Exclusive Sneak Peek: Herve Leger NYFW Beauty

The invite to cover Max Azria's Herve Leger show is always an honor as his infamous bandage dresses always catch my attention, but this season an even more special invite landed in my inbox – the opportunity to cover the hair and makeup test the day before the show. RSVP: Yes.  Here are details on my exclusive preview of what the models hair, makeup and nails will look like.  PS: The show is tomorrow afternoon.

Prior to today, the glam squad met with Lubov Azria, the Chief Creative Officer of Max Azria to give direction for look and show off the Fall 2014 collection.  According to Lead Bumble & Bumble Stylist, Laurent Philippon, words like "bold," "cyber," "high tech" and "robotic" kept coming up.  There were two models at the test and I watched as he pulled their hair into high, tight ponytails and added streaks of "avatar blue" extensions into them starting at the root.  A look that later, wasn't approved by Azria.

Tomorrow, the girls are expected to walk with the same equestrian style ponytail, but the colored pieces of blue and a reddish coral will be coming in from the bottom as if they were an extension of their necklines.  "This way the audience can only see the color when the model turns, making it a more subtle statement," explains Philippon.

The eyes were the makeup look.  "I applied everything n a diagonal so you get the feeling of digital speed and movement," comments Val Garland, the lead makeup artist for Temptu.  The whole look was really emulated through the eyeliner, which Garland used a cream liner to create the graphic shape and then set it with Temptu's paint.  Her tip:  Don't move for 15 seconds after applying eyeliner to ensure it stays crisp like "a tick."  Her look was instantly approved.

Essie's Lead Manicurist, Julie Kandalec gave Azria a variety of designs to choose from playing off of the the lines in a bandage dress.  "She wanted to go in a blush direction to pick up the bare shade in the collection," she commented.  Tomorrow, all of the models will be wearing the same shade, Lady Like, but maybe not the same nail.

Red Dress Ready

Each year I like to cover the Heart Truth Red Dress Fashion Show, because it's empowering and unlike all of the rest since celebrities walk the runway to show their support in raising awareness of heart disease.  Like them, I like to wear a little red number, too, to show mine.  Yesterday before the show I popped into the Serge Normant Salon in the Meat Packing District where a John Frieda stylist gave me an effortlessly chic blowout to complement my feminine French Connection dress.  What she used to get the look surprised me. About two months ago I attended a launch event for John Frieda's latest collection of Frizz Ease products that are labeled for women with curly hair.  Impressed by the demos done on the models while there, I took note and decided I'd include them in stories, but never use them on my own hair since it's dead straight.  To my surprise, even though I questioned it, my stylist used the Frizz Ease Curl Reviver Styling Mousse before blowdrying and I was left with incredible volume.

Turns out, it's not too heavy for my hair and mousse is mousse.  While it may help to define curls, it certainly helped to pump up my volume.

*This is a sponsored post, but all of my thoughts and opinions are true.

5 Favorites

Have you recently fell in love with a new beauty product you tested out?  I have.  It's so hard to choose favorites, but all winter long I keep turning to some of the same items over and over again because they've proved themselves worthy.  And that says a lot for a girl who tests everything!  Here are my top five of the moment.  

Bejeweled Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips - Have you seen this yet?  It's the mini Vaseline lip therapy that comes in rose.  It's been giving my lips the protection they need throughout this horrific winter we've been having in NYC and adds a hint of natural color.  Of course, it comes without the bejeweled case too, but the way I look at it is "Be Jeweled" or go home.

Redken Full Frame 07 Volumizing Mousse - I like different mousses for different reasons, but this one gives my fine, limp hair volume and control.  The added control is what I really appreciate about it.  It sets my style and makes me feel more confident.

Yasou Body Cream - I first discovered this Greek inspired body moisturizer at Haven Spa in Soho when waiting to get a manicure and knew it was something worth writing about.  Laced with essential oils, it smells of rosemary and is thick, but not greasy.  The 99.5% natural moisturizer melts into my skin and has been keeping me hydrated all winter long.

