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Posts Tagged ‘Jouer’

Notes From My Vanity: It Takes a (Makeup) Village

Friday, November 4th, 2011

This week presented an opportunity to get all gussied up- and since I had some pre-event time to spare, I decided to line up my latest makeup obsessions and have some fun.

While the over-sharing beauty fanatic in me wants to tell you every little thing about every product pictured above, my more practical former publicist self knows better than to do that. Attention spans are short, and I can be wordy. So I will cut to the chase and simply highlight three…Okay, maybe four. But promise, that will be it.

1- Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation (Shade 118):  Yeah, I could give the whole “life is hi-def” spiel that I have used in many a pitch and numerous tv segments over the years, but I will spare you the generic jargon and just say this: It blends beautifully and gives thorough coverage without looking heavy or flat on the skin. It mattifies, but because it is so hydrating, it still leaves your skin with a luminous finish. If I am going somewhere and I know pictures are being taken, or I am simply forcing my poor husband or Alexa’s nanny to snap some shots of me for my blog (always awkward!), this is what I am using.

2- Estee Lauder Pure Color Eyeshadow in Cyber Pink:  While I thought that Stila Kitten eyeshadow would never be replaced as my go-to rose gold, this arrived on my desk I am  smitten. It is limited edition (which sort of freaks me out, may have to stockpile), and my product background check on the Lauder website explained to me just why it is so good- the formula is a tri-blend that is a gel, powder and liquid in one. I use it dry and the intensity is amazing- but apparently used wet (which I will have to try this weekend) it will be even more so. Very flattering, perfect for every day but also quite glamourous for evening. Well-laquered lashes stand out big time against the vibrant shine- a makeup special effect that I will take any day.

3- La Prairie Radiance Cream Blush in Mauve Glow: Already covered here in a softer hue as part of a black-tie ballet-inspired look, the mauve is a bit brighter and I just adore it. Especially over a spray tan, it gives the perfect pop of color and I swear this compact will last me forever. So if you balk at spending $70 on a blush, when it comes to this one in particular, you may want to reconsider.

4- Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss in Glisten: So teeny, you may miss it if you don’t look closely- in the far right of the photo. This is a sample mini and perfectly sized to fit in my new going-out pint sized purse (side note: the purse is a little something I am dying to share with you guys soon, a gift from my husband for our anniversary, will get to that next week I hope). The gloss has a subtle sparkle and in my opinion finishes off the look in a way that doesn’t feel overdone.  Because after spending 40 minutes self-indulgently experimenting with my makeup, that last thing I wanted was for it to look like I actually did. Oh, the irony of beauty.

What is your number one makeup product for a polished night-out-on-the-town look?

This Was a WEEK. And I Discovered Instagram.

Friday, October 7th, 2011

Oh my. Feeling like I am finally catching my breath from a super crazy week. Unfortunately, aforementioned breath is raspy since I officially ran myself ragged and now seem to be on the verge of a major cold situation. So it goes…

Here are some highlights:

MONDAY: Started the week over at Today Show to share coats under $100- so much fun, and even though I honestly never get nervous for the segment itself, the preparation and anticipation definitely takes a toll. But love every second of it- from getting the spot booked and having the excuse to go scout the market to seeing the models in their final looks with big smiles on their faces.

TUESDAY: Left the house at 5am for a Satellite Media Tour- which is kind of like a beauty and fashion tip marathon. I stand in one place (luckily behind a table so flats could be worn) and share tips on a given topic (this time around it was products benefitting Breast Cancer Awareness) over and over and over again with tv and radio stations all over the country. The nice thing is that by 11:30 it is all over- which meant I could take Alexa to her class at Appleseeds and still get a nice 5 hour stretch in the afternoon to get other work done.

