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subscribe to beauty blog via RSSBeekman 1802’s Latest Farm-To-Face Creation
April 13, 2011
Last night, I went to the Knicks-Bulls game. Whoopi Goldberg, Kelly Rowland, Swizz Beatz, and Andy Samberg—also there. Before I settled into my overpriced seats in the 300 level with a very large (and ill-advised) deli sandwich, I popped by Henri Bendel to talk shop with Beekman 1802 founders Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell. Topic A was the duo’s Swarovski-encrusted muck boots. “They’re our city boots,” Ridge joked. Most of the time, he’s holed up in upstate New York, tending to the pair’s Sharon Springs farm, churning out their famous goat milk skincare products. The latest launch from the line was on display alongside a Sony flat-screen TV, which was broadcasting the new episode from the duo’s Planet Green reality show. “Seeing our skin in high-def makes me realize how good our product is,” Ridge said, showing me the Stick of Butter, an all-purpose emollient balm that’s made from goat milk, mango butter, and essential oils. Available in four fragrances that correspond with the seasons, the lotion sticks are a new addition to Beekman’s Back Porch collection. “I use it on my lips,” Ridge offered of one of its many uses. He had another recommendation, too: “You have to try our goat milk caramel sauce. We brew jalapeño into it so you get the sweet and the spicy. It’s great on ice cream.” Sold—on both accounts.
Beekman 1802 Stick of Butter, $15 each, available exclusively at Henri Bendel.
tags: Beekman 1802, Skincare, Stick of Butter
Katy Straightens Out; Gaga Talks Plastic Surgery; And More…
April 13, 2011
We told you two months back that Katy Perry was adding a spokesperson gig for ghd hair straighteners to her roster of beauty endorsements. Now the ad visuals have arrived replete with predictable, Perry-esque adjectives like “pouty” and “colorful.” [Grazia]
It’s official: Kate Middleton will be wearing her hair down for the royal wedding on April 29. All the better for a diamond-encrusted crown, if you ask us. [Daily Mail]
“I think that promoting insecurity in the form of plastic surgery is infinitely more harmful than an artistic expression related to body modification,” says Lady Gaga. In other words, lip injections = bad; prosthetic facial horns = good. [E!]
With a coveted seat on the American Idol judging panel and a new album due out this month, J. Lo has secured the title of People’s most beautiful person of the year—and the coveted role as our April Beauty Icon. More on that come Friday. [Reuters]
tags: ghd, Hair, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Middleton, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga
Joanna Vargas Is Seeing Red
April 13, 2011
Those who never, even in those most misguided crystal bindhi- and frosted tips-wearing college years, set foot inside a tanning bed will likely feel a bit anxious about skincare guru Joanna Vargas’ latest innovation. But outward appearances aside, her LED (light emitting diodes) contraption shares nothing in common with the more familiar and dangerous UV varieties. Light therapy has been used in the medical community for over a century, and powerful LED technology has already been employed by organizations like NASA to speed up wound healing and muscle regeneration. The goal of Vargas’ patent-pending Jetsons-esque device, though, is an aesthetic one. Created in alliance with Chicago-based company Norlux, the safe, cellular activity-triggering light lifts and tones the skin, increasing elasticity and collagen production, and can be used specifically to address cellulite, stretch marks, acne, and sun spots. The treatment can be purchased on its own or as a packaged deal that begins with a gentle cleansing and crystal microdermabrasion before you slip into the bed for 20 minutes, after which you’re treated to a soothing, super-hydrating oxygen application that leaves your skin glowing and dewy. From personal experience, we can say that being inside the coffinlike contraption can be kind of jarring at first, but you quickly get used to it. In fact, you might even nod off; there’s something surprisingly comforting about dreaming of a clearer, more radiant complexion while surrounded by a bright scarlet, infrared glow.
Joanna Vargas Salon Skin Care Sanctuary, 501 Fifth Ave., ste. 2011, (212) 949-2350, www.joannavargas.com.
tags: Joanna Vargas, Skincare
Sky’s Got No Limits When It Comes To Hair Dye
April 13, 2011
Emerging rock star Sky Ferreira is known as much for her long, tawny mane as her pop vocal stylings. But the East Village-by-way-of-L.A. transplant threw fans—ourselves included—for a loop last night at the after-party for Scream 4’s New York premiere with newly dyed purple hair. Ferreira’s dark roots now meld into streaks of deep violet, dusty rose, and mauve for an off-kilter ombré effect. We’ve grown slightly tired of the pastel pieces that have shown up on the runway and red-carpet since Proenza Schouler’s much discussed Spring 2010 show, but this we like. What about you?
