It's the Return: Noemie Lenoir at Louis Vuitton FW 2010

photo: Style.com

10 Influential Beauties of the Augties: Lily Allen

photo:contactmusic.com

Initially, I was pretty quick to write Lily Allen off but now that I think about it. She just really needs a hug. Karl chose a great face for the Coco Coccoon collection, she's witty, crass and just Lily.

10 Influential Beauties of the Augties: Fantasia Barrino

photo: contactmusic.com

Waaaay back when being on reality television made you relevent in society a young women with the world on her shoulders and the most soulful voice to come out of American Idol won. The fairytale didn't end here but Fantasia Barrino went on to star on Broadway in The Color Purple not before she scored a deal with MAC cosmetics- yeah?! Fantabulous was released in 2004 producing 2 rare, HTF lipglasses ( Fantabulous 1 and Fantabulous 2) that are now worth as much as the price of MAC's Spanish Fly or Bronx lipsticks- yup.

At around the time of the release, I was in LA at the MAC store at the Kodak Theatre where the M.A. told me- these [ lipstick and lipglass] are hot sellers- no kidding! I promptly scooped them for my mom and ever since then- its been a chase to find.

10 Influential Beauties of the Augties: Lykke Li

photo:blogs.villagevoice.com

Youth Novel's came to me like a flying skittle, no really. Anna G. has been a huge fan and I got a healthy dose of Lykke when going update for some r&r this past fall. "I'm Good, I'm Gone" is my anthem for 2009. Her songwriting, collabs and style is amazing- long flowy boho tunic (check) goth-whimsical jewelry (check), ballet bun ( double check), heavy charcoal liner ( double check).

She's gained some Twihard points by being on the guilty pleasure New Moon soundtrack.

10 Influential Beauties of the Augties: Santigold

photo: elle.com

One of my top 5 albums of the decade, all infectious sounds that I still can’t quite categorize and that’s a good thing. Keep doing what you do and don’t let anyone define you.“Shove it” was my anthem for 2008- take that recession!
Santi is currently a Nixon campaign model, been in Converse ads and on the cover of Missbehave.

Style- she mixes Jeremy Scott, track suits and skater gear for play and femme flattering pieces to glam it up front row at Fashion week!

10 Influential Beauties of the Augties: M.I.A

photo:sangam.org

Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam or M.I.A's Arular album is still in my Ipod mini while my nano has the “Boys” and “Paper Planes” remixes. She was part of the initial wave of nu-new wave day-glo orange and yellow late 80’s early 90’s comeback look but her lyrics are of political messages with bells, whistles, horns and gun-shots. Plus, who else can get up and rock the mic ( doing a Sanit hook-no less) alongside Mr. Hov while pregnant- hm?

10 Influential Beauties of the Augties: Róisín Murphy

image:google images

Róisín Murphy is pre-Gaga as far as her eccentricity and music. I was reeled into her music from my Colette Compliation CD I bought at the store in Paris in '06 ( song: Ramalama Bang Bang). She ( along with Bjork and Goldfrapp) ushered in the electronica music and Avant-Garde marriage.

10 Influential Beauties of the Augties: Janelle Monáe

photo: esquire.com

Channeling mod with the Black and white aesthetic with futuristic pop sounds. She’s coached from the love below and beamed to us from the distant planet of Metropolis.
Her style- Simple, effortless and timeless just like her beauty. Attending her live shows are worth having someone breathe down the back of your neck ( Music Hall of Williamsburgh was completely sold out and was back-to-back bodies) extra added bonus, she paints onstage!

10 Influential Beauties of the Augties: Cat Power's Chan Marshall

photo: chictoday.com

Between nervous breakdowns, eerie perfromances and utter disappearance throught the decade, we coveted her style ( eye-covered bangs, heavy liner) , the release of "The Greatest" in which she played along side some of Nashville's most coveted musicians plus, she was the face of a Chanel line.

Her last project was a cover of David Bowie's Space Oddity for a Lincoln commerical

You can do it Chan, we heart you!

10 Influential Beauties of the Augties: Hikaru Utada

photo:utada.com

I'm taking this time as we round out the end of the Aughties to praise some of my favorite influential beauties of this decade. Their art and inspiration is well beyond just these ten years and I certainly hope to see more of them in the near future.

