June 2009 Archives

Bag Snob is impressed with the Zigliani Lace Leather Bag.

Couture Snob discusses MJ's influence on fashion.

Jewel Snob would consider homelessness for this Anaconda Elisa Ring!

Tot Snob found a great pair of Ballerina Slippers by Chloe.

Bella Sugar Pedi's gone wrong. Be safe!

Nitrolicious is happy to have found a nice affordable pair of caged sandals with these N.Y.L.A. Isabel Caged Sandals.

I am on a quest to try all the new liquid mineral make up on the market right now. It just feels so much better on my skin and I am less prone to break outs. Prescriptives is expanding its mineral portfolio and launching a liquid mineral makeup, All Skins Mineral Makeup. This will be my next mineral liquid foundation to test out. It's a longwearing liquid mineral makeup that is infused with vitamins, minerals and their exclusive R.E.C. (Radiance Emitting Crystals - a unique complex of Amethyst, Rose Quartz and Calcite to give skin a soft, luminous finish as if it were "glowing from within." ) to give skin extra luminosity. I'll report back to you once I've gotten my sample. I am impressed with the extensive choice in shades-- you're sure to find your exact match of this new longwearing liquid mineral makeup from Prescriptives with 18 shades! From the lightest to the darkest, I think they've got us covered! Check the shades out here, $32.50

This summer, splash into the latest trend: mermaid-like waves. This glamorous yet laid-back style is perfect for all summer occasions, whether you're lounging on the beach in the Hamptons or hitting the town in Manhattan. I love nothing more than Rapunzel like waves cascading down one side of the face-- it's the ultimate sex siren 'do! Milla Jovovich and Angelina Jolie look super hot with the side swept finger waves.  I'm going to test this out myself and got some tips from Suki Duggan, owner of the Donsuki Townhouse Salon on the Upper East Side to DIY--

Suki suggests:
- Section hair into 1-2 inch pieces
- Rolling each section and pinning as you go. After the rollers have cooled, run a comb through your hair to get large, soft waves. A spritz of hairspray should hold the style for the day.

I live right by Sabon's Upper East Side location in NYC so I'm fortunate enough to get a whiff of their delicious products every time I pass their open door. I'm partial to the brand because not only do their products smell great and work effectively, they're owned by Israelis (I'm a nice NYC Jewish girl after all!), and their staff is ALWAYS super-friendly, helpful and ready to let you test out their products right in the store. The line of bath, body, and face products is all about embracing aromatherapy and the benefits of the Dead Sea (their products remind me of a cross between Ahava and L'Occitane), and they've just come-out with a new organic line. I love the simplicity of all of their packaging and with everything they make a little goes a long way. Sabon Organic products are suitable for all skin types and they have a subtle apricot fragrance (while it's non-obtrusive, it's relatively long-lasting), which make them a great cosmetic or fragrance base. The line is also paraben and sulfate-free and packaged in recycled packaging. Jump for the scoop on two products I tried!

The most fun part of being a beauty blogger is playing with make up under the guise of 'working'. I reserve Saturday mornings for beauty parties in my bathroom (and yes, I'm the only guest but I have enough fun for 100!) and I send my hubby off with our son to golf with a stern "I HAVE TO WORK PLEASE DO NO BOTHER ME FOR 3 HOURS". It's not my fault that my work is playing with beauty products but don't think it's not hard work-- applying make up precisely takes the skill of a steady hand and dedicated concentration :) This weekend I tested products from "Motives" by Loren Ridinger-- a custom formulated cosmetics line infused with antioxidants and vitamins that enhance a girl's beauty while nourishing her skin.  Loren set out to create her own line after years of using hundreds of products that left her unsatisfied.  The result is a high quality and revolutionary line of products that every woman, on any budget can enjoy.  She sent me her favorite items and I reviewed them below in the order of my favorites (I am not a democracy and I don't have to be fair ;)

