Monday, January 31, 2011

SAG Awards Red Carpet 2011

I soooo love this time of year! Red carpet is more fun during awards season, and the 2011 SAG Awards Red Carpet was more fabulous than ever.
Plunging necklines, feminine shapes with beautiful soft draping and a broad color palette that embraced soft, pale tones, bold reds and blues and even a few black dresses made for a gorgeous red carpet outing.

Here are some of my favorites from last night:


Lea Michelle knows how to work the red carpet. Consistently immaculate, and with flawless fashion timing, you always want to see what she's wearing.
For the 2011 SAG Awards she hit perfect again in Oscar De la Renta.


Hillary Swank in flowing Versace. Doesn't her hair look gorgeous?

Critics seemed to either love or hate this one. I absolutely loved Angie Harmon in Monique Lhuillier.
At first I thought it was (my fave) Jason Wu - I see feathers, or even think I see feathers, I think Wu.

Mila Kunis hits it right out of the park in chiffon belted Alexander McQueen.
Her hair and makeup were perfect!
Juliana Margulies in scarlet Yves Saint Laurent

Has Tina Fey ever looked better on the red carpet?? Stunning in hot red Oscar De La Renta

Sex bomb Sofia Vergara looking like, well, a total sex bomb in Roberto Cavalli.
Could she even get any hotter?
I normally don't care for black on the red carpet. In general I think its too dull and funereal, but
Kyra Sedgwick was stunning in vintage Thierry Mugler Couture.


And of course, pregnancy in perfection, Natalie Portman (who I want to win everything!)
was divine in a simple Azzaro
Just perfect.
One last look at Angie Harmon. My favorite dress of the night. How much fun would that be to wear?

Makeup Forever Tres Vichy Collection for Spring 2011

After the harder edge of their holiday collection, Makeup Forever is launching their gorgeous fresh and frivolous, Brigitte Bardot inspired Tres Vichy Collection.


Named after Bardot's "Vichy" wedding dress from marriage to Jacques Charrier, this retro inspired collection is perfect for spring, and perfect for the girl who likes a pink Valentines Day look as opposed to a sultry red one.

The collection includes:
                         
Star Powder Diamond
  • Crystal White
  • Sweet Pink
  • Peach Pink
  • Pale Green
Très Vichy Palette

Crystal Diamond # 301 and Cheek Color # 303.


Très Vichy Faux-Lash
 Do you love???

 

Fun and flirty for February - I'm loving it!








 

Friday, January 28, 2011

Sexiest Man On Earth - Tom Ford, Interview Magazine

Oh this brings me joy!
The sexiest man-beast on earth, A.K.A Tom Ford on the cover of February's Interview magazine.


I mean, honestly - how totally hot is he???
Although he is putting the final touches on his new screenplay, the interview talks a lot about his return to the fashion biz. And lets face it, Tom has a unique perspective on and understanding of a woman's body. And how to drape it and dress it.

"I DECIDED I WOULD NEVER GO BACK to FASHION 
until I HAD SOMETHING NEW to SAY, 
until I COULD HAVE FUN CREATING FASHION AGAIN. 
It HAD BECOME REALLY FORMULAIC."
—Tom Ford




I do prefer those shots where he has an open necked white shirt on, but any picture of Tom Ford is better than, well, one without Tom Ford in it.

"OUR BEAUTY STANDARD TODAY 
IS OFTEN VERY ANGRY AND HARD AND OFF-PUTTING . . . 
LESS APPROACHABLE THAN IT WAS IN THE '70's.
TO ME, FASHION SHOULD MAKE YOU 
WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH THAT PERSON! 
THEY SHOULDN’T SCARE YOU"
.—Tom Ford


My favorite line in the story?
I explained how when I come home I actually
take off all my clothes, and I wear no clothes until I leave. I eat naked. I do everything completely naked. He said, “That would make a great interview.” I said, “Fine, we have to do it nude.”

Ooooh Tom!!

Check out the Tom Ford interview in the February issue of Interview Magazine
(or just look at the pictures...)

Thursday, January 27, 2011

7 Steps To Fabulous (in 7 Minutes!)

So the other morning I was sitting here at my computer working on a beauty article for a magazine, (and I should add here that that means me in all my glory with no makeup on, hair up in a pony, and resplendent in sweats) when I got one of those calls you get as a freelancer - another artist had had an emergency, and could I cover for her on this huge job? "Oh and by the way, you have to be there in just over an hour, you'll be on your feet for 8 hours, look sharp in black, and, um, you have to look really glamorous!"

