MAX Factor on Tour This Spring with Celeb Makeup Artist Jake Bailey

Do you live in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Chicago, Houston or Dallas? Celeb makeup artist Jake Bailey (pictured, left) and his team will be in-store to give gorge summer makeovers, share tips and tricks, and help women find the best shades for their complexions. Some of Jake’s clients include Paris Hilton, Brittany Snow (LOVE HER) and Kyra Sedgwick.

Click here for more info about the tour.

LOS ANGELES
Friday, May 16th 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Long’s
18441 Ventura Boulevard
Tarzana, CA

Saturday, May 17th 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
K-Mart
6310 W. 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA

LAS VEGAS
Friday, June 6th 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Ulta
543 N. Stephanie Street
Henderson, NV 89014

PHOENIX
Saturday, June 7th 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Wal-Mart
14200 West Indian School Road
Goodyear, AZ

DALLAS
Saturday, June 14th 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Wal-Mart
1700 Dallas Parkway
Plano, TX

CHICAGO
Saturday, June 21st 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Ulta
9635 Skokie Blvd.
Skokie, IL

Sunday, June 22nd 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
K-Mart
3443 West Addison St
Chicago, IL

HOUSTON
Saturday, June 28th 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Ulta
1600 Lake Woodlands Drive
Woodlands, TX

Pocket Full of Posie (Tint)

I am SO smitten kitten with Benefit's new twist on their cult-fave BeneTint, Posie Tint. I've mentioned Benetint approximately 29367 times on this blog because I absolutely adore it to the point where it has established permanent residency in my makeup bag and I've repurchased it no less than 4 times despite its tendency to stain everything I own including my passport. But can't we agree that sometimes Benetint is a lot of color?

I had the opportunity to try out Posie Tint and I can officially declare it the Benetint for the recessive-gened set. It's an opaque, gorgeous petal pink that swipes on and leaves you with a coy flush on cheeks and imparts a lit-from-within glow on lips. It's a very Mercedes-of-License-to-Drive-fame pink.

Just one word of advice: when you apply your three cheek dots make sure to blend IMMED or you'll be left with the dots ALL day and will look like some kind of rash victim. Just saying.

Originally slated to debut in June, it's now available for $28 on benefitcosmetics.com. So you can be all, "Posie Tint, get out of my dreams and into my CAR."

The Firm.

LOVING Institut Esthederm's Body Biosculpt Firmness Cream. It's so rare to find a firming creme that improves skin's tone AND hydrates. This one absorbs quickly, imparts a light, sophisticated scent and is neither too thick, nor too runny. It'll set you back $62, so it's definitely a splurge... but I've found firming creams that smooth and silken skin are all too rare. The cream restructures the deep layers of the epidermis, improving the tonicity of the body and the firmness of the skin. Try it on out.

You're welcome,
Fabulista

Arte Y Pico Award

The fab Melissa picked BBJ to win the Arte Y Pico award! Thanks, Melissa! BTW, I just finished the second book in her series, Violet by Design and LOVED it. This one takes place mostly in Brazil. Can you even? There's even a fictional Gisele-type in the book whom Violet gets to work with. And a cute male Brazilian designer. Do check it out.

Here are the rules of the Arte Y Pico Award:

1. Pick 5 blogs that deserve the award for creativity, design, interesting material, and also contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his/her blog to be visited by everyone.

3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her/him the award itself.

4. The Award winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of Arte Y Pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5. To show these rules.

Here are the five bloggers who deserve the award, in my humble O:

MonkeyPosh: Parisjasmal is HILAR and features her dogs, shoes, beauty products, and amazing vaca pics.

NY Spender: A great resource for fashion advice and deals (her cat has his own column called Bullitt's Deals).

Eye4Style: The fabulous Dina is "full of opinions," but she's full of the ones I want. I'm so stocking up on the Honeydew panties she mentioned are on sale on her blog this week.

Fashion Binge: "So much style, you'll want to vom" is the tagline. Tamron and Mary-Kate provide me with much-needed afternoon comic relief. And Tamron abbreves her words on a level that parallels even my own.

