Fall in Love with the NARS Modern Love Palette

What this beauty chick is totally jonesing for this spring? The NARS Modern Love Palette. The signature black compact opens to reveal not only an oversized mirror -- perfect for applying makeup on the subway or in the back of a cab! -- but an array of utterly gorgeous shades that look unbelievably perfect on a variety of skin tones.

Each shade in this palette was chosen for its ability to complement the others, so you really can mix and match to create tons of beautifully wearable looks that are perfect day to night. The shades included are:

Alhambra (top left): Metallic Rose Mist
Jezebel (top middle): Shimmering Sable
India Song (top right): Shimmering Walnut
Tokyo (bottom left): Soft Silver-White
Habanera (bottom middle): Sparkling Charcoal-Plum
Pandora (bottom right): Matte Black

The NARS Modern Love Palette retails for $50 and will be available in May.

So what do you think? Will you be snapping up this beauty? I know I will!

Beauty Question: What is the Corniest Salon Name You've Seen?

So I'm out walking around and all of a sudden I see a salon named Shear Bliss. And this got me thinking about the corniness of some salon names. So my beauty question today is this: What is the corniest salon name you've seen? Let me know in the comments. And as a special bonus, I'll pick one winner to receive a special prize of beauty goods! So do your worst!

The Side Braid Makes a Comeback!

To date, one of my most popular posts has been the one on the side braid. (Click here for a refresher course.) You know the one -- it's what Lauren Conrad made famous last year on The Hills. Well, it's making a comeback! Check out the new celebs rocking it after the jump.



Rachel Roy pulls hers over with a deep side part and pairs it with a deep brick lipstick at the Obsessed premiere in New York on April 23

Amber Valletta pulls her hair up and makes her braid a bit more twisty at the Chloe boutique opening in Los Angeles on April 23. While I'm not a huge fan of her red lipstick, I'm totally loving this unique take on the side braid!

First Look Fridays: Makeup Artist Christopher Drummond

Want a makeup artist who knows his stuff? Then you'd better turn to Christopher Drummond. With over 15 years of experience in the beauty industry and his own makeup line, he knows beauty inside and out. Find out what makes him tick after the jump.

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A Rosy Outlook: M.A.C Fix+ Rose Face Mist

Run, don't walk to your nearest M.A.C counter when Rose Romance hits counters this Wednesday. As you could probably tell from my earlier post, I'm completely enamored of everything in this collection. But the product I'm most excited about? M.A.C Fix+ Rose.

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Two of the Best Products Ever, Courtesy of Guerlain

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for great packaging. And I must say that Guerlain does great packaging like no other. Every single product from this brand feels so beautifully luxurious, you feel terrible using it because then it will disappear! (Case in point: the Guerlain Mysterious Butterfly Eyeshadow Palette from Spring 2009. Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?) Well, I've recently come across two more products to add to my Guerlain stash ... find out what they are after the jump.

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Beauty Giveaway: Korres Sugar Plums Gift Set

It's time for another giveaway here at The Beauty of Life! And this one is truly fantastic, because guess what -- the product is limited edition and hasn't been available anywhere for months! I'm talking about none other than the Korres Sugar Plums Gift Set. This set was created exclusively for Sephora for the holiday season, and one lucky winner will receive it absolutely free! This gift set has a retail value of $29.50 and comes jam-packed with three truly fabulous products:

Plum Cherry Oil Lipgloss
Plum Lip Butter
Plum Shimmering Eyeshadow

Entering is easy. Simply enter your name and email address in the box below. The winner will be selected on Friday, April 24 and notified by email. It's that simple!



This giveaway is open to US residents only. Giveaway runs until Thursday, April 23 at midnight. One entry per person, email address and IP address. Multiple entries will be disqualified.

Beauty Launch: M.A.C Rose Romance Collection

A tradition in haute-couture, an enduring Icon of Love and certainly the only flower acceptable to throw on stage at the Met or clench between teeth in a Buenos Aires tango salon, the rose remains beyond reproach. M.A.C creates a very modern Rose Romance, our lovely new color collection for the summer season. Spring buds blush in fragrant new hues when Just A Pinch Gel Blush debuts; Fix + Rose refreshes; and our bring-back favorite fragrance, Creations Hue: Dejarose, whispers anew ... BUT WITH GREAT BEAUTY THERE IS ALWAYS PASSION AND PERIL ... MIND THE THORNS!

The new Rose Romance collection from M.A.C certainly has romance on the brain. The collection of pink lipcolors, eyeshadows, nail lacquer and more really hammers home how wonderfully beautiful and romantic the rose truly is. I'm absolutely loving this collection, as I'm a romantic at heart. I know you will, too -- get all the details after the jump.

