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subscribe to beauty blog via RSSGwyneth For Hugo Boss; Botox By Any Other Name Is Illegal; And More…
May 10, 2012
With a mid-aughts brand spokesperson gig for Estée Lauder Pleasures already under her belt, Gwyneth Paltrow is no stranger to fragrance contracts. And the Goop creator just scored another one as the new face of Hugo Boss Nuit Pour Femme. [WWD]
They’ve done it! Ulta beauty and Lucky magazine have helped set the Guinness World Record for the most makeovers in 24 hours with a grand total of 403 makeovers. The astonishing feat was accomplished on the set of Good Morning America and required over 95 lipsticks and lip glosses, 35 blushes and bronzers, 60 eye shadows, 1,500 Q-tips, and 48 cans of Red Bull. How proud they all must be. [World Records Academy]
According to a ruling by the EU trademark office, “Botolist” and “Botocyl” will never see the light of a dermatologist’s office. The two competing Botoxlike products created by L’Oréal were found to bear too close a name to the original wrinkle-reducing toxin. [Bloomberg]
tags: Botox, Fragrance, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hugo Boss, Makeup, Ulta
The Beauty Law Of The Land, According To Facialist Isabelle Bellis
May 10, 2012
Two hours is the length of a feature film, a train ride to Philadelphia and—wait for it—a treatment with Isabelle Bellis. A session with the French facialist—who has become best known in beauty circles for her practice of the Buccal technique, wherein a patient’s mouth is massaged from the inside to reduce wrinkle-causing tension on the outside—officially clocks in as the longest service I have ever had in my many years as a beauty editor. It’s so lengthy, in fact, that at multiple points over the course of the thorough, one-hundred-and-twenty minute affair I thought, “it has to be over now, right?”, all the while secretly hoping that I was dead wrong and Bellis would continue on with her wizardry just a bit longer. (I was, and she did). Facial massage—and a vigorous one at that—is at the heart of the Joelle Ciocco-trained epidermologist’s treatments, which takes some getting used to as its not something most American facial-getting women are accustomed to. But they should get accustom to it—particularly if the result of its continued practice is skin like Bellis’; the slight, flaxen-haired, Brittany-born beauty may just be her own best advertisement. Besides leaving her chicly outfitted penthouse studio with a complexion that was ridiculously dewy, glowing, and so taut I thought she had given me a mini brow lift during one of the few instances I dozed off—I also gleaned a bit of skincare wisdom on a recent visit. Below, Bellis reveals her five commandments for looking and feeling beautiful, which include some very honest opinions on wearing sunscreen, drinking water and why you don’t need to be in the lotus position to meditate effectively.
I. Sunscreen, But Not All The Time
“About ten years ago people started to use products with a lot more acid, and started doing a lot of peeling and [microdermabrasion], so their complexions weren’t as protected. To be safe, experts were saying to put sunscreen on all the time to preserve the skin, because it was more bare than ever. But if you aren’t doing harsh treatments you don’t need to wear it every second of the day. Obviously we do need sunscreen on the beach, on a sunny day, and especially if you have sensitive skin, but for people who are in an office all day there is no need. Your skin needs a break, and continued use of [SPF products] can just make your skin more sensitized. It should also never be used instead of a moisturizer; your skin needs something to penetrate into it before the sunscreen is put on. And if you are wearing sunscreen, it’s very important to clean your skin thoroughly at night. It’s sticky like glue, and any toxins we receive during the day get stuck [to it].”
II. Massage, Always
“I’m a strong believer in massage to improve circulation and to help relieve tension, then I use manual lymph drainage to rid the body of toxins. It’s all very relaxing and you are basically working with the nervous system and following the anatomy. And you can get the benefits of massage at home. Women need to be aware of how they apply products, massaging from the inside to the outside gently—and enjoying it! You should please yourself. I always like to say to women that the best advice is for you to be your own best friend; women can be very rude to themselves.”