My Life with Two Carry-Ons: Jammahs shares her hilarious anecdotes from her life as a consultant. She was even featured in American Airlines' in-flight magazine. Check it fo' sho'.

Carol's Column: Elizabeth Arden Day Renewal Emulsion

By Carol (my mother)

Greetings Everyone!

In honor of Mother’s Day, as the mother of the Fabulous Amber, I’ve been invited by my daughter to write about anti-ageing [ed. note: my mother INSISTS on spelling aging the British way. I think it's a byproduct of reading the FT.] products and/or other products aimed at the "mature woman."

Since I’ve always thought of ageing as an inevitable decline in physical beauty (we’ll leave spiritual beauty out of this for the nonce), I was shocked (in a good way) recently when I encountered a woman at a party whom I hadn’t seen in at least ten years. Formerly, my strongest impression of her was her almost garish coloring, i.e., extremely black hair juxtaposed with bright green eye shadow and ripe red lipstick. For a "woman of a certain age" it was a bit much. Flash forward to the party. She is now 81 years old, bent, and walking with a cane. But she looked gorgeous! Her hair was now a soft, dark grey, her eyes delicately shadowed and lovely. Her make-up was perfectly applied, everything in balance. She looked beautiful and I told her so. Twice. Apparently, physical beauty can emerge at any age. That is truly inspiring.

...

I have been using Elizabeth Arden’s moisturizing products for years. I adore them. My current, everyday standby is Elizabeth Arden Millenium Day Renewal Emulsion Traitement de Jour, $62. It comes in a square, glass jar with an unusually narrow opening, totally unsuited for fingertips. Included, therefore, is a tiny, long-handled spatula or ladle. How cute, I thought, initially. Later it became a tad annoying - just another thing to lose. (Note to Elizabeth Arden – lose the ladle and widen the lid.) The cream itself is lovely. Ordinarily, I use a heavier cream in winter and a lighter lotion as the weather gets warmer. So far, I find I can wear this transseasonally. Another bonus is the scent. It is pleasant and subtle.

Happy Mother's Day!

Tagged: Beauty Secrets

Miss Marina of Makeup Loves Me has tagged me to discuss my beauty secrets! Most of these selections I've fully reviewed in the past, so just type on in the names in the search bar on your right to learn more about each product.

My Foundation: I'm in an LTR (long term relash) with Elizabeth Arden Intervene SPF 15.

My Mascara: Lancome High Definicils.

My Blush: Therapy Systems Gel Blush in Portofino Rose- LOVE this stuff. It's a gorge sheer rose.

My Eye Shadow: Lately I'm loving a discontinued Clinique Shadow Trio in Metallic Pewter... that's about a DECADE old. I know. I KNOW. I never keep my cosmetics that long... except for this one. It's THE BEST gray/silver palette EVER IN THE WORLD. WHY, Clinique, WHY did you discontinue this? I'm almost totally out.

My Day Cream: Philosophy Hope in a Bottle Treatment Moisturizer.

My Lipstick: I'm not too into lipstick, but lately I'm loving Lancome Christopher Kane Juicy Tube in NYC Cinnamon Soho, the European version of their Red Hot New York Juicy Tube. They sent it as a gift and I am j'adoring it.

My Beauty Product Brand: This is so hard. I'll just say for hair, it's definitely T3 and for makeup, it's NARS, Benefit and tarte.

My Essential Beauty Product: Eye Liner. Without it, I look undead.

My Favorite Makeup Product: I'm most into glosses... I spend the most time analyzing and researching them.

My Perfume: Burberry Classic 97% of the time.

My Nails: I'm usually an Essie girl, but I'm loving ORLY and butter LONDON of late.

My Feet: Aquaphor on heels works WONDERS.

My Hands: I lurve Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve.

Three Products to bring on a deserted island: Mascara, La Mer The Lip Balm (WHAT), and Eye Liner.

Woman I Admire for their Beauty: E. Jean Carroll, Maureen Dowd, and Becki Newton (Amanda on Ugly Betty).

Woman with the Best Sense of Style: Grace Kelly, hands DOWN.

My Ultimate Dream: To be able to write what I want, whenever I want... and to somehow have medical benefits, be able to vacation twice a year, and a beach escape within driving distance of New York.

