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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.

We are seeing a lot of sparkle and sheen for Summer 2010, and Barielle’s new Summer 2010 High Steppin’ Collection come six shades — all for the inner dancer in you:

The dark blue Electric Boogie (inky blue with teal glitter) gives you a memory trip back to the 1970s; dance your summer evenings with your significant other by wearing Slow Motion (light metallic lavender); let it all down with Freestyle (metallic mint with silver glitter); swirl ballet-style in Passionate Pirouette (a grape metallic purple); unlease your inner party animal with Night Moves until dawn (sparkling metallic silver); and go limbo with Belly Dance (nude taupe with shimmer).

We will post swatches as soon as we get the actual polishes, but for now, I’m digging Freestyle and Belly Dance and cannot wait to see how they salsa on my digits.

Barielle’s polishes are all formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl-phthalate free and each retails for $8.00 at Barielle.com.

Last night, I attended an unveiling of two new products from one of my favorite cleansing brands: Biore. The new Steam Activated Cleanser aims to harness the pore-opening properties of steam in your shower, and the makeup removing towelettes is a great addition to your pocketbook and your eternal quest and zeal for picture purrfect skin.

(Sabrina from AOL, myself, and PJ Gach from BettyConfidential)

Honestly, I was thrilled to hear about the steam activated cleanser. I always clean my face in the shower (and according to Biore, about 60% of Americans love to, as well). The steam cleanser is oil free and contain tiny SteamActif beads. The aim is to - naturally - dissolve all your makeup, oil and make your skin cleaner and more radiant than the Swarovski crystal.

Well, I tried this steam activated cleanser immediately when I got home, and my skin indeed felt super clean without feeling too taut. I also loved the cool mint extract in the product (no terrible tingling - just a zingling feeling). It also has Green Tea extract which, as you obviously know, has antioxidant properties. I’m kind of married to it already!

Now, the other product is already the love of my life. I’ve never been obsessed with any makeup removing towelette, mostly because it rarely is able to remove the layers of eye makeup that I religiously wear each morning (think two coats of Rimmel or Maybelline mascara over a layer of primer, an eyeliner and eye shadow to boot). But these Makeup Removing Towlettes really do the job, and studies have proven they don’t really leave a nasty residue on your skin like some other brands. Take a look at the before and after (after just two swipes):

Best of all, the towelettes are made from 100% renewable resources, like cotton, but they are tough enough to even catch a kitten if you were to make a trampoline out of them.

The event, called ‘Party in the Shower’ was a lot of fun, and I got to catch up with some of my fave peeps and see some of the cool lighting in the studio (the chandelier icon is all just an optical illusion).

But the Biore products are no mirage - they definitely work, so check them out in your drugstores or online right now!

Monica Rich Kosann, of fineartofamily.com, hosted an heirloom postcard party on Dec. 1st at the Town and Country Suite in the Soho Mews - and I was lucky enough to be on the guest list.

When styling the town home, Richard Mishaan took his decorating cues from the film Dinner at Eight with Jean Harlow, and it made the perfect setting for an evening of swapping stories. Monica and her crew had us record our heirloom memories on vintage postcards. Designer Josie Natori and actor Tony Goldwyn were on hand to assist with the mingling. Like me, most of the people present brought stories of jewelry passed down for generations. To view our postcards and heirloom details, go to http://www.fineartoffamily.com/show-us-your-story. And while you’re at it, think about recording some of your family history, too.

A small slice of my favorite part of the town home: A 3-D mural of birds and flora

Me and my historical postcard.

When I was a child, I was always fascinated by Isabella Rosselini’s luminous complexion. Her skin was always lucid, poreless, perfect and RADIANT. I felt she had swallowed a lightbulb with 100 watts.

So when La Mer’s gemstone infused Treatment Powder Foundation came across my desk, I was delighted not only because it provided that Rosselini glow, but also because it contains SPF 15.

[caption id="attachment_117" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="La Mer new Treatment Powder Foundation SPF 15"][/caption]

The foundation powder glides on like refined silk over your skin (it truly does) and leaves a matte, powdery silky finish and RADIANCE. The gemstones in this powder, including the tourmaline and malachite, help capture light energy.

