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.


Friday, January 15, 2010

get this red carpet look: from Jemma Kidd of JK Jemma Kidd


http://tengossip.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/michelle-williams-vogue-cover-october-2009_a.jpg

The 2010 Golden Globes are just two days away and once again I find myself watching it from my couch, wondering how I can achieve such flawless makeup looks.


I asked Jemma Kidd, whose JK Jemma Kidd makeup line is available at Target, for some makeup tips. She says, "For an on-trend look, it’s all about defined brows, fresh dewy skin and a natural blush. Think Michelle Williams' recent October Vogue cover (shown here). You can achieve this look using my new I-Conic Eyes Brow Pencil, Mannequin Skin Illuminating Concealer and my cheek ID." Here's how...

Well-shaped eyebrows with I-Conic Eyes Brow Pencil ($16)

* Brush eyebrow hair upwards with the built-in comb to highlight stray hairs. * Pluck these visible stray hairs using the uniquely angled built-in tweezers. * Use the pencil to fill in any gaps in the eyebrow & define the arch.


Create a luminous and natural complexion with Mannequin Skin Illuminating Concealer ($18)

* Using the pad of your finger, press the concealer part of the double-ended product on areas that require the most coverage. * Highlighter should be applied sparingly to areas on the face that naturally catch the light.


Natural-looking flush with Cheek ID Color Adapt Blush ($18)

* Dab a small amount of blush on the apple of your cheeks with your fingertips upwards along the cheekbone.

See the complete JK Jemma Kidd line at Target stores or on www.target.com.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

moisturize your hair

I love the look and feel of sleek, smooth hair so I'm always searching for a good hair moisturizer. Of all the hair products out there, I think hair masks make the best hair treatments, especially in winter with frigid temps outside and dry, steamy air inside. Profound Beauty's Anatomy Anti-Oxidant Mask ($32) gives you deep conditioning, leaving your hair soft, smooth and sleek. The flat tub is easy to stash on your shower shelf and the creamy mask feels nourishing (that's the vitamin E) and revitalizing while it sets. I love the thickness of the formula! Plus, it's great for maintaining your salon color and keeping it looking fresh. The directions say use it once a week but I actually use it twice a week because I love how soft my hair feels afterward as well as the compliments I get after I use it. Find your personalized Profound Beauty Routine and shop for the Anatomy Anti-Oxidant Mask at www.ProfoundBeauty.com.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

expert advice: moisturizing tips from Rhea Grous, La Suite Skin Care


Rhea Grous is a certified esthetician and well-rounded beauty expert. Sure, she has degrees from the prestigious Catherine Hinds Institute in Boston and trained at The Decleor Institute in Paris, but her real skill is evident in the personal experience she offers her customers. Formerly the number one requested and booked esthetician at Manhattan’s Bliss Spa, she now works her magic at the La Suite Skin Care studio in Greenwich, CT. Here, she shares her expertise with us and helps us combat dry, winter skin...

Prettyisprettydoes: Does everyone need moisturizer?
Rhea Grous: Yes! You need moisturizer to hydrate the skin. Lack of hydration can lead to sensitivity, outbreaks, and other skin issues. Any condition from oily to dry skin can be magnified when lacking water, moisture or hydration.

PIPD: What's the most important factor to consider when buying a moisturizer? Are there any key ingredients they should definitely have for them to be effective?
RG: It's important to read the ingredients and avoid color, fragrance and too many preservatives because they increase the chance of irritation and allergic reaction. Moisturizers these days are PRIMARILY focused on anti aging; we each have to choose what's right for our skin. Humectants, which increase water levels in the skin, are a huge benefit for moisturizers. Vitamins fight environmental damage which can be caused by free radicals. Peptides signal your skin to make more collagen, and might act like Botox. AHAs and BHAs offer antiaging and exfoliating properties and help retexturize skin. It's a good idea to look for these in your night moisturizer. Retinols are antiaging, accelerate exfoliation, improve appearance of fine lines and helps reduce sun damage. These are also great in a
night moisturizer that can work while you're sleeping.

PIPD: Does your moisturizing routine need to change based on the season (ie: hot weather vs. cold weather)?
RG: Absolutely, weather changes our skin's needs. In general, warm weather gives the skin more of everything and skin tends to prefer a lighter version of its usual moisturizer. Additionally, this is NOT the season to forget sunscreen -- it should be a must!! Many moisturizers include sunscreen these days (sunscreen in a moisturizer is automatically a day cream). VS night cream which usually has a retinol or alpha hydroxy. In winter, the harsh elements tend to rob the skin of water. Look for a moisturizer to spike the humectants and increase water levels.

PIPD: Any product recommendations?
RG: La Mer products, which are oil-based, are an incredible way to moisturize dry skin. The moisturizer is the best in the business. La Mer also has an incredible oil-absorbing moisturizer for those that are super oily. Both are expensive but worth it. Skinceuticals' Face Cream is water-based, hydrating and has antioxidants to protect and shield the skin of free radicals that promote aging. SkinMedica products range from inexpensive (under $50) to expensive ($112). They are water-based and, therefore, compatible with most people's skin. They have antioxidants and epidermal growth factors which are great for healing and promoting new cells (available from a doctor or the internet). G.M. Collins products are in the same range as above. There are creams with peptides as well as antiaging options. Peptides are very popular these days as they aid in minimizing wrinkles. This is a great option for those who don't want to Botox, and a great choice for those who use Botox since it helps to extend the lifespan of the treatment. One of my favorite lines is a drugstore brand called La Roche Posay. Redermic (about $44) has all the bells and whistles, but no peptides. A water-based cream containing vitamins, humectants (like sodium hyaluronate and glycerin) and a silicone ingredient that makes the product soooo silky and helps fill in wrinkles. It reads beautifully on the skin at a low price point and is easily accessible. Plus, it comes in normal to combination skin as well as normal to dry. The company's Effaclar moisturizer is great for oily skin and runs about $25. It's a great way to mattify the skin in the morning while still treating it.

