Beauty

It’s crazy to me that we’re already seeing a lot of summer collections in stores because I haven’t even begun to play around with all the fabulous spring collections that I have.  It’s not summer yet, people!

Bobbi Brown’s Brightening Nudes collection is new for spring and it’s one you’re not going to want to zoom past on your way to the hot and lazy days of summer.  First of all, the Sparkle Eye Shadows.  Oh, the Sparkle Eye Shadows!  As someone who loves playing around with sparkle in my makeup, I adore these.  They’re available in four shades – Ballet, a light pink glitter, Mica, a heather grey sparkle, Silver Moon, a light silver glitter and Sunlight, a golden glitter.  (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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I’ve been obsessed with Butter London’s polishes since I first started using them (I’ve gone through THREE bottles of All Hail the Queen!) so I was beyond excited when I heard that they were branching out into lipgloss, especially once I found out that they were going to be in the same shades as some of their most popular polishes.  They’re starting off with five shades and I finally got my hands on three of them (I might’ve shrieked like a little girl when I opened the package).

I tested out Teddy Girl, a pale retro bubblegum pink, Trout Pout, a creamy peach-cantaloupe color and Primrose Hill Picnic, a tropical fuchsia pink.  All three of them were nicely pigmented and they’re moisturizing without being too sticky.  There is nothing I hate more than a sticky gloss that makes my hair weld to it in the wind.  That drives me insane and luckily, these past the breeze test.  I really like that the glosses aren’t see thru – for $17, I want my gloss to come with color and these definitely do that.  They do have a strong scent to them – I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is, but make sure you like it before you buy one because it lingers on your lips for awhile.  I really love how close Butter London was able to make the colors to their polish counterparts – when they’re next to each other, they’re virtually identical, which is good news because their shade selection has always been fabulous.  Now they just really, really need to make an All Hail the Queen gloss for me.  Pretty please?

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…)

Celebs like January Jones have let spring’s bright colors go to their heads, and now you can too! Certain salons are now offering color bars, where you can get a temporary flash of color added to your hair via hair chalking or colored clip-in extensions. The best part? There’s no commitment.

I recently got to check out The Color Pop Bar at The Private Room in Beverly Hills, Calif., where they use non-toxic 100% pure pastels from France “to ensure vibrancy and optimal coverage.”

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Just got a tip from green celebrity nail stylist Jenna Hipp that she used HIPPxRGB Nail Foundation F2 topped with Nail Tint T1 on the lovely Scarlett Johansson at The Avengers premiere this week. (See “More” for a photo of Scarlett’s nails.) The result? A perfectly matched nude polish.

If you’re as deeply in love with nude nail polish as I am, this is amazing because it’s often really hard to find a nude polish that matches your skin tone. This is also why I’m obsessed with the HIPPxRGB collection. It’s the first line of skin-tone specific, full coverage, all nude nail color, conceived with the idea that nude polish should match your nails—kind of like foundation or tinted moisturizer matches your face. (more…)

In an age where pink slime, arsenic, and ammonia abound in our nation’s meat, the last thing I want to do is knowingly put any additional gross chemicals into my body. Recently, I’ve made a concerted effort to use only natural and eco-friendly products, starting with La Vanila’s Healthy Deodorant. It’s a simple but easy step to take in the right direction, as it’s an all natural deodorant that’s aluminum free, allergy tested, dermatologist approved, and formulated without parabens, synthetic dyes, or sulfates. Irrespective of the health benefits, the scents are so beautiful and fresh, you’ll barely want to wear anything else.  I find a pure vanilla scent to be too sweet and cloying on an actual person (although I love the smell in baking), but when cut with the citrus highlights of grapefruit, passionfruit, lavender, or coconut, it’s relegated to instant sophistication and becomes the perfect blend of girlishness and femininity. The formula is dispensed through a roller ball, that quickly dries to a dry, satiny finish. The LaVanila Deodorant retails for $18.

We were recently introduced to Rahua by one of our savviest friends who always amazes us with her haircare findings. The secret comes from the Amazon, women of the Quechua-Shuar tribes use Rahua (Pronounced “ra-wa”, best described as a “highly potent, restorative oil”) to keep their hair thick, shiny and healthy. In the 1990s. this magic serum was passed on to New York colorist stylist, Fabian Lliguin, hailing from Equador of Quechua descent.

Now with a full line of Amazon Beauty products featuring Rahua as a key ingredient it will save you (and your carbon footprint!) the trek into the rainforest. Not only is the product all natural, organic and free of synthetics but it creates sustainable business partnerships with many nations of Amazonian women and a percentage from each sale goes towards protecting the Amazon Rainforest.

Already feeling warm and fuzzy? Rahua won’t just make you feel good, it will make your hair look amazing. Because it is alcohol free there is nothing but volume and shine – helmet-head is a thing of the past! Also, don’t be worried about it smelling too “natural”, the scent is certainly part of the appeal. Our favorite product so far has to be the Voluminous Spray ($28)!