September 2008 Archives

Fall is the perfect season to discover a new fragrance. It could be one that has been on the market for years or one that has only been around for days. Either way, the scent you choose is a personal choice. 

No matter your preference, floral, oriental or fresh, let your fragrance be an extension of who you are. Consider these selections and you may find something wonderful to add to your fragrance wardrobe.

Florals:

Juicy Couture is a fun, flirty fragrance created for the girl who loves to have fun with fashion, beauty and all things in her life. With notes like watermelon, mandarin, pink passion fruit and marigold, this fruity floral is ideal for wear during the day. $64.99, target.com

 

John Varvatos is a warmer floral, beautifully blended with notes like coriander flower, apricot, plum and golden mandarin. This sophisticated scent is perfect for anyone who loves florals that might be looking for a more grown-up fragrance. from $70, nordstrom.com

Christina Aguilera Inspire is a new frangrance boasting notes of mango, citrus and freesia, with accentuated tuberose. This scent is for any woman who loves to be flirty, feminine and daring. from $49, macys.com

Oriental:

Giorgio Armani Mania takes feminine notes of lily of the valley and peony and combines it with pink spice, cedar and musk to create a fragrance that conveys a sense of sophistication, simplicity and elegance. from $55, sephora.com

Dior Addict combines mandarin leaf, orange blossom, night queen flower, vanilla and sandalwood to indulge it's wearer in a soft yet passionate scent that is perfect for a night out. from $68, dillards.com

Nanette Lepore Shanghai Butterfly is inspired by Thailand, Russia and China. Opening with crisp, exhilarating accords of lush lemon slice and mandarin, the florals and exotic notes of green cedar, Siberian musk, and sandalwood mingle together for a lush, sophisticated fragrance. $42, sephora.com  

Fresh: 

 

DKNY Be Delicious is a fresh citrus scent with notes like American apple, cucumber and grapefruit. This fragrance combines the scent of apple with a blend of exotic flowers and sensual woods for a sophisticated smell as individual as it's wearer. from $38, sephora.com

 

CLEAN Lather combines notes like lemon, orange and green ivy to capture the essence of soft soap lather and fresh-faced, girlish femininity. A delicate scent that blends soapy freshness with purity into a naturally inviting fragrance. from $34, beauty.com

 

L L.A.M.B. is described as a luscious floral scent that bursts with sparkling freshness, then wraps you in the warmth of sensual musks. While also being described as being a fusion of masculine and feminine, this fragrance leans more toward the latter with notes like white freesia, fresh pear and violet leaves. from $25, sephora.com  

Vanessa Scali, who created the look for America Ferrera, decided on a timeless, sophisticated look inspired by the 50's: an Audrey Hepburn eye, a Vargas mouth and a sheer, radiant face to keep the look modern. All of these elements really helped to enhance the Ugly Betty star's natural beauty. 

Vanessa shared with us her step-by-step routine that helped give America her beautiful look:

Foundation/Concealer:

"I like the skin to look flawless but real so I always use foundations and concealers sparingly. That said, I prefer spot coverage for foundation. On America, I used NARS Balanced Foundation ($41) in Fiji and Barcelona (I mixed two colors for the prefect match). I use a brush to apply it to the areas that need it and then I blend it in with my fingers. Using your fingers heats the product just a bit and leaves a seamless finish.

Contouring:

Cheeks:

"For extra staying power I used a combination of NARS cream and powder blush. This will make your blush last longer and require fewer touchups. First, I applied NARS The Multiple Stick ($37) in Portofino to the apples of the cheeks. Cream formulas are my favorite. They are the easiest to blend and leave the most natural finish.

Eyes:

"The eye is sophisticated yet innocent. First I used the NARS Multiple Stick in Copacabana all over the eye lid. Followed by the right hand color in the All About Eve Eyeshadow duo ($32) all over the eye and under the bottom lashes. This layering help gives staying power.

Eyebrows:

"I used NARS Brow Pencil ($19) in Ipanema brow pencil to fill in as needed."

Lips:

"The lips are bold and semi-matte. I used NARS Semi-Matte Lipstick ($24) in Scarlet Empress."

