Print out this coupon for a 20% off discount at Lancome Boutiques only. Valid between Sat, August 1st and Sat, August 8th. Enjoy!
Do your locks need a lift? Droopy strands and ringlets are the enemy of Garnier Fructis Body Boost Root Booster Extreme, a spray-on product that enhances volume and brings life to lackluster hair. We used it immediately after showering but before blow-drying, and really enjoyed the light texture that didn’t make our hair feel weighed-down and greasy. We thought we did see a lift in our roots after applying the product and then blow-drying. Also, the scent is fresh but not too perfume-y, so you don’t smell as if you’ve doused you head in a flower garden.
If you ready to head out the door but need a quick finish to complete your look, Garnier’s Anti-Humidity Hairspray is ideal. Most hairsprays smell like toxic, alcohol-based nightmares. And who would want to touch your hair when it’s rock hard and smells like car fumes? This hairspray actually smells decent, but most of all, it really does have the ability to resist humidity. But just to be sure, make sure you use some sort of anti-frizz cream to prevent problems before you style it. Just call it a “pre-emptive strike” against summer humidity.
Blush often seems to be a product that women under the age of 40 avoid like the plague. Many women associate it with the heavily-applied magenta cheeks sported by your Grandma Ethel. As a result, we often bypass the appeal of a rosy glow for the orange of bronzer and tanning beds.
Ladies, nobody’s skin is naturally orange, so please don’t emulate this look. Instead, go for that beautiful flush that takes over your face after doing handstands, or preferably, making out with a cute guy. With Cover Girl and Olay’s recent pairing, Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush is actually more like a skincare product rather than makeup. In fact, it even contains Olay Regenerist Serum, which gives a beautiful glow while improving skin’s texture. In 4 wearable shades that couldn’t be farther from Grandma Ethel’s makeup case, we’re positive that any woman would be thrilled with a soft, rosy glow, no matter her age.
The blush retails for a steal at $13.95 in drugstores in the fall.
Organic skincare appeals to the average American consumer as much as Sesame Street did to the younger set in the 80s: I have yet to meet anyone who’s not going “green” in some way, shape or form.
Sabon’s new line is based on medicinal Swiss Alp plants. They are completely preservative free and bear the ECOCERT label (more then 70% of the ingredients in each product have to be organic in order to merit this label).
Apparently these products have been “flying off the shelves” in stores.
This scrub has both sea salt and organic oils to slough off dead skin cells and restore calmness. It is particularly effective for very dry skin.
I love the texture and smell of this rich cream which contains macadamia nut oil, olive oil, and jojoba oil. I’d use this as a rich body cream, particularly during the winter months.
This cream uses macadamia nut oil to nourish and restore skin’s moisture. Macadamia oil’s rich, cushiony feel and high oxidative stability make it a good choice for use in cosmetics. The product claims to diminish wrinkles, slow down aging and increase skin elasticity.
While I did not see a marked improvement in wrinkle reduction when I used this cream, my skin’s hydration did increase substantially. Thankfully, the oil in this cream did not clog my pores.
Organic Eye Lifting Serum ($39)
This serum is wonderfully light weight and my favorite in the entire line. It has Swiss Alps ingredients- imperatoria, marrubium, edelweiss, and artemisia. Together these battle like the Fantastic 4 and reduce wrinkles while providing relief from under eye circles.
Sabon also carries a great organic hand cream and foot cream.
Who doesn’t love a MARK Hookup? Fall is teeming with them, I pleasantly discovered while attending the brand’s Fall Launch preview.
The preview included accessories as well ( I didn’t realize that MARK makes the cutest accessories — so adorable that Hello Kitty may well give up the title).
First up, this cute “On the Fringe” bag ($32) that came straight from the “Flapper Diaries”:
Paired with the adorable Braided Tie Top ($24), this look is screaming easy Boho Glam.
How adorable are these glitzy rings? Only $14. One size fits all because there is an adjustable sizer built into the ring. Clever, eh?
I also love the new Glamoratti earrings ($14), which are oversized colorful danglers:
I am in love with this Weekender Bag which exudes more shine than the Intl. Space Station ($35). Plus, it’s wonderfully roomy:
I love these Stretch and Stack Bracelets that can also double as elastic pony grips ($14):
And if you want to ride the “wave” — try the aptly named ring ($14):
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a media event with Supersmile’s creator, Dr. Irwin Smigel, the father of aesthetic denistry. It was an education in everything from tooth staining to non surgical tooth lifts. We saw pictures of an opera singer whose jaw and teeth profile changed so much that she looked twenty years younger.
