As the year comes to a close, it only stands to reason that we would reflect on what's past. I got to thinking about beauty splurges, and I want to know -- what was your biggest beauty splurge this year? Mine was definitely my Diptyque Violette Scented Candle. At $65 at spacenk.com, it's the most I've ever plunked down for a single candle -- and it's been totally, completely worth it.
Let me know your beauty splurges in the comments!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Beauty Question: What Was Your Biggest Beauty Splurge This Year?
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Rue La La's Upcoming Sample Sales
Don't miss Rue La La's upcoming sample sales! Here's what's happening:
Sunday, December 27:
Botkier
Joan Vass
Monday, December 28:
Theory
Corneliani
Raymond Weil (Men and Women)
Tuesday, December 29:
Betsey Johnson
Buffalo David Bitton (Men and Women)
Born (Men and Women)
Need an invite? Click here.
Leaving on a Jet Plane...
Hello everyone! Just a quick note to let you know that I'll be out of town until January 7 -- I'm going to Israel! There will be some scheduled posts to keep you company while I'm away, but things will be a bit slow here until I'm back and in the swing of things. Wishing all my loyal readers a very happy, healthy new year -- here's to a beautiful 2010!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Today's Rue La La Sample Sales
Don't miss Rue La La's sample sales today! Here's what's happening, starting at 11am:
Citizens of Humanity (Men and Women)
Oakley (Men and Women)
Need an invite? Click here.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Celebrate the Holidays with Red and Green Products!
I love the holidays. Celebrating with friends and family, eating tons of good food, decorating the Christmas tree, giving presents ... not to mention getting time off work and going on vacation! So I've decided to bring you a roundup of some of my favorite red and green products in celebration of the holiday season. Discover them all after the jump!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Mint Condition: M.A.C Lip Conditioner SPF 15
If you're looking for a lip balm that will make your lips soft, supple and smooth, M.A.C Lip Conditioner SPF 15 is the way to go. It moisturizes and conditions lips instantly upon contact, leaving behind a silky finish and hours of hydration.
This is definitely one of the best lip balms I've found. I've been wearing it to bed and my lips are still smooth in the morning -- seven or eight hours later! This is thanks to ingredients like almond oil, shea butter, avocado extract, wheat germ oil and Vitamins A and E.
There's even petroleum to seal in moisture and make application smooth, lightweight and -- thankfully -- non-sticky. And the addition of SPF 15 means I can protect my lips year-round.
M.A.C Lip Conditioner SPF 15 retails for $13.50.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Shameless Plug: The Beauty of Life Featured on Glamour's The Girls in the Beauty Department!
Exciting news today, fellow beauty chicks! Glamour's The Girls in The Beauty Department featured a story today with some of their favorite beauty bloggers' lash tips -- and yours truly is one of them! Check out the story here.
Color Me Impressed: Colorist Jan-Marie Arteca
For seven years, I didn't color my hair. This statement was met with inquisitive looks and shocked stares whenever it was uttered. But after going through every L'Oreal Feria shade of red in college -- seriously, everything from strawberry blonde to purplish auburn made its way onto my tresses -- I needed a good, long break. Not to mention I actually started to like my natural deep brown. But recently, I decided to make a foray back into color -- and there was no one better to take on the job than the fabulous Jan-Marie Arteca.
The Beauty of Life Exclusive! Makeup Artist Gregory Arlt's Tips for Creating Carey Mulligan's MOCA NEW 30th Anniversary Gala Look
Do I ever have a treat for you today! My Twestie (read: Twitter bestie), the one and only fabulous Gregory Arlt, has granted me an exclusive interview on the look he created for An Education's gorgeous Carey Mulligan recently. Gregory, one of the Senior Makeup Artists for M.A.C, has been working with Carey a lot over the past few months and I am so excited to share his tips with you for how he created this look -- one of his professed favorites in their time working together! Find out more after the jump!
