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To celebrate and promote the idea behind Earth Day this month, we are doing major giveaways on eco-friendly beauty products, which are not only good for Mother Earth but for your face too!

REN uses nothing but the latest hi-tech bio actives in their skincare products, which are free from skin-unfriendly synthetic ingredients. REN skincare products are a complete pleasure to use and leave skin feeling absolutely radiant and clean by boosting the skin's natural ability to protect, repair, and renew itself.

We are giving away an REN package including: the Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash made with one of the most expensive and revered essential oils in the world, the Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask designed to renew complexion, reduce fine lines and improve skin tone, firmness, and radiance, the Wild Yam Body Repair Cream that nourishes, regenerates, and hydrates your skin, and lastly the Osmotic Infusion Ultra-Moisture Day Cream which infuses dry skin with long lasting hydration leaving skin smooth, plump, and beautifully healthy. This REN package is worth over $130.00! Thank you Space NK for sponsoring this giveaway!!!

To win, do something nice for the earth today and answer: Who is this eco-friendly celeb who joined Al Gore to announce the Save Ourselves: The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis initiative in 2007? Put your answer and what you did for the earth in comments by Friday April 24th at 11:59pm EST. One entry per person please. We will choose one winner among all correct answers using a random computer drawing.

We will be doing Earth Day Giveaways everyday starting today until Earth Day on April 22nd.

To celebrate and promote the idea behind Earth Day this month, we are doing major giveaways on eco-friendly beauty products, which are not only good for Mother Earth but for your face too!

REN uses nothing but the latest hi-tech bio actives in their skincare products, which are free from skin-unfriendly synthetic ingredients. REN skincare products boost the skin's natural ability to protect, repair, and renew itself.

We are giving away an REN package including: the Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash made with one of the most expensive and revered essential oils in the world, the Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask designed to renew complexion, reduce fine lines and improve skin tone, firmness, and radiance, the Wild Yam Body Repair Cream that nourishes, regenerates, and hydrates your skin, and lastly the Osmotic Infusion Ultra-Moisture Day Cream which infuses dry skin with long lasting hydration leaving skin smooth, plump, and beautifully healthy. This REN package is worth over $130.00! Thank you Space NK for sponsoring this giveaway!!!

To win, do something nice for the earth today and answer: Who is this eco-friendly celebrity who founded the UN's Water for Life organization that devotes itself to provide people worldwide access to clean drinking water? Put your answer and what you did for the earth in comments by Tuesday April 21st at 11:59pm EST. One entry per person please. We will choose one winner among all correct answers using a random computer drawing.

We will be doing Earth Day Giveaways everyday starting today until Earth Day on April 22nd.

To celebrate and promote the idea behind Earth Day this month, we are doing major giveaways on eco-friendly beauty products, which are not only good for Mother Earth but for your face too!

REN uses the latest hi-tech bio actives in their skincare products, which are free from skin-unfriendly synthetic ingredients. REN skincare products boost the skin's natural ability to protect, repair, and renew itself.

We are giving away an REN package including: the Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash made with one of the most expensive and revered essential oils in the world, the Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask designed to renew complexion, reduce fine lines and improve skin tone, firmness, and radiance, the Wild Yam Body Repair Cream that nourishes, regenerates, and hydrates your skin, and lastly the Osmotic Infusion Ultra-Moisture Day Cream which infuses dry skin with long lasting hydration leaving skin smooth, plump, and beautifully healthy. This REN package is worth over $130.00! Thank you Space NK for sponsoring this giveaway!!!

To win, do something nice for the earth today and answer: Who is this vegan shoe designer/Shoe4Africa sponsor who made a documentary about preserving habitats of African mountain gorillas? Put your answer and what you did for the earth in comments by Sunday April 19th at 11:59pm EST. One entry per person please. We will choose one winner among all correct answers using a random computer drawing.

We will be doing Earth Day Giveaways everyday starting today until Earth Day on April 22nd.

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!"  

