Weekend Reads

Got too much sun this weekend? 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic shows you the best ways to treat a sunburn.All Lacquered Up is giving away 30 sets of nail lacquers from Estee Lauder's Pearls of Light Collection!Canadian Beauty takes a shine to Pantene Ice Shine Hairspray.Makeup and Beauty Blog shares a cosmopolitan-inspired hot pink lip.BellaSugar interviews Amy Keller, Beauty Director at Allure.The

What's Your Favorite May Cover Look?

We saw 5 covers this month, ranging from the earthy, natural Ellen Page to the utterly ridiculous Jessica Simpson...plus several versions of Madonna (you picked Vanity Fair as your favorite Madge cover, so it's the only one included here). Which one's your favorite?Click the image to enlarge if you need a better look, or check out the original posts: Ellen, Madonna, Hilary, Julianne, Jessica.more

New Collection: MAC Tendertones

MAC Tendertones are back this summer with 4 returning shades and 6 newbies. SPF 12, strawberry-kiwi flavored, 10 choices, could you ask for anything more? I'll be adding at least one of these to my burgeoning collection of SPF lippies.Tendertones are available right now on-counter and on the MAC website.Tread Gently Soft lime green with yellow pearl E-Z Baby Sheer milky pink Honey Bare Rosy blue

Site Update: Subscribing via Email

Ayo technology!Looks like my old email subscription service, Blogarithm, has been sold to RSSFWD. And the daily update emails from RSSFWD? Well, they suck. At least I think they do. They're poorly laid-out, don't show all the information, don't arrive regularly every day, and are just generally confusing.So, I'm sorry to all of you who were using Blogarithm to track Beauty Addict updates and are

Clinique Self-Sun Touch of Bronze Moisturizing Body Lotion

New Touch of Bronze is Clinique's entry in the gradual self tanner market, and it earns major points with me for a very moisturizing formula, good color, and low DHA reek (this is mostly due to the fact that Touch of Bronze has very little added fragrance - see this week's earlier post about self tanners for more info).Out of the tube, Touch of Bronze is quite thick, rather similar to its sister

Alba Botanica Shampoo & Conditioner

Occasionally a product I've never heard of, from a brand I know nothing about, shows up on my doorstep for me to test. I love when this happens - because I don't have any preconceived notions of price, quality, or hype. Blank slate!One recent entry in this category was a shampoo and conditioner set from Alba Botanica's Hawaiian Hair Care line. I had never heard of Alba, but lo and behold, it's

New Collection: Chanel Fall 2008

Start saving your pennies, friends. CHANEL has just announced its Fall 2008 makeup collection and it is stunning. (Click the image to enlarge.) There's just something about a collection filled with gold things that gives me butterflies. I know I'm just adding to the hype that will inevitably surround this (especially the nail polish), but I really can't help it. I want that highlighter, the gold

New Collection: Bobbi Brown Bronzed Pink

Bobbi Brown's summer collection, Bronzed Pink, is subtle, casual and warm...exactly how you'd want to look after a vacation, non?The collection includes two new Metallic Eye Shadows, in Bronzed Pink and Penny. I first tried the Metallics last fall when Bobbi launched them in palette form - they are truly excellent. The shadows have a creamy texture even though they're powder shadows, and the

Get Bikini Perfect with Bliss & Philips

Bikini season is upon us, girls! (Not that you shouldn't be tending to your bikini line in the off-season too, though.)Razors leaving you stubbly and nicked? Tired of painful waxing (and keeping the appointments)? You might want to look into this new bikini tool from Bliss & Philips.The Bikini Perfect Deluxe Spa Edition is a cordless, rechargeable, wet/dry little gadget that does everything from

Allure May 2008: Hilary Duff

Hilary Duff graces the cover of this month's (well, soon to be last month's) Allure.As I was choosing covers for the favorite May cover vote, I debated even including this one. Why? I find it so incredibly boring that I couldn't think of anything interesting to say about it. Hilary looks pretty, as usual, but everything about the look is just so very unremarkable.My blogger pal Spoiled Pretty

New Collection: MAC Cool Heat

Ooh! I am totally stoked for the new Cool Heat collection from MAC. The lipsticks are nice, but get a load of those shadows! That violet color would be gorgeous as a thin line on the lower lids. And the aquas! If you voted "yay" for the teal shadow comeback in last week's post, then these should be right up your alley.I liked Solar Field and Neo Sci-Fi, but for me, Cool Heat is the clear winner

