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When the weather gets colder, the last thing I usually want to do is use products containing menthol, peppermint or other ingredients that lead to a chill factor (alas, all candy cane holiday novelties will get no love from me).  Around October these products are usually relegated to the closet to wait for warmer weather. So while I’m a little upset that I am just now discovering Earth Science Mint Tingle Purifying Facial Masque, I couldn’t be happier to have found such an effective mask–even if it’ll have me shivering in my drafty apartment.

Formulated for oily/combination and acne-prone skin, this bentonite clay mask removes toxins and other impurities, while its high concentration of menthol, peppermint and spearmint encourages new cell growth through intense epidermal stimulation. Azulene (a natural blue chromosome found in German chamomile flowers) lends a brilliant vibrant blue color to the mask (reason enough to use it!). Glycerin and witch hazel ensure moisture and clarity, leaving skin balanced, toned and refreshed.

A word on the intensity: This mask doesn’t pull any punches. My eyes actually watered for the first few minutes after my initial application–it’s that powerful.  While still completely worth it (part of the fun, even), sensitive skin types, no matter how oily or blemished, may want to try a spot test prior to diving right in.  Which reminds me–the mask also serves as an excellent overnight spot treatment. So even if you can’t handle the full experience, you’ll love the results when used as a spot treatment, and the 4 oz. tube will end up lasting you forever.

Pureology NOCC gift pack

Whether you’re a Philadelphia resident, or just planning to be in the area on September 12th, 2009, try to take some time out of your morning for a great cause.  The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition is holding its annual Walk to Break the Silence, and superior hair care brand, Pureology, is a premier sponsor. Walk participants get their own thank-you kit containing Purology shampoo and conditioner, as well as a teal bandana (pictured).

From the company:

Pureology Serious Colour Care prides itself on maintaining a strong association with charitable organizations.  As an ongoing initiative, Pureology supports ovarian cancer awareness and is excited to continue its involvement with the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) as the exclusive hair care and styling Premier Sponsor.  Throughout 2009, the NOCC will host a series of NOCC Walks to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer with Premier Sponsor Pureology around the U.S.

“Known as the “silent killer,” ovarian cancer is the most deadly of all women’s reproductive cancers.  More than 23,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year, and more than 16,000 will die from the disease, ” explains Shae Kalyani, Vice President of Marketing for Pureology.  “Pureology is working with the NOCC, salons, and consumers to increase participation for each Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer and generate fundraising ideas to raise funds that will help raise awareness about ovarian cancer.”

Pureology will be on-site at each walk, distributing reusable travel kits containing EssentialRepair Shampoo, EssentialRepair HairCondition and a teal Pureology bandana to walk participants.

For more information, please visit NOCC’s website.  See you there!

Phyl Couture Fall'09: Catherine Cami in Emerald

Jamie Phyl, the New York City based clothing designer of Phyl Couture offers a simple philosophy regarding women’s clothing. She believes that women feel the most stylish and sexy when comfortable in what they are wearing. Anyone who has required the assistance of their doorman to button, sew, tuck and/or zip them into a garment will appreciate the styling of this contemporary designer. Jamie truly understands that women want to feel confident and is able to deliver it beautifully. Through the prevalent use of soft jersey, her body-conscious designs are positively charming with flirty touches such as architectural detailing, bows, buttons and stitching.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Jamie’s early interest in fashion was influenced by her grandparents—a fashion designer and master tailor. Jamie further honed her skills at the highly regarded Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. Prior to opening her own line, Jamie sought guidance and experience while working in design and merchandising at Amani Collezioni, Ralph Lauren, Liz Claiborne and Tracy Reese.

Check out Phyl Couture online as well as in boutiques throughout the United States.

My exclusive interview with Jamie Phyl, below:

Jamie (right) working with a model in her studio

What is it that inspires you?

I am inspired by many things: art, architecture, music and textiles.  One thing that inspires me the most is interior design. I love wallpaper and upholstery prints.

I love the color stories that I find in table linens and carpet and pillow designs.  And I love putting them all together in new and interesting ways.

How do you translate that through your designs?

One main way I translate it is through my color palette. I always find new ways to put colors together by looking at interiors. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re in need of a gentle, all natural cleanser for the last remaining days of summer, look no further than Elemental Herbology Cool & Clear Facial Cleanser.  This balancing cleanser is perfect for skin that is still suffering from a bit of sun stress, yet also needs oil control — often a tough combination to find in a cleanser.  The cleanser is infused with water lily, aloe and green tea extract to cool, sooth and calm.  Olive oil gently and naturally purifies pores, and lavender and tea tree oil reduce redness and provide antibacterial action.  This cleanser is fragrance-free, and won’t irritate even the most sensitive or acne-prone skin types. Bonus: the sturdy glass pump-bottle is a unique addition to any shower.