Continue reading ›
tags: Isabelle Bellis, Skincare
Cherry Bomb
May 10, 2012
CHERRY PIT OIL / (cher-ree pit oy-uhl) / n. / 1. A rich elixir derived from the pressed kernel of the Prunus avium, or wild cherry tree; / n. / 2. An oleic and linoleic acid-rich fluid that was frequently ground with its seed, pounded into a meal, and used as a base for soup or made into tortillas or tamales by North American Indian tribes; / n. / 3. A natural defense against UV rays when applied topically; / n. / 4. A liquid that boasts moisturizing capabilities useful for combination skin that is both dry and oily, e.g., “slather on cherry seed oil for super-supple, non-greasy hydration.”
Hourglass No. 28 Primer Serum with Cherry Pit Oil, $65, www.sephora.com.
tags: Cherry Pit Oil, Hourglass, No. 28 Primer Serum, Skincare
Vidal Sassoon, RIP
May 9, 2012
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Vidal Sassoon has died at the age of 84. The famed hairdresser—whose indelible words, “If you don’t look good, we don’t look good,” helped sell millions of bottles of shampoos and conditioners in the eighties and nineties—passed away at his home on Mulholland Drive from natural causes, according to an LAPD spokesperson, despite murmurs that he had been suffering from leukemia since 2009.
It’s hard to condense the impact Sassoon had on modern hairdressing. Creator of the five-point, curator of London’s swinging sixties style, the man who gave Mia Farrow her pixie cut on the set of Rosemary’s Baby, and the subject of a 2010 documentary about his life, Sassoon was a visionary, an educator, and an entrepreneur. “He’s undisputedly the hero of hairdressing—and has a remarkable life story,” Bumble and Bumble founder Michael Gordon told us at the premiere of Vidal Sassoon The Movie last February, a film that he produced. “He was revolutionary,” Frédéric Fekkai added. “He made hair dressing modern, sleek, and brought a whole new attitude for women.”
We had the pleasure of interviewing Sassoon last year and at 83, he was still up for doling out a little coiffing advice. “It’s important that [hairdressers] have a point of view, that [their cuts] work with the clothes, and that [they're] remembered.” His will never be forgotten.
tags: Hair, Vidal Sassoon
Brad Pitt For Chanel No. 5; Heidi Klum Grabs An(other) Endorsement Deal; And More…
May 9, 2012
It’s official: The Jolie-Pitts are getting into the beauty contract business. But it’s Brad, not Angelina, who will be doing face time—for Chanel No. 5, no less. Is it weird that Pitt’s very masculine image will be used to sell the iconic women’s fragrance? Seeing as how this is the image in question (please direct your attention due left), the answer is decidedly “no.” [Chanel]
Unilever is poised to bring its Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy brand—a complete lineup of scalp and strand products already available in 42 other countries—to America this month, and they’re doing so with the star power of Heidi Klum, who will serve as brand ambassador. [NYT]
A new H&M ad featuring a scantily clad—and heavily bronzed—Isabeli Fontana is generating some complaints from the Swiss Cancer League, which is calling the images “alarming” and “completely [contradictory]” to their efforts to deter indoor and outdoor tanning abuse. Oops. [Daily Mail]
NARS Cosmetics’ heavily anticipated Andy Warhol color collection won’t be on shelves until October, but the brand has released a (very) short teaser video to generate excitement in the mean time. [YouTube]
tags: Brad Pitt, Chanel, Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy, Fragrance, H&M, Hair, Heidi Klum, Isabeli Fontana, Skincare, Unilever
Gaga Ponies Up
May 9, 2012
Ask us and we’ll tell you that colored hair streaks—like dip-dye and ombré—are tired. But Lady Gaga would beg to differ. The pop star touched down in Tokyo yesterday without a stitch of luggage, toting only a brand new, predictably outrageous hairstyle. Her latest look: a high, impossibly long I Dream of Genie caliber blonde ponytail with a rainbow of colored sections that feature lilac most prominently. We’ll add it to the scrapbook. Thoughts on her latest look?
