beauty
Linea Pro Swarovski Crystal C2 Iron
Filed under: Gadgets, Cosmetics and Fragrance
Linea Pro Appliances knows how much girls love sparkly things and that bling isn't reserved for going out. Even the most time-consuming Monday morning grooming routine will get an instant glamor boost from a Linea Pro Swarovski Crystal C2 iron (how could you not feel fabulous as you use it?).Linea is the only company in the world allowed to use Swarovski on a flat iron and the 2500+ crystals are all hand applied with a special heat-proof glue. The flat iron itself features extra long titanium plates, a PTFC heater (originally created by NASA), tourmaline-infused ceramic, the world's first digital cord temp control with auto shut-off, and Exclusive Nano-Silver that kills 99.9% of bacteria.
Each iron is individually numbered and made to order $850.
Five Rules for Maintaining Healthy Skin
Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance
Our morning routine is no time for self indulgence. Typically, five minutes is all most of us can afford to devote to skin care before we head out for the day. However, incorporating these five skin care rules into your daily lives will ensure that you'll never need more than those 5 minutes to keep up that ageless appearance.Rule #1: Avoid the sun!
Sure we all look better with a tan, but before this trend was popular, paleness was a sign of beauty and wealth. So where did we go awry? Well leave it to Coco Chanel to ignite a complete reversal of the image when arriving home from a vacation looking bronze. This must have been the birth of the freckle, sun spot, and skin cancer. Thankfully, with the advent of sunless tanning, we can achieve the sun kissed look sans the damage. However, it does not protect our skin from those nasty ultraviolet (UV) rays. So, never leave the house without applying sunscreen, at least SPF 15. Most facial lotions already have it mixed in, but be sure to double check the label. Additionally, avoid the sun during the "Prime Tanning Hours" of 10am-4pm. If you do expect to spend an extended period of time out during this time frame wear sun glasses, and a wide brimmed hat. Squinting leads to the development of crows feet, and UV rays also cause eye damage. Hats provide an extra layer of protection, and will also keep color treated hair from fading prematurely.
Birchbox - The Luxe Beauty Gift that Keeps on Giving
Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance
Birchbox is a service which, for the low price of $10 per month (or $110 if you'd like to give a year's subscription as a gift), provides you with brand new luxury beauty products to try right in your mailbox. It's like moonlighting as a beauty editor for a women's magazine, only you get all the perks and none of the pesky deadlines.Basically, you know how you see all those fabulous beauty products on the shelves and wonder what using them would be like, and whether they're worth it? Stores have become so stingy with samples and rubbing a little lotion from a tester on the back of your hand doesn't really give you any indication of long-term results. Birchbox eliminates this problem by sending you samples -- big, fat samples, not the weensy ones -- of new high-end beauty products every month. You can even personalize your selection by indicating your coloring, skin type and personal style.
And, if you like something Birchbox sends you, you can go to Birchbox.com and buy the full size directly from the site. This, as well as referring friends and completing surveys about products (both totally optional), earns you reward points, 100 of which results in a $10 gift card good for anything on Birchbox.com. Brands include Naturopathica, Luxist favorite Laura Mercier, Tatcha, Kiehl's, NARS, Stila, Too Faced and more.
I wasn't sure that Birchbox was necessarily the right fit for Luxist, but then I saw the glee on my friend Beth's face when her Birchbox, made of 100 percent recycled materials, arrived. As she rifled through the sizeable samples, excited to try out the products chosen especially for her, I realized that Birchbox has all the makings of a luxury gift: high-end products, generous servings, personalization and delightful packaging. It's like getting a special present every month. Birchbox is truly the luxe beauty gift that keeps on giving.
Luxist Giveaway: Win a Zappos Gift Card
Filed under: Apparel, Handbags, Jewelry, Shoes, Holiday Guides, Children, Men's Style
You know you've been browsing Zappos on your lunch hour under the guise of holiday shopping for friends and family, but admit it, you always see a little something you'd love too, and you slip it into your cart. I do the same thing. You've learned that whether you're shopping for yourself or for someone else for the holidays, or any time, Zappos is your go-to place. Much more than just shoes, the easy-to-shop (and fun-to-shop) site also offers clothing, bags, housewares, and watches, and even beauty products, eyewear, jewelry, and sporting goods, for men, women, and kids. You can't beat the free shipping and free 365-day return policy, either. Check out the Holiday Gift Guide for ideas!Here's some more good news. Luxist wants to make things easier on you and your wallet this month. Our great friends at Zappos offered us one $100 gift card to give to a lucky reader selected at random. To enter, follow the instructions below.
