Beauty

Picture this: you’re in a dimly lit cab, bar, or restaurant, trying in vain to subtly reapply your lip gloss. Not very easy, right? For me, the result is often unintentional smearing or worse. If only there was a lip gloss out there… with light.

The good news is that I’ve recently discovered ModelCo Lip Lights, a lip gloss that comes with LED lights and a mirror, for a finally easy, convenient application! The lights automatically turn on when you uncap the gloss, so just make sure that you close it securely when you’re finished to conserve the battery. Plus, the gloss itself is great–shiny and available in 3 neutral and flattering shades on dermstore.com.

ModelCo sent me a sample which I promptly tried using just last weekend. It was perfect for a quick touch-up while I was out to dinner… and everyone thought it was pretty cool, too.

If I ever change careers, I totally want to be one of the people who helps come up with Benefit’s product ideas and packaging.  Doesn’t that seem like it would be a cool job?  Benefit always has the best presentation; when I walk past their display at Sephora, I just want to scoop it all up in my arms and run.  (That wouldn’t get me in trouble at all, would it?)  They recently released the adorably-named Confessions of a Concealaholic and I can’t stop playing around with mine.

The box is designed to look like a diary, complete with a heart-shaped lock.  (We all had them in junior high, didn’t we?)  Inside, you’ll find everything you could possibly ever need to make it look like you have perfect skin.  There’s smaller sizes of “that gal” brightening face primer, boi-ing industrial strength concealer in two different shades, erase paste brightening camouflage for  eyes & face, eye bright instant eye brightener, lemon aid color correcting eyelid primer, 4 brushes, and a step-by-step lesson in how to use it all.  Basically, if you’re carrying this around with you, there’s nothing on your face that you can’t conceal.  It’s also nice for traveling – it might not be super small, but if you throw it in your luggage, you don’t even have to think about bringing any other full-sized products.  It’s one stop shopping!

Available at Sephora.com and BenefitCosmetics.com.

We all have those days where we really, really, really wish we were somewhere else. Like, say, on holiday in Tuscany, or island hopping, or lounging poolside at a beachfront resort. Even if you can’t actually go to any of these places, Not Soap, Radio introduced a line of bath and body products so that you can at least feel like you’re there. The I’m Not Here, I’m Really collection transports you to a number of wonderful places solely through the power of the scent of body lotions, polishes, and dry oil perfumes.

Not Soap, Radio sent me some samples so I could try vacationing in a quaint seaside village. This one is a really calming, relaxing scent that just may remind you of taking a long weekend at the Cape, with hints of nectarine blossom, honey, peach, black currant, and green mandarin. The packaging is downright cute and the quality of the products are excellent, especially when I tried them on my dry skin. Individually, the products range from $20-22, or $59 for the set of 3. Check out Not Soap, Radio’s fun line of products at notsoapradio.com.

After a fun-filled week of Oscar events like the 7th Annual Global Green Pre-Oscar Party (attended by Jessica Alba, James Cameron, Benji and Joel Madden, Nicole Scherzinger, Serena Williams, and more celebs), I finally get to pick the brain of makeup artist to the stars Bruce Grayson, whose work we’ll be seeing all over our TV screens tomorrow at the Academy Awards.

As head makeup artist for the Oscars, Bruce is responsible for touching up every A-list mug in town before he or she goes onstage to present or backstage to accept an award. He has worked on Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Brooke Shields, Rosario Dawson, Kate Walsh, Denzel Washington, Sarah Silverman, Hayden Panettiere, Sarah Rue, the Clintons … the list goes on! (Fun fact: Bruce’s father, David Grayson, perfected the faces of Hollywood legends like Lauren Bacall and John Wayne.) Here, Bruce shares his red carpet predictions and his favorite get-glam-quick tips for special events:

The Daily Obsession: So, Bruce, what are the big trends we’ll be seeing on the red carpet this year?

Bruce Grayson: It’s always about picking the best feature, eyes or lips, and creating a glowing complexion, which makes up most of the face. Getting your skin in shape does the work for you. We’re going to see a more transparent smoky, sultry eye, not too much darkness around the eye, and more shades like slate gray, beige and brown … with a soft, pinky-coral lip, which makes lips look bigger. For red lips, we may see bright, matte, unique colors like the coral shade that January Jones wore to the Emmys.

