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subscribe to beauty counter blog via RSSCara Delevingne Takes Manhattan
February 11, 2012 9:38 pm
Since signing on as the face of Burberry a few seasons ago Cara Delevingne has gone from Poppy’s little sister to the girl with the mega brows—in our book at least. Delevingne opened Christopher Bailey’s Spring show in London in a world exclusive for Burberry, but that was last season. And, well, this is this season. After turning up on the Chanel couture runway in January, the 19 year old Brit has officially crossed the pond and is getting ready for a Fall coming out party. “This is my first time in New York. I haven’t done any other seasons ever,” she effused at Rag & Bone after making a runway turn earlier in the day at Jason Wu. “Im so happy to be here—I’ll be doing Paris and Milan, too,” Delevingne explained—after her Burberry exclusive in London, of course. As makeup artist Gucci Westman touched her up last night, we asked Delevingne what she brought with her from home to help keep her complexion in shape for the long road of shows ahead. “I’ve never been very good at taking care of my skin,” she insisted (although her radiant, completely blemish free face suggested otherwise). “I just use Simple Face Wipes and Skinceuticals serum,” she told us. “And my eyebrow gel. I need a shit load of that! I either use MAC or Anastasia—the clear one. I don’t need any more dark in my eyebrows.” Look out for more of Cara and her enviable arches at Carolina Herrera and Derek Lam this week.
tags: Cara Delevingne, Carolina Herrera, Derek Lam, Jason Wu, Rag & Bone, Skincare
Jam Session
February 11, 2012 2:36 pm
One thing that we particularly look forward to when a new season of backstage reporting comes around is the opportunity to discover the bounty of new products that the hair, makeup, and nail teams tote around with them to each show. More often then not, it’s an opportunity to get a first look at seasonal collections that won’t hit shelves for six months after they make their fashion week debut. But every once in a while, we get introduced to industry secrets that have long been styling and face-painting staples on shoots and sets. February 10, 2012, will go down as the day we met SoftSheen Carson’s Let’s Jam. “I’ve been using this for years!” Orlando Pita said of the small black tub of styling pomade that’s readily sold at drugstores nationwide. “It’s usually for black hair, but I use it on all types of hair for shine and hold because it doesn’t have that stiff, flaky finish gels can leave behind,” he elaborated, spreading it on the sides of the chignons he created backstage at Doo.Ri. We imagine it will work equally well on sleek ponytails—and maybe even the topknot we’ve become accustomed to wearing in inclement weather, like, say, today. Note to self: Stop at Duane Reade between Alexander Wang and Altuzarra.
tags: Doo-Ri Chung, Hair, Let's Jam, Orlando Pita, Softsheen Carson
Orlando Pita: “I Have A Feeling The Headband Is Going To Have A Big Moment This Season”
February 11, 2012 2:07 pm
There is a standard line of questioning that persists backstage at shows that can get fairly monotonous—for both editors and artists. Queries of “what’s the inspiration?” or “will this be a big trend next season?” ring out from all angles as camera crews and models scurry through narrow, makeshift alley ways in between hair and makeup stations. It’s enough to make you a little weary of the whole scene, and as a result, certain artists refuse to conform to a similarly standard line of responses. Orlando Pita is one of those artists. “You know I’m not usually one to talk about trends,” the coiffing star reiterated yesterday at Doo.Ri, but in a rare move, he did just that. “I have a feeling the headband is going to have a big moment this season,” Pita predicted. Why? “I don’t know. I haven’t seen them for a while,” he continued, explaining that he thought the hair accessory was due for a comeback. But not the kind of comeback it had at the Golden Globes. “I wasn’t feeling them,” Pita deadpanned of the jewel-encrusted hairpieces Charlize Theron and Michelle Williams wore on the red carpet at the awards gala. Instead, Pita is heralding the return of sophisticated and subdued headbands, like the elasticized leather pieces Doo-Ri Chung designed in a range of colors, including black, burgundy, and hunter green, for her Fall collection. Secured around the tight ballerina buns Pita sculpted for the occasion, they served to streamline the silhouette rather than interfere with it. “I don’t like when [hair] accessories are superfluous,” Pita said. Make a note of it.
