Dailymakeover.com Video Interview: The Poor Girls' Spa Day!

Daily Makeover's Rachel Hayes interviewed beauty-nistas during Fashion Week about their favorite economic beauty tips! My tip is at the end. Let me know what you think! Don't forget to check out all of Daily Makeover's Fashion Week coverage here.

Foot Petals = Foot SAVIOR

Fashion Week is my fave time of year, but it wreaks unbelievable havoc on my tootsies. My friends know this about me: I LOVE to sit. And I hate to stand. I love to walk. But I hate to be stationary, standing up at a party. I knew my FW sched was going to include a lot of lines, parties, and long hours on my feet. This time, I came prepared by reinforcing all of my shoes I wore with Foot Petals. They're PHENOM. The brand offers a wide range of solutions to your stiletto situations, but my favorites are their Amazing Arches (2 pairs for $13, for arch support) and Heavenly Heelz ($5, for pinchy heel collars). Their Stiletto Survival Kit is $50 and contains all you need to end foot pain situations.

You'll have to come up with another reason to stop talking to that loser at the bar.

#NYFW

Handbag Heaven: 25% Off at Lodis

Lodis, in case you don't know about it, is my new fave handbag brand. I fell madly in lurve with it after purchasing one of the brand's wallets a few months ago and checked out the rest of the gems Lodis has to offer on their website.

Mine is the Krush Lola Tote in Apricot (shown at left in lemon) ($450). It has so many pockets for storing my beauty stash on the go and the leather is truly delectable. Plus, it's big enough to carry all of my essentials. In New York, you need an enormous purse as your purse is like your car.



This is a kind of hilarious picture. I'm carrying my enormous, gorgeous new Lodis bag talking to Casey from last season's Make Me A Supermodel at a party thrown by VOGUE and BMW last week.


Just for BBJ readers, Lodis has provided a discount code for 25% off a purchase at Lodis.com with the discount code LodisJunkie from now until March 15. Enjoy!

P.S. I'm liveblogging the Oscars Red Carpet (as is my tradition!) tonight so come visit!

ClarinsMen at the Hisham Oumlil Fall 2009 Show

Celebrity artist D’angelo Thompson (pictured above with model) used ClarinsMen products at the Hisham Oumlil 2009 Fall Fashion show on February 18^th at the Audi Showroom to create a clean, flawless and matte face.

D'angleo used ClarinsMen Lip Guard, ClarinsMen Shine-Free Gel and ClarinsMen Moisture Gel to provide a fresh, natural and modernized look that complimented Hisham’s fall collection of utilitarian tweed overcoats and authoritarian suites, inspired by Daniel Plainview, protagonist of the film There will Be Blood.

To obtain the look, D’angelo Thompson applied ClarinsMen Moisture Gel on clean and perfectly scrubbed skin. ClarinsMen Lip Guard was used to condition and revitalize lips. For the final touch, D'angelo used ClarinsMen Shine Free Gel to refresh and mattify the skin. Clarins matte Bronzing Duo was applied as needed to warm up the face.

Looking good, boys!

On the Catwalk: Chris Benz

Chris Benz also was not a runway show (he did a presentation in Chelsea), but his Fall 2009 collection was my favorite, hands down. It was very Rainbow Brite in a good way. Check my photos from the event.









The best part? I spotted the designer at the event drinking... a juice box! Hilar.

Image credit: Beauty Blogging Junkie
#NYFW

Fashion Week: BBJ Backstage at Tibi

While this look is GORGEOUS, isn't it just a tad reminiscent (in a GOOD way) of Mimi of The Drew Carey Show fame?


Hilarious, right? Lead makeup artist Makky for MAC (it was DESTINY that he work with makeup with a name like that, n'est-ce pas?) headed up the makeup team backstage at Tibi. There's a LOT of eye going on, and I love it. In fact, I just about flew over to the makeup station to find out WHAT was happening with that turquoise eye I could see from across the room. Makky drew from a Pantone palette of bright blues with an '80s vibe. "The Christy Turlington in '80s VOGUE era," explained Makky. He managed to keep it from being too retro Barbie, though. There need only be one Barbie show this season at Fashion Week.

To give the eye a futuristic vibe, the shadow was neatly "boxed off" by chopping off the excess shadow at the ends, lending a geometric effect. Victor Cembellin, MAC makeup artist who was on hand backstage told me that you can simply use a Q-tip dipped in makeup remover to remove shadow in a flash JUST where you need to.