Dr. Irwin Smigel is the founder and current president of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics, and inventor of the Supersmile Whitening System. The product list is varied and impressive, but I wondered if the system actually worked.
What does the “Supersmile” system consist of?
1. The Professional Whitening Oral Rinse: this is a rinse that preps the teeth for whitening and it cleans them like a Roomba. It does not contain alcohol and comes in two sizes: an 8 oz bottle retails for $9.
I used this as indicated before I brushed my teeth with the Supersmile Whitening System. The flavor was icy cool and not harsh like Listerine.
2. The Whitening Accelerator and Whitening Toothpaste: These are formulated with CALPROX, which is a proprietary form of calcium peroxide that dissolves the protein pellicle on teeth. This is what substances like plaque, stains and bacteria adhere to.
I have to say that since using both the Accelerator and Toothpaste for a week now, I’ve noticed that my teeth are at least two shades whiter. The system retails for $21 for a 4.2 oz tube.
3. The 45 degree Ergonomic Toothbrush: this is a clear lucite brush that really has soft, nylon bristles that give you that coveted 45 degree angle brush. There are four colors: white, pink, green and blue. When I used the brush, I was impressed with its no nonsense, strong bristle system (most other bristles bend and give up before even reaching your gumline).
This brush also stands on its own. $9.
4. The Supersmile Whitening Floss: This has CALPROX and is wax free. It also contains baking soda. The unwaxed formulate reduces chances of splitting between tight teeth.
100 yards for $7.
5. The Clinically Formulated Oral Rinse: This is a post treatment rinse that helps you get fresher breath while it cleans the teeth. It is sugar free and contains less than 3% alcohol.
I cannot emphasize how much my breath has improved since using this product and the complete system. (it’s been like Extreme Makeover, the Teeth Edition). Everyone needs to get the Supersmile system pronto — after having tried so many products, it’s great to find a system that really and truly works.
The Rinse retails for $14 for a 16 oz bottle.
All products can be purchased at www.supersmile.com and at Dillards, CO Bigelow, Ulta, Blue Mercury, Bath & Body Works, beauty.com, skinstore.com and dermstore.com.
Ladies on the go don’t need the hassle of fifty individual makeup compacts clinking around in their handbags. However, pre-packaged makeup palettes are often filled with sub-par products in an un-attractive rainbow of colors. A girl really doesn’t need a large variety of purple lipsticks, right?
So when we got a hold of the e.l.f. Studio Mini Makeup Collection, our makeup-elitism was already in place. Strangely enough, we were pleasantly surprised to find the compact incredibly useful. About the size of a small wallet, the compact opens up to a large mirror with three outward-expanding trays that contain all your makeup needs. Contents include 10 lip glosses, 10 eye shadows, blush, bronzer, brow powder, eyeliner, and a few applicator brushes. We were highly impressed with the eye shadow variety, especially the shimmery copper brown and daring greens. The variety of grays and blacks are ideal if you’re looking to create a smoky eye, and the brow powder is perfect for filling in spaces. The only product that seemed a little harsh was the bronzer, which when applied looked a little bit more brown than gold. But for any woman who detests rifling through her bag for a lip gloss, the e.l.f. Mini Makeup Collection is a major relief.
For more e.l.f. studio products, visit www.eyeslipsface.com.
I have a major crush on What Not To Wear. It’s a simply brilliant show –it’s as simple as singing church hymns but it WORKS. I only envy those who get selected to be part of WNTW because they get some valuable schmoozing time with my crushes: Stacy & Clinton.
Now there’s someone else sneaking into the scene — also whom is deliciously crush-worthy. Ted Gibson will be replacing Nick Arrojo in the hairstyling department in the shows commencing July 24th.
I attended the celebration party last night at Ted’s salon on 5th Avenue, where I met him, Jason Backe (star colorist who happens to share the same passion about puppies as I do), and my blogging buddies Aly, Carolyn & Kristin Booker.
I asked Ted how this all came about. “Well, I had to audition for it,” he said. “I didn’t know what I was even auditioning for. Then the produces got back to me in two days and told me that I had the job for What Not To Wear.”
