Clutch Sized Must Haves

Yesterday on the Emmy red carpet, I noticed tons of starlettes carrying gorge studded hard case clutches to match their ensembles.  I on the other hand, rocked a sweet black patent leather one to match my hot pink BCBG cocktail dress.  

For me, it wasn't the clutch that was important, but the ingredients inside it that kept me looking great on the red carpet all day long.  Check 'em out:

 

  • Oral-B Advantage Floss Picks Plus Scope Outlast - I was able to hang out in the production area for E! and munch on some food before my segment. Thanks to these I didn't have any food in my teeth in front of the cameras and my breath was fresh.  

 

 

  • DERMAdoctor Med e Tate - It was 90 degrees in LA and this little wipe prevented me from sweating and having embarrassing sweat stains on my brightly colored dress.

 

  • GoSmile Touch Ups - I threw a few of these in the flavor Green Apple in my bag just in case I had a glass of wine or cup of coffee throughout the day.  I ended up having a Starbucks Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte. (my fave)!

 

  • NARS Lip Gloss in Orgasm - I must have reapplied my gloss twenty times through out the day.  (Maybe a little obsessive, but I can't help it).  

 

  • Goody Lena Barrette - This little silver sparkling barrette matched my earrings and was good to have just in case I wanted to pin up my hair.

 

Even though this is what I carried on the Emmy red carpet, it's exactly the same as what I carry in my clutch for a night out with the girls or on a hot date. What do you carry in your clutch?

 

Live from the Red Carpet

Today, live from the Emmy red carpet, I'll be doing a segment for E! on the secrets behind some of my favorite celebrity must haves. Ashlan Gorse of E! is the host and I'm extremely excited!  Make sure you tune in tonight to watch all of the pre-Emmy coverage. My segment will be on around 5:30pm on both coasts, but it can go on anywhere in between 5 and 5:45 so make sure you start watching early!

None of this felt real to me until I stepped foot on the red carpet yesterday at rehearsal.  I love doing live TV segments, but doing a segment for the Emmys for E! is a dream come true.  The producers are all such a pleasure to work with and Ashlan is such a sweetheart.  

Last night I was out with beauty blogger, Jamie Stone, of Queen of the Quarter Life Crisis at the Tropicana Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel and ran into none other than E! personality Sal.  I introduced myself and told him about my segment today with Ashlan and how nervous I was.  He was super cool and told me to not to stress because E! wouldn't have hired me if I wasn't an expert.  

So here I am today, getting ready to hit the red carpet and reveal to E! viewers the secrets behind the the looks of some of my fave stars.  

Backstage: Baby Phat

As I was running on the treadmill I got a call from one of my good friends who works at InStyle asking me if I wanted to join her at Baby Phat.  (Yes, I have my blackberry with me at the gym).  I immediately pressed "end workout," skipped the cool down and ran to get ready.  

I didn't have access to Baby Phat this year, but it was always one of my favorite shows to go to in the past for many reasons: the front row is the best place to people watch, the vibe and scene is unreal and the hair and makeup looks are always wild.  Kimmora knows how to throw a party.

The overall inspiration for the look was summer in Morocco meets '70's Bohemian chic. MAC did the make up lead by James Kaliardos, who created an elongated winged shaped eye using a collaboration of deep blue hues.  Colors used were: Deep Truth Frost Eye Shadow, and Fly-By-Blu PearlGlide Eye Liner with Light Violet Crushed Mineral Pigment added into the inner corners of the eye.

The cheeks were tanned and contoured with a combination of Florida and Joie De Vivre Creme Blushes and a bit of Crushed Metal Pigment in Dark Pink was used to highlight the cheekbones.  The lip was a gorge peach, Love Nectar LustreGlass.  Very wearable.

The hair was to die for.  Odile Gilbert of Moroccanoil and her team added lots of extensions into each of the models hair before curling the whole head with a two inch curling iron.  Once all curled, it was gently brushed out. A small French braid (about one inch thick) was added across the front of the head at the hairline starting from behind one ear to the other to act like a head band.  

