Jillian Dempsey for Avon Professional Eye Duo

This isn't such a great week for Avon & Me. First my hopes for the Lotus Shield were dashed, and now I'm disappointed by another product that sounded so good on paper and looked great in the tube.

Jillian Dempsey for Avon Professional Eye Duo is a GREAT idea -- it combines a shimmery liquid shadow on one end with a coordinating liquid liner on the other. I tried it in White with Jet Black

Self-Tanner Review Series: Victoria's Secret Beach Sexy Gradual Tan Moisturizer SPF15

I LOVE a tanner with some SPF. You can slather it on in the morning and go about your day knowing that not only are you protected from the sun, but you'll be tan by dinnertime!

Victoria's Secret Beach Sexy Daily Glow Gradual Tan Moisturizer SPF15 is the reincarnation of VS's last gradual tanner, Bare Bronze Daily Glow. That one was a favorite of mine for both scent and effectiveness, so I was

Tone Up With Arcona Triad Pads

Let's start out with a little math:

Toner already in a pad > Toner in a bottle that you have to apply to a pad.

ARCONA Triad Pads are soaked with hydrating, toning, cleansing, and excellent-smelling Cranberry Toner. Just pull one out of the jar to remove excess makeup, tone and hydrate after cleansing, or refresh your face after a workout or a good night's sleep.

And why use a toner, you ask?

Steals & Deals: 20% Off ULTA; Philosophy Gift with Purchase; BECCA Sale on HauteLook; Free Benefit Eyeshadow; More

Some interesting goods for sale this week, my lovelies. First, can we talk Becca? There's going to be a Becca sale on HauteLook tomorrow (Thursday), and you can bet I'll be stalking the site all morning waiting for the event to go live. Can't wait to see what's on sale! If you haven't signed up for HauteLook yet, click here.

In other news, Philosophy has a pretty sweet GWP available until 9/5,

Smooth Operator: St. Tropez Applicator Mitt

Even though I'm a major self-tanner aficionado, I've always steered clear of gloves, mitts, or other devices that purported to provide an even application without messing up your hands. Gloves were always too big, and mitts didn't provide enough precise control, so I just opted to dirty up my hands and scrub them later (faves in this category: St. Tropez Tan Remover and ModelCo Tan Remover).

But

Get the Emmy Look: Lea Michele

The lovely Lea Michele sported a 'do by celebrity stylist Mark Townsend at the 2010 Primetime Emmy Awards, and while I wish it was a bit more "done," I'm loving the fact that she's wearing a couple of strategically placed hairpieces to add those caramel highlights! "Lea wanted her hair to look touchable and super modern, and full hair with lots of volume and a bit of roughness was perfect against

Get the Emmy Look: Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Has she ever looked better? Julia Louis-Dreyfus seems to get more gorgeous with every year! Her 2010 Emmy hair was sleek and simple--all the better to show off those knockout earrings. Julia's hair is worth a mention here thanks to the techniques stylist Oscar Blandi used to get it so smooth. Remember Elaine's wild hair in the early days of Seinfeld? Julia has A LOT of hair, so it's not as if all

Get the Emmy Look: Rose Byrne

Oh, Rose. I can barely focus on the makeup and the amazing dress with that hair in the way! This 'do looks more like something Helena Bonham Carter would sport. I have the breakdown for the hairstyle and just can't bring myself to post it, so let's focus on the makeup instead. I'm not a fan of the way the eyeliner on the lower lid just stops; it definitely needed some better blending to smooth

Get the Emmy Look: Jessalyn Gilsig

Makeup artist Spencer Barnes created Glee star Jessalyn Gilsig's look at the 2010 Primetime Emmy Awards. To recreate Jessalyn's gorgeous eyes and perfect skin, check out Spencer's tips below!

Face: Spencer used Amore Pacific’s Moisture Bound skin energy serum, Aqua-Foundation from KohGenDo and Benefit Hoola Bronzer to enhance bone structure.

Eyes: To give a strong look with Jessalyn's blue

Get the Emmy Look: Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt hit the red carpet at the 2010 Emmys looking fabulous and glowing (I'd be glowing too if I just married John Krasinski!).

Makeup artist Jenn Streicher used By Terry Rose de Rose blush in Fresh Rose on Emily's cheeks, created her smokey eye with Cle de Peau quad eyeshadow in #14, and finished the lips with Tom Ford lipstick in Pink Dusk. For an allover glow, she used St. Tropez Skin

Get the Emmy Look: January Jones

January Jones' makeup at the 2010 Emmy Awards was gorgeous--very simple and classic--but aye, where was her hairstylist? Anyhow, let's focus on the makeup, since honestly, there's not much to say about that hair. Makeup Artist Rachel Goodwin was inspired by "Irving Penn's iconic photos of his wife/supermodel Lisa Fonssagrives, whose signature extended eyeliner symbolizes the epitome of elegance."

Get the Emmy Look: Tina Fey

Tina Fey in a sexy smokey eye...loving it! Makeup artist Kara Yoshimoto Bua was inspired by "Tina's beautiful eyes and black beaded overlay dress," and created this smoldering look, offset by soft lips and cheeks. Kara's tips:
"he focus was on Tina’s eyes and beautiful skin. I prepped with Jurlique Rose Water and the new CHANEL Sublimage Concentrate.