Monday, December 21, 2009
Holiday Gift Guide: NIA 24 Eye Repair Complex
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
If you only buy one gift this holiday season, make it the NIA 24 Eye Repair Complex. Seriously, every guy and gal on your list will thank you. The green and white packaging is super chic, the tub is delightfully rich-looking, and the product itself is one of the best I've ever tried.
The lush, thick cream is packed with Pro-Niacin (to improve skin tone, texture and hyperpigmentation), Matrixyl (to reinforce collagen and elastin, visibly reducing fine lines and wrinkles), Vitamin C, Licorice and White Birch (for brightening and illuminating properties) and Caffeine (to reduce puffiness). I got my mom's friend Anita hooked on the stuff and now she can't live without it ... and, truth be told, neither can I.
NIA 24 Eye Repair Complex retails for $65 at spacenk.com.
Holiday Gift Guide: Space NK Laughter Mini Treats
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
If you like to laugh -- and who doesn't? -- you'll love Space NK Laughter Mini Treats. This is my all-time favorite Space NK scent. It's light and crisp but with an Oriental-esque flavor that really gives an exotic finish. It's inspired by creator Nicky Kinnaird's nostalgic childhood memories on the Spanish Mediterranean and the sun-drenched orange groves.
Each of the three miniature bottles in this scent are awash with notes of bergamot, grapefruit, lime, juniper berry, rosemary, amber, musk and ginger. You'll find Shower Gel, Body Lotion and Bath Oil, each in travel-friendly 1.7 oz. sizes. And the bow-trimmed, lime-colored carrying case is just the most adorable stocking stuffer size ever!
Space NK Laughter Mini Treats retails for $20.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Holiday Gift Guide: Makeup Palettes
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
As the holidays near, you might be freaking out about what to give. If you're not quite sure how to please the person on your list, why not go for a makeup palette? The variety of colors, textures and products within each of the palettes featured below are guaranteed to put a smile on your recipients' faces this holiday season.
Holiday Gift Guide and Giveaway: M.A.C Sexpot Smoky Mini Pigments/Glitter Gift Set
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
If you're like this beauty chick, you love M.A.C Pigments. I can't get enough ... I have them lined up in every color inside my vanity. So when I found out that there was a limited-edition set released in the M.A.C Mischief Makers Collection, I simply had to get my hands on it immediately.
Holiday Gift Guide: Caudalie Travel Kit
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer? Well, I've found it. I am loving the Caudalie Travel Kit.
This set contains four miniature versions of some Caudalie favorites. Inside the silver tin, you'll find the following 1oz. versions of these products:
Caudalie Cleansing Water: Perfect for removing makeup and impurities from the face and eyes -- and it's suitable even for the most sensitive skin.
Caudalie Gentle Conditioning Shampoo: Formulated with antioxidants to cleanse regular and color-treated hair.
Caudalie Fleur de Vigne Shower Gel: A non-irritating, aloe vera-infused shower gel that's actually soap-free and formulated with a plant-derived cleansing base to maintain your skin's natural pH.
Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion: Enriched with nutritive active ingredients to moisturize and soften skin.
Best of all, the Caudalie Travel Kit retails for $15. How amazing is that? I know what I'll be taking to Israel next week!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Holiday Gift Guide: REN Rose Duo
You know the saying: A rose is a rose is a rose. And in the case of the REN Rose Duo, it's never been more apropos. I am a major fan of anything rose-scented, so finding this set was one of the highlights of my month.
The two products in this set are gloriously beautiful. The simple packaging sets forth the sweet scent of rose -- somehow not feeling too heavy, but just crisp and light enough to last all day and feel wonderful. You'll find the following two full-sized products inside the pink tree-emblazoned box:
Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash: Formulated with rose otto, palmarosa and geranium oils to soften dry, sensitive skin.
Damask Rose Ramnose Biosaccahride Body Cream: Rose otto and rose hip seed oils combine with gamma oryzanol and ramnose biosaccharide -- to soothe the skin and combat the effects of pollution and UV rays.
Now, who wouldn't want to unwrap this set?
The REN Rose Duo retails for $42 at spacenk.com.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Celebrate The 12 Blings of Christmas with The Beauty of Life and Leslie Greene!