How Do I Define Womanhood: I don't really know... I consider myself a girl. Still.

My Favorite Fashion Publication: My two faves are ELLE and Teen Vogue. The former because they never insult women by skimping on the scientific thoroughness behind their unbelievably well-reported coverage and the latter because I ADORE the well-edited items they choose. I'm in awe of their fashion editors.

Tagging:
Jamie!

Mother's Day Gift Recs

I can't believe I'm this late to the Mother's Day party. I swear I'm planning on giving something to my mother, who is the best one EV. Just today she called me on the phone to laugh about these Bruno Magli shoes she saw while shopping. We obv have to hold a mini-summit every single time Bruno Magli shoes come up since 1997 when OJ Simpson referred to them as "ugly ass shoes."

Anywho. Here are two gifts your mom will LOVE:

butter LONDON Treatment Pack
butter LONDON has a fabulous treatment pack for manicures and everything your mom needs to heal, repair, and strengthen nails and cuticles. All products are free from Formaldehyde, Toluene, and DBP. The pack includes: Handbag Holiday, Cuticle Oil, Horse Power Nail, Fertilizer, Nail Foundation, Flawless Basecoat, Melt Away, Cuticle Eliminator, Hardwear, P.D. Quick Topcoat. $72 at www.butterlondon.com.

Smashbox Shockwave Fusion Eye & Cheek Palette
This Missoni-esque palette is so supercute and comes in the most darling two-tiered fabric-covered little baby drawer set. Includes eyeshadow in golden brown, beige, sage green, and turquoise and a cheek color in warm pink and rosy pink. Perf for moms on the go.

Rhianna on the Cover of ELLE

Rihanna is ELLE’s latest cover girl. Learn how to achieve her makeup concept and what she's saying about those Jay-Z rumors that just won’t die. To read the article, view photos and see the exclusive behind-the-scenes video from the shoot, click here.

In Honor of the Owner of the Best Curled Ends, Ever.

Sad news, friends. I was so sorry and stunned to learn of the passing of my FAVORITE teacher ever, Mrs. Patterson. She was recently diagnosed with cancer and died last Thursday. My BFF Lee called to tell me the news last night. We both took her mysteriously titled 7th grade Language class, and then took her phenom class Advanced Diction and Rhetoric as high school juniors. Mrs. Patterson, in addition to my mother, was my grammar MENTOR and is partially responsible for the fact that I'm so ridiculously consumed by it. It was she who introduced me to Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, three of my favorite books to this day.

I'm more upset about this than is reasonable. I sort of feel like the regulator of English grammar cannot POSSIBLY be gone. I worry that split infinitives and sentences ending with prepositions will plague the unfortunate students enrolled at WHS who weren't lucky enough to be in school during her at least 35 year tenure there.

We used to joke about her desire to teach a class solely on diagramming sentences - but I'd be the only one who'd have wanted to take it so the school system couldn't allow it. She used to lament about the dwindling usage of the word "whom" in the modern English lexicon. I think of her every time I use it. I even emailed her last year just to get her opinion on the abundance of bad grammar high school kids use on myspace and asked her if it was affecting their performance in her classes. She agreed that initially she was concerned that "text speak" and "myspace abbreviations" would find their way into her students' papers, but she assured me (with great relief of her own, she told me) that students' English skills were actually on the up and up due to the new SAT format which now boasts an extensive writing portion.


In honor of Mrs. Patterson's utterly phenom blonde (from a bottle, she once told me, but it looked VERY natural) hair, I must recommend the Marilyn Tuxedo Pro 2" brush. I also have the 3.5" one which is great for straightening and volume, but this 2" one gives your ends kicky curl. I have a feeling Mrs. Patterson used hot rollers (she was THAT kind of diva) but this will give you a similar effect.

Lee is attending the funeral this Friday at 3pm at Shaeff-Myers Funeral Home on Tennis Avenue in Ambler, PA in lieu of me as I can't take off of work but I KNOW the place will be packed to the gills. EVERYONE adored Mrs. Patterson.

I know she's somewhere right now diagramming the hell out of some sentences to her heart's content.

