celeb spottings at the independent spirit awards.

beauties, i spent the weekend in not-so-sunny LA (it was around 40 degrees) enjoying the independent spirit awards backstage from the aveeno lounge.

my within arm's reach celeb sightings included:

• kate flannery (meredith from the office), wearing a gorgeous black coat (because it was freezing out) -- post updated with pic on 3/1/11 (thank you, lindsay!).
  

• nia vardalos (star and writer of my big fat greek wedding) was leaving the bathroom as i was entering! i can't believe someone told her she wasn't pretty enough to star in the movie, because she is gorgeous - petite with radiant skin.
• ISA winner for best supporting female actor, dale dickey (winter's bone), came into the aveeno lounge and had a cup of coffee
• anne heche was standing next to me after walking the red carpet. in fact, erika from makeup bag complimented her and got a "thank you"!
  

editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that this trip was sponsored by aveeno and recyclebank. a big thank you to both companies!

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review: tone vino moisture body wash with crushed grape and shea butter.

true story: yesterday i stopped by my neighborhood wine store to buy a fancy bottle of red wine (which no one under the age of 21 would know existed) and got carded(!), confirming my longtime suspicion that my drinking is making me more youthful and beautiful.

like luxury brands before them - most notably caudalie and sk-II - tone is capitalizing on the antioxidant powers of alcohol. tone brings the spirit of vinotherapy to the masses with vino moisture body wash with crushed grape and shea butter. for a mere $3.99 your shower can become a boozy, antioxidant oasis. love it! in drugstores nationwide february/march 2011.


editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that MakeupLovesMe.com received a sample of this product for possible review.

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proactiv, retroactively.

mara has discovered proactiv, and not, incidentally, because they advertise during jersey shore (which is how i discovered them). read on for her thoughts:

Will using Proactiv get me her legs, too?

"Don’t you hate it when you discover something ten years after everybody else? I never really thought about using Proactiv. I have very dry skin, so I always assumed that a product line focused on heavy acne demolition was out for me. But at the same time, I have always had issues with blemishes that sabotaged my confidence. I recently met Julianne Hough, dancer, actress, and singer extraordinaire, who told me about her experience with Proactiv. She needed to step up her acne regimen when she was on Dancing with the Stars, and makeup, heat, lights, sweating, and stress created a perfect acne storm. “ I doubt most people were looking at my zits”, she said, “but that’s what I felt like! I have a lot more to say and a lot more to talk about now, and [that I have Proactiv], I get to be myself without being distracted by that other stuff.” After seeing her doll-face up close and personal, I had to try it!

I have to say that I am really surprised with the results. Although Proactiv does come in a gentle formulation, I tried the regular one. I followed Julianne’s regimen in the morning: cleanser, toner, and repair lotion, then used just the cleanser and green tea moisturizer at night. My skin has not gotten dried out at all (not at all, beauties!!!), and I do actually do notice a reduction in blemishes after just 2 weeks. Better late than never, right?

Another treasure: Proactiv has a cleansing bar and body lotion to help with body acne (yuck). They’re unscented, so they don’t interfere with perfume. "

julianne hough and mara take a proactiv stance

editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that MakeupLovesMe.com received attended an event and received samples of this product for possible review.

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jo malone tea fragrance blends.

it's tea time!

jo malone pays homage to their british roots and their gourmand sensibilities this spring by introducing the limited edition tea fragrance blends collection.

the collection introduces 5 new - tea time inspired - colognes:

• assam & grapefruit cologne - a black breakfast tea blend, with undertones of warm patchouli, spicy cardamom and almond.
• earl grey & cucumber cologne - a playful twist on the british tradition of high tea - cucumber sandwiches served with earl grey tea. the scent is warmed by a base of beeswax, vanilla and musk.
• fresh mint leaf cologne - freshly picked mint and basal combine with cedarwood with musk for a very clean scent.
• sweet lemon cologne - lemon + sugar - because who doesn't love a fresh lemon and a sprinkle of sugar in their tea?
• sweet milk cologne - the comforting addition of milk is rounded out with star anise, almond, and vanilla.

the collection lends itself perfectly to the jo malone philosophy of fragrance combining - the art of combining 2 or more jo malone colognes to create a personal, bespoke scent. my custom tea scent for spring 2011 is fresh mint leaf cologne + sweet lemon cologne - smells so fresh!

each 30mL cologne retails for $55. tea fragrance blends colognes are currently on jomalone.com, and will be available beginning march 2011 at jo malone shops, bergdorf goodman, and select neiman marcus, saks fifth avenue, nordstrom, and bloomingdale's. available exclusively at holt renfrew in canada.


editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that MakeupLovesMe.com received samples of this product for possible review.

