Spotted: Beauty mavens and fashionistas gathered at the Gramercy Park Hotel’s rooftop garden for a sneak peek at a new video series co-produced by Dove go fresh and Gossip Girl. GOSSIP GIRL: Real NYC Stories Revealed takes us behind the scenes of four real life Upper East siders as they juggle their careers, friends and love lives in New York City.

Dove has partnered with the number one rated show for twenty-something women, Gossip Girl, to create this series in hopes of encouraging young women to live life with a fresh perspective and inspire others to pursue their dreams. Gossip Girl star, Jessica Szohr, has joined Dove to promote these real NYC stories and to celebrate the launch of the new Dove go fresh Burst Body Wash.

Today, twenty-somethings are more accomplished and independent than ever with many achieving significant successes before their 30th birthday. Consequently, the pressure to attain this success prevents many young women from fully enjoying their accomplishments. We never “stop and smell the roses” which is too bad since research has shown that scents have the power to change your mood and lift your spirits. That is precisely why Dove has added their Dove go fresh Burst collection to the Dove go fresh product line. The new Dove go fresh Burst collection is an invigorating mixture of juicy nectarine and white ginger which encourages women to start their days with a burst of energy and inspiration.

Gossip Girl: Real NYC Stories Revealed shares inspirational stories from four grown-up Gossip Girls who despite growing up part of Manhattan’s elite, have taken risks to pursue their own life passions. We are introduced to fashion designer Chrissie Miller as she balances her friends and her career while she prepares for a major editorial fashion spread. We watch Faythallegra Coleman, a Brooklyn based filmmaker and writer, as she prepares for a major fundraising event to support her new film. It wouldn’t be gossip worthy without an “It Girl”. Enter Dani Stahl, style director of Nylon magazine and jewelry designer. Watch her story and see how she juggles her busy career, social life and friends, all while trying to find love in the big city. Finally we have Lara Meiland-Shaw, Ivy league graduate, business woman and philanthropist juggling her bridal atelier, charity commitments and marriage while thinking about starting a family. And you thought Blair Waldorf was an overachiever.

GOSSIP GIRL: Real NYC Stories Revealed will air nationwide during the last commercial break of Gossip Girl on The CW, beginning April 27, 2009. You can catch Gossip Girl Mondays at 8pm EST/7pm CST on The CW.

XOXO

This serum, rich in antioxidants, seeks to improve the tone and texture of your skin. It has a fresh, clean scent and goes on nice and smooth, making a soft, touch worthy face (think Johnson’s baby commercials). See the Difference Serum is lightweight and contains ingredients like black currant seed oil and marine algae although red tea is the superhero component of this silky smooth serum from Ole Henrickson. It is also worth noting that red tea contains enzymes known to prevent damage from free radicals. Together these components make this superstar jar a force to be reckoned with in the world of anti-aging skincare products.

Mineral makeup is to foundation what rock & roll is to music. Can you imagine makeup without it?

But liquid mineral foundation may well be….different. Okay, let’s face it…I was skeptical.

I mean isn’t the beauty of a mineral foundation the fact that it looks natural and lightweight? Those are words I rarely use to describe liquid foundations. So you can imagine my surprise when I tried Mineral Power and my skin looked flawless, smooth and touchable. I wasn’t afraid that if I threw on a white shirt it would end up with a pesky caramel colored stain on the collar. With SPF 18, this foundation delivers on all the things we look for in a mineral cover up but gives those who prefer a liquid foundation a silkier, more lightweight option.

What can be said about mineral makeup that hasn’t already been said?

We all know that mineral makeup gives us a nearly flawless face, but what makes Raw Minerals different from the rest? Raw Minerals is dedicated to environmentalism and fair trade. All of their ingredients are grown using ecologically sound practices which help support local farming communities, reforestation efforts and educational programs.

Their foundation made my skin look like I had my own special lighting crew following me around. It looked like I wasn’t wearing any makeup at all but that I just roll out of bed with amazing, flawless skin. The natural corn and soybean extracts help bring out your natural radiance while balancing skin tone and improving overall texture. For those looking to fight the signs of aging, the foundation uses ActivSilk and VitaFirm Complex which instantly reduce the appearance of wrinkles and enhance the appearance of firmness and elasticity.