We kept her lips fresh and moist with the

Get the Emmy Look: Jenna Fischer

Jenna Fischer's Emmy makeup was gorgeous! Love that it's a look that works for everyday as well as the red carpet. Makeup artist Molly R Stern created the "simple, fresh and neutral" look to complement, not compete with, her Versace gown. Check out Molly's tips below!
"To start, I prepped Jenna's skin with Jurlique Lavender Hydrating Mist, then I lightly moisturized her skin with SK-11 facial

From the Depths of the Beauty Closet: NARS Multiple in Portofino

My collection of NARS Multiples is pretty intense. For a while, I was on an unstoppable buying spree and I just HAD to have another one every time I visited Sephora. Unfortunately, a bunch of them got lost in the shuffle in my beauty closet, and I forgot about them after a few uses.

In recent weeks I've been trying to resurrect them and use them up, and I've been reminded of just how awesome

Get Ready for Fall with Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia

If  you're anything like me, a stop at the Jo Malone display is a must when passing through the beauty floor of any department store. I love sniffing the new fragrances and coming up with new combinations of the existing ones. Plus, the simple buttercream-and-black packaging and subdued ambiance is such a welcome respite from the melange of colors and smells around you.

The brand's latest,

Avon Advance Techniques Lotus Shield

I can't even tell you how excited I was when I heard about Avon's new anti-frizz product, Advance Techniques Lotus Shield. Inspired by the way lotus leaves repel water, Lotus Shield uses water-resistant technology to fend off frizz (note: the product does not contain any actual lotus-related ingredients).

It looked pretty good to me; I watched videos of women sitting in a humidity chamber and

Taming the Beast: How to Make Self-Tanner Work in High Humidity Environments

You may think that high humidity's greatest threat is to your hair, but for the past year and a half, it's been wreaking havoc on my tan.

The very same self-tanners that turned me golden brown in New York just flat-out stopped working here in Hawaii. Lotion-based tanners would sit on top of my skin and never dry (blow dryers didn't help, either). Gradual tanners refused to build up.

I started

Shop It: The Body Shop Friends & Family 20% Off

Today and tomorrow you'll save 20% on all your Body Shop purchases with code FF10 (online only). Who doesn't love a good friends & family sale?

It seems like The Body Shop has fallen out of the spotlight in recent years, but I still love to wander into the store and smell the goodies (and of course, I usually leave with a bag of the ones I just *couldn't* put down). I'm almost always pleasantly

Five for Friday: Dessert-Scented Beauty Products

It's been a bit of a stressful week, friends. And stress makes me want to EAT. But since I'd rather not mess with my bikini bod, I'm reaching for some deliciously-scented body goodies instead. Behold, five of my favorite dessert-scented products:

Laura Mercier Creme de Pistache Souffle Body Creme. Here's how I described it when I first tried it: "like the most decadent pistachio ice cream - it

Thymes Essentials Face Polish

Sorry for the late start today, friends! Had a little bit of a mishap yesterday; two of the wires inside my laptop power cord somehow shredded themselves and broke. What's a girl to do? Well, when your dad is an electrician and your boyfriend's an engineer, you whip out a steak knife, some pliers, and a soldering iron, and get to work! (Thanks to John for the soldering skills, and my dad for the

Steals & Deals: 20% Off The Body Shop; 15% Off Renee Rouleau; 20% Off Boscia; More

This seems to be the week of big, site-wide promotions! Enjoy 15-20% off The Body Shop, Renee Rouleau, and Boscia. Plus, you can snap up free FULL SIZE L'Occitane shower gels, free Tocca Candelinas, and Bare Escentuals Starter Kits at 20% off. A very good week for deals indeed. Happy shopping!

Bath & Body Works: Free 2 oz men's shower gel w/ any purchase. Add to cart and use code FREEMENS

Chanel Unveils Martin Scorsese's BLEU DE CHANEL Short Film

A killer Rolling Stones soundtrack? Moody flashbacks to old lovers? A COLLAPSING ROOM? Martin Scorsese's epic commercial for Chanel's new men's fragrance, Bleu de Chanel, has all that and more. I'm loving the blue-soaked color palette of the film, not to mention the hotness factor of Gaspard Ulliel, the French actor who plays the lead. More, please!

Tarte Beauty in a Box: Bronze Smoky Eye

Yesterday's must-buy was the Urban Decay Naked Palette, and today's is Tarte's Beauty in a Box: Bronze Smoky Eye. For $45, you get four full-size products, and two generously sized minis, totaling out at a $112 value. All are waterproof or long-wearing, perfect for long summer days and nights. Worth it? Yes! Let's break it down:

Full size Lock & Roll 12-Hour Eyeshadow in Burnt Bronze. Love this

Perfume Notes: Ebba Miss Marisa and Miss Marisa Tropical, Creative Scentualization Perfect Veil

More Luckyscent samples in this week's Perfume Notes! If you missed last week's post or you're not familiar with Luckyscent, here's the scoop: you can order a sample of nearly any fragrance on the site for about $3-4. Soon after, a little bubble pack of perfume vials will arrive at your door, and you can sniff away! My latest sample pack is starting to run low, so I'll be ordering again soon.

A Bandwagon Worth Jumping On: Urban Decay Naked Palette

Buy this palette. Now! That's an order.

If you don't already own the Urban Decay Naked Palette, you need it in your life. I've been using it every day since I bought it (it made its debut when I was on hiatus, so I'm a little late), and I'm obsessed. This is the best $44 I've spent on makeup, well, maybe ever. Believe the hype!

