With the thousands of nail polish shades on the market, you’d think they would have already covered every unique color imaginable. But this new shade from Essie is so cool and so different, it is truly distinctive – which is why I am officially enrolled in the School of Hard Rocks! Out of there Winter 2011 Cocktail collection and defined as “midnight malachite,” this is a hue that certainly attracts attention.
I wore it for the Monika Chiang event in Los Angeles, and my fingertips actually kind distracted people from everything else. Everyone just kept asking me about my nails!
How do I describe this mystique-heavy shade of lacquer? It is a cross between cement-like gray and sage green with a hint of blue. It picks up any green you’re wearing, but it’s completely neutral when you’re not. At the same time, this hue a perfect complement to blue, taking on a warm gray tone – very fitting for winter, yet not so deep and dark as to be melancholy. It is my new secret color. Well, not anymore. After garnering so much interest I had to share! At Essie for $8.
Name me one woman who doesn’t dream of longer, thicker eyelashes, and I’ll name you a fibber! And many of us go to extraordinary measures to get them. I tried lash extensions five years ago, and it did not end well. Half of my eyelashes were destroyed and it took years for them to fully restore. I have been frightened of extensions ever since. But since technology and techniques have greatly improved, I decided to try again. However, this time I made an appointment with the renowned makeup artist and lash guru, Juliana Landis of Beverly Hills Lashes in LA.
Juliana used real mink hairs on me, in lengths ranging from 9 to 11mm. Although there were many options, such as synthetic mink hairs (which are blacker and thicker), I preferred the natural quality of real mink. They do look very natural. And they are so lightweight I don’t feel like I have anything on! I just love waking up with a full set of luxurious lashes. Juliana truly is the lash expert. She explained how to care for them, since you do want them to last (at most, two to three months). They get a treatment called “Lash Food,” plus a supplement called Biotin that nourishes lashes from within.
It’s quite addictive having fluttery eyelashes, but unfortunately, the expert recommends that you let your own lashes rest for six weeks every few months. During that time, layer on your favorite mascaras so people don’t wonder, what happened?!
A full set of Siberian mink lashes, $450-$500. Inquire at Juliana Landis for details.
Come the holidays many of us fall off the bandwagon when it comes to eating healthfully, so why not make-up for the lack of steamed veggies and fresh fruits in our diet by indulging in superfood-based skincare? Hey, it can’t hurt, right!? Dr. Nicholas Perricone encourages beauty from the inside out and from the outside in, which is why he took his vast knowledge of superfoods and antioxidants and applied it topically with his Super line. Now, for holiday 2011, he’s come out with a limited edition value kit called Wrinkle Protection ($85 – $135 value). I’ve been using it for the last few weeks and it comes with three full-size products: Firming Activator, Crinkle Eraser (day cream), and Night Recharge (night cream). The key ingredient is astaxanthin, which is the moisture-retaining antioxidant found in red algae so I was surprised that I didn’t find the day or the night cream to be particularly moisturizing. In fact, I had to follow each of them up with a moisturizing cream! The Firming Activator isn’t particularly moisturizing either, but it helps make the day and night creams more effective if you prep skin with it first.
While you shouldn’t expect this kit to drench skin in moisture it does help smooth out your skin. I’ve been having a stressful few weeks and there have been a few times when I’ve looked at myself in the mirror at the end of the day and scared myself! The night cream (which, for the most part, I used in combination with an 8-hour moisturizing cream from Elizabeth Arden), helped smooth out my stressed skin, so in terms of tackling fine lines and an overall haggered look, it’s definitely a winner. The products have a lemon-y scent and absorb fairly quickly. Also, I love that they come packaged with a removable top that you pop into the sealed bottle so you know no one has sampled the product before you use it (I’m always worried about that when I buy something at Sephora!).
I’d definitely use Super Night Recharge again, but for a day cream I rather have something with an SPF 15 this time of year and I would have been happier had the kit come with a moisturizer rather than a toner, but it’s still a good deal especially if you don’t have dry skin.
All products can be purchased individually as well -
Super by Dr. Nicholas Perricone Firming Activator, $38
Super by Dr. Nicholas Perricone Super Night Recharge with Red Algae, $50
Super by Dr. Nicholas Perricone Crinkle Eraser, $48
Just last week I was enamored with Kate Hudson’s loose, tumbling bun. Now I’m sensing a pattern when it comes to gravity-defying hairdos. Irreverent, youthful, and just a little haphazard, the messy topknot takes the ballerina out of the bun and gives it a modern spin. In recent months, celebs from all walks of glamour have given the loosened, high-riding chignon a whirl, so now it’s up to you to determine who wears it best.
Blake Lively has tousled, sun-kissed locks down to an art form, and her lightly teased bun is no exception; it matches the touchable volume of her dress. We already know that Gwen Stefani does everything her own way, buns included. Hers is humorously high – only she could pull this off with finesse. On the other hand, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley keeps it classic and simple with a more conservative bun that shows off her pretty face. Lake Bell puts the focus on flowing tendrils framing her face, and shakes it up with a center part, while Mila Kunis aimed for a glamorous, old-Hollywood spin on the look. So who gets your vote?
The weather outside may be turning frightful, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t look delightful! CoutureSnob has the Top 5 Creamy Cocktail Dresses to help you look light and fresh this December!
Coquette is feeling festive with Elva Fields holiday jewelry collection.
JewelSnob is going simple with the Monika Chiang Bejeweled Body Chain.
Knot-A-Quilt by Alex Toys is the perfect project the whole family can engage in. At TotSnob.
The Jet Set Girls are crazy about this great holiday gift idea: MakeUp ForEver’s Wild and Chic Aqua Cream Collection.