* Leave a confirmed comment below telling us what one item from the site you would love to buy for yourself or for someone else.
* The comment must be left and confirmed no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 14, 2010.
* One entry per person. Multiple entries will be disqualified.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing and notified by e-mail.
* One winner will receive a $100 gift card for use on Zappos.com, to be delivered by postal mail.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.
See the complete rules here.
The contest is closed. The winner will be notified by e-mail by December 17. Thanks for participating!
Luxist Giveaway: Two Bobbi Brown 'Beauty Rules' Books and Makeup Palettes
Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance, Books
It's not every day we get to do a Bobbi Brown giveaway! The fabulous makeup artist whose natural-looking products we love has given us two of her brand new Beauty Rules books and corresponding makeup palettes (above) to give to you.
You may remember Teenage Beauty, which Bobbi Brown released ten years ago and which became a New York Times best-seller. This new book is geared at the younger set again and aims to help them with the boatload of new dilemmas the information age presents, like Facebook photos. There are tips on everything from beauty and makeup to eating right and exercise, and advice on being a good friend.From Bobbi herself:
The corresponding makeup palette is a fabulous collection of fresh eyeshadows, luscious rouges, balms, glosses and a creamy black eyeliner pencil. You can purchase it separately at BobbiBrown.com for $45.00."I wanted to use real girls in this book because I wanted girls to be able to pick up Beauty Rules and be able to find themselves in the book, no matter what body type, ethnicity, age, etc. It is important for girls to see realistic portrayals of beauty and to recognize that no matter what they may think, everyone is beautiful and has at least one feature that they can play up and enhance."
But wouldn't it be more fun to get it for free? Here's how:
**UPDATE** This giveaway is now closed. Winners will be notified by email.
* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed by October 26, 2010.
* You may only enter once (multiple entries will be deleted).
* Two winners will be selected in a random drawing.
* Two winners will receive both a Beauty Rules book by Bobbi Brown and the corresponding makeup palette, a prize valued at $69.95 each.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older.
See full giveaway rules here.
Packing Is Easier with 3floz.com
Filed under: Services, Cosmetics and Fragrance, Men's Style, Luxury Shopping
With the fall and winter travel holidays right around the corner, you need 3floz.com. Launched earlier this year, this site stocks TSA-approved sizes of popular (including high-end) beauty brands. No more need to create your own minis, and if you're like me, risk spilling half the bottle as you try to transfer some of your favorite toner or lotion to a smaller bottle. The site is easy to navigate -- you can look up products by category or brand; pick up a kit; search by organics-only; and even browse for products for men and babies. Great for sampling, too, if you aren't ready to commit to a full-size product. Free shipping when you spend $100 or more.
Beauty By Clinica Ivo Pitanguy Expands Line, Gets New Look
Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance
For over forty years, Brazil's Dr. Ivo Pitanguy has been responsible for movie stars, royalty and politicians' new looks. Now his expanded skin care line get a face-lift of its own, just in time for New York's Fashion's Night Out.
Developed by Pitanguy at his Rio clinic and produced in Switzerland, Beauty by Clinica Ivo Pitanguy comprises a line of serums, creams and treatments meant to replicate the procedures performed at his South American headquarters. Products like the moisture imparting PreVious Rebalancing Formula and cleansing Dermomask employ natural extracts, were tested under rigid dermatologic and ophthalmologic controls, and contain no coloring or artificial scents. Starting this Friday, during the second Fashion's Night Out event, Beauty by Clinica Ivo Pitanguy will launch a new "Specifics" line, beginning with their Ultimate Eye Cream. Available exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman (and later at select Neiman Marcus stores), the cream boasts an innovative ceramide-peptide combination and white lupine extract to ameliorate the appearance of fine lines and sagging skin. As for the packaging, the Specifics line will be differentiated by its luxury inspired gold wrapping.
