I will unashamedly admit that my skin rarely glows. I’ve wanted it to glow with a peaches and cream glow, a new born baby glow or even — a straight back from the spa kind of glow and that iridescent effect manages to elude me like an eel. And I’ve seen countless ads in my glossy magazines that have practically made me weep: Eva Mendes for Calvin Klein for one (even though the ad is downright slutty, I still find the oil-soaked bodies so sensual and glowalicious).

So, when Mark debuted its new Glowalicious Illuminating Powder, I wanted to claw the product out of the box. I was one step away from being a rabbid raccoon and biting the packaging because the bronzer and highlighter combination was as tempting as Dom Perignon.

Mark says you can wear this alone, but it’s best worn over foundation because of the pearly iridescence. Cleverly concealed underneath the Glowalicious Powder is a half moon brush that brings out the full moon on your face.

It comes in three shades: Prettied Up (for fair, Kristin Stewart-like skin tones); Shimmied Up for medium skin tones; and Amped Up for darker tones. I love the perfect, palm-sized compact and it’s perfect for travel.

Just $12 at MeetMark.com.

A few days ago, I attended a press preview at the 69th Street Magnolia Bakery to learn more about Essence Beauty, a German-based line of products that is now found at your nearest ULTA Beauty location. It was really rainy that evening, and I had had a long day at work, but the idea of cupcakes and beauty — a sinfully sweet combination like wine and cheese or wine and dark, rich antioxidant-filled chocolate – swirled in my mind like nimbus clouds.

I was greeted by two walls full of Essence Beauty products that stacked up deliciously like lollipops at Dylan’s Candy Bar, and I immediately was both thrilled and overwhelmed at that moment. Whenever I see color cosmetics, especially an abundance of them, I get such a rush, a total “bungee-jumping-induced” exhilaration and my mind swirls with colorful possibilities.

Here are a few items that stood out from the collection and ones I absolutely LOVED.

The Essence Soft Touch Mousse has a silicone-like soft texture and goes on beautifully on your skin. It comes in eight matte shades and this one is Matt Honey:

As someone who finds foundation a very very tricky subject and a hard one to find perfection in, the Soft Touch Mousse delivers A BARGAIN at $4.99.

Other products you want to get your hands on include the $0.99 Colour & Go nail polishes. Such glossy and gorgeous shades for such a steal — how can a girl not stock up?

Here, I am wearing the shade Everybody’s Talking About, a reddish cherry/raspberry shade that pops like blue eyes on a Husky:

I am a Nail Art and Nail Sticker junkie, so when I saw the Flora Stickers on display I had to have them both (only $1.49 each):

- Charu Suri

Editorial Disclosure: samples were given for consideration/ review

Hello lovelies! A few weeks ago, we hosted a tremendous giveaway as part of our Blogger-Publicist Marriage Series with a set of questions answered by Kendra Kolb, the publicist for Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare.

We had an overwhelming response to this giveaway and we are sad we can only pick TWO WINNERS — each receiving a $500 value hamper from DG Skincare.

And …the…winners…are:

KURSTON & SUMMER.

Congratulations! Thank you so much to all the other participants. While you didn’t win this time, please note that our sea of giveaways is never ending and expanding, so please stay tuned for more.

xx

Charu

If you’re a fan of magic, fantasy, Harry Potter, The Ilusionist or all of the above, then you will love L’Oreal’s new Professional Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base.

Having been a sufferer of bad skin pretty much my entire life, I’ve constantly resorted to camouflage. This means pots of concealer, legions of foundation and a nation’s supply of primers.

If you live in an area with pollution, nanoparticles and smog that’s enough to put the size of cumulous clouds to shame, you’ll appreciate how much this Perfecting Base goes out to bat for you. It’s a very silky formula – think silicone and the extraordinary texture of spun silk sheets – and it conceals wrinkles, lines, textural imperfections and even dark spots.

Soft, light powders give your skin a matte look and there is zero oiliness. It has a high elastomer content that gives the base its foam-like, cushiony texture. Best of all, it’s only $12.95 and such a deep, everlasting bargain.

Sorcery can go out the window! Call Anna Wintour and tell her that Vogue Covergirls need NO MORE AIR BRUSHING. Available at drugstores and at www.lorealparis.com

Last week I attended a lovely event where one of my favorite designers, Carlos Falchi, introduced his latest collaboration with Avon’s Mark. Inspired by Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro (doesn’t the name itself make you want to sashay or samba?), the clothing and accessories line features some really cool pieces like the oversized mark Rock to the Bead Necklace, long and swingy Brazilian Bazaar Earrings, mark Flora Dress which has a cool triple threat component to it (the dress includes a detachable bright blue slip and also doubles as a beach cover up).

The models at the event are wearing the Flora Dress below. The model on the right is wearing one of the sultriest accessories on the market – the mark Rock to the Bead Necklace. Now, imagine lounging on the beach wearing nothing but a bikini and this fierce accessory – which is only $15!

We also love the shiny mark Take me to Rio Bag that’s roomy and perfect for suntan oils and beach essentials (chilled beer, anyone?).

The prints are so Rio — jungle and beach color inspired. They remind me of Chagall paintings and deliciously tinted Caipirinhas.

And here are pictures of myself with the adorable Falchi who is the one of the NICEST men I’ve ever met:

Here is Falchi with his two gorgeous daughters:

There are other tempting treats in this collection too, including the fragrance Rio Rhythms and Rio Bikini, but I will discuss this in a separate makeup post.

