Dior Dressing Tables at Claridges {Fragrance News} {Beauty Notes}
Claridges have partnered with Christian Dior to offer a supplementary luxury room service with the creation of the Dior Dressing Tables.
"The Dior Dressing Table includes a carefully curated range of timeless
accessories, including an elegant silk Claridge's dressing gown and
slippers; a cashmere eye mask; and a selection of classic Dior
fragrances including Diorella, Dioramma [sic] and Dioressence, as well as
range of beauty kit essentials.
"
The idea behind the Dior Dressing Table is also to help create a 1930s atmosphere. You can order a cocktail from the period amongst the "swizzles, daisies, sours, juleps and pick-me-ups" from the hotel's Fumoir Bar. They are served in Lalique
glasses. Books and music come complete the picture with works by Evelyn Waugh and
Nancy Mitford and songs by Josephine Baker and Fred Astaire.
Sounds to me like a perfect recovery plan for someone stuck in a hotel room with a cold or prevented from shopping due to a storm or alternatively for people who cannot resist things being brought to them on a tray.
Lancome Revelations to Support Careers in the Arts for the Disadvantaged Together with the Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Foundation {Beauty Notes}
Lancôme have announced an ethical partnership with the Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Foundation, a young institution founded by the first lady of France in the spring of 2009 whose goal is "
to
encourage access to culture, education and knowledge in order to fight
exclusion and social inequality. "
The resulting program called Lancôme Revelations aims to support artistic vocations in high-school students from disadvantaged communities who may not otherwise be able to fulfill their dreams or who might even fall victims to self-censorship.
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy said,
"In my opinion,
Lancôme epitomises French beauty. This makes the brand the perfect partner for
a program designed to show young people in difficulty that pursuing a career in
the arts really is possible and that art and culture offer a wealth of future
possibilities and job opportunities in exciting professions. It's all about
equal opportunities, the same hope for everyone, but more than that - personal
development and fulfilment."...
MAC Cosmetics Suntints SPF 20 Liquid Lip Balm in Lilt of Lily (2009) {Beauty Review} Reviewing Lip Balms {Beauty Notes}
My method for reviewing lip balms is simple: buy, try, stash, live with it, conclude. What this means is that it is very easy to impulse-buy lip balms at every turn of your busy life because you forget them at home, because the weather is suddenly really, really dry and you need a super-powered balm, or simply because there is a new one with a cute packaging that you just spotted at the cashier's register; those little nothings are always placed at strategic locations to make you realize about their existence at the last minute of your shopping spree.
There are so many of them, in your basket and in the world at large, that it seems futile to try to keep track of them. But what is very helpful is that the gesture of applying lip balm is actually quite instinctual, a little bit like licking your lips to hydrate them momentarily (don't do that of course, it will make matters worse!). So what I do is I allow things to settle. The ones that really matter have a way of floating back up to the surface and you have
to conclude after some time has elapsed that the settling is done and
that this lip balm has something to say for itself because you did not forget about it at the bottom of your stash and it is actually useful. You tend to have a grateful thought for it. You actually enjoy using it. And you know it has a clear defined goal and a repeatable effect you look forward to recreating...
Winter Skin On My Mind: Caudalie Moisturizing Cream-Mask Face & Eyes {Beauty Review} {Beauty & Olfaction}
In this series, Winter Skin on My Mind, I will look at hydrating products that are hopefully efficacious for women, men or children. They are not necessarily the same, but looking at a jar of cream from a family perspective can yield unsuspected results like when I discovered that my tyke's German diaper cream could officially double as a face mask.
I have had winter skin on my mind since the end of the summer holidays what with the dehydration due to the sun and greater outdoor exposure. So, as soon as I was able to study the shelves of my local pharmacies I decided to give a product by Caudalie called Moisturizing Cream-Mask Face & Eyes/Masque Crème Hydratante Visage et Yeux a go.
The brand is well-known by now for its use of the antioxydant power of Bordeaux winemaking by-products such as grape rape or seeds. What is now termed vinotherapy has become a sort of sub-field of beauty treatments including spa ones.
Caudalie (koh-da-lee) is a lovely musical word in French that has an even lovelier meaning: it refers to the vintner's unit used to measure the span of time in which a flavor is felt in the mouth until it fades away. A caudalie or cdl lasts for 1 second. The longer the lingering aromatic sensation, that is the number of caudalies, the better, the more flavorful...
My 2009 Halloween Shopping List: Ambiguity {Beauty Notes} {Perfume List}
To help you out make that mad dash to the beauty and perfume counters for Halloween 09, here is what I think will help you prep in the most ghoulish yet stylish way and usher in The Moooood.
Also, bonus, see at the end my recommendation for the Scariest Movie in the Universe if you want to rent a genuinely unsettling film.
The only black lipstick I have found that truly worked for me this year is Mac Bat Black Cream Colour Base. (That and last year's Lancôme Piha set.) You can use it to create creepy shadows on your face: turn your eyes into evil hollows and your cheekbones into graveyard material before their appointed time, or use it on your lips to whip up an interesting, slightly melancholy look. The color has enough subtlety and Bordeaux pigments in it to look like a fashion statement rather than a leftover inspiration from Halloween.
Wait, you tell me that you are confused -- isn't this meant to be a Halloween post?
Yes, but it's also meant to be useful beyond Halloween. I think I used the word stylish...
Thank god for NASA the beauty literate can exclaim. Imagine the utterly frivolous, at first glance, thinking that one unforeseen upside of space exploration is the diverting of science resources to application in the cosmetics industry. But it is true and some even point out that the business of beauty is far from being frivolous. While you cannot yet play the tourist on a foreign planet, you can use Crème de la Mer, a by-product of this cosmic scale human endeavor thanks to Dr. Max Huber. You were also able to appreciate the space rose note in Zen by Shiseido when it was still available.
Now, thanks again to NASA, we get the benefits of their research into the best houseplants to bring on a space odissey to keep the air as free of toxins as possible and the skin supple (the latter is my take on it)...
Think Pink: Butter London Pink Ribbon Lacquer, Mango & Peach Hand & Nail Cream {Beauty Shopping Tip}
More picks for the pink month.
Butter London, which is well known, at least in my book, for its recherché library of nail polish colors, will donate 100% of the proceeds coming from the sales of its two Breast-Cancer-Awareness products this month of October 09...
2 Love My Lips Lip Glosses are Secret Weapons Against Date-Raping {New Beauty Products}
A British brand called 2 Love My Lipshave come up with the idea of empowering women by turning traditional tools of coquetry, their lip glosses, into weapons against date-raping.
I initially imagined that the gloss itself might turn into a code color alert if you smeared some discreetly on the rim of your glass, but you need to whip out the strip that says you mean business. It's not going to be easy to make friends this way, but safety first! Okay, seriously, the lip glosses come together with a drug testing kit in the form of a pink taper that you dip into your drink before taking any sip out of it. The strip detects the drugs GHB and Ketamine by turning blue...
Estee Lauder Your Beauty, Your Style, Your Profile Free Events -- In NYC on Oct 16, 2009 {Beauty News}
"If you are on a social networking site like Facebook, your profile photo can be seen by millions of people every day - wouldn't you like to put your best face forward? Instead of posting that snapshot from last year's holiday party, let Estée Lauder help you with Your Beauty. Your Style. Your Profile.
Estée Lauder's Your Beauty. Your Style. Your Profile. events can help with simple makeup looks that make you look just right for just the right site. Then a professional will take your photo, provide you a hard copy, and even e-mail it to you so you can immediately upload it to your social network profile, cell phone or smart phone - all FREE! ...
Think Pink: Yankee Candle Breast Cancer Tumbler & Car Jar {New Beauty Products}
For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Yankee Candle is scenting the month of October 2009 in mandarin and cranberry, two fall fruits, with the tag line, "A light of hope." If you want to support breast cancer research with their two offerings this year, you can opt for a perfumed candle in a tumbler and/or a car deodorizer, the Car Jar in the shape of a mini iconic Yankee Candle home candle, if you want to be seen with your breast cancer message and spread the word...
Think Pink: OPI Pink of Hearts, the 2009 Edition {New Beauty Products}
Continuing our shopping-tip series on pink products that support breast cancer research in the dedicated month of October, we now bring to you the new 2009 edition of OPI Pink of Hearts. This is the third time in a row that OPI has joined the crusade since 2007. In 2007, we had a strawberry milk shake color, in 2008 a jelly bean pink and in 2009, we have a creamy pastel pink with a touch of vintage...
