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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...and those of us holding the mascara wand.After two decades of covering the beauty industry, I've come to learn what makes it so alluring. Finding the perfect shade of makeup to match your skin tone, adding a swipe of eyeliner to give your tired eyes a lift, discovering an innovative new product line, or indulging in a totally luxurious spa treatment. My experiences have been documented in magazines, newspapers and websites worldwide. I've tested newly formulated products in the lab, explored hair removal options, shopped for lipstick, added shine to my hair and succumbed to massage marathons--all in the name of beauty. I've written press releases, hosted makeover events and co-authored a Do-It-Yourself Beauty book (Alloy). On this blog, I write about products and services that I come across every day as well as those that have been provided by publicists or the companies that make them. Either way, I write what I think. I hope to share some of my insights--and bring you the latest, greatest beauty news right here. Join me in the quest to find all things pretty.
Ready to break in a new favorite bar? Make room in your soap dish for Wonderbar--a new facial bar designed to firm, lift and make your skin glow in three minutes. Sound too good to be true? Wonderbar features a unique combination of Chlorey’nahre, an algae-based complex, and the natural, therapeutic 3000-year-old Heilmoor clay of Austria. The new soap alternative promises to reduce redness, tighten and minimize facial pores, remove free radicals and toxins, fight eczema, acne and psoriasis, and balance skin. You'll love the natural, healthy glow you get after just one use...and so will those who you decide to gift it to. It can also double as a shampoo, moisturizing the scalp and leaving hair shiny, or as a shaving foam to reduce razorburn and the incidence of ingrown hairs. The only downside: it won't fit in your soap dispenser. The holiday gift set includes four Wonderbars ($140) which should last about five to six months. Visit www.wonderbarUSA.com to order.
Don't let friends ring in the new year without showing off their luxe locks. Just in time for the gift giving season: Profound Beauty introduces its new limited edition Styling Kits ($49 each). Each kit contains three essentials to put hair in the spotlight. Hush controls frizz without weighing hair down, Stylist will accentuate the natural shape, texture, look and feel of their hair to create a style all their own, and atmosphere which is designed to mimic the best weather conditions for their hair (read: no more bad days ahead!) Try the Arctic Straight kit for sleek style and high shine (for my TV-reporter pal), the Desert Volume Kit (for moi!) for root to tip lift, texture, separation and bounce, and the Tropical Curl Kit (my sisters will fight over it!) for lush, dewy, plump curls. Go to www.profoundbeauty.com to purchase.
What happens when you pair a top notch fragrance with a beautiful, architectural bottle? You get this latest find from Bond No. 9. In an effort to spread peace this holiday season, Bond No. 9 bottled its blackcurrent-lily-of-the-valley-cedarwood-musk perfume-ode to peace, The Scent of Peace, in a super-stunning limited-edition Swarovski crafted bottle. Every square millimeter on the surface is smattered with glittering Swarovski stones giving off a deep, rich, non-stop seductive shimmer. The Scent of Peace Superstar bottle is decked out with 2,500 Swarovski stones. Available at www.bondno9.com, it sells for $500. Is it worth the price? You decide.
Good things come in small packages...especially in this case. The Nude Selection Box ($25) features all your skin care must-haves, at least according to beauty industry experts. These skin care products include a Cleansing Facial Oil, Advanced Smoothing Complex, Advanced Eye Complex, Age Defense Moisturizer, and Miracle Mask. The Age Defense moisturizing lotion is my favorite (anything anti-aging rocks in my book!); my skin has never felt smoother than it does after I use it (not even after a facial). But the collection makes a perfect stocking stuffer or one-night-of-Chanukah gift. Another great gift idea: the Nude Lips kit ($14), complete with organic cupuacu and Tahitian vanilla monoi lip balm that melts at body temperature for the prettiest gloss. All the more reason to stand under the misteltoe. Both available at Sephora, Barneys and www.nudeskincare.com.
Wanna be a celebrity? I do! But not for all the obvious reasons. It's because this holiday season, Hollywood A-listers like Sarah Jessica Parker, Heidi Klum, Reese Witherspoon and Charlize Theron got this incredible gift set from Pureology--and I want one! The Holiday Hydrate Kit is the best antidote to cold, dry winter weather. Packaged in an eco-friendly box, the gift set includes three essential products to keep hair hydrated during the winter months: Pureology's top selling HydrateShampoo, HydrateCondition and GlossingMist. The shampoo helps you keep your color from fading and smells like rose, sandalwood and green tea. The conditioner moisturizes without weighing hair down and is scented with peppermint, sage and rosemary. And the GlossingMist offers UVA/UVB protection and gives you a gorgeous, glossy shine. I told my hairdresser about the products and even got her hooked! Click on www.pureology.com and try them for yourself or give them as a gift this holiday season.