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odor has died of natural causes.

odor has died of natural causes" is sort of the unofficial slogan of secret's soon-to-be-released - natural mineral. two glasses of wine marina thought this tagline was hilarious at an event last month, and sober marina continues to enjoy it. because of my passion for this phrase secret invited me to ask my top 3 questions about the product to their senior scientist, rolanda johnson.




1. I love the phrase "odor has died of natural causes", what is the main natural, active ingredient in the new secret that has led to odor's demise?

Calcium carbonate is the natural mineral used in Natural Mineral. It was created with minimal processing and is a very pure and high quality form of mineral.

2. Some deodorants are best applied after the shower, most people apply in the morning, but i've even heard of one that you are supposed to apply right before bed! When is the best time, scientifically speaking, to apply this deodorant?

For the best results, apply at nighttime right before you go to bed, when the body is at its most natural temperature and most receptive to forming a strong barrier against perspiration. During the daytime the incidence of sweating may be a bit too much for the plug to form effectively. When applied at nighttime, the amount of sweat is very minimal and reaches the surface of the skin to interact with the active ingredient in the antiperspirant, forming a plug in the sweat gland. Reapply in the morning for additional protection.

3. Is secret natural mineral a deodorant or an antiperspirant? are antiperspirants safe? i know people worry that when you block your body from sweating you are trapping the toxins in...what are your thoughts?

Secret Natural Mineral is an antiperspirant and deodorant. Deodorants help control odor primarily by masking the underarm odor caused by the bacteria interacting with perspiration and also by reducing odor-causing bacteria. Antiperspirants help control wetness, and thereby odor, by slowing the flow of perspiration to the surface of the skin.

Reducing perspiration in the underarm does NOT affect the body's ability to regulate temperature, nor its ability to excrete substances of any kind. Sweat is NOT a significant route for eliminating toxins from the body. Toxins are eliminated mainly through urine and feces, NOT perspiration.

The FDA has approved aluminum compounds for use in antiperspirants based on an extensive safety database. The materials in Secret antiperspirants have undergone extensive safety testing and have been proven safe and effective when used as directed. For perspective, aluminum occurs everywhere in the environment. Our greatest daily exposure to aluminum is from the food and water we consume and the air we breathe. Daily aluminum intake from food and water is at least 2-50 times greater than exposure from daily use of antiperspirants.

editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that MakeupLovesMe.com attended an event and received samples of this product for possible review.

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nail trend forecast for spring/summer 2011.

beauties, nail trends continue to be h-o-t, and i continue to love it.


last week i visited salon aks for their forecast on spring/summer 2011 nail trends, proving that even rich girls are wild for nails. salon aks predicts brights and poppin' pastels combined into unique color combo frenches, reverse french manis and polka dot patterns will be on everyone's hands and feet in the months ahead. monochromatic nails just can't hold their own nowadays.


all of the nails pictured can be done at salon aks on 5th ave, nyc. visit them at salonaks.com for more info. as for me, i got a pedi with the 3rd sample from the left - a bright pink french with a deep blue tip. fancy nails just make you feel special (and are a great way to get compliments) so start having even more fun with your nails, beauties!


editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that MakeupLovesMe.com sampled this service for possible review.

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review: dolce&gabbana secret garden collection - spring 2011.

dolce & gabbana's secret garden collection for spring 2011 is about bright pastel color pops. and so is mLm, so we're getting along quite well.

the ultra-shine lipgloss in secret is killin' it. bright orange lips continue to be everywhere - and this one is true orange, super glossy, and smells like roses (in the same way that limited edition lancome lipsticks do).

the other item that blows it out the box is the crayon intense in lilac - if you want a neon lavender eyeliner - this is it. i've been getting non-stop compliments on my liner backstage at nyc's fashion week (by people who make makeup a living, beauties).

stefano gabbana describes this collection as "the aura of romance -- the intoxicating wild flowers, the soft pastels", and i agree. it's so spring 2011.

visit saks.com or saks fifth ave stores to get in the secret garden.


editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that MakeupLovesMe.com received samples from this collection for possible review.