Out of all of the shows I've been to so far, the nails at Baby Phat were my favorite.  Creative Nail Design's Jan Arnold and team filed the nails to a medium, almond shape and used their color, Gold Chrome.  However, they added a bit of a twist.  The nails were super metallic and shiny, to the point where they appeared Minxed, and a gold chrome mineral wash was done on the toes.  Here, they used an air dry top coat that's super thick and luminous. (Photo below is my friend Sheryl and I with Jan Arnold).

My friend and I ended up sitting third row for the show and noticed Miss J (who I love!), Lisa Rinna, Amanda Lepore, Ice T and his wife Coco, and some other D list celebs.  However, I did run into (OMG) Kim Kardashian backstage and she is stunning and much tinier than you think.  I was surprised because when I attended this show in the past I met people like 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, Christina Millian, Maya, Kelly Rowland and sat behind Lil' Kim! There were really no big names in hip hop or at all.

Check out footage from the show on my YouTube channel!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hollywood Ready Hair

Ever wish you could spend a day in the life of your fave celeb?  Well now you can!  Enter got2b's new online "Hot Hollywood Hair-Do Rescue" contest and you can win a trip for two to the US Weekly Hot Hollywood Event. 

All you have to do is go to the got2B website and upload before and after pics of your hair, choose your fave got2b products that helped you get the look and get your friends to vote for you.  (Check out the example entry on the left to see your competition).

Imagine that... your hair can get you VIP access to US Weekly's hottest event of the year! But hurry up, the contest ends next week.  Good Luck!

Backstage: Vassilios Kostetsos

This week I was introduced to a famous Greek designer, Vassilios Kostetsos.   It was a special show because it was the first time Kostetsos was partaking in New York Fashion Week.  

Mehron, a makeup line that normally dominates Broadway, created the look using the inspiration of the bronzed goddess.  Raedawn Johnson lead the Mehron team in making up 20 models, using brown and gold eye shadows, bronzer, a pop of pink on the cheek and clear glossy lip.  

All of the concentration was on the eye. "When doing a heavy eye, it's easiest if you start with the eyes first. This way you can easily clean up whatever gets all over your skin," remarks Johnson.  Mehron Aura Bronzing Gel was mixed with moisturizer and used on the models who were wearing bathing suits.

"Since the collection is so structured, we knew we had to put all of the hair up to show off the strong pieces," commented lead Mizo stylist, Angela Soto.  Using Oribe Gel Serum, the stylists slicked back the hair into a side parted front pouf and then twisted the back up into a classic bun.  

One of my favorite spas in the city, Townhouse Spa, brought their team in to take care of nails.  Jamie Ahn, President of the spa, lead her manicurists to create a clean look using an oldie but goodie, Essie's Prima Ballerina on the hands and feet.

 

 

        

Man of the Week

Ladies, meet Bobby D., 26, from Secaucus, NJ.  He's an EDI Coordinator for a container shipping company and surprisingly, he's single!

What’s in your medicine cabinet?

My medicine cabinet is pretty basic. I use a Neutrogena Face Wash in the morning and at night before bed. Oil of Olay moisturizer occasionally. Johnson & Johnson baby powder to keep the 'boys' downstairs fresh. I use Degree anti-perspirant deodorant. And a quick spray of Chanel Platinum cologne to top it off.

What product can’t you live without and why?

There is no product I couldn't live without, I'm a guy. But if I had to choose one it would be Johnson & Johnson baby powder. It really makes a huge difference in your comfort level through out the day. I like to stay active and play a lot of sports, so the baby powder is an obvious must for any male athlete. Go head, run a few miles without it and tell me how you feel "down there."

How would you describe your grooming habits?