For more info on Rhea and La Suite Skin Care, go to www.lasuiteskincare.com.


Tuesday, January 5, 2010

winter skin relief: mayday, mayday!


The weather outside is frightful. Well, here in NYC, anyway. Whipping winds and frigid temps have left my face feeling dry and chapped. Even my usual soothing moisturizers don't seem to take effect. Thank goodness for Ren's Mayday Mayday Rescue Balm, designed to soothe dry, chapped irritated skin. It feels like a shield against the cold--as is definitely the must-have accessory I can't leave home without this month. After just one application, my skin felt softer, smoother, more moisturized and ready to brave the elements. There are all kind of great ingredients inside: Ceramide, phospholipids and essential fatty acids to help repair skin and restore softness, elasticity and comfort, lactic acid to reduce peeling and chapped skin, and chamomile and pink violet help to calm redness and soothe minor irritation (and give it a pretty scent!). It's especially great for dry skin on lips, hands, knees, elbows and any spot that needs a little extra attention. My only regret is that it comes in a small tube (1.7 fl. oz.)--I will need more in no time! Go to www.renskincare.com to order.


Monday, January 4, 2010

expert advice: hair colorist/stylist barry reitman

New year? New look. If you've been sticking to the same hairstyle for 2009, here's your chance to create a fresh new look for 2010. Colorist/stylist Barry Reitman, who is currently making his mark at the Kevin Josephson Salon in Beverly Hills, is known for his ability to "create a look for each client based on their lifestyle, combined with an artistic eye for proportion and sensitivity to the nature of their hair.” Here, he shares his passion for creating "stunning but easy-to-manage" styles.

For a fresh new look that you can do yourself, Reitman likes to keep things loose. "I like loose curls and waves for spring 2010. They're easy to maintain and, with the right haircut, look smoking hot." For a no-fail, girl-about-town look, he recommends the reliable ponytail. "Ponytails are such a classic style. Whether you throw your hair in one just to get it off your face or carefully put each hair in place for a special event, a ponytail is almost always appropriate and surprisingly very versatile."

Reitman, who went to beauty school after college because he "wanted to meet girls (lots of them)," describes himself as creative and enjoys the arts so, he says, "this field enabled me to have both things. Most hair stylists just cut hair, but I wanted to create looks. I most enjoy transforming my client's appearance by enhancing and bringing out her inner beauty."

For a fab winter hair moisturizing tip, Reitman recommends Difiaba Hydressence which, he says, hydrates and reconstructs the hair shaft. "After shampooing your hair, comb Difiaba through the hair from roots to ends, leave on for five minutes and rinse clean."

Reitman’s work has been featured in national magazines and on TLC’s Ballroom Bootcamp, MTV’s Becoming, E! Entertainment’s Girls Next Door, FOX LA’s Style File and, most recently, the Style Network’s Split Ends. He has designed hair for major fashion shows as well as industry photo shoots.


Thursday, December 31, 2009

shimmer into the new year

Big night out on New Year's Eve? This is your big chance to ring in the new year in style and find a glamorous new look for 2010. I recently came across an amazing makeup line that I have to share: Luscious Cosmetics, created by Charity Vance of San Clemente, California. She set out to create multi-use products that with imaginative packaging that bring color, pleasure and pizzaz to a woman's life. Says Vance, "Makeup is the quickest way to transform your look. It isn't permanent—if you don't like it, try something else! It’s that simple. Life is a journey! Prepare to discover something you love. Women experience such confidence and inner peace when they feel beautiful." Feeling beautiful is a no-brainer with Luscious. The Crystal Nail Lacquers ($20), in gorgeous shades, come in bottles with custom caps that holds color coordinated Swarovski® Austrian crystals to apply to your nails for a glamourous custom look. They're surprisingly easy to apply and give you a one-of-a-kind manicure you can design yourself. The Lip Delites Lip Plumpers ($17) give lips a wash of color and a glimmer of shine, and plump lips to as much as 40% more volume after only 30 days of use. The Lip Polish ($18), in a compact package for fabulous females on the go, is a beautiful, gloss and lip treatment in one. The color looks subtle and shiny when applied and, thanks to super-emollient ingredients, lips feel ultra-soft and hydrated. The perfect antidote to a long, dry winter! Stash them all in the limited-edition Posh Goes on Holiday makeup bag ($28), featuring Posh, the company's cat muse who loves to travel. (The bag comes with some mini makeup too). Pick up all of these great products and more at www.lusciouscosmetics.com to ensure a very happy new year! See you again in 2010~

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

holiday looks: sleek locks


During this hectic holiday season, the best holiday hairstyles are effortless and beautiful. "Whether you are hosting an intimate gathering at home or going out for a night on the town, tousled loose waves do the trick every time," says celebrity hairstylist Larry Sims, who addresses the tresses of Wanda Sykes and Queen Latifah. "Start with your hair down and change your look in 10 seconds by pulling it up in an undone updo. If your hair is short, add texture to make it a short, sassy style. Whether your hair is short or long, make sure you protect your hair from thermal heating damage with Smooth 'N Shine's Silk Style Iron Styler. It protects and prevents hair from dehydration during thermal styling." Check out the complete collection of Smooth 'N Shine products at your local Walmart or www.walmart.com.