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Shape of Beauty 2010 Awards

Nicole — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:41:57 +0000

More than 3,000 readers, SHAPE editors, and beauty experts across the country named these good-for-you skin, makeup, and hair products the top picks of 2010. Here are some of the top picks that made the cut:

Facial Cleansers
• Kinerase PhotoFacials Daily Exfoliating Cleanser ($40; sephora.com)
Improvements in skin texture come from a mix of antioxidant-rich superfoods—including kiwi, pineapple, and pomegranate—in combination with jojoba and silica beads.

Anti-Aging
• Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Eye Roller ($23; at drugstores)
The three rollers massage away swelling and “deliver a potent dose of anti-agers like pentapeptides, which build collagen.

Body Firming
• Bliss FatGirlScrub ($38; blissworld.com)
No scrub will wash away your cellulite, but this one leaves skin “smoother and tighter.” Red algae reduces water retention, Himalayan salt exfoliates, and peppermint extract makes it feel cool and refreshing in the shower.

Lip color
• MAC Cremesheen Glass Lip Gloss ($18; maccosmetics.com)
This gloss is “shiny but somehow not sticky,” said a tester. (The secret is in the formula, a mix of soybean oil and aloe.)

Foundation
• Revlon PhotoReady Makeup SPF 20 ($14; at drugstores)
Photographers know that flattering lighting makes models look gorgeous. This new foundation uses similar logic; it has light-reflecting pigments that create the optical illusion of better skin. It covers pores, redness, and scars, all without caking.

Shampoo and Conditioner
• Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair ($24; aveda.com)
Rich in repairing proteins and hydrating essential oils, this leave-in treatment helps negate any damage from hot tools or UV rays.

Mood-Boosting Fragrance
• Kim Kardashian Eau de Parfum ($35 for 1 oz.; sephora.com)
You’d expect a bold, sultry blend from reality TV star and SHAPE cover model Kim Kardashian, and her new fragrance does not disappoint. It’s a heady mix of florals—like jasmine, tuberose, and gardenia—anchored by earthy jacaranda wood.

Nails
• Best color Essie Nail Polish in Angora Cardi ($8; essie.com)
This deep, dusty rose was the testers’ fave: It felt trendy, but not too ‘out there’ to wear to work.

The complete list of beauty winners can be found in the September issue of SHAPE magazine. Did any of your favorite products make the cut?

Dior Fall 2010 Collection

Nicole — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:46:48 +0000

This Fall, Dior tempts us with beautiful smoky shades, deep purples and mauves. Take a look at this beautiful collection.

Serum de Rouge

Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow - Misty Mauve

Dior 5-Colour Designer Eye Palette - Pink Design

Dior Addict Ultra Glosses & Lip Maximizer

Dior Addict Lipcolor

Dior Vernis Nail Enamel - Black Sequins

Dior Fall 2010 collection is now available.

[Photo credits: joseishi.net/voce]

Cocktail Inspired Beauty Alert

Nicole — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:30:38 +0000

Nailtini - 119 Amaretto Fizz

While shopping for some new polish I was directed to a brand called Nailtini and their “cocktail” approach to beautiful nails. Nailtini gives us 29 straight up colors, 2 mixers, 9 toppers and 7 garnish nail designs to shake it up and make the ultimate nail cocktail! The straight up colors can be applied alone but to shake things up a bit you can add a mixer like Cream to lighten a shade or Espresso to intensify a shade. There are topper coats which add a bit of a special effect, for example Blue Flame adds a sheer blue iridescence. There is also a garnish book where you can create nail art with stencils, the book includes 7 designs (see below).

Nailtini Garnish Book

Here is one of the toppers:

Nailtini Topper - Blue Flame

My Nailtini cocktail of Amaretto Fizz (straight up color) + Blue Flame (Topper) =

I am loving how this topper has totally transformed my polish into a totally different color. Note to self: Buy more toppers! The best part about giving myself an at home manicure is that these polishes do not have that awful smell that some other polishes have. Nailtini lacquers do not contain formaldehyde, toluene or dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and Nailtini products are not tested on animals. Welcome to mixing up your custom made manicure cocktail!

