Beauty Blog » 2007 » October

I’m a fan of Bond No.9 because their perfumes and colognes are always super sophisticated, unique, hip and full of wry wit. Now, the New York fragrance house has upped the luxury ante by partnering with Saks Fifth Avenue to bring us Saks Fifth Avenue for Him and one for Her, too.

This is the first time that a specialty store has ever created a signature scent, which is now available exclusively at Saks.  It’s the latest entry into Bond No. 9’s collection, which is made up of euax de parfum representing the different neighborhoods of New York. Other scents in the line include the margarita and cinnamon laced Coney Island, the gelato-inspired Little Italy and Bleeker Street, which smells of art, fashion and dessert.

Saks Fifth Avenue for Him has top spicy notes of chili, black pepper, cardamom and bergamot along with incense, guiac wood and amber. My take is that it’s a modernized version of warmly classic male scents. It’s the scent of a mover and a shaker–a work hard, play hard kind of guy.

Saks Fifth Avenue for Her is primarily jasmine and tuberose with gardenia, vetiver, and vanilla also part of the mix.  I really love this scent–it’s bold but not overwhelming.  It says I’m here but doesn’t scream it.  It’s the scent of a chic woman who disdains logos and peacocks personalities but doesn’t mind getting noticed.

The Telegraph’s Stella Magazine, with the help of the biggies makeup, hair and beauty editing, has put together a list of The 30 Best Beauty Products of All Time.

Here are some of the picks:

PH Advantage High Potency Effective Vitamin C Serum, $85, leaves skin “glowing and beautiful.”

Lancome Black Crayon Kohl Eye Pencil, $19.95, grants you “sexy, smoldering eyes.”

Guerlain Midnight Secret, $97, makes “skin look fresh, youthful and dewy after a busy night out.”

L’Occitane Amande Shower Oil, $22, “keeps skin soft and moisturised in even the coldest months, works well as a shaving oil, and smells divine.”

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler, $18, is “the fastest way to look as if you’ve had eight hours’ sleep.”

Laura Mercier Secret Concealer, $22, is “perfect for concealing anything from dark circles and skin blemishes to light bruising.”

Ooh! Beauty Snob gives us a peak at MAC Holiday: Royal Assets. Gorgeous!

The Beauty Brains sound off on the bra that battles breast cancer

The 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic writes about the power of Internet makeup reviews

Makeup Bag rises to the challenge and brings us 7 Reds in Seven Days 

Just like the rest of the world, I love Amy Winehouse, and I really love her Ronnie Spector winged eye and big hair look. But, let’s face it, it’s not exactly a style you can sport everyday unless you are, in fact, Amy Winehouse. Yet, that black eyeliner of hers has inspired lots of girls to go the way of the liquid liner with varying success, and I want to help.

Not to toot my own, but I do consider myself a bit of an aficionado when it comes to liquid eyeliner application. I’ve been wearing it since high school, and I’ve learned a few truths on the subject. It’s not as hard as it seems, here are some tips on creating a well-lined eye:

1. Always do your eyes last, so you can balance them out with the rest of your makeup. Remember: for daytime, a strong eye should be balanced with less makeup overall.
2. Pat a little translucent powder on your eyelids to absorb any moisture. It will help the application go smoother and also keep the liner from fading later.
3. If you’re a beginner, I suggest a wand eyeliner like Almay Liquid Liner ($13.65), which is a personal favorite of mine. The wand is a lot like a pointed felt tip marker–it can be a little too pointy at first, but after a week, it’ll dull a bit and be easier to use. Always swipe a little on your arm first to make sure there are no clumps.

4. Use your fingers (on the hand your not using to apply the liner) to pull your eyelid flat. The goal is to eliminate creases along the lash line, which can cause turbulence and frustration.

5. Tilt your head back a little and apply as close to the lash line as humanly possible, otherwise you get a weird blank space.

6. Always start from the inside and stroke outward in one fell swoop. Don’t try to do it in portions, just go for it–it’s silly, but it’s all about believing in yourself.

7. When you get to the end of the lashes, go slightly upward. Remember, the more drama you want, the more distinct the angle should be.

