Cyber Monday at Tarte Cosmetics

If you're a tarte lover like me, today only you can save 40% at tartecosmetics.com with the code CYBERMON09. Plus you get free shipping with orders over $50 and a free paul and holly double-ended lipgloss if you spend $25. Stock up on your favorite products or try something new. My picks are any of the lock & roll creaseless cream & powder duo (I especially love bronze), any shade of the cheek stains, mineral powder bronzer in park ave. princess and the 24/7 natural lip sheers.

If you need to pick up some gifts for your friends, family, or yourself, the holiday collection is perfect for the beauty lover on your list. Check out my post here for the lowdown on what's included.

Airplane Travel: Your Skin's Worst Nightmare

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday weekend filled with family, friends and plenty of food. For many of us, the holidays mean not only lots of food, but lots of travel, and with me specifically, it involves getting on a plane and praying that the flight isn't delayed/cancelled/oversold. I've been quite the jet-setter recently, having moved out of state and having to fly back frequently to the east coast, and have noticed a disturbing phenomenon: my skin looks like hell after flying. The yucky airplane air makes me breakout like crazy, while simultaneously dehydrating my skin. Not cute. Have no fear, I've found the solution to this major problem.

To battle breakouts: I apply Kinerase Clear Skin Treatment Serum before boarding. This lightweight serum does it all - treats and prevents breakouts and controls oil, while kinetin fights the signs of aging. I also like to use it day and night for a few days after my flight just to keep everything in check. At $79 it is a bit pricey, but it works, and if you just use it at key times when you need a little breakout prevention (flying, pms) it will last a long time.

To battle dryness: Creme de la Mer is the mother of all moisturizers for a reason. It's super hydrating, and I've also found that it really soothes skin that's been irritated from windburn. We all know this is expensive: $130 for 1 oz., but unless your skin is severely dry, you really don't need to use this everyday (the Lotion and Gel Creme however are perfect for daily use on skin that's combo or normal). It's also super concentrated, so you only need to use a tiny amount. A more budget-friendly option is Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream (also a cult fave) at $17.

One of my favorite things to do to refresh is just spritz my face with a little Evian Facial Spray. It's an instant pick me up when you're feeling stale, for lack of a better word. And of course, don't forget the lip balm and hand cream. I love to carry on Smith's Rosebud Salve, which works wonders on everything from dry, cracked lips and hands, to ragged cuticles, burns, even frizzy hair and when you're carrying on, the less crap you take with you, the better.

Happy traveling!

Leave it to Lamas

No, I'm not talking about that trainwreck of an E! show, I'm talking about Lamas Beauty, an all-natural line of hair, skin, and bath and body products. I have a very un-PC confession to make here: I'm not really into natural products; I prefer chemically-based ones. I just think that sometimes the naturals just aren't as effective; I feel like I need a little science in my beauty products. Lamas Beauty basically changed my thoughts on natural because the products work well and evoke a feeling of a little luxury, not that crunchy, granola feeling I get when I use other natural products.

My favorite line in the brand is hands down the Chinese Herb collection of shampoo, conditioner, scalp serum, nutrient mist and styling cream. Each product in the line features rare Chinese herbs that stimulate hair growth, strengthen weak, thinning hair and soothe the scalp. If you're looking to grow or strengthen your hair, these products get the job done. The shampoo also feels nice and tingly and I love using the styling cream on both wet and dry hair. It's perfect for smoothing the ends of second (or third!) day hair after you've fluffed it with some dry shampoo.

Pick up the products via the Lamas website.

The Eye Cream Diaries: SK1N Verdict

As I mentioned in previous posts I'll be chronicling my adventures in eye cream to hopefully find that one can't live without it, and then let all of you know what it is! I've been using eye cream for a good five years now and haven't found one that makes me think ooooh yes, if I run out of this I'll die. My latest test subject has been SK1N Probiotic eye cream; check out my initial thoughts here.

And the verdict is... I'll pass on it. The texture was nice and it did provide a little tightening effect, but nothing to write home about. If you want a real lift, try PerriconeMD High Potency Eye Lift or Kinerase Extreme Lift Eye. Here are my main issues with SK1N eye cream: it didn't feel very moisturizing, didn't do a thing for dark circles or puffiness and didn't smooth fine lines. On to the next cream...sigh.