The products involved: Makky mixed a sky blue mixed with aqua shadow over a cobalt purple (like a cobalt blue mixed with purple) shadow before layering MAC standby Electric Eel Shadow (part of my makeup collection, and probably yours, too) on top of it all. The effect was a kaleidescope of blues that were saturated, not powdery. MAC's new Tinted Lip Conditioner in Pink Fish from the Hello Kitty collection was slicked onto lips. Skin was primed with MAC Face and Body Foundation and Studio Sculpt Concealer. The result was a dewy, beautiful canvas. No blush was used ("too circus-y," said Victor), and lots of mascara was applied to the top and bottom lashes.

Hair was headed up by my FAVE backstage buddy Kevin Ryan for RSessions, but he was a bit busy this time, so I chatted up his business partner, fellow Philadelphian Frank Rizzieri who gave me the deets on the look. Using their Pin-up Girl Kit (see below for pics) to be sold at Ricky's, Kevin instituted a look based on Dr. Zhivago. The effect was very Breck Girl With a Bit of Hat Head, with a ponytail just on the brink of falling out. The elastic was pulled to the last three inches of hair. To achieve the look, hair was prepped with Bumble and bumble Surf Spray, teased along the crown, and then curled with a curling iron and secured into pincurls. A deep side part was created before the hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail.

Frank creates curls backstage

The pin-up girl kit! I will DEFINITELY be investing in one of these. That tiny, skinny-handled brush is absolutely ubiquitous backstage at Fashion Week. Why don't I have one?

Read my coverage of Tibi backstage in September 2008 and February 2008.

Image credit: Beauty Blogging Junkie
#NYFW

Fashion Week: BBJ Backstage at 3.1 Philip Lim

Ayako, International Makeup Director, NARS Cosmetics, was the lead makeup artist backstage for 3.1 Phillip Lim's Fall 2009 collection. The look? Wispy bottom lashes and translucent matte skin.

The Fall 2009 collection drew inspiration from the spirit of rock and roll, while the hair and makeup was created to emulate Tao Okamoto’s look, a Japanese model (pictured, left). Phillip wanted the makeup look to mirror Tao’s mod style with a touch of rock n’ roll. With this in mind, Ayako created a look centered around “poetic mod-rock.” "It's very... girlfriend of Mick Jagger," Ayako reported.

False lashes were placed on the outer half of the bottom lash line and was the central focus of the look. For an exaggerated effect, matte charcoal shadow was used with a wet eyeliner brush to draw lashes beneath, as if to create a shadow effect. “This is the poetic part of the look,” said Ayako. Shimmering pink and gold shadows covered the lids, while the lips were muted with concealer. Skin was made flawless with the newly formulated sheer matte foundation (NEW for Fall 2009) to counteract the sleepy look of the lengthy bottom lashes. A gentle sweep of shimmer was added to cheekbones to catch the light.

Here's how to recreate the look:

Face

Apply NARS Concealer generously, to cover any imperfections

Use a small amount of NARS Sheer Matte Foundation (NEW for Fall 2009) to create even, beautiful skin

With NARS Yachiyo Brush, dust NARS Single Eyeshadow in Bombshell (a glimmering SILVER--can you believe? That Ayako is a MAGICIAN) from apple of cheeks up to temples for a light shimmer without pigment

Eyes

Line lower lashes with NARS Glittler Pencil in Danceteria

Smudge with finger to bring out gold shine

Use NARS Eye Contour Brush to layer rose gold with golden flecks side of NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Silk Road (NEW for Fall 2009) over Danceteria

Apply frosted champagne side of NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Indian Summer (NEW for Fall 2009) over entire lid, blending up to brow

Cut a set of false eyelashes in half and apply to outer half of lower lash line

Apply NARS Larger than Life Volumizing Mascara (NEW for Fall 2009) to lower lashes

Wet NARS Liquid Eyeliner Brush and apply matte charcoal side of NARS Duo Eyeshadow in BrumesNEW for Fall 2009), drawing lash shadows on outer half of lower lash line (

Lips

Apply a generous amount of NARS Concelear to entire lip

The fabulous Odile Gilbert led the hair team backstage at 3.1 Phillip Lim. NARS' PR Directrice Julia (A.K.A. my college roommate), who's French, introduced me to Odile (also French) en Français. I majored in French, dolls, but conducting a backstage interview using a lexicon I have limited knowledge of (my French lexicon is very in depth when it comes to analyzing literature and film - my French beauty lexicon is embarassingly small) especially in such a loud area was just not happening. Let's just say the French part of the interview lasted, appropriately enough, about 3.1 minutes. Odile told me that the models were wearing very dark brown/almost black wigs made of real hair. She cut them into a bowl-cut à la Diff'rent Strokes' Sam McKinney.