Weekly Steals & Deals

Bath & Body Works: Spend $65 and get free shipping with code SENDFREE65. Valid through 5/29.Bath & Body Works: Get a FREE C.O. Bigelow product of your choice, up to a $16 value, with any $15 purchase. I recommend the Mentha Lip Shines or the Bay Rum shower gel. Just add the Bigelow product to your cart and enter code BIGELOW at checkout. If your order totals $65 or more, you'll get the free

Clean & Clear SOFT Makes "Fetch" Happen

Back in my school years, Clean & Clear was the brand of choice for the popular girls who were far too cool to suffer from the same teenage acne as everybody else."ACNE?!" they'd gasp. "I do NOT have acne. I just have a blemish." Or "clogged pores." Things like Stridex were left to the boys, and the unpopular girls.Someone like Gretchen Weiners would have used Clean & Clear. So fetch!And honestly,

New Collection: MAC Solar Field

MAC Solar Field is all about golden skin and deep, sparkly eyes. The Solar Bits are a completely new product; they're clusters of shimmery pigment that can be swirled on a brush (a la Guerlain Meteorites) or crushed into a highly pigmented powder. I haven't gotten my hands on one yet, but Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog has...while she admits that they're "flat-out messy," she reports that

PedEgg Over Easy

I'm usually the first one in my circle of friends & family to test out a new beauty product, so imagine my surprise when I heard that my DAD had been using a certain pedicure tool that I had yet to get my hands on!If you're a night owl or have any insomnia issues, you've heard of the PedEgg. The infomercials are nearly unavoidable! I was fascinated by this little tool and finally got one of my

New Collection: MAC Neo Sci-Fi

OK, here we go! By reader request, I'll be posting information on new collections and color stories going forward. A whopping 80% of you voted to keep this feature around, so enjoy. The other 20%...well, just scroll down and skip it, I'll make sure there's plenty of new content for you!To get started, we have quite a bit of catching up to do with new MAC collections. The first is Neo Sci-Fi, a

The Art of the Tan: How Self-Tanners Work...And Why They Smell

Every now and then I get a question about what makes a tanner tick, so I thought I'd take a minute to explain the process, and clear up a few misconceptions as well.What Makes It WorkRegardless of what claims a self-tanner makes about unique formulations, all tanners use the same active ingredient: dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA is a colorless sugar that's often derived from sugar beets or sugar

Poll: New Collections

Something I've been debating these days is whether to publish information about new collections/color stories here at Beauty Addict. I've done it in the past - go here and here for examples - but I've decided not to go forward unless you want it.Why? Well, I'm somewhat torn on the subject. It seems that many of you are interested in getting the news, but then there are some who feel it's "

Little Surfer, Little One, Made My Heart Come All Undone

I have watched you on the shoreStanding by the ocean's roarDo you love me, Do you surfer girlThe products in Philosophy's Surfer Girl Set are best used while sporting blonde highlights and listening to the Beach Boys.The retro packaging, adorned with surfboards and hibiscus flowers, houses a trio of products scented with sweet kiwi papaya and sprinkled with golden shimmer. The scent reminds me of

Beauty Addict Weekly Rewind, 5/19 - 5/25

Check out the results of the big maid-of-honor hairstyle vote!Looking for that perfect summer scent? Read up on my top five picks.The MAC Heatherette collection delivers a surprise sleeper hit.Ellen Page looks natural and normal on the cover of Teen Vogue, but what's up with that top?Salma Hayek has reason to be furious with her makeup artist on the red carpet in Cannes.Check out my review of two

Marcia Cross Gets "The Suri"

Please, please let this be a wig.Note to Ken Paves, who is responsible for this look: If this is indeed not a wig, I hope that the hairstylists of the world vote to strip you of your shears, dye, and stylist's chair, for this crime against beautiful hair. That is all.UPDATE: Several eagle-eyed readers pointed out that Marcia's natural color was peeking out behind her ear, and now we have

Weekend Reads

How did I miss this? It's a couple of weeks old, but you MUST check out Karen's transformation to a cat over at Makeup and Beauty Blog. Bellasugar does some sleuthing and uncovers a disappointing truth about a promising foundation.' What's a Whore Drawer? Find out at Beauty Blogging Junkie. The Beauty Brains show you how to cook up your own Vitamin C skincare. Blogdorf Goodman wants to know:

Fekkai Wash & Wear Is Back!

