PRODUCT OBSESSION – CARITA PARIS – FLUIDE DE BEAUTE 14 PAILLETE

May 31, 2010

This. Is. Beautiful.

I'm a gold-sparkle AND dry oil junkie and this super elegante ultra nourishing dry oil is a product that is hand tailored for me.  You can dab it everywhere to soften, smooth and protect against drying: face, body, hair.  The tiny golden pearls illuminate you every so slightly.  In other words, this is a not a gold-shimmer-stripper look.  It's Hotel Du Cap not Hooters.  And the smell is all other-worldly exotic yumminess: lemon, bergamot, orange, verbena, musk and Lil of The Valley. Mmm…

1.69 oz. is $45.00

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Hot New Make up Studio in Brentwood! MAKEUP & GO! – reviewed by new contributing beauty editor Natasha Barrett

May 28, 2010

Makeup & Go! Covered by Natasha Barrett 

There’s no better reason to get gorgeous than the promise of summer right around the corner. And, if you’re anything like me, chances are you call in a “Professional” for all your beauty needs: your dermatologist makes you look younger, your esthetician cleans you up, your masseuse relaxes you, your dentist makes your smile bright, your stylist does your cut, your colorist does – what else? — your color. There’s someone for your brows, someone else for your bikini, and even someone responsible for your perfectly sun-kissed tan. We can’t even polish our nails ourselves! The professional grooming list goes on and on because let’s face it ladies, there are no limits to the lengths we will go to look – and feel — our best!
So why, exactly, have we all been squinting in the bathroom mirror before a big meeting or a night on the town?
WHAT HAVE WE ALL BEEN THINKING?!
My obsession du jour? Makeup & GO!
The concept is BRILLIANT. A full service makeup studio offering professional makeup artists, A-list cosmetics (Mark, Smashbox and Juice Beauty), easy prices, no appointment necessary and — my favorite part of all– champagne! There’s even an uber modern room in the back for the perfect blow dry. And unlike the cosmetics counter at a department store, Makeup & GO does NOT sell any of its products so there’s no pressure to buy! It’s SO simple, so spot on, it’s a wonder no one’s thought of this before!
My “GO! Flawless” application was FAST, looked FABULOUS, cost a mere $35 and easily beat the endless hours I usually spend scouring drugstores and cosmetics counters in search of that perfect shadow, mascara and gloss. By the end of the appointment I looked beautiful, I felt relaxed, I was glowing. Hello summer…
xx, Natash
13038 San Vicente Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90049
(corner of San Vicente & 26th, adjacent to the Brentwood Country Mart)
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NYX Anniversary Party at the Roosevelt!

May 25, 2010

I am sooo bummed I missed this!!  But it's hard to get glammed up when you are over 9 months preggo…

Nyx Cosmetics celebrated their Decade +1 Anniversary on May 18th with a star-studded party at the legendary Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. Over 250 guests, including celebrities, models, makeup artists and fashion and beauty insiders came out to help ring in the next decade of Nyx Cosmetics!


 
Guests mingled around the Roosevelt pool while enjoying tunes by DJ Harley Viera-Newton and sipping on grapefruit Nyx-tini’s. Stars were chatting with Nyx Cosmetics founder and Creative Director, Toni K. And everyone made sure to stop by the Nyx Beauty Bar, where guests (including Carmen Electra, Stacy Kiebler and Katharine McPhee) mixed & matched candy-colored shades of Nyx glosses and shadows for their own customized bag of products.  Nyx also gave their guests a voyeuristic peak at the photo shoot of their next marketing campaign, shot by model and photographer Jason Olive. Nyx beauty models also walked the space sampling guests with products. And at the end of the night, every guest went home with a (big) beautiful gift bag!

I'm salivating thinking about that gift bag.  They are may fave cosmetics line. DARN!



Celebrity guests included:
·       Carmen Electra, actress and Model (“Meet the Spartans”)

·       Jessica Lowndes, actress (“90210”)

·       Katharine McPhee, singer/actress (“American Idol”)

·       Sara Canning, actress (“Vampire Diaries”)

·       Stacy Keibler, actress and model (“Psych”)

·       Ally Maki, actress (“10 Things I Hate About You”)

·       Anna Trebunskaya, reality TV star (“Dancing with the Stars”)

·       Jeannie Mai, TV personality (Style networks “How do I look?”)

·       Ashlan Gorse, TV personality (E!)

·       Katelyn Tarver, singer/songwriter

·       Kristen Renton, actress (“Sons of Anarchy”)

·       Caroline D’Amore, actress and socialite

·       Brian Ames, actor (“Vampire Diaries”)

·       Johann Urb, actor (“Eastwick”)

·       Lauren Mayhew, actress (“American Pie Presents Band Camp”)

·       Onch Movement, Reality TV star (“Paris Hilton’s my New BFF”)


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Peau Magnifique – a $1500 skin cream? I’m just sayin’…

May 24, 2010

Uh, anyone out there going to actually BUY THIS? 

The packaging sure is pretty f'in cool!


FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE SECTION LAST WEEK

S.S. Fair

The fountain of youth is legendary in myth and history; some scientists and skin-care experts think it still exists, thanks to an enzyme called telomerase. Dr. Gregory Bays Brown of RéVive has created a $1,500 skin cream, Peau Magnifique, containing telomerase. In fact, the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine went to three scientists who discovered how chromosomes are protected by the enzyme, and further research could prove telomerase to be a key factor in infinite cell proliferation. No one's promising the death of funerals yet, but hope springs eternal. Here's the CliffsNote: As cells divide, they send copies of themselves to new cells. But that copying process chops off bits of the originals' protective tips. As we age, the tips, known as telomeres, get shorter and shorter till the original cells die, and we do too. Cancer cells, stem cells and some rogue cells produce a substance that blocks the snipping process — telomerase. How it can be deconstructed, harnessed and activated remains to be seen: lab-made telomerase would have to penetrate skin, pass through tissue and cell walls, and hook into chromosomal activity in order to be effective. But RéVive's Brown claims that telomerase can recruit the skin's resting stem cells — which exist in case of injury — to manufacture new skin. So far, there are no major peer-review studies or clinical trials. And animal testing isn't possible since only humans produce it. Nevertheless, the party has definitely begun; in addition to RéVive, Jan Marini's Age Intervention Regeneration Booster and Goldfaden's DNA Telomere Cream boast telomere science. Other beauty products are sure to follow. S.S. FAIR

RéVive® Peau Magnifique Youth Recruit. Big words for even bigger results in bioengineered skincare. RéVive® continues to push the envelope further from the scalpel to the test tube. Peau Magnifique resets your skin’s “aging clock”. The results are indelible and life-changing. 

RESULTS: Immediately, you will notice an increased glow with a robust appearance and a smoother, more even skin tone with reduced redness. Long term effects include firmer skin and increased clarity, with a reduction in the appearance of wrinkles. 

SKIN TYPE: All skin types. 

APPLICATION: PM application after cleansing and toning. Apply a one drop dose over the entire face. Use no other products simultaneously on the face area. Follow with PM eye and neck products. In the AM, resume your daily RéVive skincare regimen. Use one ampoule per week for four weeks of continuous treatment. Apply twice annually. Avoid eye area. 

NET WT (4) 0.03 FL OZ / 1 M 


KEY INGREDIENTS 

Telomerase: Recruits a youthful skin by triggering a cascade of responses that contribute to a transformation of brand new skin cells. 

EGF [Epidermal Growth Factor]: The "youth molecule" that is a bioengineered protein that dramatically increases skin cell renewal. 

FGF [Fibroblast Growth Factor]: A bioengineered molecule that increases collagen, which firms the skin.

Hyaluronic Acid: A natural moisture binder.
 


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JADE STONE MASSAGE AT LE PETITE RETREAT DAY SPA IN LARCHMONT

May 20, 2010

Wow, what a little treat.  I fell in love with LE PETITE RETREAT DAY SPA  while parking my car. Don't let the corporate website design fool you – I too wish the design reflected the specialness of the spa – you know I'm mad about good web design – but sadly it doesn't – still, don't be discouraged!  Beautiful relaxing music (Asian? Tibetan?) is piped right into the parking lot of this charming, secret, little understated spot in Larchmont. 

It really is a hidden treasure. An oasis, a little va-ca to Thailand right in the middle of town. (And up the block from Koo Koo Roo – my fave).

I had the Jade Stone Massage.  Well, the pre-natal version if it. Which means I didn't get the ultra-deep work I crave, love and demand or the hot and cold stone therapy (only hot to keep my temp regulated) but man did I get a flavor of what cool massage it is. The lovely Michael worked this hot hot Jade stone into my muscles like a tool and I was amazed at how goooood it felt.  At first I thought…Stones? Big whoop. Just dig into me with the force of 100 Trojans…But I soon felt the healing therapy of the smoothness of the stones, not to mention there is a chakra healing element to the Jade (green = heart) if you are into that sort of thing. I was in a pretty, outdoor room with lots of natural light and birds chirping and I really did feel like I was in some exotic land. 

I checked out this very cool copper bath inside where they offer (couples too) some interesting bath therapies. I'd love to sink into one of those one day! 

The massage is on the pricer side – $150 for 60 mins – so I suggest fully taking advantage of your time there. Relax, have some tea, a piece of fruit, take a sauna, shower and enjoy the amenities to make a real day of it.

Here's a peek at their treatments.

And the owner Lysa is very sweet.  

Jade Stone Massage Therapy (Our Signature)

Our hands-on Swedish-Deep combo massage incorporates hot & cool stones that are massaged into your body. Heat helps to relax muscle tissue & coolness helps reduce inflammation & flushes out toxins through the lymphatic system. We also integrate Shiatsu & Thai massage strokes for therapeutic results lasting longer than other massages. A favorite for couples or individuals (also pregnant women) — it's the only massage of its kind in LA !

60 mins $150   90 mins $ 225


Le Petite Retreat Day Spa         

 331 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004          

Phone 323.466.1028



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