Think Pink: 2 Estee Lauder Pink Ribbon Lip Sets by Evelyn Lauder & Elizabeth Hurley, & More {New Beauty Products}
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and many in the beauty industry are taking this opportunity to send a pink message of hope. For the occasion, Estée Lauder have pledged to give $500,000 to fund cancer research. To help them reach their goal, they have issued a pink ribbon pin, a compact, and 2 lip sets in various shades of pinks selected each by Evelyn Lauder for her own and actress Elizabeth Hurley for hers.
The Evelyn Lauder Lip Design Collection and Elizabeth Hurley Lip Design Collection include the following items...
For a Change, The Natural Look at Balmain RTW 2010 {Beauty Notes} {Look of the Day}
Exactly the kind of look one wishes to see on a Friday: Balmain went for a very natural look for its show for RTW 2010 to contrast it with ornate outfits.
Makeup
Tom Pecheux said "We are working and playing with every detail of the face without showing it,"
Hair
Sam McKnight was even more understated: he just sprayed water on the models' hair and ran his fingers through it.
Lancome Deluxe Brush Set & Fashion Case (2009): Purple Love
Following its limited-edition Declaring Indigo brush set which updated the badger-brush look by dying part of the brush in a beautiful dusty royal blue, Lancôme just released another, new tantalizing set called the Deluxe Brush Set& Fashion Case. This time it is a travel-sized set and the by now 5 brushes (but minus the mineral powder brush) are dyed a bishop bejeweled purple hue and housed in a case adorned with two matching cabochons to flash a little glam when you open it...
Cheryl Cole Just Got Hired by L'Oreal & Would Love To Have a Sig Perfume {Fragrance & Beauty News} {Celebrity Perfumes & Beauty}
Some people like Justin Timberlake and Emma Watson simply hate the idea of offering their perfume incarnations to the public, but singer Cheryl Cole of Girls Aloud begs to differ. Like several other WAGS before her (hubby is football player Ashley Cole), a typical British tabloid phenomenon, she thinks it would be "amazing,"...
Miss Oops Rescue Sponge {Beauty Shopping Notes - On-The-Go Beauty}
Miss Oops has apparently designed the beauty version of Mr Clean Magic Eraser, that most indispensable house-cleaning tool, and in this case you don't even need to be near a water source.
Troubled by slight mishaps while on the go like deodorant marks and makeup powder transfering onto your clothes? You can try one of these feminine-looking flower-shaped red sponges which have a patent pending and as suggested, dry erase them...
Pantene Beautiful Lengths event in NYC on Oct 14, 2009: Donate 8 Inches of Hair & Get a Free Haircut {Beauty Notes}
Pantene Beautiful Lengths event at the Mark Garrison Salon
WHEN: Wednesday Oct 14th, 2009
TIME: 6pm-9pm
WHERE: Mark Garrison Salon 108 East 60th Street 212.400.8000
WHAT: Make the kindest cut of all! The Mark Garrison Salon will be
hosting a Pantene Beautiful Lengths Event in partnership with the
Looking Glass Theatre. Free haircuts with the donation of 8 inches or
more ponytail length. Come have fun, give back and leave looking
gorgeous!
The Deets on Kherington Payne's Look at The Fame Premiere in L.A. {Beauty Notes} {Makeup} {Celebrity Beauty}
We got the insider's scoop from Lancôme's team about actress Kherington Payne's makeup routine for the red-carpet premiere of the remake of one of the 80s defining film, Fame, in Los Angeles on September 23, 2009. Signed by makeup artist Vanessa Scali, The effect is described as "...the rising star's graphic, smokey eye, pretty golden skin and shimmery nude mouth."
There was a definite cat-eye impression with as much emphasis on line than on hair (lashes) to achieve the style. Payne attended the event in the evening but managed to present a sun-kissed glow under the flashlights. No details on the hairdo (and hair jewelry), which looked like a cross between a lacquered bouffant from the sixties and an antique Greek up-do, all with 21st century glam hair extensions. The Greek reference was echoed by her tunic-like dress.
"To start, Vanessa prepped the skin with Lancôme's Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate, which kept Kherington's skin fresh in the 100 degree heat. Lancôme's Effacernes in Light Bisque -Vanessa's favorite formula--was dabbed underneath the eyes. Bobbi Brown's Foundation Stick was applied on select areas with a small brush and blended with the fingers. Lancôme's Blush Subtil in Sheer Amourose delivered a glowy look and was accented with Giorgio Armani Beauty's Fluid Sheer #2 on the cheek and brow bones. A dusting of Lancôme's Photôgenic Sheer Loose Powder, just on the T-zone."...
Selfridges will House Largest Dior Color Collection in the World + An Ultra Exclusive Edition of J'Adore: The Amphora {Beauty News} {Fragrance News}
London department store Selfridges in Oxford Street has been granted the worldwide privilege of housing the largest collection of makeup color by Dior ever to have been displayed in one location. On October 1, 2009 when the equally record-breaking largest Dior beauty counter in Europe opens at Selfridges, it will offer the richest library of colors you can feast your eyes upon and test...
Seal Sports Gray Polish at the Emmys {Beauty Notes - Celebrity Beauty}
Singer Seal and wife
Heidi Klum attend the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre
on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.
If you asked yourself if wearing nail polish is an option for you, a man, you can now turn to Seal's example who thinks gray nail polish is just the right tint to wear with a suit...
Highlights from the Hard Candy Collection for Walmart To Launch Next Week {Beauty Notes - News}
As announced previously, Hard Candy which was established originally in 1995 by sisters Dineh and Pooneh Mohajer is making a comeback to Walmart in a spruced up packaging for some of its items like the lipsticks while the nail polishes will retain their iconic appearance complete with plastic toy rings. The line-up includes 261 items at an average price of $7. A veritable treasure trove for cheap thrills seekers.
The idea behind this operation is to democratize prestige makeup by bringing it to the mass-market shelves of Walmart. Walmart will gain in coolness and Hard Candy will look suddenly extra familiar and empathic to a bigger segment of the market. Walmart has a far-from-the-madding-crowd quality about it due to its retail locations in rural areas that in a way can be turned into a relative notion of exclusivity. It will also be a great, easy way for teens to enter the fashion-makeup culture and develop a taste for it. More mature women, those who read More, will be able to tap into the urban girly culture for grownups.
Here are some highlights from the upcoming collection to be introduced next week....
Chanel Les Noirs Obscurs Mini Movie {Beauty Images & Ads} -- Makeup Review
The black-soot look is great on model Malgosia Bela, but it is really hard to pull off outside of the spotlights (and Halloween revelry). To me, there is always a big distinction to be made between makeup that looks good in front of a camera in a studio with all the sources of light and angles that one can control, and a versatile street makeup that has to work effortlessly. Bela has big, clear, even transparent blue/green eyes and a pale complexion so it counterbalances the black pigments. The lip color here looks good because it is layered with some red plum in it. I was surprised to see how the lipsticks in Les Noirs Obscurs were going for some uncompromisingly dull-ish shades (Maniac, Hysteria, Obscure). It takes a whole different kind of attitude to wear those...
I did not imagine that I would find a beauty product that is meant to work both for your lips and body, but Dr. Allan Kurtz came up with it so let's see what it claims to do. Kurtz's brainchild developed by Pacific Shore Holdings is a lip Balm which contains ingredients targeting weight gain issues. The Burner Balm literally claims it burns fat thanks to Hoodia Gordonii extract which is an effective appetite suppressant, Green Tea extract which stimulates metabolism, Chromium Picolinate which acts on the metabolism, helps build muscle and increases energy level, Natural Caffeine which helps with calorie control and L-Carnitine which helps prevent fatty tissue buildup. On the website, they explain that you have to be a little restricted in its use, because apparently, it works,...
L'Wren Scott Spring 2010 at Mercedez-Benz New York Fashion Week {Beauty & Fashion Notes} {Backstage Beauty}
London Fashion Week is in full swing but let's take a look back at New York Fashion Week for some of the ideas that might influence street wear in Spring-Summer 2010.