Frederic Fekkai Wash & Wear has returned! Part of Fekkai's Summer Hair line, this instant shampoo spray disappears from shelves after Labor Day every year, and I'm always worried that it won't come back.Spray it on dirty hair - especially the roots - let it dry, and then brush through. Wash & Wear ($22) restores quite a bit of freshness and volume on the days you just don't have time to shampoo.

Newsletter: May 2008

Happy Memorial Day weekend to all my US readers! It's the first unofficial beach weekend of the season, but the temp's barely going to crack 70 today. What's up with that? But really, all I care about is the 3-day weekend. I need a break!Spring was a whirlwind of work busy-ness, an amazing vacation to Key West and the Caymans, my friend T's wedding, and then...the stomach virus followed by a

Get Ready For Summer!

I can't believe it's Memorial Day weekend already! And you know what that means...the official start of beach season. My friend B and I will be spending our weekends lounging in the Hamptons, natch. And here's what I'll be taking along:Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Body Mist Sunblock: this has got to be one of the BEST innovations in suncare. It feels amazing going on, smells fresh and clean, easily

New Bobbi Brown: Who Said Almost Doesn't Count?

Whether you love it or hate it, you have to admit that Bobbi Brown does minimalist fragrance very well; no bizarre notes of crystallized frozen lychee, or exotic gilded mandarin leaf, or cupcake accord, for that matter. Beach, Bath and Baby were simple, clean, and pretty much self-explanatory.Almost Bare ($60) is Bobbi's latest, and it fits in quite nicely with its sister scents. It's a delicate,

Little Shop of Hair Horrors

Let's talk about my hair for a minute. This is just a story, a mystery, really - no product review or beauty lesson learned.Lately I've been thinking of giving my hair a name, something like Hamburglar or Audrey II, the plant from Little Shop of Horrors.Why? Well, my hair...it eats things. It's hungry, hungry hair. At this point I totally think my hair could win the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating

The Beauty Addict Interview: Daria Werbowy

A couple of months ago I had the chance to sit down with Daria Werbowy to talk about her upcoming collection for Lancome. Our small group - Carolyn from The Daily Obsession, Susan from My Beautyberry, and myself - had a great time chatting Daria up on the new colors, the charity connection, and what it's like to play around in the Lancome lab.First off, Daria is incredibly down to earth,

Harper's Bazaar May 2008: Julianne Moore

Gorgeous, just gorgeous. I'm loving both these covers - the subscriber cover on the left and the newsstand cover on the right. They're Peter Lindbergh, so I'd be surprised if they were anything short of amazing. Click the image to enlarge - you'll be able to see better detail on the subscriber cover.There's something about the one on the right though...Julianne reminds me of Julia Roberts in

Marc Jacobs Makes A Splash at the Neiman Outlet

You know how I feel about Marc Jacobs Cucumber splash, right? You know, the one that entrances everyone from cops to bosses to boyfriends?Well, I thought I'd let my NY/NJ readers know that a batch of it has appeared at the Neiman Marcus Last Call outlet in Elizabeth, NJ (Jersey Gardens). That place is like after-work therapy for me on the days when I'm working in NJ!Alongside the Cucumber I

Everybody in the Pool: The Return of the Aqua Eye

Teal eyeshadow has been popping up on celebrity lids lately, so I'm wondering if the International Makeup Artist High Council is trying to tell us something. Is teal (or aqua, if you prefer) shadow ready to make a comeback?Kate Bosworth rocked a flat teal lid at the Costume Institute Gala, and Gwyneth Paltrow sports a dewy aqua eye on the cover of V magazine. The look is definitely out there, but

Weekly Steals and Deals

Before we get to the deals, I want to take a quick moment for an important cause. Shannon of A Girl's Gotta Spa is helping to raise money for a little girl in her town afflicted with Neurofibromatosis. A specialized feeding clinic will help her free herself from the feeding tube she's depended on since she was 18 months old - but it costs $70K.Shannon has been doing some great beauty auctions to

The Pampered Mama Primes and Conceals

So I will say, I have been MIA for a long time... lambast me now! I have been playing with a new beauty routine though that continues to amaze me for all the good comments I have gotten.My secret? Benefit FY...eye! It is an eye shadow base that is very pink on me and does wonders for my hugely dark under eye circles. I use it as a base for my shadows, but it also doubles excellently as a

Marc Jacobs in Interview Magazine

See now, I bet he used DUO eyelash adhesive. Salma's makeup artist, take note.Check out more pics at Dlisted.