My one problem with Raw Minerals Foundation? No SPF. But in regards to environmental protective factor, Raw Minerals takes the cake supporting a holistic definition of beauty: “beauty in balance with the earth.” Now that is something we can all feel good about.

Ok so I know I am way behind here, but I have never gotten a bikini wax.

The prospect of having hot wax applied to my most sensitive skin then ripped off with a strip of cloth does not sound very appealing. So what is a girl to do when she wants the results of a wax without the damaging pain to her skin (and her wallet)? Veet Spray on Hair Removal Cream saves the day! The new spray on formula takes their original application one step further by eliminating the messiness of applying traditional hair removal cream. You simply spray the cream on to your legs, arms or underarms and let it rest for five minutes. Note: if you are using this for the bikini area, do not spray the product on directly, the directions state to spray product into the palm of your hand then apply onto bikini area.

After about five minutes, you can either use the small spatula to remove the cream or, as I prefer, just hop in the shower and wash it off. The spray on cream comes in a sensitive skin formula (which is recommended for use on bikini area) and leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth thanks to Aloe Vera and Vitamin E. Veet makes getting your skin ready for swimsuit season a piece of cake.

Now only if getting perfect abs were this easy. www.veet.us

This clay mask, which includes ingredients like wasabi, algae and Dead Sea mud, leaves skin feeling fresh while simultaneously purifying and cleansing. The application is simple and the directions state to apply on to wet skin and rinse after 15 minutes. You smooth the clay over your body and although the directions do not state that it cannot be used for the face, I would stay clear of attempting to do so: the clay warms on contact and if it is applied on the face, that warm feeling can become downright fiery. I applied the product to my body including my legs, arms and décolleté. The clay has a pleasant spicy aroma with a hint of mint. After 15 minutes I decided to hop in the shower for a rinse. As the water washed away the clay, I immediately noticed my skin was softer, even after I dried off, my skin remained silky smooth without having to apply any additional moisturizer or lotion. This product is great as a weekly at home skin treatment giving your body the beauty detox it needs after a week of stress.

www.thebodyshop.com

Sustainable Youth Technologies is a new company that makes organic products that feature Alasta, which is their aloe-vera derived patented anti-aging ingredient.

Their three products (Immune Performance Elastifirm Supplement, Elasticity Cream and Revitalizing Serum) all tackle the skin’s nemesis of aging.

The Revitalizing Serum and Elasticity Cream are to be used in conjunction to promote skin elasticity and firmness. The Serum, which goes on first, is green-tinted and watery that is applied all over the face. I immediately noticed the fragrance (think vegetable garden:fresh, clean and pure). It probably has something to do with the fact that Sustainable Youth uses natural ingredients and oils including aloe, orange and basil.

The Elasticity Cream is taupe in color and glides on the skin like a lotion. My skin felt smooth and moisturized. After using the products in the morning and evening for a few days, I noticed a more even complexion and brighter skin tone.

Sustainable Youth also has an Elastifirm Supplement with Alasta that can be taken day and night to increase skin elasticity and firmness by up to 61% in 12 weeks. While time will only tell if I see those kind of results, I have liked what I have seen so far with the product and will continue to incorporate it into my regimen.

The popular home teeth whitening system is an easy and more economical way to get a whiter, brighter smile.

The individual packets contain a single strip for your upper teeth and a single strip for your lower teeth; think of it as putting tape on your teeth: there is a sticky side and a non-sticky side. Once the sticky side is in contact with something, it is going to be difficult to make any adjustments. Once on, the strips were not unpleasant or uncomfortable as I had imagined. You are aware they are on, but you don’t feel like they are going anywhere if you get thirsty, in fact, the instructions state you can drink water with them on.

Leave on for 30 minutes while you check email, do dishes or put on your makeup, then remove them. They require some effort to remove, I was a little scared I wouldn’t be able to get them off at all or that part of them would break off. That did not happen, I was able to remove the strips (in one piece) with just a little force.

As for the whitening? They did change my teeth somewhat in a few days, but these need more than a few uses to see results (the box says 14 days).

The new Advanced Seal Strips offers better adhesion to your teeth; and it’s formulated with enamel-safe whitening ingredients.

www.crest.com