Author Archive

It sure seems to be the season of long wear makeup and Sisley Paris has introduced four new shades to its line of long lasting lipsticks.  Now, as I mentioned before, long wear tends scares me because I immediately recall the impossible-to-remove stains and drying products from yesteryear. Sisley’s Hydrating Long-Lasting Lipstick is neither: the wear is light and silky but doesn’t fade and the formulation is super hydrating without feeling weighted down on the lips.  When I wear lipsticks, I usually prep my lips with balm- but with this product, I feel confident applying on its own and it keeps my lips feeling comfortable throughout the entire day. (more…)

Don’t let the compact packaging of Lancome’s new limited edition Star Bronzer Aquastick fool you- it’s a classic example of great things coming in small packages.  In fact, the super portable nature of the packaging is just one of the reasons why this product is so genius.  Here are some others:

- The sheer color makes accidentally over bronzing virtually impossible
- The silky gel formulation is super blendable and naturally radiant- no more of that flat, matte powder bronze
- Controlled and clean application with the gel stick, no loose powders all over your clothes
- No tools needed to apply
- And what I love most about this product: the ‘aqua’ in ‘Aquastick’ is for real. Applying this product feels like a burst of cool water on your face and is incredibly refreshing for a hot summer day

It’s easy to see why this is my favorite new bronzer of the season- and perhaps of all time.  Obsessed indeed!  To find out more, check out Lancome’s official website.

Spring is in full bloom and we’re totally jumping on board with the floral trend- from dresses to shorts to- naturally, fragrances. Gone are the days of wearing musky or spicy scents that paired better with furs and muffs than strapless dresses and sandals. But when it came down to finding our signature floral fragrance for the season- it took us a little big longer than we thought. After trying loads of perfumes, we ended up thinking all the floral ones ended up smelling- well, the same.

Then we discovered the new London Blooms Collection from Jo Malone London- a threesome of spring floral that smells as far from generic as you could get. The perfumes are based off some familiar notes: Iris, Lilac and Peony but each fragrance has something special and unusual thrown in. The result- three sophisticated floral scents that are completely unique and unexpected. (more…)

Given this mushy, grey New York spring we’re having, I couldn’t be more ready for a bronzed, hot summer.  Lately I’ve been reaching for the NARS summer collection where I’m really loving the warm earth tones and shimmers as well as the complementary color purple, which has turned out to be one of the biggest makeup trends this season.

My favorites from the collection are the Ramatuelle Trio Eyeshadow (silver, icy peach, warm apricot), The Calabria Soft Touch Shadow Pencil (shimmering plum), Buenos Aires Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil (nude beige pink) and the Trouville Nail Polish (seashell pink). As you can tell from my picks from the collection, I am really loving a nude face with a flash of purple on the lids.  (more…)

I’m so happy to share one of the most exciting press mentions we’ve ever gotten – a feature on the BARNEYS NEW YORK blog, The Window.  Still pinching myself that’s the TDO logo on the BARNEYS page! Thanks so much to everyone who has supported TDO in the past 6 years- we couldn’t have done it without you!

A few weeks ago, a good friend of mine stood in front of a rack of Simple Skincare products in Duane Reade, looked at them and then left because she didn’t know what to buy. Later she texted me and said she really wanted to try the line, but didn’t know what worked for her. Of course, I offered up my favorites, but I also realized that what works for my skin doesn’t necessarily work for everyone else.

Luckily, the folks over at Simple Skincare put together a handy new (and free!) Skin Health Consultation quiz to help you figure out exactly what products you need. Though the quiz is short, it’s also very specific and delivers the advice customized to your skin type. Don’t know if you have combination skin? Exactly how sensitive is your skin? Not sure what a T-Zone is? No worries- the quiz doesn’t throw around any beauty lingo- it just asks you the basics like “Is your forehead oily?” The one question that did get me- “How many glasses of water do you drink per day?” I’m ashamed to state the answer! (more…)

One of the latest shampoo trends is- well- not really using that much shampoo.  Whether it’s because they want to preserve their color, not dry out their hair, or prevent it from being exposed to too many harsh ingredients- many people are embarking on a new type of shower regime- the low-poo wash. Now L’Oreal has introduced that concept to the mass market for the first time with their new Evercreme Cleansing Conditioner, a low-poo formulation that also cleans and conditions in one step.

The product is formulated with 1 part shampoo with every 3 parts conditioner, so it’s an extremely moisturizing treatment with the added benefit of a gentle cleaning.  Lest you start thinking that this sounds a bit like the dreaded all-in-one-shampoo-conditioners that always leave my hair in a dry tangled mess, rest assured that the L’Oreal Evercreme Cleansing Conditioner is first and formost a conditioning treatment, and leaves your hair feeling silky, smooth and nourished. The product is also sulfate, silicone, and paraben free and formulated with botanicals and 100% vegan. It’s also absent of heavy waxes so never leaves your hair feeling coateded or weighted down.

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Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring 2012 makeup collection features all the bright and joyful colors that make up a spring bouquet. My first impression was that the makeup collection pays homage to all the signature vibrant floral prints that the designers are known for. The colors are inspired by the colors of a pretty Italian summer and the brand’s spokesperson/model Felicity Jones adds a very classic, 50s feel to the campaign. (more…)

If “long wear” leaves you thinking about tough makeup with a dry finish, you’re in for a real treat with Bobbi Brown’s newest Long-Wear Eye Collection.  The collection, which features 6 eye liners, 5 new cream shadows, and an amazing new mascara delivers long lasting color with a silky texture that’s extremely comfortable to wear. (more…)

I pare this down for the office…

Some people have shoe drawers, some have food drawers, but I have a beauty drawer at the office. The truth of the matter is, I know when I’m settling into a new workplace once my beauty drawer is fully stocked with all the goodies to keep me glowing during the day and ready to take me from work to evening.

So what are the essential beauty products to keep at the office?  I pare them down to the basic necessities- read on to find out! (more…)