New Year Skin Care - Inventory What You Already Have

On my New Year's Beauty Resolution List I talked about sorting through your skin care products.
Now that we are actually into the new year, lets break that down a bit, and get a little more specific.

At the beginning of each year you should get out all your skin care products and do a little inventory on what you have, what you forgot you had, and what you need.

 What You Already Have
Before you go spending beauty dollars on new things, look through what you already have.

Which products really are working for you and which ones really aren't? Our skin changes throughout the year as well as over the years, so chances are products that were beyond brilliant before might not be quite so great anymore.

I am a big believer in only using the products that you see discernible results with.

Which are not necessarily going to be the products with the biggest, glossiest magazine ads!

If you're not seeing the results you were expecting, it might be time to change what you're using.
Caution: buyer beware of marketing hype...

Are you using products that are ideally suited to your skin type? Your cleanser might be stripping your skin, your moisturizer could be too heavy or too light for your skin type.
If you can, go see a facialist and have her analyze your skin and tell you what types of products you should be using. Sometimes the tiniest changes can make the biggest difference, such as changing out a foaming cleanser for a cleansing milk, or an eye cream for an eye gel.

Do the products that you're using actually work together? I try to stick to one line at a time so that I'm achieving skin synergy. Within that line I make sure that I'm not using products that work against one another. Competing products can create havoc with your skin, or can cancel one another out.

Check that you're not hoarding products that have gone bad. If it looks funky, smells off, or if the product texture has changed chances are it has passed its "best by" date and needs to be thrown out.
 
 Once you've established what you already have, you can start looking at what you need.

Oh The Sheer Hawtness Of It!!!

I'm always on the look out for fabulous new lingerie.
I'm currently on the look out for some post-holiday-mania-grown-up-relief.
I'm frequently on the look out for glorious things at sale prices.
Kizmet! Looks like the planets have aligned and I'm about to hit the lovely underwear jackpot!

Imagine how thrilled I was to find that one of my absolute favorite purveyors of luxe lingerie is running a January sale?? 

Nothing is quite so empowering as knowing you're wearing a little something to die for next to your skin, hidden (or maybe not) from the world at large.

Nothing makes "No officer, I really wasn't speeding" sound quite as believable as when you say it while wearing truly divine undergarments under your jeans.
OK. I made that one up.

Fabulous underwear makes you feel so feminine

You have to check out the goings on at ea lingerie
ëa lingerie is a delicate and ultra feminine brand, a combination of romanticism sensuality and sophistication.
And ëa lingerie is having a sale.

Valentines Day is literally right around the corner, so you may just want to make sure that the man-beast in your life knows how to find his way to their website: ealingerieshoponline.com

 And if you don't have a significant other, go buy yourself something special. You deserve it!

New Year New You - Chemical Peels

There's no time quite like the beginning of a bright and shiny new year to take a good long look in the mirror, run a little inventory on what we've got going on, and resolve to make some changes.
Most of us immediately start thinking about diets and exercise, maybe a change to the hairdo, and some additions to (or subtractions from!) the wardrobe as we make our way into the year ahead, seeking out the fabulous creature we know is hidden under the post holiday season fall out.

image by Jason Christopher

This year why not lean in to that mirror and have a closer look at your skin. The more we take care of our complexion, the more fresh and youthful we look and the less makeup we need on top.
There are plenty of steps that a girl can take towards improving her skin, and over the next few weeks we will be delving in to some of them, but today we are starting with some souped up exfoliation.

The chemical peel. Sounds scary, doesn't it?
There are actually several kinds of chemical peels and each of them is recommended to treat different skin concerns.
A Chemical Peel is a treatment that smooths skin,  thus enhancing its appearance. This procedure consists in applying a chemical solution that contains a small amount of acid on the skin, removing the damaged outer layers and essentially improving the smoothness and texture of the skin, leaving you looking fresh faced and youthful, and your skin bright and vibrant.