Second City Style editors share their holiday wish lists in Second City Style’s 12 Days of Christmas (Shopping) ’11.
The Giuseppe Zanotti Eyelet-Detailed Suede Sandals is classy but still hot, fun, and tasteful! At Shoe Snob.
BagSnob praises the Proenza Schouler Python PS1 Tote for its classic but fresh ladylike look.
Shopping and Info wants this great crossbody black messenger bag seen on Megan Fox by CC Skye.
With a name like Billy Jealousy, it’s hard for me to take this brand seriously as one I can trust to include in my sacred beauty regimen. But I was in possession of a sample and after all, never judge before trying, right?
Just look at the packaging. Obviously, the line is targeting a younger crowd; however, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. This non-oily, gel-based moisturizer is designed to give you clean hydration and leave skin supple, not greasy. With aloe vera and vitamins A and E, this stuff absorbs very quickly and grants your skin a matte finish. Genius for oily skins and those who don’t want to load their faces with heavy blotting powders, it’s no surprise Combination Code is meant for boys. Hey, why discriminate? I see no reason! Besides, lovely ingredients like chamomile and green tea make the moisturizer as enjoyable for girls as it is for the guys. At Sephora for $26.
Tweezers with a built-in flashlight. Could anything be more brilliant? Unless you’re in bright, natural sunlight, it’s always harder than it should be to get a good look when you’re plucking your brows. Setting up lights, finding the right angle at the mirror, tweezing the wrong hair or pinching yourself because you can’t see quite well enough – it’s all kind of a pain. Hello La-Tweez Pro’s Illuminating tweezers! It directs the light precisely where you are aiming the tool. In black or white, the tweezer itself comes in a smartly sharp and slanted design which works really well, so you’re not sacrificing quality for the added light feature. And the flashlight doesn’t interfere with the plucking at all, it is tucked way back so it doesn’t get involved with the mechanics of tweezing.
A cute crystal switch turns the light on, and if you forget to shut it off (which would happen to me all the time, since I’m always doing everything on the go), an automatic feature does it for you after seven minutes. They really have thought of everything: these tweezers also come with a cylindrical case, complete with mirror, so you can clean up your brows on the fly. On Amazon
We are all particular when it comes to our fragrances – for me, they need to be soft and unassuming rather than overwhelming and consuming – although I think I might be more exacting than most. My biggest issue with fragrance is the simple act of spraying it on. The mist goes in my nose, no matter how long I hold my breath and then for the next hour I can taste it, which ruins the scent for me. The roller ball solves that issue. Call me weird (it wouldn’t be the first time I have an issue with things others might not), but a roll-on fragrance offers lot more benefits than just quelling my idiosyncrasies.
You get ultimate control and precision application. Spritz yourself and you’re likely to end up with more scent in your hair and on your clothes. No, your entire room doesn’t need to be doused along with your body, and try as you might to get a partial spray, you know it won’t work. Sometimes all you need is a dab on your neck – I usually want just a hint.
The rollerball also allows you to keep it in your bag without the risk of a spill. No matter how much you worship the scent, you do not want a concentrated dose pouring into your favorite bag. And, lacking the commitment of a big bottles, it makes a great gift.
The roll-on fragrances I’ll be including in my beauty gift basket: Paco Rabbane’s Lady Million ($20) and Viktor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb ($25). Don’t let the name fool you – in Flowerbomb, there’s no explosion to be found, but a soft waft of orchid, jasmine, and patchouli. Both are delicious without being too sweet, light without muskiness, and floral without shoving a bouquet in your face. With notes of raspberry and orange blossom, Paco Rabanne’s scent is my top choice – neroli gives it an aromatherapy quality that’s soothing to the senses.
Skincare is a science and as technical as it sounds, nothing works better on my skin than papain enzymes (great for getting rid of dead skin cells) and glycolic acid (a genius, deep-penetrating exfoliator). For years, I have used a glycolic mask in conjunction with a papaya enzyme mask. Now the two power ingredients have been blended into one convenient tube by ABBE Laboratories.
Their Complex Enzyme Peeling mask is not the most pleasant-smelling mask around (it actually has no fragrance, no problem!), but it is one of the most powerful ones I have yet to try. This cooling gel mask, which also has Red Marine Algae (for reducing fine lines and improving firmness and elasticity) stings slightly, so keep it away from eye area. Ten minutes later, rinse it off with warm water and your most beautiful, brightes skin revealed! Dark spots are lightened, you are exfoliated and moisturized, and rid sallow, dull, and lifeless skin. Enough said. You’re crazy if you don’t try it! At ABBE Labs for $48.
Whenever I put on hand cream, I instinctively rub it into my cuticles since they are always in need of help. I’m not sure how much it’s doing, but it’s better than nothing, right? Most of the time I get a manicure just to clean up my dry and yucky-looking cuticles. Now, with the onset of the dry winter weather, it’s lotions and creams galore, all day long. You have to cover your bases to ensure your hands are moisturized, nourished, and protected with SPF and all sorts of anti-aging treatments. So, why not include cuticle care?
Deborah Lippmann, the queen of manicures, has the greatest hand cream on the market: Rich Girl Hand Cream with SPF 25 (don’t forget, you still need sunscreen even though it’s winter!). It has anti-aging fade botanicals and is formulated to moisturize the cuticles. Each application delays the need to get a manicure by one more day. This is especially critical if you have a gel manicure that lasts for weeks. Your nails may look great, but what about the cuticles? Rich Girl lives up to its name – it is a rich cream made with shea butter, avocado and jojoba oils. It absorbs quickly and is not greasy, so I can use it all day long. I keep one next to my desk, in my car, and I’m getting a bunch as stocking stuffers for all my girlfriends! At Nordstrom for $28.
