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Who likes shopping at a mall only to go around seven hours before finding a spot? Mall shopping is SO 19th century: welcome to civilization.

Enjoy 20% off any order on BobbiBrown.com from November 30th-December 2nd.

When this little square shaped packet arrived in the mail with four mango butter lipsticks in warm tones, I immediately felt the urge to try them all.

(From left to right: Natural Brown, Natural Purple, Orange Brown, Orange Brown, Orange Red)

The Delight Your Lips are $26.50 and would make a terrific stocking stuffer (it’s a $72 value; $13 each).

Korres Delight Your Lips in Orange Red

Korres Delight Your Lips in Natural Purple

Korres Delight Your Lips in Orange Brown

Korres Delight Your Lips in Natural Brown

What I found were these are moisturizing lipsticks, for sure, but I still needed to apply a coat of Vitamin E or Smith’s Rosebud Salve before these went on, especially right now when the weather is dryer than brittle matchstick.

I also like the really warm colors (the Orange Red stood out well with my skin tone), but if you’re going for something a lot more understated (and if you’re fair), the other three colors will suit you well.

I have to say that I absolutely adore this product: the new REDKEN Aerate 08 is a stiff paste that you apply to towel-dry or damp hair and then blow dry to get amazing volume.

Check out this picture!

Directions: Take a dime size amount of the Redken Aerated Cream-Mousse and then apply it all over hair, then using a tourmaline blow dryer, blow dry hair from the roots all the way to the tips (actually the best thing is to leave the tips alone, since they become brittle from blow drying anyway).

All I used was a smidgen to get star-powered volume.If you want to add curls, like the picture below, then use a curling iron after blow drying the hair with Redken:

Product: Redken Aerate 08 Bodifying Cream Mousse. You can get this at drugstores and online.

I got the opportunity to attend an event last week where I met THE John Frieda — who has been described as the founding father of modern hair products, according to Vogue. Frieda started as an assistant at age 16 to Leonard, a leading stylist in the 70s.

Frieda made his name by making models’ hair look perfect in a matter of minutes when on the sets of photos shoots with magazines like British Vogue and Harpers & Queen. You could say he was the David Copperfield of styling and an illusionist of cutting.

He was one of the first to recognize that different types of hair have different types of problems and so he began working with chemists to create potions that controlled and manipulated hair for best results.

He opened his first salon in London where his clients even included royalty, and in 1988, his first product line was tailored to the needs of fine, unmanageable hair. His first product was called, “Thickening Lotion,” and was an overnight sensation. “Thickening Lotion,” which was seized by Boots and performed well enough for a 20,000 bottle order in 1988. Demand grew to the size of 1.2 million bottles of Thickening Lotion.

Now, if you don’t know what Thickening Lotion is, let’s put it into perspective for you: before 1988, products were used to add volume to the hair (e.g. Madonna) but Frieda introduced the Lotion to tone down volume. The Frizz Ease line was the world’s first-ever frizz-fighting serum and one sells for every 15 seconds (it was launched in the U.S. in 1990).

The whole tag line behind Frizz Ease was that it helps protect the hair from the damage of heat and UV rays. Frizz and color fading typically come from heat-inducing factors including the sun, hair dryers and flat irons.

The Frizz Ease has a thermal shield complex (a blend of silk protein and Vitamin E) and this enables hair to be smooth. It can be used on wet or towel-dried hair as well as on dry hair.Now, there are other frizz fighters on the market like got2B Smoothing Serum Anti Frizz Treatment and Bio Iconic KeraSmooth anti-frizz treatment, and most treatments contain Vitamin E.

But many customers keep coming back to Frizz Ease because Frieda started filling a niche.

So if humidity has hit an all time high, you can forage in your drugstore for this.

DivaDebbi finds the Holy Grail of Frizz fighters and her hair never looked better.

The Beauty Alchemist is giving away 3 sets of MISSION Skincare to giveaway

ThinkThruFashion styles a sequin top from the Jimmy Choo for H&M collection.

Krasey Beauty spotlights a gorgeous Makeup Designory eyeshadow palette perfect for gifting this holiday season.

