Image: Courtesy of NYDailyNews.com – Fashion’s Night Out on September 9, 2010 at Lincoln Center

As you probably know, Fashion’s Night Out is a multi-city event (from Brazil to Boston, baby!) that is the brainchild of Vogue’s Anna Wintour, Mayor Bloomberg and several other luminaries, and this incentive is to promote your fave activity: SHOPPING! You can even carve out our itinerary with the genius interactive map.

Oh, if you’re in New York, we suggest you simply scoop up these deals with a silver spoon:

Catherine Malandrino will be offering styling touch ups and blow travel products complimentary from the experts at blow NY. There will also be alive DJ and cocktails at the NYC meatpacking district boutique (652 Hudson Street). Guests will also scoop up a Malandrino-designed eco-tote and can enter a raffle to win a $1,000 gift card.

We LOVE the Tango and Touchups event at Bloomingdale’s 59th Street Lancome Counter. You’ll see spokesmodels Elettra Wiedemann and Arlenis Sosa at the Lancôme counter. (Arlenis and Elettra will be there promptly at 6 p.m.) They have professional tango dancers doing exhibitions at 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. And the tango lessons are a nod to Lancome’s fall color collection, French Coquettes.

Also, if this were not enough, why not pop by Sephora Fifth Avenue (btwn. 48th & 49th Streets) to watch Lancome’s vlogger Michelle Phan?

Lancôme’s video makeup artist Michelle Phan will be making her first personal appearance on behalf of Lancôme. She’ll be live “vlogging” in the Fifth Avenue window from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Then, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., she and Vogue assistant beauty editor Christina Han will be meeting and greeting customers and fans in the mezzanine.

This year Josie Maran is flying to the East Coast to participate in the festivities at the Sephora 5th Avenue boutique. From 7-9 PM Josie Maran, former supermodel and founder of Josie Maran Cosmetics, will be hosting her own in-store photo shoot, giving consumers mini-makeovers and pointers on how to pose like a pro before they step in front of the camera. Everyone will get the chance to experience her wonderful line of pure, natural cosmetics and enter the mini photo studio, where they can take a picture and walk away with a signed copy of their best shot with Josie. The first 100 consumers who make a purchase that evening will receive a limited edition, created specifically for FNO, Argan Oil Color Stick in Cherry Popsicle. They’ll be one of the first to try this amazing new item as the Argan Oil Color Stick doesn’t officially launch until 2011.

We’ll be adding more of our faves to this list in the next 24 hours, so keep coming back for more sweet recommendations. And in honor of Fashion Week, we’re giving away makeup and swag worth $100 to ONE lucky fashionista. Simply enter a comment below on why you think you should win…. and don’t for get to give this post a LIKE!

XOXO Bellas!

- Charu Suri

Yesterday, in Part 1 of our How to Dye Your Hair at Home series, we talked to you about at-home hair color and how to self-correct those inevitable “oopsies.” Today, we’re going to gab more about the types of coloring methods you can use, who they’re best for and what kinds of results you can expect. We also have a fab list of Pro Pointers that will make your home-coloring experience virtually fool-proof. Of course, don’t forget to read all the way down to get the skinny on our current GIVEAWAY!

Types of Coloring Methods

Highlighting

What It Is:

The illusion of sun-kissed streaks that add dimension and depth to the hair—precisely where you want it. No sun is necessary, as the bleaching of your base shade is what provides the luminous boost. And fortunately, the biggest worry with home highlights is placement, not pain. “Over-the-counter highlighting systems are very gentle,” says colorist Kyle White of the Oscar Blandi salon in New York City. “They won’t provide as much color lifting as you’d get in a salon, because beauty companies don’t want you to burn your scalp.” While every box kit comes with its own application tools (combs and brushes), colorists agree that the best way to streak solo is to lighten quarter-inch pieces only around the face and at the crown. “Trying to give yourself a full head of highlights is like trying to give yourself a face-lift,” says White. “You just can’t do it.”