Want some bling this holiday season? Then you're going to love this. It's your chance to celebrate The 12 Blings of Christmas, thanks to both The Beauty of Life and one of my favorite jewelry designers, the fabulous Leslie Greene!
Get my 12 must-have jewelry picks after the jump -- and find out how you can save 20 percent on your purchase!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Holiday Gift Guide: NARS Drop Dead Gorgeous Set
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
I've done it -- I've found the perfect stocking stuffer. The name alone totally sold me ... because, let's be honest, who doesn't want to find the NARS Drop Dead Gorgeous Mini Nail Kit in her stocking on Christmas morning?
Each of the four shades in this set speaks to the holiday lover in me. There's Arabesque, a gorgeously super-sparkly light pink. (Note: this one takes a few coats to become opaque, but looks fabulous layered over other colors for a hint of glimmer.) There's Chinatown, a sensually deep and creamy mulberry. There's Candy Darling, a sweetly opaque bone. And the collection finishes with the sparkly, shimmery, glitter-flecked scarlet that is Saratoga.
All four are nestled so adorably into a black velvet case and packaged in a bright red box. Seriously, it doesn't get any better than this!
The NARS Drop Dead Gorgeous Mini Nail Kit retails for $30.
The Beauty of Life Exclusive! Manicurist Jenna Hipp's Tips for Creating Amanda Bynes' Cosmopolitan Cover Look
Want to know how to get the gorgeous nude hue seen on Amanda Bynes for the Cosmopolitan January 2010 issue? Well, I've got the scoop for you! Jenna Hipp, the Green Celebrity Nail Stylist, was on set to give her this beautiful manicure and was kind enough to share an exclusive scoop for The Beauty of Life on how she created the look.
"I work with Cosmo all the time, so even though I always ask Ann Kwong, the design director, if I can paint a fun, trendy color ... my direction is most always the same. A Natural Cover Nail," Jenna told me. "Natural, shiny, pretty cover nails is what I love to do best!"
Jenna told me that she tries to customize the best Cover Color by picking a neutral hue that best complements the person's skin tone. She often layers two colors to get it exactly right! "To achieve a long-lasting celebrity manicure, it's important to harmonize your base coat, color and top coat by using all the same brand," Jenna said. "These formulas were created to work together. Simple theory, but true." For Amanda's nails, Jenna began with Orly Bonder Rubberized Basecoat. She then followed with one coat each of Orly Nail Lacquer in Tennis Anyone? and Orly Nail Lacquer in Sheer Peche before applying Orly Sec'n Dry Quick Deep-Dry Topcoat.
Orly Nail Lacquer in Tennis Anyone?
Orly Nail Lacquer in Sheer Peche
To find out more about Jenna Hipp, visit jennahipp.com. You can also follow her on Twitter here.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Holiday Gift Guide: DKNY Be Delicious Rollerball And Lipgloss Duo
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
When I was growing up, my mom would have my brother and me make stockings out of construction paper. We'd hang them by the fireplace, and on Christmas morning, they had turned into real stockings. They even had our NAMES embroidered on them. I was always so excited that Santa had taken the time to give me a real, personalized stocking in the midst of everything he had to do on Christmas Eve. And if I had found the DKNY Be Delicious Rollerball And Lipgloss Duo inside my stocking one year? I think it would have sent me over the edge.
I love this petite little rollerball so much, I've taken to carrying it around everywhere I go. I dab on the beautifully crisp and zesty fragrance after the gym, during the workday, before I meet my friends for drinks. And the sparkly pink lipgloss on the other end? So perfect for a daytime look with a hint of gorgeous shimmer.
Not to mention the fragrance itself smells absolutely divine. Notes of cucumber, grapefruit, candid magnolia, tuberose, white muguet, rose, violet, sandalwood, tender skin accord, blonde woods and white amber combine with the ever-important American apple for a scent that's light, fresh and ... well, delicious!
