Timeless Beauty: McAdams as The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife is set to arrive in theaters near you right in time for the holidays. I am so excited about this movie and only hope the adaptation from the best-selling novel of the same name to film can lend itself to the same emotional journey we embarked upon by reading the novel.

Okay, now I know it seems as though I'm on a Rachel McAdams kick this weekend (see prior post just below), but would you begrudge me even if that were the case? Few could deny the versatile style and beauty of McAdams. So when I came across this little news gem I just had to share it with you here.

When reading the Time Traveler's Wife, by author Audrey Niffenegger, nearly five years ago, I envisioned Julianne Moore in the role of Clare Abshire (wife to the time traveler). However, I can easily rework that vision with only a slight stretch of the imagination to focus in on Rachel McAdams as Clare. Clare, an artist, is passionate, caring and a much needed anchor for her conflicted husband, which demonstrates itself through a maturity of love only few lucky souls experience. Trouble seeing McAdams carrying that off? Not a chance, she'll nail it!

Contrastly, what I find a bit baffling is the uproar fans of the novel are bellowing over the casting of Eric Bana as Henry deTamble (the time traveler). Bana strikes me as perfect to play this role. What I've seen of Bana's prior acting demonstrates he is easily able to exude that aura of inner conflict and rawness one would need to portray deTamble and do the character justice.

I'm not going to ruin anything for those who haven't read the novel by talking about the plot (click here for a very brief synopsis). Suffice it to say, if you've not read The Time Traveler's Wife, it's a wonderfully imaginative story complete with all the intellect, emotion, highs and lows one wants in a good read. One reviewer describes it thusly, "...this inventive tale works on three levels - an intriguing science fiction concept, a realistic character study and a touching love story...". I encourage anyone who has high expectations of the novels they read to pick up a copy, whether you think you'll see the film or not. It's just that good!

movie photos: allmovix.com

Most recent updates on IMBD show the following release dates for the movie; however that is prone to change as reps are also saying the movie is still in production:

Canada - 9 September 2008 (Toronto Film Festival)
USA - 7 November 2008 (New York City, New York)
USA - 7 November 2008 (Los Angeles, California)
USA - 21 November 2008 (limited)
USA - 25 December 2008

For more information on The Time Traveler's Wife, the movie, visit IMBD; for more information on The Time Traveler's Wife, the novel, please visit Amazon.

Foxy Lady - Rachel McAdams

NY Times has a fantastic story and photo spread running featuring the always gorgeous Rachel McAdams. In the aptly titled article Crazy Like a Fox, columnist Lynn Hirschberg catches McAdams for a little tête-à-tête.

In ‘‘The Lucky Ones,’’ which is out next month, you play a soldier home on leave from Iraq. What attracted you to this movie?
When I first read the script, I didn’t get my character and I found that interesting. She had such a mishmash of qualities — one minuteshe’s a hellcat and the next she’s so sensitive. I liked that sense of complication. And I was interested in what it is to belong to something like the Army and the nature of true fellowship and service. Basically, the movie is a long road trip, and that was resonant for me: we were the family that drove to Disney World and played Name That Tune all the way there and back. I didn’t go up in an airplane until I was 22, and then I was heading to Italy for my first part. It was very glamorous and completely different from anything I had known. I thought, This is making movies!

What did you wear to your prom?
A chartreuse floor-length dress. It had a velvet bodice and a chiffon skirt. I had a wrist corsage and I wore my hair in tight curls.What color was your hair? You’re always switching — from red to blond to brown to pink stripes and back again.Back then I think it was dirty blond. It’s a compulsion: I’m always changing parts of me. Even when I was young, I wanted to change my hair color. I was so determined that I dyed my hair with Kool-Aid. You dunk your head in a bowl of red Kool-Aid for four hours, and it comes out apricot. Not that pretty, but it is still transforming. Even my handwriting changes regularly. [She laughs.] They say that only happens with sociopaths, so maybe I’m crazy.

In ‘‘The Notebook,’’ you and Ryan Gosling had amazing chemistry. Are love scenes difficult?
They’re strange. A kiss with anyone, on or off camera, can be intimidating. I’ve been kissing for nearly two decades now, and I’m always convinced I’m not doing it right. Chemistry is so important in a great kiss. You can act your way through anything, but it’s hard with a kiss. It’s much better if there’s an attraction.

I have a split personality — I love being completely immersed in my nonworking life, but I am equally compelled by the lives of the characters I play. If you want to tell stories as truthfully as possible, you have to have a normal, boring existence. Otherwise, you’ll never understand the greatness of the everyday.

- Excerpted from NY Times, Crazy Like a Fox



To create Rachel's beauty look above, makeup artist Fulvia Farolfi used these great makeup products: Shiseido The Makeup Eyeliner Pencil in Black, Exceptionnel de Chanel Intense Volume and Curl Mascara and Estee Lauder Tender Blush in Pink Kiss; on lips - Chanel Precision Eye Definer in Noir and Make Up For Ever (MUFE) Flash Color in Black 11. Although, based on our articles earlier this week, you could also opt for one of those black glosses from Lancome or YSL Beauty.

source: NY Times

Origins: Discover Nature's Best Skincare Event

Click HERE for more information!












Ok, ladies and gents, this is a fabulous offering!

We all know the benefits of using Origins brand skincare on our skin. