Insta-Glam: Models to Follow During NYFW

New York Fashion Week is literally the most important time of the year.  I don't care what anyone says, there is nothing more incredible then watching the Internet practically break, because of all of the footage surfacing from the most elite runway shows around the world. We've rounded up the 8 hottest models who's instagram handles you should follow for insider access that will have you feeling like you're in the big tent sitting next to Anna Wintour herself throughout all of NYFW.

Karlie Kloss, Instagram: @karliekloss

A definite fan fav, Karlie is known for her awesome personality and wacky photos. Follow her as she undoubtedly kills it on the runways for some of the biggest designers in the world.

Cocoa Rocha, Instagram: @CocoRocha

Coco's lustworthy Insta is riddled with photos designed to incite the most serious case of Wanderlust by showing the beauty in her surroundings (even if her surroundings are next to a camel or something equally as ridiculous). Her insider photos of NYFW are guaranteed to be visually stunning, like peeking behind the scenes of a Vogue cover shoot.

Cara Delevigne, Instagram: @caradelevigne

A mix between high fashion shots and personal insider photos, Cara will definitely be reporting on NYFW with a high-brow twist...and of course, a side of bacon.

Joan Smalls, Instagram: @joansmalls

Joan Smalls is sure to slay this year at NYFW. Her incredible cheekbones make her Instagram totally gorg, follow her for high fashion shots with a pinch of her offbeat humor sprinkled in.

Miranda Kerr, Instagram @mirandakerr

This VS Angel is looking to break the mold by joining the ranks of the NYFW runways. Keep an eye out for her infectious smile and unmistakable behind-the-scenes selfie guaranteed to have you feeling like you're part of the action.

Jourdan Dunn, Instagram @officialJDunn

Known for being best pals with fellow runway queen Cara Delevigne, these two often cameo on each other's Insta's while party-hopping. Keep an eye out for her taking the runway by storm with the occasional shot of her adorable son mixed in!

Gigi Hadid, Instagram @GigiHadid

The daughter of Real Housewife of Beverly Hills star Yolanda, this up-and-comer is sure to appear a few times at NYFW. Having walked last season, Gigi is sure to stun with her striking features and high-fashion Insta shots.

 Georgia May Jagger, Instagram @GeorgiaMayJagger

No stranger to the catwalk, Georgia walked the London Olympics runway without breaking a sweat. She's sure to make an appearance this season but only her Insta will give us the insider shots we really want...along with the occasional adorable animal cameo of course!

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Hair & Makeup

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is tomorrow night!  Filmed November 13th in NYC, I was fortunate enough to go backstage and check out all of the action.  After speaking with Adriana Lima, Toni Garrn and Alessandra Ambrossio, I posted this on their fitness tips (apparently sex counts).  Just in, is the complete rundown on how to get the bombshell look from their glam squad – makeup artist, Dick Page and hair stylist, Orlando Pita.  Get your sexy on, ladies! MAKEUP

Face

For a fresh and flawless complexion, apply VS Makeup Tinted Moisturizer & Primer SPF 15 all over skin with a foundation brush—this creates a smooth and even canvas for makeup application.

Next, sweep VS Makeup Mineral Blush Duo in Starlet across the apples of the cheeks. Blend up to temples for a warm and natural-looking flush.

Eyes

Start by lightly defining the inner rims of eyes with VS Makeup Eye Liner in Dark Chocolate. Next, line the top lash line with the same pencil and use the smudger end to blend the line upward and out.  Make sure there are no sharp lines; keeping the eye liner soft, blended and diffused creates a smoky effect that makes the eyes pop.

Using the VS Makeup Eye Shadow Quad in Eye Contact, apply the Highlight shade from the lash line up to the brow. Emphasize the inner corner and brow bone for an extra brightening effect. Next, sweep the dark brown Crease shade in a “V” shape at the outer corner of the eye and blend well to create drama.  Dust the shimmery gold Lid shade across the inner half of the lid.  Hold a tissue under the eye while applying eye shadow to catch any excess powder.

Apply VS Makeup Volume Plump Mascara to upper and lower lashes. Layer extra coats on the upper lashes for a more dramatic effect.

Lip

For a nude pout with a hint of shine, use your fingertip to pat on VS Makeup Color Drama Lipstick in Melt.

HAIR - Of course, tons of extensions were added!

Step 1

Apply VS So Sexy Style Body & Hold Volumizing Mousse from roots to ends of damp hair.  Section the hair and dry using the ghd air professional performance hairdryer and a ghd round brush.

Step 2

Starting at the nape, take a horizontal section of the hair and mist with VS So Sexy Style Hold & Finish Hairspray. Place two fingers at the root of the hair and wrap the hair around, tucking in the ends to create a pin curl around the fingers.

Step 3

Once the section is wrapped, gently remove your fingers.  Close the ghd tri-zone styler onto the pin curl, hold for about 5 seconds, letting the heat do its work, then remove the styler and pin.

Step 4

Repeat this technique through the hair.  Keep fingers straight at all times when wrapping the hair.

Step 5

Once cooled, release the curls from the pins.  To finish, mist hair with VS So Sexy Style Clean & Go Dry Shampoo or VS So Sexy Style Hold & Finish Hairspray, depending upon your hair texture or the amount of volume you want to create.  Use your hands, or a brush, to create your desired finish.

Victoria's Secret Angels Reveal Fitness Secrets

This year I went backstage for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show with one goal in mind.  Since the look never changes, a golden glow complimented by a plush, kissable pout and supermodel waves, I needed to find out how more about the models fitness routines.  Mission accomplished.  Here, Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Toni Garrn and more spill the secrets to sculpting. I asked each one what their favorite asset was to show off on the runway and how they sculpt it to perfection.  Here were their responses.

Alessandra Ambrosio – My favorite asset to show off on the runway is my legs. I do squats, Pilates, TRX, barre movements and they all work my bum and the legs. I think lunges are really good and easy to do though.  I also love green juice and have it once a day.  It gives me energy.  I'm from Brazil so I like to have fresh juice and they make me feel lighter and really good.

Toni Garrn - My butt, for sure.  Everything else is covered this year with wings and corsets and I've been working on my butt for a while.  I do this exercise called down dog and then kick my legs up in pulses.  (She's telling me this as she, in her tiny, silk VS robe, pretends to get down on all fours and kick out her right leg behind her and pulse.) and do about 200 pulses on each side.  Left and right and up and down about 200 times on each side every day. 

Magdalena Frackowiak – My favorite exercise is the sex!  No, for real, squats.  I like to show off my abs, my boobs, my butt, my legs!

Adriana Lima – My eyes.  I think the eyes show a lot of personality.  Eye contact. You can really describe everything about a person through their eyes.

For backstage photos check out BeautySweetSpot's FB page!

Backstage Beauty Report: Zac Posen

Throughout my 14 seasons of reporting, I've never missed a chance to cover backstage Zac Posen.  The gowns are so beautiful it hurts.  This time, I followed Zac around backstage and watched as he inspected some of them one last time before they made their runway debut.  Special.  The look immediately reminded me of a modern day Marie Antoinette, delicate floral appliques placed into texturized updos and a soft ballerina inspired makeup.

Even though the look is very romantic, Kerastase's Odile Gilbert described it as, "f*ed up hair," explaining that no two updos were alike.  After loosely curling the model's strands, she used K Powder Bluff Texturizing Dry Shampoo to give it the texture it needed to artisticly pin it up with no rhyme or reason.  Finishing by pinning in the florals.

After seeing the clothing, Kabuki, MAC's lead makeup artist, knew the look was going to be romantic, but wanted to have one element of contrast, but have the feel of a ballet - a graphic element to the eye.  Using MAC's #43 lashes and Haute & Naughty Too Black Lash Mascara, his goal was to give the top lashes volume, but not length to add dimension to the eye.  "There's something very feminine about the movement of the eye," he explained. "It's simple, but holds up with proportions of the clothes."  An elegant, but precise line was also drawn on top and black pencil was smudged underneath to complete the eye look.  The face was kept nude and lip color was enhanced.

Two colors were used to create a faded nail look.  Morgan Taylor's Coming Up Roses and Polished Up. First Coming Up Roses was applied and then Polished Up was sponged on by rocking it back and forth to create the faded effect, lead manicurist, Gina Edwards explained.

The backstage scene is always my favorite.  Of course, I love covering backstage beauty, but there's something about Zac Posen that makes me want to stay. Here are some more pics I just had to share with you!

Behind the scenes on set with dkny

For the past year as s a DKNY Core Girl, I've had inside access to some pretty inspiring activities with DKNY and communication with their fans, who've been amazing!  Almost exactly a year ago I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes on the photo shoot for the new DKNY Be Delicious ad campaign that was just launched.  While there, I interviewed the glam squad and shot some of my own Core Girl intro video.  Check out the pics from the shoot!

Zac Posen Backstage Beauty Report: Deconstructed Chignons with Aubergine Lips & Tips

There's nothing classier and more New York than attending a Zac Posen fashion show.  It was the first show I've ever attended in my six plus year career in beauty and the one show I'll never miss covering backstage beauty.  This season, the show was held at the Palace Hotel's Terrace Room.  Picture crystal chandeliers lining the runway, intricate paintings on the backstage ceiling, mirrors lining the walls and famous models like Crystal Renn.  Artists from John Frieda, MAC and Essie created a look that a complete contradiction from last year. "There's a lot of construction in the clothes so we wanted to make sure the hair was relaxed," explained Luigi Murenu, John Frieda's Global Creative Consultant. "We wanted to create an art deco, 2013 chignon with volume and personality."