While I say skip the eye cream from SK1N Probiotics, do pick up the Booster Serum - it's amazing. I use it twice a day under my moisturizer and have noticed a huge difference. My skin is smooth, glowing, healthy and the biggest difference - the redness is completely gone. I don't have rosacea, but I do battle with a pinky/red tone on my face when the rest of me has a yellow undertone. Now I'm all even! Booster Serum also fights free radical damage so it's ideal for daytime use. Check out the SK1N website for more info and where to order.

Luxe Beauty on the Cheap

Huge news here friends. I just stumbled upon a website that's a beauty lover's dream come true. BeautyTicket.com is an amazing site that offers premium beauty brands at up to 85% off retail. Now I can finally get those fancy pants YSL compacts that I adore but feel guilty spending $60 on because on BeautyTicket.com, they're $25! Take a peek at said compact, to the left. The site features makeup, skin care, bath and body, fragrance, hair care, you name it and brands include Estee Lauder, Ole Henrikson, Bliss, Stila, Prada, Erno Laszlo, among others.

Check it out for yourself, you won't be disappointed!

Something Blue

I know it's not exactly the height of wedding season, but there are some winter brides out there (my best friend being one of them) and anyone who has been a bride or knows one, is well aware that finding a "something blue," as in something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue is a total pain. I mean, a bride is usually in all white (I even had a white bouquet), where exactly does the blue fit in? I Do Tattoo, from the Occasional Tattoo is the answer. It's a temporary, blue, wedding-themed tattoo that's available in eight different styles and comes packed and delivered in a blue memento case that doubles as a photo frame.

I think this concept is adorable. You can have it on display, or hide it and have your groom find it later that night (wink wink). My fave designs are the classic heart and the champagne flutes. Check out the I Do Tattoo website for more info and to purchase.

Three L'Oreal Mascaras, Three Different Looks

I'm a huge mascara buff, as many of you know. I love lashes, and I think a swipe (or 10) of mascara can really change your look. Blonde lashes are black, tired eyes look awake, you get the picture. And if I can offer one piece of mascara advice it's this: get it at the drugstore. Yes, you heard right, toss those expensive department store mascaras (after you've used them up of course) and don't ever spend more than $10 on mascara ever again. You just don't need to. I have never tried an expensive mascara that beat out any of my drugstore faves, so why spend three times the price? L'Oreal and Revlon by far have the best mascaras out there and I recently had the pleasure of trying out three of the newest L'Oreal mascaras, and I love them all for very different reasons.

First up, L'Oreal Telescopic Explosion mascara, which just launched this month and features the spherical brush made famous by Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes. I had never used the Givenchy mascara before and I was really skeptical about this spherical brush situation. While the brush does take a second to get used to, it really does create that fanned out effect that would come to mind when you think explosion. The brush really gets in the inner and outer corners and works well for the bottom lashes. Perfect for when you want a full fan of lashes.

Next, L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes mascara is supposed to mimic the effect created by lash extensions. Having has lash extensions myself, I knew exactly what I was looking for when I tried this out. This dual-ended mascara contains a nourishing white base coat of Ceramide R and D-Panthenol and the black coat darkens lashes. You do really have to use the black coat generously to make sure to fully cancel out the white coat, but this mascara definitely delivers on its promise of extending lashes with little tubes. It left my lashes crazy long and really did create a similar look to when I had extensions.

Finally, L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen is definitely my favorite, for obvious reasons - it's the most volumizing! The brush is huge and creates super full, lush lashes, but what I love most is that they're still separated and defined. Volumizing mascaras are a slippery slope because sometimes volume turns into lashes that are stuck together. Extra Volume Collagen created deliciously thick lashes. This has turned into my new daily staple!

Pick all three of these up at your local drugstore. 