First off, it's a pretty incredible value; the palette contains 12

That Old (Boscia) Black Magic

OMG, can we talk peel-off masks? Seriously, just thinking about them reduces me to tweenspeak. During my formative years I LOVED a good peel-off mask; I used to raid my mom's skincare stash on the regular, looking for something I could slap on my skin and then slowly peel away. It may have something to with the fact that I obsessively peel and pick scabs, lips, stickers on fruit, ANYTHING--and

Moroccanoil: Believe the Hype!

So, friends, my lazy behind finally got around to trying Moroccanoil, the hair treatment that everyone seems to swear by. The verdict: believe the hype.

Moroccanoil is like your favorite hair serum, multiplied by 10. In a nutshell, it's nourishing, fatty-acid-rich argan oil, in a silicone base. So, if you're feeling skittish about applying straight-up oil to your hair, don't be scurred. Because

Weekend Reads

Ahhhh, sleeping in! Absolutely my favorite thing about Saturdays since I've been doing the whole NY/HI split. I wake up around 3:00-4:00 am most weekdays to keep my East Coast work schedule, so sleeping in on Saturday is more blissful than ever.

In fact, as you read this post, I'm probably still sleeping. While I'm off in dreamland, enjoy a few choice links from some of my favorite blogs:
What

Extend your Style with CLEAN Dry Shampoo

After all these years, I'm still occasionally ambivalent about CLEAN. I vacillate between the following:

a. "Ahhh, fresh and soapy!"

b. "Way too sharp and synthetic."

c. "This is NOT a perfume."

But regardless of how I feel about the perfume itself, I've always LOVED the Shampoo Fresh Hair Fragrance. I've raved about it at least three times on the blog, and my feelings for it have never waned

Revlon Perfect Heat Pink Ceramic Straightener

Last weekend, on my way out the door to get to the airport, I plugged in my beloved ghd styling iron for some pre-flight touchups to my hair. It started to heat up, and then...click. The reset button on the plug popped out, and the iron shut off.

A short? Did the plug get wet? Not my ghd!!!

In my early morning haze I didn't think to try it in another outlet, so I just put it away, cursed at it,

Let These Body Butters Carry You Away...to the Pacific

Pacifica, where have you been all my life? I can't believe I've gone this long without knowing about the brand's utterly delicious body butters. Honestly, I used to pass the Pacifica display at Sephora without a second thought, but now that I've discovered all this deliciousness, I'm hooked.

The body butters are available in a variety of scents, many inspired by various areas in, or neighboring,

CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless Serum Primer

I have to admit that CoverGirl isn't a brand I seek out frequently. But the brand's latest, a primer collaboration with Olay, is definitely worth a hunt in your drugstore's beauty aisle.

CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless Serum Primer combines a foundation primer with Olay anti-aging serum, and the result is a moisturizing, "grabby" undercoat that keeps your makeup fresh and natural all day. I've

Steals & Deals: 25% Off BECCA; Free Molton Brown Shower Gel; Free BADgal Mascara; More

This week's big deals? Well, there's 25% off BECCA, one of my favorite brands, 15% off Philosophy skincare, and free FULL SIZE Molton Brown shower gels! Not too shabby, eh? Plus, you can score a monster-size bottle of one of my fave cleansers, Kate Somerville Gentle Daily Wash, for 50% off at Hautelook.

Not too many new Sephora codes this week--just the Boscia one below--but you can check out

Perfume Notes: Sage Coral, Ebba By Sea and By Sand

This week's Perfume Notes picks all come from Luckyscent's sampling program, which is both amazingly convenient and incredibly addictive. You can order a vial sample of nearly anything from Luckyscent for about $3-5, and it'll arrive in just a few days. It's a great way to try niche/hard to find scents, indulge your curiosity, and discover new favorites. I ordered 9 vials on my last order, and

Fun in the Sun: Hawaiian Tropic Clear Spray Sunscreens

I know I've talked plenty about facial sunscreens on this blog, but body sunscreens? Not so much. And honestly, I don't really know why, because I use them all the time. My go-to favorites are Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Body Mist and Banana Boat Protective Tanning Oil Spray in SPF15, but lately, I've been cheating on them with these two Hawaiian Tropic lovelies.

Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch

Weekly Rewind, 8/16

Whoops, Weekly Rewind's a day late this week. Came back from Kauai late last night with just enough time to catch True Blood on DVR before drifting away into a blissful Sunday night sleep!
Cream, gel, oil, soap: what's your favorite way to shave?

Four incredibly indulgent chocolate-flavored lip balms from Jane Iredale

Victoria's Secret expands the Secret Moments line with body scrubs and a new

VS Cocoa Butter Sensuous Escape Body Mist

Since we're not getting Bath & Body Works here in Hawaii until March 2011, my go-to destination for aimless bath product browsing is Victoria's Secret. (Yes, I frequent Sephora on the regular, but don't you  have those days when you're all, "I just want to buy a $9 body spray, dammit?")

Now, I know I used to crap on Victoria's Secret Beauty--I was bummed when they revamped and pulled outside

Makeup Mixology

Last summer I unleashed the mad scientist within and created a bespoke tinted moisturizer from an Estee Lauder liquid foundation, Bobbi Brown oil control moisturizer with SPF, and some Stila liquid shimmer. it proved to be a most excellent summer creation that allowed me to moisturize, even out my skin tone, and add dewiness in one step.

