Wedding belles

LOVE YOUR LOOK: I know I obsess a little too much about Benefit's products, but the company is constantly coming out with great new additions to the line and improving upon steadfast favorites. Good lead up to introducing the new limited edition colors for their wedding season '08 collection, Love Your Look. The lipsticks I could take or leave, but I just love the new subtle shimmer hues of the creaseless cream shadows — they are just perfect for spring, and for that natural, timeless look you want for a wedding. I think I am going to go out and get Bunny Hop, I'm a natural Lana.

Pretty in pink

I'm so glad the bold shades for fall/winter nails are breaking free and making room for sweet, delicate shades for spring/summer. I just love Summer Love from Calvin Klein's brand new line — a barely-there pink with a silver finish. Perfecto. And at only $10, it's a great deal.

Other good buys?
» Several companies are doing a pen applicator for this season, but I think Sally Hansen is the winner with this great fast-drying product available in several colors — my favorite is Sheer Pink. And you just can't beat the price, especially since I really think you aren't sacrificing quality on this one.

» OPI's new India collection is rich with color, but back to the basics in a lot of ways. While Black Cherry Chutney is fantastic, it's too dark for spring. I really like ElePhantastic Pink, not only for its name, but its carnation hue (the flower gets a bad rap!).

Nourish-Mint deal

Check out the deal of the day from Aveda (via my e-mail):

The blow out obsession

A couple weeks ago, Look Girl fashion sent me a link to a New York Times article about the new trend of forgoing washing your hair and just getting a blow out once a week. I knew about the trend a little and that a lot of New York gals are doing it, but, well, eww. Really? My hair's greasy (at least up front) after just two days. Anyway, in the past few days I feel like I have been bombarded with products, e-mails and advertisements along these same lines of extending your blow out. Watching my secret love, wedding shows, on Style Network, there were ads linking to their Web site for tips on this trend and endorsing Ted Gibson's Hair Sheet to absorb the oil. Sephora sent me an e-mail with staff picks, including a vote for Oscar Blandi's Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray saying, "I can't live without Pronto! I'm a city girl who is too busy and lazy to wash my hair but once a week." I even got an e-mail from the Sunday Source editors at The Washington Post saying that you should "keep your paws off your head" and backing Bumble & Bumble’s spray-on Hair Powder. They also suggested that "budget-minded ladies can try shaking a bit of baby powder along roots. Either way, don’t forget to blend." I've tried that trick in the past, as well as Bumble & Bumble's product, but it doesn't really work, at least not for me. I'll be honest, I'm still not sold on the not washing your hair kick; how busy/lazy can you really be? What about you, dear readers?

Dual sided

I've been trying to clear out the clutter and craziness that is my bathroom at home, trying to give away loads of samples and products I've received and use up all those half-empty bottle. Well, after finishing my Aveda Outer Peace cleanser last week (the line is just ehh, but the foaming cleanser is pretty good), I decided to open the biggest container of cleanser I had, one that was taking up some serious real estate in the drawer. RoC Daily Microdermabrasion Cleansing Disks was something I'd been holding onto for a while because I wasn't quite sure of the "dual sided pads." Well, I'm sure of them now; I love them and the way they leave my skin silky smooth. What it is, is a little disk-like pouch that you (1) slip your three middle fingers into, (2) starting with the exfoliating side, wet it and then circle it around your face for a moment, (3) then dampen the cleanser/moisturizing side and do the same, (4) rinse. Easy.

Say goodbye raccoon eyes

Some good makeup tips from the editors at Martha Stewart Wedding, of all places:

According to Martha Stewart Weddings beauty director Elizabeth Graves, undereye circles are the number one complaint women have when it comes to their complexions. ... But before you start reaching for the spackle, listen to Elizabeth: She says the biggest mistake we make is overcorrecting — leading to the unfortunate half-moon look. You want to use a shade of concealer that's barely one shade lighter than your natural complexion and an even lighter hand. In fact, you should start by using a brush to apply a bit of foundation to the problem area. If darkness is still visible, then brush on a thin (careful now!) layer of creamy, opaque concealer like Laura Mercier Secret Concealer or Bobbi Brown Eye Brightener. (The latter actually reflects light, further camouflaging pesky circles.) ...

Well Beauty

Just as an FYI: Tomorrow, select Nordstrom stores and online at nordstrom.com will launch their "Well Beauty" cosmetics boutiques with eco-friendly skincare products from brands like Korres, Juice Beauty Organics, Pangea Organics and CARE by Stella McCartney. Recyclable packaging is a given, some can even be planted to grow flowers.

Goodies giveaway

For all of those coming to LookGirl stays stylish's Project Runway finale party tonight, I have cleaned out all of my cabinets and am bringing bag loads (yes, you heard that right, bags, plural) of beauty products for all your delight. Enjoy!




P.S. Yes, that's a picture of Giorgio Armani!

Bubble & Lo

Famed NYC makeup artists Virginia Meyers and Laura Nadeau, who specialize in doing up faces for the big day (aka your wedding), have created a Web site filled with videos and tips on how to do what they do in your own home. Plus, they are really good about answering readers' questions and their blog has loads of photos from past events they have done to give you inspiration and they tell you how they did it! It's a good site to check out if you have a special event coming up, or if you just need to refresh your day-to-day routine.