So, if you choose to samba this summer, stock up on these must haves and save yourself a bundle.

- Charu Suri

Butterflydiary gives you anecdotal evidence of what happens when two beauty products look vaguely
similar….

The Beauty Alchemist Krasey Beauty explores the new Bobbi Brown Color Strips, and promptly falls in love.

Clumps of Mascara means Iman!

Diva Debbi gives Jergens Natural Glow Firming a second chance.

The Product Pasha chats with Cover FX’s Jenny Frankel about primers and is giving away a Big Cover Up Kit.

The Earth has its toxins: pollution, landfills, waste, plastic bottles. Every day, there’s some sort of violation that the world goes through, whether its oil refinery spills or noxious gases released into the ether.

Now, imagine if your mouth were to go through a similar assault (and if you eat lots of sweets and sugars, it very well may be going through it, right now!). But there’s another culprit –fluoride– that previously you may have though as innocent as a rose. But fluoride has been linked to several health problems including dental fluorosis and even cancer.

YIKES.

When you brush your teeth with a toothpaste, you’re also ingesting a bit of it (think of lip gloss – you’ll inevitably swallow a little, no?). TIME Magazine reported that  high levels of fluoride can cause bone pain, spurs and fused vertebrae.

DOUBLE YIKES.

I was pleased to receive and test Dr. Sharp Dentistry’s new collection of whitening toothpastes and fresh mint mouthwash — products that are completely fluoride free. These vegan toothpastes were delightful (I try to be vegan 98% of my waking day) and they actually whitened my pearly browns a shade within a week, without having the harsh and stinging mint sensation that some people love to hate.

There are three types of toothpaste that the line currently offers:

- Fresh Mint Whitening (a deliciously clean, mild mint flavor)

- Strawberry Cream Kids (so creamy and fruity, you’re compelled to almost spread it on a cracker)

- Green Tea Whitening (mild green tea flavoring that evokes memories of Chinese tea)

Plus, there’s also a fresh mint mouthwash in a VOSS Water-style bottle that didn’t leave my tongue burning like Listerine. That’s a SLAM DUNK in my books.

These formulations are detergent-free and with no synthetic colors, flavors or alcohol (no, you can’t get drunk while brushing with these). I would definitely buy these toothpastes not only for their effectiveness and fluoride-free jazz, but also for their mild formulations.

You can purchase a complete Family Pack (all four units) for $35.95 here. And never subject your teeth to Steve Martin’s abuse in Little Shop of Horrors ever, ever again.

- Charu Suri

Samples were given for editorial consideration

We declare ourselves madly in love with Moulin Rouge 1889, the latest fragrance from Histoires de Parfums, celebrating the year this world-famous burlesque theater was brought to life. Edith Piaf, Colette, Ella Fitzgerald and Liza Minnelli were among many stars whose careers were launched at this legendary landmark. 1889 is described as “a vibrant, sensual scent, full of vivacity and elegance, with just a hint of feathers and sequins.”

They got that right. One spritz gives us an alcohol-free high equivalent to downing a split of Veuve Clicquot. This fragrance will fill a hole in many people’s perfume wardrobe-namely, a scent with sizzle for those of us who thought we could never wear one.

The pyramid has top notes of mandarin, plum and cinnamon; heart notes of absinthe and Rose of Damascus; and base notes of iris, patchouli and musk. The intoxicating blend of plum, cinnamon and absinthe has the character of an aperitif-fizzy, effervescent. It conjures images of white, slightly damp rounded shoulders, garters and champagne flutes.

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A good handbag is like man candy on your arm. Whether you sport a swingy, roomy hobo or a chic clutch that’s so Sex in the City Samantha, a bag not only completes your outfit, it defines your sense of style.

Some of the handbags we’re loving right now include the Carlos Falchi Mark Rio Ready mini bag (think of a sparkling disco ball on your arm), and Rebecca Minkoff’s new upscale collection.

Rebecca Minkoff’s new upscale handbag collection will retail at Saks Fifth Avenue and is a response to her venerable following of her moderately priced items (think $195-$600). The new line will feature plush leather, rose gold hardware and some seriously luxe calfskin leathers.  These new handbags will retail for a mere $2,000 or more at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Source: MumbaFashion

Another cute, almost flapper-style bag we’re seeing is the fringed Boyy Bags (Franc style) which are both chic, cheeky and flirtatious for the summer:

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La Prairie recently killed two birds with one stone as they released their spring/summer collection, Whisper Shades, as designed by Color Ambassador Raychel Wade.

Not only does it give us something new to lust after for our spring make-up bags, but the new shades of lipstick and gloss fill some color holes in their existing collection. My own particular favorite is Quiet Fig Gloss, a deep, sparkling berry.

All the colors of this line are bright or strong, and complemented with their soft eyeshadow palette, Cellular Treatment Colour Ensemble in Les Lignes et Lumieres, which consists of two neutral shades and a pastel green and lavender. Likewise, last year La Prairie released a cool-toned illuminating powder that sat well on fair skin, so they rounded out their spring release with Cellular Treatment Illuminating Face Powder in Warm Glow, which gives just the barest of sparkles to warm-toned skin.

It’s a very grown up way to work the iridescent trend.

Overall, the collection brings to mind an impressionist painting with a canvas of gentle colors punctuated every now and then with a splash of bold color. The color collection can be purchased at Bloomingdale’s, Saks, and at www.shoplaprairie.com.