Category Archives: Beauty

Bored? Go get a free Clarins makeover at the mall.

By Erin Weinger on April 20, 2011

Once in a very blue moon, we find ourselves with some time to kill on a cloudy afternoon. And while few things compare to hours of old South Park episodes from the comfort of our couch, it would be nice to have an activity to partake in further away from Cartman and his cohorts.

This week, Clarins apparently heard our plight and answered our prayers with a series of in-store demonstrations featuring summer ’11 products and potions designed to add some pretty to our punim (that’s “face” in Yiddish, y’all).

Eric Antoniotti, the beauty brand’s longtime artistic director, is making stops around the Southland tomorrow, Friday and Saturday to show off his latest collection of poppy pastel eye colors, sunscreens and, of course, repair lotions for when the SPF slather is lighter than it should be.

And since Antoniotti’s makeup counters of choice are a bit outside of the 310 area code, you get an added bonus: The ability to listen to a killer iPod playlist uninterrupted on your drive.

Cartman might even approve.

Thursday, April 21. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Macy’s Santa Anita. 400 South Baldwin Ave., Santa Anita. (626) 445-5711

Friday, April 22. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Macy’s South Coast Plaza. 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. (714) 556-0611

Saturday, April 23. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bloomingdale’s Fashion Island. 701 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach. (949) 720-3300

clarins.com

Photo: Clarins new UV plus HP SPF 40 Day Sunscreen, $38.

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Unnecessary beauty binges do a body good

By Anne Riley-Katz on April 18, 2011

It’s damn near Easter, Passover starts, like, right now and in the spirit of the season’s forced atonement and/or week-long banishment of yeast-filled carbs some of us are being forced to accept a few unhappy facts:

We’re not getting an Easter basket this year; Marshmallow Peeps are, in fact, gross; and we’re no longer spring chickens. BUT – there are things we can do to battle these truths… intoxicating shopping benders at CVS and department store makeup counters among them.

Here, the get from our latest binge:

Osea’s Undaria Algae oil – it smells great, you can use it on your face AND body, and it’s organic; the whole line eschews synthetic fragrances, genetically modified ingredients, petrochemicals, parabens and sulfates.

Seriously, it’s light enough to use daily and has been keeping our skin glowing and supple for the past couple weeks. Bring on summer.

$36, ronrobinson.com

Rodial’s Glamoxy Snake Serum pen for deep-set lines and wrinkles (uh, not that we have any of those). Pretty self explanatory. It’s not Botox, but it’s intriguing enough to try and feels like it’s working when you put it on, though we can’t attest to long-term results.

Oh, and it looks like a cool pen so you won’t have to publicly expose the latest secret weapon in your youth-inducing arsenal.

$95, spacenk.com

Cadbury’s Crème Eggs. Pure spring-season genius. Why has nobody made apparel out of these yet? Guaranteed to help you reach sugar-level utopia in minutes. (A hint for the uninitiated: eat them, don’t rub them on your face.)

$29.99 for 24, amazon.com (poor little rich girl’s tip: buy these babies the day after Easter, when they’re half price)

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Friday evening gorgeousness: Chloe Sevigny’s sick, sleeveless fringed vest

By Erin Weinger on April 9, 2011

As self-professed fringe fetishists, this kind of needs to be in our closet yesterday. We asked the Big Love actress about the awesome, sleeveless number at last night’s launch party for Kiehl’s limited-edition Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque, for which Sevigny and Dexter star Michael C. Hall designed the package art.

Turns out it comes courtesy of Imitation of Christ, the label where we interned upon arriving in Los Angeles four years ago. Ah, sweet memories. It seems like only yesterday we were fetching Tara Subkoff Oreo cheesecakes from Coffee Bean and watching a design assistant remove her pants on the Teddy’s dance floor at the runway show’s after party (if that’s not a proper welcome-to-your-new-life-in-L.A., we dunno what is).

Last night, no one dropped trou (from what we saw, at least). But the beauty brand did drop $100,000 on charity by presenting a check to Waterkeeper Alliance, an organization that helps clean up local waterways.

We used the $23 mask, which is available in stores now, last night and — without jinxing it — our skin looks less shitty than usual today. Maybe our giddiness over that vest is causing a good-skin glow.

