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i'm leaving florida and heading to LA for my beauty blogging extravaganza weekend (courtesy of total beauty). even though i'm beyond excited to be reunited with my beauty blogging brethren, i'm not so thrilled to be on the plane and in and out of airports for the next 10 hours. i try to stay very well hydrated and touch up my makeup when possible, but until recently i hadn't found a good solution for plane-breath. the air is stale, they serve you salty snacks and there is just no easy way to bring your toothbrush in your handbag.
that's why i'm loving dentaburst - individually wrapped, disposable, finger toothbrushes. i'm bringing a whole pack of 12 (which is still the smallest, lightest thing ever) with me on the plane. this way i'll have enough to supply the stinky breathed person sitting next to me with fresh breath too! learn more at their website or just pick them up in your local dental isle, you won't be disappointed (or bad-breathed).
ps - stop by throughout the weekend, i'm going to be attempting some live blogging from the conference in LA!
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i've been getting so many emails about the oscars you would think i was getting an award (i so am not). after finally sorting it all out, i bring you the highlights of oscar red carpet beauty prep and news.
heidi klum seems to be the busiest bee in the business this week. yesterday she and victoria's secret makeup artist linda hay teamed up to talk about the best kept style and beauty secrets in hollywood. she has also worked with victoria's secret to create a diamond pendant gift for the best actress nominees and is working with diet coke as the spokeswoman for the red dress campaign to raise heart disease awareness amongst women.
 image: linda hay working on heidi klum
i was lucky enough to submit a question to linda hay for my readers, and here it is:
what steps are taken so that red carpet makeup stays intact for several hours?
her response: start with an oil-free moisturizer so you don't get too shiny as the night wears on. i like the sheer foundations and concealers from very sexy makeup, which don't cake and flake, and allow skin to breathe. to make your eye makeup last, make sure you apply liner and shadow after you've prepared the eye with a light touch of concealer and powder so the color will set and adhere longer. when you're at the event, make sure to check your makeup every hour. if you have limited room in your evening bag, take beauty rush blotting sheets, a powder compact with mirror, a small blush brush to apply powder, and your very sexy lip gloss or lipstick of choice so you're armed with the necessities to keep your makeup sexy and glamorous all night long.
l'oreal has created a special limited edition version of their infalliable never fail lipcolour in red carpet red to commemorate the evening. available only in february 2008, at lorealparis.com and l'oreal boutiques, $11.99.
in the paradoxical topic of men's beauty (kidding), emerging star and man who rivals the boyfriend in charm, john krasinski (jim from the office) is a devotee of zirh men's skincare.
and who's getting ready for the big night where:
linda evangelista and mark wahlberg both have appointments at ole henriksen for facials. and finally, fekkai products and stylists will be used to prep marion cotillard and jen garner.
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so somehow i ended up at home this saturday evening watching the miss america pageant on tlc.
 apparently there has been a reality series leading up to the pageant for the last of several weeks. the goal of the reality show and the feel at pageant is to modernize the pageant. key phrases that keep being repeated are "finding the next 'it' girl" and "miss america is evolving - it's no longer about stiff hair and clown makeup". they hired a dj and are entertaining the eliminated girls with carbohydrates (which also get mentioned, a mildly painful, every 10 seconds) and that guy from "what not to wear".
however, despite the somewhat forced feel of their "modernization", the idea itself isn't bad. the girls do look much better with movable hair and their whole presentation is enjoyably more runway chic than past years. though the cheesy talent portion isn't helping with the chic vibe.
i like miss washington because she seems the most similar to an actual human. in fact, she's adorable. let's go miss w, become the get "it" girl!
image: missamerica.org
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i hope you like superlatives, because this post is gonna be full of them.
i had the most amazing morning at henri bendel's beauty breakfast. ted gibson was there (in. the. flesh.), and one of his assistants, devin gave me the most fantastic blow-out of my life (and yes, it was just as sexy as that sentence makes it sound). my hair is huge, which i love.