Chemical peels come in a variety of strengths, from the super mild, over the counter do it yourself at home peel, to the medium strengths of the in salon peels, to the hardcore doctor performed super strong peels. (Not for the faint of heart.)

Chemical peels take the exfoliation process to a whole new level. They are designed to

• reduce fine lines and wrinkles
• treat areas of dryness
• reduce uneven pigmentation
• aid in the control of acne
• smooth rough dry skin
• improve the texture of sun-damaged skin
• make your skin look and feel more vibrant

Personally I love Glycolic peels. My facialist Roxanne, at the Skin & Makeup Institute convinced me to try one a few months ago, and I now have them on a regular basis.
A Glycolic Peel is a light chemical peel done with an acid in the family of AHAs (also called fruit acids) called Glycolic Acid. (Glycolic  is one of the milder peels.) It will give you a bigger result than a regular exfoliation, but isn't so drastic that you get all red faced and scaly.
And its a  great way to say hello to a new year!

How To Fix Chapped Lips

No, you didn't imagine it - your lips really have become more chapped over the winter! As the air's moisture levels plummet, the water in your skin is drawn out, and as a result you get tiny fissures, or cracks in your lips that can be both painful and hard to heal.

The first step on the road to recovering smooth, healed lips is via lip balm. Lip balm needs to be worn and reapplied all day everyday, and applied before bed each night.

EOS Evolution Of Smooth Lip Balm

Avoid longwear lipsticks, and drying matte formulations, instead choose extra moisturizing lip formulas, or utilize a great lip pencil paired with a quality balm such as Burts Bees.

Look for lip balms with ingredients such as petrolatum, shea butter, dimethicone, and hyaluronic acid to restore moisture.
Preferably choose a formulation that is viscous rather than waxy so that the active ingredients can penetrate the cracks in the lips. (if you're going to be out in cold weather, waxy formulations can help protect the lips from chapping.)
If you have severely chapped lips look for a formula that contains ceramides, which are proven to help restore the skin's barrier.




If your lips are sensitive or extra sore, avoid balms that contain known irritants such as lanolin, or those that are scented or flavored (especially cinnamon, which can be extra irritating).

As much as possible avoid licking your lips. It temporarily makes them feel better, but ultimately makes things worse.
Toothpaste can make things worse too. Avoid getting toothpaste on your lips (as much as you can), rinse them off after brushing your teeth, and apply lip balm.

The New Years Eve Outfit

What to wear on New Years Eve???

I'm a little bit over the LBD at the moment, but I found this slice of fabulosity on one of my absolute favorite blogs, The Man Repeller

Its a palazzo pant body suit by the one and only Stella McCartney Isn't it gorgeous??? What more could a girl want? Well, shoes of course!



 How about 4.7 inches of love courtesy of
Jimmy Choo Glenys in black?
Its got the height to manoeuvre the palazzo pant,
is simple enough to not compete with the fabric
but still is stylish and modern, and you can stand in it for hours...

The hairdo will have to go up in order to work the neckline of the pantsuit, and a jewelry free throat will emphasize the shoulders, neck and collar bone, so something lovely has to happen on the ears

Aren't they delicieux??
Then theres the makeup. I like a big dark smoky eye, with a super shimmer over top.

something like this, but with very groomed brows, big lashes, and really blended out through the top so that you don't see those harsh lines where the shadow stops.
A little champagne shimmer in the inner corner will brighten the eye and liven it up a little too.

Maybe more like this... (shot by Kelly Cappelli at Studio 5)

To finish it off, I would use a lipgloss from hwood.beauty.

Maui is the softest of pink glosses, a mere whisper of color, perfect for a paired down lip, or, because it is afterall party night, the dynamic red gloss Cabo.
Whats extra cool about Cabo is that you get a true color pay off, but because its a gloss, its just a hint of color, and won't compete with a big eye. It has enough blue underneath it that your teeth look superwhite, and your mouth looks fresh and lovely.

Voila! Sounds like a plan!