How It Works:

As with any hair color that permanently lightens, ammonia lifts the cuticle and peroxide bleaches your natural pigment. It simultaneously tints the strands, and color molecules expand in size until they cannot be dislodged from the shaft during washing.

Dye Duration:

Until your roots are showing (usually eight to 10 weeks) or your hair is rehighlighted.

Who It’s Best For:

Anyone who wants bold, chunky highlights or natural-looking sun-kissed strands. “Highlights give even artificial hair color dimension and tonality, which makes strands appear thicker and more natural,” says White.

Semi-Permanent

What It Is:

An ideal introduction for hair-color virgins, this low-liability dye (also known as nonpermanent or level 1 color) acts like a stain. It can camouflage salt-and-pepper strands (if you are up to 20 percent gray) and gradually washes out. “Semipermanent color allows you to go darker or add tone and shine to your shade,” says White, “but it won’t lighten your hair.” Formulated without ammonia or peroxide, it’s the least damaging of all dyes.

How It Works:

The dark color pigment is deposited onto the surface of the hair shaft without lifting the cuticle, so your natural hair color is safely maintained inside the shaft.

Dye Duration:

Six to 12 shampoos

Who It’s Best For:

First timers; women who want to boost their natural shade but aren’t looking for permanent change; those looking to cover a few grays; risk-averse experimenters who want to test-drive a darker color.

Demi-Permanent

What It Is:

Demipermanent color (also called tone-on-tone or level 2) is marginally more opaque than a semipermanent dye, provides more lasting results, and is your best bet if you are up to 50 percent gray. It isn’t permanent, but it can stick around for quite a while, depending on how porous your hair is. “Clients come to me saying, ‘This color was supposed to last only two months, but it’s still dark!’” says Hazan. “I liken it to spilling red wine on a white T-shirt. As you wash it, the intensity fades, but the stain may remain.”

How It Works:

A touch of peroxide (2 to 5 percent, depending on the brand) allows pigment to penetrate the hair shaft without removing your natural shade.

Dye Duration:

12 to 24 shampoos

Who It’s Best For:

Women with damaged or overprocessed strands who want to infuse their shade with depth and glossiness, cover a larger number of grays, or go darker. Those who dread being beholden to a hair-coloring timetable will also like demi dye; the color fades gradually, so there’s no line of demarcation as hair grows. Box Color Breakthrough Clairol Natural Instincts Rich Color Creme Demipermanent dye has low peroxide and no ammonia, and it develops in just 10 minutes!

Permanent

What It Is:

If you know the exact shade of hair color you wish you’d been born with, permanent dye (sometimes called level 3 color) is the answer. But, like love itself, it requires commitment (the color lasts long-term and can’t be washed out) and faithfulness (you’ll need to set aside time to recolor your new hair growth every four to six weeks).

How It Works:

Ammonia or monoethanolamine (MEA) opens the hair shaft, and peroxide erases your natural shade from your hair’s melanin. This chemical interaction bonds your new shade to the cortex by causing color molecules to expand until they are too large to wash away. The lifting of the cuticle makes hair more susceptible to damage from the sun and chemical processes, but it’s the only formula that significantly lightens (other than highlights).

Dye Duration:

Until your hair grows out or is recolored

Who It’s Best For:

Brunettes who dream of having more fun as blondes; women who want to go lighter, are more than 50 percent gray, or simply want a new hair color.

Pro Pointers: Prevent goof-ups with these expert tips.

Always factor in your natural color - Just because the color on the box is blond doesn’t mean that’s what you’ll get if you have black hair. Read the box carefully to determine the result you can expect based on your starting color. And don’t assume you can cheat chemistry. Sitting around with the dye on your head won’t change what the product is able to do, says colorist Kyle White.

Start one shade lighter than you think you’d like to be - The color on the box isn’t exactly what you’ll get in real life, and sometimes you might find the espresso shade that looks so fabulous on Kim Kardashian is too harsh against your own skin. “Choosing a lighter shade at first means you won’t wind up with color that’s too dark,” says colorist Sharon Dorram.