The Treatment Powder Foundation automatically attracts and adheres to the skin and does not shift — there’s no cakey feel, nothing. It goes on true and stays true for hours. Airspun seaborne particles (apparently the lightest on earth) create that flawless look.

[caption id="attachment_118" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="La Mer Treatment Powder Foundation SPF 15"][/caption]

I have to tell you that this is definitely one of the hits of the year in my beauty closet. It is SO good that even $95 seems like a pretty decent price to pay for a foundation (yes, I said it…) even in this economy.

The Treatment Powder Foundation, SPF 15

Available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and at La Mer.com

- Charu Suri

NIA 24 Skin Strengthening Complex is a light-weight moisturizing repair cream from the NIA 24 product line that contains clinical strength Pro-Niacin to help minimize wrinkles and fine lines while reducing the appearance of discolorations.

What exactly is Niacin?

It is actually Vitamin B3 and is one of eight water-soluble B vitamins. All the B complex family of vitamins helps with the health of the nervous system, skin, hair, eyes, mouth, and liver.

[caption id="attachment_76" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Nia 24 Skin Strengthening Complex"][/caption]

The entire NIA 24 line uses a Micronutrient Delivery system. This means beneficial ingredients penetrate the epidermis while taking action by way of a continual time-release method.

The moisturizer also contains Vitamin A to help promote elasticity. Green Tea and Rosemary act as antioxidants, ceramides for barrier building, Evening Primrose and Wheat Germ moisturize while Dermaxyl Peptide Complex works to minimize those wrinkles and fine lines.

A little bit goes a long way. I just used a pea-sized amount and applied the moisturizer to my face and neck while avoiding my eye area.

After applying it, my face didn’t feel too hydrated, which is what I think about when I think of a moisturizer, but I really didn’t mind so much. My skin felt softer and was noticeably smoother too. This non-comedogenic moisturizer didn’t feel heavy on my skin either.

I also like that it is allergy tested and fragrance, color and dye free.

Apply the moisturizer in the morning and evening to keep the fight against sun damage going 24 hours a day. The web site advocates that you do a patch test first, then apply the product in the evening and reapply every other day for one week before gradually increasing use with other Nia 24 products.

NIA 24 Skin Strengthening Complex is $85 for 1.7 fl. oz. and can be found at www.nia24.com

- Tricia M.

For now, enjoy our beauty blog!

Banana Republic: 60% plus extra 20% off. Sale ends January 1, 2009

Bergdorf Goodman: Up to 60% off, including new arrivals.

Macy’s: 20-65% off instore and online, and enter 10% promo code XMASGIFT. Valid Boxing Day and December 27th.

Neiman Marcus: 40% off Select Sale Items, post Christmas Sale. Plus a fabulous Cashmere Sale!

Old Navy: Up to 75% ONLINE only Clearance Sale.

Origins: Save up to 50% on super-sized skincare items.

Piperlime: Up to 40% off Limetag Sale.

Saks: Online and Instore up to 75% off; Boxing Day only.

Tarte Cosmetics: Year End Sale, 20% off all items plus free shipping.Enter code ENDSALE at checkout for free shipping.

Victoria’s Secret: Semi-Annual Sale, plus free shipping with code SHIP 09 with orders over $100.

Hey there dolls! I went to LUSH’s fabulous Holiday Preview event last week and came home with enough goodies to last 10 lifetimes. I loooove LUSH so it was a special treat to go to the Hudson Hotel and see what they had in store for the hols (can you believe it’s that time of the year already? OK, well it’s tiptoeing around the corner at any rate).

The theme of this year’s new arrivals was Supernatural. Think of witch cauldrons, spices, everything naughty and nice. And here are some of my fave Bubble Bars (bath bombs that you can carelessly toss into your tub and watch them froth over):

From top left, the Candy Cane Bubble Bar, the messy Christmas Morning Bubble Bar that will leave your tub looking like a ticker tape parade, the Marzibain Bubble Bar (for lovers of Marzipan), and the Witches’ Ball Bubble Bar that’s spicy with studded anise all over it.

How can you possibly choose one? Stock up a stockingful while you can, at www.lush.com