Tricks and Tips Du Jour 11.23.10

I know, I have been a very bad blogger. Ah well, such is life. It was my birthday on Saturday and then I came down with a wicked flu. Not fun at all.

Anyway, I thougt I would share my secrets of how to look healthy when you are sick. I think I have perfected this art at this point as I seem to always be sick with some sort of cold or flu now. Which off of the topic, but really baffles me. I eat healthy, I exercise, I treat my body well and I take vitamins. I am actually going to try some alternative eastern types of medicine. If anyone has good advice let me know!

Anyyyywayyy, back to the point of this post, how to get your beauty routine on point when you do not look so hot.

#1. First of all, drink TONS of water to keep you hydrated. I know, I for one, tend to get very dried out from being sick. My skin and hair will look dry. I combat this with tons of water and Creme de La Mer moisturizer.

#2. Already mentioned above, but prime your face with a good moisturizer. Like I said, I get dry and the last thing you want to look is flaky and dry. Its bad enough you feel crappy, you don't have to look it too!

#3. Next I use a moisturizing foundation for the above reasons. My go to favorite is Chanel Vitalumiere. This is my old faithful, I have been using this for 8 years now. I cant even believe it. I really do not wear foundation anymore, but when I'm sick my nose is red and i look a bit uneven, therefore foundation it is!


#4. Vitalumiere is extremely moisturizing so it will need to be set with a powder. I like to use MAC's Refined MSF (From the sugarsweet collection). It is a light peach with a very subtle opalescence to it. I actually use this all over my face to give a glow. I love this powder, it sets my makeup without being powdery. I have a back up of this that I picked up at the CCO! Score!!

#5 Concealer. Lord knows I need concealer when I am sick. I get dark circles like no ones business, my favorite concealer is Make Up Forever's palette concealer. It has a peach one to counteract blueness. Also another trick is to take white eyeliner (I uses NYX jumbo pencil in Milk) and dot it on JUST the darkest parts and then blend your concealer over it. It works like magic. I don't know why, but it does!


#6. Blush!!! You need blush. I use a nude, dusty pink. My personal favorite right now is NARS Douceur. Its an amazing color. Check this color out!


#7. On my eyes, I do not want to look like I am wearing a lot of makeup but I want to look fresh and alive (opposite of how you look when you have the flu). I used specifically NARS Nepal eyeshadow (a peachy rose champagne) on the lid to warm up my eyes. Then I use NARS Blondie (a warm taupe- HIGHLY pigmented). I tend to go for warm tones when I am sick because cool tones can wash you out. Also, a good trick is not to use black when you are sick, it just looks too harsh! I line my lower lash line with Urban Decay Baked 24/7 eye pencil, a warm soft gold to give some life. However, I still use a black mascara to top it off! Do not forget to curl your lashes, this helps you look wide eyed (Again, opposite of what I really am with the Flu).


#8. Lip Balm, I am a HUGE fan of Nivea Lipbalms. You need to use that when you are sick because we all know, lips get dry from colds.

#9. Lipstick to give your face some color, I like to go with something very subtle but definitely not nude. Nude will be way harsh id you are sick. I went with a light peach, NARS Barbarella.


ANDDDDDDDDDDDDDD thats it!!
Hope this helps some of you during evil flu season!

Let me know your tricks and tips!
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Obsession Du Jour 11.11: Illamasqua Scarab

It is officially fall here, well basically winter. It always feels like we completely skip fall and move straight to winter in New York City. Ah well... anyway, I have found my new favorite nail polish color. I always am on the hunt for the perfect deep red with the perfect about of shimmer.

Alex from Illamasqua recently sent me a nail polish to check out, Scarab from the new Art of Darkness collection.



I am OBSESSED! Ever since I got it (about a month ago) I have been wearing it on my nails and toes. It is perfect for the colder months. I would describe it has a deep cranberry with a metallic finish. I am very picky about nail polishes, I like a shimmer but I want the shimmer to read metallic and not just shimmer and Illamasqua has achieved this. This is actually really hard to find in a nail polish. This is THE perfect holiday color.

