Bag of Tricks

When you leave the house for the day do you carry around all your makeup & goodies or a select few? I think it's quite an art to be able to anticipate your beauty needs throughout the day & carefully tease out the essentials. I am still tweaking this process & am embarrassed to admit that I end up carrying around everything, making for a very heavy pocketbook...Here's a smattering of celebrity makeup bags {thanks to InStyle}. You can read the entire article here.

If I dare to ask...what gems would you find in your makeup to-go bag? I will share my edited version in tomorrow's post.

Molly Sims' Faves

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler, $18; shuuemura-usa.com.
Cover Girl Incredifull Lip Color in Chai Grande, $6.50; drugstore.com.
Stila Shadow Pots in Honey, $20; stilacosmetics.com.
Cover Girl Lash Exact in Brown, $7; drugstore.com.
Shiseido Lip Gloss in Pretty Pink, $20; sephora.com.
Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pale Pink, $22; bobbibrown.com.
OPI Nail Lacquer in Kennebunk-Port, $7.50; amazon.com.
Lorac Lip Polish in Groovy Fruit, $17.50; sephora.com.
Cargo Bronzer, $25; sephora.com.
Laura Mercier Pressed Powder, $30; sephora.com.
Cover Girl Eye Enhancers in Lavender Twist, $3; drugstore.com.
Benefit Eye Bright, $18; benefitcosmetics.com.

Amy Adams' Faves

Patricia Wexler M.D. De-Puff eye gel, $20; bathandbodyworks.com. Juara Candlenut hand and body balm, $10; skinstore.com. Mally dual ended eyeliner in black/navy, $15; mallybeauty.com. Yves Saint Laurent Instant Pur eye makeup remover, $27; nordstrom.com. Benefit Benetint lip balm, $20; benefitcosmetics.com.

Selma Blair's Faves

Serge Lutens Lipstick in Mauve de Swann, $75; barneys.com.

Susan Posnick Cosmetics Color Eye Define in Jasper and Sandstone, $26; susanposnick.com. Chanel Precision Eye Definer in Blue Jean, $28 ; chanel.com. Korres Eyeliner Pencil in Light Gray, $16; sephora.com. Anna Sui Volume Up Super Mascara in Black, $23; annasuibeauty.com. Chanel Glossimer Lip Gloss in Imaginaire, $26; chanel.com. Julie Hewett Lipliner in No. 004, $15; juliehewett.net. Tarte Cheek Stain in Flush, $28; sephora.com.

Becki Newton's Faves

Benefit Cream Shadow/Liner in Carte Blanche, $18; benefitcosmetics.com. Guerlain Terracotta Tan Booster in Light, $55; sephora.com. Napoleon Perdis China Doll eyeliner in Equinox, $25; napoleonperdis.com. Face Stockholm Blush-On in Worship, $19; facestockholm.com. Face Stockholm Pearl eye shadow in No. 38, $18; facestockholm.com. Chanel Precision Eye Definer in Coffee Bean, $28; chanel.com. Stila Perfecting Concealer in Shade C, $22; stilacosmetics.com. Chanel Extracils mascara in Brun, $26; chanel.com.
Tarte Glam On The Go brush with case, $29; sephora.com.

Standing on a Soap Box

I am a sucker for pretty soaps, especially ones dressed up in fancy wrapping & elegant font. I hardly want to open them & fight myself to actually use them. Everyone loves to look at & {occasionally} open a pastel soap with a catchy name. Admit it, we are all suckers for packaging.

D.L. & Co.
Lady Rhubarb Soaps
$50, Barneys New York

Tocca Gift Soap Set
$24.99

Claus Porto Gift Set
$30

Claus Porto Soap Gift Set
Fantasia
$49

Fresh Mangosteen & Waterlily Soap
$14

Bobbi Brown: The Nautical Collection, Summer 2009

I am a Bobbi Brown fanatic. I love everything Bobbi from the vitamin enriched base {the smell is incredible} to every last lip gloss. I love her philosophy on makeup application {less is more & be natural} & her staff's approach to selling makeup {they will never put pressure on you to buy}.