This year, I'm at it again. My 2010 Official Bespoke

Weekend Reads

Happy weekend! That's me above, from last weekend, with the real life ship from Pirates of the Caribbean in the background! Yes! The latest installment is being filmed here in Hawaii, and the ship is docked in Kaneohe Bay (it's not the Black Pearl, it's a new ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge). We took a boat out to get close to it, and it's pretty incredible (and HUGE!). No Johnny Depp or Penelope

Five for Friday: The Supertropicals

This week's Five for Friday is all about incredibly lush tropical floral fragrances, mostly built around jasmine or gardenia notes. You know, the ones you want to wear for cocktails on a sultry night with a gorgeous sunset. I like to call them supertropicals. No sunscreen scents or weak plasticky coconuts here. These are the big guns of tropical florals.

Incidentally, they're all oils. Somehow

Self-Tanner Review Series: Clinique Self Sun

Clinique's tinted body tanner, Self Sun Body Tinted Lotion, is exactly what you'd expect from Clinique: it's gentle, easy to use, not filled with sparkles, not overly fragranced, and it works. It isn't the most potent self-tanner of the bunch, but it does the job in one application. I'd recommend it for self-tanner "virgins," or anyone who wants a medium tan with uncomplicated application.

Self

Clarisonic Skincare Brush: Review, Tips & Tricks

I've mentioned Clarisonic in passing several times on this blog, but I've never really given it the full review it deserves. Well, that time has come. The Clarisonic Skincare Brush was a Christmas present from my parents in 2008 and I've been in love with it ever since. There are times I stray from it, cheat on it with plain face washes and scrubs, but I always come crawling back when my skin

Prada Infusion de Tubereuse

Prada Infusion de Tubereuse has been patiently waiting in my perfume cabinet, since the spring, to be tested and written about.

I honestly don't know how I've managed to wait so long, because the packaging is just SO gorgeous and enticing. The print on the box, as well as the bottle's side and cap, was inspired by patterns from Prada's archives.

Infusion de Tubereuse, the latest entry in

Steals & Deals: Massive Nordstrom GWP; Free Mini Flat Iron; Philosophy Freebies; More

This week's biggest Steals & Deals news is definitely Nordstrom's beauty gift with purchase. Spend $115 on beauty and fragrance and get $100 worth of goodies from brands like Philosophy, Clarins, Laura Mercier, Bare Escentuals, Anastasia, AHAVA, Mario Badescu, Smashbox, DDF, Donna Karan and more. Click here for full details on what's included.

Additionally, if you spend $30 more ($145 total),

Get Radiant & Rested with Tarte

Tarte's Radiant & Rested Luminous Complexion Collection is a Sephora-exclusive 5-piece set, featuring both best sellers and pre-launches.

The Radiant & Rested collection is a $92 value for only $42, so I definitely deemed it worthy of checking out. So what's in it?

0.17 oz Natural Cheek Stain in Glisten
0.009 oz EmphasEYES Inner Rim Brightener
0.5 oz Recreate Silicone-Free Primer
1.7 oz Smooth

Tocca's Latest Scent, With a Little Korres Kick

Don't you just love when two products combine to create something surprisingly special?

During a recent Sephora jaunt I sampled Tocca's latest, Bianca, an interesting melange of lemon, green tea, and rose. I'm a big fan of the brand, but I approached Bianca with trepidation, since Tocca's last two entries didn't rank high on my list (I was disappointed by the drydown of Brigitte, and just plain

Get the Look: Ashley Greene at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards

Seeing Twilight's Ashley Greene looking like a tanned, fresh-faced California girl, it's hard to imagine her as pale pixie vampire Alice Cullen. But she pulls off both looks equally well, doesn't she? Her clean, beachy look at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards was created by mark's makeup team. To recreate for yourself, check out the tips and product recommendations below.

Prep skin with concealer to

Get the Look: Miranda Cosgrove at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards

Miranda Cosgrove. I know she's better known as iCarly these days, but I'll always think of her as mini-mogul Summer Hathaway from School of Rock!

Anyhow, Miranda was looking fresh-faced (and age-appropriate) at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards. Makeup artist Coleen Campbell-Olwell used Neutrogena products to create her "summery, fresh" look. She used shimmers and coppers to complement Miranda's

Get the Look: Leighton Meester at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards

Makeup artist Molly R. Stern created Leighton Meester's dewy look at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards, using products from a handful of brands. This is a perfect example of how you can create a gorgeous face with a combination of department store and drugstore brands! The deets from Molly:

"I prepped Leighton's skin with Josie Maran Argan Primer Mist and lightly moisturized with SK-11 facial lift

Declutter Your Purse With Votre Vu

Votre Vu is a relatively new brand on my radar screen, but so far I'm really impressed with the products I've tried. The On Holiday body oil spray is absolutely delicous, and the product I'm about to tell you about is even better.

Duette Luxe Lip Balm and Hand Creme is ingenious, delicious, and just plain awesome.

This tube of sweetly-scented hand cream houses a pot of lip balm RIGHT THERE IN

Perfume Notes: Lavanila Vanilla Coconut, Marc Jacobs Pomegranate, Biscotti

Did you catch last week's edition of Perfume Notes? Time and energy permitting, I'm attempting to try a couple (or three) fragrances every week and bring you some quick reviews. This week's sniffage:

Lavanila Vanilla Coconut: I had majorly high hopes for this, and really thought it was going to be love at first sniff. I have issues with many coconut-centric scents; I find them to be somewhat

Victoria's Secret Expands Secret Moments Line

More new goodies from Victoria's Secret this week! Remember last year I gave you the scoop on the new Secret Moments bath & body line from VS? Well, it finally had its official launch this past spring, with just five of the scents that I spotted the first time around: Island Escape, Good Day Sunshine, Room 504, At First Sight, and Girls' Night In.