The formula is great, creamy and perfectly thick without being goopy. I hate very thin nail polish. You only need 1 coat but I like to use 2 coats for full opacity.

$14 is a bit pricey for nail polish, but not as expensive as Chanel, Mac I believe is $11 but this blows MAC's quality out of the water. If you want to splurge on an amazing deep red, this is your best best!

You can find a beautiful nail swatch here at Temptalia.com.

Have you tried it? Will you?
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Inspiration Du Jour 11.10.10

We just got the Nov 2010 Jalouse Magazine in the office. I am OBSESSED with this makeup on Erin Wasson. I love the Nude Matte Lip with the oily smokey eye. Very dirty sexy.

I also love that mini dress with a big sweater over it. I must try that look this week!


Image: KnightCat

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Lanvin X H&M: Lipsticks!

Soooo... I am not all that interested in the Lanvin for H&M that has the whole interwebs a buzzin'.

However, I got wind of something that IS exciting.




There. will. be. lipsticks!

This is the first time that Lanvin has ever put their name on a make up item and @ 9.95 a pop I would love to snatch up all the colors! There will be 4 shades: Red, Bordeaux, Old Rose and Hot Pink. Plus, HOW cute is the packaging?

Will you wait on line and endure the craziness on Nov 20th (MY BIRTHDAY)?
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MAC Obsession Du Jour: CHAM PALE

FINALLY!

A MAC collection I am SO excited about. This is right up my alley!
I love love love Lip Gelee's and all nude colors so you know I will be snatching A LOT of this up!
NUDE NUDE AND MORE NUDES!

MAC Cham-Pale Collection

U.S. Launch Date: December 26th, 2010

Lipstick [US$ 14.50]
Flustered -frosted pale bronze (F)
Quiet, Please (L)
Tanarama
Gel

Lipgelee [US$ 14.50]
Bubble Lounge -sparkly pink peach
Straight To The Head -sparkly brown bronze
Sin-Tillation -sparkly pale icy pink
Luxure -off white with pink pearlized pigments

Caviar Dreams quad
Brule
Et, Tu Bouquet?
Caviar Dreams - midtone frosted pewter
Retrospeck

paint pot [US$16.50]
Chilled on ice-frosted white gold
Vintage Selection-frosted midtone peach
Dangerous Cuvee-frosted cool grey
Let Me Pop-frosted light copper

eye kohl [US$ 14.50]
I Get No Kick-metallic nude

kohl power
Feline

Chromographic Pencil
nc15/nw20
nw25/nc30

Studio Fix Lash
Black Fix

special reserve highlight powder [US$ 28.00]

Chez Chez Lame-soft gold with silver shimmer
Rose Ole-soft pink with gold shimmer

nail lacquer [US $ 13.00]
Soiree-sparkly light bronze gold
Very Important Platinum-midtone platinum

Complete Comfort Creme (perm, LE in asia)- [US$ 32.00]

calms and soothes irritated skin immediately and over time and relieves sensitive skin while diminishing the appearance of redness, irritation and blotchiness. over time, the gentle, soothing formula helps reduce the appearance of broken capillaries and helps even out skin tone. it contains algae extracts that visibly reduce redness and blotchiness on the skin, both immediately and over time. kukui nut oil provides moisturization and emollient, while kola seed extract acts as an anti-irritant to help soothe irritated skin. it contains wheat germ and barley extracts that help strengthen the skin's natural lipid barrier over time. it moisturizes and softens the skin immediately and over time and improves skin tone over time. its derm- and ophth-tested, non-acnegenic and suitable for all skint types, including sensitive skin.

Fix+ lavender (LE) [US $ 19.00]

LC SPF15 lavender (LE) [US $14.50]

TLC SPF15 lavender (LE) [US $ 14.50]
Calm Mode-light neutral beige

And here are some pictures to WET YOUR WHISTLE!