This summer, her Nautical line of makeup will set sail {& dock itself in my makeup bag}. The line was inspired by her bicycle trip to Normandy & the naturally beautiful locals she saw there.

Cheek Tints (limited $22)

• Sheer Raspberry
• Sheer Lilac
• Sheer Pink
• Sheer Mauve
• Sheer Coral
• Sheer Blackberry

Lip Glosses ($20) in:

• Marina Pink
• Cabana Coral
• Sailor
• Popsicle

*I recently purchased Cabana Coral & it is so beautiful, light & sheer. I know I will be back to get a cheek tint because I love the idea of a light creamy blush for the summer!*

The Nautical Collection is the perfect compliment to that blue & white sailor shirt you've been eying. Aye Aye Captain!

top image via LV Cruise 2009

Do it {for} Yourself Beauty

{One&Only Palmilla spa}

Some beauty treatments are best left in the hands of the experts. Others I like to try for myself at home, especially after a long winter that leaves you with dry skin. I came across an article this weekend that featured a handful of recipes for do it at home beauty treatments. The appearance of bright flowers & greenery outside has made me long for some "green" homemade beauty. Consider this a way to give back to the environment & recycle some products you have in your home while saying "no" to chemicals and parabens.

Recipe for: Brightening Yogurt Face Mask

Ingredients:

1 cup plain Yogurt {greek yogurts like Fage work well}
1 tablespoon tumeric powder

Cleanse face, remove makeup & pat dry. Combine ingredients in a small bowl & using a makeup brush, apply to face, neck, & chest area. Leave on for 5-10 minutes & rinse with warm water.

If you're looking to buy an all natural brightening mask try:
Dr. Hauschka Rejuvenating Mask, $52.95 here

{recipe courtesy of Ben Kaminsky, "Beyond Botox: Seven Strategies for Sexy, Ageless Skin Without Needles or Surgery" as seen in BH&G}

What my weekend will look like...

Hope everyone's planning something fun for this gorgeous weekend we are about to have!

I am going to be on a hunt for these:

{via Lolita}

While wearing this on my fingertips:

{Big Spender}

All the while dreaming about ideas for this:

{as seen on Country Home}

Listening to a mix of this:

Ray LaMontagne & Feist
{via wikipedia & hipsterwave}

xo!

See Tan, Want Tan, Get Tan {without sun}

Summer is quickly approaching. We all want to be tan, but also want to avoid the harsh UV rays of the sun. Here's how to achieve that gorgeous Gisele tan without even stepping foot outside.

Recipe for the perfect {fake} summer tan:

1. Facial Scrub:

Very important to remove dead skin cells before attempting radiance.

I suggest something absolutely delicious like,

Sugar Face Polish by Fresh. Sephora, $55

2. Moisturizer w/ SPF:

During the summer, we are naturally outside a lot more & our faces are exposed to all kinds of harmful rays sometimes w/o us even knowing it. Putting on an SPF {at least 15} is crucial all throughout the year, but most especially with increased sun exposure in the summer months.

Healthy Defense daily moisturizer {spf 45}
by Neutrogena sold in drugstores.

3. Great foundation w/ spf

Bare Minerals SPF 15 foundation

by Bare Escentuals at Sephora, $25

4. The Perfect Bronzer

Terracotta Light Sheer Bronzing Powder
Guerlain at Nordstom, $50

5. Body Tan {spray}

You will probably want to match your body to your face, so try a great spray tan in a bottle such as:

Tan Airbrush in a Can
ModelCo at Sephora $30

Gisele pic via Vanity Fair website

Sometimes the Clothes Do Not Make the Man

Remember when MTV music videos were fun? You might have to think back a long time...the last one I remember loving was the unforgettable George Michael, "Freedom! '90" music video. I can't begin to tell you how many hours I must have spent strutting around my room to this song. I must have been convinced that George would somehow see me & realize that I should be in it as well. Here's to the last great music video & the models that ruled my childhood/pre-teen years...