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pantene pro-Valentines day.

happy valentine's day, beauties! mara's here -- with tips from the experts:

Haille Bowman and Steve Ward

Steve Ward, host of VHI’s Tough Love, has some tough words on hair. “All guys are hair guys,” he says. “Some guys are boob guys and some guys are leg guys or butt guys, but all guys are hair guys.”

According to him, they notice a bad hair day way before a zit, and they consider hair THE key factor in your overall sex appeal. Guys allegedly notice your hair before your clothes, your legs, or your makeup. Steve backs up his opinion with statistics (according to a recent survey of over 1,000 men, 60% of would rather date a woman with great hair than a woman with big breasts) and science (according to cultural anthropologist Dr. Jeff Salz, hair has been a symbol of health, femininity, and attraction since Time began).

So we’ve established that it’s important, but what exactly is great hair? Both the anthropologist and the makematchologist say that long hair turns the most heads. Haille Bowman, celebrity stylist for Pantene, says that men are most attracted to hair that has movement, wave, and texture. She recommends ditching the super straight style in favor of a few barrel curls… she uses a ¾ “ iron on her own hair, and then brushes it out a little for a sweet, soft style (pictured above). Before a big Valentine’s date, she suggests a deep conditioner to reduce static and rev up shine. I’m loving Pantene’s Color Nourishing Treatment: it reminds me of that amazing little conditioner that you get in a box of do-it-yourself haircolor.

Steve Ward is a hair guy.

editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that MakeupLovesMe.com received samples and recently attended an event by this brand for possible review.

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choosing your sexy scent in time for valentine's day (sponsored post).

image credit: chicstories.com

part of what i love about valentine's day is that it's a holiday that worships sexy. while i don't often review perfume, few things make a woman feel as sexy as the right scent can. fragrance is just as powerful as red lips or killer heels, perhaps more so.

part of what gives perfume it's sexual power is also what prevents me from reviewing it often -- it's just so intensely personal. whether your favorite fragrance is from a niche brand or it's a clinique perfume (i recently had a resurgence of love for clinique's happy. it really does make you feel happy!), scent is always customized, because the same fragrance will smell different on everyone. our individual scent mingles with perfume to create a unique combination of the two. one of my favorite perfumes in the bottle, becomes cloying and chalky once it hits my skin. conversely, i've been surprised to learn that scents i've hated on others, i love on me!

while musky and smoky scents seem like they would be my perfect match, i've learned that what makes me feel sexy is uber girly florals, with no fruity notes. french parfums that are heavy in tuberose, jasmine and peony are my secret weapon. though i'm no shrinking violet, i love smelling like one. perhaps that is the key fragrance: creating a contradiction. if people see you as shy, choose a scent that's bold, if you are sweet, choose a scent that smoky, and if you are fierce, choose a scent that's tame. fragrance allows people to see that there is more to you than meets the eye.

smell sexy this valentine's day, beauties!

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roses from jurlique, please!

beauties, valentine's day has a lot of haters -- but i'm not one - bring on the roses, chocolates and champagne. the one stipulation is that to be my roses should be the jurlique type.

jurlique rose hand cream ($25) is special, in a good way. hydrating (even in this bitter cold) + smells divine -- not like the roses of "grandma perfume", but like garden fresh roses. since i can't get enough of that garden fresh bouquet, i'm also into jurlique's herbal recovery night cream ($48) which still has rose scent with an herb twist (as the name implies). at this point in my life, it's just not enough for a cream to work well, it needs to leave my skin smelling like i'm a queen.

conclusion: treat yourself like the queen you are and buy yourself roses from jurlique this valentine's day.


editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that MakeupLovesMe.com received samples and recently attended an event by this brand for possible review.

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review: clinique bottom lash mascara.

beauties, i'm back to lash extension lifestyle, and it is a lifestyle. i have to devote hours of time every other week (about 1 hr) and hundreds of dollars (about $100 each time), to having the longest lashes on the block (i'm not sure if you're able to appreciate them in the picture of me with the funnest lady i know, aly walansky, but i am wearing zero other makeup there!).

this lifestyle choice also makes it so that i only use mascara on my bottom lashes, which the vast majority of mascara wands are not designed for. inevitably, i end up getting mascara on my face.

for these reasons, clinique bottom lash mascara could not have shown up at a better time. the tiny brush is meant for the lower lashes - making it easy to coat all the lashes without getting it all over the under eye region (which does not need to be any darker than it already is). smudge avoidance is what makes this products so great, in fact it's the first micro-mini brush with thermal technology (which allows for 24 hours of wear without smudging) available in the US!

clinique bottom lash mascara has gone live on clinique.com this week. $10 a tube. get lashed, beauties.


editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that MakeupLovesMe.com received a sample of this product for possible review.