L'Wren Scott Spring 2010 ready-to-wear collection was called Madame du Barry as it was inspired by the mistress of Louis XV and her sense of style, especially her liking for pinks. There were many subtle deep cranberry outfits on the L'Wren runway and you may choose to see it as a pink or a pink veering in the direction of red, as I do. Antique pastel roses were also used, often for contrast with that rich ruby color. The color story is slightly different but complementary. Lancôme Makeup Artist Director Aaron de Mey on the other hand took inspiration from the roses-and-cream complexion of Marie-Antoinette (the two women hated each other by the way). The whole look came together as one inspired by the preciosity and refinement of the court of Versailles in the 18th century and the beauty of two women who ruled it.
Here it's the colors and embroidery work that give an 18th century feel to this sleek, simple sheath.
We got the lowdown on the makeup products, colors and techniques used by Lancôme's Aaron de Mey.
Take The Red Eye This Fall 2009 -- Part 1: Makeup Launches {Trend Alert} {New Beauty Products - Color}
Red, as we all know is more often seen on lips, relatively less often on cheeks
(real red that is, like Exhibit A by Nars, say) and even less frequently
on eyelids. Making up your eyes in red can be dramatic, romantic, antiquated or Goth. It's a
look with historical precedents like the Geisha look, the Chinese Opera
singers look, the courtly lady's look with her rouge that was applied so high up on cheeks in
the 18th century that it went up to the eye level, the ethnic look like in the use of red mud
to adorn the body in Africa, or the vampire/Gothic look, and more. And no, not the rabbit look.
In
Part 1 we present some of the makeup product launches this fall that have been inspired to make the color red migrate onto the eyelids. In Part 2, we will round up red eye
makeup from alternative brands. In Part 3, we'll take a look at the
runway looks that used red on the eyes. And how about a bonus Series on Red Perfumes? This fall we are seeing a lot of red both on the runways and in the makeup pans. Chanel has launched its Venetian collection and one of the most interesting items in it is the eye-gloss quad featuring a deep antique red that could also make you think of a nature morte depicting a butcher's display. This red can be both kept saturated to the point where it looks like makeup for the stage to make believe you were bruised or be worked into a more classic red look.
Armani has a terrific mascara, Eyes to Kill, in Rouge Iron. The swatch on the Armani site does not do justice to the original color which is a rich terracotta red and makes me think most of an African color, like a landslide of red clay after the rain. It applies beautifully and although it will not make your eyes stand out as much as with a darker color, it's so luscious you want to find a way to use it to full effect. They also have the new Eyes to Kill Eye Shadow in Red Iron: 3 colors to apply at different levels of the eyelid. Isn't this a to-die-for coral-y tomato red?...
Love this picture above: it's cute, funny and contemplative. On the picture below where you can see how tired the face of the model looks, you just realize how taxing the job can be.
In the frenzy that occupies the space backstage during any fashion week, you would imagine that food is not the models' main concern. But they still need to refuel themselves up during the long waits during and after the makeup sessions before all hell breaks loose. Here is what photographer Gabrielle Revere found out models ate backstage at New York Fashion Week 2009.
You can see a variety of foods with a preference for fruit, and always, portion control.
In an effort to restructure the Estée Lauder companies in an efficient manner, their beloved brand Prescriptives developed in 1977 and founded in 1979 by Estée's second son, Ronald Lauder, will cease being in existence.
Its first, ex-director, Sylvie Chantecaille said,
"It was a great introduction for young
women. It changed the face of makeup. Everyone learned from
Prescriptives about warm and cool."
One of the early factors explaining Prescriptives's demise are seen in retrospect to have been the rise of the makeup-artist brands in the mid-nineties with Bobbi Brown and M.A.C which made it appear less edgy...
Crazy Horse Cabaret & Sephora To Launch Makeup Line {Beauty Notes -- New Products}
The legendary Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris has partnered with Sephora to launch a limited-edition collection of makeup colors and accessories which is reportedly full of "show girl goodies!" The line called Crazy Horse Paris pour Sephora will comprise "Crazy lipstick, eyeshadow, pasties, body shimmer, etc.", even a Crazy duckie, false eye lashes, (but no makeup brushes per the insider's spill)...
Chris Benz Spring 2010 at Mercedez-Benz New York Fashion Week {Beauty & Fashion Notes - Backstage Beauty}
Chris Benz Spring 2010
For the makeup Chris asked Daniel [Martin] to create a sun-kissed, fresh look. He wanted a healthy skin and prominent lip.
Daniel gave the models a natural glow by applying Généfique Activating Skin Concentrate to clean skin followed by Généfique Eye to open up and brighten the eye area. The complexion was perfectly even and polished. Shu Uemura Nobara Foundation was applied to even out the skin tone and Lancôme Ageless Mineral Transluscent powder was dusted over the entire face. Pop 'n Cheeks in Coral Flirt was used as a highlighter and lightly applied to the cheekbones near the temple for just a hint of color. To define the eyes, Daniel smudged Le Crayon Khôl in black coffee on the upper and lower lash lines. Several coats of Hypnôse Mascara in black were applied for thick, black lashes...
Fred Farrugia's New Makeup Line, Design by Ora Ito {Beauty Notes} {New Beauty Products}
Fred Farrugia is the ex-international artistic director for makeup for Lancôme and the inventor, amongst others, of the Juicy tubes. He just launched his own line of makeup at Sephora France, developing a nomadic concept of 104 stackable palettes of colors that can be easily carried in your bag and more originally, used without a mirror thanks to the (amazing) textures. One of the ideas behind the line is that this is a collection you can use even if you know more about
finger-painting from your days in day-care and kindergarten than about
makeup.
The textures may be called easy now but it took Farrugia five years to create the products in his apartment. (By the way, he is the brother of comic French TV personality Dominique Farrugia.) His collaborator on the project is designer Ora-Ito who conceived the stackables which are simple, functional elongated palettes that just need to be clipped on, unclipped, stacked at will. Ora-Ito is also the thinking head behind the new beautiful flacon for the latest perfume by Guerlain, Idylle (it looks better in reality than on a picture)....
Sephora Boar Detangling Brush (2009): The Power of Tourmaline {Beauty Notes: Review} {Hair} {New Beauty Product}
Sephora has introduced a new collection of hair brushes that was studied to incorporate both the traditional know-how by using 100% natural bristles and the still traditional but nevertheless new, edgy awareness that certain minerals -- tourmaline here -- release negative ions that are beneficial to haircare. The latter is dubbed "Ionic technology" and promises an anti-frizz effect as well as a "maxi-shine." The encouraging tag line is "...for the woman who wants to achieve mane magnificence sans the damage."
Well, I have to say that I literally jumped on the Sephora Brand Boar Detangling Brush (or Brosse Démêlante Sanglier) upon spying it without even reading the fine print as my personal hairbrush-radar activated itself automatically. This particular brush from the collection looked very well balanced..
Mariah Carey unveiled the new advert for her upcoming fragrance, Forever. The ad is very much photoshopped to the point where it is hard to recognize Carey. They have given her the taut face of someone who has undergone a not-so-subtle lift surgery and who on top of that is addicted to Botox. Do you think some people are getting confused about what's the in-look? Could it be that the entirely fake "surgical look" might have become a status symbol in some circles?...
I find the woman's voice in this commercial quite hypnotic; I realized it's because the intonation mimics the meowing of a cat, but in a very stylized manner.
Hard Candy Now at Wal-Mart {Beauty News}: The More Bells & Whistles, The Merrier
Hard Candy has debuted in a new mass-retail channel by appearing legitimately on the shelves of Wal-Mart. The brand specifically created a rich range of 261 products for the retail giant. According to Reuters, for Wal-Mart this is a move linked to the context of the recession which has pushed more higher-income shoppers to visit its premises so as to respond to sober times, even if only psychologically. Reuters also underlines the fact that this evolution was not fully appreciated by lower-income shoppers who are the real Wal-Mart regulars...
Torrid Plus-Size 26 Finalists Models Announced: Help Choose 6 Winners by Voting Online Now {Beauty News}
Torrid, the plus-size fashion and accessories label have announced that they have picked 26 finalists as part of their campaign to find the next new faces of Torrid. They are asking you to help them choose the 6 winners! Pretty faces, sweet faces, faces full of personality, serious faces, smiley faces...it's time to have your say!
