Fall 2011 Backstage Beauty-Rebecca Minkoff

Although New York Fashion Week for Fall 2011 has come and gone there are plenty of fantastic beauty trends to get excited about and start replicating. Check out the backstage beauty trends that dominated the catwalk:

At Rebecca Minkoff a strong eye with an apricot lip was shown.

Makeup: Sarah Lucero for Stila Cosmetics
Inspiration: Urban Gypsy with a twist of edgy bohemian was seen all over the runway at Rebecca Minkoff. Stila created a strong eye and soft lip look to compliment the collection. The look is a fun mix on textures – just like the clothes on the runway.
 

Get the Look:

• Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer
• Stila Eye Shadow in Chinois
• Stila Eye Shadow in Espresso
• Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Stingray
• Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Topaz (waterline)
• Stila Glamoureyes Mascara
• Stila Convertible Color in Gerbera
• Stila Lip Glaze in Apricot
  

Eco-Friendly: PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics

Next time you want to do some good, you don't necessarily have to volunteer at a soup kitchen. That's the brilliance of PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics: a beauty line that helps those less fortunate. The company is the first of it's kind to donate ALL of its profits to women's health and human rights advocacy groups. PeaceKeeper also sources raw ingredients from third world farmers and gives micro-credit loans to the families of those farmers. Now if that isn't beautiful, I don't what is. The program is called Beauty For Humanity-Yummy for Me & Yummy For The World! Now That's Beautiful. These "dual-purpose" products bring awareness to the injustices suffered by so many around the world. Their mission, which I love, is to encourage women to more fully recognize the level of abuse and inequality suffered around the globe and to take an active role in finding solutions simply by choosing a beauty product. They work on bringing awareness to issues such as rape, female genital mutilation, "honor killings" and slave labor.

Here's the best part, the products are absolutely amazing, eco-friendly, and never tested on animals.

Their glosses are a regular part of my daily beauty regimen and their Eco-Moist Lip Paint (shown above in shade Paint Me Content) has become a "can't live without" product that frequents my makeup bag so often that my other lipsticks are becoming very jealous.  Paint Me Content goes on smooth and compliments my skin tone. This rich, dusty, rose pink shade was made for me. The velvety color also protects my lips with ultra-moisturizing Shea Butter, Candelila Wax, and Grapeseed Oil. The lipstick was even a finalist for "Best Lip Product of the Year" by Cosmetic Executive Women and comes in 12 shades. This is the kind of tube you'll always want on and at $12.00 you're shelling out minimum amounts of cash for a high quality lipstick that helps so many others.  Shades range from a dark creamy burgundy (Paint Me Empowered) to a light copper with gold shimmer (Paint Me Accepting) and everything between.

Also try their delicious glosses! PeaceKeeper's YUM Balms are fruity and fabulous! The brand has found the solution for curbing hunger pains AND making lips feel silky! These organic juicy glosses are made from food-grade ingredients that could technically be spread on bread and butter for breakfast! Considering most of your lip glosses are inadvertently eaten or swallowed during the course of the day, it's great to know these balms use ingredients people are actually meant to swallow! The glosses come in yummy flavors such as Citrus, Strawberry, Raspberry, and Blueberry. Ingredients include gluten-free Vitamin E, red beet, cabbage juice, goji berry, and pomegranate. The ingredients really are good enough to eat!

All in all, PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics is the beautiful way to look good and make a difference for someone who truly needs your help. I'm sold! 

MAC Collaborates With Alice + Olivia

Hip, colorful and fun are adjectives that could be used to describe hot designer brand, Alice + Olivia's Fall 2010 collection. Instead, I'm referring to the label's even hotter collaboration with MAC. The collection, which launched July 8th, features limited edition pigment, nail lacquers and lip glosses. Founder Stacey Bendet created a collection (inspired by the label's bright fall 2010 mood board) even trendier and whimsical than her own colorful frothy confections. Plus the packing of the products (also a reflection of the brand's mood boards) is edgy and totally fabulous. You literally want to keep each pigment package out on display for everyone to see. Paints and pigments in jewel-tones hues add the perfect zest to your summer to fall wardrobe transition. I've been dying to experiment with MAC's pigments (makeup guru's constantly rave about their deep, smokey-eye effects) and this collection is inspiring enough to test the drama-educing waters. I can easily see myself wearing sparkly fun makeup for a night out using their Pigment in Later (a deep black with purple undertone), Dazzleglass Creme in If It Sparkles (a shimmery pink gloss) and Nail Lacquer in Morning.After (a creamy turquoise). I'm not sure how much the neon yellow shade, I.Want.Candy will compliment my lips and skin tone so I'll leave that to the more adventurous types. What do you think of Alice + Olivia's fab collaboration with M.A.C.!?

 Check out the shades available:

Pigment ($19.50) Later – Black with a transforming purple pearl If It Sparkles – White with transforming pearl Partylicious - Turquoise mixed with silver pearl accents

Dazzleglass Creme ($18) Sparklicious – Creamy, pale pink-white If It's Pink – A hot, almost 80' pink I.Want.Candy – a shocking yellow with glints and glimmering sparkles

Nail Lacquer ($12) Morning.After – A creamy, rich turquoise So Rich So Pretty – A frosty purple with hints of pearl Military – Black matte with silver suede pearl


The nail lacquers are pretty gorgeous. The shades are edgy, wearable, and absolutely perf. for summer. I imagine die-hard polish princesses like Ms. Katy Perry will want to indulge in these pop-art hues. The hip colors scream celebrity nails and I have no doubt in my mind, our favorite artfully-decorated pop stars will be rocking at least one of these glamorous bottles on her hand.

 

Maybelline's Latest Treats-Q&A with Gabriel Almodovar

Maybelline is one of the most accessible and affordable brands around and their latest collections are sooo fantastically fabulous and have the look and quality of many high end cosmetic lines. Their gel eye liners rival Bobbi Brown and Stila's smudge pots, their high shine glosses remind me of a less sticky version of Lancome's Juicy Tubes and their mascaras of course speak for themselves. I caught up with Maybelline New York Makeup Artist, Gabriel Almodovar, who shared how to translate the line into wearable glam-worthy looks for multiple occasions.

Q: How do you create an easy evening out look?

A: You can create a beautiful evening look by using Eye Studio Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow in Green with Envy. Use the darkest color from this palette on the lid as the base for the smokey eye. The eye is then paired with Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in Blackest Black to darken the lashline even more. As a finishing touch, XXL Pro 24 HR Bold Mascara is perfect as it gives good depth to the lashes and longwear color.  To complete the look you can use a bit of Shine Sensational Lip Gloss with a high shine that compliments the smokey eye beautifully. 

Q: How do you convert a day time look into an evening out look?

A:

EYES: Using Maybelline New York's newest products you can add a deeper shade of the Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eye Liner thickly along the lashline and pull it out slightly to create a winged effect, which looks great for evening.

On top of your existing mascara you can add the primer layer and the lengthening layer of the XXL Pro Extensions Mascara to get more length out of your lashes.

LIPS: Depending on what you applied to your lips for the day you can pair a lip pencil (Color Sensational Lip Liner) with Shine Sensational Lip Gloss. 

Q: How do the latest products reflect current beauty trends?

A: I feel the best way to talk about how the latest products reflect current beauty trends is by referring to specific shows we did during this past season of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York City.

Mineral Powders are a huge trend because the average consumer is quite savvy these days and they want product that is good for their skin and can potentially repair their skin, hence our entire Mineral Power collection. The Michael Angel show had two mineral powders used- one as the face powder and the other as an illuminator on the apples of the cheeks. 

Gel liners are a big trend now because they play nicely with the red (bold/bright) lip trend. It balances the look out by keeping the eye makeup subtle and nicely lined. 

The trends with Mascara vary greatly and this season there is such an emphasis on lashes. The trends are lusciously long or pleasantly pump lashes. We have two new mascaras (one brand new the other not so new) that give you those exact results. Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Mascara with it's Grip and Extend Brush was used at the Tracy Reese show to give maximum length and volume and Colossal Volum' Express was used at the William Rast show to give a chunky look to the lashes. 

Q: What are the must have products to add to a girl's beauty wardrobe?

Set yourself up for less makeup by using (1.) Instant Age Rewind Primer Skin Transformer. A good lightweight foundation like (2.) Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Powder Foundation is perfect since it will keep you matte and give just the right amount of coverage (2.) OR Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment Makeup is great no matter your age because it is so lightweight and fresh. Bronzed skin always looks great especially in the summertime so of course having (3.) Mineral Power Bronzer is essential. 

(4.) Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eye Liners are great since they are waterproof and won't smudge. To complete your eyes using (5.) Colossal Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara or Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Waterproof Mascara will give you the volume and/or length you want without running all day long.

And for your lips a great sheer lip gloss like (6.) Shine Sensational Lip Gloss with its fruity flavor is a great summertime touch.

Q: If you could pick one product from the line that we all need to run out and get, what would it be?"

Color trends come and go but certain products are around forever... The one product to get from the latest releases in my opinion is the one and only Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner! It gives you intense color, it lasts all day, it's waterproof. It also comes with it's own brush so there's an added bonus. 


Check out my Vlog from the AOL Media Lounge during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. I'm wearing the fabulous Shine Sensational Lip Gloss after just visiting the Maybelline New York Lounge and scoring some free products!

Sex and the City 2 Beauty Secrets Revealed!

Sex and the City 2 opens in theaters tomorrow people, but you probably already knew that! The ladies looked guh-orgeous at the NYC premiere and I'm not gonna lie, I'm incredibly excited to see my favorite New Yorkers on the big screen again. If you're like me, you've watched every episode of every season about 100 different times each and yet never get sick of the ladies or the show.

So if you're planning on imbibing some delicious Cosmos in their honor, wearing your sexiest heels of course (whether it be Manolos, Jimmy Choos or Payless brand) and want to take it a step further by recreating some of their fab on screen looks I couldn't blame you! In fact, I have the skinny on some of the products used to doll up SJP and Co. straight from the SATC2 makeup artists' beauty arsenal.


Carrie always has the most perfectly piercing smoky eye stare but our favorite fashionista also has the most beautiful Cupid-Bow lips around. The SATC2 makeup team used Stila Lip Enamal Luxe Gloss to emphasize Sarah Jessica Parker's perfect pout. The rich gloss is super conditioning and comes in six shades that have tons of antioxidents and essential oils. The shades include: Joy, Happiness, Giggle, Nirvana, Euphoria and Ecstasy. Price: $22, Available at Sephora.com

Samantha (aka Kim Cattrall) loves her revealing clothing and the makeup team wanted to plump up and rejuvenate the actress's skin to help her look refreshed, sexy and camera-ready at all times. The team used RéVive Moisturizing Renewal Body Lotion. The supreme cream contains a body-specific concentration of Nobel Prize-winning, patented EGF and FGF ingredients, plus a touch of glycolic acid that works together to help retexturize the skin and protect it against free radicals. Price: $185, available at www.reviveskincare.com

 To help Cynthia Nixon achieve Miranda’s rosy glow, the makeup team washed By Terry Rose de Rose Sheer Liquid Blush all over her cheeks. The highlighting color warmed the skin, made her complexion flushed and glowing and smoothed out her pores. By Terry is a great brand and I'm told the soft-wear micro-gel liquid texture is easy to blend so I'm excited to add this to my must-have beauty buy list. Price: $52, available at Barneys

To re-create Charlotte's innocent look, the makeup team applied theBalm Stainiac on the apples of her cheeks. The stain is the perfect pop of color and great for the lips and cheeks for a sheer wash. Layer the stain on the skin for a flushed look with added intensity if you're feeling dramatic. Best of all, the color won't stain right away like some other tints so it won't streak or look splotchy on. Price: $15, Available at Sephora an Sephora.com

P.S. Check out my photo of iconic Sex and the City costume designer Patricia Field at the Victor dE Souza show I attended last February for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week! I was so thrilled to meet her!

Beauty On The Run With The Beauty Buff-Playful & Portable Products!

Beauty on the run shouldn’t mean sacrificing some of the products you'd normally use in the comforts of your own home just because they aren't transportable. Why not instead find products that suite your ever changing needs. I recently discovered Jouer Cosmetics and can’t get over how innovative and amazing the packaging and products are.

Jouer means, “to play” in French and it’s a more than fitting title for these gadgety goodies. The clever compacts are able to connect to each other (each have built-in sliding tracks) to create a completely customizable palette. How amazing is it to snap together a lipgloss, cheek tint and powder and not have to rummage through your purse to find each piece or take the time to strategically jam them together in your makeup bag? You can add or subtract any number of their cosmetics to create a mini or multi-piece set and then throw it in your bag and you’re ready to go!

I’m absolutely obsessed with their newest cheek and lip Tint in the gilded pink shade, Whisper.  It’s a gorgeous iridescent hue with tiny flecks of light that illuminates your face. The blendable tint is universally flattering on all skin tones and types and feels buttery smooth on.  It gives your face a shimmery glint and glow yet still looks natural and sheer on. No cakey buildup here!

 To add to that gorgeous lip hue, swipe on Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss. I’ve been wearing the sparkly pink shade, Glisten, which boosts the natural color of my lips and creates depth when paired with the tint. It’s also loaded with Vitamins C, E, Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil and Pomegranate Seed Oil to nourish, protect and soften the lips.  I wore it all last weekend and loved how well it picked up the light and emphasized my pout in pictures! We have to think about those things, right!?