DKNY Be Delicious Rollerball And Lipgloss Duo retails for $20.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Phenomenal Phenomenon: The Inphenom Treatment at Concept Salon
Monday, December 14, 2009
Beauty Giveaway: CND SpaManicure Almond Gift Set
It's time for another giveaway here at The Beauty of Life! And this one is sure to help those ravaged winter hands become touchably soft and gloriously smooth in no time ... because this week, I'm giving away a set of CND SpaManicure Almond products! One lucky winner will win a set of the following products, which retail at a whopping $65!
CND Almond Soothing Creme ($15): An intense, moisturizing hand cream with jojoba oil, Vitamin E and shea butter.
CND Almond Hydrating Lotion ($35): A silky hand and body lotion with a lush, whipped blend of jojoba oil and Vitamin E.
CND Almond Moisture Scrub ($15): A gentle polishing scrub with fine mineral salts, refined sugar, jojoba beads and sweet almond oil.
Entering is easy. Simply enter your name and email address in the box below. The two winners will be selected on Saturday, December 19 and notified by email. It's that simple!
This giveaway is open to US residents only. Giveaway runs until Friday, December 18 at midnight. One entry per person, email address and IP address. Multiple entries will be disqualified.
Living in a Fantasy: KenzoKi Barefeet Fantasy
I hate winter for many reasons. But at the top of my list is dry skin. The second temperatures drop below 50, my skin reacts and becomes coarse, chapped, rough and raw. Even my feet begin to suffer, whether they're protected by my Uggs or slathered in the richest cream I can find. That is, until I discovered KenzoKi Barefeet Fantasy.
Holiday Gift Guide: Clinique High Shine To-Go
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
I have a bit of a lipgloss problem. Well, maybe not so much of a problem as it is an addiction. You see, I feel I can never have too much gloss. The more gloss, the better, in fact! So Clinique's High Shine To-Go set of 12 miniature Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 glosses is right up my alley.
In this set, you'll find every shade you could possibly want. Observe:
Air Kiss (shimmery peachy pink)
Cabana Crush (glimmery coral)
Guava Gold (golden peach)
Brandy Twist (chocolate bronze)
Juicy Apple (bold candy apple red)
First Blush (glittery golden taupe)
Sunset (sparkly copper)
Mystic (silvery bluish purple)
Bamboo Pink (pale pink shot through with shimmer)
Fireberry (glimmery bluish red)
Clearly Pink (juicy hot pink)
Whisper (pale silvery pink)
Not to mention the gloss is, well, unbelievably glossy. It glides onto the lips in a quick, fluid, super-smooth movement and lasts for hours. And I totally love the SPF 15 factor, since I'm always looking for ways to up my sun protection!
While this gift set is no longer available, you can purchase all of the various Clinique High Shine Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 lipglosses for $16 each at sephora.com.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Holiday Gift Guide: La Mer The Body Creme
If you're looking for the ultimate indulgence this holiday season, look no further than La Mer The Body Creme. Not only does it make skin soft and smooth in just minutes -- but it's La Mer. And who doesn't want to see that name coming out of the wrapping?
I love the scent -- it's the same that you'll find in The Hand Creme or the iconic Creme de La Mer. It's somehow fresh, crisp, rich and light all at once, due to ingredients like nutrient-rich sea kelp and La Mer's exclusive Micro-Algae Complex. In fact, La Mer describes it as "a seaweed wrap in a jar."
Skin is left feeling so hydrated and moisturized, even after having been completely ashy and dry. A single application on my winter-ridden legs left them looking and feeling like butter. I also love the inclusion of hyaluronic acid, which works to prevent aging and inflammation.
La Mer The Body Creme retails for $230 at blissworld.com.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Yay or Nay: Agyness Deyn's Lace Lashes
Model Agyness Deyn is always known for pushing the envelope with her look. But at the ACE Awards last month, I think she might have taken it a bit too far. It just feels a bit macabre to me, especially with her black hair and black jacket. It seems she's taken a cue from the Chanel Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear show:
So what do you think of this crazy look from Agyness? Is it a yay or a nay? Let me know in the comments!