Meet Bare Escentuals CEO Leslie Blodgett

If you're in the NYC or Tampa areas this week take a little drive by to Sephora to meet the fabulous Leslie Blodgett, CEO of my all-time favorite makeup brand, Bare Escentuals. She'll be dishing on her new fragrance collection, Leslie Blodgett Perfume Diaries. Check out my post here for info on the first in the collection, Bare Skin. If you're one of the first 100 to buy Bare Skin, Leslie will even sign it for you. If you're a BE fan this is huge - she is literally the woman who changed the face of mineral makeup!

Here's the deets for the two meetings:

NYC:

Sephora Times Square

42nd St. and 7th Ave.

Wednesday November 18

5:30-7:30pm

RSVP here.

Tampa:

Sephora International Plaza

2223 N. West Shore Blvd.

(Cross streets: West Shore and Boy Scout Blvd.)

Thursday, November 19

6-8pm

RSVP here.

The Perfect Pink: Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Blush

I'm always on the hunt for the perfect pink lip gloss, but finding it is harder than you think. Everything is either too pink, too pale, too shimmery, too watery, not enough shine, too much shine, it's definitely a process. But by chance I received Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Blush from an event gift bag and it was love at first application. Let's talk color first: it's the perfect, true pink shade that really looks good on everyone. The Laura Mercier site describes it as a medium rose brown, which I think is misleading because it's much more of a natural pink shade, the color we wish our lips were without anything on them.

The formula is just as swoon-worthy. It's a full coverage, high shine gloss without any pearl or shimmer and it smells just like marshmallows or vanilla cupcakes, I can't decide which. It feels incredible on thanks to Laura Mercier's Lip Complex, a blend of moisturizing, anti-aging, and plumping ingredients. Scoop it up in Sephora stores or the Laura Mercier site for $22 and it will truly be your everyday go-to gloss.

Don't Be a Flake

I don't know about you, but I've been having a major case of the flakes - I'm talking resembling a snake molting situation. When you're truly in a battle with the flakes, moisturizing is simply not enough, you have to use a really effective exfoliant. The drawback? With the dropping temps skin is more sensitive, so even a mild scrub can leave your face feeling red and raw. Luckily I've scoured and scrubbed and have come up with some super gentle exfoliators that really get the job done.

First up: Pevonia Botanica Speciale Enzymo-Spherids Peeling Cream. You're probably thinking two things here - a) how do you pronounce this product and b) Pevonia who? Pevonia Botanica was once a spa-exclusive brand, but is now available on Skinstore.com for your shopping convenience, and this product is a miracle. This rich cream is comprised of mostly natural ingredients (who knew Papaya and Pineapple enzymes were so damn effective at decongesting skin and clearing flakes?) and leaves skin soooo soft and smooth without a hint of irritation. Just apply, add some water, work it into your skin with your fingertips and rinse after two minutes. Clogged pores are clear, flakes are gone, and skin looks glowy and fabulous. It's so gentle you can use it more than once a week. It is absolutely a star product in my closet.

Once upon a time I fell in love with a product called Clean & Clear STEAM In-Shower Facial...and then it all of the sudden disappeared from store shelves. I am happy to say it has now been reincarnated into Morning Burst In-Shower Facial and all is right in the world again. The deal is this product works with the steam in your shower to draw out dirt, impurities, smooth away flakes and leave skin moisturized with ingredients like purifying clay, ginseng and micro-beads. It's used in place of your regular cleanser up to three times a week and bonus: the natural citrus extracts help you jump start your morning. This really does deliver and for $7.99, you can't beat it.

Once you're all flake free don't forget to moisturize! You can never go wrong with Kinerase Cream; it's a cult-favorite for a reason and a staple in my bathroom. An amazing and budget-friendly option is Olay Total Effects Daily Moisturizer. This was my first foray into a real adult skincare regimen back in the day and it remains one of my all-time favorite products.

Cold Weather + Indoor Heat = Dry, Frizzy Hair

My hair has been dry something fierce lately and I'm blaming it on the cold weather outside and the heat inside. I also really need a trim but let's just stick with the weather as the main cause. It's prime time hair mask season and I have a few favorites that I currently have on rotation.

