Revlon ColorStay Sophisticated Grays Eye Collection



happy monday, beauties! hope you enjoyed a fabulous holiday weekend. did you get any yummy makeup and beauty goodies?

i received a few gems, but the one shadow palette i have been using a lot these days comes by way of a trip to Target i took a few weeks ago.



this Revlon ColorStay Eyeshadow Quad in Sterling Rose came with a ColorStay Eyeliner and was packaged as the Sophisticated Grays Collection. i was drawn to the classic shades because they're perfect for this season and beyond. three of the shades are pretty light, and all of the shades have a sheen to them, but i love mixing and matching the colors-- day to night looks are effortless!



i'm a huge fan of Revlon ColorStay eyeshadows and these didn't disappoint. the pigments of each shadow are good with fab blendability and wear. each color is classic and will easily transition into spring. the liner is mechanical (perfect for waterline application), and stays put all day!

Revlon is available at your favorite drug and mass retailers. be sure to visit revlon.com for more info.

xo
pics taken by me :)

Total Beauty: 7 Celeb Hairstyles We'd Like to Makeover

i am loving this hair makeover story from Total Beauty! the title says it all-- read on to see if you agree...

TotalBeauty.com
7 Celebrities Who NEED a Hairstyle Revamp

We think it's time for some of these celebrities to let go of their iconic 'dos and try a new look


7 Celebrities Who NEED a Hairstyle Revamp

This is a TotalBeauty.com celebrity hairstyles article

In the interest of embarking on new beginnings for 2011, we'd like to (gently) suggest that a certain few A-listers should step out of the past and grab hold of a bold new look. Check out the virtual makeovers we gave them to prove that a new style would look great on them.

See hair makeovers



xo

EXPRESS Fashion: Shorter Length Trenches

for those cool days when you want to keep your look both fashion-forward and warm, a trench is always a great choice. for a different take on a classic trend, why not go with a shorter length? the outerwear collection available from Express has some fabulous options that are cool (looking) and very functional!

take a look...



keep it girly with the Ruffled-Bottom Trench.



rock the military trend with this cool winter white Piped Military Coat.



the Corset Pea Coat is classic and seriously lady-like.



this Ruffled-Bottom Wool Coat is fun and flirty!


find more outerwear from Express at your local store and online at express.com

xo

Joan Smalls Named Estee Lauder's Newest Global Spokesmodel



last week, the Estee Lauder brand announced it signed Joan Smalls, one of fashion’s rising runway and editorial stars, as a new face of their cosmetics and skincare line. Joan, who is from puerto rico, will join the brand's roster of global beauties (Hilary Rhoda, Carolyn Murphy, Elizabeth Hurley, Constance Jablonski and Liu Wen) and debut in global advertising campaigns beginning in may 2011.

as the third new model signed to EL this year, Joan is a fabulous addition. says Aerin Lauder, senior vice president, "her smile, warmth and positive energy are perfect for the Estee Lauder brand."

Jane Hertzmark Hudis, Global Brand President, adds, "we are thrilled to introduce Joan to women around the world. she truly reflects Estee Lauder's modern vision of global beauty."





a little background on Joan: she made her debut in the world of high fashion in january 2010 when she was featured as the exclusive model for Ricardo Tisci's Givenchy F/W 2010 Couture show in paris. she has quickly ascended to fashion's top ranks by appearing on the runways in new york, paris and milan, for designers including Marc Jacobs, Prada, Gucci, Jil Sander, Derek Lam, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton.

Joan has also become a favorite of top fashion photographers including Mario Testino, Steven Meisel, Patrick Demarchelier, Mikael Jansson, David Sims and Craig McDean. she has appeared in editorials in the american, french, german and italian editions of Vogue, as well as in Interview and I.D. Magazine.

great addition, don't you think?

xo

holiday gift idea: ghd Dazzle Gift Set



some beauty-related gifts might only be used a few times, perhaps more, a month by your recipient, but i have a feeling that if you gifted this set to your bff, glamorous sister or yourself, it would definitely get used multiple times a week.



the gift i am referring to is the ghd Dazzle Gift Set. this travel-friendly duo (includes a ghd Professional 1" Styler and a black travel Hair Dryer) comes in an adorable and sparkly heat-resistant case, and is, in a word, incredible.



ghd's rounded barrel styler (yes, it's ceramic) heats up to its maximum temperature in seconds (i counted 20) and boasts the ability to help hair retain moisture and hair color, as well as create the sleekest tresses, most fantastic curls, twists and flips. after using it for the past two weeks, i can tell you it really does what it says! straight, curls, waves, touch-ups-- my hair is finished even faster and looks healthy and shiny even more so than when i use my other flat iron.



the black travel hair dryer is petite, but works just as well as a full-size dryer thanks to its 1875 watts of power. it's the perfect companion to the styler, not to mention the folding handle makes it perfect for travel.

needless to say, both items work incredibly well and my other tools are probably sad they haven't been used since.

find this limited edition set at Sephora!

xo
products featured sent to me for review consideration.