Or maybe we’re just happy that the only person we have to get cheesecake for these days is us.

Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque, $23. kielhs.com

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Spring cleaning: When it’s time to toss your beauty products

By Mary Frances Van Dyke on April 8, 2011

Oh, the dreaded spring-cleaning. I don’t mean scrubbing down your kitchen floor or dusting out those impossible to reach shelves in your living room, I’m talking beauty products. Yes ladies, just like food they perish. And just like fuzzy arugula is probably not so good for your body, outdated lipstick, sunscreen and perfume can be as gnarly, too.

Here is a basic guide of how long your beauty favorites hold up. Happy cleaning!

Nail Polish: 1 year (give or take a bit) before it starts turning to thick, nasty goop. A manicurist just told me you could extend this by about six months if you store polish in the refrigerator. Cool, right?

Makeup (blush, bronzer, lipstick, eye shadow, etc.): One to two years, but be warier of eye products. Celebrity makeup-artist Sonia Kashuk recommends tossing anything eye related after six months because they can cause infection.

Mascara: Three to six months. When in doubt, toss it. Not only does old mascara look clumpy, it harbors lots of bacteria.

Self-tanner: One year. Most self-tanners now come with on-package expiration dates but if you’re blind like me you have a hard time deciphering those tiny numbers. Old self-tanner won’t hurt you, but it may look awful when applied. Test a dab on your stomach or leg if you are unsure.

Sunscreen: One to three years. This is actually longer than expected and comes from the trusted Mayo Clinic. They did stress to always read the bottle because expiration dates vary from brand to brand. When in doubt, throw it out. Sunburns are serious business.

Hairspray: Three years. This is one has endurance. Some sources even claim it lasts up to 5 years. Bottom line, when the nozzle is clogged, it’s time for a new one.

Shampoo and Conditioner: Two years. Shampoo and conditioner also do not technically expire but let’s be realistic, there is probably a good reason why it has been in a drawer for two years.

Perfume: Three years. This is a little bit rough. Perfumes with essential oils, a.k.a. those of higher quality will last longer while cheaper potions will go bad faster. It is usually pretty easy to tell once they’ve gone rouge. If it smells like crap, it’s time for a new bottle.

Teeth whitening strips: One year. Hydrogen peroxide does expire and once it does those strips won’t do your yellow teeth any good. Don’t wait to use those up!

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We recommend (without being paid to): NUXE multi-purpose oil

By Mary Frances Van Dyke on April 4, 2011

Last week was the first time in awhile that I remembered — weather-wise, at least — why I live in sunny SoCal. It was also the first time in months that I put on a pair of shorts. And lets just say that my legs were a tad too blindingly pale for my liking. So I raided my bathroom drawers in search of a fix. And what I found saved my day (and the eyes of those who stood near my white legs in line at Starbucks).

NUXE OR is the gold-flecked version of NUXE Huile Prodigieuse, a classic product that women used to hoard from French pharmacies. Lucky for us Americans the stuff is available online and at beauty supply stores around the states. The cult favorite is so amazing because you can use it from head to toe – body, face and hair — to brighten up you locks or add a bit of color and shine to your gams. And as you can guess the oil is ultra moisturizing and comes with a subtle, earthy smell — my favorite part of the product.

It’s everything I love about summer packed into a tiny bottle.

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse OR, $55 for 3.3 fl oz. Available at Larchmont Beauty, 208 North Larchmont Boulevard, Los Angeles. 323-461-0162.

[mappress]

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SSLA in NYC: A free manicure is a terrible thing to waste

By Rakhee Bhatt on February 16, 2011

The lobby inside of New York Fashion Week is a sight of free goodies to be seen. Stations include a Tresemme styling center where women can get their hair coifed and blown out, Chambord-infused Starbucks Frappuccinos being readily handed out for a quick caffeine and alcohol fix, and free mini-manis from Essie. Amongst the small pleasures in life, a free mani is up there with finding a $20 bill in the pocket of your coat. Sadly for us, due to time constraints we were unable to stop in and take advantage of the free paint job. As we shuffled between shows and events, our poor nails took a sore beating. Ladies, no matter what, never neglect the free mani.