tags: Doo. Ri, Hair, Orlando Pita
The 411: Gucci Westman
February 10, 2012 4:47 pm
Every international fashion week has its fixtures, and the New York shows just wouldn’t be the same without Gucci Westman. The California-born makeup artist grew up in Sweden, studied makeup in Paris, and cut her teeth working alongside film directors (Vincent Gallo, Spike Jonze) and photographers (Annie Leibovitz) before earning a loyal but understated following among A-listers like Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore. As Revlon’s reigning global artistic director, Westman has redefined the brand’s vision of American beauty with her signature laid-back cool and effortless glamour—and it’s that same combination that allows her to leave her indelible mark backstage each season at shows like Oscar de la Renta and Vivienne Tam. Here, a matter of hours before she’ll debut the Fall makeup look backstage at Rag & Bone, we caught up with the Manhattan-based face-painting superstar to talk about skincare musts, fitness obsessions, and more.
The Hair Heroes: Three’s Company
“I have three favorites. I go to Tommy Guns to see my amazing colorist Tim Nolan, Orlo for a lovely catch-up and cut with my friend Orlando, and finally Blow, for the occasional, genius 15-minute blow-out paired with a mega-thorough manicure.”
For Tommy Guns locations, visit www.tommygunsny.com; Orlo, 34 Gansevoort St., 3rd fl, NYC, (212) 242-3266; for Blow locations, visit www.blowny.com.
The Nail Spot: Jin Soon Hand and Foot Spa, New York
“Jin Soon, love Jin!”
Visit www.jinsoon.com for more information.
The Skincare Routine: An (Extensive) Roster
“Are you ready? It’s a lot! I like to combine different brands as much as possible, so my skin has the ultimate response. From La Mer, I swear by The Moisturizing Lotion (I have been using it for the last decade) along with their Lip Balm and SPF 30 UV Protecting Lotion. Also in rotation: Dr. Hauschka Regenerating Serum, Rose Day Cream and Normalizing Day Oil. Eminence’s Coconut Milk Cleanser is heaven, the Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant is a gentle exfoliant that I’m obsessed with, and the Clear Skin Probiotic Masque is so awakening. I put it on in the shower after the Dermafoliant and Pear & Poppy Seed Microderm Polisher, leave it on for 10 minutes, then put on Diptyque Rich Butter for the Body.”
Available at www.cremedelamer.com, www.drhauschka.com, www.eminenceorganics.com and www.diptyqueparis.com.
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tags: Fragrance, Gucci Westman, Makeup, Revlon, Skincare
Valentine’s Day: The Beauty Guide
February 10, 2012 2:08 pm
Whether you’re a true believer in the holiday for lovers or believe it’s a money-making scheme thought up by the card companies and chocolate makers of America, Valentine’s Day is coming. So we’ve put together a Top Ten list of sultry scents, luxe lipstick, pretty polishes, and more for you to fall in love with—even if a busy New York fashion week schedule will keep you from properly celebrating. As far as we’re concerned, there’s nothing wrong with postponing the flowers and fancy dinner for February 16. Just saying.
The Evocative Bauble: Joya Heart Solid Perfume Brooch
Sure, we could make jokes about wearing your heart on your sleeve, but we’d prefer to wear it on a lapel. This brooch boasts a gorgeous ornate design that houses a solid fragrance brimming with a blend of jasmine, honeysuckle, and musk—a surprising treat for anyone who can get close enough to the cool curio to take it all in.
$38, www.beautyhabit.com.
The Pretty in Pink Polishes: New Black Ombré Nail Polish Set in Floyd
As most of us are clearly suckers for rose-colored anything this time of year, may we suggest a DIY gradient manicure, which goes from the palest pink to bright magenta?
$22, www.drugstore.com.
The Bubble Bath Meant for Two: Lollia in Love Bubble Bath
For those couples who prefer to stay home and avoid New York’s V-Day restaurant scene, filling up your bathtub with this rose and jasmine scented bubble bath might add that necessary touch of romance to an evening spent watching a House Hunters marathon and eating takeout.
$34, www.beautyhabit.com.