What are you excited about?
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Inspiration 11.7.10

Obsessed with this shoot from Elle Spain.
I love this models hair, makeup and overall look!

Bravo Elle!




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Quick! Amazing Deal of the Day 11.4.10

Hola!

I wanted to quickly post this amazing deal from Sephora. They are running a promo for $10 for a NARS eyeshadow duo which would normally run you about $32 plus tax. I would jump on this boat and pick both colors up! Thats only $20 for two shadows that would normally be $64.

Amazing Deal!

Go here to order, I am sure the stock will run out quickly! http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P276500

Let me know if you guys pick them up!
I picked up both- couldn't let this deal pass me by!

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Obsession Du Jour 11.3.10

Hi Ladies (and by Ladies I mean Ladies. This post is directed you guys!)

This is a semi- odd topic but I wanted to share. I just ordered myself and my younger twin sisters a present.

An odd present albeit. I ordered us Pepper spray. I read an article about how it saved all these women's lives and I decided my sisters MUST have them. My sisters are in college and I live in new york city. You can never be too protected and safe. One of my sisters is going abroad for 5 months as well.

I found a great website that sells swarovski encrusted pepper sprays. How amazing? Safe and cute!



I picked the gold tone with gold crystals for my sisters and I. I love it, it is really so cute. Carry your pepper spray and be proud! Who knows when it could save your life...right?

If you guys are interested check out the website here http://www.pepperface.com/store/products.html

I also found a 25% off coupon code. The code is OCT2010

Let me know if you decide to use it!
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The Happiness Project 11.2.10

Hi Guys,

I thought now would be a great time to make this post. You may have noticed I have been cleaning out and selling a lot of my makeup and a lot of you have asked me why. I will tell you why and how it all came about.

I have recently started reading "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin. I am only a quarter of the way into it but am SO inspired (watch this quick segment about why she wrote this book HERE ). Inspired to organize and attempt to downsize and live a bit more "simply". I will go more into this later but I decided to start with my clothes and makeup.

I first started with clothing and shoes, I am the first to admit I have a lot of clothes and a lot of shoes. I do not REALLY need all of it (I guess need is a subjective term haha). I first cleaned out 4 bags of clothing and 2 of shoes to be donated to charity. I love donating to charities because you are helping out people and cleaning out and organizing your own space. It makes me feel food to know I am helping out others. A lot of people were fortunate to be born into the families they were and to be able to live as comfortably as they do. I think it is important to give back in anyway you can. Donating clothing and shoes is the least you can do and VERY easy. I urge everyone to try to donate something, even if it is only one piece. There is someone out there that can use it! The two charities I use are the Salvation Army (they have drop offs all over) and VVA (you can schedule a pick up of bags of clothing here http://www.pickupplease.org/vva/veterans-donation.aspx?gclid=CMbU2-XBg6UCFU465QodUleQOw).

After the clothing and shoes were done I moved on to more treacherous territory....makeup! Ah! The amount of makeup I had was actually scaring me. I felt like I should be on an episode of hoarders. Really there is no need for that much, will I still buy makeup? Of course! But, what it has helped me do is realize I don't need so much, I should be pickier and helps me find things easier (which means getting ready in the morning quicker!!). The funny thing is, I do not even wear a lot of makeup daily! Unfortunately, I couldn't donate the makeup, all makeup donations have to be unused and new for sanitary reasons, (obviously), so to make a long story short that is what the reason was for all the blog sales.

I highly highly recommend the Happiness Project to everyone. I am going to review it later on my blog and post some helpful tips in case you are interested in starting to organize also.

Two great tips I will leave you with today are:

- the one-minute rule (learn about it here): If you can do it in one minute, just do it right away. Do not leave it for later. I am so guilty of coming home from work and throwing things around. It would take me one minute to hang up my coat, but I dont. I throw it down and pile other stuff on top. The one-minute rule really helps and I love it! DO not procrastinate. Procrastination is the root of all evil, well not at all but thats funny to say!