A Tale of Two...Tinted Moisturizers

Testing out two new tinted moisturizers has made me feel terribly guilty about abandoning my beloved DuWop Revolotion, even for a few days. I really wanted to discover an alternative, just for fun, but both formulas left me totally underwhelmed.Let's start with Smashbox Sheer Focus. It's oil-free and has UVA/UVB SPF 15, and it feels great on the face. For me, that's where the positives end. The

Salma Hayek Lashes Out

Oops! Looks like Salma's makeup artist wasn't quite generous enough with the glue before sending her out onto the red carpet at the Indiana Jones premiere in Cannes. Look at her! She looks totally peeved. You know she could feel the faux lashes flapping about every time she blinked! And what a shame, too, because the rest of the face is just stunning...as usual.Don't let this happen to you, my

Teen Vogue May 2008: Ellen Page

Juno darling Ellen Page graces the cover of the May issue of Teen Vogue.I'm really torn about this cover. I'm liking the faded, 1970's feel of the colors and the sun shining through Ellen's hair. I also like how she's not wearing a ton of makeup or posing provocatively - the way she looks here seems closer to her everyday self, and it sends more of a "normal" message about image to the mag's

A Sleeper Hit from Heatherette

I love it when an overlooked, no-hype product turns out to be an underrated gem! Today's pick is from the much-anticipated, quickly-gobbled-up MAC Heatherette collection. While products like Hollywood Nights lipstick and, well, ALL the Lipglasses, were talked about nonstop and sold out in a flash, there was one little gem that flew under the radar (even under MY radar).Smooth Harmony Beauty

Maid of Honor Hair Update: The Mandy/Katie Hybrid

First off, a big THANK YOU to the 1200+ readers who helped me choose my maid-of-honor hairstyle with mere hours to go before the wedding! With the "Mandy Moore" taking 43% of the vote, and the "Katie Holmes" close behind with 34%, it was clear that some sort of hybrid was in order. I worked with my stylist, Kristen (yay for Kristens!), to create a low side bun like Mandy's, but with a smoother,

The Scents of Summer

Writing that review of the Michael Kors Island Capri line a while back really got me thinking about my favorite summer scents. Not necessarily the "beachy" ones (see this post for a listing of my faves in that category), but the ones that really evoke summer, or the ones that just seem to smell better on sun-warmed skin.Here are a few of my all-time favorites; there are plenty more, but I tried

Avoid the Photoshopped Head Effect!

You know how much I love self tanner (and fear the sun), but there's one body part that often goes neglected in the tanning process...and it can ruin the entire look. I'm talking about your face, my friends. We're happy to slather gallons of tinted, scented, gooey self tanner all over our bodies, but when it comes to the face? No way! Not only can full-strength tanners produce some disastrous

From the Sickbay...

Oh, lovely readers. What fun the last few weeks have been! First the week(s) from hell at the office, complete with two overnight trips. Then, the stomach virus...fun! And now, I've been sick for a week with some kind of mutant cold/cough that I just can't shake. The cold, damp weather here in NY isn't helping, either.You know what the only good thing about a week of coughing is? The abs. Tight!

Sarah, Tina and Amy are Your Favorite April Cover Girls!

I've been slacking off these days - just realized I never posted the results of the favorite April cover vote! Well, the winner's really no surprise...once again, Vanity Fair has won the majority of your votes! The Funny Girls cover featuring Sarah Silverman, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler finished with 38.5% of your votes, far ahead of its competition.Coming in second was new mama Salma Hayek with

Bronze Takes the Gold

I hate to say it, but I've been hideously bored by so many of this season's new beauty releases. I think that's part of what's been keeping me from blogging as fast-and-furiously as usual - aside from my day job, at least. I'm just not that excited about anything!I searched my makeup bag for inspiration today, but nearly every product in there was something that's been in heavy rotation for quite

Beauty on the Road: Spice Up Your Smile

In my recent Beauty MacGyver post, I can't believe I forgot to mention one of my favorite little tricks - using a claw clip as a hairbrush. It's top-of-mind for me right now, as I'm in Atlanta for a conference and left my trusty brush home! My little clip did just fine until I had a chance to venture down to the gift shop for, um, an actual brush.Anyhow, speaking of beauty on the road...What