BeautySweetSpot

Happy New Year! Ringing in 2013 with A Very Special Announcement!

Happy New Year BeautySweetSpot readers!  This year, I promise to continue bringing you exclusive celebrity interviews and a peek inside my life in the beauty, men's grooming, health and fitness industries I've become so passionate about, but that's not all. 2013 is going to be an especially exciting year, because over the holiday season, Joe proposed!  Therefore, this bride-to-be has some extra duties to report on. We're so excited to be getting married and beyond grateful for the love and support we've been getting from our family and friends and congratulations we've been receiving from everyone! This girl has celeb glam squads on her speed dial!  So get ready BeautySweetSpot readers, because a bride-to-be's beauty is definitely worth blogging about!

 

Get the Look: Tips for Achieving A Wine Stained Lip

Thanks to BeautyHigh, the number one question I'm being asked right now via twitter is about the lipstick shade I'm wearing in their recent editorial, "The Top 10 Beauty Bloggers Share Their Beauty Tricks and Fall Must Haves."  Naturally, when I was asked to be part of the shoot, I focused my whole look around my lip as I knew I wanted to rock my favorite fall beauty trend – a wine stained lip.  The lipstick? Cle de Peau Extra Rick Lipstick in R10, but it's not just about the shade, the trick is how you apply it.  Here are the rules. There are two ways to wear a wine stained lip – literally stained or dramatically focusing on the pigment.  When it comes to choosing the perfect berry color, just like reds, consider your skin tone and hair color and test them on your fingertips.  Most people test lipsticks on the tops of their hands, but truth is, because of the blood flow, the coloring of your finger tips is more like the coloring on your lips.

Make sure to prime your lips with balm no matter which look you're going for.  I've been consistently using Bite Beauty Line & Define Lip Primer, which plumps out my fine lines and keeps my shade in place.  To get the stained effect, dab your color of choice onto your pout with your finger and then blot with a tissue.  For a more precise, dramatic look, use a lip brush and paint the pigment on carefully stroke by stroke.

As for the outfit, here are the deets:

Top: Mark Call It A Tie Blouse, Skirt: H&M faux leather, Cuff: Alexis Bittar, Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

 

Guilty Pleasures of the Web

Emma Watson's New Revlon Ads (huffingtonpost) SJP Sold A Lot of Fashion Mags in 2011 (nymag)

Top NYE Kisses in Hollywood (collegecandy)

Style Spotting: Gold Dress Round Up (theluxuryspot)

8 Last Minute NYE Dresses w Express Shipping (refinery29)

 

Holiday Gift Guide: Lorac Bejeweled Day & Night Gift Box

I'm so excited to begin presenting you with some great holiday gift ideas for the ladies and gentlemen on your list.  Throughout the next month on BeautySweetSpot, I'll be sharing some of my fave picks out of crazy amounts of holiday loot I've been scoping out in hopes it makes your holiday shopping a bit less stressful.  I'll also be giving away a ton of what I feature so stay tuned!  First up: Lorac Bejeweled Day & Night Gift Box. As soon as I saw this masterpiece at a Lorac holiday event in the beginning of November I knew it was going to make my gift guide. Created by Lorac's Celebrity Makeup Artist, Carol Shaw, it's full of universally wearable shades and the cosmetic trays are removable so you're left with an embellished, silver jewelry box.

It includes:

  • two eyeliners in black and dark brown
  • two high-shine lip glosses in rose and peach
  • bronzer
  • face palette for day (16 eyeshadows plus blush)
  • face palette for night (16 eyeshadows plus blush)

 

Exclusive to Sephora, the set retails for $56 (a $415 value)

Guilty Pleasures of the Web

17 Reasons Why Suri Cruise is Better Than You (collegecandy) How to Make Your Own Magnetic Nail Polish (Bellasugar)

Chic Gift Ideas for Your BFF (theluxuryspot)

The Eyeshadow Color Everyone is Wearing This Fall (makeup)

The Most Stylish Musicians (gq)

Bike Your Butt Off (womenshealth)

Reporting Live Tomorrow from the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

It's that time of year again! While you can tune in on November 29th and watch the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, I'll be there tomorrow for the taping as the angels prep backstage and walk the runway.  Of course, I'll be tweeting live on site and posting images, interviews and videos immediately after the show on BeautySweetSpot so you can get the scoop right away. Last year I got to go into the spray tan tent to see exactly how the models bodies were sculpted with product (see post) despite their workout regimens and diets and interview all the models pre-show on video including Alessandra Ambrosio.

