Archive for July, 2009

Several months ago, I raved about the debut products from LaRocca Skin Care. I can now add yet another product to that prior list – the Cocoa Gold Mask.

The mask contains LaRocca’s signature Cellular Gold Complex, which “energizes the cells to help lift, tighten, brighten and reduce puffiness around the eye area, while hydrating and strengthening dermal tissue.” It also has a slew of other ingredients that help detox, brighten, moisturize, etc. skin.

The mask comes in a glass jar and when you open it up, it looks exactly as you’d expect – taupe-hued clay. However, when you touch the mask, you’ll be surprised to find that it’s quite wet. Smooth it over your face in a medium thickness and wait until it dries. (Wait for 5-10 minutes.) Then rinse off with warm water. You’ll immediately notice that your facial skin will feel softer than before.  With repeated use, my skin definitely became more clear and overall, smoother and silkier.  Hmm…maybe I should put it this way: this is the only mask that I’ve been able to use consistently for more than two months.

Make sure to check it out and see for yourself! Available at www.laroccaskincare.com for $50.

I’ve had my share of wearing uniforms, since I attended 2-3 years of Catholic private school when I was younger.  Green plaid jumpers with dark green woolen knee socks were the de-rigeur outfits everyday, and I definitely wasn’t as fashion forward enough at the time to accessorize much beyond the occasional headband and stick on earrings. Not so, for Sheena Matheiken, creator of The Uniform Project, who has decided to wear 7 instances of the same black dress accessorized with different accoutrements everyday for an original look, and to document each of these outfits on her website.

Inspired by the daily uniforms that she had to wear growing up in India, Sheena Matheiken isn’t inhibited by the limitations of her everyday black dress, and injects personality into her everyday look with fun patterned and colored tights, original jewelry, and an assortment of vintage hats and scarves. 73 days in, I’ve browsed every single one of her outfits and have been impressed by the verve and quirky bohemian edge she interfuses to her daily choices. I visit her site whenever I run out of fresh ideas while shopping around in her own closet, to remind myself that a little creativity and ingenuity goes a long way.

The Uniform Project is a yearlong fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation, which is a grassroots non-profit movement to revolutionalize the education of slum children in India and devoted to making sure that slum children receive the same well-rounded and thorough education of other children in India.  The Uniform Project accepts monetary donations for this foundation, as well as any donations of accessories for Sheena to incorporate into her daily wardrobe.

While I love getting conditioning treatments at salons, it’s unfortunately not something I can afford to do regularly. What if you could get salon-soft hair at home, at a fraction of the cost? With Graham Webb’s Silk Repair Advanced Therapy Treatment, you can do just that. One packet retails for about $4.50 and it is easy enough to use weekly in your own shower.

All you have to do is mix both parts of the formula together in your hand to get a rich foam. Then, work the foam through your hair and leave it on for about 5 minutes. Rinse out, and you’ll find that your hair looks shiny and feels soft, almost like having it done for 5x the price at a salon! The Silk Repair treatment is packed with Graham Webb’s proprietary Thermacore complex, which repairs and protects hair, as well as silk proteins and emollients. I’m really impressed with the results.

Check out grahamwebb.com to find a professional salon near you where you can pick up the Graham Webb Silk Repair products, and see for yourself!

We got a sneak peek at Jennifer Behr’s fall collection last month and ever since, have been coveting so many of the pieces. For this collection, Jennifer was inspired by “Victorian jet jewelry, with trace elements of elegant punk.”  Luckily for you, some of pieces are already online!  Our favorites are:

• Solid Jet Padded Headband – This gorgeous headband is embellished with vintage black stones that’s both romantic and edgy.
• Encrusted Woven Crystals in Jet – Her signature ornate Swarovski crystal on gorgeous smooth satin gets an update in black.
• Petite Jet Pearl and Rope Headwrap – How lovely is this? Jennifer came out with a rope headwrap last season, but this version is more delicate.  We love the subtle understated crystal and pearl combo.

Order at jenniferbehr.com and check again in August for more pieces from the fall collection.

Earlier this year, I wrote about ChapStick True Shimmer. It’s a shimmery new lip balm that retains what you love most about ChapStick, with an added kick of some extra shine and glimmer. I think all you fellow ChapStick fiends out there will agree with me when I say it’s an inexpensive way to keep your lips looking healthy. Well, this summer ChapStick is putting some new packaging on the product (pictured right) and some new flavors, too! So now you can pick up:

• Blended Fruit Sorbet: new and very yummy tasting
• Peppermint Rush: also new, and a fresh mint taste
• Botanical Berry
• Tropical

Blended Fruit Sorbet and Peppermint Rush will be available this month at your local drugstore or at drugstore.com for $2.79. I like using mine as a lipstick base–try it and let me know what you think!

