Great Brand Alert: TINte Cosmetics

Put this beauty chick in front of beauty products and it's like looking at a kid in a candy store. Testing out new lipglosses, eyeshadows, nail polishes and perfumes is my version of eating chocolate cake for breakfast. So imagine my sheer delight when I happened upon TINte Cosmetics -- a totally girly, totally cute and totally FUN makeup line.

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Face First: Biore Pore Minimizing Refining Exfoliator

Frankly, I'm scared to do a lot to my face. I am a self-proposed lover of facials, it's true ... but aside from that, I'm pretty hands-off. But all that's about to change with my recent discovery of Biore Pore Minimizing Refining Exfoliator.

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Face the Music: Bliss Facials with Emilia

Ladies, listen up! I have discovered the best aesthetician this side of the Atlantic, Pacific or anywhere else you can think of. No stranger to facials, massages, waxing and everything else in between, I recently put myself in the hands of a total stranger for a facial. I'll admit it, I was a bit apprehensive at first -- let's face it, trying a new treatment is always scary, especially when it involves sensitive skin in an area everyone sees on a daily basis! But I had no need to worry. I sauntered into Bliss 57 late last week for a Bliss Basic Facial appointment with Emilia, resident aesthetician and, in this girl's eyes, a complete miracle worker.

Amenities of Bliss spas aside (comfortable lounge with brownies, cheese and crackers, lemonade and tea! amazing showers with Bliss products! some even have steam rooms!), this was one of my all-time favorite treatment experiences. Emilia and I had a quick consultation and then she got down to business -- spreading all sorts of yummy-scented masks and creams on my face with the utmost precision and care. Extractions weren't the most wonderful-feeling, but it's a good kind of pain -- hey, at least you know your pores will look better in the end! Best of all, Emilia is so knowledgeable about skin and what you can do on your own to make sure you look incredible!

This baby doesn't come cheap -- it's $100 for 60 minutes -- but that's a total bargain when you factor in all the afore-mentioned amenities, and of course, Emilia's dedication to making your skin look absolutely amazing! And it doesn't hurt that neck, shoulder, arm and foot massages are included.

Take this beauty chick's advice and do yourself a favor -- add in the optional Hair Dew treatment ($35), which includes acupressure with scalp-sloughing essential oils and conditioning cream that's left on throughout your facial, leaving your hair so soft and silky afterwards you'll be completely amazed. All that being said, I think I found my facialist for life! Check out treatments at Bliss's website and see for yourself!

Salon and Spa Directory: Shobha

We've all been there. Before we know it, our brows are out of control! Luckily, there are a host of options available to all us beauty chicks dying for pretty, perfect arches ... with waxing, depilatories, plucking, and this beauty chick's drug of choice, threading. The act of literally taking a thread, wrapping it around individual hairs and, yes, pulling them out one by one, may not be the most pleasant thing you can do to yourself -- let's face it, yanking hair off of our faces is never a walk through the park -- but hey, at least you can guarantee a few weeks of beautiful brows.

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Direct from the Runway: Alexander McQueen

Check out the teal eyeshadow, applied all the way up to the browbone. See it? The 80s are back! I'm not sure what to say about the latest look from Alexander McQueen. It's part disco diva, part ancient Egyptian, all just a tad too much for this beauty chick.

I'm not hating the color -- I actually really love the creaminess of the shadow and the intensity of the shade against matte skin. But applied all the way up to the brows, especially when the brows are colored black and wide? Not sure I'm loving that. The deep black liner, applied thick and extending out past the corners in a Cleopatra-esque design ... it's great for a night out at the clubs, sure, but not so good for the office.

And don't get me started on the hair ... remember when you were younger and decided it was a great idea to cut your own bangs while they were wet? Yeah, not so great once they dried. That's what these bangs look like -- and I'm fairly certain they're extensions, so why purposely make them look terrible? Who knows. At least the hair is long, straight and shiny -- score one for lustrous locks!

Direct from the Runway: Christian Dior

There's no denying the importance of eyebrows in this or any other beauty chick's world. There's the constant upkeep, the painstaking shaping, the levels of pain we'll inflict upon ourselves to make sure our arches are nothing short of perfect. But ... that being said, there's a part of this beauty chick that thinks eyebrows should be seen and not heard. Apparently Christian Dior does not share my opinion!

At his latest fashion show, models strutted their stuff down the runway with brows so dark, it was nearly impossible to look at the absolutely beautiful garments they were wearing.

The brows made me think of a severe governess -- complete with scary accent -- who was just dying to make me sit down and do my homework. Now, granted, these crazy arches were not real -- they were large pieces of black tape stuck to the models' foreheads. But from afar, they were so scary it made me want to run for the hills! (Which is why, for the first time, this beauty chick has included two pictures in a post -- so you can see the difference from up-close and far away.)