To complete my palette I clicked on Jouer’s Protect and Replenish Hydrating Powder in SPF 39! It’s a potent powder foundation that offers serious sun protection. Wrinkles people! Wrinkles! The powder has natural botanicals such Shea Butter and Vitamin E to protect and restore moisture so it won’t dry out your skin. The powder feels lightweight and makes my skin look even and bright.

I’ve really been looking for products that feel and look amazing on my skin and are easy and portable. There’s no need to lug around oodles of products, as much as I love being the Mary Poppins of makeup. It seems silly to carry my weight around in blushes and bronzers when a simple compact can snap your beauty routine into shape. I love traveling but hate piecing together makeup and over thinking the products I’m going to want and need on a trip. This eliminates the hassle by allowing us to put together all the beauty basics we need (our tool box to look great wherever we are) in one neatly positioned, space-saving palette. 

Jouer helps me achieve effortless beauty on the go and for that they certainly get my Beauty on The Run seal of approval!

Beauty Buff Find: Glittery Goodness in Genius Packaging

How often do you jumble through your purse looking for that one small thing you need? For me it's almost always my keys, phone, lip gloss, lotion; so basically everything. I can never find anything, no matter how small my bag is. I recently thought I'd misplaced my iPhone, while carrying around a clutch! My trinkets somehow always get lost in the little crevices.

I recently tried a new lip gloss that solves my Mary Poppins-bag lady issues. YoYo Lip Gloss come with a retractable clip, so you'll never lose it. You can clip the tube onto anything (your bag, your pocket-subtle, your belt-in a non-dorky way, your keys, etc.) and you'll never have to scour the contents of your bag/flip it inside out in the name of beauty. Best of all, you don't even need to unclip the gloss to shine up your pout. The innovative clip has a retractable cord so while it's affixed to your area of choice, you can easily pull it up to your lips, apply the yumminess and then watch as the end of the tube (attached to the cord) recoils back like a…YOYO!  Genius analogy I know.

The glittery gloss also leaves your smoochers feeling tingly cool. The shades all have a fun sparkle and flavor to them, leaving your lips looking luscious and smelling delicious. I'm wearing one of their redish hues and enjoying the hint of Green Apple on my lips. Who needs breakfast!? Joking!

The mouthwatering flavors include: Bodacious Blueberry, Crazy Cotton Candy, Power Packing Pineapple, Big Bounce Bubblegum, Cha-Cha Chocolate, Super Strawberry Cheesecake, Kissable Kiwi and Girly Green Apple.

Yummmm!

And, Cosmetics Executive Women, a non-profit organization of cosmetics executives (my product gurus) nominated the gloss as one of their favorites of the year in their annual beauty awards.

* Disclosure Policy-products  provided for sampling purposes by third party

Hows Nars Is Looking This Spring

Are you a Nars fanatic like I am? Check out their new Spring 2010 collection and ad starring Amber Valetta. Inspired by Catherine Deneuve's role as Lucille in La Chamade (hmm must have missed that one), this versatile, sexy and retro look is perfect for warmer weather. Fransico Nars says, "Spring is the time to embrace color and get noticed" and trust, you'll have no problems doing that with these hues. I myself love the fuschia (Easy Lover) and pearly pink (Ophelia) glosses and jewel toned aubergine polish (Purple Rain). Tell me which product you're looking forward to testing out!

Boxed Beauty Kits

I know it seems like I'm on a Sephora binge with all the accolades they've received from me lately but I feel like it's my civic duty to a) vote and b) tell you when I find something deliciously fabulous that gets me kid in a candy store excited.

So here's another way they're making our lives easier and more fun: Boxed Kits of customer favorite products. Each kit has travel size versions of different skin and beauty products for your lips, eyes, skin and face. Some of my favorite products are featured in each set such as Duwop Private Red (in the Lip Service Kit), Guerlain Powder Pearls for the Face bronzer (in the Glitz & Glam Shimmer and Shine Kit) and Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (in the Radiant Skin Regimen Kit).

This sounds like the perfect little holiday stocking stuffer (hint, hint). Since I'm such a beauty junkie, the brand variety is enticing and lets be honest I'm not sure I'd be able to afford the regular size version of some of these fine products! Take a look at all the miniature sets here: Sephora Favorites



Sephora Favorites Glitz & Glam Shimmer and Shine Deluxe Sampler$38.00 at Sephora

Sephora Favorites My First Makeup Kit Deluxe Sampler
$32.00 at Sephora

Sephora Favorites LashStash Mascara Deluxe Sampler
$39.00 at Sephora

Sephora Favorites Lip Service Deluxe Sampler
$38.00 at Sephora

Sephora Favorites Radiant Skin Regimen Deluxe Sampler
$38.00 at Sephora