Happy New Year!!!

Girlfriends Guide To Glitter Eyeshadow

With New Years eve almost upon us, and an absolute slew of glitter eyeshadows being hawked to an unsuspecting public, someone's gotta be on your side and guide you through the potential hot mess of how to pull this number off. So it might as well be me.

Not quite feeling the look on Liz Hurley, but it works on Kim Kardashian

First up you need to know that when this look goes wrong, it goes wildly, madly, horribly wrong. And you've still got the rest of the night ahead of you, looking like a lunatic.

Secondly you need to know that especially if you're doing a variation on black, the hawtness that looks back at you in the mirror at the beginning of the night can wind up looking like a drugged out homicidal maniac by mid evening. So proceed with caution...

1. Choosing your glitter

Katie Perry in glitter eye makeup

Don't buy glitter from an arts supplies store. The particles are too big, can scratch your eyes and totally irritate your skin. Instead by glitter from a makeup line.
Look for glitter that has tiny (read tiny) particles. I actually prefer to use Makeup Forever Star Powders and Diamond Powders, or MAC pigments powders instead of glitter. You'll get that super high shimmer without being to "glittery"

Natalie Portman looking perfect.

2. Only Glitter one feature.
If you're wearing glitter on your eyes, don't put it anywhere else. Keep cheeks and lips glitter free. Putting glitter and shimmer on too many areas will leave you looking like a caricature of yourself.
Similarly if you're doing a glitter thing, avoid having too much sparkly bling on. You'll come in handy in a black out or a storm, but otherwise its just way too overwhelming. In an unpleasant way.

3.Build Your Base
A glittered up eye has to be balanced with a full foundation. Your summery, see through foundation wont be enough to carry off this look - it will leave you looking washed out and ill. Color correct your under eye area, and work your foundation to a smooth, luminous finish, completely evening out your skin tone.

4. Soft Cheeks And Lips
When doing a big look on your eyes, keep cheeks and lips scaled back, soft and luscious. I love cream blushes, especially when infusing subtle warmth into the cheeks. Pairing big cheek and lip color with big eye makeup can leave you looking like a clown.

5. Slow and Steady Wins The Race

Banshee Eye & Lip Safe Glitter. Note the tiny particles.

This is not a high speed, out the door in 5 kind of look, so take your time and apply correctly.
Make sure your foundation has set on the eyelid, powder a little to ensure a dry base.
*Start with a good liner such as Makeup Forever Aqualiner pencil or Makeup Forever Aquablack, smudging through the lashline, and blending up onto the lid with a synthetic brush.
*Follow with a flat black shadow, pressing the color in, rather than sweeping it across the lid. This will help build depth to your color, and staying power.
*Next press a shimmery black shadow, such as MAC Black Tied onto the lid. This will start your shimmer, and give it some good body.
*Now place your glitter very carefully on top of your eyeshadow. You want to avoid having it drop all over your face. Conversely use a Makeup Forever Star Powder. Choose a gold tone, or for a change go for an aubergine or purple tone. If you are very pale, a silver can look good, but for most people a warmer color is better.



6. Lashes and More Lashes!

Finish the look with multiple coats of a super lash building mascara like DiorShow Blackout. I put black liner in the upper inner rim of the lid to give an even deeper look. Smudge the liner under your eyes, and finish the look with a full strip of false lashes.
I particularly love these MAC lashes, but they have tons of fabulous, big, wear-it-like-you-mean-it lashes to choose from.







7. If You've Got It - Flaunt It!
If you're going to go the distance with a glittery (or preferably super shimmery) look, then wear it like you mean it! Don't let the look wear you. Bring out all the personality you've got, and strut your stuff!

Pink owns it!

5 New Years Beauty Resolutions

Are you the girl who makes New Years resolutions? Most of us in the waning hours of the current year resolve to do things such as lose weight, exercise more, or give up a vice or two. However we do tend to be back at square one 365 days later, resolving to do the exact same things we didn't quite get around to the previous year.