8. If you mess up at the end, don’t fret, just use a cue tip or tissue with a teeny bit of gentle lotion or makeup remover to remove the wing. Then just try again. If the whole line is a mess, wipe it all off and start all over.

9. Give it a week or two, it’ll get easier. Now, I do it on autopilot.

Click here to see more liquid liners.

Meet my latest obsession.  I’ve been infatuated with Chanel Mademoiselle since my mom gave it to me for my birthday last month.  I’ve always been a fan of Chanel fragrances and swore by Coco Chanel for years and years.  However, recently, without warning I tired of the classic perfume and decided to move on to the sultry Serge Lutens Datura Noir.  Now, I’m trading off between Serge and Coco, usually opting for the latter during the day and the Serge at night.

I love the fresh-meets-sophistication of Mademoiselle–it’s what I imagine an ingenue to smell like. It’s a light oriental scent with jasmine, vanilla and orange notes.

It’s tasty.

See Chanel Mademoiselle products here.  

Bellasugar want to know if you love or hate the Face Paint at Heatherette

The Beauty Brains start a fire about illegal tanning beds

Delush reviews M.A.C. Matte˛ eyeshadow

Lipstick, Powder ‘n Paint announces: Spice Girls to Perform at The Victoria’s Secret Show

Kate Moss gets a lot of attention in the blog world.  Seriously, if you read as many fashion and beauty blogs as I do daily, you’d think she was the center of the universe, and you’d know just about every step and misstep she makes.  So, here I am following suit and posting her new haircut, which has caused quite the controversy on fashion and beauty blogs. Some love it, and some hate it.  I think it’s cute.

Red may be the hottest color to dress your lips in this season, but before you apply another coat, you may want to consider the findings of The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. A recent study by the group uncovered “surprisingly high” levels of lead contamination in red lipstick, and price had nothing to do with it–from bargain brands to high-end lines, the toxin was detected as an ingredient.

Lead in lippy has, until now, been regarded as an urban myth, but the independent laboratories that tested 33 brand-name lipsticks found that 61% had detectable levels of the harmful stuff. And 1/3 of those surpassed levels that the FDA allows for candy ( there are currently no regulations for lipstick). Some of the higher levels were found in L’Oreal, Cover Girl and Christian Dior.

The upside of all this, as the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics says, is that it’s possible to make lipstick without the health-damaging component as evidence by the fact that 39% of the samples had no detectable levels of the neurotoxin. Drugstore fave Revlon was included in this safe list.

Lead, which is a hot news topic lately, can lower IQ, cause aggression problems and endanger fetuses. According to Dr. Mark Mitchell, the president Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice, there “is no safe level of lead exposure.”

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is calling on the beauty industry to remove lead from their makeup formulas and demand that all suppliers guarantee lead-free ingredients.

In response to the study, L’Oreal told ABC News, that their products meet FDA requirements (again, the FDA does not regulate lead levels in lipstick) and that safety is a high priority for the company. Similarly, Proctor and Gamble, the makers of Cover Girl, say their makeup is subject to stringent safety testing. LVMH, who produced Dior, deny using lead in their lipstick, saying “trace amounts” of “harmless” lead exist in natural pigments.

Yikes!

Afrobella discusses the trials, tribulations and triumphs of changing your hair color in Fixin’ to Dye

The Beauty Brains explain how honey can help acne

Bella Sugar honors Tina Turner as this weeks Bella Donna

Makeup Beat pays tribute to model Dayle Haddon 

Although I know such and admission puts me in party-pooper territory, I have to admit I’m not into Halloween. I mean I don’t mind seeing little kids in cute costumes, and I definitely have nostalgic feelings about the holiday, but I never get the urge to dress up anymore. It’s just not my thing. All that said, if I suddenly did feel like donning a costume, I might be swayed to try one of the goolishly gorgeous Halloween looks that M.A.C. has dreamed up.

Their website features 30 different faces, all of which are displayed along with the makeup necessary to achieve looks that span from “pretty things” to “robotniks.” As the above examples show, the concepts are pretty amazing, but they seem hard to duplicate. Also, purchasing all the makeup to create the disguise will run you upwards of $100. But I guess you get to keep the makeup, so while the price is steep, it’s justifiable.

Want M.A.C.’s help this Halloween? Check it out here.