My grooming habits are pretty basic as well. I get my haircut every two weeks. I shave my face every night before I jump in the shower. On the weekends I don't shave at all, unless I have something to do or somebody to impress. I try to shave "down there" once a week or so. Other than that, I don't do much grooming. When my nails get long, I'll cut them (if I haven't already bitten them down myself). By the way, men shouldn't touch their eyebrows unless they only have one long one.

Have you ever gotten a manicure or pedicure? Why or why not?

I have never gotten a manicure or pedicure. Not really sure why, but I guess it’s because I can think of 100 other things to do besides that. I’ve never been all that concerned with my finger nails, and especially not my feet. I’m not ruling it out, I may try it once, but that’s if the other 100 things don’t pan out.

If you could have one night with any celebrity who would it be and why?  More importantly, what would you do?

If I could have one night with a celebrity, it would have to be Jennifer Aniston. She’s exactly what I look for in a woman physically, with a beautiful face, pretty eyes, and a terrific body. She seems like she has a good sense of humor and really down to earth. I’d probably take her to dinner somewhere in the city and then somewhere quiet, yet classy for drinks so we can just relax and talk and get to know each other.

What’s the first thing you notice about a woman?

The first thing that catches my eye is a woman’s face, specifically her eyes. I like a light eye color, such as blue, green, or hazel. Once I notice a pretty face with light eyes, I’ll work my way down.

Do you prefer a woman au naturel or all made up?  How come?

I prefer a woman to be all natural if she can pull it off. A little bit of make-up is fine too.  If you need to go heavy on the makeup, at least make it look like you didn’t go heavy, if that makes sense. Some women just need to tone it down. Drake said it best: “Sweatpants, hair-tied, chillin wit no make-up on. That’s when you’re the prettiest…”

How about down there?  Why?

Completely shaven is best. A landing strip is OK too, but sometimes the landing strip becomes an airport and then it’s just not a good look. For the same reasons women complain about men not shaving down there, we complain about women.  It works both ways.

When it comes to a woman’s beauty what’s your sweet spot?

My sweet spot is the complete package. A good-looking woman who takes care of herself and doesn’t need pounds of make-up to look pretty is attractive to me. There is also a certain confidence a woman should have. I don’t need a woman asking me how she looks every half hour. Women know when they look good.

 

 

Backstage: Charlotte Ronson

This was the first show I've ever been to that had facialists on hand. Facialists from the Cygalle Healing Spa from the Dominican Republic were busy backstage performing ten minute holistic mini facials to prep the models skin before they went into makeup.   

Charlotte Willer, the Global makeup artist for Maybelline lead the team in creating a collaboration of an innocent ballerina meeting the edgy streets of NYC look.  It's a very fresh, natural look with all mineral makeup used on the face.  Maybelline's Lash Stiletto Mascara was used only on the top lashes (the bottom were skipped to keep the look natural) and extra edge came from adding excess blush and illuminator to the cheeks.  Willer finished off the face by dabbing on Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lipstick in Born With it mixed with lip balm.

Tippi Shorter lead the Avon hair team and I was beyond thrilled because I got to interview her for the first time in a long time.  Since she's a stylist to many celebs including Alicia Keys and Rihanna, I used to interview her for Cosmo so it was great to touch base and meet her in person.  See the video in the post below for my interview with Tippi for the Style Coalition.

A New Feature to Spice It Up

Since sexy men are one of my guiltiest pleasures (who can blame me?), starting this Wednesday BeautySweetSpot will be adding a new weekly feature: Man of the Week.  

These courageous men, hand picked by yours truly, will be spilling their grooming secrets and dishing on what turns them on (and off!) when it comes to women and their beauty routines.  Hey, a man's point of view is nice to have, sometimes!  

Check the new feature out on Wednesdays, conveniently Hump Day, and let me know if you have a sexy, successful man you'd like to nominate to be considered for BeautySweetSpot's Man of the Week.  

 

Runway Worthy Moisturizer

When thinking of the scene backstage during fashion week the first things that come to mind (a beauty bloggers mind anyway) are hair, makeup and nails, but what about the skin?