Of course it couldn't be one of those jobs where you're in a makeup room, wearing jeans and some cool hat to hide the lack of makeup and the bad hair day


If I spent just under 5 minutes getting dressed (thankfully I had showered!), 10 minutes on the hairdo, that would only leave me 10 minutes to whip out a super glam makeup, that had to last at least 8 to 10 hours.

No  problem.

So after I panicked for 3 minutes, I pulled myself back together and had only 7 minutes remaining to get the face in order. As I was putting the high speed makeup on I figured I wasn't the only girl to have to put on makeup on the run, and got to thinking maybe some girls in bloggy-land would enjoy the highspeed menu.

So here are 7 Steps To Fabulous in 7 Minutes

Step One: The perfect base.
The most important part of makeup is having your complexion look even and clear, so you don't want to scrimp on this step.I'm not a fan of only dotting it where you think you need it - always looks patchy to me.


Use a really good silicone based foundation
(I use FACE Atelier Ultra Foundation, and absolutely swear by it) Silicone based foundation will give you sensational coverage and make your skin look luminous and radiant, which in and of itself is a great diversion. I applied it with my fingers, working in a little more where I needed some extra lovin. If you let it breathe for a moment, the FACE Atelier Ultra foundation needs little to no powder, which saves you a step.

Step Two: Cream Blush
While my base was setting I applied cream blush with my fingers (think speedy), rolling it over my cheek bones and slightly onto the apples of my cheeks. I use Snapdragon by h.wood.beauty. Not only does this one make your skin look alive and lovely, but the blush lasts all day and night, and the color is gorgeous.
(At this point I blew through with a tiny bit of powder where needed)







Step Three: Brows
Never leave the house without your brows on! Grooming your brows and then running some shadow through them with a brow brush only takes a couple of moments, but it completes any look.
I went a shade or two darker than normal (not black!), as the extra accent on the brow is a great trick to divert attention from the bits you don't have time for. And it can look really fabulous.
Megan Fox wearing accented eyebrows and bright lip

Step Four: Eyeliner
Take a slightly soft eyeliner pencil (soft texture smudges more easily. I used Smashbox Midnight Brown) and run it along your upper lashline and slightly up at the outer corner. Go back though and thicken the line so that its up onto the lid.
It looks crazy, but stay with me...

Step Five: Eye Shadow
With no time to do anything elaborate with eyeshadow, take a brush that has hair long enough to swirl, like the Chisel Fluff brush, and literally swirl a color that matched the liner ( I used a soft eggplant shade) through the liner and up over the lids, using small circular movements. What this does is give you extra depth at the lashline, then graduates color up over the lid, and above the crease, fading out all by itself. It needs no blending, and although it has accent, is very soft and lovely, giving you a slightly smoky eye.
Run a little of the shadow along the lower lashline with a taklon liner, working color just into the lower lashes. It will stay there all day and not move.

Step Six: Mascara!!

Create some giant lashes with DiorShow Blackout mascara. Big juicy lashes always look fantastic! If you need to look put together, well built lashes are a must. Just make sure there's no clumping, and that your lashes look well separated (not stuck together).






Step Seven: Lips
With the stronger brow and big lashes, the last diversion is creating a big, bold lip.
Red is too much work and way too much maintenance when you need speed, and dark shades will pull your whole look down, and can make your complexion look sickly, so go for one of the new season's bright lips. I went for fuchsia. Bright, exciting, vivacious fuchsia. It makes you look alive and vibrant as well as very modern.
Fuchsia lips at Diane Von Furstenberg spring 2011
Try MAC Something New or Pat McGrath for Cover Girl Spellbound.

A final piece of advice: always keep a little black dress or killer pair of black pants laundered, pressed and ready to wear. You never know when you'll need them... :)

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Nars Tainted Love Collection

Nars has released a gorgeous Valentines makeup collection called Tainted Love.

Perfect for the girl who prefers a softer, pinker approach to Valentines Day, this collection is also an ideal set for spring. Its a $78 value, and it retails for $59, which makes it an even better purchase.
The set includes:
  • Angelika lip gloss
  • Multiple Stick in cotton-candy pink with flecks of shimmering silver and gold.
  • Schiap nail polish.
For those of you who are new to Nars, The Multiple is a product that you can use anywhere - you can use it on your cheeks, eyelids, lips etc. You can use it to modify an existing product in your makeup collection - soften a lipstick, give shimmer and light to a blush.
Its an extremely versatile product that you can throw in your handbag for touch-ups during the day, and its  fantastic to travel with.