Crest 3D White Brilliance Boost - Talk about a boost.  I'm addicted.  I guess it's easy to become addicted to teeth whitening, but this is like a toothpaste that you use as a supplement to brushing your teeth.  I brush it on nightly after brushing my teeth with toothpaste and it makes a world of a difference.  My smile is whiter and brighter instantly.  I get so excited about it that I constantly smile in my fiancé's face to show him the results. (Available in March.)

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Styling Treatment - Pre-blow dry, I use about a dime sized amount of this styler from mid-shaft to my ends.  It leaves me with a polished look of smooth, shiny strands.  Since I've been using it people have been asking if I've gotten a blow out on the regular.

The Trick to Achieving Award Winning Brows

Out of all of the glitz and glamour of red carpet season, I can't help but obsess over people's brows!  As Twitter was raving over Sarah Hyland's Valentino inspired braided updo at the Globes, I couldn't control my brow envy.  I mean, look at them.  I turned to my brow artist, Maribeth Madron, to find out how to properly fill in your brows.  

Whenever I leave Maribeth's chair my brows look like this, but filling them in at home was always a challenge until I learned how.

"Full, bold brows requires a fair amount of product, and you need actual hair to make the product look natural," Madron says.  "A lot of product on bare skin will look too artificial." Therefore, put down the tweezers and if you need help growing them in, try using Revita Brow.  It contains wheat protein and biotin, which help to thicken the hairs you already have and promote new growth.

To fill them in, Madron suggests using a sharpened wax-based pencil like Maybelline EyeStudio Master Shape Pencil and then setting it with a brow powder.  For hold and a youthful sheen, take the extra step to go over them with a clear mascara.

"Always begin in the center of the brow to prevent you from overdoing the anchor at inner corner of eye," explains Madron.  When using the pencil, brush your brows up and fill in any gaps with short upward strokes. They should be fine "to mimic the look of actual hairs."

Bridal Beauty Countdown: 1 Year

Get engaged over the holidays?  Congrats!  So many people I know did, but if you're not the one rocking the new bling this year, chances are you know someone who is. With less than five months until my wedding (yay!) all of my beauty ducks are in a row.  When I started planning, I spoke with some of my favorite beauty experts to map out my regimen.  Of course, it's only right I share it with you.  I'll be posting a series, but here's what you should be thinking about at one year.

Skin: Visit your dermatologist.  “Brides-to-be come to me all the time with concerns of getting that perfect glow for the day, clearing up any existing acne and evening out the skin tone/pigmentation,” explains Dr. Ilyse Lefkowicz.  When it comes to skincare it’s best to begin addressing any concerns when you first get engaged so your dermatologist can put you on a plan. “I like patients to be on a routine specific to their skin type for at least two months, so they can clean up as much as possible, and then we can use some office-based procedures in conjunction,” says Dr. Lefkowicz.

Smile: If you’re looking to get any dental work done beyond whitening, now’s the time to go see your dentist or orthodontist.  “When women get engaged, they’re motivated to look their best for their wedding, and just like women wanting to get into shape, I see a lot of women wanting to straighten their teeth,” says Dr. Joseph Hung, a NYC-based orthodontist.  He recommends Invisalign, because the clear aligners effectively straighten teeth without impeding your social life.

Hair: Unwanted hair.  How nice would it be to not have to worry about hairy legs, underarms, bikini line (the list goes on) on your honeymoon? This is the time to consult with a dermatologist or laser specialist about laser hair removal services.

Makeup: Take a makeup class.  I thought about doing this, but instead asked for a makeup lesson during my makeup trial, which I booked early. Even if you don't plan on doing your makeup on your wedding day, you still want to make sure you really know what you're doing for all of the parties up to the it – engagement, bridal, bachelorette, rehearsal dinner, etc.

Grammy Beauty Highs and Lows

The Grammys were filled with highs last night – from Beyonce and Jay Z's super sexy performance to Drunk in Love to couples getting married to Same Love – the show lived up to expectations.  The red carpet however, was full of major hits and misses.  If you were following along on Twitter, I was live tweeting red carpet looks and had a great time with many of you.  Thanks for joining in!  Here are some of the most shocking Grammy beauty highs and lows.  