Caudalie’s Merlot Friction Scrub is hands down the best scrub I’ve ever used.  Meant to firm and tone (the jury’s still out on that), it combines grape seed oil with brown sugar and essential oils of peppermint, sweet mint and lemon.  The scrub offers moderate exfoliation when used at least twice a week, and will have your skin glowing in no time. The wonderful thing about this scrub is that it caters to absolutely every skin type, meaning not only everyone can use it, but also the same person can use it on all areas of her body.  From décolletage to feet, this scrub provides the perfect amount of care! I have to say, though, that my favorite thing–the thing that will keep it in my shower forever– is the fact that it does not leave skin greasy, oily or slippery. Unlike most sugar body scrubs, this one leaves skin soft and radiant without the mess.

“It’s Parisian,” says designer Nicolas Ghesquiere of Balenciaga about his fall 2009 collection. Parisian inspiration was reflected at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris last spring, where the fall runway show was held. As an enthusiastic admirer of Mr. Ghesquiere’s designs, it will come as no surprise to those who know me that I am fully capable of fawning over the sole of a shoe he has conceptualized. Which, dear readers, is the case today. I am a fool for very few things in life. Stray cats and dogs, a summer thunderstorm and now, admittedly, a particular line of shoes. More specifically, their soles.

Now, more about the shoes! Yes, these shoes keep right in step with the platform sensation still hitting cat and sidewalks alike. The heels are high and sexy as ever. What’s more is the stylish rounded toe on both sandals and booties. A bright sash here, a jewel-toned bow there and suede and knit jersey fashioned into caging. Brilliant! Now, while many heels require a scraping  on their soles prior to wearing (I point to you, Swiss Army Knife), these shoes actually have a wondrously thick rubber sole. Chunky, heavy and stomp-worthy. Wear them in a rain storm–once you have treated the fabric; wear them dancing all night long; wear them in the bath tub–they are that irresistible.

I give you Paris, via a sampling of the divine craftsmanship and design expertise that is Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquiere. Stomp on, my friends!

I know that things have been a little bit quiet around here lately (Hannah and I are busy ladies!), but I am practically going to scream at the top of my lungs to announce that TheFairest.com has launched and it is absolutely fabulous.

The brand new Web site is a beauty junkie’s dream come true. Exclusive, high-end products are selling at a fraction of their retail prices– up to 75% off.

And these people aren’t joking around. Today on the site you will find sales from Stila, Coola Suncare and Jurlique. Some of the steep discounts include Stila eye shadow palettes for $16 (marked down from $32), Jurlique’s Biodynamic Beauty Serum for $30 (marked down from $75) and Coola Lipluxe SPF balm, a favorite of mine, for $6 (marked down from $12).

The sales will usually last between 24 and 48 hours or until all products sell out. Once you sign up you will get email alerts so you can keep track of sales and if you invite friends to join (through email) you will receive a $10 credit if they join and make a purchase.

Upcoming sales on the site include Butter London nail polish, Tarte Cosmetics, Cosmedicine Skincare and Korres beauty products.

Go now and get shopping!

While I was getting ready for work this morning it occurred to me that I’ve never mentioned a product I use and rely on every single day. Now seems like as good a time as any to introduce you to FACE Stockholm’s Brow Shadow.

Well-defined brows are definitely going to be trendy during the fall season. We saw the bushy-brow look on several runway shows and it doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. Plucking perfectly arched lines is not going to cut it this year.

I grew up without ever plucking, trimming or grooming my eyebrows. I never gave them much thought. But about a year ago, in a picture of myself, I noticed that my brows were barely visible. So I took steps towards changing that in the way of brow markers, eye shadow, etc. The problem with some brow products is they fail to look natural. The last thing you want is to look like you’ve drawn on your eyebrows with a Sharpie marker. Many products also don’t last throughout the day and I didn’t want to redo my brows in the middle of the day crouched over a sink my office bathroom. It’s simply not practical.

But when I found FACE Stockholm’s Brow Shadow, I knew that I would never be needing another brow-filling product again. This one is perfect. The shadow is available in five different shades so it is easy to find one that fits your skin tone and hair color (I use the medium brown shade called Myrrah). The application is extremely simple– just take a small brush, dip it in the soft powder (you don’t need much) and start to fill in your brow line with short, upward strokes. The result is amazingly natural and incredibly long lasting. The powder really catches the hairs and doesn’t budge until I take my makeup off at night.

One individual powder does run $24, but it will definitely last a long time. Like I said, I’ve been using this product every day for months and I still haven’t seen the bottom of the pan. I genuinely love this stuff.

