Do you follow The Zoe Report?
I get it in my inbox every day. 
And I'm obsessed with the Rachel Zoe Box Of Style, in fact while I am sitting here writing this I am wearing the new lipstick that came in my winter Box of Style, and the chic birch candle that came with it is sitting on my desk smelling all Christmas-sy and reflecting perfect golden light up onto my face, although there is no one here to be wowed by it!

I adore the French girl beauty aesthetic. Frenchies are so effortlessly chic and have far too much panache to ever get on board with any of the manic makeup trends on Instagram, so they never look like cariacatures of themselves - they just look gorgeous!

The following article is from The Zoe Report

7 Beauty Mistakes French Women Never Make

by Stephanie Montes

On the topic of French women, we know we’re not the only ones who wonder how they look so damn flawless, all the time. What we learned is, it’s less about what they do, and more about all the things they don’t do—they are known for being effortless, after all. Ahead 7 things Parisians never do to look c’est magnifique always.

Feeling French?

Don't: Get Lipstick On Your Teeth

French women live in red lipstick, but somehow never get it on their teeth (the ultimate makeup faux pas). The secret? Once you apply it, place your index finger in between your lips, then pucker to blot off excess.

• Lips & Boys, Tom Ford Beauty $36

Don't: Wear The Wrong Foundation Shade

Our favorite Parisians never seem to have that unsightly line of foundation across the jaw that shows just how different their makeup is from the color of their neck. Instead of piling on a thick layer of product, they prefer a dewy, natural-looking complexion. Swap your high-coverage foundation (especially if it doesn't perfectly match your skin tone) for something a bit more sheer. That'll ensure that it blends better and looks impossibly fresh.

• Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer, Chantecaille $72

Don't: Overpluck Your Eyebrows

The easiest way to look more French is to lay off the tweezers for a while. While their brows are usually grown out, that je ne sais quoi is all in the grooming, so make sure to comb strays into place with a spooley brush.

• Essential Eye Tool, Urban Decay $15

Don't: Go Overboard With The Contouring

You'll never catch a French women with a nose contoured to perfection and cheekbones that shine like the sun. They know just how to work with what they've got and highlight their assets in a natural-looking way. Instead of layering multiple highlighters to get a shine, use a face oil on the high points of your face to look like you were born with perfect features.

• Radiant Drops Golden Face Oil, Oribe $105

Don't: Go To Sleep With Makeup On

If you're wondering how our Parisian pals can get away with stepping out in barely any makeup at all, it's because they take really good care of their skin. Think about that the next time you curl into bed with your makeup on.

• The Cleansing Foam, La Mer $85

Don't: Fry Your Hair

Instead of heat styling your hair to death (literally, it kills your hair), embrace your natural texture. Apply hair oil to settle the frizz and your natural curl, wave or straight hair will look trés chic always.

• Luxury Hair Oil, Rodin $70

Don't: Wear A Chipped Mani

Have you ever seen a French girl with chipped nails? Neither have we. Don't take shortcuts when giving yourself a mani. Apply a base coat before your color and a top coat to seal—it'll ensure that your polish stays put and looks shiny longer.

• Hard Rock Top and Base Coat, Deborah Lippmann $20

Check out The Rachel Zoe Jewelry Sale here

Love Relentlessly ~ Tory Burch

I believe in love.

Love affairs can be brief and fleeting, or can last an eternity. 


Maybe your love affair works, maybe it doesn't, all that really matters is that you loved, and that you gave it your all.

Love fiercely. 
Love with complete abandon. 
Love relentlessly.

Love Relentlessly is the new fragrance from Tory Burch.
It is available online and in-store at Bloomingdales

Have you been to Barnes and Noble and picked up a copy of Luca Magazine yet?
I have an article in this issue (just in time for all your holiday parties) that is all about how to apply the perfect red lip.