Schiap is one of my favorite nail polishes, and is purrrfect for spring/summer 2011

Tainted Love is available at Sephora, Nordstrom and other fabulous retailers

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Chemical Peels You Can Do At Home

I've had so many emails about the post I did on chemical peels, many from ladies who either don't live near a  day spa, who's budget doesn't allow for it right now, or who's schedule doesn't permit frequenting one, but all of whom want to add the chemical peel into their skin care regime.

If you fall into that category, or if you just want to do them at home, here are a couple of fabulous options from my go to skin care website, BeautyatSkinDeep.com

Credentials Fruit Enzyme Peel ($25)

Utilizing a blend of fruit extracts and enzymes, this unique product exfoliates without using granules or abrasives. Salicylic acid, combined with papaya and bromelin enzymes, dissolves surface buildup for a purer finish. Naturally fragrant spearmint and camphor oils increase circulation, aiding the skin in the release of toxins, and reducing inflammation. Formulated with oil-free moisture, the skin is rendered soft, brightened and revived.

After cleansing the skin, apply and leave on for 10 -15 minutes, then rinse off. (easy peasy)

Dr Denese Firming Facial Resurfacing Peel $34.99

What is it: An innovative, creamy orange peel that delivers a brightened, refreshed complexion. It deeply exfoliates to reveal smooth, radiant skin that is firm, toned, and glowing, while improving skin's texture and elasticity in just five minutes.

Who is it for: Anyone with poor skin texture; uneven skin tone; dull, lackluster skin; skin lacking radiance and glow; lack of firmness to the skin; dry, rough skin; or tired, unhealthy looking skin.

Why is it different: Enriched with innovative Actizone Firming Factor, this new, ultra-light peel delivers superior visible benefits from using the treatment just a few times a week. It delivers an instant glow and smoothness to the skin, deeply exfoliates the skin, and helps revitalize skin texture and clarity.

How do I use it: Cleanse face. Apply peel to the entire face, avoiding the eye area. Leave peel on for five minutes, then rinse off with warm water to reveal a smooth, glowing, firm complexion.

Most peels can be used weekly to keep your skin in glowing, luminous condition, and are definitely preferable to facial scrub exfoliants, in my opinion anyway!

If you go to BeautyatSkinDeep check out their sample program. You can build your skin care wardrobe one step at a time with products they let you sample first.
They have great Help and Advice sections, and beauty experts to help you choose the correct products for your skin type and needs.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Camilla BelleFrom Prada To Nada Premiere

Had it not been for the lowefactor, I would have completely missed this slice of fabulous, due to the red carpet-fest that was the Golden Globes.
Check out actress Camilla Belle on the red carpet for the January 18th Los Angeles premier of her new movie From Prada To Nada

Doesn't she look fantastic??
Normally an arbiter of safer red carpet choices, Belle absolutely shone in this divinely cut black tuxedo and nude ruffled bandeau, both by one of my favorite designers, Jason Wu.
Oh how I adore Jason Wu!!
And check out her wickedly toned, bronzed abs! Not a carb in sight!

Here she is two nights prior at the InStyle/WarnerBrothers Golden Globes party looking decidedly fab in a Georgio Armani metallic silver jersey gown.

I love the plunging neckline and the fitted capped shoulders. I'm thinking that she must have a new stylist on board? Either that, or 2011 is her year to rock super sexy!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Michael Kors Large Tote

Are you feeling it???
I am loving this large tote from Michael Kors in Zinnia.


































He has it in all kinds of bright shades, but this is by far my favorite.
Perfect for running around town, kinda cute for beachy climes too!
Find it here Michael Kors Brights

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Stressed Skin Super Remedy

I'm always talking about taking care of your skin, and how makeup will never look fantastic if the skin underneath it isn't looking fantastic.
So what's a girl to do if her skin is completely stressed out?
image courtesy of Parents.com

If your post holiday, mid-winter skin is stressing, or if you are stressed out and fall into the "does my skin look as freaked out as I feel" category, you need to know about skyn ICELAND.

This entire line is devoted to correcting stressed skin. Its brilliant.