Naomi Watts is the New Face of ANGEL by Thierry Mugler

Naomi Watts is announced as the new icon for ANGEL by Thierry Mugler, at the May 5th press conference at NYC's Hotel on Rivington.

Photo credit: Jamie McCarthy/Wireimage.com

Beauty.com Partners with Lela Rose to Offer a Limited Edition Beauty Valise

FAB breaking news: Beauty.com has collaborated with New York fashion and wedding gown designer Lela Rose to offer customers a limited edition beauty valise filled with prestige beauty products. The exclusive Lela Rose Travel Bag comes just in time for vacay season and is available to customers with a purchase of $100 or more on Beauty.com.

The superchic limited edition Lela Rose "mini-valise" features Lela’s signature dot print for 2008 with vintage luggage trim and feminine detailing. The travel bag is perfect for toting beauty essentials, with useful built-in features such as brush holders and zippered plastic compartments for more delicate items. What's better than that? Not one thing.

The case, with products valued at more than $120, contains both deluxe and FULL SIZED favorites including:

ARCONA Cranberry Toner
Alterna Caviar Moisture Shampoo with Seasilk
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
L’OCCITANE Verbena Harvest Shower Gel
L’OCCITANE Verbena Harvest Body Lotion
Vincent Longo La Dolce Vita Lashes
Vincent Longo The Curl Mascara
Freeze 24/7 IceShield Facial Cleanser with Sunscreen SPF 15
Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash
tarte Cheek Stain in Tipsy


The limited edition mini-valise offer starts today, May 5. Happy Cinco de Mayo to US. I'm DYING to get my hands on one of those polka dot confections. J'adore Lela Rose.

Givenchy's Summer Collection

This just in, the highlights from Givenchy's Summer Collection:

Prismissime Mat & Glow Compact Face Powder

9-shade compact employs a variety of matte finish bronze hues that swirl
together to add a bronzed effect, plus shimmering golden tones to highlight
and provide warmth.
Shades: Natural, Sunny (Limited Edition)
Price: $50

Glitter to Go Fresh’n Shine Body Gel
Enhanced with golden and pink tones to enhance and enliven a tanned,
flushed glow, this cooling potion is perfect for drawing attention.
Packaged in take-everywhere sachets, they’re destined to be the beauty
staple of the season.
Price: $35 10 monodoses (Limited Edition)

Tan To Go SPF10 Sun Powder Spray, Instant Natural Tan

The lightweight formula provides uniform color, SPF 10 and antioxidant
protection from green tea extracts. In light or deep hues to provide a
healthy tan glow, this highly portable beauty tool gives the perfect
finishing touch.
Shades: Sandy Tan, Amber Tan (Limited Edition)
Price: $45

Pop Gloss Crystal Lip Gloss
Complete with volumizing iridescent accents, the juicy cherry or glittery
gold glosses provide a slick of seasonal color.
Shades: Tahiti Coral, Ibiza Pink (Limited Edition)
Price: $22.50

Prisme Again! Eyes Eyeshadow Quartet
In sand-and-sea-inspired hues of gold and azure, this palette allows for
infinite looks.
Shade: Summer Escape (Limited Edition)
Price: $49.50

Rouge Interdit Shine Ultra Shiny lipstick
More than a lipstick, this fashion accessory takes on a new look for
spring: An elegant sheer tube that delivers the ideal glossy finish to lips
and gives women a little je ne sais quoi! Encased in a jewel-inspired tube
that mimics the shine within, this new lipstick is available in twelve
shades, ranging from nude to bright.
Shades: 12 shades
Price: $26

Very Irrésistible Givenchy Summer Cocktail
Highlighted hair. Breezy chiffon. Everything gets lightened up in
anticipation of summer, even a signature scent. Inside this hot-pink
accented flacon lies a fragrance that captures the freshness of the season,
thanks to added notes of crushed mint leaves, while maintaining the
olfactive scent of the original rose-infused Very Irrésistible Givenchy
fragrance.
Price: $52 100ml (Limited Edition)

Very Irrésistible Givenchy Fresh Attitude for Men Summer Cocktail
The addition of spicy-sweet Star Anise takes this men’s scent to a bright
new level perfect for summer nights. Reminiscent of black Licorice, this
featured note combines with Peppermint and Grapefruit for a light-hearted
yet masculine experience.
Price: $52 100ml (Limited Edition)

Available May 2008 at select Sephora stores and Sephora.com.