The 411: Mary Helen Bowers
May 9, 2012
Mary Helen Bowers makes ballet feel good and look gorgeous, which means her company Ballet Beautiful is an easy sell. The willowy dancer began her career studying at the School of American Ballet in Manhattan, and she was invited to join the New York City Ballet at age 16, a post she remained at for a decade. After hanging up her pointe shoes (the professional ones, at least), Bowers picked up a degree in English literature from Columbia, launched her own ballet studio based around a methodology that aims to give every woman that signature dancer grace and strength, and trained a certain Hollywood actress for the big screen’s most prominent ballerina role in years. Anyone who toils through a class with Bowers will probably wonder two things afterwards: First, how have I made it this long in life without an awareness of certain muscles in my posterior, which scream out their existence for days after your first session; and secondly, what is this lithesome dancer’s routine for the perfect skin and hair to match the perfect body? We’ve got answers below—to the latter question at least.
The Trusted Face Painter: Romy Soleimani
“Romy is my beauty guru. Her makeup application is flawless and her touch is light as a feather. She is an absolute artist! I love that her high fashion looks are just as stunning as her naturally pretty daytime looks. She does my makeup on shoots and for my videos, too, and I buy whatever she recommends, no questions asked. I am praying for the day she starts her own line!”
For more information, visit www.managementartists.com.
The Complexion Correctors: Triple Threat
“My skin is very dry and sensitive. I drink a ton of water and keep it simple with Cetaphil cleanser and Fresh’s Peony Essence Serum. A friend brought it to me from Asia and now I am obsessed! Depending on the weather I follow it up with the Fresh rose gel cream or their Creme Ancienne.”
Available at drugstores and www.fresh.com.
The Afternoon Snack: Organic Avenue
“I’m a big believer in the impact of diet on your skin. I drink green tea with lemon when my skin needs a little extra help and eat lots of healthy fats like avocados, olive oil, and raw nuts to hydrate from the inside. I find that the occasional green juice works wonders, too. I don’t juice for meal replacement or to cleanse but I love the Mellow LOVE juice from Organic Avenue as part of my lunch or as an afternoon snack. It’s great on days when I need extra greens but don’t want the extra sugar in a lot of other juices.”
For more information, visit www.organicavenue.com.
The Sun Savior: Josie Maran
“I wear SPF every day, no matter what the weather or season. My current favorite is the Josie Maran SPF 40 [Argan Oil Infused Daily Sun Protection]. It’s very hydrating and great under makeup. If I’m eating outside, I always opt for the seat in the shade and rock a huge sun hat for extra protection.”
$32, www.sephora.com.
The Bath Ritual: Dr. Hauschka
“As much as I love a massage, I have no time. I try and take a few extra minutes to stretch out after a workout and use the foam roller as often as possible. It’s great for getting knots out of your muscles, and I swear it helps with cellulite, too. When I’m really fried, I soak in a hot bath with any of the Dr Hauschka bath oils and let the stress float away.”
$32.95, www.saffronrouge.com.
The Nails: Debbie Leavitt
“Debbie in L.A. does a manicure and pedicure like no other! Somehow the paint never chips; it’s amazing how long it lasts! I’m also crazy for her super-beautiful line of nail polishes called Sheswai.”
For more information, visit www.sheswaibeauty.com.
The Hair: Vito Esposito
“I’m pretty low maintenance when it comes to my hair. I keep it very long and rarely use a blow-dryer. Having a great cut makes this possible. I adore Vito Esposito in L.A. His cuts grow out beautifully and are current without being too trendy. In Manhattan I like the Marie Robinson salon.”