by this point, i think we all know how picky i am about fragrance, but i tried two. one by etat libre d'orange, which happens to be the most fascinating french perfumerie. another by isabela capeto, the chicest brazilian designer. both stole my heart, so i'm sure you will be hearing more about them in the near future.
i also finally met amber from beauty blogging junkie - and seriously, she looks like serena van der woodsen from gossip girl. would i lie about something like this? i also got to quickly catch up with two of my favorites, erika from makeup bag and julia from all about the pretty. i wish i could show you just how beautiful everyone looked. why don't i ever remember to take pictures?!
and if you can believe it, i have another product release/breakfast event to attend tomorrow morning! so stay tuned for more, hopefully superlative, tales.
image: henribendel.com
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let me just say, it is freezing in nyc right now. i went outside thinking i would go on a shopping voyage to soho, but i didn't get much farther than my mailbox in the lobby. however inside my mailbox i found a beautiful new year's card from my friend ingram who lives in japan.
a few months ago ingram sent me two boxes of q-tips from japan, due to some begging on my end. i became interested in black japanese q-tips after reading a "what's in your makeup bag" feature with dick page, who claims they are an absolute must-have. while i do find them pretty and rather fascinating, i'm not really sure how to use them for my makeup needs. they are somewhat tighter and less soft than their american counterparts. in fact, when i used them to neaten up my liner their less soft texture sorta hurt my eye! if anyone knows what mr. page uses these for, please let me know.
image: doanepaper.com
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oh yeah! i have just received word that lavera, the german organic cosmetics company, is being brought to my neck of the woods. lavera products will be sold, on a trial basis, at four harmon stores in new jersey (west caldwell, newton, short hills, and clifton) and two bed bath & beyond stores in manhattan.
if you resolved to take better care of your body (particularly by being more natural) or to be kinder to the earth this year, then you have to check out lavera. they have skincare, makeup, hair and body care lines - all totally organic. now that women have become more conscious of making sure what they put in their body is organic, thinking of what they put on their bodies is the next natural step.
i have been using their mango milk shampoo ($15.99) and conditioner ($17.99) for the last two weeks and my hair seriously smells good enough to eat! oh, and if you don't live near any of the stores that will be carrying lavera, fear not - you can shop all of their product lines at their website - www.lavera.com
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we all knew it would come to this. no matter how hard you try to make your list and check it twice, you end up with some last minute shopping needs.
which is why i now present to you the makeup loves me top 5 last minute gifts (for a beauty junkie, not for, say, your dad, unless he's a beauty junkie...), all under $40:
1. tarte we wish you health skinvigorating 4 piece discovery set - first of all, wishing someone health is a nice sentiment. but beyond that, this set is handy for the beauty junkie who has it all. it contains face primer, eyeshadow duo, mascara, and a borba lipgloss - $30 .
2. mac cosmetics viva glamorous lip palettes - all proceeds from this gorgeous lip palettes go to the MAC AIDS fund. these palettes are already sold out on the MAC site, but if are still heading to the mall for more shopping (bless you!) you may be able to pick one up from your mac counter - $22.50.
3. starlet cosmetics 7 piece pink folder brush set - the perfect brush set for a young lady or someone just starting to use makeup. this set includes all the basic brushes and though the brushes aren't all made from fine hair, they are well-cut and designed - $38.
4. best of korres - all of korres best selling skin care products are miniaturized and made into a glorious travel set. great for the travelling spa queen - $25 (pictured at bottom right).
5. egift cards are all the rage and are perfect for anyone who you aren't sure what they may fancy. egift cards are available online at mac cosmetics, urban decay and sephora.
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the product body shop makes a perfect winter gift because their products are super-hydrating. they are both handmade and gorg-e-ous. im always tempted by their regular collection and their holiday sets make it a steal.
the mini me set (pictured above) looks good enough to eat and it's only $29.
want something a little bigger? check out their softy galore gift set, $45.
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 at first i wasn't totally sure how to use nars monoi body glow II. my first observations were that it looked gorgeous and smelled even better (and from last week's scented lotion reviews i think everyone knows how picky i am about fragrance).
but after playing with it for a week, i've found that it has tons of uses, including:
1. as a body moisturizer. it's an oil, so a little bit goes a long way and has a lot of sheen.
