TBG Tips | The Beauty Girl

The Beauty Girl’s TV Segment on abc: Finding the Right Bathing Suit for your Body Type

Apr 10, 2011

Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation I’ve never been a foundation wearer. My loyalty has been to the same tinted moisturizer (Laura Mercier is the best!) for as long as I can remember. This year, everything changed, and it had nothing to do with my skin.

I discovered Koh Gen Do (pronounced Ko as in “cope” Gen as in “get” Do as in “dough”) foundation. Barneys recently introduced the cult-favorite Asian brand into select stores, and the Aqua Foundation SPF 15 has become my new obsession. Being that it’s so new and exclusive in the states, it’s still on the DL, though I’ve found that a bunch of the really good makeup artists in the biz are on my same page.

The formula evens my skin tone without covering my freckles. After I apply it, I don’t feel like I’ve got anything on my face. There’s no caking or product sinking into fine lines or any signs that give away the fact that you’re wearing foundation. What sells me on a base is how it looks and feels — not the ingredients. Koh Gen Do’s performs like a champ, and it’s made with botanical extracts and minerals, which is a plus in my book.

On the downside, it’s only available in a limited amount of shades. Note: To find your perfect shade, apply the foundation on your jawline, not your hand, because the skin on your hand is a different color from the skin on your face. The color that blends in with your skin is your best match. I primarily use PK-1 on my fair skin and sometimes mix it with OC-2 for a touch more color. Now that I’ve been converted, I hope the company expands their shade range so more people can experience what I’m talking about.

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WGN Midday News TV Segment: Products Celebs Swear By to Look Great on the Red Carpet

Mar 23, 2011

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Top Tips for Curly Hair

Mar 21, 2011

Last week I had tea at the Peninsula with famed hairstylist Ouidad (that’s us posing for the picture!), the queen of the curly hair revolution. The founder of her eponymous salons and haircare line specifically targeted to nourish and treat our kinks, Ouidad firmly believes women should embrace their natural bends. “There’s so much you can do with curly hair!,” she says. Although the surge of flat irons and chemical straightening treatments wiped out waves in the 90s, glamorous curls are back, dominating everything from the red carpet (see Natalie Portman’s romantic Oscar hair) to the runway as seen at the Alice + Olivia spring fashion show.

Being a curly-haired girl myself, I understand how this texture can be intimidating and unpredictable to work with because you never know exactly how your spirals will look from one day to the next. Not to mention, the majority of stylists don’t know how to properly cut or style curls so they end up doing a blow out instead. I asked Ouidad for her tips on how to get the right cut and how to handle your hair at home.

The Right Cut

1. Find a hairdresser with curly hair because they’ll innately know the quarks of curls.

2. Before allowing the professional to cut your hair, find out his or her approach. A razor cut is a big no-no for this texture because it will thin the hair and create frizz.

3. Make sure the stylist cuts locks when wet, not dry, because this is when curls are in their most natural state.

Handle Curls At Home

1. A weekly deep conditioning treatment is the single most important thing you can do for your curls. “It’s like food for the hair,” says Ouidad, who adds that this is the key to eliminating frizz and moisturizing your mane so it looks shiny. Ouidad’s Deep Treatment Intensive Conditioner is a good option because it’s free of heavy oils like shea butter, which can weigh down hair.

2. Only wash hair twice it week. This will help keep curly hair, which is naturally dry, hydrated.

3. To keep curls intact while you sleep, gently gather hair into a bun on the top of your head and secure with a loose scrunchie.

4. When it comes to styling, ditch the brush. Rather, place fingers into sections of hair and softly rake them through to loosen the curls.

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The Beauty Girl Shares Spring Beauty Advice with Refinery 29

Mar 1, 2011

Click HERE to read the article on the fashion website refinery29.com

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Beauty Tips and Trends for Spring

Feb 16, 2011

Last month I was in New York for a national satellite media tour. During the five-hour marathon of interviews, I spoke to about 30 stations (TV and radio), answered all of their beauty and style questions and shared a few tips for staying on track in the New Year. Here they are!

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The Beauty Girl Reveals New Nail Trends on “Good Day Columbus”

Feb 14, 2011

Wondering what to do for your next mani? I reveal the hottest nail trends on Fox’s “Good Day Columbus.”

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The Beauty Girl and The Bump Club Girl’s Night Out Event Highlights

Feb 11, 2011

Thank you to everyone who came to The Beauty Girl’s and The Bump Club and Beyond’s first ever Girl’s Night Out this past Tuesday at Hub 51. We hope you filled up on the food (I’m still dreaming about the mini hamburgers and yummy Crumbs cupcakes) and drinks and felt relaxed and rejuvinated after your hand massages and neck lift treatments courtesy of Clarins and manicures and brow shapings provided by Exhale. Congrats to all the raffle winners! Enjoy your new $600 Bugaboo stroller, $300 Furla bag, $500 worth of Clarins skincare, suite of Phyto products, 1-month membership to Exhale and other prizes. And, we hope the $200+ worth of goodies like the gift certificate for a haircut and blowout at Charles Ifergan, Phyto haircare, Clinique makeup, Clarins skincare, Priti NYC polish, MD Moms treat, free fitness class and more in your gift bag was the perfect end to a great event.

Below are the highlights from my presentation on time-saving beauty secrets and a gallery of photos recapping the night’s festivities. P.S. Hope you can come to Saks on Michigan Ave. Feb. 17th from 6-8pm! I’ll be talking about spring beauty trends and offering one-on-one advice. Plus, there will be music, wine and special gifts with purchase!

The Beauty Girl’s Best Time-Saving Beauty Secrets

No one needs to know you’re tired, have a zit or fine lines. Do what the celeb makeup artists do for their clients: conceal and highlight. Lorac Double Feature is an amazing two-in-one, and I love the blender ball on top.

Hair accesssories beef up a busted ponytail. L. Erickson headbands are especially chic and you can see all the styles on www.franceluxe.com

Screw nail polish remover. Sula polish looks great, saves time and is so fun to peel off, it’s addicting!

Bootie Pies are one of my favorite inventions. They’re so comfy and practical for pedicures because they let you skip the drying time.

I’m a huge fan of Clarins skincare and love that it’s so natural. Some of my must haves are the The Beauty Flash Balm, Body Treatment Oil (the brand’s #1 seller) and Stretch Mark Control, which any pregnant woman will appreciate.

Like Clarins, Phyto haircare is based in naturals and its formulas actually work. Highlights are the Phytovolumactiv volumizing spray, a hairstylist staple backstage at fashion week, Phytocyane treatment, which was developed to help peeps like pregnant women who experience temporary hair loss post delivery, and the Phytodefrisant relaxing balm, which squashes frizz to give you a beautiful blowout

Berry lipstick = facestick. Wear a berry shade on your lips, cheeks and lids. Clinique Butter Shine lipstick in raspberry rush, which was in all of the gift bags, is a pretty example of this hue.

When you’re too tired to wash up, wipe away makeup, oil and the day’s grit with makeup remover wipes. Stash them on your nightstand.

Quick fixes like the Goody Spin Pin and dry shampoo like Suave’s new one, which is only $3, will save you from a bad hair day.