Before drying or in some cases, on dry hair he combed John Frieda Luxurious Volume, Volume Building Mousse through the hair to build up the hairs texture and bring it to life.  Once dry, the team began crimping the top of the hair in a "clap, clap, clap" way so the iron didn't leave an imprint on the hair, but just made it look "as if they had more hair."  Keeping volume on the top, he flattened out and tightened the sides, sealing them with a serum, and secured a ponytail at the nape of the neck.  Separating the pony into two sections, he twisted them around each other and pinned it up into a deconstructed chignon.  The key pieces were two side fly aways that were purposely pulled out and crimped to give the look a sense of lightness.

Kabuki, the lead makeup artist for MAC Cosmetics, was inspired by the snow falling outside during the makeup trial and explained how the makeup was "minimal and snowy in the eye, but brought back into the jewel colors of the collection by doing a rich, burgundy stained lip."

The skin was highlighted and eyes were soft, but the lip was special.  "The look needed a moment of a strong moment, which brings out the dellicatecy of the eye," Kabuki stated.  To create the lip look, he first used Vino Lip Liner to define the outer shape and applied lip balm only to the center of the lips.  This prevents the color from spreading.  Then, taking a single tissue, he touched it to the lip and put loose powder through it to set the pencil without changing the color.  Finally, he applied Lip Mix in Burgundy to the center of the lip and thinned it out as it got closer to the outer corner.  "This way, you don't have to worry about color bleeding or running, but you still have the dense coverage in the middle," he concluded.

"When you put a dark lip with a dark nail it keeps it really dramatic and gives it a bit of an edge," comments an Essie manicurist.  The shade used was Carri On, which is their darkest aubergine.

A Guide to the Top Victoria's Secret Angels on Twitter & Peek at Their Fashion Show Prep

On Wednesday I'll be heading backstage to cover the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and then of course, attending the show.  To prep, I began researching (aka stalking) the angels on Twitter to see what they've been up to lately.  Fitness, fittings and beauty treatments seem to taking up their feeds, but on Wednesday I'll get the real dirt.  Follow me on Twitter for constant updates!  Here's a guide to the top angels twitter handles and a peek at their fashion show prep.

Candice Swanepoel

Alessandra Ambrosio

Lily Aldridge

Doutzen Kroes

Karlie Kloss

Heidi Klum

Adriana Lima

Selita Banks

Karolina Kurkova

Lunch with Victoria's Secret Models, Erin Heatherton Spills Her Beauty Must Haves & Her Fitness Struggle

Picture this: a perfect spring day in NYC and the sun is shining in through the glass roof of Imperial No. Nine, the restaurant off the lobby of the Mondrian Soho onto different shades of pink roses that lined the long wooden table.  What looked like a chic bridal shower was just another beauty event, only this time I found myself at a garden themed luncheon for Victoria's Secret with three models: Lindsay Ellingson, Erin Heatherton (who I grabbed to chat) and Toni Garrn. 

The beginning of the event we were having cocktails and mingling when I asked Erin if I could ask her a few questions about the new fragrance, Love is Heavenly, and she pulled me over to the bar so we could talk in private.  After noticing her six inch Louboutin's I realized she probably needed to sit down and scored an exclusive, really raw interview.

"It's parallel to this kind of day we're having, a beautiful spring day," Heatherton explained when I asked her how she'd describe the scent.  "Optomistic and feminine, like being in love.  You know, the a quiet, playful happiness you have inside."

I couldn't agree more.  As a fan of Heavenly, which I used to exclusively wear when I was younger, Love is Heavenly is just as light with a citrus twist.  An uplifting daytime fragrance available in Eau de Parfum, Body Mist (my fave), Lotion and Moisture Cream.

As for other beauty must haves, she credits her great skin to Dr. Colbert, who's her go-to derm and loves his skincare.  "I like to have fresh, glowing skin and love cheek stain," she says.  "Besides that I use tinted lip balm and a lash curler."  After long flights or when she feels stressed to prevent pimples she rotates between Ren and the Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Face Masks.  I've never tried either and can't wait!

"For a while when I was doing this job I looked right, but didn't feel good," she confesses.  "I ran, but it was a chore, until I started noticing results."  Growing up Heatherton was an athlete and never had to work to be in shape, when she hit her 20's, things changed.  "Now I put in hours sweating and boxing and it adds to my confidence at the end of the day.  Sometimes you don't want to be photographed if you don't feel right."