The Product Pasha faces her retrograde ways and plans her very first online purchase.

Butterflydiary uses a Secret Weapon to fight frizz – and wins!

This finishing creme can be your secret weapon in your hair arsenal. It’s a flawless finishing creme, so the idea is to transform dull, dry hair into something manageable and shiny.

Before

After

Directions: Rub a dime size amount into your hair, and massage through, from roots to tip. This is great for travel and your pocketbook — just a smidgen will tame flyaways in a second.

Yes, I know I need a haircut –I’m beginning to look like a Shetland pony– but thank you John Frieda for easing my frizz a bit.

There are other products in the Frizz-Ease family: the Frizz Ease Hair Serum, Moisture Barrier Firm Hold Hair Spray, Dream Curls Curl Perfecting Spray, Straight Fixation Smoothing Cream, Curl Boosting Mousse, and Thermal Protection Formula, among others. Why we love the Secret Weapon out of all these is because it is a quick fix — dry or wet hair alike.

Available in drugstores everywhere, of course…

xoxo

Charu

I had the good fortune to have a chat with the Japanese pop star, Masumi, a few weeks ago. Living in California, Masumi is a pop star who sings half in English and half in Japanese, and is quietly grateful and humble for her success.

How did you start playing music?

I started performing at an early age, because my father loves music too. That’s when I became interested in it, and started going to piano school.

At piano school I played all Classical composers, from Beethoven’s Moonlight to Chopin, whom I’ve been playing for 15 years. I gave a concert a year and been playing since then.

Why composition?

I was learning composition while going to music school. When I was a kid I was playing the piano for my composition, but nowadays I use technology for my compositions too — thanks to the modern science.

And now you’re a singer?

I studied singing two years ago and of late, in California, people have asked me to sing in Japanese festivals and some festivals on the beach. I love Janet Jackson and Alycia Keys and some Japanese artists as well. Those girls, they’re cool…they can really sing.

What do you think of Brittany Spears?

Brittany is very cool, Heaven knows if she can sing, but I love that kind of music.

How do you compose?

I’m always making tracks at 1p, 1am and 2am…I can focus at night and prefer it to the daytime.

So you’re like a vampire?

Yea, I like my garlic.

What are your next goals?

I want to do a soundtrack for a movie, but not yet; I also want to go to Japan to perform.

What is your beauty regimen?

I love chamomile flower oil  for the hair (my hair is so thin!). I really like natural products. Sometimes when my skin feels very itchy or dry I use Japanese products which are very nice.

I also love Shu Uemura eyelash curler and the eye makeup from Shu Uemura.

What’s your next big thing?

I am going to perform in NYC, and going to meet DJs and sell records. I’ll do this least 4-5 times  a year. I can’t drive my car all the time…I need a breather.

How is your music doing now?

My music is #17 on the Billboard hot singles chart and chart for Billboard. Check her out here! Her music is definitely a commingling of techno, pop and some Beyonce– she’s dangerous! You can buy her CDs on iTunes and on her MySpace page.

I for one, am already a fan. I love a strong downbeat, and I’ve always liked techno.

We heart and you and let us know when you’re in NYC….

xoxo

We heard through the grapevine that Zo Skin Health products were seriously moisturizing. So to accurately measure their strength, we decided to take on the task that makes our hands resemble a construction worker’s: cleaning the bathroom, sans rubber gloves. After our cleanse-a-thon, we lathered on a thick layer of Zo Skin Health Oraser Daily Hand repair and felt majorly rejuvenated.

The clean, fresh scent isn’t overpowering and the texture isn’t greasy, so we’re confident enough to shake someone’s hand after applying. We’ve even taken to slathering a layer on our feet after a hot bubble bath. Due to our twenty-something status, we have yet to develop any age spots. However, Zo Skin Health promises to lighten and improve skin tone and age spots after prolonged use. Consider getting a serious grip on healthy skin with Zo Skin Health.

Zo Skin Health Oraser Daily Hand Repair retails for $65 on www.zoskinhealth.com.

Cartoon by David Irizarry