I want to wish each and every one of my readers a happy, healthy new year! Whether you're celebrating at a swanky bar in the city or just toasting with champagne and a few friends as you watch the ball drop, may you see all of your hopes and dreams for the year ahead come true! Look forward to many more posts and exciting beauty happenings in 2008 from The Beauty of Life!
As 2007 comes to a close, this beauty chick thought it only fitting to bring you the second half of the year's Best in Beauty from The Beauty of Life!
JULY
Biore's Warming Anti-Blackhead Cream Cleanser visually reduced pores while inducing an exciting, tingly feeling.
After years and years of searching, I finally found my all-time favorite hairstylist! Thank you, Jen G. at John Robert's Spa in Cleveland!
AUGUST
Fresh breath is now always at hand with the intriguingly wonderful flavors of Oral Fixation Mints!
Thursday, August 16 was a wonderful day, indeed -- we saw over 1000 hits on The Beauty of Life!
Alice in Wonderland came alive in Alice's Treasures from Gianna Rose Atelier. Down the rabbit hole we went in search of this oh-so-cute soap set!
SEPTEMBER
Sitting front row at the Anne Bowen Spring 2008 fashion show was quite an experience -- we found the perfect way to let our inner siren out with sexy locks and a striking smoky eye.
We started fall off with a bang by settling into the Mystical Moroccan Pedicure Tent at Just Calm Down for the scrumptious "A Pumpkin For Your Thoughts" pedicure. Mmmmmm.
DuWop's Purse Your Lips -- which included Lip Venom inside a metallic pink case -- helped us not only have picture-perfect lips, but let us donate to Breast Cancer Awareness as well.
Long, lush lashes were finally ours when we discovered the wonder that is Tarte's Lights, Camera, Splashes mascara!
NOVEMBER
Dior's Dior Eye Show eyeshadow in Queen of the Green really got us jonesing for the next showing of "The Wizard of Oz" on TBS.
That Tinker Bell sure is a vixenish little imp of a fairy! And Goldie's Tinker Bell Shimmer Bath & Shower Bubbles just made her that much cuter.
Not all beauty news can be happy -- and unfortunately we found out in November that beauty brand Pout is closing its doors. Thursday, November 15 was a sad day, indeed.
A holiday card and a lipgloss in one? CARGO GlossyGreetings Cards totally reinvented the wheel on holiday gifts.
DECEMBER
Clinique Happy Travels, with a miniature Happy fragrance in a chic orange canvas case, may just be the most ingenious fragrance gift idea we saw this holiday season.
Shiny, healthy, lustrous locks were finally ours when we happened upon the T3 Medium Duality!
The launch of Total Beauty is totally revolutionizing the beauty industry as we know it! And the launch party at Space NK was just so much fun.
NARS The Multiple is just to-die-for in the company's signature shade -- you guessed it, Orgasm!
Bliss may finally have outdone itself. Now, I've gone there for many a treatment -- massage, facial, the Herbie, you name it, I've tried it. But for some reason I'd never gone just for a pedicure! I decided to change that and, after looking over all the various choices, booked the special limited-edition Double Choc Pedicure at my favorite of the New York locations, Bliss 49.
I was treated like a queen from the moment I arrived -- given headphones and my very own personal TV complete with Sex and the City episodes to keep me busy during the 60-minute treatment! As I settled into my comfortable chair and sunk my feet into a bubbling chocolate milk skin soak, my pedicurist brought out miniature brownies and a cup of steaming Vosges hot chocolate. She then proceeded to massage, soak, scrub, cream and lotion my feet to my heart's content -- all while using products scented and formulated with chocolate, of course! She even went the extra mile and dipped my tootsies in paraffin wax to combat the cold temperatures outside, leaving them soft and silky smooth.
And imagine my surprise as the normally very ticklish buffing and pumicing was absolutely the opposite -- she found a way to pumice to perfection without making me wince or gasp in the slightest! As she finished the treatment by polishing my nails to perfection (I chose a sparkling deep ruby), I was left in awe both of her talent and how utterly amazing my feet looked and felt! I was then led to the women's lounge, where I of course stocked up on the snacks and read two magazines while my nails dried.
While the treatment is $70, which I admit is a bit steep, it most definitely is worth it. All in all, it was an absolutely incredible and indulgent experience that I would most certainly go back for!
I am always, always on the lookout for a makeup bag that's not only big enough to hold my mountains of products, but that looks amazingly cute and wonderful as well. But so often, function wins over form -- because frankly, this beauty chick needs one that will refrain from making the contents of every bottle and tub spill all over everything else in her suitcase! But then I happened upon the new Bare Escentuals Grande Tote and instantly my life turned around.