When I first tried the products from the Secret

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth With Jane Iredale Chocoholicks

I was sent these delicious Jane Iredale Chocoholicks lip glosses late last year to review, but thanks to my prolonged hiatus, I didn't get a chance to. However, just because they're not "new" anymore doesn't mean they're not worth a mention!

Friends, these glosses are little pots of DELICIOUSNESS. They're packaged like a little box of special truffles, each seated in a wee paper cup. Each of the

What's Your Favorite Way to Shave?

I know it's considered an annoying chore by many, but I LOVE shaving my legs (and, looking through my archives, I've realized that I seem to love posting about it as well). I love the feeling of lathering up my skin with something creamy and fragrant; love the way the razor smooths out any little bumps and dry patches as it does away with the stubble; love the baby-soft feeling of just-shaved,

Weekly Rewind, 8/8

I am SO not ready for this weekend to end! Especially since the weekend was mostly spent catching baby geckos and floating around Kaneohe Bay. But, I'm consoling myself with the fact that NEXT weekend, I'll be heading over to Kauai to meet up with three of my favorite beauty girls ever -- Erika from Makeup Bag, Amber from Beauty Blogging Junkie, and Julia from All About the Pretty. Beauty girls

Weekend Reads

Baby geckos! Absolutely one of my favorite things about spending time in Hawaii. We found this little guy hanging out on our back patio a couple of days ago. So cute!

Other than hunting for geckos, I'm heading out today to do some sailing! Ahhh, summer. What are you up to this weekend? Here are a few good reads to liven up your Saturday:
The new CND Shellac manicure lives up to every last iota

Beauty Hotsheet: Sephora Goes Mobile; Mary J. Blige Shatters Sales Records; More

'Botox Bandit' nabbed for not paying for more than $4,000 worth of beauty treatments. {FOX News}

Sephora is now mobile! Everyone's favorite beauty retailer has launched a smartphone enabled website at http://m.sephora.com/. {WWD}

Philosophy launches Eternal Grace, the latest fragrance in the Grace series (more accurately, it's no longer a QVC exclusive and is more widely available). {

Five for Friday: Lavender-Scented Beauty Products

If there's any scent that helps me de-stress after a long work week, it's lavender. In fact, I may get a jump on things and start running a Waving Not Drowning bath right this minute. Below, check out five of my favorite lavender-scented beauty goodies. What are your favorites?

C.O. Bigelow Lavender Peppermint Shampoo. I first tried this most excellent shampoo two years ago at the Soho Grand.

Yankee Candle Home Classics

I never really took much notice of the Yankee Candle Home Classics line at Target (what's the point when you can just go to Yankee Candle?). But now, spending half my time in a place that doesn't have Yankee Candle...well, you always want what you can't have, right? So, I decided it was high time to take a look at the Target offerings.

The pricing is close to the original Yankee line ($25 for

New: Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude

New from Donna Karan this summer is Cashmere Mist Liquid Nude, a reinterpretation of the classic original.

Notes include sandalwood, ylang heart, skin musk, orange flowers, pink cyclamen petals, and lily of the valley.

I like the original Cashmere Mist, but I don't love it. I actually prefer the body products--the powder, body creme, Cashmere Silk and deodorant in particular--to the fragrance

When Hotel Amenities Attack: Strategies for Keeping Your Stash Under Control

This is a drawer in my hall closet. As you can see, it is filled with various hotel amenities.

This is not the only "hotel drawer" in my apartment. Everyone loves to take home hotel bath products "for future trips," but when you travel as much as I used to for my job, they start to pile up. Because, you see, each "future trip" was only another opportunity to cart home even more miniature

Makeup For the Crazy Cat Lady in All of Us

Paul & Joe's limited-edition Collection Sparkles includes three lipsticks and three face & eyeshadow palettes, each in gorgeous packaging (my favorite is the swan print you see above). But what's this I see on those lippies? Not a traditional bullet-shaped lipstick, but...a cat?

Pau & Joe designer and creator Sophie Albou incorporated her favorite animal into the lipsticks, fashioning the tip

Steals & Deals: 40% Off Tarte, 30% Off The Body Shop, Freebies from Benefit, Sephora, More

This week's Steals have arrived! So last week I mentioned that Sephora's really been stepping it up with the free sample codes. Well this week, they're on FIRE in the gift with purchase department. There were so many that I only picked my favorites to feature below, in the Sephora Codes section. You can check ALL of them out by clicking here.

In other news, if you've been comtemplating a Bobbi

L'Oreal Colorist Secrets Shine Gloss

Right before my trip to Hawaii, my two-month old highlights were looking a little sad, so I hunted in the beauty closet for something that would give my hair a little lift.

I picked up L'Oreal Colorist Secrets Shine Gloss, which I was hoping would do the trick - it's a clear glaze you apply at home, leave on for 10 minutes, and rinse off. It's similar to Clairol Shine Happy, with which I had

Skip a Step in Your Morning Routine with Olay

Olay In-Shower Body Lotion, where have you been all my life? All those cold winters, stepping out of the shower, shivering, only to apply body lotion that made me feel even colder? All those rushed mornings when I was in too much of a hurry to slather myself up? All those nights when I discovered little flakes of dry skin sloughing off my body, the result of skipping that crucial moisturizer

More Scrublet Action: L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Cream Cleanser

On the heels of my recent escapades (and love affair) with L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Exfoliating Scrub, I grabbed another cleanser from the line to try out. This one is the Deep Cream Cleanser, the opaque white one with the pink scrublet.

