August 2008 Archives

From what I hear (and Beauty Snob Tina can definitely correct me on this one), but it is said that Renee Rouleau's Dallas spa is a must-stop when in the area, especially for her facials. She has quite the celeb following (Rouleau is pictured above with Ali Landry), and though I have yet to stop by her spa, I have tried some products from her beauty line and am loving her Aloe Cleansing Milk, $30.50. I actually usually prefer foam cleansers, but this lotion did a very, very effective job at removing all traces of makeup, dirt and other nasty build-up - one night when I hadn't worn any makeup that day, I used it and couldn't believe all the dirt that had accumulated on my face just from walking around running errands - eeck! If it gets so much off when you're not wearing makeup, you can just imagine what my wash cloth looked like when I used it when I was wearing makeup! What a relief though that it was able to get so much off and clean my face! Best of all the cleanser doesn't stripe moisture from your skin, so unless your skin is super-dry you shouldn't have to apply any moisturizer after using this.

 

I had a facial last week somewhere new, and of course- they begin by asking what products I use on a daily basis. My esthetician was shocked and horrified when I admitted that I did not use sunscreen every day (I know!! It's terrible!). Since then I have been in an all out product frenzy to find a moisturizer with a decent  SPF. There are two reasons I can't stand wearing sunscreen 1) the smell 2) the greasy feeling you're left with. Skin Renew Anti Sun-Damage daily moisture lotion does such a fantastic job of masking the smell of the sunscreen agent with a light fruity scent, that for once in my life I looked forward to putting in on!! (I caution you, this is not for those of you purists that hate any scent in your products. ) And with a 28 spf that covers both the uva and uvb spectrum, Skin Renew will carry you through your entire day without the necessity to reapply.  As for the greasy feeling: Garnier is better than most but I'm not sure you can get around ANY residual product unless you're using a powder mineral makeup with spf (which I don't entirely trust) so just using one pump and following with light dust of powder instead of liquid foundation should do the trick. Plus, since it also reduces the signs of aging- maybe all those years of forgoing my spf can be undone?? (at least I can hope!!) ...and with a price tag of just $12.99 ---what have you got to loose besides more sun damage?

Bag Snob gets flashy with Nancy Gonzalez Flat Croc Clutches!

Tot Snob pays homage to Florence Azria Our local hero.

Couture Snob asks: Are Animal Prints Snob or Slob?

Beauty Snob doesn't leave home without Chantecaille Just Skin!

Coming Through the Piperline: Mighty Moccasins over at FabSugar

Fashion Indie Week Brooklyn.
Fashiontribes -the inspiration behind some of the upcoming Spring 2009 collections.
Stiletto Jungle- Reese Witherspoon's super trendy cropped boyfriend jeans.
Allie is Wired says Solange isn't nearly as classy as sis Beyonce.
BagBliss-choosing a classic designer handbag.
Second City Style-stay seasonally correct!
The Shoe Goddess - building a shoe wardrobe. !
Kristopher is wanting, wearing, hating David Hall Hodges crocodile designs.
StyleBakery.com has the scoop on Fall's Top 10 Trends.
Stylehive-Project Runway castoff says he just wasn't inspired anymore.
Coquette says to get ready for chic lady-like hats for fall.

I have to say I'm a very self-conscious person and always, always hard on myself. That's why in a sort of mean, selfish kind of way I'm happy that the days of really fabulous models -- models with personalities and distinctive characteristics -- like Linda, Christy, Claudia, and Cindy -- are gone. Instead today we are left with 14 year old stick figures who are practically indistinguishable from one another -- why is this good? I see them and marvel at the clothes and makeup and pay zero attention to the models themselves -- if I see Naomi walking down a runway or Christie Brinkley on the cover of New York Magazine that's when I get down on myself (funny how insecurities never go away...). One model though that I think takes the cake even more so than the original supermodels is Gisele -- the girl has got it going on..damn! And what I love most about her is that she has a toned and fit body, something my lazy, averse to working-out self admires and of course, she has fabulous golden brown skin -- which my white as paper self admires even more!!:) So of course I tried Lamas Beauty's Citrus-C Facial Cleanser ($19, but I've seen it cheaper, so you may be able to surf around and find it for less), when I heard that she's a fan (funny too that I jumped on it, because for the most part I'll try anything on my body, but am very picky when it comes to cleansers since my skin is super-sensitive..). I have to say that I love the smell of this cleanser -- you def have to love orange though -- it reminds me of those orange popsicles filled with vanilla ice-cream (anyone else eat those when they were younger!?). It's also organic, paraben-free, and works great as a makeup remover:) Also, its supposedly good for acne-prone skin. I haven't used it long enough to say for sure whether it can help your complexion beyond just removing impurities, but the soothing effect of the chamomile and the smell are enough to get my approval:)

I mentioned how much I loved Chantecaille Just Skin SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer a couple of weeks ago but it wasn't until I arrived in Philadelphia that I realize how much I really need it!  We took an afternoon flight out on Sunday and had plans for dinner at Buddahkan upon arrival and I put this tube in my bag to touch up on the plane and I was fresh and dewy when we landed-- ready for our big night out on the town in Philly!  I love Philadelphia but the weather in August is muggy and grimy and the last thing I want to do is smother my pores with foundation.  But I do like a nice coverage which Chantecaille's Just Skin gives me without the heaviness.  You can layer it to the degree of coverage you like or just smudge on a single coat for the most natural look.  I tried several colors before settling for Nude, just the perfect shade that blends into most skin tones.  It is excellent for traveling, most foundations come in cumbersome glass bottles, this is a lightweight little tube that you can keep in your bag for touch ups when and where you want!  As with all things Chantecaille, it is a bit expensive but oh so worth it!  Chantecaille Just Skin SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer $62 at eLuxury.com

Bag Snob loves the Anya Hindmarch Vigo Bag!