For more information, visit www.vitoespositosalon.com and www.marierobinsonsalon.com.
tags: Ballet Beautiful, Hair, Mary Helen Bowers, Nails, Skincare
Make Up For Ever Gets Penciled In
May 8, 2012
When Make Up For Ever launched its lineup of Aqua Creams two years ago, it brought something new to the market in the form of 25 super-saturated eye color pots that happened to be incredibly waterproof. A godsend for makeup artists working on outdoor film and television sets, the occasional face-painting beachgoer, and anyone looking for no-mess makeup, the mother of pearl-enriched, silky textured hues can be blended together or worn alone, without any risk of smudging or fading. Now, MUFE is making another groundbreaking move with the launch of its new Aqua Shadows. Boasting the same element-proof blend of waxes, oils, and polymers as well as silica powder for a soft finish, 12 new neutral-to-dark shades with matte or pearly finishes have been reimagined in chubby pencil form. This means thin lash-rimming lines or full, smudged-out lids are both easily attainable with a simple scrawl. And just like their predecessor, once these shadows are on, they’re not coming off.
tags: Aqua Shadows, Make Up For Ever, Makeup
Dolce Does Downtown
May 8, 2012
Essie and OPI dominate nearly every nail salon’s polish offerings—and more often than not, that’s a good thing. Both brands offer a wealth of color options (we’ve been partial to Essie’s spring hit, A Crewed Interest, of late) in quality formulas that don’t chip immediately unless, like us, you have a habit of fishing your keys out of your bag only after you’ve gotten two coats of lacquer. Every so often, however, a niche or designer brand will unveil a color that you simply must have—something that, try as they might, the bigger brands just can’t duplicate. When this happens, you can bring said bottle to the salon and ask your aesthetician to apply it for you. But wouldn’t it be nice if they already had it there? Cult hits from Chanel, RGB, and Priti NYC are starting to find their way onto the well-appointed shelves of choice mani/pedi destinations, like Tribeca’s Tenoverten, and starting this week, Haven will start stocking Dolce & Gabbana’s extremely popular spring varnishes. When you get the Pediterranean—the Soho beauty destination’s new signature service that begins with a scented foot bath infused with orange, lemon, and tomato notes and continues with a serious foot sloughing, followed by a cocoa body butter rubdown—you can choose one of the Italian brand’s six delectable pastel polishes while sipping on a complimentary cup of iced grapefruit soda spiked with a hint of Solerno blood orange liquor. Once you’re feeling nice and tipsy, we recommend asking to use the high-end varnish on your fingers, too.
Haven Spa, 150 Mercer St., NYC, (212) 343-3515, www.havensoho.com.
tags: Dolce & Gabbana, Haven, Nails
Rihanna Gets Her Walking Papers; Johnny Depp Talks Nails; And More…
May 8, 2012
Rihanna’s body looked crazy awesome in her crocodile Tom Ford gown last night at the Met. But the key to her svelte physique has less to do with militant, cardio-heavy workouts and more to do with her trainer’s secret weapon: a pedometer. “I tell [Rihanna] to make sure she takes 10,000 steps a day,” says personal trainer Harley Pasternak. [Daily Mail]
It was one of the first things we noticed on last night’s Met gala red carpet so it comes as no surprise that Tom Brady’s gelled back semi-faux hawk is getting a fair bit of attention on the blogosphere. Where were you on that one, Gisele? [Us]
Between Birchbox, Glossybox, Beautybar.com’s Sample Society and a barrage of other similar initiatives, there’s now a myriad way to sample the latest and greatest in product innovations on a monthly basis. That said, Total Beauty is getting in the game anyway. [WWD]
Hilary Clinton has been spotted sans makeup as she completes the final leg of her Southeast Asia tour—and she is getting a lot of flack for it. Which begs the question: foundation over function? (We’re going with function). [Fox News]
Johnny Depp sports serious talons—in addition to a face full of makeup—in Tim Burton’s new movie, Dark Shadows. How did he like the accessory? Not all that much. “In every film that I’ve been lucky enough to do with Tim, there’s always some form of torture, and the nails were Tim’s idea.” [Crave Online]
tags: Hair, Hilary Clinton, Johnny Depp, Makeup, Nails, Rihanna, Skincare, The Met Costume Institute Gala 2012, Tom Brady, Total Beauty
