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!

Chanel Particuliere 505 Nail Color pics and swatches

Chanel Partculiere Le Vernis Nail Polish is very wearable and complementary to my skintone.

I think for New Year's Eve I'm going to layer some copper pigment as an overlay to go with my outfit...

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.

Chanel Spring 2010 Les Impressions Mini Review

I just completed my first vlog!

Its been an absolute pleasure to have seen, tested and purchased some items from the Chanel Les Impressions Spring 2010 Make-up collection at Bloomingdales Soho this weekend!

Le Vernis Particuliere ( 505) is the most buzzed about nail polish since Chanel Jade , plus since its extremely wearable and a universally flattering- it's sure to be a hit.

Check out my first vlog and review of Particuliere ( I was so excited- I miss pronounced it..haha) on the Lacroixthebeautyblog youtube channel!

Giveaway! Laura Geller Makeup

Recently I purchased Sephora's Favorites Glitz & Glam Shimmer and Shine Delux Sampler and had a blast! Now you can too!

I'm giving away one 0.06 oz Laura Geller Blush-N-Brighten in Sunswept and one Laura Geller Lip Shiner in City Lights. Straight from Sephora's Favorites Glitz & Glam Shimmer and Shine Delux Sampler!

To enter, drop me an e-mail and tell me about Your Best New Years!

E-mail me at Lacroixthebeautyblog@gmail.com or tweet me at Lavande_G

All entries must be received by January 10, 2010 12pm est. (Just in time for LTBB's 3rd Anniversary!).

A winner will be chosen at random and notified here no later than January 12th.

Contest open to all you and can enter more than once!

Good Luck!

Happy Holidays for LTBB!!

Loreal Friends and Family Sale ends Dec 20, 2009

Info:
Metropolitan Pavillion
125 West 18th Street, 5th Floor ( btwn 6th and 7th aves)
Wednesday, Dec 16th- Sunday, Dec 20th , 10am-8pm.

The Loreal Friends and Family sale officially started yesterday but there are plenty of goodies left at the Metropolitan Pavillion.
Here is what they had and the prices:
Kiehls: $5 lipglosses, $15 Argan Dry Oil, $5 essential oils,$10 Bodywashes & Hand cleansers $5 totebag
Lancome: $5 Juicy tubes, $8 Liglosses and Lipsticks , $10 Foundation,$25 Eye shadow palettes $20 Bronzers
Shu Uemura: $ 15 lipsticks, $10 lashes, $25 brush sets, $20 concealer, $20 bronzer
Giorgio Armani : $20 foundation
Vichy: $10 Skincare
YSL: $10 Gommage , $20 Eyeshadow palette, $10 lipgloss, $10 french manicure kit

Source: Madison Avenue Spy

Beauty Dept Lays-off at Saks Flagship in 2010

The New York Post reported today that 100 sales associates in the beauty department will be let go come January 2010. The reasoning behind the move? Many counters are supplied with company appointed beauty reps from companies such as Dior, Chanel, Lancome etc. who specifically cater to customer needs and are trained to know product lines thoroughly enough to recommend items and create regimens.
Will this company appointed make-up artists bring a less “salesy” approach to high-end department stores ? After all, the brand reputation is associated with the quality of their products, strategy in advertising and how well it moves off the shelf.
I have all of 2 examples of how this strategy may work for high-end department stores. Over the summer, I needed new skincare, after reading a magazine and doing my research with fellow bloggers, I journeyed over to Saks and visited a high-end luxury brand counter. With what was initially a stop for x ended up with product recommendations, a regimen, and the purchase of x and y. Upon payment entered the sales associate who informed me of a special promotion for Saks but when I had specific product questions- she forwarded me to the company brand rep. I found it frustrating, why couldn’t they answer my question about x but want my credit card? I understand the deal, they are in sales, but had I gone to another counter who didn’t have a brand rep- I would have high-tailed it to the door.
On another note, without the brand reps with their specialized product knowledge, I am pushed to buy products that clearly do not work for me. For example, the foundation or lipstick shade will not look drastically different once I walk outside. The ashiness will not go away or blend with my skin as the day wears on- no excuses, it just doesn’t work. Additionally, on another visit, same Saks on 5th Ave, different counter- at an event, where there were company reps , the product recommendations where spot-on and if they ran out of the product used on my face? I was given a chart or card with the recommended products and asked to call back or stop in to follow-up and inquire, plus that same rep rang me up and completed the process. Personally, that keeps me coming back for more.