Buy more than one box - If your hair is shoulder length, buy two boxes. And if it’s longer, buy three to be safe. “You can always return them if you’re not going to use them, but you don’t want to run out of dye mid-application,” warns White.

Never skip the strand test - “Choose a piece of hair from the underside of your head and do a test run,” says Dorram. “Dry it and examine it against your base shade to make sure you like what you see.” Having a starting point will help you tweak your development time based on how light or dark you want to go.

Keep the right tools handy - As you’re coloring, you may wish you had something small, skinny, or more textured on hand. “Collect all the tools you might need and keep them around,” says Dorram. “A small paintbrush, a cotton swab, or a toothbrush all work great.” Another tool to use: the hotline number on the box. “Keep it nearby in case you need help,” says White.

Don’t double dip - Be careful about overlapping old color with new. “If you take the root color and drag it through the ends, you’ll wind up with an inky shoe-polish shade,” says Dorram. To refresh your color evenly, she suggests mixing the dye and applying it only to your roots. Then combine more of the same dye with a drop of shampoo and, in the last five minutes of your development time, comb this mixture through to your ends.

Get the timing right - When dying your hair, start the timer when you begin applying the color, not when you finish. “It takes a while to place the color, so if you don’t factor in that lead time, you can wind up too dark or too light,” says colorist Rita Hazan.

CONTEST * CONTEST * CONTEST * CONTEST * CONTEST

To celebrate BeautyStat being featured in one of the hottest womens’ mags around, one lucky fan will win all of these products pictured below (over $150 value).

TO ENTER: All you have to do is EMAIL this post to your friends and ask them to share it with their friends (bonus points if you ask them to give BeautyStat a LIKE on Facebook). Simply click the “Email” icon (both at the beginning and end of this article) to share with your friends.

Then leave a COMMENT on this post below letting us know that you shared this with your friends (we’re on the honor system here). You’ll be immediately entered to win. Contest ends Friday at 5PM EST. Winner to be announced on Monday afternoon.

What are you waiting for??? Share BeautyStat now for your chance to win!

TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SHARE:

You can now share our tips and tricks with your friends using your account on Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, LinkedIn, Hotmail, Aol, or any other online portal! Simply click on the ‘Share’ link, which is between the ‘Email’ and (Facebook) ‘Like’ button at the top and bottom of each article, and choose your online account to easily share from there!”

How to Dye Hair

Don’t think it’s possible to dye your hair without wanting to die when it’s over? Think again.

At-Home Hair-Color Cheat Sheet

Last year, cash-strapped women flocked to drugstore hair-color aisles. And even though things are looking up in the financial sector, only a certain clientele has migrated back to the salon. “The women who come to me are looking for the salon experience,” says colorist Rita Hazan, owner of the Rita Hazan Salon in New York City. “Women who color at home just want to get the job done.”

Not that she blames them. Home hair dye is much simpler (and more effective) than it used to be. The latest formulas are easier to apply, take less time, and have lower levels of harmful ammonia and peroxide, plus the new conditioners can restore hair cuticles after coloring. “The directions inside the box are clearer now, and the help you can get from the companies over the phone has been elevated,” says Hazan. With a little bit of know-how, at-home formulas can impart rich color and mirrorlike shine, and leave your hair incredibly healthy.

The Green Scene

How “green” can you go and still get head-turning hair? Turns out, organic hair color doesn’t exist outside of natural plant-based dyes like henna. “To cover grays or go lighter, you need to use conventional hair-color technology,” says cosmetics chemist Ron Robinson, founder of BeautyStat.com. The good news? A recent report from The Journal of the American Medical Association shows no strong evidence linking hair dye to cancer. So while the ammonia and peroxide in dyes can damage your hair, it’s unlikely they’ll damage your health. Phew!

Oops…I Did It Again!

To err is human. To color correct is divine. Here are the most common home-hair-dye blunders–and how to fix them.

White Streaks – If your highlights look more albino than all-American, you can add warmth by using a semi- or demi- permanent gold tint, says colorist Sharon Dorram, owner of Sharon Dorram Color at Sally Hershberger Salon in New York City.

