subscribe to beauty counter blog via RSSFACE Stockholm Gets Nailed
November 24, 2009 12:26 pm
FACE Stockholm has always been our go-to brand for brilliant makeup colors. Its matte eye shadows are some of the brightest in the business, and the company offers a fantastic array of cream lipsticks and nail lacquers in retina-burning shades as well. But with the recent launch of its new nail treatments , it has moved beyond mere adornment and is venturing into maintenance territory. Realizing that some pre-polish care is needed to make the most of a manicure, FACE has released seven different formulas to prep, strengthen, protect, and perfect nails and toes. While the collection includes standards like a strengthening nail nutrient and a cuticle softener, it has a few tricks up its sleeve, too, boasting an Intense Top Coat that augments pigment saturation and can be used between manicures to renew dullness or fading. If anything, it’ll help you maximize the bold colors the brand does best.
tags: Face Stockholm, Nail Expert, Nails
From Brazil, With Love
November 19, 2009 12:43 pm
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
Erickson Beamon, The Cosmetics Bag
November 19, 2009 9:41 am
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
Lancôme Appeals To Our Softer Side
November 18, 2009 4:11 pm
As readers of this blog know, I like to think of myself as something of a fancy tomboy. Yes, I work in beauty, but I watch American football religiously and spent a good many years perfecting my skills at the European version (I played a mean right wing). But there are certain amenities that really bring out my girly side. I’ve already talked at length about my soft spot for product-filled baubles, so I thought I’d take a moment to spotlight my other weakness, i.e., the embossed compact. Whether packed with bronzer, blush, or plain old powder, I can’t resist a well-designed face palette, and Lancôme’s new Sparkling Cherub is currently giving me my fix. Comprising a highlighting powder and a warm, shimmering bronzer, it adds definition or a sheer touch of light to your brow bones, eyes, and even your décolleté, if you’re embracing lower necklines these days. If you can’t bear to mess up the perfect etchings with a brush or finger, there’s nothing wrong with keeping it fully intact and adding it to your special collection of “pretty things to look at but not to touch.” No judgment here.
tags: Lanc�me, Makeup, Sparkling Cherub
If You Can’t Go Green, Go Bordeaux
November 17, 2009 5:13 pm
As a completely sold-out Chanel Jade soars past the $100 mark on eBay, imitations are springing up. Essie recently launched its Mint Candy Apple, a creamy pastel green that’s presumably meant to rival Peter Philips’ Chanel lacquer. On its own it’s a pretty enough shade, but we’re going to be flat-out honest with you, dear reader: It’s no Jade. Essie does have a one-up on Chanel, though. Bordeaux’s bold burgundy puts it in the same family as Vamp, but in our humble opinion it’s actually superior to the hyped-up, metallic-flecked polish. The Essie color possesses a gorgeous scarlet undertone that a lot of other deep berry shades don’t, so it’s a touch warmer—and dare we say, classier—than its competitors, but every bit as edgy. Extra bonus: It has a unique sanguine quality that should excite all the vampire enthusiasts out there.
tags: Bourdeaux, Chanel, Essie, Jade, Mint Candy Apple, Nails, Vamp
RéVive Skincare Takes Flight
November 16, 2009 1:00 pm
RéVive skincare founder Dr. Gregory Brown is best known for applying Nobel Prize-winning epidermal growth factor’s wound-healing technology to skincare and creating a range of products that can speed up cell renewal—even in aging skin—for a dewy, youthful appearance. But around the holidays he wears another hat, that of art patron. For the seventh year in a row, Dr. Brown has commissioned an artist’s work for a limited-edition RéVive Artbox, which includes a jar of Moisturizing Renewal Cream, a night treatment that re-texturizes skin while you sleep; Sensitif Cellular Repair Cream SPF 15, a similarly effective treatment for daytime use; Fermitif Neck Renewal Cream SPF 15 to smooth the entire décolletage area; and Intensité Les Yeux, which diminishes the appearance of fine lines, dark circles, and puffiness around the eyes. After a sea-inspired turn last year, Dr. Brown’s 2009 edition bears a replica of renowned wildlife artist Charley Harper’s colorful 1954 work Song Sparrow. Sure, the products are great, but we like that the festive box can be reused for a host of things from jewelry case to pretty paraphernalia storage. Use your imagination.
