A Few Of My Favorite Things

I'm always being asked about my favorite things. 
I was given some amazing products in the lead up to Christmas, and I bought some really great items, and some of it got lost in the holiday madness and didn't make it to the blog, but today I want to show you an assortment of my absolute favorite beauty items of the moment.

I have been hearing so much about Sunday Riley products for a while now. My winter Rachel Zoe Box Of Style had a full size jar of Sunday Riley's uber celebrated Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream.

This is the cream that everyone is raving about and I can totally see why! This is a next generation super hydrating cream that holds water and nutrients to the skin, plumping it up and making it look youthful, all the while brightening it and getting rid of that dull, lifeless winter complexion. It is really, really fabulous.
(Tidal is going to be an amazing product to travel with this year too.)
I seriously want to try out the Sunday Riley Juno Hydroactive Cellular Face Oil which I hear is just amazing. It's going to be the next new skin care product that I buy.

You can find Sunday Riley products online at Space NK.

From my Bloomingdale's Beauty Box, which was a birthday gift from Bloomingdale's, I fell in love with the new Tory Burch fragrance, Love Relentlessly.



I have worn it every day for the past month and just adore it. It is pure romance.

Bloomingdale's also gave me my new favorite mascara too. 
It's from Clarins and is called Supra Volume Mascara.

In it's tube it is quite unassuming, and I really thought it would just be a "nice mascara", but this one is an absolute powerhouse lash builder! It makes my lashes huge, but not gunky. They stay defined, separated, long and thick all day long. I am convinced that Supra Volume Mascara is the french girl's secret weapon. 
I was sent so many mascaras last year, most of which I never wrote about as I only talk about the products I love. This one is the real deal.

I am always looking for concealers that I can love. Most either don't hold all day (my days are looooong! I'm constantly leaving home at 8 am and not getting back til 11 pm) or they are too heavy, which just makes you look old and tired, or they don't color correct out the dark shadows well enough.

I am obsessed with Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. I bought mine at Nordstrom before Thanksgiving and have worn it every day since. My shade is Honey, but they have tons of them, all calibrated with different undertones to color correct out your under eye demons. (10 I think?) They also have a fantastic color selection, so you can be the palest girl or the darkest goddess and they still have you covered.
They don't crease, have a luminous finish that bounces light off, making your eye look refreshed, last all day long, and frankly are the best concealers I have used in years. Love.

From Stila I have been enjoying Aqua Glow Watercolor Blush. 

The colors are fresh and pretty and the product is buildable. 
I love really glowing, gorgeous complexions so often I find that powder blushes can either look heavy on the skin or deaden the glow. This one breathes life into the skin and gives it a gorgeous radiance.

Lastly, my new favorite lip product is Sephora's Lip Stain.
They have a creamy texture but a matte finish, the colors are fabulous, and they only cost $14!!

image via Modern Maires Blog

Every time I walk past a Sephora I go in and buy another one. They are gorgeous!

How To Choose The Perfect Blush For Your Skin Tone

Blush is such a gorgeous product. It breathes new life into your face and adds a little color to stop you from looking washed out.

image of Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Moon Beach

Choosing the right blush can feel a bit overwhelming though, so let's look at the rules of blush, and how to choose the right blush for your skin tone.

The Rules

Blush should never be confused with contour. Contour products are made up of black and grey and are designed to absorb light and create the subtle illusion of a shadow falling under the cheekbone, making the cheekbone look higher and the cheek look thinner.

Blush and bronzer are not interchangeable! Bronzer's job is to make you look like you've been out in the sun, giving you a sun-kissed glow.

Don't choose a blush that is deeper than the color you would naturally flush to. It will make your complexion look muddy and heavy. Blush is supposed to give you a little lift!

Color

The most important criteria when choosing a blush color is knowing your skin's undertone. 

Are you a cool tone - ivory/beige/pink or are you a warm tone - olive/ bronze/ebony? 

Jessica Chastain is a cool toned girl

If you are a cool tone then cooler, more blue based blushes will look best on you. If you are a warm toned girl then you need a warm based blush.

Jennifer Lopez is a warm toned girl

That nutmeg spice colored blush that looks stunning on an olive girl can look like a heavy brown smudge on a cool toned girl. If you have a cool skin tone but want to wear a more neutral blush a softer, pinky-red based buff or gentle beige-brown color can look beautiful.