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Beauty Launch: M.A.C Double Dazzle Lipgloss Collection

Double Dazzle will daze the closest competition with color-changing, light-reflecting pearl-shine lips; paired with a new formula for the ultimate in voluptuous lashes, et voila! Lips lead: seven new Dazzleglass shades bring the scintillating selection up to 18! The flotilla-of-lights formula imparts the pearl combination with mega-glisten shine, creamy comfort and the subtle sensation of vanilla. Lashes follow: multiplied, volumized, utterly glorified by our newest eye innovation ... this sly new small-and-mighty brush has been developed to capture and emphasize each and every lash. LIPS, LASHES, LOVERS ... LOOK OUT!

Most of my loyal readers know by now how addicted I am to lipgloss. And M.A.C Dazzleglass tops the list for its intense sparkle, shine and ability to change up any existing lipcolor. Last year, I literally went to four different M.A.C stores all up and down the East Coast and kept buying up every shade! So when I heard about the new Double Dazzle Collection, I literally squealed and jumped for joy.

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Trend-Spotting: Bright Pink Lips

Celebs are punching things up on the red carpet these days ... finally, right? And their latest lip color of choice? Bright, smokin' hot pink! We're talking day-glo shades on gals like Lydia Hearst-Shaw (pictured above), Taylor Momsen, Chloe Sevigny and more. Check out tons of pictures after the jump.

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First Look Fridays: Trae Bodge of Three Custom Color Specialists

If you haven't heard of Three Custom Color Specialists, you're really missing out. This company is one of my all-time favorites, not only for their ready-to-wear line but because they can literally take any discontinued shade and recreate it. I had the opportunity to tour the studio last year and was blown away by the catalogue of colors the three founders -- Scott Catto, Chad Hayduk and Trae Bodge -- have recreated over the years. We're talking thousands and thousands of lipglosses, eyeshadows and the like! And this week I am thrilled to bring you an exclusive interview with Trae Bodge. Read on to find out how Three Custom began, her favorite products and so much more.

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Beauty Launch: NARS Summer 2009 Collection

Whether your vision of perfect summer conjures up images of Morocco’s kaleidoscopic bazaars, the pristine Art Deco structures of Ocean Drive or the endless white sand beaches and cerulean waters of a Caribbean island, this season’s vivid yet versatile color palette is the perfect complement.

Coveted beauty brand NARS turns 15 this year, and the brand’s commitment to creating products that defy convention remains unwavering. The NARS woman has never been content to fade into the background, and this summer is no exception.

“The look for the Summer 2009 collection is sophisticated, but colorful,” said François Nars, Founder and Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics.

Find out all the details for Summer 2009 after the jump.



NARS Tropic Single Eyeshadow ($22)
For the latest eye shadow, there was only one blue François Nars had in mind. “The tropics are always inspiring for me,” Nars said. This lush, silver-flecked teal is a precise image of the ocean’s reflective, rolling waves.

NARS Scorching Sun Duo Eyeshadow ($32)
The glazed apricot and radiant orange duo is designed “to imitate the effect of the burning sun,” Nars said. The sun-drenched colors allow for surprising wearability. The pair can be blended together to form a rich, burnt orange, or worn in tandem.

NARS Irresistiblement Bronzing Powder ($30)

NARS Falbala Lipstick ($24)

NARS Outsider Lipstick ($24)

NARS Belize Lip Gloss ($24)

NARS Tonga Lipliner Pencil ($20)

NARS Adelita Nail Polish ($16)

The NARS Summer 2009 Collection is available at NARS counters nationwide.

First Look Fridays: Makeup Artist Gregory Arlt

By now, many of you know about my Twitter and Facebook bestie, the fabulous makeup artist Gregory Arlt. Gregory has been a Senior Makeup Artist for M.A.C for over 15 years, creating some of the most gorgeous looks you'll see coming down the runways every season. He also works with the fabulous Dita von Teese and the very funny Fran Drescher, among many other celebs, and is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet! Keep reading to find out tons more about the amazing Gregory Arlt.

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Trend-Filled Thursdays: Swirled Eyeshadow

I'm a big fan of layering eyeshadows. Yes, one is great -- but two or three are so much better! So I'm totally excited about the newest trend hitting the eyeshadow world -- swirled eyeshadow. The best thing about this type of shadow is that you can either sweep your brush across one shade, or you can really sweep across all of them to create a color that's all your own. Brands like M.A.C, Avon and Too Faced have all gotten in on the trend -- just check out the Too Faced Baked Eyeshadow above ($19.50 at toofaced.com). Get even more options after the jump.

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Wallet-Friendly Wednesdays: Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller

Don't you hate those days where you wake up and your eyes are so puffy, there's just no hope of making it through the day without someone saying, "Wow, late night, huh?" Well, now there's a cure ... and its name is the Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller. Say that three times fast.

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