Equinox Ads Stir More Controversy Than Memberships

What types of images motivate you to work out?  For me, it's images of fit women.  Now, let me define fit.  Women who have bodies (yes, curves too) who have lean, toned muscles.  Inspirational, yet potentially attainable.  Equinox's ad imagery is now causing an uproar.  Can you see why? I've seen it all over NYC and at first, I was more disturbed by the way the fitness club's ads were trying to replicate a fashion spread in Harper's rather than a sending a message of working out.  Honestly, I just thought it was a stupid concept.  "Oh so if I join your gym I can frolick around in Louboutins and own a toy dogs?"  Clearly, that's the idea of the clientele they try to attract, but really?

Fashion editioral photographer, Terry Richardson shot the campaign, so the direction was clear from the start.  Members are outraged, but they're not so disturbed by the dumb idea of a fashion campaign, it's more about the models.  They casted for a fashion editorial.  Instead of showcasing fit models promoting an idea of what fitness and health means, Equinox casted runway ready, editorial models who all appear thin.  Check out their Facebook page to see the comments flooding in.

Guilty Pleasures of the Web

Photoshopped or Not? A Tool To Tell (NYTimes) Taking Beauty Tips from Your Boyfriend (theluxuryspot)

My column - My Wardrobe Staple: A Five Yr. Old DVF (glamour)

Guess the Highest Paid Young Celebs in Hollywood (collegecandy)

How to Get A Candy Cane Mani (bellasugar)

The Most Googled Fashion Brands (refinery29)

Sneak Peek! Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Finale

I bet you can't wait to watch the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show tonight on CBS! Neither can I, but since I saw it live, I caught a bit of the finale on video just for you!  Enjoy after the jump! 

The Very First Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

There were no angel wings at the first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 1995.  Held a The Plaza in NYC, it was streamed online and the no-name models casually walked the runway in regular bras and underwear and even (gulp) kimonos.  Tomorrow night on CBS we'll witness more confetti, supermodels and musical performances than ever.  My, have the times changed! Take a look at the video from the very first VS Fashion Show after the jump! Here's the video of the first ever Victoria's Secret Fashion Show:

VIDEO: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Backstage Beauty Report

Yesterday I went backstage before the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which was held at the 69th Regiment Armory in NYC, and got the scoop on the secrets behind the Angel's glowing skin, bombshell waves and scored an interview with high fashion model, Liu Wen. Check out the video interview I did backstage with Lead Makeup Artist, Tom Pecheux, and find out which products he used on the models after the jump!

Here's a shot of the main products used to create the look.  Before applying foundation, Pecheux massaged each of the model's skin with Rodin Face Oil to moisturize and awaken it by stimulating circulation.

Pecheux wanted to create a believable tan complexion and used Victoria's Secret Baked Mineral Bronzing Powder in Glitterati across the models' faces in places where the sun would hit (cheekbones, chin, nose and brow bone).  He then blended Victoria's Secret Luminous Mineral Blush Duo in Starlet into the apples of the cheeks and up into the temples to make the tan look natural.

Inspired by Marilyn Monroe, the eye had a thin line of liquid liner and lashes were real!  Tons of mascara.  To finish, he used Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Lipstick in Wisper with a top coat of Very Sexy Lipgloss in Sublime.

Check out the video for the real deal:  

Countdown to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

The Holiday Season is starting and you know what that means! Adriana, Candace, Alessandra, Erin, Chanel, all become household names as they strut down the runway for the most anticipated show of the year – the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Each week unitl the show on November 30th, BeautySweetSpot.com will be giving you the beauty and fitness secrets of the angels so you too can be a bombshell!

Let the countdown begin! 29 days!

Check out footage from last years show after the jump:

Monday's Muse

This week we have two Monday's Muses: NYFW Top Models, Lyndsey Scott and Hannah Rundlof.

Lyndsey Scott (right)

Locale: From New Jersey but lives in NYC

Seasons with NYFW: 3

Modeling Agency: Click 

Where You Recently Saw Her: DKNY campaign, March 2010 issue of W magazine

How She Got Her Start: at age 16 she was discovered after posting her own photos on Models.com

Career Highlight: "After doing big shows like my Calvin Klein exclusive and Prada people started to react differently to me and started to really know who I was.  It's very exciting."

Hanna Rundlof (left)

Locale: Sweeden

Seasons with NYFW: 3

Modeling Agency: Marilyn

Where You Recently Saw Her: Dolce & Gabnana campaign, Italian Vogue

How She Got Her Start: At 14 she answered a modeling advertisement on the Internet by sending in photos and videos from her web cam and was picked up by an agent.

Future Hopes:  After finishing her business degree in Sweeden she hopes to move to NYC and keep getting booked for more shows.