Gwen Stefani made sure her models hot bods were prepped and runway ready with Vaseline Sheer Infusion for her Spring/Summer 2010 L.A.M.B show.  Smart move on Gwen's part, no one wants to see ashy skin strutting down the catwalk in summer clothes!

Vaseline Sheer Infusion with Stratys-3 combines three moisturizing ingredients that break into each layer of the skin, even the deepest one (the stratum corneum) and allows each of them to hold and absorb the moisture.  It's a great pick for the fall and winter seasons and comes in three scents, my favorite being Botanical Blend.  

Since the moisture "suspends" across all of the skins layers, the PR mavens of Vaseline taught me about suspension today by taking a group of us to The Trapeze School of New York.  Check out this YouTube video of me suspending in mid air.  I think I'm ready for Circ de Soleil!  You?

 

 

Backstage: Rosa Cha

Maybe it's the sexiness of the Brazilian cut bathing suits that catches my attention, but I'm always blown away by the scene at Rosa Cha each season. The first time I covered backstage for this show I was writing for Cosmopolitan and remember being in awe over the "fresh out of the water look" the hairstylists and makeup artists created for the swimsuit models.  

This year Edward from Warren Tricomi took the lead on hair, which was a 40's inspired chignon.  After slicking the hair straight back and puling it into a high pony tail using a bungee cord, he simply twisted the whole pony tail and placed it naturally into an elongated knot, securing it with a few bobby pins.  He recommends using a bungee cord over a hair tie because it allows you to control the tension you want in your hair.

He topped it off with a brightly colored cloth head wrap, which is very simple to do.  You can do this with any scarf or piece of fabric yourself to spice up an updo. Start by placing a piece of cloth evenly in the front of your head, bring it around the back, cross it and bring it right back up to the front.  Double knot it, then twist one side of the left over material around and tuck it into the top of the wrap and do the same with the other side tucking it into the bottom.

Philipe Chansel of MAC created the makeup look and his number one tip was not to be afraid of color this upcoming spring/summer season.  He used a wash of sheer colors on the eyes and lips and stated, "When you're not doing anything too opaque color can be fun."

A great tip he told me was when using color on the eyes line them with a white pencil.  It will take away any pinkish color around the eye area, make the eyes themselves appear whiter and color on the lids appear cleaner.

Even though the models were about strut the catwalk in Brazilian bikinis, they were far from bronzed goddesses.  Since the inspiration behind the look was the pin up girl, it was time to say sienora to spray tans. Instead, their bodies were prepped with rich moisturizer and a cream concealer was used to mask any bruises or scars.  The makeup artists also brushes on some Mineralized Finish Matte Powder to give a smooth finish to the skin.

Manicurists from Dashing Diva coated each of the girls hands and feet with a gorge sunset coral shade, Miranda's Law.  First, they applied Kiss Express On press on nails to each of the models nails and filed them down to a natural length (square with round edges).  Since the press ons were stuck on with self adhesive glue and not nail glue, I was assured by Pattie Yankee, the lead manicurist, that they wouldn't damage the nails, can last about a week and the secret to taking them off is to use cuticle oil.  Who knew?

 

The Haute Spot

This year, in between shows at the tents I'm finding myself amongst other bloggers, editors, and industry professionals spending my time at the penthouse of the Bryant Park Hotel in a chic space known as the HauteLook Lounge.  

Because of it's convenient location everyone invited is not only stopping by to check it out, but they're getting cozy, making it their home away from home during fashion week.  The go-to destination is fully stocked with everything one needs to get refreshed and re-energized in order to face the madness behind the tents.  From energy drinks and light snacks to makeup touch ups by Cover FX and Go Smile tooth whitening touch ups HauteLook thought of everything.  Most importantly, Sony VAIO provided laptops for bloggers to use and there was complimentary Wi-Fi for those who brought their own laptops.