- tidy before bed: Every night, take 5 minutes to tidy up. You don't realize but this sort of tidy-ing up really helps to combat the clutter and mess.

Gretchen, the author has a great blog here: http://www.happiness-project.com/

I have also been reading this great blog on organizing daily: http://unclutterer.com/

Hope this post has inspired you to donate to charity and embark on your own happiness project.

Get organizing!

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Obsession Du Jour 10.26.10

I have always LOVED Drew Barrymore. Ever since ET, from50 first Dates (One of my personal faves!) to Grey Gardens. Oh! And who can forget The Wedding Singer? I love the characters she portrays and I love her wild child/ flower child appeal. Her style, however, sometimes leaves something to be desired.

However, I am in LOVE with this shoot. She looks amazing. I will go as far to say this might be the best she has ever looked! Her hair has got it GOING on. She's embracing the whole Ombre hair style that's ever so popular right now!

Take a peak below:






Thoughts?
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Obsession Du Jour 10.22.10

Everyone knows about my love affair with Illamasqua, it is no secret.

I have been feeling not so inspired my makeup recently. Everything has been looking very much the same. Mac has been completely disappointing me with their collections and just about everyone else too. Forget NARS, one of my most favorite brands ever just has recently failing to excite me.

I got a lovely surprise email from Alex, whom I am sure you all know. The wonderful Junior Brand Manager and writer of the Illamasqua blog, http://illamasqua.blogspot.com/, wondering if I had checked out the new collection, Art of Darkness. Funnily enough, that day I had JUST ordered Ore Pigment and Resolute Liquid Metal from Sephora. Anyway, She send me a little gift and in it are two of my absolute favorite things for fall currently. The one I will talk about in this post is the 4 liquid metal palette.

I . AM. IN. LOVE.

The colors are absolutely fantastic, especially for someone like me, who is a color phobe! You know I hate cheesey colored eye shadows. HOWEVER, these are so classic and sophisticated. They are dark so they do not scream "hi, i am a 14 year old playing with makeup for the first time".

The formula is great, you can wear on the cheeks, lips or eyes. I have been wearing the red on my lips and it is a perfect deep cranberry. I also am loving the navy on the eyes. It gives the perfect smokey sexy eye. On the eyes, yes they crease, however, I love when cream shadows crease. It gives that rocker sexy look. I am into it.

I also love the gold rubbed onto your cheekbones, makes your skin look metallic and amazing!

Anyway, let me stop babbling and show you!








All my US ladies, go to Sephora and snag this! Very much worth it.
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Friends and Family 2010

So here it is the Sephora Friends and Family discount code: FF2010
Starting Oct 22nd- Nov 3rd, online only and US based only.

Let me know what you all get!

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Obsession Du Jour 10.19.10

Now that the weather is finally getting cold, red lipstick has been calling the song of the sirens to me.

I love red lips in the winter. Everyone wears a red lip differently, personally i like to wear my red lips when i am dressed down. I like to wear it with jeans and a white soft slouchy tee or even a Heather grey t to switch it up. I like the juxtaposition of a classically dressed up red lip with a casual downtown vibe. I also am a fan of red lips in the winter because I love red against white skin, something about it reminds me of a cool snow white.

My favorite red lipsticks are:
NARS Jungle Red
MAC Russian Red
Chanel Lacque in Red Dragon and Cormorandel.

What is yours?

Two of my favorite red lip inspiration photos:



Me rocking a red lip with a white tee and a braid. This was taken in the dead of winter when I was VERY pale. I love the look of red lips and white skin! (This is Chanel's Red Dragon)

Whats your favorite way to wear a red lip?
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Favorites Du Jour 10.18.10

I wanted to do a quick post on four of my favorite things right now that I can not leave the house without. I must have these 4 things in a 5 ft radius of me AT ALL TIMES!