When I asked if she'd applied product to the wigs, she looked at me in a most apropos "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" manner. Italo Gregario did it backstage at Betsey Johnson last season! And on synthetic wigs, no less. But anywho, Odile confirmed that there was no product involved with this look.

Ayako's dog gin-gin, named after NARS Concealer in Ginger, took a snooze on a chair whilst his mistress tended to her biz.

Can't get enough of Ayako's makeup talent? Read my coverage of the look she designed for Tibi's Fall 2008 collection last year here. Check the look Odile created for 3.1 Phillip Lim's Spring 2009 collection last season here.

Stay tuned for Marchesa and Tibi backstage coverage!

Image credit: Beauty Blogging Junkie
#NYFW

Fashion Week: BBJ Backstage at Chris Benz

Hair at Chris Benz was GORGEOUS... but highly complicated.

"Is this math?" I asked REDKEN lead stylist John Ruidant when he explained how he achieved the highly intricate, very complicated look he designed based on an uptown girl in the late '70s/early '80s headed downtown for a night on the town. I haven't been this confused since my mandatory Calc class I took my freshman year at BU.

And I KNOW from hair, girls. But even the most copious notes didn't allow for a good step-by-step how-to on this one. I'll put in a request to REDKEN for deets for that. Stay tuned. I do think it's lovely, however difficult it may be for a lay(wo)man to pull off at home. I can tell you that it incorporated REDKEN Hot Sets 22, REDKEN Fabricate, REDKEN Workforce Hairspray and a lot of backcombing.

The best part is that all the while, John is explaining this 'do (which just SOUNDS so hard to do), he's actually DOING the 'do, I'm assuming, under pretty high pressure. And he's ALWAYS cool as a cucumber. Every time I interview him. I'm not unconvinced that he's not actually at the tents. I think he's actually in Tahiti and is mentally projecting himself at New York Fashion Week in hologram form or something. Like Al from Quantum Leap. I've never seen anything like it.

Daniel Martin, Lancome makeup artist interpreted the "uptown girl gone downtown to a danceteria" vision using Lancome cosmetics. Complexions were intended to look blown out, as they do when photographed by a polaroid camera. To achieve this look, Daniel used powder and foundation two shades lighter than the models' own skin tone. Eyes were enhanced with three colors: Lancome Cream Liner in Indigo (smudged on with fingers), Lancome Eye Shadow in The New Black, and famed Lancome Color Fever Gloss in Piha Black for a "slept in" effect. Tons of Lancome Hypnose Mascara was used on both top and bottom lashes. Lips were a matte beige that mixed Lancome Cream Blush in Chic Cassis applied with fingertips with Lancome Le Rouge Absolu Lipstick in Beige Cashmere.




Deborah Lippman headed up the nail team on staff backstage at Chris Benz. Three colors were incorporated, reflecting the primary color focus of Chris' collection. The not-yet-named Lancome shades used are an electric blue with shimmer, a temperate red, and a soft gold metallic. "The red is not warm, but not cool," Deborah explained.



The back of John's hair concept.


















A close-up of the "danceteria eye."


Image credit: Beauty Blogging Junkie

#NYFW

Stay tuned for my coverage of the Chris Benz presentation!

Fashion Week: BBJ Backstage at Thakoon

Diane Kendal for NARS Cosmetics created the makeup look on Monday at Thakoon. A very "Keira Knighly" smoky eye was the main focus of the look. The collection took inspiration from the 1940’s, reflecting the surrealist images of photographer Lee Miller. Combined with a bit of 80’s rock and roll glam, Diane Kendal created a not-too-girly, strong look.

“The look is all about the eyes with soft matte lips for contrast,” said Diane Kendal. To bring strength to the face, Diane focused on creating smoky eyes and full brows, while downplaying the lips and keeping skin fresh with a light brushing of blush for a healthy glow.