The rest of the look was nice enough -- eyes with subtle rust shadow, no eyeliner and just a touch of mascara; glossy nude lips; voluminous, wavy tresses. It's just those brows! They were just too frightening for me!

Direct from the Runway: Burberry Prorsum

There are many reasons to like Burberry. The kitchsy, always recognizable plaid prints ... the chic, to-die-for trench coats ... the little pops of gold and silver lame that always seem to make their way into a fashion show ... and those are just a few.

The latest Burberry Prorsum show didn't disappoint -- which is no surprise! But this beauty chick is talking about the absolutely stunning hair and makeup (though the clothes were gorgeous, too).

Tresses were so sleek and shiny, I was left praying my hair dryer and straightening iron could do the same wonders to my sometimes lackluster locks.

Eyes dazzled with light gray shadow applied to just below the browbone, thin black mascara rimming the upper and lower lashlines, and blacker-than-black lashes that seemed to go on for days.

Skin was flawless -- matte but with just a hint of shimmer so that it emanated a slight glow.

Lips were underwhelming in the palest pink, but in conjunction with the whole look they seemed to work just fine.

Now this is a look to copy the next time you're out on the town!

Direct from the Runway: Alberta Ferretti

Severity was the order of the day, apparently. Just looking at the models in the Alberta Ferretti show made my head hurt! Their hair was pulled back so tightly, it's a wonder they weren't all crying in pain as they walked down the runway.

Now don't get me wrong, I am duly impressed by just how sleek and tight the hairstylists were able to get the models' locks. If only this beauty chick could make her hair perform so well! But it left me wishing for the look to be just a bit less austere and a bit more gentle and flirty. This is Alberta Ferretti, after all!

The makeup was fine -- a bit on the plain side -- but that seems to be the way most designers are going this season, so Ferretti was right in step there. I just fear for those girls' scalps, that's all!

Direct from the Runway: Balenciaga

Now, I understand fashion shows are always a bit of a spectacle. They have the word "show" in them, after all. But I think we've come to expect a pretty high standard of beauty from them, especially from the top designers who are supposed to have years of knowledge and experience in this industry. I'd have to say the Balenciaga show fell short both in the clothing and the beauty looks ... which pains me as I am a huge fan of the line.

But let's look at this poor model's face for a second. Set aside the dull, matte skin; the too-pale pink lips; the rust-colored shadow rimming her eyes that makes her look like one of the undead. Let's focus on the hideous white chalk that was drawn across her browbone and up in an arcing formation toward her forehead. Why on earth would anyone think this was a good idea?

And don't even get me started on the hair -- which has so many flyaways, it looks like she stepped out in the rain for awhile before the show started. I'm not sure what story Balenciaga was trying to tell this time, but in this beauty chick's opinion, they failed. Believe me, it hurts my heart to say this! But what do you think?

Coco for Coconut: Bath & Body Works Creamy Coconut Shower Gel

Back in her college days, this beauty chick worked at Bath & Body Works. Talk about a great job! All the prettiest smelling products at a fraction of the (already unbeatable) prices. And there's something about the simple-yet-still-indulgent packaging, isn't there? The clear plastic bottles that let you see exactly what's inside, making you so absolutely excited to get the products home. I definitely yearn for the days when I could walk out of the store with my arms full of shower gels, lotions, body splashes ... you name it, I purchased it. (Maybe that was why I never had money left after payday.) So imagine how sad I was to stop working there and head back to school.

Luckily, the prices haven't skyrocketed over the years, so I can still afford everything I crave! And my newest obsession is the Creamy Coconut Shower Gel, brought to each and every one of us by the Bath & Body Works Classics line. One whiff and I'm instantly transported to the Caribbean, St. Tropez, St. Barth's ... anywhere that's warm and breezy. This fragrant beauty is so intoxicating, I find myself looking forward to lathering up every morning! Before I know it, I'll be back working in the stores so I can cart this out by the hundreds.

Note: Unfortunately this shower gel is no longer available.

Mouthing Off: Philosophy Big Mouth Lip Primer

Who hasn't wanted fuller, plumper lips at some point? But there's no need to look like Goldie Hawn in "The First Wives Club" (remember those hideously huge, collagen-injected lips?) ... with the bevy of lip-plumping glosses on the market, there's bound to be one for everyone to try! And I've definitely found my favorite. Already a fan of Philosophy's 3-in-1's -- who isn't? -- I recently discovered their Big Mouth Lip Primer.

It takes my lips from flat to fat in no time at all! There's nothing wrong with those super-glossy, uber-shiny lipsticks and glosses, but I'm totally digging the smooth, clear finish of this baby. It definitely enhances my lips, while at the same time helps them feel soft, soothed and completely conditioned.

In a word? It's amazing!

Note: Unfortunately Philosophy Big Mouth Lip Primer is no longer available.