HIGH: Beyonce's body.  Enough said.  I made it to an early barre class on a Monday morning and I bet you got your workout in already as well.

LOW: Madonna wore a grill.  Why?  Under her signature, perfectly painted red lip, the songstress decided she needed a gold grill.  Did you catch the moment on the red carpet where she told her son he could get one for his birthday?  Eh.

HIGH: Taylor Swift's Barbie inspired ponytail.  Good for her for rocking such a playful, feminine look with that metallic Gucci gown.  It almost made me want to get a clip on one so I can swish my hair back and forth like her.

LOW: Ariana Grande's hair tie.  Yes, it made an appearance yet again.  Will someone get this girl a hair stylist? 

HIGH: Paris Hilton's texturized updo.  While I never thought I'd include her in any sort of positive write up again, I have to hand it to the heiress.  Her hair was on point last night.  Kudos to her stylist. 

LOW: Rita Ora's nails.  Seriously?  While I can still get behind nail art, hers looked like trash.

HIGH: Jared Leto's ombre.  I haven't been able to keep my mind off of him all awards season.  Let's just say it's all because of his hair.  You too?  Then check this out and thank me later.

LOW: Sara Bareilles's "Katniss Everdeen" inspired braids.  Fail.  I think "inspired" is the wrong word.  She actually looked like she was a poor 16 year old fighting for survival.

Winning Sundance Beauty Looks

We may use this frigid weather as an excuse to rock the careless no-makeup/messy-hair look. However, we should really look towards the celebs at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival for  snow bunny chic inspiration. No matter he weather, they put their best faces forward. Here's how one woman kept Chloe Grace Moretz and Ashley Greene looking haute.

Chloe Grace Moretz did not disappoint at her Laggies film premiere with a textured, fashion inspired topknot. Hairstylist, Kerrie Urban started by spraying Moretz’s damp hair with Leonor Greyl’s Voluforme in sections and then blow-dried it with a large round brush.

After loosely combing all of her hair back, she pulled it into a high pony and teased it before wrapping it into a bun and slightly pulling it apart.  She even pulled out wispy pieces, to finish off the loosely textured look.

As a woman of many talents, Kerrie Urban also worked as  Ashley Greene's makeup artist to create a fresh look for the Wish I was Here premiere. It all began by creating an skin even tone with the help of  Chanel Aqua Lumiere and Antonym Baked Foundation in Light.

To brighten Greene’s eyes, Urban worked with Antonym’s Certified Organic Quattro Eye Shadow Palette in Noisette.  First, she swept a layer of pale gold across Greene’s lids from lash line to the crease then added a brown shimmer shade in the outer corners of her eyes and crease line. For liner, Urban used a waterproof black eye pencil on the top lash line and smudged a light line of a matte brown shade from the Quattro Eye Shadow Palette on the bottom. Urban finished it off with a few coats of mascara and a few individual lashes.  The pop of bright raspberry on Greene’s lips help to accentuate the artistry on her lips.

And the Award Goes to... Claire Danes

After much debate, I'm giving Claire Danes the award for 'Best Overall Look' at the SAG Awards this weekend.  Runners up included: Cate Blanchette, who's clearly owning it this season (pic), and Julia Roberts, (that hair)!  Homeland's Miss Carrie Mathison though, had it all going on from her sexy, blue smokey eyes and berry lips to her voluminous blowout and elegant Vionnet VIP gown.  Who wouldn't want to look like her? 

Her glam squad consisted of dream team, Peter Butler and Matin Maulawizada, who together, complimented her gown with a modern, sexy look.  Butler's mission was to create effortless, relaxed hair full of body and texture.  He blew it out with John Frieda Luxorious Volume, Volume Building Mousse to ensure her hair had control.  Matin (who never goes by his last name) created shimmery smokey eyes lined with cobalt blue liner reminiscent of the '80's with Laura Mercier Crème Eye Liner in Cobalt and mostly Laura Mercier Baked Eye Colour in Mystical and Laura Mercier Satin Matte Eye Colour in Dark Spirit.