So in an effort to end the revolving resolving roundabout, I've come up with a list of 5 New Years Beauty Resolutions for you! 5 Lovely New Year Steps To Fabulous.

1. Facials.
Make getting a regular facial part of your routine. Whether its every month, every other month or even every 3 months, treat yourself to a facial. Not only do you deserve the pampering, but seeing a facialist on a regular basis will help you to stay on top of the changes in your skin, and which products you should or shouldn't be using.

Not in your budget? No problem! Check out the aesthetics schools in your area. Most offer drastically reduced prices on services as their students have to build their clinic hours before graduating.

2. Skin Care.

Make the commitment to sorting through your skin care products, eliminating products that don't work or have passed their best by date, make lists of the products you need to add into your daily and weekly regimens, and commit to both getting, and using them!

3. Makeup.
Make the resolution to inventory your makeup.

Sort through the products you have, clean them, organize them, clean your makeup drawer, and clean your brushes.
Try something new - add a colored mascara, a new formulation of foundation or a bright new lipstick to your makeup arsenal.

Katie Holmes' look came alive when she cut her hair

4. Hair.
Change up your hairstyle. Maybe you're due for a big change, or maybe your current hairstyle just needs a little tweeking.

Getting highlights or side swept bangs, or maybe just modifying your color a little, a change in hairdo can lighten, brighten and revive your look. And there's no time like a brand new year to make the change!

Try Chanel Pulsion for a fun, vibrant change

5. Nails
After years of french manicures its time to explore color again! Try something bold and fun and new. If you wear it around for a few days and don't feel the magic try something more subdued. The main thing is that you at least try!

Leighton Meester Allure Cover

Check out Leighton Meester on This month's Allure cover, shot by Michael Thompson in NYC

Beautious, non?

Here's the behind the scenes video from the shoot

Party Shoes

Few things get me as excited as messages in my inbox telling me there's a sale on at Jimmy Choo. When its followed up by a phone call from my favorite Choo-girl, Sloane, in the Dallas store telling me which of my favorites are on sale, I just know its going to be a super good day!

And now that the biggest party night of the year is upon us there is no time like the present to plan out the fab footwear you'll be strutting on New Years eve.

New Years parties call for a strappy sandal with height and shine, and Jimmy has got you covered. 
The shoe above is the Lance, a mirrored pewter with a 4.5 inch heel.

Option #2 is the ever gorgeous, ultra luxe Glenys, a 4.7 inch heeled permanent style in the Jimmy Choo collection, this time in metallic elaph snake. I would give my right arm for this super glam evening shoe, which costs the same amount as the average mortgage payment.

Lancer (not to be confused with 'Lance') is a 4.8 inch silver metallic suede evening shoe with Swarovski studs.

Newcomer Jigsaw is a 4.8 inch star studded evening decadent disco shoe. Metallic suede and Swarovski crystals guarantee sparkle! Extra beautiful when paired with a moody, dark nail polish.

This year marks Jimmy Choo's 15th anniversary.

The traditional 15th Anniversary gift is Crystal. And, what better way to celebrate 15 years than with a CRYSTAL COLLECTION of high-voltage evening shoes?
Inspired by the original jeweled shoes that made Jimmy Choo a red carpet favourite and Tamara Mellon’s personal collection of vintage jewels, this anniversary offering presents iconic Jimmy Choo skyscraper heels and chic flats bedecked in sparkle; from pavé-style tiny twinkling crystals,to deco-like bagettes, and glittering multifaceted rocks, all promise timeless evening glamour.

Ciara

 

 

Marine and Lana

Niagra and Candy

More like Viagra foot candy! I think I would die if any of my Choos got anywhere near water...

If you're in the mood for a new pair of Choos, call Sloane at the Highland Park/ Dallas Jimmy Choo store (214) 528-6801.
Sloane will track down any shoe you want, anywhere in the country and have it shipped to you wherever you are.