Natalie Portman's 'Black Swan' Premiere Looks



Natalie Portman's new movie "Black Swan" is getting a lot of buzz, and while it is likely i won't see the movie for months (getting to the theater is so hard these days), i'm loving the looks she rocked for two of the premieres-- one in Toronto, the other in NYC.

at the Toronto Independent Film Festival red carpet premiere, Natalie paired a smoky eye with a pretty pink lip. her hair was styled by Nexxus creative director Kevin Mancuso, who chose to create soft, feminine waves, a fabulous complement her black and white Jason Wu dress.

Kevin says,"...to bring out the natural, organic beauty of Natalie’s hair...i went for touchable texture and a feminine silhouette."



get the look at home by prepping with a volumizing shampoo and conditioner, followed by a curl enhancing mousse on damp hair (Nexxus Gorgeous Curls was used in this case). to style, dry hair with a diffuser, smoothing ends with a round brush, and transfer warm hair to large Velcro rollers. after the rollers have cooled, remove and tousle hair with fingers. curl hair around the face using a medium barrel curling iron and tousle again with fingers to release the curls and create more of a 'wave' effect.

to finish the hair, apply a dime-size amount of a taming lotion like, Nexxus Sleek Finish, to fingers and gently run over hair to help define and control waves then lightly mist hairspray for hold with movement.




at the new york premiere, Natalie's hair was again styled in full waves, but this time looked like a classic Hollywood starlet, complete with a perfect deep red lip, lush lashes and black Dior off the shoulder dress.

her hair look was created by stylist John D. he says of the look:"it was beautiful, and helped balance the total look, especially since the bottom of the dress was so full. he says, "i started with argan oil-infused Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream then blow dried the hair smooth using a round brush to give it 'oomph' at the root.



since Natalie has naturally curly hair, it needs extra moisture to look its best. so, John used Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream for its soft hold benefits, but also because it helps protect hair, moisturizes, smooths the cuticle and is perfect for getting rid of any frizz and static.

John says, "i then used a 1" curling iron, and starting at the back of her head, i curled round sections all over her head to set the volume in. i finished her hair with Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray to give it extra hold that looked soft. it was raining in new york tonight and i wanted to make absolutely sure the body stayed. after her hair cooled, i used one of my tricks: i sprayed a paddle brush with hairspray and used it to separate and loosen the hair. this also tames the curls at the same time. i completed the look with a touch (more) of hairspray to give it extra hold. i find that i can brush through the hair several times and it gives no residue. it looks naturally shiny and still moves. i gave used a light mist of Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine Spray to finish.”

Natalie looked great at both events! which look do you prefer?

xoimages: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images North America, Michael Loccisano/Getty Images North America and Photo Agency

Q&A with 'Black Swan' Makeup Department Head Margie Durand and Makeup Designer Judy Chin



MAC Cosmetics will be featured in the highly buzzed about film Black Swan and my friends at the brand sent me a copy of a fabulous Q&A with the film's makeup department head Margie Durand and makeup designer Judy Chin. the interview contained many questions, so edited it down to what i felt were the best questions-- all about the makeup!

enjoy!

q: how long does it typically take for you to prepare to start working on a movie like Black Swan?

Judy: i spend a lot of time drawing and doing practical makeup tests. depending on actor availability and camera tests, it could take three to four weeks of preparation.

q: how does a makeup design contribute to building a movie character?

Judy: what i've always loved about makeup design is its contribution to the actor's performance. makeup helps to create the character visually. i feel that i've done my job well when an actor can walk onto the set feeling like the embodiment of the character that he or she is portraying.


q: can you give a step by step explanation as to how the Black Swan look was created as well as the products that were used?


Margie: we applied a pale ivory foundation with a white cream highlight on the forehead and cheekbones. to create the swan eyes, we used M·A·C Chromaline in Black Black. using M·A·C Pigment in Silver combined with Mixing Medium, we applied feathery brushstrokes over the Black Swan's eyes. the lips were lined with M·A·C Lip Pencil in Vino and topped with M·A·C lipstick in Dubonnet. we then lined the under eye with a thin line using M·A·C Chromaline in Red.

q: does the makeup have any relation to the makeup in the traditional version of the Swan Lake ballet?