WEDNESDAY: Somehow I thought it was a good idea to host a cocktail/shopping party at my apartment- this is the third one I have done, and every time I say never again, yet of course, there is always an again. I can’t help myself. 100 girls popped over to peruse the Fall collection from my beloved Hunter Dixon, pick up Birchbox goodies, get touch ups from Jouer Cosmetics, check out Shop It To Me and catch up with friends in the beauty/fashion/publishing worlds. So fun- of course, I am already thinking how I will pull it off again next year. Oh- and it was fun for Alexa too- she got to have a sleepover at the Carlton Hotel. Quite fancy. (Note: Since Ana Schechter took such gorgeous photos, I am saving them for a full party post, coming soon…)

THURSDAY: I am working on a very exciting project with Shutterfly (details to be shared in a later blog post when it officially launches) so at 7am sharp I was perched in a makeup chair on-set getting ready for a full day of shooting. This is the kind of stuff I love- so even though I was running on fumes and a 6 hour shoot became a 10 hour shoot (always the case- always), it was a blast. Part of that has to do with the company- great team all around, especially getting to work with Ana Schechter, who shot the pics of my party the night before, Erica Whelan, one of my go-to makeup artists, and the adorable Alison Lang, otherwise known as the stylist who saved my sanity. Love it when a project allows me to bring together my favorite people- in this business, often that makes the difference.

FRIDAY: Ahh, a day of rest. Still haven’t changed out of my pajamas (it is almost 3pm), busily sending thank you emails and notes to all of the amazing ladies that helped me make it through this week in one piece. And, in case you didn’t notice from above images- I have become Instagram obsessed. And as a result, I keep getting side-tracked playing around with all the filters and getting caught up in these images that make my life look about a thousand times cooler than it actually is. The way I feel today is best captured in this picture I took of Norms (and subsequently Instagrammed obviously) stationed at my feet since 8am.

Wedding Season: All Dressed Up With Some Place To Go

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Once upon a time (a few years ago) I was on the wedding circuit. Friends getting married almost every weekend of the summer meant plenty of excuses to get all dressed up in black tie- fun at first, it got old fast.

These days, I kinda miss what I fondly refer to as the Prep Olympics- disciplined diet, dry cleaning, spray tan, manicure, pedicure, hair appointment and full-on makeup mayhem- in that order. So for my friend Lindsay’s wedding this past weekend, I went all out. Why not?

Here is the rundown:

Spray Tan: Suvara- Got it on Thursday, wedding was Sunday, and it still looked new and glowy. There really is nothing like a good fake tan to make you look about a million times better.

Manicure and Pedicure: Hair Party 24- There are so many things about this place that make me crazy- but the fact that it is under my building and open around the clock make it too damn convenient to avoid. These days, the day-of manicure is a moot point since I am a CND Shellac convert- and on the toes, did a nice pale pink.

Hair: Blow Styling Salon- This was the first time I ever got an “updo” at a salon, and I am not gonna lie- even making the appointment and saying the word updo made me cringe a little bit. Was I going to the prom? But Hailey, the stylist, totally got my long drawn out description of a bohemian braided messy but not too messy situation- major relief since I couldn’t find a photo no matter how hard I searched for some reason.

Makeup: The most fun part always, I had the best time going through my stash to create what I envisioned in my head as a bronzed ballerina look. I was in a minimalist mood- and created the entire look with a handful of products (even though I wanted to use everything on my counter, I had to restrain myself.)