Kicking off the voting for House of Dreams Model
Search, the finalists will be narrowed down to 6 winners that will participate
in the fashion show on September 24th! Go online to Torrid.com
to make your selection and vote on who you think should be the next face of
Torrid.com; the lucky winners will be posted online on September 2nd.
From the archives come two videos of a young Kate Moss auditioning for l'Oréal. There is a longer silent footage after the jump. In it she offers her profile to the camera at one point. In that moment she made me think of Marilyn Monroe. They look nothing alike 3/4 and from the front, but they have similar profiles...
Amber in your Hair: Philip B Russian Imperial Amber Shampoo, Lulu Organics Patchouli & Amber, MiEssence Protect Hair Repair {Beauty Notes - Hair}
Fall is right around the corner and with it starts cravings for deep, rich, warm... mmm, comforting scents. Obviously I am daydreaming aloud. Amber is one of the choice notes to sport in the autumn season because it is so mellow and besides it is like the olfactory embodiment of turning-leaves. Amber smells dark to golden light and can offer a textural facet that evokes cashmere or fur. I truly think that it can help you keep warmer in the chill thanks to the psychological impact it can have on the mind...
Lady Lilith dubbed "the toilette picture" by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
So, I spotted three products that go for the Baudelairean ambiance of a rich mane dripping with the luxurious notes of amber. One is really deluxe, Philip B Russian Imperial Amber Shampoo, another is more affordable, Lulu Organics Patchouli and Amber, and the third one, MiEssence Protect HairRepair, you can have at a dirt cheap price in travel size...
Bath & Body Works American Grown Collection (2009) {New Bath & Body}
Bath & Body Works have released a new collection of shower gels and hand soaps in five different scents inspired by iconic geographic locations in the States. The scents are called Napa Grape, Montana Sky, Washington Apple, Savannah Mint, and Siesta Key Lemon.
Napa Grape contains grape seed oil, of course, but is also perfumed accordingly,
In the beautiful rolling hills of Napa
Valley's rich wine country, the alluring scent of ripe grapes wafts
through the air. Breathe in this irresistible fragrance and experience
the intoxicating aroma that has inspired generations of romance...
Fresh has introduced a new eye treatment cream called Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Cream (Crème Contour des Yeux Thé Noir). It comes after the award-winning Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask and Black Tea Age-Delay Cream with collagen boosting lychee. The latter got an award from Men's Health which tells us ladies that guys dig it...
Photoshopped Twiggy Sparks Political Controversy in Great Britain
Remember Twiggy? This is how she used to look in the 1960s:
She was the 1960s for many.
Here is another look where her signature silhouette is particularly twig-like:
Now a controversy is raging in the UK because Twiggy just came back at age 59 to be the face of Olay and members of the Democratic Liberal party think there ought to be a law stating that photoshopped ads are so, so that naïve children and teenagers do not start thinking all this is realistic.
All fashion photographies are photoshopped to make mouths look bigger, eyes more cat-like, legs longer, skin poreless, bodies slimmer. It's a vice of the fashion industry who can never find a human being that is perfect enough to incarnate its brand. I once watched a program where a beautiful model was being "fixed" at every stage of the photo shoot to see if they were getting what they wanted...
Carol's Daughter to Launch Disney Princess Tiana Line
Carol's Daughter is thrilled to be able to contribute to what the brand considers a landmark moment with the release of the new Disney movie The Princess and the Frog featuring for the first time an animated character of African-American heritage in the lead role. To accompany this event, Carol's Daughter has created a limited-edition line of hair and bath & body products which they say is very effective and made with natural ingredients such as aloe leaf juice, cranberry extract, sunfloower seed oil, olive oil etc. Although everyone can use them, African-American hair was specifically kept in mind when devising the products...
Guerlain Cashmere Lip Gloss in Rose Pondichery 01 (2009)
Guerlain says that the Gloss Cashmere Lip Gloss is inspired by traditional lip powder used by Indian women from the subcontinent. It probably sounds more exotic and interesting than to say "No need to powder your lips anymore after applying lipstick to make the color stay on and look matte." This is exactly what it does as an obvious new-generation lip gloss with an almost alien texture it is so high-performance...
Plus-Size Models Wanted: Enter the Competition until August 7th 2009!
Torrid is Calling Out to Curvaceous Beauties!
You don't want to miss out on this once in a lifetime
opportunity! You could be the star of a LA fashion show or even be the next
face of Torrid.com! Torrid, the plus-sized clothing store is having their House
of Dreams Model Search, a nation-wide hunt for a diva to rep their brand!
Your time is running out! Applications must be postmarked by August
7th to qualify! So if you are at least 16 years old and size 12-26
go to Torrid.com to print out your application and send it in!
Torrid HQ
Attn: Model Search 2009
18305
E. San Jose Ave.
Industry,
CA 19748
For more information and to print an application go to Torrid.com
today!
Nars has opened a new e-commerce website to enable beauty junkettes. The main categories are Color, NARSskin, Accessories, gifts, Cult Products, Current Collection and Looks. You can subscribe to their newsletter.
Among their new products you can find their first color palette specially devised for wedding brides and a sunbathing coffret.
You get a funny concept and a new nutraceutical product with the Collagen Marshmallows by Eat Yourself Beautiful, a British brand which is interested in developing a whole line of tasty beauty products sourced from different parts of the world. The Collagen Marshmallows are made in Japan and supposed to help you keep a wrinkle-free appearance by insuring you get your daily dose of collagen peptides.
It is a little surprising the brand went for real sugar and a decadent food rather than turned the marshmallows into a healthy treat, but maybe the sugar helps people keep a happy face?
AmaZene Bath & Body Line Based on Active Ingredients from the Amazonian Rainforest
For those on the lookout for new natural active ingredients and ethical beauty brands here is a new line of bath and body products by newcomer label AmaZene. They offer 6 different collections serving different targeted skin needs called Mango & Murumuru, Avocado & Andiroba, Cocoa & Copaiba,
Coconut & Buriti, Papaya & Acerola and Passion Fruit & Guava...
Nuxe Baume Prodigieux Levres Nutri-Protecting Lip Care Gloss Effect - SPF 15 in Charismatic Red
The Big Rave
Nuxe, a brand most famous for its Huile Prodigieuse, a multi-purpose and multi-award winning dry oil that I confess to having only used in its sparkling gold version as a cheek tint, launched a series of four so-called "Nutri-Protecting Lip Care Gloss Effect" or Baume Prodigieux Lèvres in April 2009. Although you might initially think like I did that this is just makeup and zoom in as I did on their Charismatic Red/ Rouge Charismatique for its great coral red tint compared to that of a poppy by the brand, this product turns out to be much more than that. It has simply become my go-to gloss and lip balm all in one as it holds such visible treatment effects for the lips...
Illamasqua to Debut at Sephora Times Square on July 31, 2009
A little bit of British alternative culture is coming soon to the United States. Creative makeup brand Illamasqua whose motto is "discover your alter-egos" will debut in the United States at the new Sephora store at 5, Times Square on July 31, 2009. Some people must be squeeing right now. The brand has been receiving 50 emails a day from US customers clamoring for their products, a trend that forced them to open sooner than expected across the pond.
Much of the inspiration for the brand comes from alternative cultures and the nightlife concept as they specialize in makeup to be worn "after dark". Their colors are bold, daring, dramatic.
"Illamasqua is the product of a heady mix of influences. Its roots stem
from the dark and illicit 1920s club scene and combines a rich heritage
in the manufacture of make-up for film and theatre. It also takes
inspiration from members of the 'alternative scenes' for whom
self-expression is paramount. Alternative cultures have always dared to
be dramatic. They have an emotional attachment to making up. It's an
expression of their darker side, a release for their alter ego....
Illamasqua
is for the bolder person hiding inside all of us. It is an act and an
attitude. A symbol of tolerance. A celebration of idiosyncracies. A
confident statement of self-ownership."...
"To work hard, as I've worked to accomplish anything, and then have some yo-yo come up and say, "Take off those dark glasses and let's have a look at those blue eyes" is really discouraging."
Globalizing Ideal Beauty by Denise H. Sutton: Upcoming New Book
A potentially interesting book is appearing on the horizon. Author Denise H. Sutton is preparing to release a new title called Globalizing Ideal Beauty. It focuses on the impact that beauty copy-writing has had on the dissemination of archetypes of beauty and especially through the work done at the J. Walter Thompson Advertising Agency. The latter founded in 1864 claims to be the oldest advertising agency in the world. It was renamed JWT in 2005.