The Luxe Life

Did you get what you wanted for Christmas?
I couldn't help but notice the glaring omission of the Keurig coffee maker that I wanted so badly, but that was so markedly absent under the tree. Maybe Santa was drunk? or just forgot? - he is old afterall.

Another thing that clearly wasn't there, hadn't actually been on my list anyway, but nevertheless intrigues me no end, is the ultimate statement of the luxe life, the Hermes Birkin Bag

 This 35cm fuchia crocodile gem of a Birkin is actually on ebay right now for a mere $43, 999.00
Bargain.
If you're in the market for one I guess. I have clients and friends who own Birkins, and they are fun to walk around the house with, but I have a hard time seeing the value in them, much as I try.
If you look on the Createurs Deluxe website you'll see exotic Birkins for $75,000.

I wonder if any of my blog readers anywhere in the world got a Birkin for Christmas?

Add caption

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite blogs dedicated to the Hermes phenom is Ladyhermezz. You can read all kinds of fun things about the Birkin here.

The luxe perfection that is Victoria Beckham is frequently spotted with Birkins.
Could she even look more fabulous???
(and what on earth is the white stuff on the side of that dude's face? Something About Mary? Looks like he's got new shoes on too)

 Marc Jacobs takes his white Birkin to the beach, at the same time taking decadence to a whole new level.

But if you are in the market for a new Birkin, this one I found on the Createurs Deluxe website certainly does have a spring/summer feel to it, and could no doubt take a girl any place she felt she needed to go.

I do enjoy Mykonos too...

Sparkling Pear and Cranberry Cocktail

 I was looking around for some fabulous drink to serve this weekend, and found this one. I  haven't tried it yet, but doesn't it look lovely?? And, of course, Martha has the coolest glasses!

Sparkling Pear and Cranberry Cocktail

From Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

This cocktail is made with icy Moscato d'Asti, which is sweeter than champagne but much lighter than the rich dessert wine also made from Italian moscato grapes. Just the right medium for this fizzy drink, it adds flavor to the silky pear and tart cranberries.

 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon(s) dry cranberries
• 1/2 cup(s) organic pear nectar
• 32 ounce(s) Moscato d'Asti wine
• 8 small sprigs fresh rosemary

---

Directions

1. Put cranberries in a small bowl; add 2 tablespoons warm water. Soak until cool, about 15 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and refrigerate until serving.
2. Divide pear nectar evenly among eight tall champagne glasses. Add cranberries, and then gently pour the Moscato d'Asti into the glasses. Garnish each with a rosemary sprig.

Cham Pale!

We all know that December 26th is the big day for returning gifts you don't really care for - well in countries that don't celebrate Boxing Day that is, so a girl's gotta have a plan for what she is going to exchange said items for.

Cosmetics giant MAC is on top of the sitch, with a fabulous new collection hitting the stores on December 26th, just in time for you to get your New Years Eve party look put together.

The Collection is called Cham Pale, and will only be available through February 2011.

Only the finest will do for a M∙A∙C toast to the New Year! Cham Pale is a cuvée colour collection that’s cause for celebration – a Champagne smash, shimmering with all the bubbly optimism and golden glow of the best that’s yet to be, in Eye Shadow, from Brule to Et tu, Bouquet?; Paint Pots in Chilled on Ice and Let Me Pop, Lipstick in four shades, especially Quiet Please, and Flustered; Lipgelée from Bubble Lounge to Straight to the Head; two Chromagraphic Pencils (NC15/NW20 and NW25/NC30); Eye Kohl in I Get No Kick; Kohl Power in Feline; Nail Lacquer we call Very Important Platinum!; Studio Fix Mascara, and new Special Reserve Highlight Powder in four shades ending perfectly elegantly in everyone’s favourite: Rosé Olé. All, for every skin tone. To us!

Fabulous champagne shades that are
both timeless and exquisite

Make sure you pick up lashes while you're there! 

There are new lash styles moving into their permanent collection On December 26th.