
November 19, 2009
We tend to eschew makeup brushes in favor of the ten free precision tools attached to our hands. The only trouble is, they don’t come with an instruction manual. Enter Galit Strugano. The Girlactik Beauty creator advocates using your fingers instead of synthetic or natural brushes so you can benefit from the natural heat and oils in your skin, which melt the product for a smoother application. She also maintains that each finger applies a different pressure, meaning one is better for patting on concealer and another for spreading eye shadow, etc. Huh, and we’ve just been using whichever digit naturally makes its way into the eye shadow quad. See below for her finger-painting tips:
Ring Finger for Concealer
Using your fourth finger allows for a softer touch when applying concealer, so you make sure you’re not pulling the skin in such a sensitive area. (Visible dark circles trump inadvertently causing the early signs of aging, as far as we’re concerned!)
Index Finger for Shadow
This finger possesses a little more pressure but still has a gentle touch so that your shadow spreads evenly.
Middle Finger for Eye Crease
The middle finger is the strongest, so it’s ideal for framing your eye, creating definition as you move it back and forth.
Pinky for Inner Eye
Your smallest finger is perfect for applying makeup to those hard-to-reach places. It has the least strength of all so, it will also prevent you from globbing on highlighter when you’re trying to be precise.
tags: Galit Strugano, Girlactik Beauty, Makeup
Bah Bah Better Skin And Nails
November 19, 2009
PROSINA/(pro-seen-ah)/n./ 1. a purified protein isolated from pure New Zealand wool; /n./ 2. A bio-engineered peptide that produces an active form of the natural keratin produced by the body and also functions as a potent antioxidant to protect skin from free radicals, e.g., “ProSina improves the condition of damaged skin and nails for a healthier appearance.”
Try it: Dermelect High Maintenance Instant Nail Thickener, $16, www.dermelect.com.
tags: Dermelect, High Maintenance Instant Nail Thickener, Nails, ProSina
Botax Is Here, Rachel Zoe: Beauty Blogger, And More…
November 19, 2009
Elective cosmetic surgery just got a little more spendy. [Fox News]
Let it be known: Sun-kissed skin is a “Zoe Do.” [Rachelzoe.com]
No need to go under the knife for that eye job you’ve been thinking about. A laser’ll do ya just fine. [NYT]
Perfumers searching for a way to overcome a decline in fragrance should look to the atomizer. [NYT]
Sarah Palin is launching a new fragrance, aptly called Eau de Maverick. We kid, we kid. (Although it’s not that outlandish of a proposition.) [Huff Po]
L’Oréal recently published an illustrated book that is only sold in France, which retraces the French firm’s growth from a small business to a multinational conglomerate. We wonder if the Liliane Bettencourt scandal is in there. If so, it might be worth calling in a favor from that Paris-based friend of yours… [WWD]
tags: Botox, Fragrance, L'Or�al, Makeup, Rachel Zoe, Sarah Palin, Skincare
From Brazil, With Love
November 19, 2009
The latest release from Clinica Ivo Pitanguy—a.k.a, the world’s preeminent plastic surgery destination, complete with Brazilian private island for post-op recuperation—targets aging skin without the scalpel. After the acclaimed debut of his bodycare line last fall, Pitanguy has set his sights on facial repair, focusing his attention specifically on removing the daily pollutants that can build up on your skin and cause the early onset of fine lines and wrinkles. The PreVious Intense Cleansing Program, which just hit shelves at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf’s this week, is a three-step, pre-bedtime ritual (night repair, so hot right now) that starts with a moringa and almond oil-rich cleansing oil that removes dirt and breaks up the skin’s own clogging oils without drying you out. This is followed by a detoxifying elixir that purifies using malachite and cornflower water, and a toner that restores the skin’s pH balance so that it’s in the perfect condition to receive the active ingredients in the line’s collection of moisturizers and skin finishers. We’re currently playing a game in which we try to conjure images of Brazilian coastal breezes with every soaked cotton pad swipe. Call us crazy, but it really enriches the entire experience.
tags: Clinica Ivo Pitanguy, Moringa Seed, PreVious Intense Cleansing Program, Skincare
Let’s Call It A “Brun”
November 19, 2009
At the 14th Annual GQ Men of the Year Party in L.A. last night, January Jones sported an interesting updo that was part braid, part bun. The easy-to-replicate look starts with a high ponytail that is braided through its length and then wrapped around the base of the elastic using bobby pins to secure where needed. There’s something medieval about it, although her heavy-handed eyeliner application—with extra helping of metallic shadow—brings it right back to the twenty-first century. Do you like the multitasking style?
Erickson Beamon, The Cosmetics Bag
November 19, 2009
The newest designer bag collaboration from Beauty.com is here. Erickson Beamon jewelry mavens Karen Erickson and Vicki Beamon replace Maria Cornejo, and their predictably bedazzled tote features printed duchess satin, a bijou zipper, an embossed gold logo tassel, and lace and pearl embellishments. Packed with products from brands like Dr. Brandt, Talika, StriVectin, and Smashbox, the Glenda party bag launched this week and is free with any purchase of $100 while supplies last, so click here and get shopping!
tags: Beauty.com, Dr. Brandt, Erickson Beamon, Hair, Makeup, Skincare, Smashbox, StriVectin, Talika