- Essie Nail polish in Chinchilly- the perfect taupe
- MAC lipstick in Beachbound (a light peach shimmer)
- Nivea Essential Care (Just like the old school La Bello- my favorite lip balm EVER)
- Starbucks Venti Non Fat No Foam latte with chocolate powder



What are your favorites that you must have at all times with you right now?
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Sephora Friends and Family 2010

Rumblings around the web are telling us that Sephora Friends and Family is starting Oct 22nd.
I will update this post when I get more info.

I wanted to share my short Friends and family list.

Whats on yours?

- Fresh Lemon Sugar Body Scrub (prob 6th time purchasing this)
- Refill Of D&G Perfume "The One"- love this
- Big bottle of Fresh Cannibus Santal perfume
- Refill of NARS Casino

and thats it!

What are you guys planning on getting?

Inspiration Du Jour 10.15.10

Happy Friday to everyone!

I am dying over this spread in L'Officiel. My best friend Stephanie showed me this and I went crazy for the makeup in it.

Photographer Gaetan Caputo captures Helene Desmettre in bold and vibrant looks for the October edition of L’Officiel Ukraine. Aided by hair stylist Philippe Gonay and makeup artist Olivier Baille, Caputo creates a story of opulent glamour styled by Lea De Nesle.





My favorite is the first girls Bordeaux lips and the last girls sparkly black cat eye. Steph and I are going out this weekend, I am going to do this black sparkley eye for our Saturday night out together.

Whats your favorite look?

ENJOY!
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Mini Fashion Blog Sale 10.12.10

Today is a sad day but I am finally doing it. I bought a pair of YSL Tribute boots that were way too big but I HAD to have them, unfortunately they just don't fit and I am have been staring at them lovingly for a while now.

I decided that they deserve to go to a better home. To a bigger footed fashionista, and it has to go to a fashionista because these boots epitomize a confident fashionista.

Anyway, ill get on with it, sadly albeit.
These are a size 7 YSL Patent Tribute Too Boots with a blue sole. They have a whopping 5 inch heel but a 1.5 inch platform so they are actually very comfortable.

They retail for over $1000.00, I am listing on ebay for $600, but on here they will be negotiable ($500) :)

Here they are!

On the Aldridge Momma...

On one of my favorite bloggers, Chauss... Check her out! http://ckparis.blogspot.com/
Damn this woman can rock a hot shoe like no other!

Next up I have for sale, the Frye Motorcycle boots in 8r in black (the short ankle boot) in a size 5.5. These I am selling for $150. Listing on ebay for $200.

I have so many designer gorgeous shoes that I just don't need, I rather share the love!! My sisters unfortunately aren't my size which is such a bummer!

post to come later!

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Brazilian Controversy Du Jour 10.11.10

After getting my Brazilian blowout done last Wednesday news of its controversy has just surfaced. This was the second time I have gotten it done and I LOVED it. the first time I couldn't even believe there was a product on the market that could make my crazy wild frizz prone hair so smooth, soft and lustrous. The second time I got just as amazing results. Frizz free soft and shiny hair, what more could I ask for? Well.... I guess a safe product?

Anyway, billed as formaldehyde free formula is is the safest of the keratin treatments on the market...or is it?



From WWD: The professional hair-smoothing treatment called Brazilian Blowout — one of the biggest innovations in the salon industry in the last decade — is enmeshed in a controversy that calls into question the safety of ingredients used in its popular salon service. Accusations that the formula contains formaldehyde — classified as a probable carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — has sparked a backlash from several high-profile salons and consumers clamoring for independent lab testing of the product’s formula.

The dustup began after the Oregon Health & Science University’s Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology last week released lab results that indicated the Brazilian Blowout formula ... contained between 4.85 percent and 10.6 percent formaldehyde.

The company, Brazilian Blowout LLC of Hollywood, markets the straightening treatment as formaldehyde free on its Web site and promotional materials. Its manufacturer, Cadiveu Brasil, also touts the formulas as formaldehyde free.