This season, lips can go bold and beautiful, or nearly nude. Depending on the eye look you want to create, smoky or subtle, consider these products when it's time to perfect your pout.

Nude lips, or lips that look as close to your natural color as possible, are always flattering when it comes to lipstick or gloss. Pair these shades with your dramtic eye or natural face.

L'Oreal Bare Natural in Soft Mauve is not too pink or too brown. This sheer and flattering color gives lips moisture and looks great on most skin tones. $9.95

Tarte Double-Ended Lipgloss in Fred and Ginger is a shimmery nude and shimmery champagne color that can be worn separately or together for a glossy, pretty lip. $19

Maybelline Mineral Power Lipcolor in Pink Pearl contains mineral-based pigments that give full impact color! This color works great on fair and darker skintones, making it a fabulous pick. $5.99

LORAC Sheer Lipstick in Nude gives lips the perfect hint of pink-beige that will compliment every smoky eye wonderfully. The bonus? This lipcolor will nurture your lips with moisture--perfect for dry, cold weather. $18.50  

Now it's time to give your lips a BOLD edge! Dark lips (even black!) are so in this season. No matter what color you choose, brick red to deep burgundy, make sure your eye makeup is minimal. Skip eyeliner and only use mascara on both upper and lower lashes to make your eyes pop. Be sure to always line your lips as well! Red lipcolors tend to bleed outside tha natural lip line, so choose a liner that is as close you the lipstick shade as possible or choose a neutral tone. Tip: If you're unsure of wearing dark, rich tones on your lips, look for the word "sheer" when choosing a formula.

CoverGirl Outlast Smoothwear Lip Liner in Nude goes on smoothly and works fabulously to use before you apply your color because it won't add any extra color. $7

DuWop Reverse Lip Liner can be applied outside the lip line to really ensure you "fence in " your lipcolor. When applied to lips, it fills in lines and helps hold color on longer. $19   

Clinique Long Last Soft Shine Lipstick in Red Red Red is formulated to keep that "just applied" look for hours. Great for fair skintones because it won't wash you out like some reds. Won't feather creep, stain or dry out. $14

Avon Ultra Color Rich Lipstick in Vintage Vamp is the perfect deep plum. Wear this lip color with a sheer pink cheek color for an ultra glam look! $3.25

Tropez Moisturizing Lipstick in Buttered Rum is the perfect dark cranberry color for any occasion. This formula glides on soft and is long-lasting. Give your lips a hint of color or layer it on for a truly bold lip. $0.99

Mary-Kate Olsen really has her messy-on-purpose hairstyles down. We can't help but admire her bohemian-chic, I-didn't-take-any-time-to-do-my-hair-today styles. If this is a look you've been wanting to try, consider these tips before you attempt them.

Try a messy style a day after washing. Super clean hair may require the use of more product that can lead to product overload, thus creating a weighed down or greasy look.

Leave your brush alone. Styles like these require the use of fingers only...remember, the style should look like you spent five minutes on it, not five hours.

For super straight hair: Try braiding your hair loosely the night before with slightly damp hair and a light holding styling product to add loose waves to your hair. Try using a product like Frederic Fekkai Wave Spray, $20

For natural wavy or curly hair: Define existing waves and curls using product on damp hair. Try Terax Styling Gel, $12

Practice creating the messy look. Like all hairstyles, they too require a bit of practice before they look "perfect" (but you know, not perfect).

These days, more than ever, we are in search of the one product that will help us turn back the clock, or at least put our skin's aging process on pause for a few years. With new technology and scientifically advanced ingredients, products are able to show improvements in the way skin looks and behaves.

We love antioxadants, and know that any product that uses them as main ingredients will be nothing but good for our skin, even if it shows no results. Of course, that would defeat the purpose of using it because if a product claims to firm our skin and make us look younger, we expect to see younger looking, firmer skin. Do you know of any woman who uses a product for one reason when it claims to do another?

In any case, this product sounds promising, and from what we read about it, we know that women will flock to the stores in the hopes of turning the clock back, or at least slowing it down it for awhile. 