The argument ties also in with one on gender as the sub-title indicates that what will be considered in this research is the specific action of "female copy writers". This is not surprising considering the fact that Sutton has a PhD in Women's Studies.
Globalizing Ideal Beauty is the
forgotten story of a group of women copywriters whose successful ad
campaigns went international in the 1920s and spread an American notion
of feminine appeal from Bangor to Bangkok. Sutton's approach has all
the complexity of the real world and is grounded in a huge body of
original archival research that has so far remained largely untapped...
Sonia Kashuk Hidden Treasure Brush Set & Coral Reef Highlighter
Check out these new cosmetic brushes by Sonia Kashuk. Don't they look great and as summery as can be with this coral-branch theme going on? The Hidden Treasure Brush Set and the Coral Reef Highlighter need to be bought separately. The handles are made of an aluminium alloy from what I can tell. Lovely higher-end design for a beer budget.
They're new and available at Target for $19.99 and $12.99 respectively.
Klorane Fortifying Treatment Shampoo with Quinine and B Vitamins: Fight Recession Hair Loss!
Klorane offers a very good line of shampoos - they are well-known for their plant research - and over the years I have tried many of their products. One I always go back to whenever I need some strengthening action for my hair is their quinine-based shampoo called Klorane Fortifying Treatment Shampoo with Quinine and B Vitamins. My husband who is a more recent user also gives it two thumbs up.
There are a number of other shampoo brands that use Quinquina or Jesuit's Bark or Cinchona and it would be interesting to compare them, but at this point I can only say that this shampoo is effective and this is the reason why I have remained faithful to it. Quinine was used as early as during the Inca period. Klorane's quinine is said to be grown in the Amazon region where the extracts are sun-dried for maximum potency....
After having perused the website Awful Plastic Surgery which keeps track of all the botched plastic surgeries undergone by celebs, you have to throw up your arms in the air and ask: "Why, oh why?". The most heartbreaking examples are those of people who were naturally good-looking but then decided through a singular, sick distortion of their minds to become ugly through surgery. They apparently think, the poor things, that they look better or maybe their entourage tells them so. Something along the lines of "you've got the right freakish look that will show you're a real Hollywood sophisticate plus nobody is going to be jealous of you anymore so hey, less competition!"
The example of Nikki Cox was a shocker for me, who turned from angelic-faced to banal Hollywood look casualty.
Then I got sick and tired of the trout lip, the linker sausage lip, the pillow lip, the clown lips. Those mouths just look ungodly, like old-fashioned buoys, the bigger, the better...
Chanel Jade & Jade Rose Limited-Edition Nail Polishes
Chanel is issuing a limited-edition of two rare colors of nail polishes inspired by the house's recent runway looks.
I am not 100 % sure which collection is referenced here, but found two matching looks from the Ready-to-Wear Autumn/Winter 2009 fashion show which took place in March 2009 in Paris (click to enlarge the pictures below)...
Bourjois So Delicate Lip Cream (2009): Cheeks to Lips: # 55 Fuschia Delicat
So DelicateLip Cream is the latest lipstick concept by Bourjois which just launched this month. Its originality is to propose a delicate new powdery texture for the lips. The traditional look you achieve by applying powder and lipstick and then biting in a Kleenex is recreated efficaciously here and even - important note - improved upon with just a few precise sweeps of the foam brush.
You may be yearning after a matte look but be weary at the same time of the drying effect. Or you may like the sophisticated, slightly retro powdery look but find it not versatile enough and aging and/or hardening. So Delicate is like a sheerer yet saturated, more luminous and truly powdery rather than matte version of this look...
Mustela Baby Shampoo is a very good quality shampoo recommended for adults with sensitive skin who can use it as an everyday shampoo. I started using it at one point in time because I was looking for a non-aggressive shampoo for a frequent to daily use.
It contains wheat, chamomile
and coconut oil extracts and is hypoallergenic...
The Body Shop Tantalizing Lip Butter Yes, Yes, Yes / Oui, Oui, Oui (2009)
The Body Shop have a new limited-edition extra-rich lip butter called Tantalizing Lip Butter, plus it stands for a good cause: Safe Sex. TBD have partnered with MTV and the Staying Alive Foundation to promote information on HIV and AIDS. Proceeds will go to further that cause. You can check out the dedicated site at http://www.yestosafesex.com Finally, the shea butter is sourced from Africa and respects Community Trade standards...
Too Faced just introduced a new primer called Primed & Poreless just in time to fight summer's pore magnifying effect. "Poreless" sounds very confident, so why not give it a go? Apparently it's very versatile color-wise as the nude tone adapts to all complexions.
Perfect for people who prefer to wear as little makeup as possible and favor makeup that treats rather than just cover up flaws.
"This one-of a-kind makeup primer was scientifically formulated to
wear alone or under bronzers and foundation powders for a look of
flawless skin without makeup. Vitamins A & C, Mulberry extract, and
a powerful dose of Retinol virtually banish pores while tired skin is
left hydrated, firmer, and detoxified. Primed & Poreless creates
the perfect canvas to allow powders, bronzers, and foundations to slide
seamlessly on the skin--delivering a flawless and perfectly blended look
that stay in place all day. Skin appears brighter, fresher, and younger."
MAC have launched a travel-exclusive collection of makeup called Phase III for the summer holidays season. It comprises Coral Lips & Bags, Pink lips & Bags, Rose Lips & Bags, Soft-Style Fluidline, High Impact Fluidline, Basic Brushes, and Advanced Brushes...
Nivea Natural AKA Pampering Oil: Basic Body Wash for Dry Skins
Nivea is such a global brand that you really need sometimes to track down their products across countries. You have these Asia or Europe exclusives that might just suit you. Nivea Natural Oil is one such product. Fortunately there are e-tailers that import it to the US....
Royal Ascot is one of the best world-famous venues to contemplate people parading alongside the race tracks and to spot eccentric hats. The same woman, I realized afterwards I made my picks, is wearing two different over-the-top bibis as the French say. On the left, a bowl of strawberries on a bed of clover, how insanely logical is that? On the right, something like a pink flamingo deconstructed in blue and sifted through a paper shredder. Evocative, oh yes.
If you are afraid to commit a sartorial faux-pas, just check the Royal Ascot Dress Code Images that explain what is "acceptable" and what is "unsuitable".
Burt's Bees 25,000 Lip Balm Giveaway Fiesta with Paris Hilton!
Burt's Bees are giving away 25,000of their luscious lip balms. This little online extravaganza is taking place to celebrate their "25-year commitment to The Greater Good, Earth-friendly products, natural
ingredients and environmental sustainability." You can log on to www.burtsbees.com to enter the giveaway until June 20th, 2009.
Check out also this short video with celebs offering their well wishes to Burt's Bees.
Leonor Greyl hair products are pricier than average but on the other hand they do seem to deliver pretty consistently. As I had fond memories of their honey shampoo (Shampoing au Miel), a former staple product of mine and as I was looking at some of their shampoos, I decided to try their Bain TS Shampooing which targets the specific problem of people who get oily hair without really having oily hair, i.e. the curse of oily scalp and dry ends.
The excess sebum might be due to stress, pollution, an over-abrasive shampoo on your scalp which might be counteracted by the use of a soft baby shampoo except that your ends will still remain dry if you shy away from conditioners that might accelerate the greasing process. If you have long hair then the discrepancy between the roots and the ends becomes even more noticeable. Having said all that, I was a bit skeptical about the "engineering" of the solution and was wondering really how intelligent a shampoo can be...
Tarte Cosmetics CelluFight Natural Anti-Cellulite Self-Tanner (2009)
The other day I posted about an innovative 2-in-1 sunscreen that is also a slimming product by SomatolineCosmetic which was just introduced. Today, I happened on the latest body product by TarteCosmetics which is, guess what, a slimming and self-tanning product called CelluFight or rather celluFIGHT with a really big-looking stress on "FIGHT". The two are, as it happens, brand new and this is already making both products look like the beginning of a trend.
In this case the concept is slightly different although it follows a similar train of thought: tan real or faux + slimmer + smoother you. So, if you don't like to tan for real or it's not the right time for you now, you can turn your attention to Cellufight. And extra bonus, it's full of natural ingredients (algae extract, natural DHA, green tea leaf extract, organic green tea fragrance, skinTIGHT complex) and explicitly void of the chemicals that are usually black-listed...