I don’t usually post about things months before they hit stores- nor enjoy showing my amateur 1am express manicure techniques- but I am really so obsessed with this new nail color that I couldn’t wait.  The shade, MING, from Chanel is launching on counters in October 2009 but I was lucky enough to get an early sample. It is really the loveliest blend of pinkish-peach with just the right amount of pigmentation. One layer looks like a blushy nude and two coats give it that great vibrant color.  Start stalking it now!

P.S. MING comes in a new lippie too- a new liquid lipstick called Rouge Allure Laque. See below cut for picture.  Better than NARS Orgasm I say! (more…)

Stiletto Jungle solves the too long jeans dilemma with denim hem tape.

Michelle from All Lacquered Up unveils her signature nail polish color Rescue Beauty Lounge Mismas

Allie is Wired has the details of the Lindsay Lohan fake tanner lawsuit.

Bag Bliss talks with handbag designer Danielle Nicole.

Bag Snob- Prada goes back to basics for Fall 2009.

Beauty Snob- Home made hair masks that really work!

Coquette goes beyond the big floppy sun hat and picks the best stylish summer hats.

The Daily Obsession speaks with celebrity trainer David Kirsch to get some answers to those common workout questions.

Got your mind on beauty? Head to Fashion PulseDaily for a chance to win this Givenchy beauty skin care duo, worth $85!

I’m Not Obsessed can’t get enough of Emma Watson in this Christopher Kane dress.

The Jet Set Girls are lusting after Jimmy Choo’s new shoes and bags!

KRISTOPHER DUKES is wanting, wearing, and hating Brent Black Panama Hats.

Second City Style hopes it’s not really the end for Christian Lacroix because we loved his final couture swan song.

Shopping and Info loves Jessica Alba’s cowl neck tunic.

The StyleBakery editors share 100 things they’re loving this summer

Stylehive has nine ways to get beachy waves and sun-safe hair this summer.

The Beauty Stop takes a close look at YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick.

The Shoe Goddess loves Megan Fox in these fabulous Lola pumps from Brian Atwood!

V-Style is giving away AminoGenesis’Perfect Reflection to the reader who wants to fight the signs of aging.

What do designers like DVF have to say about Brüno? eye4style has the scoop!

To amp up for summer, I’m now going to the gym about 6 times a week.  But as I started paying more attention to working out, I realized that I didn’t know the answer to some very common exercise questions.  So I turned to David Kirsch, celebrity trainer to the uber hot and uber famous to settle once and for all those nagging concerns.

Kirsch has shaped some of Hollywood’s hottest bodies including Anne Hathaway (did you see how amazing she looked in her post-breakup pictures), Liv Tyler and Ellen Barkin.  He is also famous for getting Hedi Klum from baby weight to runway ready in three weeks for the Victoria Secret fashion show back in 2005, just eight weeks after birthing her child.  (The show was recorded November 9 and Kirsch arrived in LA to train Klum on October 13.)

Kirsch has also developed a series of workout related products.  His newest book, David Kirsch’s Butt Book, is out July 13, but we’re giving you a sneak preview of how to do one of his signature butt exercises. Read below for the tips this master trainer shares with TDO readers to make your own workout more efficient: (more…)

Smashbox’s Untamed collection for Summer 2009 is all about taking a walk on the wild side and creating bold, dramatic eyes.  The Waterproof Shadow Liner Trios are the perfect product to achieve this goal.  Each of the little compacts, which are emblazoned with a chic animal print and come with a good-sized mirror inside for touch ups, comes complete with three different shades of waterproof shadow liners in shades reminiscent of the colors found in the tropics.  The shades are great – they blend easily and are crease-proof (especially when layered on top of a shadow base) so you can apply them in the morning and still look great when you leave work.  I’ve been mostly using them for liners because they blend so, so well when I use my Bobbi Brown Eyeliner Brush – I think they look better than my normal pencil eyeliners do because there’s not as much smearing.  But I also like smudging them on my lids – my favorite colors are the Deep Green shade in the Savage trio and the Deep Purple shade in the Exotic trio and I’ve been accenting those colors with the Soft Gold and Champagne shades.  It looks gorgeous, if I do say so myself!

Another Untamed product that I’ve been getting a lot of use out of is the Double-Ended Eye Brightener.  If I don’t get 10+ hours of sleep a night, I tend to look like I’ve been out at an all night rave, so this pencil works wonders in the morning for me.  I use the Champagne end to line the inner corners of my eyes and underneath my brow bones and it makes me look more refreshed and alive, which is always a good thing.  It’s totally small and portable too, so you can throw it in your bag for touch ups during the day (when I start to look like a vampire again).

To see the entire Untamed collection, visit Smashbox.com.