All images in this post were photographed by Kelly Cappelli,
Hair by Lisa Marie, Makeup by Corinna Cooke

HOW TO APPLY THE PERFECT RED LIP

Nothing says "hello, gorgeous," quite like a sensational, bold red lip!

Red lips are the perfect accessory for winter. They're fun and flirty! Once the new year arrives with its bleak, dull, gray days, and spring feels like it's never going to get here, a feisty red lip adds excitement to your look and your day.

Red lips make such a statement; you barely need anything else. They look fantastic with a pared down makeup look for day, then add a cat eye and structured brow for night. They dress up jeans and a white shirt, compliment an all black ensemble, and pair up perfectly with a party dress and faux fur.

Check out these 5 steps to perfect your pout and wow the world!

1. Exfoliate

Dry, flaky lips don't look good in red. To pull off a red lip, you need to have silky smooth lips, so the first step is to exfoliate. You can use a store bought lip exfoliator, or you can make one at home. A super soft baby toothbrush makes a perfect lip exfoliator,  as does a warm washcloth. Just remember to be very, very gentle. If you rough your lips up, they'll still look dry and flaky.

2. Hydrate

After exfoliating, and ideally, a couple of hours before you get ready to go out, apply liberal amounts of lip balm, and let your kisser soak it in. Your lips need to be nicely hydrated so that your red lipstick looks smooth and luscious. Before applying your lip liner, you'll gently blot the lip balm away.

3. Line Your Lip

Red lipstick needs to know its boundaries, and you want to color inside the lines. Use either the lip liner that matches your lipstick or one that's a shade or two darker, (for a little extra dimension), to give your lip a perfect, crisp outline.

4. Stain and Apply

The perfect red lip has more than one layer. Apply your red lipstick, then blot with a folded tissue to help set the first coat into a stain. This step is super important because it stops your lips from looking patchy as the top coat wears off! Now apply a second coat, making sure to stay inside the lines.

5. Get Precise

Run the edge of a lip brush through your lip liner, making it disappear into your lipstick while giving your lip a crisp, fresh edge.

My Favorite Red Lipsticks

In this story I use Infared Matte from Smashbox

I'm all kinds of crazy for Charlotte Tilbury Red Carpet Red

One of the greatest blue based reds ever made is MAC Ruby Woo

How To Transition Your Look From Work To Cocktails

I was asked this week about transitioning from work to cocktails.
Of course this is super pertinent right now with all the Christmas/Holiday parties and events that we have to run to straight from work, with no time to go home and get changed.
In fact I had to do it myself today.

I'm a big believer that you need to plan it out beforehand, and you need to keep it super simple, very chic, and always make it look effortless.

A key piece in every closet is a killer pair of black pants. 
Find a pair that is the perfect cut for your shape, in the best fabric you can afford. Take them to a tailor and get them altered to fit you exactly. There are a million ways to style a great black pant.

While writing this I am feeding my Revolve.com addiction, so here are 2 great pairs of black pants that I just clicked the heart on.

This first pair is a new arrival, the Lurelly Flared Pant. It's perfect if you need a little swish to your step. You can see it here

The second pair is a Biker Leather Pant from Anine Bing. 

Isn't this leather pant just killer??? See it here

With your black pants as your base, start your day with a simple, clean makeup, wear your hair loose and free, and throw on a simple but cool t-shirt or top.

For the flared pant try a slim fitting t-shirt like this white Ramones Seal T. Simple, cool, chic. See it here

For the biker leather pant try something flowy like this LA Made Portabella Turtleneck T. See more here.

Seal the deal with a cool boot like this Magdalena Ankle Zip Boot from Doc Martens. See more here.

So now that your day look is easy chic lets look at a super quick transition to cocktails.

Using your black pants as a base choose either a body suit like this Rachel Pally Coty body suit

Or try a blouse with some drapey movement that looks both effortless and incredibly chic, like the Sophie blouse

Keep your jewelry simple and understated with this wickedly sleek and sophisticated Gold Bar Necklace from Rachel Zoe fave, AUrate.