An article in the Financial Times examines the latest trends in lipstick kingdom and sees a return of the real tube of rouge as opposed to the wildly popular wave of lip glosses. I see a parallel with the vintage perfume vs. the fresh, clean scents controversy in the world of perfume.
Check out the latest guru pronouncements and technological advances....
Everybody knows Nivea Creme, the legendary cream created in 1911 by Dr. Oskar Troplowitz in Hamburg, and almost everyone loves it since it sells at the rate of about 10,000 tons a year.
But what do people do with it? We all know the usual drill: face, neck, elbows, knees, feet...everywhere where the skin is dry and in need of a quick fix...
A vintage ad from the 1950s on the left: "against dry skin" (and the elements).
Somatoline Cosmetic Amincissant Solaire: An Innovative Slimming Sunscreen
This spring, French cosmetic brandSomatoline Cosmetic which specializes in thinning products launched an innovative slimming sunscreen called Traitement Amincissant Solaire which is offered in three different SPFs: 15, 30 and 50. Slimming body creams, lotions and gels of all ilks are very mainstream and hugely popular in France but to have one double up as a sunscreen that enhances its slimming properties under the action of the sun is newish.
Before I go on, I want to tell our international readers that the product is available on an online shopping site that ships worldwide so that you don't feel like the information will be useless if you're outside of Europe (check out parapharmastock.com).
According to Sports-Santé, this product which is currently touted as the first in its category was actually preceded by Bergasol lait IP8 silhouette a few years ago which contained caffeine and grapefruit extract...
The Rose Treatment at the Bon Marché on June 12 & 13, 2009/ Mains de Rose au Bon Marché les 12 & 13 Juin 2009
Doux Me a brand founded by Caroline Wachsmut and offering "modern bio cosmetics" has had a great idea for an indulgent GWP. For any Doux Me product purchased at the Bon Marché in Paris on June 12 and 13, 2009 you are offered a free rose manicure treatment that lasts for 30 mn.
"Doux me" will offer a blissfull hand treatment* with the "rose glacée"
milk cleanser, a rose petal hand bath, a fresh roses flower spray, a
hand massage using Caroline's hand-made oil made of rose hip seed oil,
and the final touch: a natural light rose nail polish!
And the ultimate bliss: get Caroline's exlusive oil after your treatment!
*hand treatment of 30 minutes offered against the purchase of any "doux me" product....
Max Factor Not To Be Carried in the US Anymore: I Think I Know Why
Procter & Gamble who bought Max Factor in 1991 have decided to stop marketing the centenarian brand, established 1909, in the US despite its historic Hollywood legacy. Times write that this is going to happen by the beginning of next year.
I have to say that speaking from my own experience I was surprised some time ago to realize that Max Factor was actually carried at all in the US and that it was the same brand as the one I had experienced back then in the UK (my staples then were the 2000 Calorie Mascara and an eye liner). The label lettering looked different with its emphasis on a dotted "MAX" at the incomprehensible cost of leaving "Factor" in the shadows although it's a legendary name (see comparative pictures: the British products are on the left and the US ones on the right). The lettering was way too big and you could almost miss it because of that. What caught my eye one day were the interesting colors on a rare visit to Walmart. It's only once I purchased the items and did some research online that I discovered it wasthat Max Factor....
New Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes Effet Extension Mascara (2009)
Givenchy is going to launch an improved version of their already very effective Phenomen'Eyes Mascara launched in 2008, the year of the extraordinary mascaras.
Phenomen' Eyes is one of the best mascaras to be found on the market plus it revolutionized the way you apply the beautifying goo by making you think vertically....
Sunscreen Q & A with Dermatologist Dr. Neal Schultz from NYC {Beauty Notes}
OK, here is the sunscreen Q & A I mentioned earlier on.
Can adults use
sunscreens for kids? (Kiehl's has a new one coming out) and why or why
not?Of
course yes....separation for adults and kids is marketing and has no
medical basis.
Someone was asking me what kind of tips one could use at home to get the kind of great glamorous hair that result from a hair-salon session. I promised that person to ask a hair expert to come share some insights on the blog. But then I remembered a really easy and effective tip that I actually tend to forget using for my own benefit. That's just for the shiny part of glamorous hair salon...
Did you know that the best way to integrate vitamin C into your beauty routine is by eating it and in kiwis in particular!
Topical application of C and fruit acids on skin pales in comparison with the advantages of just eating one kiwi a day, a fruit known for its anti-wrinkling properties thanks also to its content in vitamin E.
Eat it well ripened for maximum anti-oxydant benefits.
Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Body Lotion - Limited Edition Endorsed by Celebs
Kiehl's have launched a limited-edition collection of Argan and vegetal Squalene-based body lotions meant to mend all those unsightly crocodile cracks. Check out what we have already written about Argan and Squalene in the past.
The new product is called the Superbly Restorative Body Lotion and to make things even more exciting Kiehl's have asked Erykah Badu, Adrian Grenier, Kerry Slater, and the Parsons New School of Design to pitch in...
Gordon Brown's Glam Routine Revealed + Extra Grooming Tips
For queen and country.
An assistant of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown inadvertently left, amongst other things, a document describing Brown's embellishing routine in a taxi cab. The press now also want to help with his beauty needs and are adding a few more tips. See what he uses and what are recommended further.
"The make-up guide read:
'Transparent Brush. Foam all over.' This is believed to be an illuminating foam to make the Prime Minister's skin glow.
'Small pot under eyes, dimple, creases, blend in.' This is thought to refer to concealer to remove the appearance of bags and dark shadows.
'Clinique.
Super balanced make-up. All over again, like painting a wall, and ears.
Shut eyes over lids then with make-up pad smooth over liquid.' This is foundation designed to give Mr Brown an even skin tone and youthful appearance.
'Powder (dark brush) terracotta Guerlain, all over.' This is used to give a tanned and healthy look using a bronzer."
Sarah Vine critiques the PM's beauty bag and suggests better products for him here.
Elle France has interviewed perfumer Lyn Harris of Miller Harris, a London-based fragrance house, to ask her about her beauty secrets and favorite routines. The Q & A is in French but you can spot all the good addresses that she gives. Now I really want to try her rose and geranium tea.
In brief, she is devoted to Sisley as a skin care brand, her fave makeup remover cream is by Vaishaly. Her latest most exciting purchase is the scented candle La Marquise by Cire Trudon. The two perfumes she would have liked to have created are Diorissimo and Jicky. Whenever she needs to repulp her face she uses Masque Biodynamic Facial Soufflé by Elemental Herbology, and much more...
Lingerie designer Chantal Thomass has partnered with Nivea to create a limited-edition makeup line that will be available for about a year. It is due out in July 2009 in 16 European countries. This is the first time that Nivea works with an external artistic director with fashion credentials to come up with a cosmetics range susceptible to generate extra buzz...
Korres has also launched a new trio of perfumes: Rosewood, Blackcurrant, Cyclamen/ Saffron, Amber Agarwood, Cardamom/ Pepper, Jasmine, Gaiac Wood, Passion Fruit.
Hope they are better than some of their previous ones which had left me underwhelmed! They do sound more elaborate.
Korres Black Tea & Verbena Anticellulite Cream-Gel (2009)
Korres Natural Products, a brand hailing from Greece, has introduced a new product for the body called Black Tea & Verbena Anti-Cellulite Cream-Gel. It is meant to be a complementary addition to the anti-cellulite program created by the brand with "Guarana exfoliating body soap, Geranium and Grapefruit massage oil for firming body and reducing the appearance of cellulite and Prunella and Grape firming body cream gel." The claim is to reduce the appearance of cellulite rather than zap it as well as to help "contour" the body...
The King of Shaves has decided to done on the crown of the queen of shaves with a new, reportedly super-performance razor for women. It's the feminine version of Azor and it's called Woman Azure System Razor. The design looks sleek as can be and it even seems actually to be wearing high heels!
You are also put in the hands of woman master barber Diane Wood, the daughter of Adrian Wood, owner of famous NYC barber shop, Paul Molé, who has some great tips for improving your shaving technique. An anecdote worth telling is that she was on the Letterman show as she was asked to give their first shaves to the writers at the end of the national strike....