  • Foundation: Stila Perfect & Correct in Tone- So lightweight but gives amazing coverage- even and matte but not dull.
  • Blush: La Prairie Radiance Cream Blush in Berry- Obsessed. I will probably write more about this in a later post- got my hands on it over breakfast with Jaime, who heads up the brand’s PR and also clued me in to Suvara so I clearly owe her a lot. The texture is super smooth, it blends seamlessly and just looking at it in the fancy compact makes me happy. And that has to count for something.
  • Eyeshadow: Stila Kitten- Yep. That’s it. I dipped brush in water to make it more opaque on the inner corners, and then blended it out over the lid and in the crease. If you don’t own this shadow, you are majorly missing out.
  • Eyeliner: Tarte smolderEYES Eye Defining Pencil in Black- Personally, getting liner into the waterline not only makes me queasy, but it has always been virtually impossible for me to master. But I know it makes all the difference in a defined eye- so I sucked it up, took a deep breath, and went for it. When this pencil is freshly sharpened, the point is just fine enough to get in there, it glides on effortlessly (key to mitigate the queasy factor) and then I used the nubbin end to blend it out a bit so the effect was just slightly smokey.
  • Mascara: Ultraflesh Panthera- Wrote about this last Thanksgiving, clearly it works wonders since almost a year of loyalty out of me to any product is impressive.
  • Lips: Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Mandorla- This arrived in a delivery from the brand earlier in the week previewing their Italian Summertime Collection. It is a pale rose pink- close to nude but not nude, which is a good thing since nude lipsticks make me look dead. Seriously.
  • Final Touch- something TOTALLY new for me- Powder: Jouer Glisten Brightening Powder- I have never been a powder girl. I like products that are as glowy and borderline greasy as possible. But this powder has the most subtle sparkle in it, and I had a feeling it would work really nicely with the flash of the camera, and since I knew I was going to force my husband to take the photos of me that are posted above, I went for it. And glad I did.

The dress is from a Marchesa sample sale years ago, the jewelry and bag are all gifts from my very sweet husband (who happens to have really good taste in all things sparkly, lucky me.) Oh- and the most priceless thing in this post- Norman Falik. Can you even handle how adorable that little man is? He kills me every time I look at him.

 

As Seen on TV: FOX 5 "Good Day New York" Fashion's Night Out Happenings

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

There are so many fun things happening in NYC (and around the country) on Friday night for Fashion’s Night Out. Here are some of the activities I plan on stopping by- and recommend you check them out as well:

First stop- before the evening’s events get under way- Oscar Blandi Salon at 545 Madison Ave at 55th Street for a $25 blow out. Because shopping is that much more fun with good hair.

Then, head over to Judith Ripka- she is having a huge party at her Madison Ave. Flagship Boutique (777 Madison Ave) complete with a photo booth on the sidewalk where shoppers can pop in and capture the moment. Stylists from Frederic Fekkai will help you primp for your close up. Oh- and every day through September 10th the brand is giving away a signature Judith Ripka ring valued at $700- enter here.

Over at Saks Fifth Avenue, Jade Jagger will be signing bottles of Guerlain’s classic Shalimar fragrance which she designed to celebrate the scent’s 85th anniversary. I am kind of obsessed with Jade Jagger’s “bohemian meets rock n’ roll” style, so sort of have to stop by to pick one of these up. I am a sucker for limited edition.

Stop by Henri Bendel to build a customized makeup palette with help from Jouer’s makeup stylists- including my favorite makeup maven, Jouer Founder & Creative Director Christina Zilber. And accessorize with DANNIJO- another personal favorite- at their “Friends Forever” pop up- Danielle & Jodie are previewing new styles and doling out style advice.

At Barney’s you can get your flip flop fix by snatching up a pair of limited edition Havaianas designed by Simon Doonan. And while you are making the purchase, you can ask Simon a question of your choosing. So get creative.  Before you head out, get glowing with a complimentary facial from ReVive.

MVP(s) of My Makeup Bag: Travel Must-Haves

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010


This week is a crazy one for me- traveling to 4 cities in 4 days to do local television appearances. I actually really have come to love traveling solo- over the past 4 years of doing this, I have come to know my cities well and made many local media friends that I get to catch up with every time I come to town. Another fun outcome of all this travel has been the innate ability to pack a tightly edited makeup bag with products that do the trick on-air (most stations I go to ask me to arrive makeup ready) and also can be used with a lighter touch for travel and off-hours.

So- what made the cut this trip? Read on to find out…

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Media Love: Chicago Sun Times

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

I can’t thank the lovely Amanda Barrett enough for this amazing profile all about my MSN Show and all-time favorite product picks for Summer.


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