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SSLA in NYC: NARS first U.S. boutique officially opens for business

By Rakhee Bhatt on February 11, 2011

Caption this under fantasy wishes come true. NARS has finally (FINALLY!) launched a full-fledged boutique in the U.S. at none other than Bleecker Street in NYC today.

“I love Bleecker Street because I think it’s the happening street,” said Founder Francois Nars of his new West Village digs. “It’s a cool, fun area with great shopping. It is very intimate and chic.”


We adored the look of the interior shop — a 525 square foot space with a subtle black and white canvas containing pops of red, an ode to the brand’s iconic Jungle Red lipstick. While the store is a mecca for all things NARS under one roof, we were drawn especially to the bento box exclusively created for the boutique. Featuring two cups of hand-poured lipstick and a wisteria wrap brush, the bento box also contains three compartments that can be filled with NARS products.

Hopefully our coast will get its own shop soon.

NARS Boutique. 413 Bleecker St, NYC.

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Beauty treatment test drive: Clarins all new a la carte facial menu

By Rakhee Bhatt on January 21, 2011

If you’ve ever walked into the beauty section of a department store chances are you are familiar with Clarins. But what you may not know is the 52-year-old European beauty brand now offers customized facials to their makeup-counter clients.

Available at select Clarins locations at Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, the brand’s Tri-Active Facial is powered by a new line of CLARINSPRO professional-grade products that are the super concentrated version of their standard retail counterparts. The products are incorporated into a menu of facials suitable for anyone and any skin type, starting at $90 for an hour-long treatment and $270 for a package of four. The eight choices available range for those looking to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, even out skin tone, reduce the appearance of dark spots and, for men, sooth skin irritation from shaving.

“For example, you say my skin is feeling really dry at the moment and I want more hydration,” explains Chantal Sanders, CLARINS Senior Director of Boutique and Spa Development. “The aesthetician selects the Moisture Replenisher treatment. But during the facial she finds that maybe you have got a little bit of sensitivity. She can use a supplement in there that is a little bit more healing. So it’s very personalized, very a la carte.”

We had the wonderful task of road-testing the Tri-Active Facial ourselves last Thursday. We told the aesthetician that we wanted to even our skin tone, reduce the appearance of blemishes and reduce under-eye puffiness. After the 60-minute facial, complete with a hand and foot massage, we instantly saw a smoother complexion and the skin under our eyes looked less stressed. The aesthetician gave us samples so we can continue the skin regimen at home. A week later, and with daily application of the products, we are still seeing the benefits of the treatment.

Visit Clarins.com to find your location and custom treatment.

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Six bags to store your makeup in style

By Mary Frances Van Dyke on January 18, 2011

While nice makeup pouches are not a travel necessity by any means, they make any trip more special. From leather to canvas, preppy to trendy, there is a makeup bag out there for any woman’s style. And we’ve rustled up six of our faves. The Louis Vuitton is a tad over the top, but it is built to last (and, in a pinch, could always double as a classic clutch). For something traditional, the monogrammed silk bags from Leontine Linenes are perfect. Side note, these adorable bags are also great for stowing touch-up essentials in the glove compartment of your car.

Row one: Anya Hindmarch makeup case, $195, Le Sportsac XL cosmetic case, $25, Louis Vuitton monogram pouch 19, $285

Row two: Sephora lip pouch, $15, Leontine Linens travel totes, $105-$140, Kate Spade flat pouch, $65

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Dior, Burberry and Chanel beauty products for $5? Uh, yes please.

By Erin Weinger on January 5, 2011

We couldn’t make this shit up if we tried. On Saturday, two veteran beauty industry professionals are liquidating their massive collection of swag in a 50-percent-off-and-more yard sale.

Find products by Dior, Chanel, Stella McCartney, Napoleon Perdis, Urban Decay, Burberry and, like, every other brand you’d find at Bloomingdale’s starting at just $5.

As in, fully new and packaged perfumes, foundations, bronzers, eyeliners, lipsticks..(are you drooling yet?)

Insane. And kind of amazing, considering we decided to have a little dance party alone in our house this morning and shattered our bronzer all over the floor. (Hey, some people guzzle coffee to start their day. We guzzle coffee and put Hall & Oates on blast. So sue us.)

This super-secret designer cosmetics yard sale goes down this Saturday, January 8 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the front lawn of 1320 S. Ridgeley Dr., Los Angeles.

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