An article in the Times Online reports about the nostalgic trend in beauty. Vintage-inspired packaging and concepts strike the fantasy and sentimental chords in us. It is not long before we cave in (I did personally for a mascara by Besame based on a 1930s recipe -- haven't opened it yet though). Bourjois attempted to lure us in with the cutest of retro rouge boxes last fall (there I didn't cave because the colors are the same as in the regular collection). I caved for the 1950s-inspired Elizabeth 8 Hours lip balm, but more because it was so good than because of the packaging.
Columnist Edwina Ings-Chambers writes,
"We all have one beauty product that we buy (or would if we could) for
nostalgic reasons. For me, it's Blue Grass by Elizabeth Arden, the
body lotion in particular. That's what my mother prized, back in the days
when it was still blue (the pale, romantic shade of an old silk nightdress).
If they were to reissue it, I'd be first in the purchasing queue, just
because of her...
Weird & Weirder Beauty Secrets: Upcoming Beauty Series on Beauty & The Salamander
Here is a taste of things to come on Beauty & The Salamander: we are going to inaugurate an open series entitled Weird Beauty Secrets, both a historic and on-trend, believe me, series. Like for our Rose Series on the fragrance blog, it will be a mix of critical product reviews and essays (see also more generally the Rose Notebook).
Weird Beauty Secrets: Upcoming Beauty Series on Beauty & The Salamander {Beauty News}
Here is a taste of things to come on the beauty blog, Beauty & The Salamander: we are going to inaugurate an open series entitled Weird Beauty Secrets, both a historic and on-trend, believe me, series. Like for our Rose Series on the fragrance blog, it will be a mix of product reviews and essays (see also more generally the Rose Notebook).
New Study on Identical Twins Shows Stress is a Significant Factor in Aging
Famous old twin sisters from the city of Leuven/Louvain by Ange Soleil
A study published by "Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery", The journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and conducted on 186 pairs of identical twins has shown that environmental factors, especially what could be categorized under the umbrella heading of "stress", not just genetics, were instrumental in impacting the aging process...
Tweezerman has issued special collector Heart-Shaped Tweezers for Valentine's Day 2009. They look so comfy and practical and cute, all at the same time...
An initial inkling of what Michelle Obama will wear today at the swearing-in of her husband Barack Obama has been revealed by WWD: she will wear an outfit by Isabel Toledo, a designer of Cuban descent, like Narciso Rodriguez whose designs Michelle Obama loves to wear as well.
Update: she is indeed wearing a Toledo dress and overcoat in an interesting silverish green chartreuse color which comes off as gold-like. The material looks warm enough, but oh, my! no scarf and hat in this cold weather? Sigh of relief: she is wearing green leather gloves. A very 1960s, Mad-Men look, in keeping with her stylistic preferences expressed during the election campaign. I am wondering if this has anything to do with a homage to the defining era of the civil rights movement? At any rate, Michelle O loves vintage (I looove her huge 50s-60s brooches). She obviously loves interesting textures and hates boring. That color is unusual and I can't zoom on the material but it looks a bit like a cloqué, puffed-up effect, also very 1960s. I think that this sheath has a Venitian, Renaissance flair about it.
It has been speculated that her predilection for outfits by Cuban-American designers carry a cryptic political message, which remains to be clarified and made more explicit than through fashion semiotics. We are all eyes and ears.
When the economy goes bad, there is always room for hope beauty treatments, it seems. As a sign of these times of change symbolised by Inauguration Day 09 today, people want to look their best in the hope of reflecting and helping to make come about a better and more ideal world. So, while we wait for things to pick up, what better quick fix but to look younger, fresher and more upbeat thanks to Botox and Hyaluronic acid? Some beauty professionals are NOT experiencing a downturn in business,
Chanel Spring 2009 Bohemian Fantasy Makeup Collection - HNY 2009! - My Beauty Beliefs
We have a ton of beauty stories waiting in the sidelines, but while we are still working on organizing things, here is our first post of 2009. Happy New Year 2009 to our beauty readers by the way! Right now you will see me more often on our perfume site The Scented Salamander but we are getting there. I love to write about beauty as I find it so relaxing and in a way more down to earth and simple than writing about perfume! I think also that beauty is very much about self-care and taking the time to breathe, slowing down the pace of things and regenerating yourself both physically and spiritually while sharing your passion (and tips) with others! Yep, the 9-year-old kid making beauty creams on the kitchen stove out
of an old Harry-Potterish recipe book which contained poison recipes
as well, that was me!
I tend to be more about skin care, hair care, and bath than makeup but I love, love color in general. In fact I am fascinated by manifestations of extreme beauty and dramatic effects. My natural inclination being to be rather, well, natural, I have come to admire more and more steely, willful beauties who do not have it all but who by dint of will achieve great style like for example...Elizabeth the First. They have what I like to call "Witty Beauty" and "Willful Beauty", in fact perhaps I should rename the blog after those concepts as they are central to my interest in beauty, those efforts put out by generations of women and men who affirmed their personalities through these endeavors.
Natural and organic products are also significant on my list of interests as I am intrigued, sometimes awed by plants and as a scent-oriented person I always appreciate the extra bonus of their aromatherapeutic properties.
But what about Chanel?
So this morning I had to post about the new 2009 Bohemian Fantasy Makeup Collection by Chanel when I saw the news landed in my mailbox and especially when I caught a glimpse of the new nail polish called Vendetta...
Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream 1950s Vintage Set (1930/2008): Rediscover Your Classics!
This year's Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream 1950s Vintage Set is absolutely darling to behold as vanity items. The set immediately caught my eye with all its apricot-y hues and pretty Atomic-Age feel. For Arden, it is "...the first in our "Celebration of the Decades" series."
The cream was originally created in 1930 and reportedly developed by Elizabeth Arden to nourish the hoofs of her Kentucky horses to prevent them from cracking. In the past it was advertised as a highly medicated cream, capable of repairing blemishes and taking care of rashes, for all the family.
According to the ad copy today retelling a founding tale, the cream earned its name due to its remarkable healing properties reported by a loyal client who had used it to treat her child's skinned knee, "...and "eight hours later" the skin was all better."
And 8 hours later, my lip balm was still on, and 18 hours later my skin was still exceptionally soft, are my own twists...
Our sister beauty blog will probably be more regularly active from the beginning of 2009 as I am still reorganizing some priorities. But meanwhile I will keep you updated here when I see a closer link to perfume.
Coco Mania Continues with Karl Lagerfeld - Notes on a Vampish Chanel
Last year it was Marie-Antoinette that was all the rage and this year it is Gabrielle Chanel that seems to be the feminine icon of the year for the French and fashionistas worldwide. As posted previously on our sister perfume blog The Scented Salamanderhere and here, several movies about the life of Chanel are coming out in 2008-2009, all at the same time.
Karl Lagerfeld seeing the trend did not want to miss out especially since he thinks that these biopics are not all that accurate. His counter-proposition is a silent short running for 10 mn. It was shot in 2 days on the outskirts of Paris with actors plucked out of the fashion world and Chanel house sewing personnel, but it is no ragged and frumpy production....
Bath & Body Works Bath Cup Cakes {Bath & Body - New}
Bath & Body Works now have a new series of indulgences for the bath. These cute bath bombs shaped like cupcakes dissolve under running water and make your bathroom smell like a pastry chef's oven.
The set ($20) includes six flavorful treats: Cotton Candy, Lemon Fluff, Creamy Vanilla, Oh Honey, Fruit Sorbet and Birthday Cake. Or you can decide to go leaner and try one at a time, like Birthday Cake ($8) which "smells like yellow cake baking in the oven."
They would make nice Christmas stocking stuffers too!
Barack Obama was elected to be the 44th president of the United States on Tuesday and while no propositions were put forth regarding his program for the future of American fashion design and the importance of a styled look as one of the cements that may help unite a nation, designers are now obviously elated by the election's outcome.
And that is not just because they are thinking of social reform right now. That is because Michelle Obama is anticipated to become a fashion icon for women in the US, and probably in the world too, while reactivating hopefully a Kennedy-era type social life in Washington D.C...
After posting about the possible implications of a research from Ilinois about the importance of looks for political candidates for winning more votes and wondering what that might mean for Sarah Palin whose looks have been particularly commented upon during the presidential campaign, what do I see but a charity auction on eBay for the 25th anniversary of the Cabbage Patch Kids featuring all 4 candidates!