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I’m constantly researching new products that might help soothe my winter skin blues. The winter just dries out my already dry skin, making it look dull and pallid, which my fellow dry skinned friend and I were commiserating over just the other day. My friend is a devout Kiehl’s fan and was raving to me about a new product that she sampled in the store–Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate, a serum meant to rejuvenate your skin overnight.

Clearly, I wanted to try this miracle serum, and Kiehl’s provided me with the same sample that my friend snagged. I’m happy to report the same results as she did–after applying before I went to bed, I woke up with my face feeling moisturized and so, so soft. All you need is 2 or 3 drops of the serum, so even my sample is lasting me a while. Plus, the formula is 99% natural and smells really relaxing. A small bottle of the Midnight Recovery Concentrate is $42 at kiehls.com, but will keep your skin soft and hydrated for a very long time.

Every time I go to my dentist Dr. Jennifer Jablow (which is often…and whom I love), I always notice two things- her perfectly white teeth (of course) and her super pretty lip gloss.  Of course I just had to have whatever gloss she was using so one day before she shot me up with novocaine for my cavity fillings, she handed me two tubes of her miracle product: Pout N Polish and they haven’t left my  handbag since! (more…)

Confession: I had no idea that LUSH made massage bars. In fact, I had no idea what “massage bars” were. Luckily, LUSH remedied that situation when they sent me their Therapy Massage Bar to try–a solid bar of moisturizing goodness that is perfect for a massage! It’s completely organic and contains shea butter, cocoa butter, lavender, sweet orange, and neroli oils. The bar warms up as you rub it over your skin, and begins to melt smoothly into your skin. It even has a little notch that you can use to apply a bit more pressure. I’m excited to try this one!

You can find the Therapy Massage Bar at LUSH for just $8.75. The only potential drawback? The aforementioned ingredients do combine for a somewhat unique scent. I found it to be relaxing, though I can understand how others may find it a bit overwhelming. See for yourself at your nearest LUSH store!

I’m excited for Sunday, and here’s why!: The second annual Makeup Show kicks off in downtown L.A., rounding up some of the best makeup brands and artists in one place. The show runs from Sunday through Monday at the California Market Center –  definitely a must for network-hungry budding makeup artists and the makeup-obsessed. Expect to find big names in the makeup world like Ve Neill, Joanna Schlip, Eve Pearl, Jon Hennessey, Myles O’Reilly, Ronnie Specter, Orlando Santiago — collectively responsible for the faces of Audrey Hepburn, Eva Longoria, Alicia Keys and Sarah Jessica Parker, the list goes on! — there to share their skills. (Tips, tips, tips!)

I’m especially excited to check out the latest product demos, pro makeup tips, beauty how-tos, hands-on workshops and more from brands like Make Up For Ever, MAC, Temptu,  Stila, Smashbox Cosmetics, Korres, Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics and Face Atelier. Will keep you posted on what little delights I find.

If you’re in town, check out the lineup and get tickets at www.themakeupshow.com. (Or hit up The Makeup Show in NYC in May.) See you there!

Who else is suffering from pasty, pale winter skin? I don’t think I’ve seen the sun for days in Chicago, and my awesome tan from the summer is now non-existent. Julie Hewett has come to the rescue with her new Ora Mineral Bronzer in Aphrodite.

What’s different about this particular bronzer is that it’s packed with a subtle gold shimmer. It doesn’t have any pink tones, so all you get is a warm, sun-kissed look. Aphrodite’s light-reflecting minerals create a soft look combined with the gold shimmer, yet still defines your cheeks and face nicely. In short? It’s a lifesaver this winter.

Whenever I get to check out a new Chanel collection, I get a little giddy because they’re always so gorgeous and luxurious.  I always remember being a little girl and passing the Chanel counter at the mall and looking forward to the day I could wear it myself.  Their new spring collection is exactly the sort of thing I was dreaming about back then.  Chanel calls Les Impressions De Chanel “a collection of clean, classic neutrals that are infinitely wearable and effortlessly chic.  Quintessential shades, ranging from pink and beige to warm brown and khaki, enhance the complexion and illuminate the face, highlighting a woman’s natural beauty.”  I’ve gotten to try a few of the products and so far, I’ve loved them all. (more…)