Sania Vucetaj was Bergdorf Goodman’s brow pro for over a decade before she branched out on her own in 2005. Now she has a posh salon in NYC, Sania’s Brow Bar, along with a luxe line of brow tools and products. I stopped by her airy space (tons of celebs – including Rihanna – are regulars), a few weeks ago and not only got an expert pluck, but learned a bunch of new things from Sania. Here are some points you might want to keep in mind next time you’re tending to your eye brows.
- Tweezing is better than waxing as it’s doesn’t stretch the delicate skin around your eyes.
- Don’t allow cream or foundation to touch your brows as it will seep into your hair follicles, looses the hairs and prevent them from growing.
- It’s better to opt for slanted rather than point tweezers as point ones are more likely to break the skin and less likely to get hair at its root.
And, if you’re based in NYC, I’d highly recommend stopping in to see Vucetaj. She specializes in repairing over-tweezed/waxed brows (mine were kind of a mess…I blame all the creams I let touch my brows!), and she’ll ask you for input to make sure she’s delivering on exactly what you want. Her line of tools – sold online and at Bergdorf Goodman – are equally fantastic. I especially love her pencils which have a soft cream/pencil texture mix.
Tom Ford has obviously found and bathed in the fountain of youth, so he knows that looking bronzed should be a matter of makeup, not deadly rays. His Summer 2013 limited edition line is honestly the best bronzing collection I’ve ever tried, and as a former sun worshipper/tanning salon addicted LA girl, I know my stuff (as does Tom – for the record, he’s very involved in the development of his products). Let’s dive right in! When it comes to your face, always start with cremes and finish with powder. So the skin illuminator ($65) is first, and I promise, even a few quick swipes on your way out the door will have you feeling like a fresh-faced teen. To build a richer glow, layer with the illuminating cheek color ($48). It will be my constant companion in Punta Mita come June.
And even though I already have a million bronzing powders, I’m going to have to invest in Tom’s gold dust ($90), too. It’ll help me fit in with all of the bronzed bodies lining the beach! I’ll also be bringing the creme shadows ($40 each) because they’re effortless, and who wants to get super made-up on a relaxing vacation? The modern peach-pink and bronzed-amber hues are perfect for subtly accenting a tropical tan. The pink lust lip lacquer ($30) also helps – enriched with pulverized pearls, it gives you just a light sheen of color. Then just finish off the look with the shimmering white Vapor nail lacquer ($30). Out in the sun and windy surf, it’s nice to feel a little polished! Available at Neiman Marcus.
I know it’s bad, but I’m so pale at the moment and haven’t had time to get a spray tan that I’ve been wearing a little makeup even when going to the gym. I keep it really simple to avoid any breakouts- just powder, blush, and an illuminating powder. Taking a cue from Jessica Biel I start by applying an ultra-hydrating moisturizer for a clean base and to avoid a dry gross mess from the makeup/sweat combo and then I use a matte bronzer before sweeping on a peach cream blush with a slanted brush – cream is better for a fresh, dewy look (I don’t want it to look like I’m wearing makeup…especially at the gym!). I finish off the look with an illuminating powder (swear by this one in gold from Clé de Peau Beauté).
What do you do when you’re trying to go for a light and natural makeup look?
Image: Zimbio
The most important product in your beauty cabinet is cleanser because without healthy, radiant skin, no foundation/bronzer/blush you put on will look as nice as it should. Nars agrees, which is why he created the NARS Skin line. I’m forever trying out different cleansers (even if you’ve found the best one, it’s good for your skin to change it up), so I was excited to try this out. It’s a hybrid cream/foaming cleanser that even has tiny beads to exfoliate. The first test is always my mascara challenge. I rub a glob of mascara into the skin on my hand, let it dry, and then see if the cleanser can remove it. Considering you wouldn’t normally use this much mascara, it’s a hard test to pass. When the alternative is losing precious lashes, though, it’s best to try this first (you can even test cleansers in stores this way).
Nars passed with flying, but that’s about where the good news ends. While ingredients include Monoi oil, a hydrating coconut oil that’s infused with Tahitian gardenias, and soothing wild rose extract, the cleanser leaves your skin feeling stripped and dry. Forget moving on to toner – I immediately went to moisturize. Oddly enough, NARS claims this is best for normal to dry skin. The packaging was also an issue. The oversized screw top was unnecessarily heavy and product leaked through, so forget traveling with this. The tube is designed to stand on one end, meaning there’s no way to avoid the problem – even at home. It should come in a pump or dispenser. At the end of a long day when you’re contemplating not washing your face, the last thing you need to deal with is a mess! Available at Barneys New York for $29.
Aerin is launching a bunch of new products for Summer 2013 (not to mention that she has just come out with shoes and jewelry….girl is on a roll…). I have to say I was on the fence at first thinking the line was very similar to Estee Lauder only more expensive, but she’s won me over not only with the quality of her products, but with her packaging. She’s taken a page from Tom Ford and gone for sleek and understated for the most part and the result is some truly vanity-worthy finds. Of course it’s not all show, the quality of the products are great (little surprise given how much money there is for research and development…), and among the most notable new launches is her Beach Cream For Hair and Body ($45). This lightly scented lotion imparts a slight bronzy shimmer to skin, but also doubles as a heat-activated deep conditioner (it’s meant to be applied on damp hair). Love the packaging; it’s so Hamptons Pucci-esque but in a non-tacky way, right!?
Click here to see all of Aerin’s new Summer beauty finds.
What do you do at midnight? If you’re China Chow and me, you’re at CVS looking for the next best drugstore deal (sometimes the greatest beauty products really are the least expensive!). When we found ourselves there after a posh Vogue dinner in LA last month, China introduced me to the magic of exfoliating cotton pads. I’m not talking a basic piece of cotton. These little innovations have the traditional soft side to remove eye makeup and then an exfoliating side to use with your toner afterwards. The micro bead surface gently exfoliates, which is a nice alternative if your skin is sensitive to chemicals (and that’s most skin!). Some women steer clear of toner for that reason, but it’s essential for refining the surface of your skin and clearing up any makeup or dirt you might have missed cleansing. Find an all-natural toner and get to work with these softies. They won’t fall apart on your skin like some looser cotton pads, which means they’re great for removing nail polish, too. I’ve also tried Target’s brand – it was basically the same. No matter where you buy, this $3.50 investment will be the best one you’ve ever made for your face. We can all thank China! Available in a set of 80 at Ulta for $3.49.