Get Lippy

Hey, gals!

How was your weekend? Mine was exhaustion-inducing nearly to the point of mono, but so super FUN. Thursday was a party in the city at Buddah Bar and Tenjune and then Friday we drove out to Montauk where we relaxed for a night and then recommenced the wildness on Saturday. On Saturday afternoon, we went to the spa at Gurney's Inn Resort where I had an hour-long massage, an indulgence I never allow myself. Usually my massages are limited to a 10 minute one after a manicure on a rare basis. My massage guy, Michael, did a good job, but I am definitely sore still. I think we have a difference of opinion about what "medium pressure" means. He's very knowledgeable about vitamins and even took a class with Dr. Weil at Columbia. However, I didn't love when he informed me that I need to wear high heels far less often. The chances of that happening are slim to none, Michael. I'm a single gal in Manhattan. Anyway. Let's talk about my fave spring lip prods, mmkay?


Sara Happ Lip Scrub in Cocoa
I am totally smitten with this chocolate sugar exfoliater that eradicates all traces of snaggy lips. To me, it tastes of chocolate chocolate chip cookie dough, but maybe I eliminated sugar from my lifestyle too long ago. At $20 it's a bit on the steep side, but you need only a teeny amount each time. And it comes wrapped up in a most darling bow. It's like the Tiffany gift of lip treatments.

La Mer The Lip Balm
This balm is, well, THE BALM. Get it? It's an emulsion that works on contact to soften roughness, relieve dryness and flaking and help heal seriously dry lips. Includes a patented Lip Lipid Complex and an essential protein found in the arctic that helps insulate lip skin from extreme weather conditions. It also includes the original Miracle Broth™ with marine extracts, botanicals and vitamins to regenerate the delicate lip skin. At $45, it's the most expensive lip balm in my arsenal, but I just love the hell out of it. I've been using mine on a daily for the last month or so, and find it just tastes of luxury and is uber long-lasting. I also lurve the gorge mint-chocolate-chip-ice-cream-minus-the-chocolate-chips color and taste.

Wow. I've been on the South Beach Diet for the past 6 months to get in shape for Amber's wedding and it seems all I can talk about are desserts.

LOST Update

I watched it at 2am last night and a) fully agree with Jeff Jensen of EW's assertion that Claire is actually dead - she didn't survive the fire and b) I thought that ep (which was PHENOM) was absolutely teeming with Vanilla Sky and Alice in Wonderland references. Oh, and I'm beyond in love with Jack. Be back Sunday with more thoughts on the ep.

Have a great weekend, gals!

Weekend Beauty Reads from The Beauty Blog Network

Found out how The Daily Cookie gets her flawless face with Clinique!




SugarShock Beauty has fallen in love with Greek natural beauty line Korres's new Body Butters, which come in a pump-tube, so it's super-easy moisturizing for us time-pressed gals.




Raging Rouge tests dozens and dozens of pink lipsticks and glosses, and narrows the field down to the best pink lip colors of Spring 2008.




Beauty Anonymous shows you new colors of the DiorKiss Lip Gloss Line!



StyleBell uncovers simple and easy tips to help manage and control curly hair.



A Touch of Blusher reviews ck Calvin Klein's new mineral-based loose powder.



Product Girl is giving away 2 pairs of Tweezerman's Animal Print Slant tweezers!


Find out what Beauty Blogging Junkie recommends for achieving shimmery shoulders for summer.


Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog interviews MAC Cosmetics Senior Makeup Artist Jennifer Karsten and gets the skinny on how it's like to work with Kanye West.


The Makeup Divas reviews Bath and Body WorksHello Sugar! shimmering body lotion.


The Muse reviews Etude House'sSpring Collection from Korea!



The Beauty of Life no longer has to suffer from lash envy with the Dior Black Lash Kit.



Toya from The Life of A Ladybug got sucked in by Darac Beauty's Sifted Blur Powder and TorQuam brush! She doesn't want you to get sucked in, too!


