I’m always on the lookout for a good powder, since it’s so hard to find one that I like.  Either they’re too dark or too matte or too… something to make me completely satisfied.  But I’m happy to report that I’ve recently found a powder I can’t find one thing wrong with.

Smashbox’s Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder is my new holy grail powder that I can’t live without.  While it looks like an ordinary powder, its packed full of ingredients that reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and its anti-aging formula contains pure gold, 48 (!) different minerals, 11 amino acids and a peptide.  The oil-free formula also has a hydration system that keeps the powder working all day, so your skin looks as good when you first put it on as it does hours later.  I love the way it looks on me - it doesn’t give my skin the chalky effect some powders do, and it seems almost like a highlighter because it makes it glow a little.  Wearing it just makes me look healthier somehow, which is a look I’m totally into.  Besides the fact that the product really works, I also love it because it comes in the coolest packaging.  It’s a pressed powder in the compact, but when you twist it, the built in shaver turns it into a loose powder, so you get the best of both worlds.  Kudos to whoever thought of that!

The Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder is available in four shades and retails for $59.  Get yours at Sephora.com or Beauty.com.

Chanel tweed suits are probably among the most iconic of clothing. I think of a classy, effortless elegance whenever I see Chanel tweed, and the Les Tissages de Chanel Blush Duo Tweed Effect is a blush that definitely achieves both. With a woven texture reminiscent of that renowned tweed pattern, it looks uniquely sophisticated and I love how it looks in the sleek Chanel compact.

The Blush itself achieves that Tweed Effect by seemingly weaving in 2 contrasting shades of the same hue, with touches of subtle shimmer. I tried the Tweed Rose color and was absolutely pleased with how soft and warm my face looked after applying. One swipe with the small brush in the compact was enough for a rosy glow that looked naturally flush. Try this for yourself at your nearest nordstrom.com or chanel.com!

I’ve been a huge fan of Cle de Peau’s concealer stick but until recently, had yet to venture outside of that single product. A few months ago, I was given the Touche de Rouge and it sat on my shelf.  Last month, I was running out the door and grabbed this to swipe on my lips before a meeting.  

I became instantly obsessed.  Touch de Rouge is Cle de Peau’s extra silky lipstick.  The slim tube houses the actual lipstick, which is sleek and chic.  I tried this in color 102, which is a reddish brown hue that would compliment a lot of skin tones.  The color simply melt into your lips because they are just that soft.  The color is so moisturizing that your lips feel instantly smoother and softer; once applied, it has a lovely lasting power.  

I definitely recommend stopping by your nearest Cle de Peau Beaute counter to try it out!  Cle de Peau Beaute is available at various retailers nationwide including Barney’s New York, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

Editor’s Note: All of us here send our best wishes for the New Year and look forward to spending 2009 together with you.  We will be back on the 2nd.

New Year’s is that one holiday every year that I really really look forward to.  In the same way that some people deck out for St. Patrick’s Day, or Halloween, or Christmas, I go all out festive on New Year’s.  This year I’ve compiled 12 of my favorite champagne themed products of the year - whether they be champagne colored, scented, flavored or the real deal.  It won’t be too difficult to guess what theme I’ll be rocking all night tonight.

Champagne in Hand

1. Essie Nail Polish in Imported Champagne: This sparkly golden beige polish straddles that delicate balance between gloss and frost and creates a very beautiful champagne finish.  Unlike purely glossy colors, the shimmer lets you get away with a little bit of careless in the application.  I did mine at home just yesterday in anticipation for my New Year’s party and they look fab.

2. Lauren Merkin Lucy Champagne Clutch: For those of you who like to accent your outfit with a fab accessory, this Lauren Merkin champagne colored, vintage-inspired, lambskin clutch fits in your hand or under your arm. The bubble metallic lambskin dresses it up for the evening and adds just the right amount of sophistication. (more…)

I still remember the first time I ever picked up a book about makeup. It was Kevyn Aucoin’s, and I remember feeling so amazed at the transformative powers of beauty products. I was only in high school then, yet I still find myself leafing through beauty books from time to time. My most recent find is the Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual, which is definitely a keeper. Rather than show you looks that you probably wouldn’t be able to achieve on your own, Bobbi walks you through all the how-tos of makeup so that you can always look your very best.

Along with Bobbi’s expert advice, the book contains beautiful photographs and easy to follow, step-by-step instructions on every type of makeup. You’ll know how to apply eyeliner and blend eye shadow correctly, pick the right shade of foundation for your skin tone, and learn about the different kinds of makeup brushes. But beyond that, Bobbi also discusses how to take care of your skin, since that’s where it all starts. Proper cleansing and moisturizing are super important and too often overlooked in favor of just covering the flaws up.

The Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual is billed as “For Everyone from Beginner to Pro,” and I agree completely. Makeup novices will learn about basic application and those with more experience will find new looks and skin care tips. This book is a must-read for any or beauty BB fanatic!

You may be asking what the point of an invisible lip liner is, and I wouldn’t blame you. The key word here is definition, which Lipstick Queen’s Invisible Lip Liner provides in spades. Since it goes on without color, it will complement any lipstick shade. Yay for never having to buy matching liners for every lipstick ever again!

What the Invisible Lip Liner does best is define your lips perfectly. It smooths over your natural lip line to define and shape. Also, it prevents your lip color from bleeding or running over for a more precise application. Any fan of brighter lip colors knows that one should avoid the look of imperfectly applied red lipstick, and Lipstick Queen has come up with the perfect solution for that.

You can find the Invisible Lip Liner and all of Poppy King’s amazing products at lipstickqueen.com or barneys.com.

New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to get ultra glammed up and have some fun with it! You want your look to be really stunning. But you also don’t want it to be difficult to maintain and to last since you’ll be ringing in the New Year at your party of choice - most likely with no more than a small clutch (that doesn’t leave room for an arsenal of makeup for touch ups). We loved Amy Adam’s retro-inspired look (pictured left) that looks alluring, but not too intimidating to replicate. With a few days left to practice, we know that you’ll be able to rock this look out!

To help guide you through the process, we turned to Farah Reid, the resident makeup artist at Blow, The New York Blow Dry Bar, for her tips. “It’s super easy to re-create this retro glam look at home,” says Farah. Click behind the cut for her step-by-step instructions on how to get this look: (more…)

Chanel’s Teint Innocence Compact Foundation gives your face, as the name suggests, a youthful, innocent radiance - making this my makeup of choice for my New Year’s party. This creamy foundation sits weightlessly on the skin, glides on like water, and gives a dewy fresh glow that lasts throughout the day.  Even though the compact comes with a sponge, I choose to use my trusty foundation brush, which lets me control the coverage. The texture of the formula lets you use it in a variety of ways - from covering up a blemish to creating a camera-ready face. The foundation is double capped. Though the intention might have been to seperate the foundation from the sponge; the result is that the makeup is kept ultra fresh for a long time. This sleek compact will be tucked into my New Years clutch for touch ups throughout the night.  Not that I plan to need to use it for that purpose, but pulling out a little Chanel never hurts.

With the crazy winter weather that’s been taking over New Jersey during my visit (it’s been a fun combination of rain, sleet and snow this week), my poor lips were starting to get chapped. (They’re used to sunny Los Angeles weather!)  With all the family Christmas pictures coming up, I really didn’t want them to look gross in photos, so I picked up a jar of Ole Henricksen’s African Red Tea Exfoliating Lip Salvation.  It’s a petroleum-free lip salve that I’ve been applying constantly since I got it, and it’s totally reversed the condition of my lips in only three days.

The formula is chock full of emollient and conditioning extracts, like jojoba oil, linseed oil, and cranberry seed oil, so it’s intensely moisturizing, and the sheer dark pink color will be flattering on everyone.  It smells great too, with its combination of grapefruit, orange and tangerine extracts - very fruity and uplifting.  What I really like about it is that it has a slightly grainy texture, so it exfoliates your lips, getting rid of any dead skin and helping to keep chapped lips at bay.  (And don’t worry, the texture becomes smooth when you rub it in, so it doesn’t look grainy on your lips.)

If you’re looking for a lip balm that’ll take you through the winter and still be light enough to keep your lips in tip top shape during the summer, look no further.  Here it is!

Ole Henricksen’s Africa Red Tea Exfoliating Lip Salvation retails for $15 and can be found at sephora.com.

I can’t help but browse the cosmetic section of Duane Reade whenever I stop in to stock up on mundane household supplies.  It was during my recent foray there to buy more  Drain-O, when I discovered my new favorite drugstore find:the Maybelline XL Seduction Lip Plumper.

In 10 flattering shades, the best thing about this lip plumper is that it produces only the slightest of those painful tingles that you commonly associate with lip plumpers, but still achieves all the results.  I was hesitant at first to buy this because I’m not such a big fan of that lip burning/tingling that I normally feel with other lip plumpers.   Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to feel only a light frozen tingle to my lips about 4 seconds after applying it. After about 6 seconds, my lips looked about 15-20% more robust, more full, and plumper - and most importantly, the effect looked natural so that I didn’t have that dreaded Jessica Simpson fish lips Restylane look. (more…)