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guiliana and bill rancic plan to use nivea on vday.

have you ever wondered what it would look like if i was sandwiched between a celebrity couple? turns out when i am between two celebs i end up looking like their daughter, being that i am at least a foot shorter than all celebrities (except snooki).

here i am with guiliana and bill rancic, of the style network's hit bill and guiliana, which documents their post "i do" life.


guiliana and bill are nivea's romance ambassadors, and the brand generously set me up for an interview with the couple to learn their vday tips (unsolicited countdown: you have 1 week until the holiday of hearts). i was pleasantly surprised to find that b & g (that's my new pet name for them) are easy to talk to and keep their personal life public (they had some side banter right in the middle of our interview about exactly when the first time they HS'ed was).

here's their top romance tips:

• coupled? don't break the bank on valentine's day --- just do something for your partner that they love, but you hate to do! to that end, guiliana is going to give b a massage with nivea lotion. g reminded me that using lotion means less effort is needed the massage, which made me want to give all future massages with lotion. as for bill, he's going to cook g dinner on the day of love.

• single? b and g agree that this is the best nite to go out - anyone else who's out without a partner is AVAILABLE! so go for the hottest guy you see.
  

• long-distance? b and g are famous for their long distance romance, so they know a thing or two about a thing or two. they say that make sure you make your time that is spent together quality: that means don't bicker!

editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that MakeupLovesMe.com attended a sponsored event for this review.

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recyclebank valentine's deals.

beauties, in the coming weeks you will be learning a lot about recyclebank from me. recyclebank is a program that rewards people (with actual prizes!) for recycling.

click on the image above to learn about their valentine's offerings.

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review: neova power defense, neova day therapy spf 30, and neova creme de la copper.

beauties, last week my mom was in town, and playing with my beauty products.

she stumbled on the neova skincare line, a line that harnesses the power of copper, and i'm pretty sure she's in love. here's an email she sent (i've added some pricing info):

"Marina,

First of all these are excellent products.

For the last 6 days I've been applying Neova Power Defense ($155) after showering.
It goes on easily and it is fun to see the pale blue gel, which is then instantly absorbed. I then busy myself for about five minutes before applying Neova Day Therapy SPF 30 ($68) That product also goes on like a breeze. Ditto for easy and instant application and absorption.

My skin glowed not just after the application but even after a full day of New York City activities in winter dry weather. I adore these products. These are the real deal."

while mom grabbed these products i saved the creme de la copper ($81) for myself - and i'm convinced that's the true gem. the rich moisturization it provides in this insane whether gives another famous creme de la... a run for it's $. the only thing i would change about this line is the packaging - i'm a girl who loves me some fancy wrappers.

pricing based on lovelyskin.com.


editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that MakeupLovesMe.com received a samples of these products for possible review.

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review: nair cool gel.

i have a very specific MO with nair: i use it to conquer those tricky to shave areas (ankles and knees) preventing me from a.) having embarrassing hairy patches or b.) cutting myself to pieces. both of which i'm quite prone to when shaving.

because leaving a depilatory on your skin for 5+ minutes can yield a claustrophobic sensation, i was excited to try nair's cool gel (because when something is cooling it is somehow less claustrophobic, - think: would you feel less confined if you were trapped in a freezer or a furnace?)

the pluses:

• it has a mildly cooling, but not shocking, effect
• it works! and lasts longer than shaving, so i only have to do ankle and knee treatment about once a week
• neutral scent with minimal (but not no) typical nair smell
• $6.99!

the minuses:

• not that the product lead me to believe this, so maybe this is my fault, but the first time i used this i thought i could go in the shower immediately after applying, then wash cloth it off after 5 minutes (i think i thought that because you actually can do that with another nair depilatory product!)...but once this product got wet it did not work, so you definitely must wait outside of the shower for 5 minutes before removing.
  

i tried a preview sample, so look for it on shelves in april! sorry for the long build-up, but i wanted to give you the deets while they were fresh in mind.


editor's note: in accordance with the ftc regulations, please be advised that MakeupLovesMe.com received a samples of this product and attended an event to learn about it.

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