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tags: Dolce & Gabbana, Elizabeth Arden, Fragrance, Jurlique, Makeup, Nails, Red Door Spa, Smashbox, The New Black, Viktor & Rolf
“The Alchemy Of Beauty:” A Discussion With Coiffure’s Reigning Fine Artist, Bob Recine
February 8, 2012 4:59 pm
Bob Recine is a beauty visionary if ever there was one. A well-established hairdresser who is equally comfortable crafting demure runway looks backstage at Jill Stuart and prepping Gwyneth Paltrow and Charlize Theron for the red carpet as he is constructing elaborate headpieces for Lady Gaga, Recine is a master of many mediums—all of which he frequently brings into his unique approach to coiffure. “I see it differently,” Recine says of the generally held views of hairdressing, which tend to have a small vocabulary as far as creative experimentation is concerned. A talented illustrator, sculptor, and occasional shutterbug, Recine refuses to be confined to scissors and combs—a fact that can readily be seen in his vast body of work that has, for the first time, been collected into a new book. Bob Recine: The Alchemy of Beauty (Freedman/Damiani; 2011) hits shelves next month and features a selection of Recine’s favorite editorial collaborations with photographer Mario Sorrenti as well as choice Polaroids, paintings, and construction projects that he has undertaken over the years. “I’ve never been typical in my field and I relish in that a little bit,” he says.
Tonight, New York’s The Hole gallery will premiere a three-day beauty pop-up exhibition dedicated to Recine’s new tome and curated by Jacqueline Miro, and we’ve got an exclusive sneak peak of some of the works that will be on display right here. Below, Recine—a self-proclaimed “modern builder”—reflects on his illustrious career, which hit a high note a few months ago when he had a chance to “[steal] the show” from Lady Gaga.
Where did your initial interest in beauty come from?
All I can tell you is that ever since I was a child, I was completely fascinated with beauty in all its forms. That was my attraction to becoming a hairdresser, to fashion—being fascinated by the creative act of adornment. You know, through history people have always adorned themselves, and I’ve always been into the sorcery and power of what that means. For a person who they say is a “beauty expert,” I see it differently in a way. I have to tell you that [beauty] comes in many forms and its importance is how it’s utilized in the moment. That’s my perception and infatuation with beauty.
Where do you derive most of your influence?
My biggest influences are really being able to combine cultures—not only cultures, but science. I’m really fascinated by building. When we talk about hair, we constrain ourselves. We say we use hair spray, we use gel, but I think you need to look outwards to make the inward advance. When people ask me what inspires me, I really can’t think of anything that doesn’t . A little girl and the way she wears her pigtails, a bum on the street and the way he wears his hat—it’s an anthropological equation.
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tags: Bob Recine, Bob Recine: The Alchemy of Beauty, Hair, Lady Gaga, The Hole
LFW Backstage Beauty Alert: NARS Crosses The Pond
February 7, 2012 11:37 am
After spreading its backstage beauty wings last month, sponsoring its first-ever Couture show at Bouchra Jarrar in Paris, NARS Cosmetics made a convincing case for taking its face-painting show on the road. While François Nars’ beloved brand is a fixture at New York fashion week, frequently turning up at Marc Jacobs, Rodarte, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Thakoon, it has yet to become a global fashion force to be reckoned with in cities across the pond. But that’s about to change. Style.com has just learned that Nars will be spear-heading makeup and nail duties at Christopher Kane’s Fall show in London, supplying makeup artist Lucia Pieroni and nail artist Sophy Robson with a veritable rainbow of pigments and polishes with which to create runway magic. Word on the street is that this is just the beginning of a an expansion that, if you ask us, is a long time coming. Stay tuned.
