The Beauty Girl in the Press

Wondering how to take fall’s top beauty trends from the runway to reality? Make It Better magazine recently interviewed me to find out my tips. Click here to read the article. makeitbetter

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Join me for Chicago’s First Ever “Red Lipstick Night”!

You’re invited to Red Lipstick Night! Learn all the tricks from finding your best shade to making the color last so you can pull off a red lip, one of my all-time favorite looks. Join me, facial plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Dayan and the True Skin Center (845 N. Michigan Ave. Ste. 923E) on Sept. 30th from 5:30pm-8pm for an incredible evening of beauty. Enjoy a lip stain station, gloss bar, plumping room, smile consultations, tips to mastering the red lip, gift bags, and more! All the details are below. Click here to RSVP (all proceeds from tickets will be donated to a local family in need). Hope to see you there!

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The Beauty Girl on TV: How To Wear Makeup To Look Younger

Looking younger can be as simple as choosing the right makeup. Watch my latest TV segment on WGN’s and CLTV’s Living Healthy Chicago for age-defying makeup tips.  Now that you’re equipped with the best tips, here are my product picks: Prep the skin with a Primer: Lorac aquaPRIME, $30, is oil-free so it’s great for sensitive skin. Get flawless skin with a semi-matte Foundation: MAC Mineralize SatinFinish SPF 15 Foundation, $29.50 Keep Eye Shadows neutral: I like the following shades: Napoleon Perdis Ultra Pearl in #28 or #46, $18 each; Pixi Fair Light Solos Eye Shadow, $14; www.target.com JK Jemma Kidd I-Design Eye Color in Vanity Fair, $16; www.target.com Laura Mercier Eye Colour in Burnished, $22; Curl lashes with a Lash Curler: Shu Uemura, $19 Hide dark circles with an Undereye Concealer: Bobbi Brown Brightening Spot Treatment Corrector SPF 25, $35 Fill cheeks with Blush: If you prefer a cream formula, try Maybelline Dream Mouse Blush in Peach Satin or Rose Petal $5.99; drugstores nationwide. If you prefer a powder, try Maybelline Expert Wear Blush in Precious Pink, $4.49; drugstores nationwide. Get luminous skin with a Highlighter: DuWop Doubleglow 7, $25 Enhance Lips with light Gloss. I like Rimmel Royal Gloss, $4.99; drugstores nationwide and Stila Lip Glaze in Papaya, $22.

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Guerlain Giveaway! $140 Serum, $36 Mascara & Facial Treatment

Guerlain is one of the most luxurious cosmetic companies out there. The packaging is smart and sexy; the lipsticks come in sleek cases that have a built-in mirror for god’s sakes and the colors are amazeballs! GuerlainThe brand’s latest buzz is on the new Abeille Royal Youth Serum and I’m giving three people the chance to win their own! The serum’s formula is rooted in healing honey and contains a mix of honey from the Black Bee, thyme honey, New Zealand clover honey and French royal jelly. Depending on if you’re a Guerlain groupie or not, you will be relieved or sickened to know this is one of the prestige line’s more affordable skincare products at $140. Oh, the prices we pay to save ourselves from a few wrinkles! To enter this contest to win this $140 anti aging serum, comment on the post, follow me on twitter (twitter.com/NPTheBeautyGirl) and RT this message. Good luck! For those of you in the Chicago area, don’t miss the chance to get a FREE facial during Guerlain’s Flawless Skin Event Sept. 23-25 at Nordstrom Oakbrook. Book an appointment to experience the Guerlain Royale Facial, an anti aging treatment built around the new youth serum. Mention “The Beauty Girl” when you call and you’ll be gifted with a full-size Guerlain Le2 Mascara ($36 value) after your service. (I hook you up whenever I can). I love this mascara as do many celebs including Sophia Bush and Dita Von Teese. As you know, I have a soft spot for the drugstore kinds, but this Le2 is really numero uno. The mascara has a wand on either end. One brush is bigger to lengthen and thicken lashes (I like to use this on my uppers) and the other is daintier with an angled head that makes it easier to reach the inner and outer corner lashes and lower lashes without making a mess. To book your FREE Royale Facial, call the Guerlain counter at Nordstrom Oakbrook 630-571-2121 ext. 1041. Appointments are available 10am – 7pm Sept. 23; 10am – 7pm Sept. 24; 10am – 6pm Sept. 25th. Don’t forget to tell them The Beauty Girl sent you!

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2010 Video Music Awards Proactiv Party

Puberty is as ugly a word as it is an awkward stage. Millions of teens have Proactive to thank for keeping their faces pretty when everything else seems to be going haywire. I also have Proactiv to thank. The blemish-busting goliath sponsored my Video Music Awards viewing party and hooked me up with product for all the guests, CDs of their latest celeb spokespeople Katy Perry and Justin Bieber, and an Amex gift card for food and drinks. Here’s a pic of the loot! IMG_37750913-taylor-swift-vma-hair_bdAs for show highlights, after last year’s Taylor Swift and Kanye debacle, all eyes were on the tall teen when she debuted the song she wrote about that infamous, stage-stealing night. Her voice didn’t move mountains, or even hills, for that matter, but she did forgive him and her glamorous ’30s style waves, porcelain skin and cherry red lips rose to the occasion. Bravo!