This year, special guest performers include Kanye West, Maroon 5, Cee Lo Green and just announced – Nicki Minaj.  WWD reports the themes for this years show will include ballet, super angels, passion play, angels aquatic, I put a spell on you and club pink.  There will be 69 costumes in total and 38 models walking the catwalk.

Garnier's New Campaign and $225 Giveaway

Want to be a rockstar?  Forget American Idol!  Garnier Fructis is helping to make your dreams come true.  The brand partnered with Rolling Stone for a competition amongst 16 bands/artists who are in the running to become the next big thing and the winner will be featured on the front cover of Rolling Stone. The contest will include several online voting rounds with the final two acts going head-to-head at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in June. The winner will be announced on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (my fave) and will appear on the cover of the August 19th issue, on newsstands August 5th.

Check out the campaign here and vote for your favorite up and coming artist or band!  To celebrate the new launch, I'm giving away a beauty bag filled of $225 worth of Garnier products! Follow me on Twitter @beautysweetspot and RT the giveaway all day and a winner will be chosen at random at the end of the day.  Good luck beauties!

Follow Me to Sundance!

I'm so excited I don't know where to start!  I leave early tomorrow with my friend and fellow blogger, Amber Katz of BeautyBloggingJunkie, to go to the Sundance Film Festival! We'll be there until Monday gallivanting around the bitter cold in Park City, Utah trying to stay warm while looking chic.  Besides attending film premieres and hitting up some celebrity swag suites, we'll be attending the L'Oreal Paris Women of Vision Awards on Sunday night.

Follow me on Twitter @beautysweetspot for live updates and celeb Twitpics from the festival!

Vera Wang Preppy Princess Fragrance Giveaway

I have to admit, when I hear the word "preppy" two things come to mind, first my best friend Adrienne who has the chicest Upper East Side style with a downtown attitude and then I think "ew, not me". That's probably why we're still best friends after 20 years, because as different as we are we're very alike.  I'd far from Upper East Side style, but definitely have the downtown girl attitude!  So when I first received the press release for this new fragrance by Vera Wang I thought it would be something Adrienne would buy just for the name.

Vera Wang Preppy Princess, $75 is blended with tangerine, red apple and crushed berries layered with honeysuckle, jasmine, woods and a hint of coconut.  Talk about tantalizing your senses!  Delicious!

So whether you buy it for yourself or your BFF because of the name or the scent that's up to you, but I'm giving away a bottle to one lucky BeautySweetSpot reader!  Follow and RT @beautysweetspot on Twitter about the contest and comment below telling me about your preppiest BFF.

The winner will be announced on Friday, Jan. 21st.  Good luck!

Follow My Flirting Tips & Win Flirt! Cosmetics

In the beginning of September I wrote about my favorite Spokesperson role yet – being a "Flirting Expert" for Flirt! Cosmetics.  I'm saying it was my favorite because it was perhaps the most natural to speak to and one flirting's of my fave things to do! To celebrate the launch of the video on Flirt's You Tube Channel I'm giving away Flirt! Cosmetics!  In the video I mention playing up your eyes and lips and therefore want you to follow my advice.

Three BeautySweetSpot readers will receive the ultimate flirting essentials – a tube of Flirt! It Curl Mascara (to lure your object of affection in with your eyes) and a shade of Glamourazzi Lip Lacquer (to draw attention to your pout).

To win: Follow @beautysweetspot on Twitter and Retweet my tweets about the giveaway and dish your flirting tips by commenting below.  A winner will be chosen at random on Sunday, October 24th.