The 90-minute hair straightening process involves clarifying the hair with shampoo, applying the formula strand by strand, followed by blow-drying and flat-ironing the hair.

Brazilian Blowout chief executive officer Mike Brady and co-president and salon owner Devin Semler told WWD in an exclusive interview Thursday that its own recent tests conducted by Acc U Bio-Chem Labs of Glendale, Calif., showed formaldehyde levels ranging from 0.00049 percent to 0.49 percent. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), an industry organization charged with assessing the safety of ingredients used in cosmetics, has declared that in order for a beauty product to be considered safe it should contain 0.2 percent of free formaldehyde or below. Prior to this test, the firm was going by results performed by Cadiveu Brasil, which is based in the South American country, which showed even lower levels of formaldehyde, 0.0002 percent.

Brady said that if the formaldehyde levels found in Oregon are true, then the finger should be pointed to its manufacturer, Cadiveu Brasil.

Patty Schmucker, a consultant for Cadiveu USA, a U.S. counterpart of the Brazilian firm which was formed three months ago, said the results found in Orgeon are a result of Brazilian Blowout tampering with formulas.

Brady denied this accusation.

“I am very concerned because I want to do everything right,” Brady said, adding that what may be his only choice going forward is to sever ties with Cadiveu and establish his own, U.S.-based, FDA-regulated manufacturing plant that would batch test every shipment.

In a move that casts a doubt on the formula’s “formaldehyde free” claim, Frédéric Fekkai salons removed Brazilian Blowout from its service menu in September, just several months after offering it at each location. Its parent company, Procter & Gamble Co., had tested the formula and found levels of formaldehyde.

“We wanted to make sure this product was living up to its claims,” said P&G spokesman Brent Miller on why the company tested the formula. “The product billed itself as formaldehyde free. Our testing showed that it contained high levels of formaldehyde and, as a result, we no longer offer the treatment,” he said, adding there was a substantive difference between the level deemed safe by CIR and the level of formaldehyde found in the Brazilian Blowout. “We feel very confident in our science,” said Miller. "

What do you all think about this?
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Make Up Forever Du Jour 10.1.10

I completely forgot to do a post about something very exciting for my fellow New Yorkers. I opened up WWD and it smacked me in the face! Well guess what? A Make Up forever Shop in shop is opening in Soho!! While, I for one am ecstatic about this, my wallet for sure isn’t. I work a measly three blocks away! Uh oh!

Anyway, Sephora is teaming up with Make Up For Ever for a store-in-store, with the first to open today at the retailer’s SoHo store. The next one that will open will be in Vegas @ the Venetian Hotel and then the third will be in South Coast Plaza in California on Oct 15!

From WWD.com “ The in-store boutiques, which range from 600 to 750 square feet, are intended to resemble a backstage environment, including studio makeup stations and lighting and an entrance separate from the main store entry point. Each will stock more than 1,200 Make Up For Ever stock keeping units, including professional-only and special effects products. At present, only Make Up For Ever’s Manhattan flagship offers these items, most Sephora stores carry anywhere from 400 to 600 of Make Up For Ever sku’s. (What that means is there will be TONS of products that sephora never carried! Very fun! )

“Three things influenced the decision to do these boutiques,” said David Suliteanu, president and chief executive officer of Sephora Americas. “First, Make Up For Ever is one of our largest brand partners and is an exclusive brand partner. Second, we both feel that Make Up For Ever’s consumer brand recognition isn’t where it could be. And finally, Make Up For Ever has an amazing history and expertise in makeup artistry.”

The separate entrance is key as well, said Suliteanu. “It’s really important for the consumer to realize that this is a Make Up For Ever space. Obviously, they can cross-shop and pay for things in either space, but the staff is clearly Make Up For Ever, and there is clear difference in environment.”

I cant wait to check it out? Will you be checking it out?

Are you a Make Up Forever fan?

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