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Backstage Beauty Highlights at New York Fashion Week

fashionnightoutpicTo kick off Fashion’s Night out, which kicks off New York Fashion Week (jeez, the fashion set will do anything to throw a party), a gargantuan fashion show was held at Lincoln Center this past Tuesday night. 1,500 guests including major designers from Donna Karen to Diane Von Furstenberg and celebs such as Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester and tennis great Roger Federer, who was a good boy choosing a night of fashion with his wife over a night of tennis at the Open, showed up to see the largest public fashion show in New York City history. Gisele, Naomi, Karolina and Chanel were some of the big name supermodels who walked the runway. To prep all of the models, famed hairstylist and Redken’s Creative Consultant Guido created 171 hair looks ranging from “Fifties Flair” (structured updos) to “Jazz Age Cool” (classy pastel painted finger waves) to “Pure Of Heart Side Braid” (romantic braids). download-9Meanwhile, the Dashing Diva nail team, led by celeb manicurist Pattie Yankee, was busy lacquering hundreds of nails to compliment each look. Some of the nail colors used were the popular shade Fashion Week, a sheer pink, and Penthouse Views, a gun metal metallic. Check out these backstage pics highlighting the hair, makeup and nails. As you can see (right), it takes an army to get even the most beautiful glamazon Gisele ready to strut her stuff. CBS will broadcast the fashion show on Sept. 14th. Stay tuned for lots more Fashion Week coverage!download-1download-2download-3download-5download-7download-8

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Celebrate Fashion’s Night Out with Me Sept. 10th

The world will be celebrating fashion this Friday night during the second annual Fashion’s Night Out. The brainchild of Vogue‘s matriarch Anna Wintour, this year’s shopping event is the biggest ever to kick off New York Fashion Week. The partying will take place globally from New York to China with 1000s of stores participating in over 30 states.Invites have been pouring in: Kiehls’ NYC flagship store on Third Avenue will have performances by celebs including Jordin Sparks as well as karaoke and raffles. Expect ice cream treats, manis, and supermodel Jessica Stam spinning in the DJ booth at Express‘ Soho location. London-based fashion label Reiss and makeup line Rimmel have teamed up for their festivities. At the Reiss Soho store get 10% discounts, cocktails, makeup touchups and the chance to brush shoulders with model Coco Rocha, the new face of Rimmel.These events sound like fun, but I had to RSVP “no” because I’m participating in my own! If you’re wondering where I’ll be for Fashion’s Night Out, find me at SHE Boutique in Highland Park, IL (it’s my favorite for discovering amazing styles by the hottest trend makers and up-and-coming designers). I’ll be revealing this season’s must-have fashion & beauty trends. Plus, you can enjoy manis, massages, margaritas, music, 20% off purchases and gift bags. Here’s the invite! Hope to see you there! P.S. Click here to find out about Fashion’s Night Out events going on near you.

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The New Bold Lip

It’s time to say buh-bye to the summer lovin’ tangerine lipsticks and pucker up for something a little more serious. Badass lip colors like plum, burgundy and wine dominated fall shows from Proenza Schouler to Missoni to L.A.M.B. Yeah, we’ve seen deep lips before. So what makes this rendition so special? It’s all about application.backstageThis season, makeup artists are shading the lips rather than slapping an even coat on the entire mouth. For example, at Proenza Schouler makeup artist Diane Kendal blended MAC lipstick in Charred Red with MAC eye shadow in Carbon. Then she dabbed the color on lips with her fingertips, applying with more intensity at the center of the lip. Check out this backstage shot of the makeup look.Whether the inspiration for these bloody shades comes from America’s obsession with vampires or some other trend that will inevitably come and go, the fact is, cosmetic companies have churned out some fabulous dark lipsticks that are far from goth. Here are my lipstick picks that make this season’s bold lip ultra wearable and chic.

From left to right, Nars lipstick in Rouge Basque, Bobbi Brown Lip Color in Black Raspberry, Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss Stick in Midnight Bloom, Guerlain Rouge G Lipstick in Gwen (69).dark lipsticksP.S. If you’re thirsting for a new red, head to Sephora. From now until September 15th, $1 of every qualifying red lip purchase, up to $25,000, will be donated in support of The Beauty Bus Foundation. It’s a Los Angeles-based non-profit that enhances the lives of homebound, terminally or chronically ill people and their primary caregivers by treating them to a day of beauty.