Modern Day Gatsby Hair

Have you seen The Great Gatsby?  I've been dying to have a reason to get dolled up 1920's style ever since the movie came out and turns out, the New Year's Eve party I attended was Gatsby themed.  Not that you have to have an excuse to turn to 1920's style waves, but I went all out.  The hair was my favorite part of the look.  Using the photo above as my inspiration, my stylist, Jan Marie Arteca of the Jeff Chastain Parlor in NYC gave it a modern twist.  Here are her tips on how to do it yourself.

"During the 1920's era, hair was very done," explains Arteca.  "To make this look more modern you want it to look more undone with key elements of the style kept in tact."

1. Part your hair drastically off center and using a 1" curling iron, curl your whole head in 1" sections so the curls are tight.  "This is a way to cheat pin curls," Arteca comments.  Make sure you're curling under and vertically (think Shirley Temple) and not creating waves.

2.  To add control to the front piece, create a real pin curl by placing your finger in the middle of the strand and wrap it around the finger so it's flat to your head.  Use a hair pin to secure it and let it cool.

3.  Lightly brush through the rest of your curls with a half boar bristle half nylon brush.  This will loosen them up, but still keep the pin-curl vibe.

4.  Tease the ends with a teasing comb to create texture.

5.  Release the front pin curl and add a beaded headband, clip or feather accessory to your style.  Then, begin to play with placement.  "Placement of everything from the accessory to each and every curl is key to making this look a success," Arteca stated.  Make sure your accessory is no further back than 1" away from your hairline and the front swoop should be the most perfect part.

Boost Your Color with John Frieda's New Glosses

John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette Color Glaze has been a staple in my shower for at least the past five years.  As a brunette who likes to deepen her color every few months, I live for glosses in between dye jobs.  Not only do they help enrichen my color once it begins to fade, but they also keep my hair shiny.  That's why when I heard that the brand was launching new and improved at-home glosses I jumped at the chance to test them out. Here's why you should, too.

The version I'm used to using was sort of like a one-size-fits-all.  If you had brown hair, you used the Brilliant Brunette Color Glaze.  While it worked to coat my strands by depositing a temporary medium brown shade, it had a warmth to it that brought out reddish undertones in my hair. Let's face it, after a dye job oxidizes, reddish undertones look better than washed out hair color.  I was satisfied... until my next dye job.

Now, the updated glosses mimic their in-salon treatments and are customized to suit your hair color and tone.  I use the Colour Refreshing Gloss for cool brunettes in between dyes and it enriches my color just a bit while canceling out the redness so I'm able to keep my hair color in check in between dye appointments.  Plus, it has all of the shine benefits.  These new glosses come in six different shades: warm and cool versions for brunettes, blondes and red heads.

Find John Frieda Colour Refreshing Gloss for $12.99 at drugstores.

*This is a sponsored post by John Frieda, but all of my thoughts and actions are true.

How To Create A Side Chignon, Plus A Giveaway

I love wearing my hair down with texture or as it was called in my last holiday hair how to video, "bends," but a chic chignon is always a good option for upcoming holiday parties.  After all, I don't think there's anything sexier than showing off your neck and décolletage.  Here's an easy how-to from Dove along with a giveaway worth $380 that'll help you achieve the perfect party hairstyle.  Good luck!

1. PREP: Wash your hair with Dove® Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner to help nurture damaged strands and smooth out your hair
2. DRY: Blow dry your hair, using your fingers to separate sections
3. CURL: Spray Dove® Style+Care Thermal Replenishment Spray on 3-inch sections of your hair and wrap them around a 2-inch curling iron
4. SEPARATE: Rake a dime-size amount of Dove® Style+Care Frizz-Free Shine Cream-Serum through your hair to break up the waves and add shine
5. LOOP & SECURE: Pull your hair back and braid it.  Run a bobby pin through the elastic at the base of the braid, loop it up and secure it messily with the bobby pin.  Allow pieces to fall out.
6. FINISH:Finish the look with Dove® Style+Care™ Strength & Shine Extra Hold Hairspray

All Dove products are available at Walmart.