1. Liquid Powder Mineral Make Up- I am obsessed with this product and used it both Saturday and Sunday. What impressed me most was the finish-- the liquid texture is lightweight but the minute you blend in to the skin it becomes a velvety powder texture without any kind of residue nor cakeyness or dryness. I tested it by applying 4 coats and the finish remained flawless. I love it because you can reapply throughout the day! Usually you can not reapply liquid foundation once you have powdered up-- since it is a liquid to powder-- you can keep adding layers to it depending on coverage. A must have for quick touch ups after work if you have social events to attend! I used "Tender beige" and it looked like my skin and even in the brightest of sun light, you could not detect I had 4 layers of foundation on! Most mineral make up comes in messy loose powder versions that make it hard to control, this is by far the most amaaaaaaazing mineral make up, ever! You must try and I promise you will love! Order the Liquid Powder Foundation for $25 here.  (Note: I pat layers of this foundation gently into my skin, do not rub as it dries to a powder finish and you don't want to rub it off.  No need for sponge or blending, just pat it on until desired coverage!)
2. Full Coverage Photo Finish Powder: If you have oily skin or live in very hot weather, try this powder. It is designed to be used as a foundation and gives a full coverage. Again, I layered it yet it did not feel heavy! I used the Neutral medium and it gave a slightly heavier coverage than the liquid. I even used it over the liquid foundation just for fun and it still looked quite natural! Order powder here, $24.50.

3. Pressed Eyeshadow (Bedroom Eyes)- This pearlized eye shadow goes on smooth and gives a fabulous sparkle to the eye. Loren sent me "Bedroom Eyes" and I swear I was flirty all night with the hubby! I have brown eyes but I think it would really look pretty with blue eyes, too. It gives a soft shimmer to the lids and I applied it alone to give a wash of color which made it look really natural. Pressed eye shadow $12.50 here.



4. Essential Lip Kit-- Love this lip kit!  It has all the colors you need for work or play-- there are 9 shades per palette that you can blend or use alone and is really perfect for travel. I got the "Noon to Night" palette and the colors are fabulous and flattering!   It goes on like a lip gloss and has a gorgeous glimmer to the texture.  Lip kit $35 here.

Photos from people.com

I love the modern shag! If bangs didn't require so much maintenance (and if I wasn't worried about hair in my face causing a breakout), I would jump at this cut. I know a lot of people have or are thinking about getting this look, so I asked Woodley & Bunny's co-owner and artistic director Erin Anderson for some tips to get the style and texture of the modern shag pictured on the above stars. Here's what she had to say!

• Get a great "shag inspired" cut from your stylist
• For this texture, layer Sachajuan Straight Out Gel with Sachajuan Ocean Mist. The Straight Out Gel provides moisture and smoothness while the ocean mist gives volume, hold and a matte finish.
  
• After product application, squeeze hair to press in product, shape with fingers or twist a few large sections and pin up. Diffuse or air dry.
• When dry, use a little Sachajuan Hair Wax to define and detail. 

For those not familiar with Sachajuan, they're Sweden's fastest growing premium hair care line and Woodley & Bunny is the exclusive U.S. distributor. Learn more here. 

Stiletto Jungle found cream eyeshadow the really doesn't crease.

All About the Pretty gives us what's in her Beach Bag this week.

Enter All Lacquered Up's giveaway and you could win bottles of Chanel Cosmic Violine and Mica Rose nail polish.

Allie is Wired has crazy celebrity teeth transformations.

Bag Bliss suggests a money-saving idea: How to Host Your Own Clothes Swap Party

Bag Snob exclusive: Speedy Sequin from Louis Vuitton, Snob or Slob?

Beauty Snob Falls for Bobbi Brown Fall Nudes collection!

Coquette dishes on UK's vending machine flats from Rollasole to save your tired clubbing stiletto-wearing feet.

Fab Sugar ViX swimwear giveaway!

Fashion Pulse Daily picks itscanvas favorites for June, ranging from hats to bags and shoes!

I'm Not Obsessed has to ask... do you think the shirt Kristin Cavallari wore while shopping is really worth $115?!

Check out Second City Style's recent 'He Said/She Said' about the recent ripped denim trend.

Shopping and Info loves the Chanel nautical stripe worn by Claudia Schiffer and Sienna Miller.