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Tuesday Giveaway: Prtty Peaushun (Body Glow)

One person’s high may come from seeing a double rainbow, getting up on waters skis on the first try or landing a dream job. My thrills come from discovering a gem of a beauty product from the tons that I try, and of course, I get a kick out of anything that’s FREE. bodybronzerprttypeaushun-300x225Hence, I was so excited to introduce you to a celebrity best-kept secret and one of my favorite summer finds, Prtty Peaushun. Due to the overwhelming response to my post back in May, I couldn’t help but make this skin enhancer today’s FREEBIE! Can you feel the rush?Claire DanesI’m giving 3 of you the chance to win your own body glow in your desired shade. Choose from light, medium, dark and deep dark. Just picture it: You’ll be shimmering as stunningly as the stars on the red carpet. To enter to win this giveaway, comment on the post, follow me on twitter (twitter.com/NPTheBeautyGirl) and RT this message. Don’t forget to tell me which shade you want!

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2010 Emmy’s Best Hair & Makeup

Find out how to recreate your favorite celeb hair and makeup looks! 61435489MAKEUP HOW T0Nars cosmetics seemed to have a monopoly on the star makeup looks. Lea Michele, Keri Russell, Joan Allen and Julie Benz are just some of the celebs who entrusted their faces to Nars makeup artists. Keri RussellTo achieve Keri Russell’s soft, vintage makeup, Nars makeup artist Tina Turnbow said, “We wanted to give her look a classic feel to coincide with the vintage dress she’s wearing. Her warm skin tone and the coolness of the dress was the perfect combination for reflecting the same tones through her makeup: warm eyes, and a cool peachy matte lip. It’s flirty with a bit of sass.” Here’s what Tina used on Kerri’s face:PRO-PRIME Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base and Skin Smoothing Face PrepTzarine Duo Eyeshadow (NEW for Fall 2010)Nuits Blanches Eyeliner Stylo, Douceur Blush (NEW for Fall 2010) topped with Desire Blush for a pop of colorTashkent Pure Matte Lipstick (NEW for Fall 2010). Lea Michele Wears NARS To The Emmys“Glee’s” Lea Michele was the belle of the bell, stunning from head to toe in her Oscar de La Renta gown. Nars makeup artist Melanie Inglessis used many of the same products that Keri wore to create Lea’s retro makeup look (the new Tzarine Duo Eyeshadow and Tashkent Pure Matte Lipstick are two of my fall must-haves). “My inspiration was the era of the 60’s. I thought of Raquel Welch and Bridget Bardot: the winged eye, the nude lip. The dress is so classic, so we wanted to be adventurous with her eyes– giving a dash of color – and kept the lip nude,” said Inglessis. Here’s what it takes to copy Lea’s Look: PRO-PRIME Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base & Skin Smoothing Face PrepDouceur Blush (NEW for Fall 2010)Tzarine Duo Eyeshadow (NEW for Fall 2010)Palladium Soft Touch Shadow Pencil (NEW for Fall 2010)Tashkent Pure Matte Lipstick (NEW for Fall 2010)HAIR — HOW TO GET A SEXY DOWN ‘DOYou can’t talk about hair and celebrity without mentioning one of the biggest celeb hairstylists in the biz Mark Townsend. He was the man behind Reece Witherspoon’s banging red carpet appearance at the Golden Globes. At last night’s Emmys, he put the spotlight on sexy, flowy hair, working his magic on leading ladies Lea Michele and January Jones. 61435023 Lea Michele hit a high note with her hairstyle, which is great for a night on the town. “She wanted it to look touchable and super modern, and full hair with lots of volume and a bit of roughness was perfect against her flawless gown” said Townsend. 1. “The end-of-Summer timing of the Emmys is a perfect opportunity to play with color. Lea is still shooting episodes of “Glee” and we couldn’t do anything permanent, so I added in a few custom pieces of hair to add dimension and giver her removable highlights for the evening. The result was a golden/coppery effect throughout the ends of her hair.”2. To give hair movement and lift, Mark used Dove Body & Lift Volumizing Mousse throughout damp hair and blow dried with a round brush.3. Spritz in a heat protective spray. Then use a 2-inch curling iron to give a subtle bend or ‘S’ curl, rather than a perfect curl. Curl from the ends all the way up, and set each section with a barrel clip for 5 to 7 minutes or until cool.4. Scrunch hair with mist to add moisture and blow dry briefly without a diffuser to look a bit undone. Then, warm a pea-sized amount of Dove Frizz Control Therapy Taming Cream between the palms of hands and rake fingers through hair to distribute product evenly for shiny, modern texture. TIP: To evoke Brigitte Bardot inspiration, tease hair at the crown for extra volume and lift.5. “To finish Lea’s look, I sprayed extra hold hairspray liberally on a small, natural bristle eyebrow brush (the kind that looks like a wooden toothbrush) and ran it through her bangs to hold a middle part. The parted bangs gave a modern update to the 60’s vibe of her hair.BG TIP: For middle-of-the-night touchups, don’t brush the hair. To retain the texture and separation in Lea’s hair, Mark gave the star a mini bottle of hairspray and a natural bristle eyebrow brush to keep in her purse.

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