You need to change into an evening shoe, so choose something sky high like this "So Kate" Pointy toe heel from Christian Louboutin. 

I found this shoe on Nordstrom.com

Sweep your hair up into a high pony, bun, twist - any easy updo that takes about 2 minutes to do.

After a long day at work one of the best ways to revitalize your look is to add a glow to your complexion. Juice up your cheekbones with Smashbox Halo Highlighting Wand. 

Once you have your glow on add some color with a cream blush such as Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Formentera 

and then set the night on fire with a bold lip. Try Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips in Hel's Bells

The Most Searched Lipstick Shade Of 2016

Do you follow The Zoe Report?
I get it in my inbox every day, I follow The Zoe Report on Instagram, and at the beginning of each season I receive the Rachel Zoe Box Of Style.

I recently read this article written by Andrea Navarro on The Zoe Report, and thought it was fabulous.

Red has long been the reigning lipstick color in the beauty world—it has the uncanny ability to take nearly any makeup look from plain Jane to bombshell status in an instant. However this year, a new shade has given the classic rouge a run for its money. According to an annual report conducted by Polyvore, searches for nude lipstick skyrocketed by 553%, making it the most searched color this year. This trend could mean that consumers are opting for more toned-down beauty looks, as nude hues are meant to resemble one’s natural lip color. To honor the newly crowned lipstick shade, we’ve compiled some of our favorite nudes for you to shop now.

image via @bitebeauty

Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Hineycomb $32

Liquid Lipstick In Ashton, Anastasia Beverly Hills, $20

Yves Saint Laurent Pur Couture Lipstick In Beige Ingenue, $37

Be Legendary Lipstick in Famous, $21

Giorgio Armani Lipstick in 202, $37

Stay All Day Matte'ificent Lipstick in Palais, $22

Sinner Lipstick in Bare Nude, Lipstick Queen $24

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipstick in Hepburn Honey, $32

Jessica Chastain's Incredible Lips In Miss Sloane

Jessica Chastain just made every lipstick you own irrelevant.

This weekend Chastain's new film, Miss Sloane, opens nationwide.
Her Oscar worthy performance will keep you on the edge of your seat as the movie twists and turns and ducks and feints. 
Miss Sloane is all intelligent dialogue, rich, delicious dialogue that happens at a wickedly fast clip, with Chastain delivering a verbal armageddon at a mile a minute.

When dialogue is so important to a film, the mouth delivering this dialogue is crucially important. Jessica Chastain's mouth in this film is mesmerizing. You can't take your eyes off it. 

Chastain' dialogue is delivered through a compelling, mesmerizing vermillion lip.

Elizabeth Sloane is a feminine, fashion forward D.C lobbyist who's power is locked up in a vermillion lip that reminds us at all times that she is in charge, at all times. It tells us that she will not be falling into any traditional traps, that she is a step ahead of the opposition. It tells us that she is not frivolous and she is not to be trifled with.

A true red would perhaps be an obvious choice for a woman in power, but true reds can add an element of sexuality to a woman, perhaps giving her an implied availablity to men. Perhaps a challenge to men, but ultimately a traditional red lip would let men sexualize her as opposed to fear her.

And this is where the genius lies. The vermillion lip combines power with blood sport. At first glance you know that she would tear an opponent to pieces and walk away with no remorse.

It's fantastic.

Miss Sloane is easily one of the best films of 2016.

Change your plans for this weekend and make sure you go see it.

Here are some great vermillion inspired lips to help you channel your inner Miss Sloane:

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Glastonberry

available online at CharlotteTilbury.com

Marc Jacobs Le Marc lipstick in Blow

available online at MarcJacobs.com

Tom Ford lipstick in Smoke Red or in Scarlet Rouge

available online at Bloomingdales.com