Going away for the weekend? Find out what to pack at StyleBakery.com

Stylehive has rounded up our favorite bright and colorful pairs of sunglasses, perfect for the brighter days ahead..

The Beauty Stop reports on the to-be-released Twilight Beauty Makeup from the makers of DuWop.

The Daily Obsession brings you the chicest finds under $50.

The Fashion Bomb compiles a fashion tribute to the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

The Jet Set Girls visit the Barbie Suite at the Palms Las Vegas.

The Shoe Goddess is completely enamored with these super hot Giuseppe Zanotti platform boots!

Tot Snob Teach your tot to tie their shoes with One Two Tie My Shoe.

V-Style discovers an unexpected skin care product in extra virgin olive oil.

eye4style gets glossy at Dashing Diva..

After reading my review last month, the nice folks at COR sent me 4 mini sample size soaps that would last a few months.  I diligently used it nightly (no matter how late hubby and I got home from date nights) and have determined the following:

1. This is the best cleansing soap in the market and removes all traces of make up without drying the skin.
2. After 30+ days of use, my skin is not blue and does not show any signs of turning blue.
3. I no longer have any small 'white' heads on my forehead
4. Each tiny sample size lasted approximately 3 weeks which means the full size will last, like, a year!

I was also sent a sample of the COR eye cream which was very lightweight and ideal for day under make up.  It wasn't as rich as I like my eye creams, however, so I won't be buying anymore of this.  I do LOVE the soap and am going to purchase a full size soap when my little samples run out.  (Note: Beauty Snob Heidi bought the entire line after our friend Chloe raved about it and she loves the soap, too.  She did not like the creams.) 
 

Vichy has just come-out with three new products: Aqualia Thermal Light Fortifying & Soothing 24Hr Hydrating Care ($27), Aqualia Thermal Mat Fortifying & Soothing 24Hr Hydrating Gel with Anti-Shine Effect ($25), and Normaderm Pro Mat Hydrating Care. I love Vichy because they're affordable, effective and trust-worthy (they're tied with La Roche-Posay when it comes to my fave drugstore finds). I've never had a bad reaction to anything from Vichy (I have very sensitive, pale skin and am prone to redness), and all of their products are backed by a ton of research (they're actually the #1 selling skincare brand in European pharmacies). Their Normaderm line is great for summer when skin is especially sensitive and prone to breakouts and for those with very oily skin. Vichy researchers actually found a link between UV rays and oil production in skin, so they managed to find a formula with SPF coverage that inhibits oil production without leaving a white film or clogging pores. Called Ultra Mattifying Oil-Free Lotion ($21), it will be launching in August. It's basically the day-time version of Vichy Normaderm Night ($24), which I've been using on and off for months. The formulation is lightweight, there is an instant matte and tightening effect, and it helps minimize the size of pores. Jump for more!

Bobbi Brown invented the nude make up revolution decades ago-- since then, many copy cat brands have followed suit but in my opinion, there's nothing like the original.

This Fall, Bobbi introduces a fresh nude palette (available in July, I can't wait!). "Nude makeup doesn't mean monochromatic, barely-there makeup. It means makeup that's right for your skin," says Bobbi. The limited edition Nude Eye Palette ($60) features eye shadow duos in a sophisticated and universally flattering selection of shades and textures.

The eye shadow duos come in customizable 3 Pan Palette, which can be filled with your choice of any Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow or Blush shades. Bobbi also introduces a new shade to her iconic Shimmer Brick collection- the Nude Shimmer Brick ($40). Featuring five pure pearl pigments in pink, gold, bronze, beige, and caramel, the shades are designed to be blended together to give all skin tones a soft nude, lit from within glow.

In addition the Nudes Collection includes Caviar Ink Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner ($21) her best-selling liner now in a rich, deep brown shade, and four new shades of Bobbi's popular Creamy Lip Color ($22) that compliment the Nude Eye Palette and Nude Shimmer Brick. All of these products will be available from www.bobbibrown.com and Bobbi Brown counters July 2009.