Lots of people were blogging and Tweeting (including me) and I ended up meeting two beauty bloggers who I speak with frequently on Twitter @KraseyBeauty and @TheBeautyChick3.  (Follow them!)  We all left together to go to Ports 1961 and Rosa Cha with huge gift bags in hand.  And yes, I will be returning to The HauteLook Lounge almost every day this week.

 

 

Backstage: Tahari

Yesterday, I had backstage access to Tahari thanks to the PR girls at Dashing Diva. The show was being held conveniently at the Elle Tahari showroom right across the street from Bryant Park.  

First, I interviewed Kim Soan, the head makeup artist for Bobbi Brown who created the look. Since the spring/summer 2010 Tahari clothing line was made up of beautiful beiges and golds, she wanted to keep the makeup very natural with a bronzed glow.  The overall goal was effortless beauty.  

Bobbi Brown's Opal Long-Wear Cream Shadow was used on the models lids and as soon as I tested it out on my hand I fell in love. Soan described it as a touch of "pinkish-orange sunset glow."  The color looked very different in the container. She then defined the eyes with Extreme Party Mascara, which actually re-wets itself as you apply it.  The makeup artists were applying it to the models top lashes only and then reapplying it right before the show.  It's a great mascara to carry in your bag because you can apply it before work, and then again right before happy hour without worrying about getting the spidery, clumpy effect.

A luminating bronzer with shimmer was brushed across the cheeks for added sheen.  Hint: when wearing bronzer, opt for a luminating one if you have smooth skin, if there's texture to your skin (acne, wrinkles or other skin problems) choose a matte bronzer to make it appear smoother.  To finish off the look, Soan used Bronze Pink Creamy Lip Color, which allowed for the models natural lip color to come through a little bit.

Next, I spoke with Frank Rizzieri and Kevin Ryan of R Sessions Tools who created an effortless chic 'do to go with the makeup look. The hair looked simple, a controlled mess, all down with a middle part and some fly aways. However, it took a lot of effort.  

"The trick to the undone look is to do the hair and then undo it perfectly," commented Ryan. The master team began blow drying and straightening all of the girls hair.  Then proceeded to use a variety of hot tools to create texture and movement from the root so the hair looked straight, but not flat.  

Dashing Diva's lead nail tech, Pattie Yankee, lead the team to perform manicures and pedicures on 30 models while they had their hair and makeup done.  The look was to be simple, clean and sophisticated and that's exactly what they got with the nail color "Well Connected" by Dashing Diva.  They also cleaned the mens nails (not their feet) and left them buffed and shaped up, runway ready.

 

 

Manhattan Shops in Celebration of FNO

Last night I, amongst almost every other New Yorker, scrambled in my Louboutins from store to store and enjoyed the festivities of Fashion's Night Out (FNO).  From 6-11pm my red soles unkindly met the cobble stone of the Meat Packing District as I explored what all of the designers had to offer.  

It was the place to be, by far.  All of the shoppers were very fashion forward and seemed to be industry related, sporting bandage mini skirts, leather leggings, killer fall open-toed booties, boyfriend blazers and cocktail dresses with opaque black tights.  I opted for black leggings with a plum tank that had an exposed zipper in the front with a boyfriend blazer and of course, my fave shoes.  

Out of all of the parties in the Meat Packing District, my favorite were at Theory, DVF, Scoop, Tory Burch and Stella McCartney.  They all had DJ's, cocktail waitresses, gorgeous clothes (and men), and an incredible crowd of people.  Diane Von Furstenberg herself was at her store hosting the party, and there was an actual bar-b-que in the street outside of Tory Burch where chefs were giving away buttered corn!  Let's just say the corn went faster than the Coronas that were being given out inside.

Kate Hudson was making an appearance at Stella McCartney, but it was so crowded I couldn't wait to see her, even though she is my favorite actress of all time.  And Purple Lab hosted a very successful party at Scoop with lychee martinis and burlesque dancer, Veronica Varlow.

After seeing how crowded the individual designer stores were, I'm glad I didn't try to tackle any of the department stores (although I heard they had amazing events there as well and Rachel Zoe was at Bergdorf with Anna Wintour!) I die!   