The slightly blue based pink that is charming on a cool toned girl can sit up on top of an olive skin and look all wrong. If you have a warm skin tone but want a pink blush, choose a coral based pink instead of a blue based pink.

Tips

If you are using a blush with a shimmer or a sheen choose one with a gold based shimmer. 

Cream blushes help to keep your skin glowing.

Look for products that give sheer, buildable color.

Blushes I love:

Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Moon Beach 

Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Cream Blush
No - it's not green blush! It adapts to your personal pH and gives you your perfect cheek.

Nars Orgasm. It's been around for ages, no doubt because it's so fabulous.

The Best Selling Lipstick Shades

Do you follow Rachel Zoe and The Zoe Report?

For the most part she is my favorite reason to open my inbox each day. 

The Zoe Report is always filled with fantastic info, from wardrobe styling to beauty to travel.

 And don't even get me started on the Rachel Zoe Box Of Style - I always get sooooo excited for it to arrive. 




So far each time the Box of Style has come out I have been overseas and I have to wait to get home and open it, but I get so geeked out over it that I have made it into an event. Because let's face it, if you are an average girl like me, how often do you get to open a luxe box of individually wrapped presents, super chic statements for the new season ahead? ( try 4 times per year!)
You can subscribe to the Box of Style here

Anyway, The Zoe Report posted this cool story for National Lipstick Day. They polled the biggest beauty brands from MAC to Charlotte Tilbury to find out their best selling lipstick shades.
It's time to stock up on your lipsticks ladies, and here are the best sellers to choose from:

From MAC 

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo $17
MAC Lipstick in Velvet Teddy $17
MAC Lipstick in Diva $17
MAC Lipstick in Whirl $17
Available online at Nordstrom.com

From Nars

Audacious Lipstick in Dominique $32
Semi Matte Lipstick in VIP Red $28
Sheer Lipstick in Dolce Vita $28
Satin Lipstick in Rosecliff $28
Available at Nordstrom.com

From Charlotte Tilbury

Hot Lips in Secret Salma $32
Hot Lips in Kim K.W. $32
Matte Revolution in Bond Girl $32
Matte Revolution in Walk Of Shame $32
Available online at CharlotteTilbury.com

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Liquid Lipstick in Vamp $20
Liquid Lipstick in Vintage $20
Liquid Lipstick in American Doll $20
Liquid Lipstick in Pure Hollywood $20
Available at AnastasiaBeverlyHills.com

Marc Jacobs Beauty

Le Marc Lip Cream Lipstick in J'Adore $30
Le Marc Lip Cream Lipstick in Slow Burn $30
Le Marc Lip Cream Lipstick in Infamous $30
Le Marc Lip Cream Lipstick in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang $30
Available online at MarcJacobsBeauty.com

From Tarte

Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint in Mauve $20
Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint in Namaste Nude $20
Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint in Frenemy Burgundy $20
Tarteist Creamy Lip Paint in Bae Red $20
Available online at TarteCosmetics.com

The Zoe Report has some other brands on their list too. Check them out here

6 Steps To Flat Out Fabulous ( In 6 Minutes)

Have you ever had to pull it together in just a few minutes, and sail out the door looking fabulous?
It's happened to me twice in the past couple of weeks. I don't like to be hurried, but I also have absolutely no intention of showing up anywhere looking like something the cat dragged in.
So if you are in a hurry and need to look pulled together fast, here's how to do it.

6 Steps To Flat Out Fabulous (In 6 Minutes!)

1. Your Hair
A high pony takes less than a minute to create, yet looks totally put together.

I always want to do a pony that's back combed and full, but I seldom have the time.

Okay, now that the hair is out of the way it's time to get down to business.

2. Your Complexion
The most important part of your makeup is your complexion.
No matter how killer you are at a smoky eye, if your skin looks less than amazing, you have nothing.
I like to use a silicone based foundation like Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation, so that the skin has a healthy glow to it. Makeup Forever is so pigmented that you can get gorgeous coverage while still keeping the foundation super sheer. I apply it with a duo fiber brush so that I can make it disappear into the skin.
If the person standing next to you can see foundation on top of your skin, you have a makeup fail.
(If the person standing next to you can see your contour you have an epic makeup fail!)

