March 2009 Archives

Bag Snob - Has a clutch made for the Queen.

Couture Snob - 2 Days of 50% off Dolce!

Tot Snob - Bounce-a-Bye Baby Ball and its multiple uses.

The Thoughtful Dresser - says red lipstick's here to stay.

Purse Blog - Loving the Proenza Schouler Crocodile Clutch.

Bella Sugar - Has the secret to flawless makeup.

Nitrolicious - Is happy to have found the Omelle shoe collection.

Clé de Peau has been on my radar since I first tried the iconic "La Creme" years ago. I had never tried its color collection, however, until the Beauty Event last week at Neiman Marcus North Park.  I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Clé de Peau National Make Up consultant Kyriaki Savrani that day and she helped me pick out make up colors (is there anything more fun than playing with make up all day?). A native of Greece, make up artist Kyriaki Savrani's resume extends across all corridors of the beauty industry. The sophisticated beauty got her start in 1992 while attending art school in Paris and assisting Stephen Marais. Since then Kyriaki has built an extensive list celebrity clientele (Nicole Kidman, Naomi Campbell, Anne Hathaway, Audrey Tautou and many others) and work with designers such as Chanel, Valentino, Dior and Karl Lagerfeld.  Yet no matter how "haute" the couture, Kyriaki brings her own unique perspective to her craft. 

During our interview, I learned a lot about the brand and its devoted followers.  Kate Moss apparently swipes a tube of the uber popular Extra Silky lipstick-$50 everytime they do her make up.  I wonder if I can get away with same at the counter?  I'm all about new shade 118 (Lily of the Nile)-- it's a soft pinkish beige that looks really natural!  Plus the formula has a shine to it so you don't need lip gloss.  Kyriaki declared that the era of heavy gooey gloss that bubble when you talk is over!  A hint of shine is much more sexy though she is all about the matte lipstick (in red no less!)


Another exciting newly formulated product is the Cream Foundation. ($118).  It now comes with a twist applicator that gives you the exact dosage you need (in the shape of the Cle de peau logo) so you won't waste a drop of this amazingly velvety foundation.  Kyriaki put O10 on me (at lunch she predicted I'd be O10 by looking at my chest.  Apparently the chest is the perfect spot to match foundation!) and it was the perfect shade for me.  (Just a warning, you'll read the word "perfect" a lot in this post.)  I was with a friend before going to Neiman Marcus and told her I was interviewing Kyriaki and she squealed, "I love the Cream Foundation, it's all I wear!  Tell them it's my favorite brand!"  

Despite the schizo weather lately (it was 31 over the weekend and 71 yesterday) I'm going to go with the calendar and start preparing for summer. I use body scrubs in the wintery months but not as regularly as I do during bikini season! Some women say "who cares!  No one's looking and I'm a mom." Uh hello? I care, I'm looking at myself and I want to look as hot as I can for as long as I can. Oh, and the hubby is looking, too so it's good to keep him interested.

Anyhoo, I received samples of La Mer's "The Body Refiner" last week and gave it a whirl this weekend. The scrub is plushy, creamy and calming with a very light scent. While I was using it I didn't think it'd exfoliate as well as it actually did because it felt so gentle and creamy on my skin. I guess you don't need a heavy abrasive scrub to do the job (especially if you do a lot of waxing in the summer months) when you have pure diamond powder (each bottle has one and half carats of diamond dust!) and polished sea quartz as the physical exfoliants.  Even though it's made of fermented acidic sea muds it smells fresh and lemon-y.  Worth a try if you're looking for a luxurious body scrub that leaves the skin soft and glowing.  Seriously now, $110 for a carat and half of diamonds sounds reasonable to me.  At SAKS Beauty Place and La Mer.com

Free of calories and dedicated to the animals of Easter as opposed to testing on them, I love the new Lush Easter treats -- not only cute, relaxing, but eco-conscious (handmade, loaded with natural ingredients, organic fruits and vegetables, fine essential oils, and ingredients that are ethically and sustainably procured), and they're free of excess packaging (or as they're saying egg-cess!). The new line of adorable bathing bunnies includes Bunny Bath Bombs ($4.95 each) -- which come in Fluff Bun (Marshmallow and Candy), Choco Bun (chocolate), English Country Bunkin (roses, blue mallow flowers, poppy and sunflower petals, geranium and sandalwood), and Honey Bun (aloe vera, rhassoul mud, sweet orange and bergamot oils), and Mini Egg Bath Bombs ($5.95) -- these are definitely not mini they're huge! They comes in Fluffy Egg, Choccy Egg, English Countryside (see Bunny Bath Bombs for description of scents), and Magic which is my fave -- it's formulated with marjoram oil, rose absolute, basil, and peppermint. Plus it has two layers so when you put it in a bath it will change colors and go from blue to pink (so fun for kids!). They've also got two Happy Easter Gift Sets ($29.95):
* Pink One: Candy Fluffy Bath Bomb shell holds Rock Star Soap and Flosty Gritter Bubble Bar
* Yellow One: Honey Bee Bath Bomb shell holds Honey I Washed the Kids Soap and Ma Bar Bubble Bar On a side note, if you're like me and rarely take baths, Lush has also got Emotibombs ($3.95), so shower-lovers can indulge in a bit of aromatherapy of their own -- just place the moisture-activated Emotibomb on your shower floor and it will releases essential oils and beautiful aromas!