I’ve never known the full extent to “counter culture”. My only idea was brand reps (National Artists) who came to events like the Nordstrom’s Trend Show and then the reps who worked at counters and then the sales associates. For me the structure began to blur with the counters and who I asked- etc. A counter vs. a flagship or boutique is clearly obvious. But moseying in to see a product that a friend or colleague recommended- I didn’t know who I was dealing with unless I knew them. My knowledge of sales associates were from the phone calls I received about the collections and launch dates.
Can this Saks renovation turn it around and increase the quality of being specialty niched focus? Will this lead to individualized attention which could turn into overall customer satisfaction and? I guess we have a whole new year to look at this in scope…

photo: googleimages

Beauty Inspiration: Princess Tiana

Over the weekend, I took my 3-year-old niece to see The Princess and the Frog. While enjoying the film with a theatre packed with singing, laughing, smiling children and parents. I was saying to myself- Exhibit A!

Call me crazy, I was watching this cartoon film and thinking- Princess Tiana is totally wearing NARS' Exhibit A blush.. I really need to stop.

Princess Tiana's makeup was flawless, while adjusting my niece on my lap and trying to figure out the animated equivalent of the rest of her beauty routine- I was amazed by the film itself.

Set in Jazz-era New Orleans, the story featured un-princessy issues, some of which we face today and other Disney film's haven't tackled. One being, independent women who are dreamers and do-ers vs. immature boys who just want to have fun- ladies, can you feel me?

Now, I'm going to have to watch it again sometime this week, between the bathroom and cookie breaks - I have to catch up on a musical number (or two) and figure out Princess Tiana's plummy eyeshadow shade and bordeaux lippie.

Disney's The Princess and the Frog released on Friday, December 11th

disclaimer: makeup suggestion is soley my interpretation, paid to see film.

photo: fanpop.com

Body Scrubs: The Gingerbread Man vs. Hot Chocolate

VS.

Its Giovanni Cosmetics vs. Philosphy's The Gingerbread Man in a faux battle of the scrub. Who is worth your bathroom beauty time? Who needs to stop runnin'? Which scent will conjur your latte decision at the coffee house?

A few years ago I discovered Philosophy's holiday seasonal friend, The Gingerbread Man. The highly covetable scrub is still highly praised and one of the best-selling body scrubs to date.

Recently while in Duane Reade, I discovered Giovanni Cosmetic's Hot Chocolate Scrub. A simple magazine run turned into a spa experience. An organic body scrub in Duane Reade? That's almost as good as NARS being in Marshall's!

I decided to compare both, it has taken me some time but finally on to the results:

1. Scent- I'm not a fan of smelling like either Chocolate or Gingerbread but initially, I am drawn to the scent. While in use, you want to feel relaxed and not think of a Mocha or Gingerbread Latte but I have to say- the Gingerbread scent quickly wore while being used. My bathroom didn't retain the lovely scent that drew me to buy it, while the Hot Chocolate Scrub retained its scent and made me want to grab a Mocha post beautification.

Giovanni's Hot Chocolate Scrub

2. Performance- This could differ with shelf life but while experimenting I did find that the Gingerbread Man was in a " Can't catch me" mentality of being quite well- runny. Again, who knows if the contents just melt with shelf life but being that this was one of Oprah's Favorite Things in 2003- it probably didn't make it to the shelf due to its wait list.

The Hot Chocolate Scrub was "meatier" if that is the best way to describe it. Its contents- effective and polished- a definite thumbs up.

3. Perks- The warming sensation claim, thats great but if you rub your hands together, doesn't that friction create warmth? When trying both out, I found Giovanni's Chocolate Sugar scrub to perform better on the warming side than that of The Gingerbread Man- and without the claim. I chalk it up to the consistancy of the latter product.

Price was not considered as these both are around the same price per oz. -roughly less than $1.

The Winner? Giovanni's Hot Chocolate scrub- now I'm off to get that Mocha.

disclaimer: Both Giovanni and Philosophy products were purchased by me for use and reviewing.

photos: Sephora.com and personal photos

DIY: Concealer

I've been running low on some good cover-up and adventured out to the Sephora on 5th avenue to see if they had some new goods. Unfortunately- A. either my shade or the product is discontinued or B. I am in-between shades. For example- Illamasqua's concealer, my shade is in-between CC320 and CC325. That's a hugestretch in tones!

So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and whipped up my own concealer with the materials I had in my Ikea office furniture- turned 6 drawer traincase.