Stress does not discriminate. It's an equal opportunity epidemic, affecting everyone in this high-octane, 24/7 world. You're familiar with how stress feels within — the palpitations, the nervous energy, the chronic worry. But how does it affect you on the outside?
What happens to your skin when it's subjected to stress day in and day out? When stress is unrelenting, your hormone and chemical levels can spike, disrupting your body's natural, healthy balance. Plus, skin's natural immune function is impaired, so it's less able to heal itself.
 
skyn ICELAND skincare products are specifically formulated to counteract the detrimental effects of stress on skin. Since stressed skin is damaged skin, what it needs most is to be soothed, healed and replenished to regain its natural health and radiance. In Iceland's pure, untouched environment they discovered new beneficial botanicals and pristine Icelandic glacial waters, which helped to create the perfect antidote for stressed skin.

When you think about Iceland it's peaceful, unspoiled, totally pure and pristine. Its clean air and water, mineral-rich hot springs, deep fjords, untouched glacial rivers, health and harmony. Now, think about what all of our lives are actually like. Do the words "overscheduled," "overextended," "non-stop" and sometimes just "totally overwhelming" sound more familiar?

Here are my 4 favorite skyn ICELAND products, that I use both in my makeup kit and at home on my own skin:









Pure Cloud Cleanser.
Pure Cloud Cleanser is the ultimate in cream cleansers.

It cleanses, dissolves makeup, hydrates
and nourishes, and is super gentle on both
stressed out, and non stressed skin.













 

 Arctic Face Mist
This beautiful facial mist instantly
soothes and calms irritated, stressed out
skin, with natural icelandic mineral water,
antioxidents and multivitamins fortifying
and replenishing the skin, bringing
back its natural healthy glow.











When skin needs an instant boost and repair, 
whether its a client who's had a long night out on the town,
or whether its me looking a little sleep deprived and 
worse for wear, I use 
skyn Iceland Antioxidant Calming Serum. 
It soothes away redness and irritation while boosting 
the skin's immune function and giving some 
super intense hydration. 
The formulation is super lightweight,
doesn't leave any film on the surface of the skin, 
and you see an immediate result.









Invariably if I'm using the Antioxidant Calming Serum
I'm also using the skyn ICELAND 
Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels.
When we're stressed out or tired, the delicate skin
under the eyes really takes a beating.
These gels firm, de-puff, reduce wrinkling,
and hydrate in 10 minutes.
They are fantastic to use when you are traveling, 
and are a favorite
of  flight attendants world wide.


skyn ICELAND products are all paraben free, Petroleum free, Sulfate free, Cruelty free and 100% vegetarian.
You can find skyn ICELAND at Sephora, QVC, Saks, Henri Bendel, Beauty.com, Skinstore.com and skynICELAND.com




Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Nars Spring Collection 2011

Do you just love it??
I am all kinds of loving the Nars Spring 2011 makeup collection.
The palette of jeweled earth tones is accented with shots of unexpectedly bright color. The NARS Spring 2011 Collection is the epitome of minimalism, reaching a sensual peak with fresh, forward color. Deep hues for eyes and nails are infused with a metallic finish that lends a subtly sleek finish. Cool compliments of sheer and sparkling lips pair with unexpected accents of parrot green and vivid blue. It all adds up to a look that’s indisputably modern.

Here's the scoop:

CALANQUE TRIO EYESHADOW, $45
A trio of gold infused platinum with silver flecks, light matte caramel and rich antique bronze steeped with gold
BATEAU IVRE DUO EYESHADOW, $33
Rich sky blue and a deep denim hue
NOUVEAU MONDE DUO EYESHADOW, $33
Metallic silver lilac and rich olive gold
HOLLYWOODLAND SOFT TOUCH SHADOW PENCIL, $24
Versatile pale gold
CELEBRATE SOFT TOUCH SHADOW PENCIL, $24
Parrot green
NANA LIP GLOSS, $24
Deep black grape
SUPER ORGASM LIP GLOSS, $24
Shiny, peachy-pink, laced with gold glitter
ANGELIKA LIP GLOSS, $24
Bright cotton candy pink infused with gold and silver sparkle
TZIGANE LIPSTICK, $24
Sheer, pink brandy
MADÈRE PURE MATTE LIPSTICK, $25
Nude-pink
DESPERADO NAIL POLISH, $17
Antique brass

The great thing about this muted eye is that it not only looks sensational with a soft lip, but it looks amazing with a slammin' bold lip too.
And whats not to love about that?