Best known for its highest quality stones and ability to combine gems in creations with extraordinary chromatic effects, Bvlgari is now exploring the beneficial properties of gem stones on the skin. Produced in Switzerland, each product contains Bvlgari Gem Essence; a formula of four extracts of fine and precious stones: sapphire, malachite, tourmaline and citrine. This unique formula provides three main benefits to the skin: radiance, nourishment and protection. There are three skincare programs: Precieuse Line, Lumiere Line and Cleansing Line. I received samples of the Precieuse line and am impressed with the luxurious and innovative line of skincare. The Serum Precieux felt lightweight but delivers a deeply hydrating formula that makes the skin appear younger immediately. It also left a very smooth texture which made it great to use during the day under make up. The night cream (Creme Precieuse Nuit) was equally impressive with a deeply nourishing texture that left my skin ultra soft and moisturized throughout the night. Available at Neiman Marcus North Park, call 214-363-8311 to order!

Bvlgari Serum Precieuse here

Bvlgari Creme Precieuse Nuit here.

For Fashion Week in New York, I got my makeup done by Cheri at the Fashion Suite at Waldorf Astoria, she did a great job but that is not what I was most impressed with. We were chatting and she mentioned that she is 50 years old and I almost fell off my chair! She looks 35, at most 38, I am not kidding. She is fair with delicate skin that usually ages prematurely. She then told me her secret and I immediately bought some. It is the Guerlain Super Aqua Serum for day and night moisturizing. It is made with extracts from a dessert rose and if you think about it, it makes total sense, the flower is able to thrive in dryness so there must be something to its DNA that I can definitely use! I mean, I live in LA and it is dry dry dry all year round. It shields the skin from the harmful environment so the hydration is allowed to stay in. She has been using this for 15 years and I am telling you, she has not aged since she first started using it because like I said, she looks 35! This thing is like a vampire's secret. I must and will stay my age forever =) At Sakes Fifth Avenue for $162.

Clinique continually offers groundbreaking search on Sirtuins and revolutionary ways to help slow down visible signs of aging while promoting natural cellular repair-- all at affordable prices.  Youth Surge with SPF 15 is a day cream to use under make up or alone; this patented skin signaling repair technology has RNA fragments that help trigger skin's natural repair process to counter the damaging visible effects of stress, pollution and UV exposure.  Seriously now, $48.50 is a very small price to pay in the battle against wrinkles!  Available in March at Clinique retailers worldwide and at Sephora with FREE Shipping on orders of $35 or more! Enter code SHIP35 at checkout!

You have to admit, you want everything to be organic these days especially for your face! But you don't want to compromise the effectiveness because it's not like any of us is getting any younger (I am feeling the stress of age because my birthday is next week!!). Elemental Herbology has a really great line of organic products but it is the Cell Plumping moisturizer that has made it into my daily routine. It has SPF 8 which isn't enough to get you to the beach but for everyday wear, it is all you need. The light cream goes on easily but it keeps your face nice and hydrated all day without any grease or weight. But it is the smell that really has me going back for more. It is like getting an aromatherapy treatment every time you use it, the scents are distinctly floral like lavender with hints of the ocean. I don't know how to describe it really it, I'm not saying it smells fishy but it has this beachy goodness that is so divine, it changes my outlook on life immediately after applying. Yes, it is seriously that awesome!! Available at Space NK for $88.50.

I told you about Somme Institute Transport pads last year (my pores are clog free thank to them!) and I've been intrigued by the line ever since. If you want to try out its entire line of highly engineered vitamins (A, B3, B5, C and E) attached to proteins that penetrate deep in the skin to treat sun damage, discoloration, uneven skin tone, wrinkles, and dry and oily skin without spending a fortune, they now have a value pack for only $175! ($225 value plus the entire line would cost almost $500).  I just picked this up at Nordstrom and will be traveling to Fashion Week with it this weekend and to the Oscars in LA the following week.  The little color coded jars contain: - Step 1: Nourishing Cleanser (1 oz.): a non-foaming cleansing gel, non-drying, non-irritating. - Step 2: Transport (50 pads): pads saturated with AHA and BHA gently exfoliate. - Step 3: Serum (1 oz.): highly concentrated and stable vitamin C gel hydrates and evens skin tone. - Step 4: A-Bomb (1.5 oz.): lightweight moisturizing cream with high concentration forms of vitamins A and E. - Step 5: Double Defense (0.25 oz.): Moisturizing Sun Block SPF 30+. Somme Institute Value Set at Nordstrom.com