2. as a bathroom decoration. this is one product you will not be ashamed to have splayed on your sink.
3. as a bath oil. (this is my favorite idea).
4. as a fragrance. you can just dab it on your pulse points and smell like a vanilla and gardenia goddess all day long.
5. as a solid version for uses #1 and #4. at 72 degrees this liquid product becomes a solid. you can either re-liquefy it by rubbing with hands or running the bottle under hot water, or just used as a semi-solid!
want one? again, narscosmetics.com and sephora are your best friends on this one.
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just a sample of the products i'm sampling this weekend and will be reviewing this week!
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 to introduce the final lotion of "lotion week" i bring you a true story: a few months after moving in with the boyfriend my former roommate called to ask me the name of the lotion in the "thing that looked like a coaster". after some discussion i realized she meant benefit's bathina "touch me then try to leave" cream. and i also understood why she was calling. this lotion has that soft floral scent that i love, but it also makes your skin silky in a uniquely feminine way. "touch me then try to leave" really is an apt name.
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i have a little bit of a moksha obsession.
lotus love beauty used to be carried at my yoga studio and i quickly became addicted to the moksha scented lotion. yogaworks has since stopped carrying it and i've been having serious cravings for moksha's soothing sandalwood fragrance. i liked to put on the back of my neck, breathing it in throughout the day keeps me calm and focused. luckily, i've recently learned of another yoga studio downtown that carries the brand, so i'm heading there today to stock up on this heavenly lotion. i'm even considering getting the massage oil (which i never do!).
see all of lotus love beauty's offerings here.
image: www.lotuslovebeauty.com
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 traveling makes it hard time to stay pretty. after spending several hours on a plane (and on supershuttle trying to get from the airport back to my apartment), i have some thoughts on the matter:
1. as everyone tells you, stay hydrated - meaning drink lots of water, but also, keep moisturized. i kept my face soft and hydrated by spraying my mineral fusion hydrating mist on it every couple hours.
2. my glamorous stewardess (i'm pretty sure i'm supposed to say flight attendant, but, oh well) looked amazing and added a little festivity to her look by wearing my beloved urban decay's glitter liner in baked, a bronzy gold. i haven't tried this shade yet, but i will now because it looked really terrific on her!
3. stay vitamin-ated! i like to drink at least one tomato juice per 3 hours on the plane in order to do this. it is also a good idea to take some probiotic vitamins to revitalize the body.
if anyone can figure out the flight rules about the liquids, let me know. i always seem to be getting called out for that. xo, beauties!
image: collectdolls.about.com
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 welcome to the 2nd lotion of lotion week!
i am so unbelievably fussy about scented lotion. i have only found three that i will wear. but i loooove these three lotions. red flower's japanese peony is my most recent of such discoveries. i actually bought this lotion while in florida for thanksgiving, all to learn that their boutique is right here in nyc. i will definitely be making a field trip!
how would i describe red flower's japanese peony moisturizing body lotion? girly. refined, yet unbelievably sexy. it's a completely floral sweetness, not at all sugary. best yet the scent lingers for hours. the lotion itself is silky and smooth.
quick hint: it's organic, so store it in the frig.
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i enjoy sunsilk's hairapy mini-sitcoms/commercials quite a bit. and i like to support things i find humorous. so when i found myself both a. out of shampoo and b. at cvs where sunsilk was on sale, it seemed fated that i would try their line.
i selected the thermashine variety, because whenever i can i always go for more shine. while i still like their marketing, the shampoo/conditioner was only ok. first of all, the shampoo was glittery, which i don't really associate with squeaky-clean. second of all, i haven't noticed any extra shine to my hair. my hair is, if anything, duller than before. guess from now on i'll be skipping the hairapy.
image: www.thermasilkhair.com
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 today i get to see my favorite hair dresser, tina, at parlor! i haven't gotten a haircut in months (blasphemy! i know.). i plan to keep it long, but maybe get some more soft layering going on. parlor is renowned for it's excellent cuts for under $100, it's hip styling, and it's devotion to aveda products.
