Archive for the ‘Beauty’ Category
Naturally inspired, yet EFFECTIVE cosmetics are really as hard to find as the Pink Panther diamond. Trust me, I know — having ransacked countless drugstore and high-end department stores in the hope of finding concealers and foundations made with mostly natural ingredients and ending up leaving as disappointed as a kid who didn’t see Mickey Mouse at Disney World.
There is a ton of BODYCARE that is organic and natural and most of those products are very effective, but we’re talking about the foundation of your beauty: the foundations, brushes, concealers, primers.
Ever since I got my hands on a perfectly movie-star worthy concealer from Alison Raffaele Cosmetics at The Makeup Show New York, I’ve been hooked to the brand like cat to catnip.
The fair-skinned English knew a thing or two about protecting their skin in the summertime when they carried parasols as religiously as Lindsay Lohan wears leggings. Well, luckily, we’ve heard of SPF, right?
In this amazingly techno-beauty age where sunscreens now come in the form of soaps and spritzers, leaving the house without some form of UVA/UVB protection is no longer acceptable. Especially if you’re freckled with skin a la Julianne Moore or even the lassie Lindsay — and even if you have skin as dark and mocha pretty as Halle Berry’s, don’t leave home without that SPF.
I’ve been a big big fan of COVERGIRL’S LashBlast mascara, so I was quite twitterpated when CoverGirl announced that its latest mascara — LashBlast Fusion — was introduced today!There you have it, fresh and hot off the press and too hot for skinny lashes to even have an excuse to exist.
We love La Prairie for its super-luxe skin treatments targeting lines and wrinkles, so we were excited to learn that the beauty company has launched a trio of products to effectively attack slackness and discoloration of the skin. Harnessing the legendary firming benefits of caviar, the White Caviar Illuminating Système is a three-part system that lightens, tightens and firms while preventing future age spots and pigmentation patches.
A bouquet of lipsticks from Rimmel? Yes please. The UK-based company is launching a set of six lipsticks with intense pigment and long lasting power called Color Show Off.
Check out the eye-popping, richer than sorbet colors here:
The 13 shades are grouped into three sets called “Street Chic,” “Dress Up Chic,” and “Show Time Chic.” Some of the lipsticks have pretty groovy names too, like Have Fun, Pink Fame, Red Fever and I Want You.
I’ll make sure I post swatches as soon as these beauties hit the U.S. stores.
Last week, I attended a lavish and very French presentation of a line I had not heard of. Votre Vu, a Paris-based skincare line, has been in existence for only a year, but crafted by a family in France with over 80 years’ experience in custom blending formulations.
The tres chic event showcased the different selection of products that Votre Vu has to offer, including its accomplished Face, Body, Men’s Line and Sweet Treats line. Since the skincare philosophy is primarily based on natural ingredients and the culling of skin treats from bountiful French harvests, I was eager to learn more (you all know how hooked I am to natural skincare by now, come on!).
The French do everything so sexily, and I was not surprised to see a fully naked, discreetly clad French model at the event, showing off her flawless body and skin (and a painter capturing her elegance on canvas):
Some shower gels are good enough to get “Lifetime Achievement Award” on their first impression, and Kathy Ireland’s Fresh Shower Gel (Green Tea & Aloe Vera; $11.99) may well be sudsing its way into the nominees list.
As the world predicted, Sandra Bullock shed her Miss Congeniality-esque role to win the “Best Actress” Oscar for The Blind Side but pretty much used her staple movie look when it came to the hairstyle. The stylists at Frederic Fekkai wanted to bring back the simplicity of Sandra’s hair (as seen in countless films from “While you Were Sleeping” to “Speed”). Deja Vu with a touch of Hollywood glam seemed to be in vogue last night at the 2010 Oscars.
The stylists at Fekkai gave her a sleek look with a slight wave at the end. The way you get this look? Condition the hair thoroughly. Stylist Adir Abergel of Fekkai used the Advanced Glossing Shampoo and Conditioner ($23 each), and left the conditioner on for a full 15 minutes.
He used a deep side part, and took a large round brush ($65) to blow dry hair, ensuring the roots were flat. After the blow drying process, he set the hair with spray, then used a flat iron for that pin straight effect. He curled the ends for a slight wavy effect and added Fekkai’s Silky Straight Ironless Smooth Finish Serum ($23) for that shine we saw last night.
- Charu Suri
Did you think Anna Kendrick’s face looked like a rose at the 2010 Oscars? Well, I certainly did …it was not overly made up and no striking color stood out on her face; the look was subtle and elegant overall. Kendrick wore a soft pink off-the-shoulder Elie Saab Couture gown and carried a Judith Leiber clutch. Celebrity makeup artist Sara Glick sought the youthful, ethereal beauty for inspiration and wanted to highlight soft, natural glowing skin.
She prepped Kendrick’s skin with Arcona Skincare (a light all natural moisturizer called Magic White Ice)and used tarte cosmetics’ makeup for the cheeks (Cheekstain in Coral). As for the lips, Glick wanted a soft, healthy pink lip with a bit of shine and she used tarte’s LipSurgency natural lipstain in Charmed as a base, and topped the look with a double ended lipgloss in Samantha.
Kendrick’s face was finished with a touch of lavender spritz mist that also served as a calm aromatherapy.
For the eyes, Glick used Dior eyeshadow to create a “very soft, neutral look with bronze undertones.” She used the Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Sunset Cafe and Incognito and DiorShow Unlimited Mascara.
Charlize Theron was all Dior from head to toe when she appeared in her amethyst and lilac number on the 2010 Oscars red carpet on Sunday evening for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.
Her dress was inspired by a photograph of Marilyn Monroe who was all “covered with roses”. But it was my least favorite number of the evening, with its bustier rosette details and bride-like train that seemed to evoke Bridezillas gone awry. But I cannot argue that her makeup was gorgeous.So, we’ll work with that…
The makeup was done by Dior’s International Makeup Advisor, Shane Paish, who said that the “inspiration for the beauty look was English Rose who vacations in Paris.”
He used Rouge Dior Lipsticks in Celebrity Red, and Creme de Rose; applied DiorShow Unlimited Mascara on her lashes; and used the Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Incognito for her lids. He capped off the look by using DiorBlush in A Touch of Blush.
And naturally, which Dior fan doens’t know about DiorSkin Airflash Spray Foundation and the Dior L’Or de Vie La Creme?