First off, it's pink -- which just makes it girly and fun and oh-so-perfect for the jetsetter in me. But better still, there are four separate compartments inside that are perfect for holding everything from eyeshadow pots to lipglosses, and they're created in see-through plastic so you can take stock of everything at a quick glance. There's also a handy-dandy brush compartment so your lip and blush brushes can live peacefully and harmoniously.
Best of all, it's available exclusively at Sephora.com for $35 -- so you just know you'll be one of the only gals on the block to own one. Now that's traveling in style.
Let's face it -- who among us does not yearn to be chic? I'm always envious of the women I see who walk down the street in their Chanel blazers, pencil skirts and pumps, with perfectly coiffed hair and perfectly manicured nails -- the absolute epitome of chic. But now I too can be among the chic ladies with my recent discovery of the website My Chic Things! From shower caps to bar soaps, the Soaps & Spa category has some of the cutest items I've seen. And of course, I've picked out my favorites for my fellow beauty chicks to try!
Voda Soaps Gift Set in Narcissus (normally $25, now $15): Even the most humble among us has had at least one narcissistic moment. And this gift set says it's okay! Includes four sweet-smelling soaps in Bay Rum, Evergreen, Mint Scrub and Anise.
Moroccan Love Bath Salts (normally $15, now $6.50): The huge tub is packed with soothing and softening bath salts in an indulgently aromatic symphony of floral and woodsy scents.
Shower Parlour Cap (normally $7, now $4): This is quite possibly the cutest shower cap this beauty chick has ever seen! Each is packaged in a protective plastic case and features a girl with a quirky, come-hither wink -- perfect for the boudoir.
Fact: People can gain up to seven pounds during the holiday season. Seven! While it may seem unbelievable, all of those cookies and candies and turkeys and stuffing really add up. But that's why I am totally in love with the philosophy the ultimate diet gift set
. The absolutely adorable three-piece set comes jam-packed with Philosophy products in the delectably delicious Cinnamon Buns scent. Simply open up the green box to discover shampoo, shimmer lotion and tasty lip shine. Best of all, it's only $30 on Beauty.com. So what are you waiting for? Inhale all the cinnamon buns you want with this kit -- you won't gain a pound, I promise!
You look down at your arms and legs, willing them to be soft and supple, but all you see is scaly patches and irritated red spots. Let's face it -- dry skin is such a nuisance. And as soon as the temperatures drop, this beauty chick fights against them to maintain some sort of smoothness in her limbs! But no matter how many creams and lotions I've tried, I can never seem to find one that really and truly gets rid of the dryness for good. That is, until I tried Frederic Fekkai's Creme Luxueuse!
The massive, industrial-sized tub contains some of the richest body cream I've ever come across. It's so thick, so intensively moisturizing, so absolutely dripping with nutrients and vitamins, my skin went from embarrassingly dry to fantastically fabulous in a matter of minutes. Seriously! Formulated with shea butter, it really is a miracle worker. My legs especially have always been dry -- whether warm or cold, heat wave or cold front, they just can't seem to be moisturized enough and soak up lotion like it's their job. But now they are so soft and smooth, I'm not embarrassed to be seen wearing skirts with no tights!
So why not check out this miracle-worker for yourself and wrap your body in the ultimate luxury? It's available on Sephora.com for $65 -- trust me, you won't be disappointed.
Tired of your nail polish chipping after you've a) spent a lot on your manicure and b) it's only been two days? Trust me, I've been there. You get all excited about your new pretty nails, and then presto! Before you know it, it looks like you've been scaling rock walls and ripping open packages and envelopes in a mailroom for days. But never fear -- Incoco Dry Nail Applique is here!
Different than your regular nail polish, each Incoco kit comes with 20 dry nail appliques that you press onto your fingernails for instant, long-lasting color. It sounds like the dreaded Lee Press-On Nails from the 80s, but trust this beauty chick when she tells you they're nothing like that. Included with the appliques are a polish remover cloth (which seriously took off my old polish in about two seconds, making a mental note to stock up on more of those!), a cuticle stick, and a mini nail file.
Simply tear off the protective casing on each strip, select the appropriate size for your nail, line it up with your cuticle bed and press down. And voila! Instantly your nails look like you just had them manicured. It really is that simple! The only downside is ripping off the extra (since each size is much longer than anyone's natural nails should ever, ever be) -- but that's what the handy-dandy little nail file is for. My favorite shade is Tinkerbelle -- a subtly pale pink flecked with glimmering glitter. But there are 20 solid colors and 6 French Manicure colors to choose from!
Best of all, they're only $5.99 a pop at Walgreens.com. So what are you waiting for? It's time to polish those nails!