First Look Fridays: Creative Nail Design Educator Angi Wingle
I have a real treat for you this week. I bring you the fabulous and talented Angi Wingle, Creative Nail Design Educator. I've had the pleasure of speaking with Angi multiple times backstage at Fashion Week over the last few seasons and this gal knows her stuff. I always look forward to hearing her interpretations of the shows and the trends, not to mention the nail tips and tricks that spill forth in just a few minutes each time. My nail regimen has grown by leaps and bounds from knowing her! Find out how she first became interested in nails, her all-time favorite CND product and so much more, after the jump.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Holiday Gift Guide: Aromatherapy Associates Candle Sets
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
If you haven't yet heard of Aromatherapy Associates, now's your chance. I'm obsessed with everything in the line (like this lip balm, for example) -- but the candles are out of this world. If you only give one gift this season, please make it one of these two candle sets.
Aromatherapy Associates Rose & Ginger Candle Trio ($56 at spalook.com): This set appeals to the girly side in me. I usually don't like pink, but there's something about the way these three candles are packaged that just really calls to me. The combination of rose and ginger creates a light, delicate fragrance that permeates without feeling heavy or cloying -- perfect for a cold winter's night cuddled up under a blanket with a book or episode of The Vampire Diaries.
Aromatherapy Associates Essential Candles: Perfect for the overachiever who just needs a bit of downtime, this set of three candles works to calm. There's Relax (with bay and lavender), De-stress (with chamomile) and Revive (with pink grapefruit and petitgrain). You'll actually look forward to crazy workdays, just so you have a chance to burn one of these when you get home!
Note: This set is no longer available.
Best of all, each candle from both of these sets has a 20-hour burn time, so you're sure to give -- or get -- plenty of lusciously wonderful scents in the home for days and days on end.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Holiday Gift Guide: Dolce & Gabbana L'Eau The One
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
If you really want to make your special someone feel, well, special this holiday season, Dolce & Gabbana L'Eau The One is the way to go. Ever since I discovered this beautiful scent, it's made its way into my seemingly overrun collection. I love the warmth it exudes -- it's perfect as we head into what promises to be a bitterly cold winter.
Summer Lovin': Calvin Klein Eternity Summer Eau de Parfum Spray
Now that winter is upon us, I feel the need to head right back to summer. Luckily, I discovered Calvin Klein Eternity Summer Eau de Parfum Spray hidden in my stash over the weekend -- and I've been spritzing myself continually ever since.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The Finer Things in Life: Tocca Cleopatra Candle
I love a good candle. I think by now most people know that about me -- especially as referenced by my Jo Malone story yesterday. And at the top of my candle list, now and for all time, is the Tocca Cleopatra Candle.
This candle has been a favorite of mine for years, due to its delectably crisp and lusciously fragrant aroma. A blend of cucumber and grapefruit somehow become so alluring as the candle begins to burn, eliciting a sense of utter calm and tranquility within mere moments. I've bought this candle again and again, always burning it down to the bottom of the jar without a breath of hesitation.
The Tocca Cleopatra Candle retails for $38 at beauty.com.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Holiday Gift Guide: Jo Malone Candle Collection
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
I have what some might consider an unhealthy obsession with candles. They line the windowsill in my bathroom, crowd my nightstand, litter the countertops in my kitchen. They've even found their way to the top of my entertainment center and my jewelry armoire. But the crowning jewel in my assortment has definitely become the Jo Malone Candle Collection.