Here's how to recreate the look:

Face

Use NARSskin Hydrating Moisture Cream to moisturize entire face

Apply NARS Concealer as needed, to cover any imperfections

Use a minimal amount of NARS Sheer Glow Foundation (NEW for Fall 2009)

Lightly stroke NARS Blush in Gilda on the apples of the cheek

Eyes

Use NARS Eyeliner Pencil in Mambo to line upper lashes and crease

Blend over entire lid and up to brows, keeping dense color by lashline

With Mambo, line lower lashes and gently blend

Use NARS Single Eyeshadow in Bali to fill in brows

Draw a very thin line on upper lashes with NARS Eyeliner Stylo in Black (NEW for Fall 2009)

Curl lashes with NARS Eyelash Curler

Lips

Apply NARS Lip Therapy Treatment in Rain to entire lip

Lightly pat a small amount of NARS Concealer over Rain to take down color

Eugene Souleiman created an updo that was tight and structured in the front, yet soft and loose in the back. Unfortunately, backstage at Thakoon was a ZOO, so I didn't have a chance to interview him. I'm into the special profile this look boasts. See pic to the left for the full effect of the sweeping deep side part that folds into the updo.






CND provided the time-intensive faux nails (pictured, left) used at Thakoon. The two colors involved were custom blends that can be compared to CND Beige Kiss and CND Voodoo. Each was handmade, one by one.

Image credit: Beauty Blogging Junkie
#NYFW

François Nars Leads Makeup Team at Marc Jacobs

After a ten-year hiatus, François Nars, founder and creative director of NARS Cosmetics, returned to the fashion runway by leading the makeup direction for Marc Jacobs’ Autumn/Winter 2009 show.

It included working with 65 models, and creating 65 different makeup looks. Check one of the many that I liked most pictured at left. I imagine REDKEN's Guido (lead stylist for hair for Marc Jacobs) had his work cut out for him with regard to the myriad of hair looks as well.

Nars’ unexpected return to fashion week can be attributed solely to Marc Jacobs. “We’ve known each other since the beginning so it was really fun to work with Marc again. I really love what he does,” said Nars.

TREND: Night clubbing – theatrical makeup – strong eyes, porcelain skin

Inspiration: The Marc Jacobs Fall 2009 collection paid homage to the New York night club scene of the 1970s and ‘80s. Drawing inspiration from these decades and the works of Sprouse, St. Laurent, and Halston, François Nars took into consideration each model’s individual beauty before creating a separate edgy look, reminiscent of the past but still very modern. "We are doing quite an eclectic look," he said. The inspiration for diversity came from Nars’ book XRAY. “[Marc] wanted to keep that feeling,” said Nars, “the variety of looks, the same way we do the campaigns for NARS.” Overall, it was important that each girl look beautiful, even with strong theatrical looks. Much like the fashion, Nars emphasized having fun with makeup for the coming year, despite the times we live in- “It’s a good antidote.” Francois, I like your attitude!

Strong eyes and bold color were a major theme. Black shadow laid the foundation for creating the dramatic eye, to which the artists added cobalt blues, deep greens, bright purples, reds, fuchsias, and glitter. See the photo of the various NARS colors used, left. “There is a wide variety of color,” said Nars, “it’s whatever looks good on the girl.” For many of the models, porcelain skin was a key component, allowing the black eyes and bright colors to pop.

“You want to play with makeup,” says Nars, “makeup is a great accessory - that is the message.”

Image credit: NARS Cosmetics

#NYFW

Fashion Week: BBJ Backstage at Diesel Black Gold

I finally met the famed Charlotte Tilbury (she was the lead artist backstage at the Barbie show) backstage at Diesel Black Gold today. She worked with MAC makeup to create the look you see at left. The inspiration was the 1930s Great Depression era infused with a modern rock and roll vibe. Charlotte herself, BTW, looks like a rock star.

"It's about a girl who stayed up all night with a jazz band," Charlotte explained. A girl who's partying through the depression, evidently. How to convey this bender of a night?

Charlotte lined eyes with MAC Eye Liner in Smolder on the top, bottom and waterline. Then, she topped it with MAC Blackware Gloss for a wet, messier look. Lots of MAC Mascara in Black was brushed onto lashes, while brows were set with MAC Clear Brow Set. MAC Face and Body Foundation was used to even out the models' skin tone and was set with MAC Prep + Prime Finishing Powder. Lips were "intended to look worn off, as if she's been kissing," Charlotte said. She used a combination of MAC Brick Lip Pencil, MAC Lipstick in Black Knight and MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo.

Eugene Souleiman created a "Toulouse Letrec/Fall of the Empire" look using WELLA products. "It's based on the fall of someone glamorous," he explained when I asked as to the inspiration behind the look. "It's abstract in shape, but it moves," Eugene said. He used hairspray as a settling lotion by spraying it on before curling sections of hair with an iron. Then, the curl was sort of undone for a frizzified wave. A fishnet veil finished the look.











This is an intricate 'do.



