Clarins is to skincare what beauty is to Audrey Hepburn -- they just go hand-in-hand for me! Lucky for us Clarins has two very exciting launches coming-up for spring. First they have High Definition Body Lift ($65, officially launching in March). It's their 5th generation cellulite control cream. Like many us know from repeated experience cellulite creams don't really work in getting rid of cellulite -- as I found out when I had my bad experience with Shiseido Body Creator. What a good cellulite cream can do however is tighten and smooth your skin...well at least make it feel like it's tight and smooth for a little while after you apply it! That's exactly what Clarins High Definition Body Lift does. As far as cellulite fighters go this is the best I've tried and it's covered by three patents so there's definitely some new formulations going on (plus it has that wonderful signature Clarins fresh smell!). It's also non-sticky, lightweight, and non-oily so it's not only moisturizing, but quickly absorbs into your skin so there's no need to wait before dressing. Clarins is also coming-out with Bright Plus HP Intensive Brightening Botanical System ($155, officially launching in April). It's a 21 day system that you use at night. It has two parts, one for age control and one for brightening. It's a great way to kick-off a spring beauty routine and get rid of your winter skin...ahh can't wait for the warm weather to start-up again!

Face the new year and the upcoming bloom of spring with an extravagant skin cream.  Decadent and luxurious, CHANEL raised the bar in skincare with the creation of SUBLIMAGE TEXTURE UNIVERSELLE Essential Regenerating Cream, the ultimate in anti-aging luxury.

I received this over a month ago and didn't want to do my review without giving it the proper due diligence and length of time it deserves.  After using it nightly (and sometimes daily under make up if the weather is warm) for over a month, I am in love.  This is best for our beauty snobs in warmer climates or have oily/combination skin who don't want the weight of a heavy cream yet would like to have the anti-aging benefits of one. 

What I love is the texture of this cream-- it is like light weight cashmere; whipped to perfection so you can massage into your skin without the cream feeling sticky. I am all about the facial massage!  But the lightness ends at the texture, this is a super powerful hydrating cream that keeps my skin glowing all day long-- the perfect campanion to the SUBLIMAGE TEXTURE SUPREME which is for colder climates (or at night) so you can globe trot without missing a beat.  It's a bit early in the year to declare my favorites but this will definitely be on my best of list.  You must try this-- go to the Chanel counter and ask for a sample since it is a bit pricey.  $375 at Chanel.com

I've had one of the worst weeks ever:( I caught the flu (get a flu shot if you haven't!!!), and missed not one, but three birthday parties! My friend Mikael was planning a get together at a new fondue place La Cave des Fondues, my friend Lauren had a party at this super-cute dessert place Sweetiepie, and my friend Jane had what looks to me from pictures to be one of the year's best parties! It was a "Naughty or Nice Party" held at a Soho loft with Patron sponsoring it and fab gift bags (please, can someone tell me how I could get sponsors to pay for my next party!!!??), but that's not all -- all the stars from MTV's The Hills spin-off The City were there..not too shabby! Anyway this all leads me to feel very compelled to take care of myself so I get through the rest of the winter season happy and healthy! To that end, I'd like to talk about how much I'm jumping for joy about FINALLY having discovered a face cream to stop all the flaking and pealing my skin has undergone from the weather (even my two humidifiers weren't doing the trick). The magic face cream is -- dum dum dum -- Clarins Advanced Extra Firming Night Cream for Very Dry Skin! More about it after the Jump!

Get a $503 set of Diamond Extreme Eye and Diamond cream (full size) with a bronze clutch for $395 (25% savings!) for the Beauty Snob in your life this Christmas!  I've extolled on the virtues of Diamond extreme eye often and of course the Diamond cream is the ultimate indulgence in skincare. Natura Bisse never goes on sale so the set is really a great opportunity to try the products! This is one of the best gift sets of the season so don't miss out! $395 at Neiman Marcus.com

själ skincare, an organic approach to scientifically advanced skincare from Sweden, is a favorite among celebrities, models and fashion insiders in Hollywood.  I didn't know what all the hype was about so decided to do a little investigating on my own.  I got samples of the best sellers, orbe (eye contour cream) and kura (intense hydration cream) last week and have been diligently testing them to give you a full report.

sjal orbe: multi-tasking eye cream eye- This is a multi tasking eye cream designed to lift the eye area, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fatty deposits, dark circles and puffiness.  At first I didn't like the eye cream, after applying, it'd 'peel' (a light exfoliatoin process perhaps?).  But after a week, I love it!  The area around my eyes is a bit softer.  It leaves a smooth coating (from pearl powder) which is perfect as a base for eye make up.  There is also loquat leaf for brightening and real gold, silver, germanium an copper for cellular repair.  At $175 it is comparable to the other luxury brands.  I will definitely be adding it to my rotation of eye creams.

(Jump for more!) Buy själ online at eLUXURY.com

I've never been a huge fan of facials. I never seem to be able to relax -- something about people touching my face always makes me uncomfortable and because of my pale and sensitive skin I usually worry that I might breakout. That said, I've heard wonderful things about Jurlique's spa treatments included their facials, but I have yet to try them. What I have tried is some of their products. The Australian-based brand's products are free of artificial colors and animal content, are never tested on animals, and Jurlique also farms and harvests many of the organic herbs and flowers that go into its beauty products! They just came-out with a new Biodynamic Beauty range to address concerns of aging skin with a blend of biodynamic and organic herbs and flowers combined with naturally derived ingredients to soften fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration. The new collection is completely free of Parabens, Mineral Oils, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Synthetic Emulsifiers, Artificial Colors or Fragrances. After the jump get Amanda Dawson, Jurlique's Executive Director of Global Education, tips on how to create your own at-home spa treatment!

Start saving-up now because La Mer has four fantastic new Gifts of Beauty for the 2008 season:) I've tried La Mer before, but only when I've skimmed some from my mother. Otherwise, though I'm the first to splurge on anything beauty-related, La Mer still remains out of the price-range I'm willing to spend. That said, for those looking to treat their face to the crème de la crème (literally since it's the name of one of their holiday offerings!), see what La Mer is offering this coming holiday season!
The Crème de la Crème-- 16.5 oz. Crème de la Mer in a limited edition round mother of pearl box, $1,390 - available exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and lamer.com
The Luxury Essentials -- Crème de la Mer (2 oz.), The Lifting Face Serum, and The Eye Concentrate in a limited edition mother of pearl round box, $630 -- available exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus.
The Connoisseur Collection -- Crème de la Mer (2 oz.) and The Eye Concentrate in a pearlized holiday box, $395 -- available exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue.
The Signature Collection -- Crème de la Mer (1 oz.), The Lifting Face Serum (15ml), and The Eye Concentrate (5ml) in a green cylindrical box, $240 -- available exclusively Bloomingdale's.

A few days ago I attended an event hosted by co- founders of Kiss My Face, Bob MacLeod and Steve Byckiewicz. The duo are truly pioneers when it comes to green beauty. They started their eco-conscious company on a 200-acre farm in New York's Hudson River Valley over 25-years ago, way before it was cool to be green. The event, which took place at the founders NYC Upper West Side apartment, was held to showcase some of the latest Kiss My Face products. I've never tried anything other than their deodorants (they're great buys..especially the Liquid Rock one!), but I got to check-out some of their newest products which include 100% natural/91% organic lip glosses (pictured on the left), which are free of parabens, SLS, phthalates, synthetic colors, and flavors. They've also go vitamins A&E to repair and protect your lips. They come in six flavors all of which will be available come November. Also previewed were the Kiss My Face Potent & Pure Organic Face Care products which will hit stores in January. The line includes products to cleanse, treat, and moisturize skin, but what's most remarkable is that the packaging is comprised of 65% post consumer corrugate and produced in a facility that utilizes wind power and water soluble inks. Of course all the products will come at affordable price-points which is all the more remarkable given the natural nature of all their products. Click here to check-out eco-friendly products you can get right now!

When Chanel comes calling, one must respond, and quickly.  Over Fashion Week, I was invited to a Chanel Beauty event and though I had fashion shows, showroom visits, and interviews that day with designers such as Oscar de la Renta-- I said yes.  One just does not say no to Chanel!  At least not one who has been obsessed with Chanel since college and who used to keep Chanel boxes in one's college apartment stacked wall to wall and floor to ceiling only so one can admire the prettiness of the black and white boxes daily. 

I've extolled on the virtues of the Sublimage eye cream often (remember the time I drove to Barneys in a thunderstorm and almost crashed my car on the freeway in an effort to apply my drug I mean eye cream on the way home?) but have never experienced the entire line so I knew I was in for a treat.  I did not expect the eye candy that greeted me, however, from the Sublimage line to its new Winter make up collection (which you will read about next week)-- Chanel knows how to throw a girly girl party!  We got our nails done, our necks massaged, and did I mention the delicious array of hors d'heurves and finger sandwiches?  I could have taken a nap after all that pampering-- all that was missing was my pajamas!