And unfortunately, my results with this one just weren't as good. The cleanser feels great on skin at first, but I got just a touch too close to my eye, and...

Get the Look: Kristen Stewart's New 'Do

What do you think of the new style Kristen Stewart's been sporting this summer? I'm liking the lighter locks. If you're a light brunette or natural "dishwater" blonde and are looking to copy Kristen's color, Joico Celebrity Colorist Beth Minardi recommends Joico Vero K-PAK Color.

And to get her cut, ask your stylist for a traditional bob that's slightly tighter in the nape with no steep angles

Get the Look: Ali Larter at Comic Con

Ali Larter was looking glowing and fabulous at Comic Con this year! The glow may be thanks to her pregnancy (yay!), but credit for her fab hair goes to Suave celeb stylist Jenny Cho. Jenny’s inspiration was to keep her hair looking naturally wavy, down and pretty. To recreate Ali's style, check out Jenny's tips below:

Start with adding a dime size of Suave Professionals 365 Weather Protection

Perfume Notes: Leslie Blodgett Golden Light, Island Michael Kors Bermuda, Pure DKNY

Don't you just love hitting up Sephora and the mall and spritzing every available square inch of arm real estate with something new?

Sure, you'll smell like a perfume factory by the end of the day, and strangers will think you're wiping your nose on your arm as you wander around sniffing yourself, but hey, it's fun. My thoughts on three scents I've tried in recent days:

Leslie Blodgett Perfume

Dispatch from the Man Cave: Bath & Body Works Signature Collection for Men

Bath & Body Works, that perennial let's-browse-aimlessly-after-work favorite of mine, has added four men's scents to its Signature Collection. Each is available in Body Wash, Cologne, and Deodorizing Body Spray, and the price points are in line with other Bath & Body Works offerings - meaning your man won't feel too frou-frou using these. Details on all four scents:

Citron: Crisp Bergamot,

Make Your Hair a Perfect Ten with "It's a 10" and Christina Applegate

Have you tried It's a 10? My stylist Karen first used this "miracle leave-in product" on my hair last year, and we got to talking about how it seemingly came out of nowhere. Apparently, a customer had come into the salon, raving about this "It's a 10" product that she'd been buying at a mall kiosk, so a couple of the stylists tried it, then the salon started stocking it, and everyone fell in love

Late to the Beach Party With MAC's Summer Lippies

Why, why, WHY did I take a break from blogging during a period when MAC decided to release a series of mind-bogglingly awesome collections? To The Beach came and went while I was, well, at the beach. Now that I'm back in the swing of things and catching up on everything I missed, I wish I had been writing when this collection made its debut, so I could have gushed immediately about the most

Weekly Rewind, 8/1

Aaaahhh! Second week down and now I'm really feeling like I'm getting my groove back. Tomorrow I'm off to Hawaii (43 days since I last saw John...but who's counting?) and thanks to the magic of scheduled posts, you'll see three new ones tomorrow while I'm in the air. In the meantime, catch me on Twitter for more beauty tips and tomfoolery.

And in case you missed anything this week, here's a

Weekend Reads

Happy weekend, friends! I came across this week and just had to share. Whether you've had 100 bikini waxes or are dreading your first, you'll identify with this poor girl's pain. Loving the combination of uncontrollable giggles and shrieky outbursts a la Steve Carell in The 40 Year Old Virgin. Watch the whole thing; the commentary at the end is wickedly funny.

What are you up to this weekend?

Five for Friday: Fragrances from the Depths of the Beauty Closet...

I was cleaning out my perfume cabinet a couple of weeks ago, and while I found some REALLY old relics that were just destined for the trash (i.e., an ancient bottle of Fiorucci from junior year of college), I did rediscover some old favorites that had somehow fallen by the wayside. Below, check out the lucky scents that have made their way back into the rotation. What old favorite beauty

Beauty Hotsheet: Mary J. Blige Fragrance Launch, L'Oreal on YouTube, More

A little beauty news for your Friday morning...
Mary J. Blige is launching her first fragrance, My Life, with Carol's Daughter this Saturday (7/31) on HSN. $1 from each sale goes to FFAWN to help send girls to college - love it! Click the link to check out the promo. {Mary J. Blige at HSN}

Lancome launches Tresor in Love, a fragrance that "captures the spirit of the first moment of love," with

New from Victoria's Secret: Secret Garden Fresh Collection

Victoria's Secret has added three limited-edition scents to its Secret Garden Collection, under the Fresh Collection banner:

Sheer Love is a blend of watery fruit and bright blooms. Pretty generic sweet fruity floral, but I did get a hint of, hmmm, possibly children's chewable vitamins, with this one. Personally, I'm not in love, sheer or otherwise.

Leave Me Breathless, composed of ocean 

L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Exfoliating Scrub

Scrublet. It sounds...cute, doesn't it? Like niblet, or capelet, or tartlet. I like it, and I think it was a stroke of genius on L'Oreal's part, coining the word scrublet for its built-in face scrubbing tool.

I've been testing out L'Oreal Skin Expertise Go 360 Clean Deep Exfoliating Scrub. It comes with a scrublet, which has given me ample opportunity to use the word with unnecessary frequency.