By now loyal friends and readers know of my devotion to Jonathan Product. While the brand always has the basics covered with perfected formulas for their shampoos and conditioners, they’ve cornered the market on those rare didn’t-know-they-existed-but-can’t-live-without-them products like Redo, Dirt and Brushable Lifting Spray (to name a few). Well Jonathan has done it again, and actually, I’m behind the game when it comes to keeping up with their latest launches. But today I’m talking about the all-natural (and vegan!) Green Rootine line, which consists of four refreshing hair care items that will get your hair into a naturally healthy state, without sacrificing any luxury or efficacy.

First up: Green Rootine Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner. These mild yet effective essentials are free of all chemicals and preservatives, and enhanced instead by olive oil, aloe vera, black cumin, avocado oil, shea butter and orange and spearmint oils. The scent is the most uplifting botanical spearmint—not in any way medicinal or reminiscent of toothpaste, which was my initial concern before trying them. The shampoo is in a foaming pump bottle that activates the liquid to a light yet rich foam with each pump. Since it’s already in its foam state, the amount of time required to work up to a foam is eliminated, resulting in a much more gentle wash (note, if your hair is especially dirty or oily, leave the shampoo on only the roots/scalp for up to 60 seconds). The conditioner is thick and creamy, and while you can definitely leave it on for a few minutes if your hair is excessively dry, damaged or brittle, a quick comb-through is all that is really required with this formula.

The Green Rootine Silkening Crème is quite possibly the only styling product you’ll need. The thick, silky formula emulsifies in wet hair to provide heat protection, flyaway and frizz prevention and just the slightest boost in volume. Can be used on finished styles for extra shine, hold and moisture.

Finally, the Green Rootine Dry Shampoo Brush On Hair Powder (available in Light or Dark) has been a hair savior this summer. This portable brush and powder tube gets to work anytime it’s needed to absorb oil, detox and purify the scalp and boost volume. Brushed directly onto the roots, the powder instantly blends and rejuvenates not-so-fresh hair, giving it a new lease on life. Bonus: It extends the life of a great blowout!

New and inventive mascaras were all the rage last year and several brands released vibrating mascara wands to much fanfare and applause. But the products put out by Lancôme, Estée Lauder and Prescriptives were tough on the wallet, usually averaging around $32 per tube.

So it was exciting news when discount makeup giant Maybelline announced that they would be releasing the first pulsating drugstore mascara at a fraction of the price.

Like many other women, I was extremely excited to try Maybelline’s Define-A-Lash Pulse Perfection Mascara when it hit counters earlier this summer. Due to my affinity for Maybelline products, I had high hopes that this would be my mascara of choice for years to come. Unfortunately I was somewhat disappointed.

Like other vibrating mascaras, this one pulses with thousands of vibrations (7,000 in this case) per second. Although there is a slight tickling feeling when you first go to use it, the vibrating is barely noticeable and it is easy to get used to the strange sensation.

At first, the product seemed to be doing what it claimed on the package. It immediately helped to lengthen and curl my lashes with ease. I especially liked the long, skinny brush, which made it easy to reach the corner lashes lining my lid. However, I began to notice problems when I attempted to put on multiple coats. After two coats my lashes became clumpy, stiff and stuck together. The color (I chose Blackest Black) was wonderful– deep and dark– but the formula left me frustrated. Throughout the day, I experienced a fair amount of flaking as well. Read the rest of this entry »

I first discovered Space NK when I was about 12, reading a UK magazine publication that I can’t recall the name of at the moment. Though I’d never tried Space NK products specifically, I was fascinated by founder Nicky Kinnaird’s story, recounting her memories of peaking into other people’s bathroom cabinets as a child, in order to discover their beauty secrets. I could identify. (NB: that’s a 10-year-old off-the-top-of-my-head recollection of an editorial blurb that’s stuck with me. Be nice.). I always meant to try an actual Space NK product, and this summer I did just that.

Space NK’s Laughter eau de toilette is one of the best fragrances I’ve tried in the last year, and I’ve tried hundreds. Created with Kinnaird and world-renowned perfumer, Christopher Sheldrake, the scent is intended to evoke sun-drenched orange groves near the southern Mediterranean. Despite the abundance of citrus-inspired fragrances on the market today—especially in the summer, Laughter maintains a stunning uniqueness that is as bold as it is delicate. Top notes of bergamot, grapefruit and lime drift above juniper berry, angelica root and verbena, anchored by sensual patchouli, musk, amber and ginger. Equally spicy, woodsy and fresh, this fragrance has invited more compliments and Oh-my-god-what-are-you-wearings than any I’ve worn in ages. The scent lasts a bit longer than most EDTs—about 4-6 hours, and is almost unisex.