Ted was extremely stoked but he wanted to take some time to think about it. “Basically, I didn’t want it to affect my relationship with my celebrity clients,” he said. “But I said yes, and they couldn’t be happier for me!”
Well, neither can we. This is such a huge exposure to the already incredibly famous brand. Ted’s products are nothing short of extraordinary (which girl do you know does not love his “Hair Sheets“?). ‘Nuff said!
Jason Backe and moi.
Also present at the celebratory party was celebrity stylist David Evangelista.
We wish Ted every success in this extremely exciting new career role. We’ll be tuning in each week Ted, so beware!
When we’re looking to find healthy alternatives to American foods and lifestyles, we often look east for inspiration. In this case, we’re going way east, as in Japan. If you’ve ever set foot in the Land of the Rising Sun, you know the women care for their skin meticulously. Koh Gen Do cosmetics are produced with the mission to create healthy cosmetics that won’t damage highly sensitive skin. Instead of covering up the problems you have, Koh Gen Do products bring out the beauty that’s waiting to show itself.
Derived from the Yumura Hot Springs in Izumo, Japan, Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water looks more like something you would pour in a hot bath, rather than makeup remover. But once we applied this to our makeup-covered face after day in the city heat, we were instantly refreshed by its cooling components. Unlike most removers, the Cleansing Spa water can be used all over the face, not only on your eyes. But as you’ll realize as you wipe off your eye makeup, the Spa Water doesn’t burn like oil and alcohol-based products. It’s perfect for any woman with sensitive skin who needs to rid her face of the makeup that piles up after a day full of constantly reapplying.
When a woman loads on far too much foundation, everyone that passes in their eye level notices. So what do you do if you need full coverage, but want a light and breathable foundation? Koh Gen Do’s Maifanshi foundation is a mineral-based product that gives a matte finish that’s sheer enough to let skin breathe. The product is so successful, you can see the actors on the hit television show “House M.D.” wearing the makeup on screen. From home to Hollywood, these products are a hit with everyone.
For problem areas that require extra attention, the Maifanshi Moisture Concealer is the perfect cover-up to hide blemishes and dark under-eye circles. The small compact comes with two shades of concealer to ensure blending to match your skin tone, along with a tiny brush and mirror for easy application.
Banish visible pores and uneven skin tone with Koh Gen Do’s Natural Lighting Powder. The perfect post-foundation powder to lightly block shine without getting cakey, the powder is a super-fine shine fighter that makes your skin simply luminescent. If you’re hunting for a little glow without looking radioactive, the Natural Lighting Powder is absolutely for you.
Want a little flush in your cheeks without looking like a Texas pageant queen? Koh Gen Do’s Fresh Face cheek color gives your face a beautiful, rosy glow. We’re major fans of the soft sponge brush that filters in the blush from the makeup compartment below. Ever better, there’s no dirty brushes or loose applicators to misplace.
At the end of the day, there’s nothing like a hot bath or shower to soothe aching muscles. The Oriental Plants soap is a soothing bar to cleanse skin and seduce the senses with its 36 botanical extracts. Hit the sheets at night with fresh skin, thanks to Koh Gen Do’s dedication to soothing skin care and high-quality, botanical ingredients.
To purchase Koh Gen Do products, visit www.kohgendocosmetics.com
MAC announced today that it will partner with the iconic MILK STUDIOS (The Milk Building at 450 West 15th Street) during New York Fashion Week September 2009 for the Spring Collections.
M·A·C and Milk will offer designers more than a great space — they will be dishing out presentations and press appointments, and allow castings, hair and makeup tests and look book shoots filmed at the spaces.
John Demsey of Estee Lauder & Mazdack Rassi, founder of MILK Studios
Confirmed participants include Adam Lippes, Alexander Wang, Altuzarra, Band of Outsiders, Barbara Tfank, Costello Tagliapietra, Erin Fetherston, Pamela Love, Peter Som, Preen, Proenza Schouler, Temperley London and threeASFOUR.
The news broke today in WWD and the NY Times.
The working title of the collaboration will be called “MAC at MILK.” The people behind the move include John Demsey, the Estée Lauder group president who oversees MAC, and Mazdack Rassi, the founder of Milk Studios.
Frankly, this is a great move for MAC and the opportunity for fashion week to be taken to a more upscale, less “circus” environment. The tents at the Park always remind me of Barnum & Bailey. Couture is more than that, non?