Pureology Essential Repair Restorative Hair Masque does it all. This ultra-rich hair masque (it's so concentrated you barely need to use any at all) contains protein-rich soymilk and pure biotin repairs the most severe damage and completely restores softness in one use. And of course it contains Pureology's AntiFade Complex so color is preserved. Probably what I love most is that this does the job in 2-5 minutes, depending on the severity of damage, unlike most masks that tell you to leave them in for 15. I just find the whole routine of shampooing, applying hair masque, getting out of shower and waiting 15 minutes, getting back in shower to rinse really annoying. Plus the scent is yummy, almost like a dessert and I love the rich and creamy texture. At around $40 it certainly isn't cheap, but it works and a jar really will last forever.

Profound Beauty 01/99 Anti-Oxidant Mask is one of those leave it in and get out of the shower situations, but I still love it nonetheless because of the super hydrating formula and the more reasonable $32 price tag. What's great about this mask is that it contains Vitamin E to inhibit free radical damage (yes, your hair needs protection from the environment just like your face does), while preserving color and amping up shine.

And sometimes, you just want an inexpensive, quick fix drugstore hair masque and this is where Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition 3-Minute Undo Dryness Reversal Treatment comes in. The beauty of this is that by the time you're finished saying the name, you're ready to rinse. I'm a big fan of the Triple Nutrition line, check out my previous post here. Like the shampoo and conditioner, this deep treatment contains olive, avocado and shea oils to quench dry hair and restore its health, while apricot seeds massage and stimulate hair at the root. Pretty fancy for a deep treatment that's under $7.

A Case of Broken Capillaries

So I recently had a facial for the first time in a long time, and when it came time for the esthetician to shine the big scary light over my face while looking through the magnifying mirror to "see what's going on with my skin," I immediately went into panic mode. All I could think was omg she's going to tell me I have huge pore, lines around my eyes, why haven't I been exfoliating more, my skin's a total diaster etc. etc. After a heart racing minute she says well your skin is in good shape, but what have you been doing about the broke capillaries around your nose?

Um....I'm sorry what? is how I responded. I had no clue I even had broken capillaries. Turns out that broken capillaries are most common around the nose and mouth and are caused by aging, trauma, sun exposure and smoking. Since I'm not even 30, don't smoke and haven't experienced any facial trauma, like ever, I'm going to go with sun exposure as the culprit. As if we needed another reason to wear sunscreen! I have to be honest, I've been slacking on the 'screen lately which is so unlike me. But ever since said facial incident, I've been piling it on even when it's thunderstorming outside.

There are a few remedies for broken capillaries. You can go the expensive pulsed dye laser route (treatments are about $400 a pop and you'll need two-three) or you can try topicals containing horse chestnut, which according to research will eradicate veins. I went the topical route and I've been LaTherapie Creme Fortifiante on the recommendation of my esthetician. The cream is used morning and night only on the affected areas and contains horse chestnut and red vine extracts to soften redness and support and protect skin. I'll let you all know how this works. 

I'm also using one of my favorite sunscreens, DDF Enhancing Sun Protection, a moisturizer with SPF 30 that also contains self-blending color spheres that help even skin tone and minimize the look of redness. The texture is amazing and you barely need foundation or concealer when you use this because it really does even out your skin. If you're a Gilt Groupe member you can scoop up this sunscreen for $16 instead of the usual $32 until November 9th (or supplies run out).

Beauty Crush: Jane Iredale Dot the i

For some reason no matter how hard I scrub, I can never fully take off all of my eye makeup. I don't even wear that much, just your usual liner and mascara job, but you'd think it was tattooed on. I even use an actual eye makeup remover first, then wash my face, using my cleanser over my eyes to try and get everything off, but to no avail. So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered this genius product from Jane Iredale; they're like Q-tips on steroids.

Dot the i is a package of cotton swabs that contain makeup remover. You simply bend the tip until the opposite end fills with makeup remover and then go about your business. These are perfect for correcting mistakes (I know you've accidentally poked yourself in the eye with your mascara wand and then gotten mascara all underneath, or maybe that's just me), getting rid of that 4pm flaking or getting rid of those last traces of eye makeup at the end of the night. They also travel well so you don't have to worry about lugging Q-tips plus a separate makeup remover. The formula also soothes and nourishes the eye area, while fighting the signs of aging. Genius I say!