To relive the strutting...enjoy!:

George Michael - Freedom '90

Not in MY bag, baby

I came across this at Allure's Daily Beauty Reporter Blog & felt the need to share. This {strange, torturing} device professes to plump up lips & creates a vacuum seal around the mouth. The color, packaging & general shape of this tool honestly scares me. Maybe it would make for a good Mother's Day present {teehee}? You can read more about it here if you're not already sick to your stomach imagining it dangling from your face.

What kind of crazy devices would you try in the name of beauty & agelessness?

Blogging Beauty: {Luphia Loves...}

Today I have for your reading pleasure, an interview with blogging beauty, Tina, from the visually stunning & always captivating site, Luphia loves... you can find her at:

http://luphia.blogspot.com/

Her site is a collection of beautiful things...editorials to gorgeous outfits, shoes & rooms.

Every Tuesday she writes a column called "Beauty Tuesdays." I thought what better way to share Beauty Tuesdays than to feature her over here as well!

{Luphia loves...}

TBF: Where do you look for your beauty inspirations? Magazines, tv, movies, internet or do you just find it all around you?

LL: All of the above actually, I'm more interested in the ones that people are recommending, like on blogs :)

TBF: What are you initially drawn to about a product? The price, the promise of what it will do or the packaging?

LL: I'm generally more interested in products that I've either seen on magazines, blogs or recommended by people, and also new products from the brands I already know are hard to resist trying out!

TBF: Name your top three makeup must haves.

LL: My RMK {A Japanese Brand} foundation primer, a blusher in a lovely pinky colour, currently using MAC.

False Lashes!! I accidentally pulled some lashes out while using the lash curler & was horrified at the results, so bought some natural looking false lashes to try and they're amazing!! Saves me so much time applying the usual 3 layers of mascara & curling it for another 5 mins!!

TBF: Name your top three non-makeup beauty must haves.

LL: Origins Modern Friction - the best scrub ever, I'm on my 3rd tube which is extremely rare with me as I love trying new products! Another new favorite, Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish! Vaseline Lip Therapy - the original blue ones, I've tried so many lip care but this is still my favorite, also the price is a bonus!!

TBF: Give us a Luphia-ism, "a word of beauty advice from your mouth straight to our ears"

LL: If you don't already use a scrub, DO! All those lovely creams don't do anything if you apply it to your dead skin cells! Also important to find a good scrub too, some can be too harsh or not do anything at all, I recommend the Origins Modern Friction. Yes I really do love this :)

TBF: Who is your go-to beauty & style muse {can have more than one}?

LL: As in a person? I love the make-up look of Angela {A model based in Hong Kong - http://x95.xanga.com/67bf3a20d4032237833915/b188015450.jpg}, it's really natural with great base, eye liner & mascara + pretty lippie.

Style-wise, I love the style of Aimee of {songofstyle.blogspot.com}, Bel of {lovemoreblog.blogspot.com} and behind the seams {http://theseams.blogspot.com/}

TBF: What are some lesser known beauty product lines that you wish would gain more publicity?

LL: RMK!! i love their base makeup, the liquid foundation is the best I've found, so light yet gives good coverage! I've tried a couple of their skincare too, and they are lovely also!

TBF: If you could put Luphia's face on one beauty brand, what would it be?

LL: RMK, I love the brand!

TBF: Which theory do you prescribe to for great skin- water, anti-aging products, or good genes?

LL: Good genes + healthy lifestyle + sun protect!! I don't believe in anti-aging products but I do believe in taking care of your skin, while those products may not be actually anti-aging, they look after our skin and healthy skin looks young!

TBF: Would you ever experiment with hair color or a very dramatic cut? If so what would it be?