First up- Hikaru Utada.

Upon receiving the invite from Sephora to see Utada perform at Sephora for her upcoming album, fans spent the night in hopes of seeing the Best Selling Japanese Artist.

She prompted the 5th Ave Sephora shutdown in Spring 09 in which the fire department was called because of crowd control.

In 2002 she broke in the US with “Simple and Clean” from Kingdom Hearts video game.
Seriously, I could write about Utada for at least 2 days but will only capture a glimpse of her greatness.

5ave 5 of '09: Liz Wright of the Love Grenades

photo: Love Grenades via Myspace

Liz is an incredible singer, songwriter, performer- no seriously. The Love Grenades are a Sam Sparro produced. L.A. based, electro-dance-pop ball of Justice meets Debbie Harry, yes the torch has been passed.

I had the pleasure to check out the Love Grenades at NYC's CMJ showcases last month and she almost knocked me out- litterally. During her performance she got down with the crowd, spurring enigmatic fun and hyped it up! My current jam is "Tigers In The Fire" and another favorite is "Young Lovers".

When Liz had a spare moment, she let me in on her favorite 5 products that helped her get through the year.

Liz's 5ave 5 of '09:

Skin: Dr. Brandt Skin Care Blemishes No More

Cosmetics: MAC's Ruby Woo and Rocker Lipsticks

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Foundation

Hair: Oribe Shampoo for Brilliance and Shine

Aquanet Hair spray (only when performing)

Checkout The Love Grenades on MySpace here

5ave 5 of '09: Terry from Superqueen!

Terry loves writing about Fashion and Fashion photography on Dallo Spazio. Plus she is a fellow NARS-ist, with a penchant for vivid. She lives in North-East of Italy with her husband and my 19-month-old daughter.

"I have lots of hobbies, even if I don't have much spare time. First of all, I love writing about fashion and fashion photography, but I also like going to the cinema, listening to any type of music (but deep inside I'm still a grunge chick), reading horror novels and comics, collecting vintage gloves and rhinestone necklaces, Balenciaga bags and Helmut Newton coffee table books."

Here are Terry's 5ave 5 products she's been using this year:

Hair: I can't live without Garnier Fructis Long & Strong shampoo + hair conditioner. I have long wavy hair that becomes a messy nest without some conditioning.

Nails: Chanel Black Satin nail polish and OPI Alpine Snow nail polish. These are the ying yang of my nail polish collection and I love both of them. I use the first all the time, but I use the second when I want to sport an old-school colour, which reminds me of the 80s - it actually looks like white out).

Skin: Dr Hauschka Rose Light day cream. It's simply the best face moisturizer I've used so far, definitely a holy grail product for me.

Fragrance: I cannot choose one, because I have three favourite fragrances, all by the Parisian Diptyque. They are L'Ombre Dans l'Eau (blackcurrant leaf and Bulgarian rose), Olene (jasmin, wisteria and narcissus) and Philosykos (white cedar and fig tree leaves). Once you've tried Diptyque perfumes, you cannot go back to synthetic perfumes!

Cosmetics: when it comes to cosmetics, I am truly a NARS-issist :) Should I choose two products, I'd pick Shanghai Express lipstick (a deep red which makes you feel like an Old Hollywood diva) and Cruella velvet matte lip pencil (the product I've used most this year, nearly on a daily basis).

Check out Terry and her amazing blog Dallo Spazio here

Beaute du Jour: Shani!

Bella Shani hails from the Bronx but made it out to SoCal over 3 years ago. She's been a great friend of mine for a while now and can always count on her great advice on everything from styling to crazy-ass roommates, trust me- she has been there. Plus she also LOVES beauty and fashion as much as I do. When I said ,Cole Haan Sample Sale at Gilt- she was on it with some fabulous boots and a handbag. Recently when I went back to Cali to visit and for the Nordstrom Trendshow, she fell in love with NARS Tropic eyeshadow ( she is pictured wearing it) and how it accentuated the eye with a bit of bronze eyeshadow.

Here are her beautypoll results, enjoy!