happy friday, beauties!
image courtesy of www.parlorhairsalon.com
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the weather has taken a turn from infernal summer to eternal icebox here in new york and i am none to pleased.
and it turns out neither is my skin. my hands have changed with the weather and became painfully dry. but they are on the mend, due to elizabeth arden's eight hour cream intensive moisturizing hand treatment (it claims to treat hands for up to 8 hours, but i have yet to test this theory because im addicted, so i reapply on the hour). yesterday, i also used this cream on my boyfriend's chapped hands after a full day of deck-building in the wind and now they are noticeably softer, which i'm quite pleased about.
protect yourself from the evil forces of cold weather, beauties!
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 i love fresh. however, i usually try to avoid their stores because their prices make me cringe, but their luxury skin care really is fantastic.
as i mentioned a couple weeks ago, i was able to schedule a spa week priced facial (thank god for spa week!) with fresh for friday, the 26th. i went to their spring street location and had the delightful tiffany as a facialist. tiffany was honest, knowledgeable and very sweet. plus she had great hands! it was the perfect way to start off the weekend, especially a hectic one that required me to be in and out of costume throughout the day and night. if you are planning on taking the plunge and making a purchase at fresh, getting a facial is a great idea because the price of the facial is redeemable in product, meaning you get the cost of your facial in fresh item(s) of your choosing. this turns out to be a fantastic deal.
after much deliberating, i choose the rose face mask as my purchase, which tiffany described as "a big glass of evian for the face". plus, ive become obsessed with the smell of roses in the last few weeks, have you noticed? i never used to care for them much, but now i can't seem to pass up a product that carries a strong (natural!) rose scent.
to visit with the lovely tiffany, check out the nolita fresh location.
image courtesy of sephora.
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 ahhhhh, beauties!!! i'm pulling my hair out here (not literally, as that would so not be attractive). i've been in super-study mode because i'm taking the gre (graduate record exam) in about a week and a half. this means after a very busy day at la office i spend an extra few hours a night reviewing math i haven't seen in 10 years. and, of course, this stressful schedule has wreaked havoc on my beauty routine and appearance.
 what i'm doing about it:
- using fresh's brown sugar face polish on my face each night to fight dullness. this product is not cheap ($55!), but i love it.
- drinking tons of water and green tea.
- using deep conditioner. whenever you see a "stressed" woman on tv her hair is all frizzy. this has actually been happening to me. my hair is frazzled along with my nerves. so i've switched out my regular conditioner for a deep conditioner.
- naturally i've been hitting the desserts (hello chocolate!) quite hard. you have to reward yourself!
- some women like to skip the makeup when they are in an intense work mode, but if i feel put together i find i'm able to carry that confidence over to the project at hand. so i still do my normal "full-face" each day.
i'm curious to hear your beauty-under-stress regimen. let me know, beauties!
top image courtesy of digital blue global and second image courtesy of fresh.
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makeup loves me has gotten together with whole foods to offer a chance to win this amazing mineral fusion fresh face starter kit! the deal: whole foods is running a new podcast series on natural and alternative health approaches, and they want to know what you think of their work! from today, october 9th - october 19th they’re offering makeup loves me readers an incentive for you to listen and provide feedback to their Mineral Makeup Videocast. how to enter the contest: - view the to the Mineral Makeover Videocast, either by clicking on the link or entering http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/wholebody/ in your web browser.
- below the video there is a link to leave a comment. after watching the video, leave your comment for whole foods about the video. the comment can be anything; what you liked, what you'd like to see more of, or any thoughts you have about mineral makeup. the most important step is that you enter http://www.makeuplovesme.com in the "website field" on the comment form, so whole foods knows your comment is part of this promotion.
- once you do this, you will be entered in the drawing, and on october 19th, 1 winner will be randomly selected to receive the Mineral Fusion Starter Kit (the kit includes: pressed base in two different shades, duo bronzer with a sheen glow and matte finish; kabuki brush and hydration mist). the winner will be announced on makeup loves me the following monday, october 22nd.
please leave comments or email me if you have any questions! good luck, beauties!
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