Most of the flyers promoting the stores participating in FNO read, "Sales, Cupcakes and Champagne," but all of the stores were so crowded, I left without a purchase (thank God), hungry, and definitely toasted sans the champagne.  

Since the purpose of FNO was to try to get people to shop in a down economy, it makes me wonder if anyone actually shopped.  We'll have to wait and see how the sales numbers are, but even if they didn't go up, it was a night to remember because it brought New Yorkers together for a celebration of fashion, beauty, charity and well being.

Did you attend FNO?  If so, where did you go and what did you buy?

 

It's Official: Fashion Week is Here

Tonight I attended the Fashion 2.0 New York Fashion Week Kick Off Reception held at the Audrey Lounge at the W Hotel in midtown. Sponsored by the Style Coalition and ideeli, fashionistas, journalists, bloggers, designers, photographers and other industry professionals all sipped champagne to toast to the week ahead of us.

Business cards in hand, everyone seemed to have the same agenda in mind: networking.  I met some bloggers who I've been following on twitter and admiring for quite some time along with some powerful people in social media and a jewelry designer, Wendy Culpepper, who's done accessories for many fashion shows including Rag and Bone and Abaete in the past.

The Style Coalition and ideeli held a "Fashion Trivia" session, in which ideeli donated two gorgeous clutches and a pair of Marc Jacobs sunglasses to the winners.  I wasn't quick enough with my answers, but I did learn that New York Fashion Week attracts over 116,000 people to NYC per season!  No one at the party guessed that number.

As I was leaving, I was handed a gift bag with a $25 gift certificate to ideeli, beauty products from Aveeno, John Frieda, The Body Shop and Vichy, a gift card for a private training session at the David Barton Gym and my favorite, Pop Chips!  Cheers to tomorrow's day at the tents!

 

 

Backstage Pass to NYFW

Blackberry? Check.  Flipcam? Check.  Camera? Check.  Notebook? Check.

Tis' the season for New York Fashion Week!  I'm ready to roll!  I woke up this morning and it felt like Christmas, for Fashion Week is my favorite time of the year.  This year, not only will I be covering backstage for BeautySweetSpot, but I'm also contributing to Inside The Tents.

The festivities kick off tonight at the Fashion 2.0 Fashion Week Kick Off Reception at the W Hotel hosted by the Style Coalition and Ideeli, followed by countless shows and after parties.  I'll be sure to keep you posted on the happenings and of course, get the inside scoop from the hair stylists, makeup artists and manicurists backstage.

Follow my updates on Twitter to have instant behind the scenes info and be sure to watch out for exclusive footage on BeautySweetSpot's YouTube page!  

 

 

 

Your Guide to Fashion's Night Out

Ladies, grab your debit cards and step into your Louboutins!  New York Fashion Week is about to begin and to kick it off, hundreds of designers are participating in Fashion Night Out on Friday, September 10th. 

Expect models, celebrity appearances, free makeup applications, over-the-top window displays, meet and greets with industry leaders and designer discounts galore!  And yes, the champagne will be flowing. Over 700 individual boutiques, designer and department stores will be participating throughout Manhattan and they'll be keeping their doors open until 11pm. 

Since fashion and beauty go hand in hand, here's a helpful guide of places you definitely want to check out:

  • Sally Hansen manicurists will be at the Tracy Reese store offering complimentary manicures with limited edition polishes inspired by the designer's collection for the season.
  • DEX New Yorkis doing complimentary makeup applications and is also offering glamourous lash looks at their lash bar.
  • The Plaza by Warren-Tricomi will have Smashbox and Becca makeup artists on sight to offer makeup consultations, reps from Sjal and Comfort Zone will be performing spa treatments like mini facials and hand massages and of course, Joel Warren and Edward Tricomi will be showing off this falls hair trends.
  • PurpleLab at Scoop Street get a free Huge Lips Skinny Hips gloss in "No Panty Lines" with the purchase of two other shades and blush as you watch a risqué burlesque performance by Veronica Varlow.
  • Khiel's is hosting a Karnival at their 3rd Avenue flagship store where you can show off your Lady Gaga singing skills during karaoke to receive a complimentary lip balm.
  • Mackage just opened a pop-up location in the Meat Packing District and not only can you get you get a one-on-one style consultation with Phillip Bloch, but you can also get a free blow-out by Serge Normant of the John Frieda Salon.
  • MAC is giving you a sneak-peek into their new Style Black look and has celebrity DJ's spinning at all locations including Grammy Award nominated artist, Janelle Monae.
  • Korres is creating a detox bar fully stashed with antioxidant-infused cocktails, foods and skin care.  You can detox your skin by getting a make over and consultation on how to apply the seasons hottest trends.

 Click here to see a list of all of the designers participating.

 

Sneak Peek: Duri Fall Collection

As I begin to collect fall polishes and cosmetics for upcoming trend pieces I'm getting really excited about the fall season in general.  Duri's new nail collection, "Rags to Riches," includes a combination of twelve velvety and satiny shades that remind me of one of my guilty pleasures, lingerie! Six of which will launch this month:   

 

  • Million Dollar Baby
  • Penny Saved is a Penny Earned
  • Money Don't Make Me
  • Social Ladder
  • Party Like a Rock Star
  • Rags to Riches

You're going to have to wait until November to see the rest.  I opted to try Party Like a Rock Star first (as pictured above) because it's been a long time since I rocked red.  It's a good in-between red, not too candy apple, and not too vampy.  

The rest of the collection encompasses a range of plums, violets, reds and nudes. You can check them out in mid September here.

 

 

 

Back to Basics

As I looked into my vanity before performing my nighttime regimen I began to wonder, when did skin care become so complicated?  A serum for this, moisturizer for that… the problems and solutions seem endless.

Thinking back to when I was really young, before my teenage years and didn’t have to worry about acne, anti-aging, hyperpigmentation and so on I remember using one product that took care of it all.  Pond’s. 

My grandmother always used Pond’s Cold Cream and still does and she has supple, fresh skin.  If she was able to use one simple product her whole life and ended up with great skin, why can’t I?  If it were only that simple!

I must say, I’m not so sure I’ll be able to stream line my medicine cabinet due to all of the new products and technologies I’m anxious to try, but I did get Pond’s Wet Cleansing Towelettes for traveling.  They take off my makeup, cleanse and have antioxidants in them so I can leave my other billion products at home.  Going back to basics. 

Lash Extension 101

There's a fab new lash extension salon in NYC called Wink Eyelash that I visited for an event and was enamored by the decor.  The beds were coated with pink blankets and pillows and it was overall a chic salon. Owners Will Thomas and So Young Kim, also an esthetician, gave me the scoop as I watched two women get the extensions.

Starting with mascara-free lashes, the natural lashes are first combed and separated for even distribution. Then, the esthetician places all of the lashes they plan on using in the middle of their customers forehead so they can easily grab them.  Using two tweezers, the individual lash is dipped into a small dish of adhesive and then applied about one to two millimeters from the eyelid.  

"The key to natural looking extensions is using a combination of lengths throughout the eye," Thomas stated. 
About 90 individual lashes are applied per eye in a standard set ($95), but if you prefer the cat eye look or a more dramatic eye ($125), it takes about 125 lashes per eye on average.  The whole experience takes only an hour and the fringe lasts about four to six weeks.

Since your lashes are on a shedding cycle that varies between 15 and 60 days it's best to get touch ups every two to three weeks.  It's just like acrylic fills.  Maintenance is key if you plan on keeping them on.

I had lash extensions about two years ago and felt completely naked when they fell off.  I decided to get them right back on and continued to go for touch ups.  They're addicting, but at least it's one addiction that's not detrimental to your health!

Check out my YouTube videos (there's two) from Wink Eyelash!