tags: Christopher Kane, Lucia Pieroni, Makeup, Nails, NARS Cosmetics, Sophy Robson
NYFW Backstage Beauty Alert: Sunday Riley Takes Manhattan
February 3, 2012 2:12 pm
Last season, we broke the news that skincare guru Sunday Riley had teamed up with makeup artist Diane Kendal on a new makeup line that debuted backstage at Maiyet and Vanessa Bruno in Paris. After a stellar performance for Spring, it’s perhaps unsurprising that we’ve got some more news to break for Fall: Style.com just learned that Riley has landed a few impressive makeup sponsorships in New York, where her full line of complexion perfectors will be used backstage at Helmut Lang, Victoria Beckham, and The Row. These last two shows are particularly of note, as they have previously been showcases for big-name brands like Lancôme and Estée Lauder. But now it’s Riley’s foundations, eye shadows, lipsticks, and the like that will be in the very capable hands of Kendal as well as makeup artists Lisa Butler and Tom Pecheux, when the shows commence next week. In a word, pumped!
tags: Diane Kendal, Helmut Lang, Lisa Butler, Makeup, Sunday Riley, The Row, Tom Pecheux, Victoria Beckham
Berocca: It’s Heeeeere
January 30, 2012 1:55 pm
New York fashion week is just a week and a half away, and there will be a new must-have accessory in every editor’s bag when the Fall shows commence—and we’re not talking about Pop Phones. Last week, Berocca, Europe’s favorite energy supplement, arrived in the U.S. We first got wind of the orange-flavored effervescent tablets last year when we spied a tube of them in Vanessa Traina’s refrigerator alongside a few choice bottles of Chanel nail polish. “I drink them in the morning every day and before I go out at night,” Traina said of the fashion world favorite that you dilute in water for a super-charged dose of vitamin C. The immune-boosting antioxidant is only part of what has made Berocca such a hit across the pond, though. Biotin and a vitamin B complex help your body release energy from food to boost physical strength, while folic acid helps foster your body’s additional energy supply centers. But it’s the drink’s guarana and caffeine blend that truly helps you “stay on top of your game,” as the tablets’ new ad campaign promises. And with no sugar and less than five calories, it’s a far cry from that mocha latte you normally rely on for an added edge to start the day. Bottoms up.
tags: Berocca, Vanessa Traina
“I Am More Than A Sexual Object”: The Duke Spirit’s Liela Moss Gets Philosophical About Beauty
January 27, 2012 5:40 pm
Despite the bombshell connotations, blonde—especially in its platinum incarnation—has been the color of choice for a bevy of music rebels. Following in the footsteps of Debbie Harry, Kim Gordon, and Madonna, who all took to the peroxide bottle, comes Liela Moss. As front woman for the London-based bluesy quintet the Duke Spirit, Moss has captivated listeners with both her whiskey-soaked vocals and her shaggy cornsilk locks. Like those bleached-out babes before her, Moss has attracted quite a following—especially in the fashion world, where she regularly sits front-row at Phillip Lim and served as the muse for the Alexander McQueen for Target collection. With the Duke Spirit’s third album, Bruiser, set for a stateside release on February 7, Style.com spoke with the musician to get to the bottom of the blonde-rocker connection—and in the process, got a quick lesson on the history of beauty.
What is it about peroxide blonde that just screams rock ‘n’ roll?
Well, here’s what I really think: There is a little-understood and hidden subversion when a competent and creative woman is blonde. It mixes the message that pertained to blondeness when it was at its most important and potent to the European ancestors of white Western culture. We know ourselves that even when, as adults, we have darker hair, our childhood tresses were often much finer and lighter. Likewise, thousands of years ago, blondeness screamed fertility and youthfulness. It roared, “Procreate now whilst this body is young and more likely to survive.” While this has absolutely no conscious meaning to us today, I have a hunch that its power of seduction has something to do with the animal instinct of our very distant ancestors, still faintly communicating through the bloodlines. Light hair, for some Northern Hemisphere- dwelling, light-skinned folk, meant that in combination with puberty, there was “no time to lose!” And so, to be a fully grown woman who has much more to do with her time than solely breed, we are the blondes who laugh in the face of our hunter-gathering ancestors and say, “Thank you for being part of why I am here…but right now I am much more than a sexual object.”
Wow. How do I even begin to format a follow-up question?! Here goes: With all that said, your hair has recently evolved from “procreation” white blonde to a darker, honey shade. Why the change?
Dragging a comb through dry, dead hair took its toll. Time for a less nuclear approach to color, I decided.
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tags: Hair, Makeup, The Duke Spirit