Inside the Blogger's Studio

Every now and then I get a comment asking me to post pictures of me wearing the different makeup items I review here. I would love to, I really would! But most of the time, I'm not wearing a whole "look" of new makeup that I'd like to be photographed in. Indeed, most of the time, it's more like this:


...testing out completely different makeup on each eye and then taking silly, silly pictures.

Get the Look: Audrina Patridge

OK, I'm no fan of The Hills or its ilk, but Audrina Patridge has some seriously pretty hair, and I'm loving the honey-colored highlights. And if the Garnier Smoothing Kit used on her here can make my hair look even half as awesome as hers, I'm totally buying it tomorrow.

Audrina visited the Garnier Malibu Beach House and had her hair styled by Marc Mena, who prepped her hair using the Garnier

Fall 2010 Collections: Smashbox Masquerade

The Smashbox Fall 2010 collection, Masquerade, is all about rich shades, metallics, and sultry glossed lips. I'm intrigued by the Liquid Liner & Lash Overlay, as it's the first time I've seen an eyeliner repurposed as a lash product. Smashbox suggests that you use it to add a touch of color to the tips of lashes after mascara application, and there's a section of the application wand that's

Steals & Deals: 15% Off AHAVA, 25% Off Kerastase, Free Mystic Tan, DDF Sale

Welcome to another bargain-packed edition of Steals & Deals! Of note this week: Nordstrom's Gift With Purchase page. You'll find a plethora of GWPs from Jo Malone, La Mer, Estee Lauder, Clarins, Lancome, Annick Goutal, Art of Shaving, Bvlgari, and more. There are WAY too many to list here without creating an even more colossal post, so check them out on Nordstrom's site.

Next order of business:

Ouidad Curls for a Cure

Did you know that curly-hair diva Ouidad, founder of the eponymous haircare line, is a breast cancer survivor? She was diagnosed at the same age as her mother (who died of the disease), made a full recovery, and went on to create Curls for a Cure, supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Make a donation and Curls for a Cure will match it dollar for dollar. The organization has already

Fall 2010 Collections: NARS

More fall collection catch-ups! The NARS Fall 2010 collection was inspired by Daphne Guinness (yes, the heiress, she of the Guinness brewing family) and includes some really stunning shades for lips and eyes. Francois Nars describes the look as "old-Hollywood meets futuristic." Read on for details!
Douceur Blush: A soft pink-brown hue imparts a honeyed brown kiss of innocence on cheeks.

Get the Look: January Jones at the Mad Men Premiere

So...season 4 of Mad Men premiered Sunday night, and I think Twitter almost exploded. Between True Blood, Mad Men, and Entourage, it was a pretty epic night of TV (although this last episode True Blood was severely lacking in Alcide screentime).

Personally, having missed the first seasons of Mad Men, I'm saving myself for a few weekend DVD marathons to get caught up, kinda like what I've been

New from Bath & Body Works: Forever Sunshine and Dark Kiss

Friends, I got some of the most awesome news EVER yesterday. Bath & Body Works is FINALLY coming to Hawaii! Yes, come March 2011 there will be a brand spanking new BBW location at Ala Moana mall. And I'll be there as soon as the doors open.

Sure, we have Sephora, the beauty departments at Neiman and Nordstrom, local brands, and even good old Longs Drugs, but there's something about the browsing

Fall 2010 Collections: Stila Color of Innovation

Now that I'm back in the blogging swing of things, I've ben catching up on upcoming Fall 2010 collections. Above is Stila's autumn offering, The Color of Innovation. I'm wincing as I type this, because I love Stila and I love pink...but I just don't love this collection. The eye palette looks uncoordinated and, dare I say, garish (perhaps due to the inclusion of mauve and fuchsia next to metallic

Don't Sweat It...Even at the Beach

Picture this: you've just spent a long, luxurious day at the beach, complete with sunning, swimming, splashing around in the waves, and toweling off. On the way home, your phone rings with an invitation to an impromptu barbeque at a friend's house.

Do you go home and go through the whole getting-ready routine first, or do you just hit the party?

While most beach-day beauty snafus can be

BECCA Cosmetics Premieres Today on ShopNBC!

Friends, this is exciting news. One of my favorite brands, BECCA Cosmetics, is launching on ShopNBC TODAY! Why is this so exciting? Well, Sephora no longer stocks Becca, and the counter at Bergdorf's in NYC is gone, so it's gotten more and more difficult to keep up with the brand and see the products in action.

Tune in to ShopNBC today, Monday 7/26, at 11am and 7pm EDT, to shop Becca!

As many

Weekly Rewind, 7/25

What a week to get back into the groove! It's been so much fun to take a little time out of each day to gush over beauty products and indulge in a little at-home pampering. I'd almost forgotten how much fun it could be! Thanks to all of you longtime readers, awesome and supportive fellow beauty bloggers, and ever-present Twitter followers for making this return to blogging so much fun.

And

Get the Look: Lucy Punch at the Dinner for Schmucks Premiere

Actress Lucy Punch co-stars with Steve Carell and Paul Rudd in the upcoming Dinner for Schmucks, and arrived at the NYC premiere with her lovely blonde locks styled by Sebastian Professional Stylist Design Team Member Thomas Duncan.