Check the close-up of the back part of hair, which Eugene coiled into a lazy bun.


















Amanda Fontanarrosa for CND told me that the brand custom blended a cream browned down purple for the Diesel Black Gold. Isn't it just like them to create a color I'm in love with that will never see the light of day on MY nails? "It's ace," Amanda confirmed. I agree.








A photo of the finished look!

Image credit: Beauty Blogging Junkie

#NYFW

Fashion Week: BBJ Backstage at Miss Sixty

I ALWAYS cover Miss Sixty. I'm like Rain Man about it. This year's backstage beauty inspiration didn't disappoint.

NO FRIZZ technology made its fashion week debut backstage at Miss Sixty this season. Celebrity stylist Ward Stegerhoek headed up the Living Proof team to design the look – Rocker Chic. "It's a softer, girly version of Rock and Roll," Ward explained.

I loved the knot he created in the front of the hair. It feminized the vibe perfectly. Ward used the NO FRIZZ Wave-Shaping, Curl-Defining Styling Spray to style the hair and then used the NO FRIZZ Wave-Shaping, Curl-Defining Styling Cream to twist the hair and make it appear rough and stringy. NO FRIZZ Wave-Shaping, Curl-Defining Styling Spray was used to hold the curl in place. NO FRIZZ Wave-Shaping, Curl-Defining Styling Cream was also used.

Lisa Butler for MAC drew mainly from a purple palette. She started with a black pencil liner (MAC Grease Paint Stick - it's movable and then sets) on the top and bottom lid and dotted it between the lashes for depth before pressing on MAC Eye Shadow in Violet Trance, an electric blue/purple, on top of the pencil. Violet Pigment was dusted underneath the eyes. MAC Eye Shadow in Young Pink was also brushed onto the lids, which provided a soft black effect "for structure on the socket," Lisa said. She then feathered out the shadow to soften the look. Skin and lips were left as-is. Brows were groomed, but were neutral.

Check my Fall 2008 coverage of Miss Sixty here and Spring 2009 coverage here.

Image credit: Living Proof

Fashion Week: BBJ Backstage at Tuleh

Based on the collection's violet shades, makeup artist Polly Osmond for MAC created a look inspired by Paris in the 1930s.

MAC Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation was used to define skin, with a bit of powder to mattify. Polly instituted a smoky eye with a grey finish to define models' peepers. Lips were dark and dramatic. To achieve the look, Polly used a sheer black MAC Lipstick called Dark Night sparingly and dabbed it on like a stain using her fingers. She mixed this with MAC Lipstick in Dark Side, a burgundy hue. Lashes were curled and saturated with mascara. MAC Eye Shadow in Copper Plate was applied to the lids. Brows were elongated for a finished effect.





Stylist Yannick D'Is headed up the Barex hair team. The inspiration? 1940s fingerwaves. "It's very Hitchcock heroine," Yannick said. Backstage at the hair station, I spotted a print-out photo of Tippi Hendren (pictured, left). It seems she was THE Hitchcock heroin Yannick had in mind.

To achieve a look a la Tippi, he used a curling iron on sections of hair, which he then pincurled. After the curls set, he brushed through and separated the hair into a low side part. Then, Yannick plaited a braid horizontally along the nape of the neck to anchor the waves, which he folded under and pinned along the length of it to give the illusion of shorter, bobbed hair. Barex Gloss Hairspray was used to maintain the 'do.




#NYFW
Image credit: NYmag.com

Fashion Week: BBJ Backstage at Thuy

Romero Jennings for MAC created a looked based on "optimism and the future" using clean lines and an organic black and white motif. He incorporated both shine and matte textures when employing his arsenal of products.

MAC Fluidline gel liner was used in addition to MAC Lipstick in Fleshpot. The shade Chelsea was used for darker-skinned gals. My favorite aspect of this look was the geometric, squared-off, futuristic cat eye. Romero mixed white and gold shimmer shadow which he swept onto lids.

Anthony Barrow for Avon created the hair concept for Thuy. "Controlled chaos" was the inspiration. "It's a bit rockerish," Anthony said.




This airy, dry texture was created with the help of Avon Advance Techniques Volumizing Mousse and Hairspray. Anthony separated a section in the front from the ears up and backcombed it.















Then, he twisted the back into a sort of asymmetrical French twist, brought the front side over and left the ends out for "grittiness." "It's not too girly but edgy," Anthony said. "Raw, but clean."

Definitely one of the more creative updos I've seen this week!

Image credit: Beauty Blogging Junkie

#NYFW