tags: Dr. Gregory Brown, Holiday Artbox, R�Vive Skincare, Skincare
New Moon, New Lip Venom
November 13, 2009 1:36 pm
In other Twilight news (see Celebrity Looks item below), the popular Twilight Beauty line will be getting an addition to mark the release of the film New Moon. A commemorative bottle of New Moon Venom—a two-phase moisturizing lip stain that features a conditioner on top and an intense shimmering crimson stain beneath—will be available for a three-day engagement starting next Friday, November 20. The scarlet plumper, free with any purchase of $50 or more, gives you that “just bitten” effect and looks strikingly similar to the original Twilight Venom, albeit with packaging that bears New Moon’s release date on the bottom. Seeing as how we’re pretty sure some fanatical collectors of beauty ephemera are lurking out there, we thought we’d give you a heads-up.
tags: Lip Venom, Makeup, New Moon, Twilight Beauty
Chantecaille Gets Gilded For The Holidays
November 10, 2009 12:55 pm
Our tolerance for glitter is very low—except when it involves Natalia Vodianova—but with the holidays rolling around, we find ourselves drawn to Chantecaille’s new Lumière de Rose. A warm, pearlized face highlighter from its new, limited-edition Les Pétales collection, the subtle sheer pink pigment comes housed in the brand’s signature rose compact—which has been given a festive rose gold facade for the season. Its creamy formula provides an emollient touch of light to cheeks, eyelids, and anywhere else you’re looking to add a little adornment. Inside tip: If you can’t bring yourself to go all-out with the shimmer, blend it with a concealer or foundation; it’ll add a touch of glamour to all of your skin-correction endeavors.
tags: Chantecaille, Lumiere de Rose, Makeup
Pretty Is As Pretty Does
November 6, 2009 11:58 am
Did you know that Molly Ringwald sang on two Disney albums in the early eighties, or that Oprah was Miss Black Tennessee at age 17? Neither did we, until we pulled out the informative product inserts-cum-trivia cards inside Margot Elena Wells’ new line, Love + Toast. The colorful lip glosses, hand creams, and scents will get you with their cute packaging and keep you coming back for more with six unique fragrance combinations, including Pomme Poivre and Gin Blossom. Wells, the beauty guru and self-taught illustrator behind the equally eye-catching niche lines TokyoMilk and Lollia, has decided to devote a portion of every sale from the range directly to Girls Inc., a nonprofit that provides mentoring and leadership services to young women—hence the inspirational “Totally Righteous Women Role Models of the ’80s” info inside all of the products. The collection had a soft launch at Urban Outfitters last month and has just gone live on www.beautyhabit.com. Two words: stocking stuffers.
tags: Fragrance, Lollia, Love + Toast, Margot Elena Wells, Skincare, TokyoMilk
Decléor Gets Night Vision
November 5, 2009 12:14 pm
Having secured a loyal celeb following that includes Katie Holmes, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, and one Brad Pitt (he’s a fan of the facials), Decléor is turning its attention to one of the industry’s biggest trends-of-the-moment: the night treatment. Its new Aroma Night collection features seven unique plant-derived formulas that target different skin types using a holistic approach to boost energy, rejuvenate, and protect against the early onset of aging. The jury is still out on whether or not there’s any truth to new claims that nighttime is the right time for skin repair, but we will say this much: slathering on its Regenerating Night Beauty Cream’s combo of evening primrose oil and black orchid extract, before bed definitely helps us wake up with a supple canvas for concealer applications. As for its long-term benefits, there’s always wishful thinking.
tags: Brad Pitt, Christina Aguilera, Decl�or, Katie Holmes, Mariah Carey, Regenerating Night Beauty Cream, Skincare