3. Cream Blush
I am obsessed with cream blushes. I love the way you can maneuver them around the cheek and create a cheek with dimension that has a little glow to it. I use so many cream blushes in my pro make up kit, but right now every day I am wearing a MAC cream blush called Posey

4. Your Brows
Brows are always important, but if you are doing a high-speed, slightly bare faced look they are super important. Your brows frame your eyes, and with this look are going to balance your lip.
Stay away from those nonsensical Instagram eyebrows - they look too overblown and stupid. Instead create a well defined brow with your brow pencil or brow gel product, without going overboard.
Once you have the shape in it's time to create a little dimension. Left alone the brow at this point can look drawn on and one dimensional. Take a brow gel like the Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel with it's mascara style wand, and start off by moving it backwards against the direction of the hair, getting some product under the brow hair, which lifts it up a little, then reverse direction and smooth the hairs back down.

5. Skip Eyeshadow But Go All Out On Mascara
When you don't have a lot of time to get ready, skip the eye shadow (or keep it minimal) and go all out on the mascara. Coats and coats of glossy, lash building mascara. Tell the story with your lashes.
I love Charlotte Tilbury's Full Fat Lashes

6. Use A Bangin' Lip
Your complexion is looking gorgeous, your cheeks are all glowy, your eyebrows are on point, and your eyes are all about those big lashes.
Now it's time to bring it all home with an absolutely killer bold lip.
Try a true, classic, movie star red like Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Red Carpet Red or maybe a vibrant fuchsia like Nars Schiap

When you pare down the rest of your look, a bold lipstick wakes up your face and makes you look totally put together!

The 6 Best Red Lipsticks For The Holidays

A red lip is the perfect accessory for the holidays!

It's bright, it's fun and with one quick swipe can turn your look from boring to bold.

photo by Kelly Cappelli
Makeup by Corinna Cooke

A well defined brow paired with a kick-ass red lip is classic. 
It's also a quick and easy look to pull off. 
A red lip makes such a statement on it's own that you can scale back the rest of your makeup, keeping the eye and cheek simple and letting the lip do all the work for you.

My favorite red lip look for the holiday season is a rich, matte lip paired with glowing, luminous skin. 
Check out 6 of my favorite matte reds for the holidays:

The 6  Best Red Lips For The Holidays

Tatcha Kyoto Red is a geisha inspired red that is universally flattering - it looks great on everyone. And it packs a serious punch.

It's a matte lip with a silk finish.

Tatcha Kyoto Red

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope Matte Lipstick in Black Tie.

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope lipstick in Black Tie

This gorgeous, lightweight matte lipstick

Tom Ford Lip Color in Cherry Lush

Tom Ford Lip Color in Cherry Lush

Tom Ford believes the lip is the focus of the face and has the power to define your whole look. No wonder his lipsticks are so luscious!

Nars Pure Matte Lipstick in Vesuvio

Nars Pure Matte Lips are super pigmented and very long wearing, which is ideal when you are going bold - you don't want to be wearing a lipstick formula that requires a lot of maintenance and upkeep.

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo

Ruby Woo is a timeless, iconic red lipstick that will never go out of fashion. 

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Red Carpet Red

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Red Carpet Red

One of my all time favorite red lipsticks, Red Carpet Red hasn't been around very long, but will become another of the iconic red lips. It's wonderful.

The Perfect Nude Lips For Fall

image by Kelly Cappelli
mskeup by Corinna Cooke

As much as we all need a killer red lip for fall, maybe a deep, sultry oxblood, we also all need a really good nude lipstick that's perfectly toned to work the cooler weather.

Our summer nude lips don't always work so well in autumn. They can look too chalky or too bare, and instead of complimenting our complexions they can suck the life out of them.
Look for a nude lip that has some warmth to it, and that isn't too yellow.

Here is a selection of my favorite nudes for fall.

Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Isola Bella
Apart from the fact that Isola Bella is right below Taormina in my much loved Sicily, I love the satin finish to this lip as well as the pinky undertone. 
Available at Nordstrom

Nars Satin Lip Pencil In Isola bella

For a lip with a little more depth and a lovely suede finish try Charlotte Tilbury's taupe shade inspired by Victoria Beckham,
Matte Revolution Very Victoria
Available at Charlotte Tilbury.com

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Very Victoria

Chanel Rouge Coco in 402 Adrienne is a warm pinky nude that not only looks beautiful, but wears beautifully too.
Available at Nordstrom

Chanel Rouge Coco in 402 Adrienne

For a touch of luxury with a sheen try Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color Shine in Frolic.
Available at Nordstrom

Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color Shine in Frolic

One of the absolute loveliest lip glosses I have worked with in a long time is Honest Beauty's lip gloss in Generous Kiss. It's a sheer pink nude with a great color pay off and a non-tacky, smooth gloss.
Available at HonestBeauty.com

Honest Beauty Lip Gloss in Generous Nude

5 Must Have Beauty Products To Take To Australia

Today I am blogging from Australia, not in my favorite city in the world, Sydney, but up in beautiful Queensland by the Great Barrier Reef.

Great Barrier Reef, Queensland Australia

God I love Australia!

Every time I come here I am blown away by the giant, wide open skies, the beauty of these unspoiled beaches, the truth in the colors, and just how completely and utterly amazing this place really is!!

Oh - and the people?? Just the most wonderful, friendly, fun folks on earth!

I should also be given some kind of award for having the balls to get on the beach here after nearly three weeks of food and wine in Italy. But meh - life's too short to let a few extra curves get in the way of a good time!

I was asked recently which are my 5 beauty products to take to Australia. I am really paring down my travel beauty stash, especially after Italy, where I really only wore 5 things each day.

So, heading to the land down under?

Here are 5 Must Have Beauty Products To Take To Australia

1. The Best Skin Serum Ever

Tatcha Radiant Deep Brightening Serum

My normal skin care routine involves layering as many heavy, deep moisturizing products as possible. But that doesn't work quite so well when you are traveling, and when you are traveling to a beach area where in all likelihood things will get a little steamier and more humid.

Tatcha's Radiant Deep Brightening Serum keeps your skin hydrated and makes it look luminous, as if lit from within. It is the absolute holy grail of serums, a celebrity favorite, and if I am scaling back my skin care to just one item, this is the one!

2. An On-Going Sunscreen Plan

 Colorescience Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen

I've used ColoreScience Mineral Sunscreen for years, and at home I always have one stashed in my handbag.
The sun in Australia is really fierce, so sun protection is extra important. 
I still start the day by slathering a broad spectrum 
SPF 85 all over my face and throat, but lets face it, once we have our makeup on, or are on the beach we are less likely to keep reapplying more sunscreen. We don't want to jack up whatever makeup we are already wearing, or if we are on the beach we don't want to be grinding sand into our skin.
This mineral powder sunscreen with it's own built in brush does double duty by knocking down excess shine (super benefit in humid climes) and letting you re-protect your skin every couple of hours without getting any cakey build up. 

After having Ultherapy (the greatest thing I ever did!) my entire makeup routine has changed. Ultherapy gives your skin lift and firmness, which means you no longer need to use makeup to create that illusion.
Thanks to Ultherapy, the entire time I was in Italy leading the Corinna B's World Glam Italia II Tour I only wore 3 makeup products each day. I'm rolling out the same game for Australia.

Read about Ultherapy here

If you are streamlining your makeup look you need to pay attention to 3 main things. Your brows, your lashes and your lips.

3. Serious Brow Game

Anastasia Brow Wiz
This mechanical brow pencil is perfect on many levels. The colors are spot on - not too ashy and not too red, so you can build a really nice brow, either sculpted or full, and not look artificial. It lasts all day too.

4. A Killer Mascara

Diorshow Blackout Mascara
I am loyal to the very end. I have used Diorshow Blackout Mascara ever since it first came out, and for me it is still just the greatest mascara out there. The color payoff is fantastic, and you can build thick, luscious, glossy lashes that stay looking fab until you take your makeup off at night.
When I'm beaching I use the waterproof formula, any other time I use regular.

5. Two Great Lip Options

When you are doing a bare faced look you need a strong brow balanced with a strong lip. When you are on vacation you really don't want to be messing with lipstick touch ups every 5 minutes, so I like to use a really saturated lip with a strong color payoff.
I'm in love with Temptu Color True Lipstick in Pink Hype

It's a nice blue based pink that packs some power while making your teeth and the whites of your eyes look sparkly and white.

On the days I don't want such a big lip game I've been wearing Nars Lipstick in Roman Holiday. 
This was actually a gift from a client and I wore it non stop in Italy when I wanted a softer, glossier mouth. Between the two I had all the bases covered.