Giveaway!

1. Create your own Dove holiday inspired look and upload photo of it on Instagram with the hashtag #doveholiday. 
2. Then, leave a comment underneath this blog post with a link to your Instagram post and two winners will be chosen at random from the comments on this blog post on January 1st!  Good luck!

Two winners will receive:

• Dove products (all the products featured in our how-tos): $60
• Chi Straightening Iron,  $100
• Conair Infinit Pro Curl Secret Curling Iron, $100
• BARBAR Blowdryer, $120

*This post is sponsored by Lunchbox, but all of my thoughts and actions are true.

Being Naked is In

Last week I stopped by NBC's New York Live to show my friends Sara Gore and Jaque Reid '5 Winter Beauty Trends to Try.'  Check them out.  I'm sure you'll find one or two you can own this season.  Also, I listed all of the products I featured below. 1. Nude Nails: Clinique A Different Nail Enamel, $12.50 ea. at Clinique.com

2. Matte Complexion: Ponds Luminous Finish BB+, $9.99 at drugstores

3. Mega Volume: göt2b 2sexy voluptuous spray mousse, $5.99 at drugstores

4. Burgundy Lips: Mehron L.I.P. Color Cream, $7.95 at mehron.com

5. Colorful Lids: Wet n’ Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio, $2.99 at drugstores

Beauty Products to Be Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving, guys!  My friends over at BeautyHigh did a piece this week  (check it out here) on what beauty insiders are thankful for and included yours truly, so I decided to do a piece on what beauty product your most thankful for!  After all, I'm thankful for your readership and continued support!  There were so many great responses, but here are a few that really stood out.Tweet, tweet!  I asked, "What beauty product are you guys #thankful for, from @BeautySweetSpot.  

YSL Touche Eclat is available at Sephora for $40.

Yes to Carrots Facial Towelettes are available at drugstores for $4.97.

Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is available at Nordstrom for $60.

Miss Jessie's Creme de la Creme is available at MissJessies.com for $8.40.

Benefit High Beam is available at Sephora for $26.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer is available at Sephora for $28.

Behind the Scenes on Set with A Celebrity Stylist

I was recently back on set, this time with one of my favorite celebrity hair stylists, Mark Townsend for Dove®.  He's been busy working with some of Hollywood’s leading ladies, so when I have a chance to sit in his chair, I take it!  This time, we partnered to show you how to get some extra sass in your hair style.  I can't wait to show you the video, but for now, here are some behind the scenes pics.

 PS: While on set,  I completely fell in love with the Dove® Style + Care Nourishing Amplifier Mousse.  As Mark says, "It's essential for a good blow out!"

*This is a sponsored post by Dove® and the Style Coalition, but all of my thoughts and actions are true.

Black Friday & Cyber Monday Steals & Deals

Tis' the season to shop!  I've collected some of the best beauty deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday so all you have to do is click and shop this weekend.  Forget fighting crowds.  Some of the best online deals last all weekend long so chill out and relax after Turkey Day.

BLACK FRIDAY

CARGO:  50% off the Let’s Meet in Paris Mini Lip Gloss Kits; purchase for $8 (a $16 value) at Ulta.com

Peter Thomas Roth:  20% off site-wide. Shoppers can score great deals on the hero products at PeterThomasRoth.com.

URBAN DECAY:  Get a 6-piece bundle of Revolution Lipstick for only $50 (a $132 value). Get travel sizes of All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray, Supercurl Mascara and Eyeshadow Primer Potion, as well as the Black Market 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set, for $35 (a $72 value.) All on UrbanDecay.com.

NORDSTROM:Over 80 gifts with purchase. Choose from dozens of free gifts with purchase featuring fantastic values, including Estee Lauder, Smashbox, Jo Malone London, Clarisonic, Bobbi Brown and more! Visit shop.nordstrom.com.