tags: Hair, Scream 4, Sky Ferreira
Pink Polish—A No-No For Little Boys? Mary Louise Parker Breaks Down Her Beauty Routine, And More…
April 12, 2011
J.Crew creative director Jenna Lyons has come under fire from Fox News for a picture that shows her painting her son’s toenails pink. The editorial is “a dramatic example of the way that our culture is being encouraged to abandon all trappings of gender identity,” the conservative news agency asserts. [Daily Mail]
Mary Louise Parker attributes her porcelain skin and healthy chestnut locks to “good genes and being moderate about everything.” The Weeds star eats a mostly vegan diet and tries to stay away from products containing parabens, making Tarte cosmetics a personal favorite. She has another beauty tip, too: Beware the Brazilian straightening treatment. [T]
Famed photoblogger Garance Doré steps out from behind her camera today to dissect the language the fashion set uses to discuss beauty. “Oh wow, you look so…healthy!” is really just code for “Is that a muffin top that’s about to pop out of your jeans?” [garancedore.fr]
Sears is making like Duane Reade and Rite Aid and beefing up its beauty offerings. The retailer is planning store-within-store primping departments in 100 of its busier locations over the next several months. Now you can peruse electronics and lipstick offerings all under one roof. [WWD]
tags: Garance Dor�, Hair, J. Crew, Jenna Lyons, Makeup, Mary-Louise Parker, Nails, Sears, Tarte Cosmetics
Lips That Say, “Some Day My Prince Will Come”
April 12, 2011
With the royal nuptials growing ever closer (April 29, in case you’ve somehow managed to avoid the worldwide media blitz), plenty of brands are rushing engagement ephemera onto shelves. That navy Issa wrap dress and stunning sapphire and diamond ring the bride wore to the couple’s press conference announcing their plans to wed will be forever enshrined in the annals of fashion history—and just as eternally knocked off. But Butter London, the lacquer brand known for its nontoxic formulas, innovative runway looks (see Cava, Vena for some unique finger painting), and quirky polish names, was way ahead of the game. Way back in January, it announced the launch of a new sparkly amethyst lacquer, dubbed No More Waity Katie. This month, in an effort to get while the getting’s still good, Butter is debuting a limited-edition lip gloss of the same name. Its first foray into the world of makeup, the shine product is the same shade as its polish counterpart—sheer lilac with tiny flecks of lavender glitter—and likewise contains no parabens, petroleum, or sulfates for what Butter founding creative director Nonie Crème calls a “glossy greige” finish. Pucker up.
Butter London No More Waity Katie Lip Gloss, $18, available at www.butterlondon.com beginning April 15.
tags: Butter London, Makeup, Nonie Creme
Taking A Swipe At Wrinkles And Acne
April 12, 2011
Good cleansing is the cornerstone of clear, healthy skin. It sounds simple, but most of us have yet to accept this dictum as fact. According to a little research project conducted by aestheticians Jennie Hearn and Jennifer Gallegos of San Francisco’s International Orange spa and yoga studio (a favorite of Christy Turlington Burns and Gwyneth Paltrow), eight out of ten women only wash their faces two to three times a week (guilty as charged). So the seasoned pros have come up with a solution: pre-soaked facial cleansing pads that wipe away impurities and rebalance the skin’s pH with high-tech botanicals so you never have to bother with tedious soap and water again. Launched as part of the duo’s new Preserve Skincare line, the luxuriously thick and textured pads gently exfoliate the skin’s surface and, in a brilliant eco-minded move, can be washed and reused. So far, there are two versions: the Orange Blossom for all skin types, which combines natural citrus essential oils and potent antioxidants like yucca, white tea, and grapeseed to moisturize and protect against environmental damage; and Geranium Leaf for oily skin, which de-gunks congested pores with a blend of tea tree oil and gentle salicylic acid extracted from willow bark, while soothing redness with calming aloe. We tested out the latter version after an intense, sweat-inducing session of Vinyasa yoga and loved how the oversized discs instantly cooled our skin and sucked up oil without drying. The pads can be ordered online—another bonus for the slackers among us.
tags: International Orange, Jennie Hearn, Jennifer Gallegos, Preserve Skincare, Skincare
Marc Jacobs’ Dominatrix Ponytail Hits The Red Carpet
April 12, 2011
Since landing on the scene five years ago, Emma Roberts has evolved well past her I’m-Julia Roberts’-niece beginnings. An emerging style star, Roberts turned up front-row at Michael Kors and Chanel this season, and made a cameo at the Olsens’ Textile launch party earlier this month in L.A. It was her burgeoning beauty sense that caught our eye last night, though, as the Scream 4 star hit the film’s premiere with some perfectly color-matched hair extensions and a super-sleek high ponytail, à la Marc Jacobs’ Fall show. The style is ill-advised if you’re being chased by a mask-wearing murderer (those lengths are ripe for the grabbing), but it sure did, um, kill on the red carpet. Don’t you think?
tags: Emma Roberts, Hair, Scream 4
Aesop Touches Down In Nolita
April 11, 2011
Remember last fall, when we told you that Aesop was opening its first U.S. flagship and that while the exact location was still up in the air, it was definitely “going to be downtown”? Well, turns out the brand’s chosen neighborhood south of 14th Street is—drum roll, please—Nolita. New signs announcing the store’s arrival at 232 Elizabeth Street, across the street from Steven Alan, have just gone up. The location is fitting; devotees of the Aussie skincare brand are likely familiar with its recent collaborations with Soho neighbor A.P.C., the French brand that also happens to line the racks at Steven Alan. As for where the other two stand-alone storefronts Aesop has announced for New York will be, mum’s the word, although we wouldn’t be surprised if Brooklyn got its very own outpost stocked with Aesop’s Parsley Seed skincare collection, among other hair and body care favorites. Fort Greene is really just a hop, skip, and a jump across the East River. [Racked]
Dior Turns On The Bright Lights
April 11, 2011
Since debuting its reformulated lacquer lineup last fall, Dior has released a steady stream of totally covetable new shades. For spring, the brand introduced its Rock Your Nails collection, adding deep navy, dark aqua, and dusty lilacs to already existent reds and fuchsias—not to mention Rock Coat, which imparts a veil of gray color to muddy up your manicure as though you’ve actually been partaking in life on the road. For summer, Dior is delving into neon territory with the launch of its Electric Tropics Nail Duos. There are two colors to choose from—Paradise, a hot pink, and Aloha, a fluorescent orange—both of which come packaged with their very own high-shine top coat. If you’re looking to chase away your winter blues once and for all, these should do the trick.
Dior Vernis Electric Tropics Nail Duos, $26 each, available at www.dior.com in mid-April.