Brassy Roots – Brunettes trying to go platinum often find themselves with hair the color of a different metal: brass. That’s because brown hair often has red undertones, which are revealed once pigment has been lifted. To get the red out, “reapply the same shade in an ash tone.” says Dorram. “It will neutralize the brassiness.”

Too-Stark Dark - You wanted chocolaty brown but got black instead? Sprint to the shower and “shampoo your hair two or three times with Prell or another deep cleanser,” says colorist Rita Hazan. “It may help to take down the intensity.”

Want more hair-color highlights? Tomorrow, we will post Part 2 of our feature, which explains the whats and hows of hair colorant choices as well as some must-know pointers from the pros.

And The Winners are (chosen by random number generator):

Juliette wins the hair products.

2nd runner up, Kammi wins the $25 gift card.

Please email us at Info@beautystat.com to claim your prizes.  Thank you all for participating and stay tuned for more fantastic giveaways on BeautyStat.com.

CONTEST * CONTEST * CONTEST * CONTEST * CONTEST

To celebrate BeautyStat being featured in one of the hottest womens’ mags around, one lucky fan will win all of these products pictured below (over $150 value).

TO ENTER: All you have to do is EMAIL this post to your friends and ask them to share it with their friends (bonus points if you ask them to give BeautyStat a LIKE on Facebook). Simply click the “Email” icon (both at the beginning and end of this article) to share with your friends.

Then leave a COMMENT on this post below letting us know that you shared this with your friends (we’re on the honor system here). You’ll be immediately entered to win. Contest ends Friday at 5PM EST. Winner to be announced on Monday afternoon.

What are you waiting for??? Share BeautyStat now for your chance to win!

TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SHARE:

You can now share our tips and tricks with your friends using your account on Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, LinkedIn, Hotmail, Aol, or any other online portal! Simply click on the ‘Share’ link, which is between the ‘Email’ and (Facebook) ‘Like’ button at the top and bottom of each article, and choose your online account to easily share from there!”

At BeautyStat, we pride ourselves in giving you expert beauty information and advice.

But we know from your awesome comments and responses that you have some great beauty tips and tricks up YOUR sleeves, too.

So it’s share time, ladies, and we want to know: To beat the summer heat (and Lawd knows there sure has been a lot of it!) what tips do you have for taming hair frizz, controlling oily skin, helping foundation wear longer, preventing sunburn or anything else summer-related?

Post your beauty secret BELOW and give this post a LIKE to be entered to win a $50 gift card (contest ends at midnight tomorrow).

C’mon, now. Don’t be shy. Spill!

And check HERE to see if you won the Neutrogena makeup giveaway.

AND THE WINNER IS (CHOSEN AT RANDOM):

The winner is Cindy.  Cindy, please email us at Info@beautystat.com to claim your gift card. Thanks to all for entering and stay tuned for more exciting giveaways on BeautyStat.

We wanted to make sure that all of you have SEEN and SHARED some of our most popular articles.

Simply click on the links to read and share with your friends.

Brazilian Hair Treatment Before and After

Most Viewed – The Brazilian Blowout: Is It Really Worth All The Hollywood Hype? – Find out whether this hot hair treatment is right for you or not.

Woman Fired from Citibank for Being Too Hot?

Most Controversial – Engendered: Woman Fired For Being Too Hot – Do you think this woman really got fired from her job at Citibank for being too attractive?

Plus-sized Supermodel Crystal Renn

Most Commented – Curves in All the Right Places: Model Crystal Renn Succumbs to Industry Pressure – Plus-sized model Crystal Renn recently lost a lot of weight. Read the comments to see why her fans are outraged over this.

CONTEST:
Two lucky fans will receive a $25 e-gift card. All you have to do is EMAIL this post to your friends and ask them to share it with their friends (bonus points if you ask them to give BeautyStat a LIKE on Facebook). Simply click the “Email” icon both at the beginning and end of this article to share with your friends.

Then leave a COMMENT on this post below letting us know that you shared this with your friends (we’re on the honor system here). You’ll be immediately entered to win. Contest ends tomorrow, Friday at 5pm EST.