If you can't make it to Rio, or Pitanguy's private island, the new line will provide all of the good doctor's fabled benefits along with his most cherished product: discretion.
The Magic of Montreux and the Swiss Riviera
Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels
The Swiss Riviera is undeniably one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Whether you stay in the five-star Beau-Rivage Palace or shack up for a more reasonable price at a UNESCO World Heritage Site winery (like this one), the landscape alone will soothe your soul and inspire your mind. One particular gem along the glistening string of Lake Geneva towns is Montreux.
You may have heard of Montreux in relation Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms (it served as a safe-haven for Catherine Barkley and Lt. Frederic Henry) or the Montreux Jazz Festival, an annual event curated by Claude Nobs which has featured nearly every great artist of the last 44 years (that's how long it's been running), from Aretha Franklin to Prince, from Miles Davis to the Black Eyed Peas. Though no longer focused specifically on jazz, but more on popular music of the times, the festival has become one of the most prestigious in Europe -- this year, they are operating with a 22 million Swiss Franc budget (about $20,992,356) -- and you can be sure the performers don't mind spending time on Lake Geneva (above).
Diane Kruger Will Be the Face of Calvin Klein's "Beauty"
Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance
Model-turned-actress Diane Kruger will be the face of Calvin Klein's newest fragrance, "Beauty." The fragrance's notes are a mystery, and will remain so until fall, when the line launches. Kruger will star in the global print and television advertising campaign. Here's a sneak peek at the ad. Kruger, known for her style perhaps more so than for her acting, also is the face of L'Oreal Paris, representing the brand's hair care, hair color, and makeup, in particular its latest foundation, Mat'Morphose.
La Vie Celeste Goes to the Golden Globes
Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance
Next January's Golden Globe celebrity gift bags will have something new and special ---La Vie Celeste Day and Night Restorative Face Cream. Teri Dourmashkin, who created La Vie Celeste, a new skin care company, which makes face cream, eye cream, cleanser, toner, and a lightweight exfoliating mask, doesn't make foolish promises. Unlike so many new start ups cosmetic industry heads, she is low-key, stressing results but not the flawless skin of a Stepford wife, Instead, she talks about ingredients like R-Lipoic Acid, which she says has superior anti-aging benefits and is more effective than the more commonly used Alpha Lipoic Acid. All of her company's products are gentle, well-tested, and totally non-toxic. "I am a big believer in a simple regime," says Dourmashkin who has a doctorate in health education from Columbia University. "The more ingredients you add to a product, the greater the risk of irritation or a possible allergic reaction. Our products are fragrance free and unlike many brands, we don't load up with essential oils which can be irritating for some women," she says.
Although they will be introduced to retail outlets in the fall, currently you can order La Vie Celeste products online at www.laviecelesteskincare.com. The entire range of products from eye cream to an exfoliating mask are made in Loveland, Colorado in small batches. As one of Dourmashkin's goals is to keep things simple, affordable, yet elegant, her prices are realistic considering their ingredients and effectiveness. A three-piece kit with cleanser, toner, and face cream will set you back only $85 with free shipping, a $20 saving over ordering each item individually. The face cream alone, $45, can be used morning and night, even under the eyes. All of Dourmashkin's products are made for sensitive skin and are not guaranteed to eliminate imperfections, but they can surely lighten, brighten and reduce some of those irritating signs of aging,
Anastasia Beverly Hills Essential Brow Kit
Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance
Anastasia Soare, the brow specialist in Los Angeles who trims the brows of celebrities like Victoria Beckham, Megan Fox and Catherine Zeta Jones, has put together a Kit for Perfect Brows and Eyes (above) which will be available exclusively at Sephora this May.