Nailtini retails for $12/bottle and is available online and through salons and drugstores nationwide.

Chanel 2010 Collection

Nicole — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Now available is Chanel’s new Summer Makeup Collection – Collection Les Pop-Up De Chanel. This collection features vibrant limited edition colors. Take a trip to the French Riviera with these gorgeous sun kissed colors.

Le Vernis Nail Colour (l to r): Mistral, Nouvelle Vague, Riviera – $23

Gloss Fluo de Chanel (l to r): Laser, Pop, Bikini Peach – $27

Rouge Allure Satin Lip Color (l to r) Genial, Super, Darling – $30

Soleil Tan de Chanel bronzers (l to r) Terre d’ore and Terre Halee – $50

I want one of each and every one of these colors but unfortunately I can only get a few. I’m aiming for the Nouvelle Vague Nail Colour, the Laser Gloss and the Satin Lip Color in Super. What are you getting?

Look Polished!

Nicole — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:00:47 +0000

One of the easiest ways to maintain a polished appearance is to keep your nails manicured. It’s one of the least expensive beauty routines that you can indulge in to help spruce up your appearance. Beautifully manicured nails are as important as the clothes that you wear, after all you can’t turn of the TV or open a fashion magazine without viewing a woman with perfectly manicured fingernails. Polished nails are like the icing on the cake and better than therapy, they just make you feel good! As women getting our nails done has become almost an important ritual for all of the important things in our lives. Just think for a moment about all the times that we get our nails done ~ for a job interview, when we get engaged, on our wedding day, girls night out or even as a part of our weekly beauty routine.

I love getting my nails done at my favorite nail spa but sometimes I like to do my own nails. These are the steps that I take for an at home manicure:

1. Wash and dry your hands

2. Remove nail polish with a non-acetone remover. Even if you don’t have polished nails swiping your nails with remover is a good idea to remove the oils on your nails which can cause “bubbles” under the polish.

3. Trim nails, then file in square (or oval) shape. Try to avoid running that nail file back and forth to avoid weakening your nails.

4. Rub a little cuticle cream on (I like to use olive oil or vitamin e oil) to moisturize your cuticles and push them back with an orange stick (do not cut your cuticles).

5. Smooth your nails with a buffer so that the polish has a smooth surface to adhere to. I also like to buff my cuticles as well for a smoother appearance.

6. Apply a base coat.

7. Apply two coats of your favorite shade of nail polish. I’m using Essie Mink Muffs in the picture above.

8. Apply a clear top coat for that extra shine and to help your manicure last!

It usually takes my nails about 15 minutes to dry. I also run cold water my your fingernails to help dry my nails a tad be quicker so I usually do that after I’ve dried my nails for a few minutes. Lastly, I apply clear polish every few days to help my manicure last a bit longer and remain chip proof. I’d be curious to see what other ladies do when they give themselves at home manicures. What are your secrets?

Giveaway! Borghese Cuticle Remover & Nail Lacquer

Nicole — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:26:14 +0000

Win a 2 piece Borghese gift set from Lipstick and Luxury! Borghese Rapido Cuticle Removed is a gentle formula (that’s not tested on animals) that quickly and gently removes excess cuticles in about 15-20 seconds. It moisturizes with Aloe, Chamomile and Green Tea extracts. The kit also includes 3 cuticle pushers. I’m also throwing in a Borghese Nail Lacquer Vernis in Bambina Pink. Hot and Haute!

1. Subscribe via Feedburner to receive updates & post a comment below on why you’d like to win this prize.

2. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway.

RT @LipstickLuxury Borghese Cuticle Remover & Nail Lacquer Giveaway on Lipstick & Luxury Blog ! Follow & RT to Enter ! http://bit.ly/5UmDU0

http://twitter.com/LipstickLuxury

This contest is open to US residents and ends on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 11 PM EST. I’ll be picking out the winner randomly and announcing them the next day!

Love,
Lipstick

UPDATE

The winner of our Borghese Giveaway is Angel ~ Congrats and your prizes on on their way!!!