CYBER MONDAY

ERNO LASZLO:  Receive an 8-piece “Big Beauty Bonus” – the brand’s biggest GWP offering yet – with any purchase of $200 or more at ernolaszlo.com.

URBAN DECAY: Get the Smoked Palette and an Eyeshadow Primer Potion Travel Duo for $40 (a $58 value). Urban Decay is also throwing back to 2011 with a revival of the Book of Shadows Vol. IV, complete with a deluxe Revolution Lipstick sample. If you missed out then, now’s your chance to score one, and for only $25 (a $64 value) at urbandecay.com.

LISA HOFFMAN BEAUTY: 50% off all day.  Spend $100 on lisahoffmanbeauty.com  and receive a free perfume set.  Use code LHCYBER.

MYCHELLE DERMACEUTICALS: 50% off the entire site with code CYBER13 at MyChelle.com.

 ALL WEEKEND DEALS

AHAVA: 40% off the entire site exclusively from Wednesday, 11/27 through Cyber Monday, 12/2 at ahavaus.com

ALTERNA: Purchase the 3 Steps to Flawless Hair Kit, containing Caviar Moisture Shampoo, Caviar Moisture Conditioner and Caviar CC Cream for only $10.00 (a $26.00 value) at Sephora

ALBA BOTANICA: Enter ‘ALBATHANKYOU’ at check-out and receive a Buy 2 Get 1 Free deal on any products available at albabotanica.com

AVALON ORGANICS: Enter ‘AVALONTHANKS’ at check-out and receive 20% entire purchase at avalonorganics.com

BLISS:  20% off all full size bliss, Elemis and Remede products (sets not included)

 H20+:   $25 off your $100 purchase all day.  Early Bird Shopping: Receive free gift of choice with ANY purchase 6am - 10am at h2oplus.com / 10am-1pm (stores) 

PEARL: 40% off the Pearl Brilliant and Gentle White systems at iconicpearl.com

TANDA: 40% off of TANDA’s acne-clearing and anti-aging LED devices with code tanda40 at tanda.com

PANGEA ORGANICS: Buy 1 get 1 free, plus free shipping on all orders of $100+ at pangeaorganics.com

MOROCCAN OIL: Receive complimentary full-sized products with the purchase of a Moroccanoil.com e-Gift Card. In addition, free shipping is available on all purchases $55 and up.

BUTTER LONDON: 20% off site wide (excluding product marked at “last-call”) and 50% off “last-call” items. Use code CYBER13 at butterlondon.com.

OUIDAD: 20% off all orders during check out and an additional 25% off all orders over $60 at Ouidad.com.

6 Steps to Kate Beckinsale's Cascading Waves

Kate Beckinsale never fails to turn heads.  This weekend, she attended the third annual LACMA Art + Film Gala in California donning a strapless Gucci gown complimented by Veronica Lake inspired waves.  Her stylist, Sascha Breur, gave me the 411 on how to get her touchable, sexy style. Step 1: Towel dry your hair and apply mousse for staying power.  "To evenly distribute the mouse, use a wide toothed comb," Breur says. "Ensure that you spread the product right through to the tips of the hair to boost the energy of your curls with irresistible definition and virtually frizz-free shine."

Step 2: Use a large round brush and blow dry directing the nozzle upwards for added root-lift. Then, create a low side part and section your hair into pieces for curling.

Step 3: Use a medium size curling iron and work in sections all the way around your head rotating the way you curl – away from your face and then towards.  Pin the curls up with hair pins allowing them to cool after each section and spritz with Wella Stay Essential Hairspray.

Step 4: When the hair is completely cool, release the curled sections, remove all the grips and smooth through with your hands to loosen the ringlets.

Step 5: Use a large soft brush gently brush through the curls to create smooth soft waves. "Don’t be attempted to over brush or the hair will become frizzy and loose its smoothness," he explains.  "A few drops of Wella Oil Reflections will work wonders to add the right level of smoothness and glossy shine to your 'do."

Step 6: Use a lightweight finishing spray so it lasts all night.