What are you waiting for??? Share BeautyStat now for your chance to win!

AND THE WINNERS ARE:

The 2 winners chosen by a random number generator are:  Debra and Pat

Debra and Pat, please email us at Info@beautystat.com to claim your $25 gift card.

TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SHARE:

You can now share our tips and tricks with your friends using your account on Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, LinkedIn, Hotmail, Aol, or any other online portal! Simply click on the ‘Share’ link, which is between the ‘Email’ and (Facebook) ‘Like’ button at the top and bottom of each article, and choose your online account to easily share from there!”

Yesterday, our guest beauty expert was Renée Rouleau.  Renée is a celebrity esthetician and trusted skin care expert who has been helping men, women and teens of all ages attain glowing, beautiful skin for more than 20 years. She has two skin care spas in Dallas, TX and an exclusive skin care line based on nine different skin types.

GIVEAWAY: All readers who leave a Comment below (ask about your biggest skincare concern and Renee will do her best to answer) AND Share this article with their friends will be entered to win a collection of her ‘top sellers’ (Elderberry Toner, Toning Cloths, Anti-Cyst Treatment, and Matte Moisture) and her newest launch (Luxe Mint Cleansing Gel), worth over $180!!
And the WINNER is (chosen by a random generator) is …………. Valerie C.

Valerie, please email us at Info@beautystat.com to claim your $180 worth of Renee’s skincare products.

Thank you all who participated….stay tuned for more exciting giveaways and the latest beauty news here on BeautyStat.

Be sure to Email our posts to your friends AND give our posts a LIKE to improve your chances of winning!

During the summer months, frizz is the #1 hair concern among women because of the high humidity. When the humidity rises, the moisture level in the air increases. This additional moisture in the air can penetrate the hair and re-arrange the bonds causing hair to change from smooth to frizzy.

For those of you who are frustrated with the performance of the plethora of anti-frizz products on the market or prefer not to have expensive Brazilian Keratin treatments at a salon, we’re offering our fans a great anti-frizz alternative.

One lucky fan will win Remington’s Anti-Frizz Flat Iron. All you have to do is share this post with your friends and ask them to give Beauty Stat a LIKE on Facebook.

Then leave a COMMENT on this post below letting us know that you shared this with your friends (we’re on the honor system here). You’ll be immediately entered to win. Contest ends this Monday at 11pm EST.

So what are you waiting for? Frizz doesn’t go away all by itself!

Dr. Dennis Gross is our resident beauty expert for the week, and he is on tap to answer your most burning skincare questions for your chance to score one of the brand new sunscreens from DG Skincare.

What do you have to do to win? It’s as simple as riding a bike (or using sunscreen!):

1. Post your question to our Facebook page so everyone can view the answer. There is a limit of one question per person, per day for the next five days (no cheating )

2. Winners will be chosen at random and announced in the Comments section of this post, daily. So make sure you check back to see if you’ve won.

3. Make sure you spread the word and the giveaway love! Tell your friends and family and make them a fan of BeautyStat on Facebook.

Good luck! With the sun coming out and dancing during the summer months, we’ll all need to benefit from some good, solid SPF love. And how often do you get to pick the brain of a well-known derm AND possibly snag some sunscreen, right? So ask, share and score! You’re welcome!

- Charu Suri

We’re so excited to offer our Facebook Fans the opportunity to win over $250 worth of beauty products from makeup, skincare, body and hair products to fragrance. The products include:

Lancome La Laque Fever Lipstick

Kate Somerville Somer360 Tanning Towelettes

Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Awakening Face Massager

Rodan & Fields Soothe Sensitive Skin Treatment

Revlon Double Twist Mascara

Loreal Revitalift Deep Set Wrinkle Repair for Eyes

Neutrogena Nourishing Eyeliner

Stimulash Fusion Intensive Night Conditioning Lash Enhancer

Liquid Keratin Infusing Deep De-Frizz Hair Conditioner

Memoire Liquide Fragrance

Want to win? Here’s what you do:

Suggest to all your friends that they become a Fan of BeautyStat. THEN, come back here to leave a comment you did (honor system, here!) by this Wednesday, April 21st by midnight EST. You’ll be entered into a drawing to win these beauty goodies.