Super Line Preventor Xtreme Lifting Concentrate is a targeted concentrate that visibly lifts and firms skin. First, see a 49% immediate reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Then, see skin look more lifted by 58% after eight weeks. It even smoothes the appearance of larger wrinkles and deeper forehead lines. Featuring nutrient-rich Xtreme-Lift^TM Complex that works with skin's natural repair process to boost collagen production. With continued use, skin becomes firmer, more lifted-looking, and experiences an amazing transformation--both immediate and long-term. Non-acnegenic. Ophthalmologist/Dermatologist-tested. $38

Most of us wear a smoky eye for evenings beacuse it's simple, and looks amazing. While black will continue to be the traditional color for this look, this season the smoky eye gets an update using grey tones and metallics that can also be worn during the day.

Try these products to achieve your new smoky eye:

Nars Eyeshadow Duo in Paris is a fabulous combination of two coordinating greys (silver shimmer and matte grey) that can be worn together or alone, wet or dry. Try applying the matte grey shade on the entire lid, and apply the silver shimmer to the eye's inner rim and along the bottom lasheline for a long-wearing, eye-popping look.  $32

Rimmel Colour Rush Quad Eyeshadow in Smokey Noir includes four grey tones that are long-lasting and versitile. Try using the darker shades as a liner when wearing the lighter tones for a subtle yet defined daytime eye. $5.99

Use Urban Decay Metallic Eyeshadow in Smog (a deep coppery bronze) to help you create the smoldering bronzed eye that was seen on many of the models during the fall runway shows. $16

CoverGirl Eye Enhancers Eye Shadow Trio in Golden Sunset gives three color options to work with that will help you create a number of different looks. For night, try wearing the shimmery colors paired with a sheer berry stained lip. $4.99

CARGO SmokyEye Eyeliner Duo in Brazil will help you acheive the perfect earth-tone spin on the black smoky eye. These liners combine matching cream and powder eyeliners in a beautiful burnished bronze. Wear the cream formula alone or use the powder formula to set the cream. $28

Wet N Wild Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in Charcoal makes defining your eyes smooth and simple. The creamy formula glides on and blends easily. Use this alone with a sheer shadow or as an added product when defining your eyes. $1.49 

Estee Lauder Perfectionist High Definition Volume Mascara will give you fabulously definied, lengthened and darkened lashes that will perfectly frame your newly smoked out eye. The tapered wand allows for easy application to bottom lashes, and the flake-free formula lasts for hours without smudging. $19.50

CoverGirl LashBlast is fast becoming the go-to mascara for the fullest, most lush lashes. The clump-free formula bulids lashes to enormous proportions and beautifully adds drama to the smoky eye. $8.50

This season, creating different variations of the classic smoky eye will keep your look fresh and modern, so don't be afraid to experiment! 

The MTV Video Music Awards were held this past weekend, and there were many performances and surprises. Of course, being the beauty lovers that we are, we just couldn't keep our eyes off the hair and makeup the stars wore as they came down the red carpet.

Lindsay Lohan looked fresh and youthful with her hair worn in loose waves-- we love the strawberry-blonde! She kept the liner more heavy on the top of her lids, giving the illusion of thicker lashes. Flawless skin and a pale lip really kept her face in balance and made her look radiant.

To keep your waves frizz-free like Lindsay's, try L'Oreal Studio Line Smoothness Glossing Creme, $4.99 

Rihanna took a new risk with her hairstyle, adding a bit of blue and blonde streaks to it. She also decided to use a blue liner to line the bottom of her eyes, while keeping her lids more pale. Again, we see a pale lip, but this time it's done with a more glossy finish.

Make your eyes pop like Rihanna's! Try Tarte Eyeliner in Blue Nude, $18

Ashlee Simpson wore her typical heavy liner, but adding teal blue into the mix really added something extra and made her eyes pop. Her hair was worn with shiny long layers, creating a more sophisticated look.

To add shine, like Ashlee's, to your own locks, try ABBA Pure Shine Spray, $18

Lauren Conrad's hair is truly our favorite of the night. The braided updo looked nothing short of effortless and chic. With the focus on her eyes, her pink cheeks and pearly-pink lips really gave her a soft and ultra-femine look.

 For Lauren's soft, radiant look, try Clinique Allover Colour, $29.50