If you're not familiar with Jane Iredale, it's a great line of natural and mineral makeup with an extensive range of kits, brushes, and then everything for eyes, lips and cheeks. My favorite products are Active Light (the Touche Eclat of the natural world), 24 Karat Gold Dust Powder, and the eyeshadow palettes.

Scoop up Dot the i or any of the Jane Iredale products at the Jane Iredale website.

Hair Crush: Victoria Beckham

A bunch of photos recently surfaced of Victoria Beckham at an LA Lakers game sporting a shaggy new haircut, which I am totally obsessed with. I think it's modern, fun and a little rocker chic, all while still being cool and sophisticated. I'm totally contemplating giving it a go, but I always go back and forth with cutting my hair short. Everytime I have a short cut I end up completely hating it. I can't put my finger on why, maybe it's that I like the security of having hair past my shoulders, the fact that I like throwing it up in a ponytail or chignon when I feel like it, or maybe it's that I always felt like shorter hair made me look 12. As I enter the twilight of my 20s however, maybe looking younger isn't such a bad thing.

The theory with a shorter cut like this is that since it's a true style, you won't need to fall back on throwing it up into a ponytail, the look will always be finished no matter what you do. It looks pretty versatile, VB even has a little wave going on here. What do think?

Klorane - Now in a Travel Size!

Someone up there has answered my prayers. Friends, Klorane Dry Shampoo is available in a travel size! I can't believe I haven't posted my love of Klorane before; it is truly a life changing product. First introduced to me by a fabulous co-worker who kept a bottle at her desk, this is the only dry shampoo I've ever tried that has actually made my hair feel clean and full of volume.

Now, I was a wash everyday kind of girl; I even washed twice a day if I had washed in the am and was going out at night. It really was an exhausting routine, not to mention one that made my fragile, fine, color treated hair dry as a bone and frizzy to no end. But my roots would get so oily I had no choice. That all changed when I began using Klorane. I was freed from the daily grind of wash, blow dry, repeat - I can now wash every other day people!

With my dependency on Klorane came a problem - what to do when you're traveling. I remember distinctly being in airport security last year, devastated when they threw out my brand new, never used, much too big to keep in your bag if you're carrying on luggage, bottle of Klorane. I nearly broke out in hives. Now with the new 1.7 oz travel size, this terrifying airport scenario won't happen to you.

Scoop up the new travel size at beauty.com and skinstore.com.

Beat the Winter Blahs

It's about that time where the weather starts to take a real turn for the worst - cold, gloomy, rainy/maybe even snowy and factor in daylight savings, and now we're waking up in the dark and coming home from work in the dark. I don't know about you but all that cold and dark just makes me feel blah. My favorite pick me up is a little (and I do mean little) dose of self tanner and bronzer - i.e. the goal here is to look warm and glowy, not like you just came back from Aruba.

My favorite new self tanner for the body is L'Oreal Sublime Glow Luminous Bronzer, an instant bronzing lotion with a hint of shimmer and self tanner in one. The Sublime line as a whole is pretty good, but I love this so much because it's super versatile. I usually like to apply self tanner before bed, leaving enough time to dry of course because I hate the tacky feeling and the stink, but this has neither. It's perfect for an instant boost, like when you forgot to tan your legs and you're wearing a mini dress that night, and the shimmer is soft and natural. Plus it reminds me of the very pricey Shiseido self tanner that I can no longer rationalize buying at the moment.

Moving along to the face. Bare Escentuals Warmth is the perfect non-bronzer bronzer. It's technically a tawny colored mineral powder meant to warm up the face and it does just that, without looking too brown, orange or harsh. It provides a sheer, warm glowiness that is perfect for the winter when you don't want to have a super dark tan but the pink blush just isn't doing it. Lightly buff it around the hairline, jawline, bridge of nose and cheekbones, then top with a little blush on the apples. I also like to dust it over my eyelids, it just perks up your whole face.

It sounds weird but when I'm feeling especially blah I even forego dark nail polish in favor of either a nice neutral pink like Essie Mademoiselle, a bright orange red like Sephora by OPI High Maintenance, or one of the new magenta shades. Check out my post from September for some recos.