Bugs Bunny may just be onto something with all those carrots he's always munching on. While I've been told since I was a kid that carrots are good for me and contain all sorts of important vitamins and nutrients, I just never seem to be able to get into eating them, whether I'm plucking baby carrots out of a bag or gnawing on a huge one that just came out of the garden. But then I happened upon the Yes to Carrots C Is For Hair Care Hair & Scalp Mud Mask, and instantly I saw what everyone's been talking about all these years!
It really packs a punch with tons of nutritionally great for your hair elements, like Beta-Carotene, Alpha-Carotene, Vitamin E, pumpkin, orange, honey ... and, of course the main ingredient, carrots! A single application during my shower (I left it on for about 10 minutes), and my hair was soft, silky and shiny like it hadn't been in weeks. (Thanks a lot for that, Mother Nature.)
And at only $12.99 on Walgreens.com, it seems like a pretty easy way to get in my carrot fix a couple times a week. I just hope Elmer Fudd doesn't come after me, too!
Just wishing all of my readers a happy, safe holiday season! Posting may be sporadic over the next week, but this beauty chick will do her best to keep you updated on all of the latest and greatest beauty products and treatments. Until my next post, happy holidays and stay beautiful!
It's that time again -- time for the latest and greatest reads from around the Beauty Blog Network!
Got dry cow udders OR dry feet? Makeup and Beauty Blog finds Bag Balm Udderly Fantastic.
Temptalia reviews MAC's latest launch -- The Originals and has the swatches and product photos to entice you!
Makeup Loves Me gives you a sneak peak at Lancome's last pout-a-porter, pixel pink!
The Muse reviews Guerlain's Forever Gold from Guerlain's Holiday Collection!
Savvy Skin is having a contest: Win Yourself A Holiday Gift
Beauty Anonymous is loving Lilac Collection's Cosmetics Case and Makeup Brush Roll from Smythson.
Elke visits Space.NK for the Total Beauty Event.
Stylish Opinion approves the Body Shop's Holiday Gel Set as a gift giving do.
The Beauty Blog Network welcomes Purse Buzz as it's newest member.
A Touch of Blusher recaps the 10 best Holiday 2007 collections.
It will be a white Christmas for Spoiled Pretty, thanks to Aquafresh White Trays.
Beauty and Personality Grooming - 11 things you can do with olive oil
15 Minute Beauty Fanatic spends the day with Max Factor & Makeup Artist Jake Bailey
Makeup Moxie gets her holiday face on with the Tarte We Wish You Health gift set.
Bionic Beauty reviews Boots No. 7 Volumizing Mascara after a two week trial.
The Beauty of Life falls in love with products from Space NK for the holidays.
All Lacquered Up's Nail Tip Of The Week - Fake a Pedicure
I'm having a love affair. But it isn't what you think -- it's with a body wash. More specifically, with the Like Butter Super-Rich Shower Cream with Shea Butter from the Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa line. There are so many elements in my love for this product, it's difficult to know where to begin.
For starters, the bottle is created in a delightful robin's egg blue hue that is just so inviting and welcoming, making the fact that I have to wake up early for work a lot easier to take on a daily basis. Once released from the bottle onto my washcloth, it's so amazingly creamy and rich -- meaning I don't have to use too much at a time and will be able to hold onto the 16oz. bottle for months!
And as it's formulated with both shea butter and Vitamin E, it's so utterly nourishing and moisturizing that my skin has seriously never looked better -- and this is even with the onset of frigid temperatures that normally leave my skin cracked and raw!
As if all of this weren't reason enough, each bottle is only $13.50 on the Bath and Body Works website -- which means it will be quite easy to continue my love affair for a long time to come.
Stripping down to your knickers -- ahem, your underthings? That's exactly what lingerie company Agent Provocateur is hoping for. Which perfectly explains their latest fragrance, Strip.
The bottle alone is enough to get this beauty chick's pulse racing -- it's intensely, brightly, vibrantly red and fashioned in a seductive curved pear shape, festooned by a shocking black tassel.
But once sprayed, Strip is intoxicatingly sensual. A combination of ylang ylang, iris bud and geranium bourbon mixes with vetivert, musks and amber to create a deep aroma that is part woodsy, part floral, part chocolatey, and all exhilaratingly sexy.
While Strip is not yet available, it will be soon -- you can enter your email address on Agent Provocateur's website to find out when you can purchase it (one 50ml bottle will retail for $75). And with Agent Provocateur claiming that the fragrance reacts with your body temperature to release sexual attraction, this beauty chick thinks you might have to try it with a partner to see just how true that may be.
This is it -- the final day in the 12 Days of Beauty Giveaways sponsored by Top Button and Beauty.com! And of course they saved the best for last. Too Faced Lash Injection mascara will fatten, lengthen and darken your lashes with the best of them. Want to look like you just got professional eyelash extensions? This mascara is the one to use. And you can be one of twelve winners -- but only if you enter to win here! Good luck!