And guess who is winning? Sarah Palin a.k.a. "caribou barbie" (another popular icon of feminine beauty) is doing very well as the Sarah Palin Cabbage Patch Kid. She is currently priced at $9,600 followed by Barack Obama at $2,125 then John McCain at $1,525 and Joe Biden at $710 (see for yourself).
Beauty & Politics: Why Sarah Palin Might Have A Natural Political Advantage
A study at Northwestern University in Illinois (is this a coincidence?) shows that there are consistent trends in people's reliance on "cognitive short-cuts" to help them select a political candidate running for office. It is not the best man or woman who wins their votes necessarily (we didn't know that yet) but the better-looking one, a tendency especially apparent in the cases of women running for office when not too many other female colleagues are competing.
Apparently, we tend to choose a candidate, say for the presidency, as we would a mate with a view to biological reproduction, except for an air of competence that has to be there. A scary thought for Halloween no doubt, but yes, we would tend to be visual animals responding to sexual cues, in courtship as in politics even when we make the effort to go vote after having read and dissected the news. And then it's all about the survival of the prettiest anyway!
"Everyone had to seem competent to get a vote. But while men needed
to appear approachable to get an edge, women had to be good-looking,
the researchers found...
While being on the subject of plumping action in lip glosses, be it visual as with the Ultra-Gloss Reflect series by Dior or attempting to be real, I remembered a really bad gloss I tried from the brand Soap and Glory: Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss.
There was this hell of a cute retro vintage packaging with all the catchy lines printed on it that can turn it into a billboard in any shopping aisle. It makes you think the lip gloss might be as trendy as the outside shell.
The reason I bought it was that it is so easy, too easy, to throw an untested tube of anything at Target into your cart...
Dior Ultra-Gloss Reflect in Lurex Plum from Dandy Lady
Lurex Plum 877, a lovely, deep eye-catching plum with antique rose thrown in it and fine multi-colored shimmer, is a new color born from the conjunction of Dior's reformulation of their Dior Addict Lip Gloss line into the Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss Reflect one and of the launch of the Dandy Lady fall 2008 collection. The collection is dominated by taupe and plum colors and Lurex Plum stands out for its depth and refined shimmer.
Dior has re-introduced shades from the previous line into the new one, but with added glitter with a star-dust effect. (Sephora very usefully lists the old color names next to the new ones whenever appropriate.) Lurex Plum 877 is a new tint that is exhibited in Paris as part of the Dandy Lady collection although Nordstrom does not list it there....
Patyka Organic Face Scrub - Gommage Visage Bio: How Organic Is It?
Patyka is a French brand established in 2004, after having taken over the originally Hungarian label meaning "apothecary". It is known for its line of organic perfumes, and in 2006 had decided to diversify and reinforce its beauty offerings with a collection of organic skincare products developed in conjunction with laboratories Cosnessens. In October 2008, Patyka will also start proposing a makeup line answering to organic standards. Continuing to grow, it is set to open its first boutique in the US next month, a 450-foot-square space located in Manhattan's West Village.
Today, I would like to review their Organic Face Scrub. What drew me to this scrub was the name-recognition of a rather confidential perfume brand I know, the petite-sized bottle packaging which is unusual for a face scrub (and very cute) and the mention that it is fragrance-free. I am always on the lookout for perfume-free skincare and body products as I do not need any more sensory overload that I already get from my involvement with fragrances. In a sense, and for this reason, you could see Beauty and the Salamander as the reverse and complementary side to The Scented Salamander (don't worry, we are not going to just cover scent-free products in beauty)...
I loved this reportage by photographer Bill Cunningham of the New York Times where he discusses and shows all the incredible shoe styles seen on the street. He detects "without the shadow of a doubt" a trend of bags disappearing as main focal points while the shoes and legs take center stage. At least in the moments where they are wearing them, the ladies who wear the spectacular heels are well-advised to let them shine by calling less attention to other accessories...
Yves Saint Laurent Gloss Pur Black: Black & Blacker
This fall, the color black is going to migrate from nails and eyes to lips as Lancome (with the Piha set) and now Yves Saint Laurent will launch their house versions of onyx lips.
It's a priori a daring move, I daresay, but black is stylish, so it seems there is potential for it to translate into something as perfectly acceptable as a little black dress (worn on your lips, mind you). YSL now proposes their own limited-edition tube called Gloss Pur Black.
Depending on the way you apply it, it reportedly can play with various shades of blackish,...
Estée Lauder Super Flight Creme for Men & Women (2008)
Don't you love those creams that were specially designed for countervailing the harsh effects of driving in a sports car by the Riviera (let's keep up with the glam factor) or sailing on a yacht around the Mediterranean ? OK, I am not so sure about the latter, but there is a countess who had a cream designed for her in the 1930s, no doubt, delicate skin, when driving in her convertible.
Now, Estée Lauder has come up with the brilliant idea of creating a Super Flight Creme (and let's hope it's a good product) for those of us that need a little extra beauty help when traveling the not-so-friendly-skies-to-the-skin. Reportedly, the humidity level can drop as low as 8 % when you are in a flight cabin becoming comparable to a crossing of the Gobi desert, if I am not mistaken...
Makeup artist Irina Losilevich patented an instant-beauty technology with her press-on eye-shadows 16 years ago, yet it is only last year that her Color On Professional ™ eye-shadow kits, dubbed Eye Envy, started garnering national attention.
These mineral eye-shadows are ready to apply and are meant to last a long, long time. The brand promises to deliver the kind of polished look only a professional makeup artist could easily achieve and in a jiffy too...
Aaron de Mey is the new makeup artistic director at Lancôme and while his first full color collection will have to await 2009 to see the light of day, makeup aficionados will be able to procure a very interesting set of colors for lips from September 2008.
The minimalist set comprises a red lipstick called "Phida Red" together with a black lip gloss...
LVMH - Dior Accused of Using Lead in their Lipsticks
Fashionmag.fr briefly reports that the world leader of luxury LVMH has become the target of a class action lawsuit from people accusing one of its brands, the Dior label, of using lead in its lipsticks...
If only visually, as found in their packages, the saturated-color trend this summer is drool-worthy and Nars is now offering fiery colors to match the sun this month of July with its new limited-edition set called Miami Sun Set. It includes a yellow and brown Duo Eye Shadow in Sundance, which they describe as being golden and terracotta, a pot of Lip Lacquer in Capucine, and a red Nail Polish in Dovima.
The deep red-orange of Capucine which seems to be a cross between a tangerine and a blood orange is a rarer shade and is just luscious to look at; if I had to buy just one item, it would be that one. Actually, I wished I could just dip my finger in that pot right now! It looks much paler on the Nars website however. There they have both Capucine and Dovima, but not Sundance, as separate items.
The set is sold exclusively on Sephora.com for $65 (a $72 value), with free shipping.
Yves Saint Laurent New African Colors Collection {Beauty Notes - Makeup}
Africa is hot this summer as Yves Saint Laurent launches a new limited-edition collection of makeup colors inspired by the dark and colorful continent.
Here are our picks for noteworthy products from the 2008 YSL Summer Look: Soleil d'Afrique, Palette Couleurs d'Afrique, Voile de Soleil, and the Everlong Mascara Waterproof. Read more about them on Beauty And The Salamander and go for the glow!...
Yves Saint Laurent, in keeping with their tradition of exoticism, is introducing a new collection of makeup for the summer this time inspired by Africa. YSL, the former great couturier (see also images of his funeral), is well known for having loved to read richly illustrated books about distant lands and derive creative ideas from them, without even having traveled to the places depicted. This trait of his is considered part of his stylistic genius.
This summer of 2008, Val Garland, the Make-Up Artistic Advisor for YSL is offering a strikingly colored line of makeup which includes in particular, a bronzer, Soleil d'Afrique (African Sun), an eye-shadow palette titled Palette Couleurs d'Afrique, a Tinted Veil Tan Booster. These items are limited-editions. As part of the summer 2008 Look is also Everlong Mascara Waterproof which reportedly allows you to dive into the sea without any resulting smudges!...
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Claridges have partnered with Christian Dior to offer a supplementary luxury room service with the creation of the Dior Dressing Tables. 
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