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

How To Look Like You - But Better!

You may have noticed on the 2011 Golden Globes red carpet that many of the actresses were sporting a more neutral look this year. Not so much of the big, bold makeup, but more of an "au naturel" visage. But you and I both know there was nothing natural about it.
Beautiful Anne Hathaway wore neutral makeup at the 2011 Golden Globes

Frequently I hear women saying they want to look natural, but what they really mean is neutral. Natural is how you look after 3 hours of gardening, neutral is polished and fresh, but without much color.
So here is how to get a look that is neutral (not natural) in 8 easy steps:

1.) It always starts with skin care. No look will be really fabulous without great skin underneath.
Make sure your skin is well cleansed and very hydrated. Slightly oily skin is fine, but dried out skin never looks good. Use a moisturizer that is right for your skin type.

2.) Make sure that the moisturizer, foundation and luminizer that you are using are lightweight formulations.

3.) Use a color correcting concealer under the eyes, the corners of the nose and under the lip to balance out any colors we don't want to see. Pat concealer in with your fingers, so that it is super sheer. Use small amounts of concealer to balance out any blemishes, and run a narrow line of it down the bridge of the nose, blending it well, to create the illusion of light.
Golden Globes 2011 Olivia Wilde looked flawless in neutral makeup. And a little bit scary.

4.) The key to a neutral look is to really blend your foundation well. It needs to look like skin, so work small amounts in with a foundation brush or your fingers, until it almost disappears. Make sure your application is even.

5.) Use a cream blush. Cream blushes melt into the skin and create a flushed, rosy look, instead of sitting on the surface of the skin like powder blushes do. Use your foundation brush and blend the cream blush through the cheekbones and slightly into the apples of the cheeks. It will give you a fresh, dewy finish.

 Halle Berry's smudgy chocolate eyeshadow at 2011 Golden Globes

6.) Smudge neutral eye shadows onto the lid. Try beiges, champagnes and chocolates to create a little dimension, without looking fiercely made up. use a neutral brown liner along the upper lash line, and create definition by running a little chocolate shadow through the lower lashline with a liner brush instead of traditional liner.
Add some neutral beige or champagne liner to the inner corner to waken the eye.

7.) Use a soft mascara. Don't build giant, thick lashes, instead go for sleek, separated, lengthened lashes.
 False lashes on the outer corners of the eye were everywhere on the red carpet at the Golden Globes., providing a little accent and dimension to the eye, without overwhelming or dominating it.

Angelina Jolie in soft, neutral lipgloss at the 2011 Golden Globes

8.) Use a soft, kissable gloss with just a hint of color to flesh out the lip.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Golden Globes Red Carpet Fashion


This year's Golden Globes Red Carpet was one of the more interesting red carpet outings for quite some time.
My two favorite dresses were the chocolate Marchesa gown worn by Olivia Wilde and the amber Armani Prive worn by Anne Hathaway who was styled by Rachel Zoe.
Both girls shimmered and sparkled down the red carpet
Olivia Wilde
Anne Hathaway

The noticeable themes were classic black, seen here on Eva Longoria, Julieanne Hough, Piper Perabo and Halle Berry.
I wonder if Tony Parker was sitting at home watching how hot his wife ex wife was looking without him?

Eva Longoria looking beautiful in black Philip Berk at the 2011 Golden Globes

 Long, black and elegant with minimal jewelry
Piper Perabo in Oscar de la Renta Golden Globes 2011


Halle Berry in Nina Ricci Golden Globes

I loved Halle's hair and makeup, but wasn't so sure about the dress
Julieanne Hough

emerald green, seen on Angelina Jolie in Versace, Mila Kunis in Vera Wang, and Catherine Zeta Jones in Monique Lhuillier
Angelina Jolie with Brad Pitt Golden Globes Red Carpet

Mila Kunis Golden Globes 2011

showstopping hot, sexy red, worn by January Jones in Versace  and Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang (who she kept calling Vera Wong!)
January Jones in red Versace on the Golden Globes red carpet
Sofia Vergara Golden Globes

and bright corals and pinks seen here on Claire Danes, Emma Stone and Natalie Portman (who won for Black Swan!! Soooo thrilled!)
Claire Danes in Calvin Kline, Golden Globes 2011
Emma Stone in peach Calvin Kline, Golden Globes

Natalie Portman in Viktor & Rolf, Golden Globes 2011