Check out the video:

Trojan Announces Magnum Man of the Year

Imagine your boyfriend was crowned "Magnum Man of the Year" by Trojan condoms.  What does that even mean? Well I'll tell you this, it's much different than BeautySweetSpot's Man of the Year!  And before your mind wonders too far into the gutter allow me to explain. Trojan partnered with so-called Mr. Magnum himself, Ludacris to kick off a Magnum "Live Large" Project.  Over 2,000 aspiring musicians entered the contest and had to submit songs that reflected their personal live large mentality.  Ten finalists battled in front of Ludacris and one lucky man can now brag that he is Mr. Magnum.

Besides being able to officially brag about his title, he'll be performing at a huge music conference in Atlanta this summer.

New Video Feature: Product Review

Hi BeautySweetSpot readers! New to the site, you're going to start seeing YouTube video testimonials, interviews and how-to's from yours truely. Recently, I began using a new hair care line, John Frieda's Root Awakening. It's only been a week, but besides the benefits, I'd use it for the scent alone. Check out the products and my thoughts so far in my first video:

My Journey Through Scent Created "Come Hither"

Last night I attended a very intimate event at The Perfume Studio in NYC, where I created my own fragrance.  Held by Sue Phillips, President of Scenterprises, I sat around a table with six other guests, sipped red wine, listened to soft jazz and enjoyed a three hour experience of the senses. I've always been intrigued by perfume and have always thought about one day creating my own.  This experience was special as I learned the intricate details behind the making of each note, the rules of top, middle and base notes and artistry of blending to meet one's personality.  Being that I am a victim of horrific migraines I was nervous when 18 different notes sat before me.  Yet, as Phillips explained each one and I closed my eyes and inhaled each one took me to another place.  From the rolling hills of Ireland to the spice markets of Morocco, I was on a journey.  However, because of the quality of the fragrances not even the slightest headache occured.

Three hours later I came up with my favorite combination of top, middle and bottom notes and created what I named "Come Hither."  It's very much a BeautySweetSpot fragrance, a Jeannine Morris fragrance to be exact.  The journey was about finding something I loved, and being the only person in the world who coveted that scent.

I used a combination of a heady floral, woody, balsamic and amber.  The result: sex in a bottle.  It's definitely going to be my date night fragrance.  Hey, if it turns me on, it has to do something for him right?  Throughout the journey I learned that amber is actually ambergris, which is made from the vomit of a sperm whale... who knew something so revolting could smell so seductive?

The journey of scent is powerful and certainly cannot be done in a New York minute.  It was amazing to take the time out, relax and appreciate the quality of each note.  The Perfume Studio is located in Midtown East in NYC and offers one on one mixing sessions as well as parties.

VIP Pass to "The Industry"

Hi BeautySweetSpot readers!  I'm starting a new feature called "VIP Pass to The Industry," to give you an all access pass inside the industry.  From what's happening behind the desks of top national magazines and on the laptops of the hottest bloggers to the truths of working at some of the craziest public relations firms. Each person featured will share their favorite beauty products, inside industry information, advice on how to get in and of course, their guilty pleasures.  If you think it's anything like The Devil Wears Prada, Olivia's stint at Elle on The City or Whitney's at DVF, think again.

Exclusive Elizabeth Arden Giveaway

Elizabeth Arden updated it's well know fragrance, Pretty, just in time for Mother's Day.  Now, Pretty Eau de Cologne Splash includes notes of white peach and pink lady apple, which make it even more fresh than before.

Pretty Eau de Cologne Splash is limited edition and can be found for $45 at elizabetharden.com, but two lucky BeautySweetSpot readers can win the scent now!

Here's how:

  • Follow @beautysweetspot on Twitter and RT my tweets about the giveaway
  • Comment below telling me about the current scent you wear and why

Two winners will be selected at random on Sunday, May 2nd.  Good luck!

You're Invited to A Twitter Beauty Party

Tomorrow night I'm partnering with two beauty bloggers, Bailey of Makeover Momma and Tammy from A Mom in Red High Heels to throw a Mother's Day themed Twitter beauty party. You're probably asking yourself what the heck's a Twitter party?  Well let me fill you in... We'll be tweeting live from 8-9:30pm EST showcasing our fave Mother's Day  beauty buys from our OpenSky shops and offering you giveaways and discounts on some of our product picks.

So are you in?

Follow us and get ready to shop for mom!

Me! @beautysweetspot

Bailey @makeovermomma

Tammy @amominred