Couture Snob has the Skirt Trend: Lean, Mean, and skinny!

Tot Snob loves the adorable Williams Sonoma Sandwich Cutter!

Purse Blog loves the Judith Leiber jeweled mini boxes!

Bella Sugar has Beauty Mark Results: Fashion Week, Here I Come!

I've been very into colored eye liner lately (love the ones from Clarins), which is pretty rare for me, so I've been sticking to more neutral/dark metallic shadows for my eyes, which I think is fitting with fall coming-up -- right?! What's great about colored eye liner is that you can just throw it on along with some shadow and mascara and your face is instantly livened-up -- how effortlessly fresh does Kate Hudson's makeup look?  LORAC has a wonderful palette to go with your colored eye pencils -- it's their new Multi-Platinum Palette, $37 and it's for eyes and cheeks. It's a spin-off of LORAC's Croc Palette, $35 so it has the same faux-croc exterior which I have to say I'm not the biggest fan of, but I can ignore it because for $37 even though I only like 4 out of the 6 eye colors and don't need the blush, is a steal. The colors are nice and soft, and long-lasting (didn't reapply all day). They have a slight shimmer which I love and you can use them wet or dry. Another stand-out from the new LORAC collection is their Double Feature Concealer/Highligher, $24 -- this has about a million different uses, but I like it best because it's a quick cover-up for dark circles which is essential when prepping your eyes for all the attention they'll be getting with colored eye pencils!!

While most probably remember Lara Flynn Boyle as that fashion train-wreck (who could forget the 2003 Golden Globes when she wore that awful ballerina mess of an outfit), I always associate Boyle with old-Hollywood glamour. I know she got a loooot of flack for her uber-thin body, but her facial features (those cheekbones!), gave her this femme fatale aura that I always loved. Of course I can't know for sure where her stamina and confidence in the face of so much bad press stemmed from, but maybe it had something to do with Pevonia's Anti-Stress Bath & Shower Gel!??! I know, I know wishful thinking:) But I did read that she's a fan of Pevonia Botanica, which is a line many of you have probably seen when you've gone in for your spa treatments. They have an Anti-Stress Bath & Shower Gel, $28.50 that is remarkably refreshing -- obviously it doesn't have any serious anti-stress capabilities, but I've been kind of stressed for no reason lately --  you know those days where you have serious heart palpitations, but can't pinpoint why? Perhaps it's my upcoming trip (I used to be so careless when it came to flying! Also my parents are in Tel Aviv, my boyfriend is in New Orleans, and my best friend left for Paris..so I have no one to whine to...and no one to watch The Hills with:(..). When I'm feeling a little down it's nice to lather on a foaming gel cleanser in the shower that has one of those smells that you can just take deep breath and for a second forget that you're a ball of stress (maybe picture yourself in Bali and actually feel like you're there for a few moments!) -- the shower gel is made with Sweet Almond Oil (for moisture), Linden Extract (good for healing blemishes), and Lavender Oil (loooove lavender, this for me is the key to this products calming effect)..Ahh..if I didn't have a pet peeve about pruny skin I couldd stay in the shower all day:-)

When I was on TV, I learned many tricks from my make up artist, all of which I still use today!  One of my favorite tricks is highlighting my brows both under the browbone, and above the brows.  This gives depth to the brows and makes you look youthful and we can all use a hefty dose of looking younger can't we?  I usually use a shadow to highlight those areas but discovered Anastasia's Brow highlighter pen, which is so much easier to use and control!  Shadows inevitably end up on my brows which is annoying but this pencil allows me to highlight without a mess!  Even better that you can also use it as eyeliner or anywhere you want to highlight on your face!  I keep this in my make up bag for instant pick me up when I'm feeling haggardly.  $21 at Anastasia's boutique in Beverly Hills or order it online!  

While I am a one scent girl, my hubby is loyal to none.  His side of the bathroom looks like the fragrance counter at Neiman Marcus.  From Hermes, Lanvin Homme to Dolce & Gabbana, he has it all which makes it difficult when I want to buy him a new bottle because he already has it!  This is why I am excited to give him the new Prada Infusion d'Homme, this is something he does not have,, yet!  Infused with Iris, Tunisien Neroli and cedarwood, the Infusion d'Homme is a sophisticated and refined scent that won't hit you like a ton of bricks (you know what I'm talking about-- those guys who enter the elevator enveloping you in a cloud of obnoxious scent which you can not escape!) but rather will seduce and entice you to discover the scent further. Bottled in an elegant flacon, and echoing the design of vintage perfume bottles, it is adorned with a metal plaque bearing the historic Prada crest, originally designed in 1919 by Miuccia Prada's grandfather.  A snob worthy gift for you lovey indeed!  At Neiman Marcus- ; 6.75oz - $100  3.4oz - $74