LL: I would love to colour my hair a dark hazelnut brown colour but I'm lazy when it comes to hair and don't really want to damage it either. I'll consider it when I have a proper job so I can keep good maintenance of the colour!

Thanks Tina! xo

A Model Complexion

Want silky, luminous skin??

Who doesn't??

I recently became frustrated with my face makeup & suddenly realized why. It was a real life Oprah "aha moment!" I had been afraid to use liquid foundation because I was under the {false} notion that it gave a somewhat mature, matte look. I tried stick foundations & creamy powdery ones which left me high & dry in terms of coverage. I recently felt like I wasn't wearing any at all because of the shoddy job they did.

Fast forward to last week. Saks has a sale. I am a sucker for a bargain. I had heard good things about Georgio Armani's foundations & was wowed by their pretty counter & advertisements. BINGO! The best decision I have made in a long time.

Long story short...if you are sick & tired of your foundation, or just want to achieve that gorgeous, flawless complexion look, I dare you NOT to try:

Georgio Armani: Luminous Silk Foundation & Blender Brush

{The brush is made from 100% natural hair & really helps to avoid that grainy look.}

Have a Luxurious Weekend!

Wishing you a fabulous weekend filled with sun, sunning & fun in the sun while you're sunning your stunning selves.

I have a jam packed day tomorrow with a baby naming & a wedding so stay tuned for makeup shots from the affair.

Take note: 2 days left for the "friends & family" discount at Saks. 25% off most clothes, shoes, etc & 15% off makeup. Get it while the gettings good! {they don't ask for the coupon!}

xo

The Flight of My Life

Last night I saw Flight of the Conchords live at Radio City. While this has NOTHING to do with beauty or makeup, I enjoyed myself so much {I nearly peed in my pants}, I felt that I just HAD to make today a tribute to them. They just GET me! I am posting a video of them doing one of their creations called, "Jenny" which they performed last night. It's a little long, but so worth it & you will automatically become a fan if you aren't already!

xoxo

I read so you don't have to...

Brigette to Jane: "Does it frighten you that we're so pretty?"

I always find the most interesting things online. Or at least I find them interesting. Here's a little roundup of aforementioned things which I hope you also find interesting. If you find anything else that's interesting, I would be interested in hearing from you.

First & foremost: Today only- 20% off @ my favorite online skin products store, SkinStore.com: Click here

Second & almost as important: A preview of Kim Kardashian's new "workout" video, the word "work" used very lightly!

Third & more important than BOTH: NY Magazine's Grub Street rates the BEST CUPCAKES in all of NYC.

Fourth (pretty important): SPA WEEK is April 13th-19th...Click here for all spa listings & discounted services. Get in there while you can!

Fifth: Behind the scenes w/ Sophia Coppola @ the Miss Dior Cherie shoot


p.s.- How DARE Ramona call Bethenny "the underdog?"


{picture of Brigitte Bardot & Jane Birkin via Kate Neckel}

Newsworthy: Amore Pacific at Sephora

This is BIG!

A few years ago, I fell in love with Amore Pacific. I accompanied my mother-in-law on one of her {many} beauty product hunts & was lead into the arms of an Asian inspired Soho spa hideaway. Although the prices of the products were somewhat prohibitive, I did not walk out empty handed. My mother-in-law's purchase entitled her {and me} to at least fifteen samples of what soon became my most treasured {and expensive} moisturizer.

Cut to today...Amore Pacific is now widely available {much like Alexander McQueen & Thakoon in Target} in Sephora & I highly recommend getting your hands on some! Also worth mentioning that their products all smell like heaven.

Amore Pacific

Made from the finest Asian botanicals: bamboo sap, green tea, and Korean red ginseng

What I suggest for the newbies:
Moisture Bound Intro Collection Refreshing Essentials
$50 at Sephora

On my wishlist:

1. Moisture Bound Vitalizing Complex
2. MB Skin Energy Hydration Delivery System (what a mouthful!)
3. MB Intensive Vitalizing Eye Complex

Everything found here at Sephora!