For someone who's totally in love with makeup palettes, this one by Yves Saint Laurent truly takes the cake. The gleaming metallic silver case is emblazoned with the YSL logo to make you feel seriously special. But that's not even close to the best part!
Once opened, the palette reveals bold, glamorous hues that will take you from holiday party to New Years Eve to just a night out for cocktails with the gals. Three eyeshadows, three lipsticks, a sparkling gold highlighter and a pale pink blush engraved with the "Yves Saint Laurent" signature all make this palette one for the ages. But this beauty chick's favorite part has got to be the oversized heart that contains a rich pink lipgloss.
And best of all, it can be yours for only $67 on both Yves Saint Laurent's website and on Nordstrom.com. Love is truly in the air.
Anyone who thinks a candle is just a candle definitely hasn't ever come across one from Bond No. 9. The noted fragrance house has branched out into the candle-making business, and has packaged some of their greatest scents into absolutely stunning candles.
This beauty chick's favorite? Obviously her favorite Bond No. 9 perfume, West Side! But while the notes of rose, peony and ylang ylang are what drew me in initially, it's the gorgeous packaging that really got me. The oversized, boldly hued treble clef rimmed in gold calls me back to my days as a musician (yes, I used to play piano and sing!), while the red pillar-shaped glass and intricately carved golden top are just so sultry and seductive.
Even better, the candle has a 60-hour burn time, which means I can enjoy it for days and weeks to come. And my favorite part? The candle is accompanied by a miniature wrapped bon-bon of the West Side Eau de Parfum!
This elegant and wonderful item can only be purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue, and can be yours for $85. Forget gifts for other people -- this one is all yours.
What a year it's been for this beauty chick! From manicures to blowouts, cleansers to candles, it's been one heck of a ride. Here's a look back at some of The Beauty of Life's favorite things to happen in beauty this year!
JANUARY
We fell in love with the glossy goodness of Lancome Juicy Gelee in Pink Lollipop!
Bond No. 9's West Side fragrance seduced us with its rich, musky aroma, packaged within a bright red bottle and emblazoned with vibrant treble clefs.
FEBRUARY
Our lust for Bonne Bell LipSmackers kept us going and going and going!
The adorable animal-shaped soaps from Gianna Rose Atelier really made us purr.
MARCH
Our big mouth might get us in trouble, but not when we're wearing Philosophy Big Mouth Lip Primer.
Waxing became a thing of the past when we discovered the wonderfulness that is threading at Shobha.
APRIL
Dull, dry, frizzy locks? Not after we tried Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Fortifying Cream Conditioner!
Our eyes were opened to the wonderfulness of DuWop's Rose Eyes Palette.
MAY
We told our mom we loved her with Acqua Di Parma's Iris Nobile Gift Set.
A trip to star spray-tanner Anna Stankiewicz at Rita Hazan and we were ghostly white no more!
JUNE
Our skin became softer than heavily churned butter with the African Shea Butter Indulgence Body Wrap at Rosaline's Skincare & Spa in Brookline, MA.
Sephora's Summer Blockbuster Palette totally blew us away with its venerable plethora of glosses, eyeshadows and blushes!
The big "O" took on new meaning with Smashbox O-Glow.
The end is near! Only one more day to win amazing prizes in the 12 Days of Beauty Giveaways sponsored by Top Button and Beauty.com. And today's is one of the best yet! Arcona Eye Dew, an anti-aging product which protects against fine lines, wrinkles and damaged skin, might just be the answer to your prayers. Formulated with everything from shea butter and essential fatty acids to blueberry extract and Vitamin E, your skin will be brighter, smoother and all-around prettier. You can be one of eleven winners! But you can't win unless you enter here. Good luck!
I heart eLuxury. Especially because in the crunch right before the holidays, they're offering up some pretty sweet deals! Check out the links and items below, and happy shopping!
Shop the eLUXURY.com Holiday Gift Boutique! (So many great gifts here, separated into tons of helpful categories! My favorite is, of course, the $100 and under -- my picks are below!)
Juicy Couture Decadent Dusting Powder ($55): I'm a total sucker for powder puffs. And this one is pink, with a big black ribbon. So cute.
Diptyque Mini Candle Set ($80): With a 30-hour burn time and a gorgeous gift box, these three miniature candles -- in Baies, Feuille de Lavande and Figuier -- pack a major punch.
Trish McEvoy #9 Blackberry & Vanilla Musk Body Polish Sugar Scrub ($48): So richly luxe, with an incredible heady scent that lingers just enough to make you feel sexy and seductive all day.
Dior Pretty Charms ($55): As if the gleaming silver heart pendant with dazzling crystal drops weren't enough, it opens to reveal two absolutely gorgeous lipglosses.