Mood: Content

Listening to: My co-workers phone conversation – so bad

Gloss or Lipstick du Jour: Gloss - Nars Revolt

Fragrance: Sicily - D&G

Film that defines you today: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Food Craving or current lemming: Pineapple Bellini & Pink Lady Apples!

What do you hope to accomplish today: Fold up & put away my week old laundry

Wednesday Beauty Poll with Danielle

Just who is Danielle? She brings the southern bell to Brooklyn and is always bright and cheery. Did I mention that she makes the best sweet potato pancakes? And is a beauty product junkie just as much as moi?

Danielle hails from Austin, Texas home of SXSW, backdrop for Quentin Tarintino and Robert Rodriguez films and also home of another re-movement.. keeping things weird and cool.

Here are her beauty poll answers!

Mood: smiley

Listening to: Cut Copy, In Ghost Colours (the whole album)

Gloss or Lipstick du Jour: Chanel Lip Glossimer in Glaze

Fragrance: Miss Dior Cherie

Film that defines you today: Willy Wonka, the original bien sur

Food Craving or current lemming: Blueberry Boy Bait!

What do you hope to accomplish today: Eternal life enrichment, world peace, and perfecting the art of making caramels.

Tyra celebrates Vogue Italia's All Black Issue

Special Thanks to Crunktastical.net, they posted pics of Tyra's upcoming show with all the heavy hitters in Vogue Italia's all Black issue.

Including our faves: Chanel Iman, Noemie Lenoir, Pat Cleveland, Anna van Ravenstein  and Stacey Mackenzie!

Source: crunktastical.net

If you haven't got your issue, call your magazine source or Barnes and Noble.

I know here in NYC they are still selling them, ask to ship. Don't pay those crazy Ebay prices.

Now off to MAC for their Cult of Cherry unveiling... more posting later!

Beauté du Jour: Sophie Dahl

Yes, Its back again. I have a few more beauté du jour's for ya.
The grand-daughter of a children's author who wrote Charlie and the Chocolate factory was discovered while ccrying on the doorstep in front of her home as a teen.
The scout: Isabella Blow , the discoveree: Sophie Dahl.
She became infamous for the "risque" YSL Opium campaign shot a few years ago that had to be removed from UK billboards.
Aside from that, she just so happens to be an actress, model and children's author.

Beauté du Jour: Bjork

I seriously don't know where to begin.. and for that matter where to end.
Her B-day is a day before mine ( though 16 years older), headliner for Coachella on Friday, April 27th ( see you there), her new singer drops on April 9th- "Earth Intruders", her Album drops in May... I can go on.

She is a Powerful, Beautiful, Delicate Farce!

There is a lot that we can learn from Bjork. That's all I have to say about that.
Here is one of my favorite videos Alarm Call( too bad I can't find this version of the song anywhere..even sephora has it.. jeesh. If anyone knows where to get it PLEASE send it my way)

Beauté du Jour: Grace Jones

Eccentric? Maybe
Beautiful? Mos Def
Grace Jones is one of my definate icons. When I think of a strong black woman, she comes to mind. She is art in itself- a Warhol muse and embodied every bit of the 80's.
She hails from Jamaica and became a model in NYC. Her career really took off in Europe as she acted, sang and modeled and then became internationally known. )"pull up to the bumper" is one of the most played songs in my ipod). Who can forget her in boomerang with Eddie Murphy? and as far as style goes- she made the flat top work for a girl along with the bold red lips.

Beauté du Jour: Maki Nomiya of Pizzicato 5

My all time favorite group! Pizzicato 5 has been around since the 80's but became famous in the 90's as part of the Shibuya club movement. I love their catchy lyrics and melodic hip sixties infused sound. Definately a "new stereosonic sound spectacular".
Maki fore fronted the band for a number of years, her style is as infectious as their lyrics.

Here's a video clip:

Beauté du Jour: Ujjwala Raut

She's an international wonder! She is also India's most accomplished super model.
When I think of Tom Ford and YSL from 2002-2004, I think of Ujjwala.
She respresents elegance and poise, definately someone you would like to model yourself after, no?

I hope she continues her success even though Tom Ford is no longer with YSL, but you know how the modeling world goes... endless cycle of talent.