Winner to be announced Friday. Thanks and good luck!

To Suggest BeautyStat to your Friends, click on the the “Suggest to your Friends” below our Facebook logo. You can then select whichever Friends you want. Easy huh?

Click here now to get started!

But you’ve got to look the part…and this is where we come in, dolls! Considering that it’s both Fashion Week AND Valentine’s Day both on the same weekend makes me think of Carrie Bradshaw in Sex & The City running with her pair of Manolo Blahnik’s across the town from party to party…

Here’s a giveaway to make you get well heeled on several levels. Ready? We are giving away these beautiful goodies to TWO lucky winners. Simply enter a comment below to be considered and get beautified for Fashion Week and V-Day effortlessly!

Korres’ Love Your Lips Lipstick Set ($57 value)

Going au natural in the Mediterranean just got a whole lot easier with this luscious line from Greek brand Korres. These three glosses give your lips some serious emollience with with cherry oil –and they give enough color to your lips that would make a crayola box blush.

Victoria’s Secret Poptimistic Lip Palettes ($14)

Give your pout a pop that everyone’s talking about with this 80′s-inspired palette that let’s you shine any time. These Lip Palettes contain some rocker glosses that will become your (and your lover’s) BFF.

MD Perricone Cold Plasma Eye ($120)

Skip that visit to the dermatologist in favor of Perricone MD’s Cold Plasma Eye, a new moisturizing treatment for under eyeskin of all ages. Cold Plasma Eye is an under eye treatment cream that took five years to make, and retails for around $95. We have seen such a difference to our under eye area that our raccoon-like circles vanished practically overnight. Trust us, you don’t want to waltz into a fashion show looking like you’re a half asleep owl, do you?

The Cold Plasma Eye (QVC Item # A94004) is actually not on the shelves yet, so you’re getting a real treat. It will be offered exclusively through QVC starting in March, and will become a full fledged member of the Perricone MD products available on QVC (if you really want to get your sexy paws on it, call 800.345.1515 or visit www.QVC.com in March).

Soft Lips Tinted Chapsticks ($3.99 each)

Never let your mouth have the option of drying out with this drug store-staple. We love these slim as cigarettes balms that come in so many delicious flavors from vanilla to strawberry that we’ve planted some on every purse, pocketbook and coat pocket we own (and some stashed in the car’s glove compartment too).

Maybelline Shine Sensational Lip Glosses

Rich honey gives you summer-soft lips and pure pigmented color in the dead-end of winter. These lip glosses have become my absolute favorite this year. They are simply oozing with moisture and are so pretty that your lips will be more kissable than Kim Kardashian’s. Or the newly-single Angeline Jolie.

Two Maybelline Eye Studio Marbleized Eyeshadows

Marble: It’s not just for swanky hotel lobbies anymore. Add a little class to your eyelids with this swirly palette.

Cover Girl Smoky Shadow Blast

Creating a fabulous smoky eye worthy of the red carpet is now feasible even if you’re not a makeup artist – two perfectly paired shades give you a bold yet sooty look.

Avon Mark’s Killer Beauty Animal Palette and High Shine Gloss

Avon’s hip, younger, “I’m as cool as Lauren Conrad” line mark division boasts a new Pretty Wild Color & Shine Lip Gloss that offers you a high-shine option and the packaging is a cute leopard print that does not change its spots. The mark Pretty Wild Color Palette offers a variety of creamy and shiny shades that are like Cartier jewels. It’s only $14 and makes a perfect budget conquest.

Guerlain’s Spring 2010 Makeup Collection

We are completely swooning of Guerlain’s Ombre Eclat Eyeshadow Palette and the Blush Eclat palette that reminds us so much of Spring’s blushing cheeks and Asian Parasol insignias. Trust us when we say these two will stand out like beacons on your vanity.

So, good luck and hope to read your comments very soon! Contest expires February 11th and winners will be picked the same day.