Judy: not really. the ensemble dancers wear what might be considered a traditional theatrical eye makeup, but our rendition is more dramatic. it's practically an opera makeup. besides that, the only other relation might be that we did portray the Black Swan as a sinister dark foil to the more angelic and innocent Swan Queen.




q: the ballerinas' performance makeup in the movie is especially dramatic and visually arresting. what inspired the dark romantic makeup look?

Judy: the look was inspired by the story, and by the director, Darren Aronofsky, i felt that he was looking for something dramatic and visually striking, so all of the intensity was focused in the eyes. Margie Durand realized that there were elements of our beautiful set design that should play a role in our makeup. thus, the delicate silver branches that played across the swan's faces came to be. the ensemble swans and the Swan Queen are delicate and romantic with a soft pink lip color, whereas the Black Swan is dark, sharp, and, angular.

q: a ballerina has an incredibly active job, and in Black Swan, the characters wear both body and face makeup. what products did you use in the film that you were certain would hold up to the lights, movement and perspiration?

Judy: we used pancake makeup with a spray sealant to ensure that it wouldn't rub off on the costumes. we also used M·A·C Paint Pots, M·A·C Powerpoint Eye Pencils, and M·A·C Pigments. in addition, we applied some alcohol based pigments that are virtually water proof and rub proof.

q: what challenges did you face when designing and applying the makeup?

Margie: it was a challenge to makeup the Black Swan as the White Swan and then switch back to Black Swan during the long filming days. both makeups had to be retouched because of the strenuous dancing for the close-up shots.

Judy: it would have been a huge problem if any of the makeup rubbed off onto the costumes, so we had to do many tests before we came up with the right combination of products – especially for the hands. the only other challenge was conveying to our team the application techniques, as it really was an operatic style of makeup. the shaping of the eyes and painting the whole eye in cake makeup is unusual for modern makeup artists. most people are a bit intimidated by pancake makeup and they dismiss it as "old fashioned", but it can be really beautiful if done properly. in the end, the whole team worked really hard and did a stunning job.




q: did you use any products in a non-traditional way?

Judy: we mixed the M·A·C Pigment in Silver with a sealant to create a waterproof liquid. we then used this metallic liquid to paint our delicate silver branches across the little swan faces.


q: Black Swan makeup tutorials have popped up all over the internet. why do you think makeup fans are fascinated with this look, even before the film's release?

Judy: what's not to be fascinated with? the look is intense, alluring, and sexy with a bit of danger mixed in. frankly, i'm flattered and pleased that there has been this much interest in the Black Swan makeup.


q: how can the everyday woman translate the dramatic Black Swan makeup into an evening look?

Judy: there are a lot of aspects to this makeup that are standard elements for a classic beauty makeup. the highlights and contours along the cheekbones, nose, jaw line, and the pout of the mouth can all be adapted to a contemporary makeup. i also think one could incorporate the dramatic eyeliner – the angles and the intensity - into a very seductive, catlike smoky eye.

Margie: think 1920's vamp makeup: create the smoky Black Swan eyes with slender, silver eye liner applied under black wingtip liner and add thin wisps of silver liner over the eyelid, too. rim the waterline with black liner and top it off with full, feathery false eyelashes. apply a very matte foundation with contoured cheekbones and a hint of shimmery blush on apple of cheeks. lips can be matte or glossy in dark eggplant, wine and even black colours!

q: have you ever worked on a fashion show? if so, what are the differences between the creation of a movie makeup and the look for a fashion show? is the creative process similar or different?

Margie: the creation process is similar; the differences are huge. in film, the makeup needs to be recreated more than once, whereas in fashion on a runway, it is created for one day or one show. in film, there is continuity of passage of time from minutes to days to years, and the character's look has to adjust for this, sometimes all on the same shooting day. in film, the makeup needs to enhance the actors' performances and become part of their characters, contributing to beauty, injury, aging, etc.


q: what is the one M·A·C product that you cannot go on set without? why?

Margie: i use so many M·A·C products on every job, but the Blot Powders are a must for whatever seems to be going on with my makeup at any given moment!

Judy: that’s a really difficult question, but i guess i would have to say a Powerpoint Eye Pencil. i think i could make up anyone with just one Powerpoint Eye Pencil. or at lease enhance their features.


tell me: do you plan to see Black Swan?


xo
info and image courtesy of MAC Cosmetics

American Eagle Rhinestone and Chain Bracelet



while browsing for holiday gifts, i discovered this Rhinestone and Chain bracelet from American Eagle Outfitters. i'm hoping this will be liked (and worn) by my hardest-to-buy-for-because-she-is-the-complete-opposite-of-me friend. this little cutie has a row of clear rhinestones, a row of dark rhinestones and a bronze chain link-- it's sparkly (love!), but still casual enough to be worn with jeans (her basic unform). :)

visit ae.com for more info.

xo



By Crew