In honor of Earth Day we will be giving away EIGHT sets of three of Esencia's by Samy latest products! We will pick the winners via random drawing on Earth Day, April 22!

Four out of the Eight winners will be picked by telling us, in the comments, whose celebrity hair is pictured above. US residents only please!

The Esencia by Samy line is 100% vegan, natural and organic and each set we are giving away will include their White Lotus Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner - both formulated with Barley and Nettle - and their Vanilla Styling Crème which is formulated with Macadamia and Sunflower. The products are free of sulfates, parabens and phthalates - that can strip hair's natural protective layers and fade color - resulting in shiny, healthy hair! Plus how fab is the packaging with the ball-shaped cap (the caps are actually pop up caps as well - the pop button blends in with the cap)!!?

A big thank you to our lovely sponsor Esencia by Samy!

I am all about faking luminous skin, especially now that I am no longer 25!  I have used everything from YSL Touche Eclat to the discontinued Revlon Skinlights but am always on the prowl for the next best thing. Apparently the latest and greatest is Clé de Peau's Brilliant Enhancer which I got to try last week during the Beauty Event at Neiman Marcus.  The pen and brush is similar to that of the YSL Touche Eclat but that's where the similarities end.  Unlike the Touche Eclat, the Brilliant Enhancer is not meant to be used as a cover up so it's not as thick and gooey.  The texture is lightweight like a lotion and it delivers as promised, a quick swipe across my cheek bone and I was dewy like a college co-ed.  I also had the opportunity to interview Kyriaki Savrani, Clé de Peau Beauté Make Up Consultant, who was in town for the event and will have that feature up tomorrow.  In the meantime, I am curious what you guys think of Clé de Peau products and whether or not you've tried the Brilliant Enhancer because I am starting to obsess over this line of luxurious products!  $62 At Neiman Marcus.com

I am in awe of Posh's lashes. They look crazy long in the photo so I can only imagine how long they look in person! I ran into her 3 years ago in NYC, I said hello and reminded her that I interviewed her in Taiwan when she was a Spice Girl. I expected her to snub me but she smiled, nodded her head and said "oh yes yes, hello how are you. Nice to see you again". Gotta love the Brits, so well mannered and courteous even if they really just want you to bugger off! But back to the lashes, they did not look this long that day and trust me, I always notice lashes (and noses) on everyone I meet.  These look too natural to be fake lashes so I think she got lash extensions. What do you think, did she or didn't she?  And have you tried the lash extension craze?  I tried it for a year about 3 years ago and they pulled out up my lashes so I've sworn off them for good but they were so fabulous on I am tempted to try again.

By the way, I just got my prescription for Latisse and I can't wait to try it out!  Stay tuned for my results in a few weeks (would it be too much to hope for lashes like this???).

Lady Gaga photo from people.com; Nicole Richie photo from Blackbookmag.com

Lady Gaga is my latest celebrity obsession. I find her style so refreshingly unique and her dedication to looking "tranny-chic" is simply fabulous (plus what about her dedication to going pant-less!). She's confident and secure in her skin which love her or hate her I think is admirable (she actually grew-up in NYC and went to the Covent of the Sacred Heart school with my good friend Cristina Civetta who vouches that she's very sweet!). She's become so trendsetting in fact that Nicole Richie channeled her look when she appeared on the cover of BlackBook Magazine this month. What do you think of her bleach blonde hair -- Snob or Slob? Jump for info on some just released L'Oreal hair color products!

I'll admit it, I'm biased towards Bobbi Brown products-- I've been a devoted fan since my first beige lipstick in college but this entry is not about which brand I prefer-- it's a debate about which came first and which is better. Laura Mercier has a strong following and reputation of her own so I'm sure she'll have plenty of defenders here for her Shimmer Bloc. But seriously, isn't it a bit too conveniently similar in name and function to Bobbi's Shimmer Brick? Okay, so brick and bloc aren't exactly identical but it has the same meaning. Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of Laura Mercier in my make up drawer but I'm just curious to why she didn't name hers something less similar than Bobbi's. I've tried both and find Mercier's Bloc a bit too frosty. I prefer the Bricks because there are varying degrees of color and you can control the shades better.  At the risk of sounding like a snob, I also find the Shimmer Brick to be more chic looking, too.  What about you? Which do you prefer and why?

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick here.

Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc here.

Jergens® Skincare is asking women to face the facts and change their bad habits through the "Glow in the Dark" Campaign--a crusade to encourage women to give up their harmful tanning routines in favor of safe alternatives that let you glow without the sun. For the second year in a row, Jergens® skincare team has partnered with The Skin Cancer Foundation to raise awareness about getting a glow without the sun.

To spread the word about the safe way to glow, starlet Rachel Bilson has pledged to "Glow in the Dark" this summer, not in the sun. The star of "Jumper," "The Last Kiss" and the upcoming film "New York I Love You," set to hit theaters in the fall, Bilson is committed to raising awareness about healthy ways to get glowing as well as protecting her own skin by eschewing the sun. To join her, log on to jergens.com and pledge to get your glow in the dark.  (jump for more details!)

$8.99 at your local drugstore.