I broke out the following:

NARS Balanced Foundation in New Guinea

NARS Firming Foundation in Benares

NARS Concealer in Chocolate

YSL's Temps Mejor Yeux

and put all 3 to work.

First, I started with a small empty sample jar I received from Sephora.

I added a scoop of the Temps Mejor and cut a 1/16th disk of Chocolate concealer from the stick.

Chocolate is long since discontinued from NARS . Its darker than toffee and is without the yellow undertones. I then mixed New Guinea in the jar to get the concoction to my skin tone.

For further blending, heat a pot of boiling water and a small plastic bowl. Add water to the plastic bowl and add your jar of concealer contents.

When the concealor melts, take the jar out of the bowl, take a cotton swab (remove the cotton) and mix the contents. After this, place your new concealor is a cool-try area and watch the concealer's consistancy thicken.

Voila! you have a new custom made concealer with all of your own goods and just saved up to $20 in the process!

disclaimer: materials used were purchased by me except for the Sephora Sample jar.

It's Glaze-y Shade of Winter!

A few weeks ago a friend had asked me how she could "jazz up" her locks without the maintainance of color treatments and spending a bunch of dollars. Especially because the count-down for all Holiday related gatherings are just around the corner despite it being the 6th day of December.

I immediately started to think back to when I decided to experiment with hair color in Jr. High and how to minimize damage, my mom recommeded a clear glaze to enhance my hair.

Back in the day I used Clairol's Jazzing- that was my solution for my friends hair debacle.

Now, after thinking about how the weather has been hovering around the lower 40's and the snow flurries yesterday, the wind today and the 3 holiday parties next week ( and a partridge in a pear tree, j/k)- I need to whip my hair into shape as well!

Since Ricky's was all sold out of Jazzing's Clear, I was recommended Kiss's Express Colors in Crystal Clear. Like Jazzing, it is great for chemically treated and natural hair.

After my sunday evening blowout , I'm happy with my results and am excited to have saved some doll-hairs for some holiday shopping !

disclaimer: both Clairol Jazzing and Kiss Express Colors were purchased by me.

Sonia Rykiel for H&M!

This morning was the launch of Sonia Rykiel's lingerie collection for H&M and I got up bright and early for it.

With no line to wait in, I waltzed into the 51st St and 5th Ave store and went directly towards the body suit in Grey and Blue. When I tried it on, I had to go up a size- wha? what a way to give a girl a complex! The real reason for the sizing? because the bralette is a size or two smaller than the bottom. So if you wear a certain size in H&M panties and want to get this body suit? Go a full size up!

Over all the suit is comfy the fit is well, the satin and details remind me of ( I reference this waaay too much) the Jean-Paul Gautier airline attendant suit from The Fifth Element.

Finally got one!

photos: 42nd St H&M and my purchase at home

Finally! YSL Rouge Volupte Gloss in #4

For my birthday I received quite a pleasant surprise! I received YSL's Rouge Volupte Gloss in #4 and I'm in love!!!

The gloss has the coverage of a lipstick, the consistancy is much like Clinique's Black Honey Almost Lipstick BUT the color is much bolder and lasts much longer. I would say Black Honey is like #4's little sister in that respect.

The pumping effect is pronounced because the moisture and coverage making your lips fuller.

This is officially my new holiday lippie and FINALLY you can get it at Sephora.com.

disclaimer: product received as a gift from friend (no affiliation to YSL or Sephora).

WeSC Sample Sale starts today!

If you are in Orange County, you are in luck!

WeAretheSuperlativeConspiracy is having their annual Holiday Warehouse sample sale! Joining them is Paul Frank, Modern Amusement Eyewear and Generic Surplus Footwear.

Thursday, December 3rd from 10am- 6pm and Friday, December 4th from 10am- 8pm.

Get up to 70% off all past and current collection pieces including men and women's core and premium denim, outwear, knits, samples and headphones. Gear will range from $10-$150 for Jackets, sweaters, jeans, tees, hoodies, headphones,etc.

Visit TODAY and mention the WeSC mailing list and receive a WeSC Friends & Family Discount of an additional 10% off your purchase!

Location: The Boathouse, 1640 Pamona Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627

I wish I were out in California now, enjoying the sun and stalking up on some goodies!

info from WeSC press release

Tocca Sample Sale Starts Tomorrow!

At the last sample sale a few months ago, I scored the Stella Candle( which retails for $32) for $10!

This is where my holiday shopping will begin!