The kit, which I took for a test drive this morning, includes a number of products to make your brows and eyes brighter, and create that "Perfect Triangle" for which Soare is known. The attractive little kit is about 6" x 3" x 1.5" and comes with DVD Instructions to help you achieve your perfect eyebrows.The products include:
- Cooling Eye Brightener
- Mini Lash Lifting Mascara
- Stencils
- Brow Powder Duo
- Precision Tweezers
- Clear Brow Gel
- Mattle Camille Highlighter
- Mini Duo Brush
If you're like me, and have several pairs of tweezers but only use one, you'll be delighted to find these slant tipped tweezers are both sharp and fine, and with a strong grip. The real gem of the package, though, is the stencil set. Find the stencil that matches your shape and you can be sure you're creating even, well-arched brows that follow the Golden Ratio. The stencils make life easier for anyone who's ever looked at their brows and thought: "Is that even? Is the shape weird? Should I tweeze more there or more there?"
The only thing missing from the kit, it my opinion, is a small pair of scissors for snipping those brow hairs that play a vital role but go a little too far. Beyond that, I found all the products, especially the eye brightener and highlighter, terrific -- and while I'd probably ditch the case and consolidate them into my usual makeup bag, this set makes a great gift and/or kit for when all you know about eyebrows is tweezing or your local salon, and you don't know where to start.
The Anastasia Beverly Hills Kit for Perfect Brows and Eyes will be available exclusively from Sephora stores nationwide May 6, 2010 for $75.00.
What Your Stylist Won't Tell You
Is your hair stylist being completely honest with you? Chances are she's not, as no matter how close the two of you are there are certain things he or she is probably thinking but wouldn't dare say out loud. Here are a few of the most common.- "I can't work miracles. I can give you that celebrity's haircut but I can't give you her face."
- "This is a business so although we might be friends please call if you're running late. It's just basic respect."
- "Don't ask me to 'squeeze you in' when I'm already booked. It would mean rushing through or taking time away from others and that's bad for my business and hardly fair to other clients."
- "I'm a good listener, not a therapist. I know about hair, not relationship problems and mental disorders."
- "Your hair changes with your hormones so if you're pregnant or menopausal it might not hold curls the way it used to or become brittle and limp. Don't blame me, just see a doctor."
- "You're lucky children's haircuts don't cost more than yours, and they definitely shouldn't cost less. Kids don't sit still, they kick, and they scream. It isn't easy."
- "A dollar doesn't buy anything anymore so you should tip at least $3, more if you have long hair or got a special treatment."
- "A trim is never "just" a trim because it takes both my expertise and my time. Would you let your neighbor do it? Or one of your friends even? No? I didn't think so."
Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color
Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance
Tom Ford is continuing his dive into the realm of beauty products with the upcoming release of the Tom Ford Private Blend Lipstick Collection. Consisting of 12 different shades all based on classics we know and love, Ford told WWD "I took the most universally flattering colors that a woman can wear, and then I re-imagined them in a modern and authoritative way." All Private Blend lipsticks will contain moisturizers like murumuru butter and soja seed and will come in a pretty gold and ivory case, along with a price tag of $45 each. Look for them this month in Europe and here in the States starting June 1st. Via BellaSugar
The Best (and Worst) Anti-Aging Foods
Filed under: Dining
Everybody wants to look and feel young, healthy, and vibrant, but unfortunately our lives don't always make achieving that goal easy. Stress, pollution, activities, and even the food we eat can affect how fast and how gracefully we age. Are you making diet choices that will keep you looking young?The best anti-aging foods:
- Berries like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries are especially high in Vitamin C that helps to reduce wrinkles and age-related skin dryness, fiber that boosts heart health and helps maintain a healthy weight, antioxidants that fight against environmental and dietary toxins, and polyphenols that are thoughts to battle age-related mental decline.
- Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and swiss chard have high levels of Vitamin K that helps keep bones strong and lutein and zeaxanthin that together keep vision sharp by protecting eyes from the harmful effects of ultraviolet light.
- Whole grains such as whole wheat, brown rice, and oats are full of a wide variety of nutrients and minerals that help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and even gum disease. Whole grains are also full of appetite-curbing fiber for help maintaining a healthy weight.
- Low-fat dairy because its protein can help maintain healthy strong muscles (age-related muscle loss makes you look and feel older) while its minerals can help keep bones strong and blood pressure within healthy limits.
- Water helps all of the functions in your body, including waste and toxin removal and skin rejuvenation, work better and faster. Dehydration strains body systems but is especially bad for the skin, making it appear dull, less supple, and wrinkles more pronounced.
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