Kyle at Face Candy gives you a peek at her favorite Makeup Minis.



Don't know why you should be rocking the sunscreen every day? Beauty411 reminds us that May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month!


makeup loves me introduces you to a non-chocolate truffle that she is confident you will still love!



Beauty Banter dishes on the top concealers on the market! Everything you need to know about covering-up and having a glowing complexion!



Glossypink reveals an essential warm-weather item to give your skin its sexiest glow ever!



Pursebuzz.com shows you how to create long lasting curls with just a few products. It's called the Wavy Waves.



Cybelesays introduces us to a new line of mineral makeup.



Kitiya from Mischo Beauty loves REN’s Mayblossom and Konjac Balancing Moisturiser and tells you why!

Just Another Reason I Hated the 90s

Dressy onesies that snap at the crotch! This GFY post is absolutely HILAR. Heather and Jessica, you slay me.

Spoiled Pretty is Hosting a Bridal Giveaway!

Do you know someone who's getting married in 2008?

My gal Daneen at Spoiled Pretty is giving away over $1400 in bridal beauty to someone who plans to get hitched before the year is out. Click here to find out more about the giveaway. You have until May 4 to enter.

Read the May Issue of The Beauty Ideal

Happy May Day, gals!
The May issue of The Beauty Ideal is live! Go on over there and read about what SPF-infused, waterproof, bronzing, and perfect pedicure products my fellow Beauty Ideal writers can’t wait to rock.

Click here to read my Letter from the Beauty Editor and here to read my story on SPF-Infused Beach Tote Fodder.

In other news, I am going to Montauk for Amber's bachelorette party weekend extravaganza at 0900 hours tomorrow morning, so I'm thinking there probably won't be any updates until Sunday or Monday. Miss you long time. I may or may not be able to watch LOST tonight but I'll def provide a LOST post by Monday. In case you were worried. It's a Jack-isode, my fave kind.

Also, don't miss Cintra Wilson's latest story on the Christian Louboutin boutique.

Have a phenom weekend, dolls!

P.S. That's Grace Kelly (pictured above) in To Catch a Thief on the beach in the French Riviera. Obv.

Kate Hudson on the Cover of People's Most Beautiful People Issue

Yay, Kate! Click here to read the article.

In other belated Kate news (I know, I'm totes behind b/c she's no longer the object of my girlcrush since Amanda from Ugly Betty came into my lifestyle) she has partnered with celeb hairstylist David Babaii to create David Babaii for WildAid, a hair-care line that donates 10% of proceeds to the animal-protection organization. The products come out this summer.

Light and Shiny Pink Gloss

My friend Amber is one of my BEST friends. We've been friends since 1998 when we were in the same class at BU even though I was totes hesitant to let someone into my lifestyle with my formerly unique name. I felt sort of like Buzz Lightyear did when he found out he was mass-produced. You know? Anywho.

Amber and I ALWAYS have the same fight. She LOVES a light, shimmery pink gloss. And who doesn't? She has the right coloring for it (blonde with blue eyes) but she sometimes chooses one that even Norma Arnold herself would dismiss for being too pearlescent. The city limits between Amanda Sommers (pictured, left)City and Magdaville are so vague. The good news is that I've identified a PERF pink gloss.

Dior Ultra-Gloss Reflect in Tinsley Pink
I already notified you of the launch of this shimmery bubblegum pink gloss. I got to test it out yesterday and I am lurving it. It manages to be girly and fun without being too light, nor too silvery-reflective a la Magda.

Also, if you live in NYC, read on:
Tinsley Mortimer, the socialite who is the gloss's namesake, will make a
personal appearance at Saks NYC on Thursday May 15. Attendees can meet Tinsley and learn how to recreate her favorite day and night beauty looks using Tinsley Pink Ultra-Gloss Reflect. A portion of the proceeds from Tinsley Pink will
go to Operation Smile.

Thursday May 15th
12pm - 2pm
4pm - 6pm Masterclass - by appointment only
Call 212-940-2181 to call to reserve

*Between 2 and 4 Tinsley will be greeting customers on the floor