This set of six miniature candles in some of Jo Malone's finest signature scents keeps me happy morning after morning, night after night, weekend after weekend. Every day is a new, wonderful challenge -- which to burn today? What scent am I in the mood for? The collection includes:
Grapefruit (a zesty, citrusy explosion of grapefruit combined with rosemary, vetiver and tangerine)
Lime Basil & Mandarin (a spicily exotic combination of lime, basil, mandarin and white thyme)
Pomegranate Noir (an intriguingly beautiful scent with notes of raspberry, plum, pink pepper, pomegranate, patchouli, frankincense and spicy woods)
Nectarine Blossom & Honey (a sweet, saccharine blend of nectarine, peach, plum, blackcurrant, vetiver and acacia honey)
White Jasmine & Mint (A delectably invigorating array of lily, orange flower and rose combined with the aforementioned jasmine and wild mint)
Sweet Lime & Cedar (the perfect balance of aromatic leaves, delicate flowers, spices and nutty woods inspired by Thai cuisine)
My favorite part about the collection is the exquisite presentation. Each 30g candle is delicately nestled into a slot inside Jo Malone's iconic cream and black box -- and the box is finished with the signature black grosgrain ribbon, of course. There really isn't a lovelier gift that could be waiting for that special someone this holiday season.
The Jo Malone Candle Collection retails for $85.
Look Like a Cullen, Thanks to New Moon Makeup Artist Norma Hill-Patton and Dermalogica!
Want to get that perfect Cullen skin seen in New Moon? Well, guess what -- you can look just like them, thanks to Dermalogica. Makeup artist Norma Hill-Patton regularly used Dermalogica products to create the perfect canvas for dressing up both the vampires and the werewolves! "All of the actors required a LOT of makeup," she said. "It was on their faces for long periods of time, so we needed to take particular care of their skin. Vampires don't perspire, don't grow facial hair and certainly don't get BLEMISHES!"
Sunday, December 6, 2009
The Beauty of Life Exclusive! Manicurist TracyLee Percival's Tips for Creating Olivia Wilde's Lucky Cover Look
Very exciting news today, fellow beauty chicks! The amazingly talented manicurist and Minx specialist TracyLee Percival granted me an exclusive interview about the soft, simple nail look she created for Olivia Wilde's January 2010 Lucky cover. Here's the scoop on how TracyLee created the look.
"Since the clothes had a lot of color, [Lucky] wanted something very natural," TracyLee told me. "They do a lot of very neutral nails." She started by reshaping Olivia's nails. "I made her oval -- she was a little square. But her nails were really short, so I wanted to make them look a little longer than what they were," she said.
TracyLee then applied a coat of Orly Bonder Rubberized Basecoat. "I think Bonder is the best out there -- it helps the polish stay very well," she said. "I get longevity out of my nail polish, some people go for almost two weeks without a chip! I think that the Bonder is a big reason for that. A rubberized base coat is killer!"
After applying the base coat, TracyLee applied one coat of Essie Mademoiselle and one coat of Essie Sheer Bliss. "I've been mixing colors for years," she told me. "I always like to see what will happen and get a different look than what everyone else has."
TracyLee finished with a coat of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. "It dries fast, it helps with the chipping -- I like it a lot!" she said. "It's not too shiny where it's glare-y, because some top coats are like that. But I like the fact that it dries really fast naturally."
To find out more about TracyLee Percival, visit tracyleepercival.com. You can also follow her on Twitter here. The January 2010 issue of Lucky is on newsstands December 8.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Salon and Spa Directory: Dermalogica microZone
Yesterday I had the pleasure of experiencing the Dermalogica microZone at the Dermalogica Concept Space in SoHo. What is the microZone, you may ask? This 20-minute treatment provides on-the-spot solutions for seven various skincare concerns. After the very talented and skilled and talented skin therapists analyze your skin, they can recommend the best possible service to treat any problems you may have.
First Look Fridays: Hairstylist Daniel Curet
I am absolutely thrilled to bring you today's First Look Fridays feature. The amazingly talented Daniel Curet -- the hair department head for none other than The Vampire Diaries -- granted me an exclusive interview. Daniel has worked on many shows and movies throughout his storied career, including Pushing Daisies, (500) Days of Summer, The Jane Austen Book Club, Georgia Rule, Ally McBeal and Fargo. Read on to discover what he loves most about working with The Vampire Diairies cast, his favorite products for starlet Nina Dobrev and so much more!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Holiday Gift Guide: Benefit Tinted Love
Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I'll run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Oh ... tainted love
Tainted love
--Soft Cell, Tainted Love
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
Now, I'm sure the song Tainted Love is exactly what Benefit had in mind when they created their adorable Tinted Love set this season. So it only stands to reason that it's been running through my head for days -- because every time I pull out my goodies from this gift set, it's all I can think about!