In case you haven't heard, it's been flippin' HOT this summer here in the NYC, so Thomas created a texturized, modern style designed to beat the heat. To get Lucy's

Weekend Reads

As if! 10 beauty lessons from Clueless [Bellasugar]

Amber has the scoop on NARS' new blush-inspired lip glosses [Beauty Blogging Junkie]

Karen gets on the Becca bandwagon and falls for the Glossy Lip Tints [Makeup and Beauty Blog]

Essential oils that act as natural insect repellents [Beaute de Maman -- Dr. Michele Brown]

Makeup Loves Me likes to play in the mud--with Lush [makeup loves me]

Steals & Deals Special Edition: Philosophy Sale, 25% Off Beautyhabit, Kate Somerville & Juicy Couture Freebies, More

I normally only publish Steals & Deals on Wednesdays, but there just seemed to be an abundance of deals this week! From deeply-discounted Stila palettes and discounts on everday products on drugstore.com, to freebies from Bare Escentuals, Origins, Nuxe and more, there's something for everyone this weekend. So, enjoy this special Friday edition of Steals & Deals:
Bare Escentuals: Free Bare

Dispatch From the Man Cave: shu uemura Shape Paste

OK, I'll admit it: I'm jealous of my boyfriend's hair. It's shiny, a little wavy, and best of all, there is A TON of it. Seriously, he probably has about 5 times more hair on his head than I do.

Sure, he has to cut it every month before he starts looking like Seth Rogen, but who's complaining?

And now, another confession: when we first got together, I just couldn't resist taking a little peek

5 Tricks for Sexy Summer Beach Hair

Ahhh, the beach! While you're showing off your fabulous tan (hopefully fake; we're no fans of sun damage around here) and frolicking with your friends, don't forget about your best accessory: your hair. Whether you want to create a sexy beach style, use your time in the sun for deep conditioning, or add some sun-kissed highlights, I've got the tips to make it happen. Read on:

For control and

Get the Look: Amanda Crew at the Charlie St. Cloud Premiere

Amanda Crew stars in the upcoming film Charlie St. Cloud (with the always-perfectly-coiffed Zac Efron), and she showed up at the LA premiere looking quite lovely. CHANEL Celebrity Makeup Artist Rachel Goodwin is responsible for this look - I'm LOVING that lip color - and shares the products she used below.

"Amanda's make up for the premiere was really fresh and modern with cool sleek lines.

Get the Look: Naomi Watts at the Premiere of Salt

Naomi Watts rocked it at the premiere of Salt, sporting a freshly-cut, collarbone-length 'do, with a most excellent set of swoopy bangs. This girl does baby blonde like no other; sometimes, pale blonde hair can look wispy and thin, but Naomi's always looks shiny and healthy. Love!

Stylist Robert Vetica created the Studio 54-inspired look, starting by cutting off 2 inches of Naomi's hair. "I kept

Double Up With MAC Haute & Naughty

Could it be that I've finally fallen in love with a MAC mascara? I'm a colossal fan of so many things from the brand (among them, Face & Body Foundation, Volcanic Ash Exfoliator, and just about any lipgloss item), but the mascaras have never, well...moved me.

Until now. Haute & Naughty is MAC's latest mascara offering, and while it has a ridiculous name - not to mention a tube that looks like it

Ken Paves Hosts Makeover Madness Fundraiser for Rally for Kids with Cancer

This post isn't really about beauty products, or celebrities, or bargains, or trends...but I'm sharing it with you because it totally made me cry, and melted my cold little heart!

On Monday, Ken Paves hosted a Makeover Madness fundraising event at his West Hollywood salon to raise money for Rally for Kids with Cancer, an organization that provides awareness and resources for children suffering

Steals & Deals: 15% Off Bliss, 20% Off Benefit, Free Juicy Tubes, More

Benefit: TODAY ONLY: 20% Off Sitewide at Benefit Cosmetics! Enter code SUMMER20 at checkout. Valid 7/21. [benefitcosmetics.com]

Bliss/Elemis/Laboratoire Remede: Get 15% off Bliss, Elemis and Laboratoire Remede products at blissworld.com! Enter promo code AUG10 at checkout. Valid through July 22nd. [blissworld.com]

Clinique: With any $35 purchase, receive FREE Shipping plus a FREE makeup

Soak Up Just a Touch of Sun With Olay

Tanning the face is always such a tricky task. If you're like me, you're super-careful with exposing your facial skin to the sun, so it's always a touch lighter than your body (even if you're normally uber-pale). And if you self-tan your bod, the contrast is even worse Darker foundation and oodles of bronzer can only do so much, and usually ending up doing more harm than help (tan horizon at your

Fresh "Eat, Pray, Love" Collection

Fresh has launched a fragrance collection as a tie-in to the upcoming Julia Roberts movie Eat, Pray, Love which is, of course, the film adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's wildly popular travel memoir. Judging by the reception of both the book and the film trailer, Fresh's Eat Pray Love collection will be either embraced or ridiculed, depending on who you ask.

Eat is a "sweet, effervescent" scent

From the Guilty Pleasure Files...Victoria's Secret Luscious Kisses

Luscious Kisses is one of the latest offerings in the ever-popular Secret Garden collection at Victoria's Secret. I spotted it while perusing the semi-annual sale, and it instantly transported me back to a simpler, more carefree time.

Childhood.

And not because this fragrance smells "kiddie," but because it smells like...doll heads.

Yes, doll heads. Or the dolls themselves, in their entirety.

5 Summer Treats for Face, Body and Hair

Guess who's back? Friends, I know it's been months since I've posted anything. It's flaky, I know. Life has just been a little crazy and beauty mania hasn't been my biggest priority. But I'm happy to say that it's all been positive - job, family, friends and relationship are all excellent. It just took a while (ok, a LONG time) to adjust to traveling 5,000 miles back and forth (yes, I'm living