I've been a major fan of Benetint for years -- a few small swipes on each cheek leave me with the most gorgeous rosy glow -- so of course I'm simply dying over this set. Nestled inside an adorably chic, cracked red leather cosmetics bag are a full-sized Benetint and a Pocket Pal. What is a Pocket Pal, you ask? Only the most ingenious invention, like, ever. The Pocket Pal is a dual-ended tube with Benetint on one side and an unbelievably moisturizing and glossy clear lipgloss on the other. What could be better?
Note: This product is no longer available.
Comfort and Joy: Prescriptives Comfort Cream
I've discovered a fabulous new moisturizer ... and its name is Prescriptives Comfort Cream. Truth be told, this unassuming little jar had been sitting in my must-try pile for quite some time. I eyed it day after day, but for some reason I just never got it together to actually open up the tub! Finally, I bit the bullet -- and wow, am I ever glad I did.
Natural, plant-derived extracts work to reduce the appearance of redness and blotchiness -- perfect especially after a grueling workout at the gym. Algae and kola nut extracts calm and soothe skin, while tumeric root and Vitamins A and E work to diminish redness and irritation. Wheat germ and kukui nut oil hydrate and soften the skin.
This moisturizer somehow is thick, rich and lush without feeling the slightest bit heavy. It sinks into skin immediately upon contact with absolutely no greasy residue, so whether I use it during the day or before bed there's no unsightly sheen left upon my visage. I tend to use it more before bed, as it really helps to repair my skin from the harshness and damage of the day -- though there is actually a nighttime version available as well. Plus, I love that the creamy formula smells lovely and pleasant -- so I don't feel wary slathering my face in it day after day.
Best of all, my skin has been glowing ever since I started using it. I've suffered absolutely no irritation or breakouts as a result of trying something new -- the last few weeks have seen nothing but clear, gorgeous results (if I do say so myself!).
Prescriptives Comfort Cream retails for $39.50.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Holiday Gift Guide: Lipstick Queen Lipgloss Sets
Throughout the month of December, The Beauty of Life will be featuring a Holiday Gift Guide. Each gift is one I'd like to give AND get this season.
First up this holiday season is, of course, lipgloss. I can't live without lipgloss on my pout, and no one does it better than Lipstick Queen. My life has gotten so much more fabulous since I discovered this line -- and there are two gift sets that are simply must-haves.
Lipstick Queen Shine Mini Kit ($24 at spacenk.com): What I love so much about Shine? It's heavily rich and glossy without feeling the least bit sticky. It makes lips look unbelievably luscious and -- you guessed it -- shiny. And with the four colors in this set (Silver Saint, Gold Saint, Red Sinner and Wine Sinner), your pout will be puckered from dawn till dusk.
Lipstick Queen Five Minutes of Fame Pop Art Gloss Mini Kit ($28): This is my absolute favorite gloss out of any that have been created this year. Every single gloss in the line is flattering and gorgeous, no matter what your skin tone or color preference. This particular kit includes 3 Minutes (Smooth Apricot), 5 Minutes (Pale Peach), 11 Minutes (Vibrant Purple), 12 Minutes (Deep Rose) and 13 Minutes (Pretty Raspberry). You won't even be able to pick a favorite -- your lips will love them all!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Beauty Question: Does Your City's Water Give You Good Hair?
Whenever I travel, I wonder whether the city's water will leave me with good hair or bad hair. Some cities, like New York, make my hair look pretty good. Others, like Boston, make it look absolutely terrible. But the all-time best city for my hair? None other than Cleveland, Ohio. (That's a picture of the city's skyline at night, above.) I don't know what it is about the water that gives me such good hair -- but every time I visit, my tresses are sleek, shiny and unbelievably smooth without my even having to try. Too bad I can't bottle the stuff and bring it everywhere I go!
So tell me ... does your city's water give you good hair? Let me know in the comments!
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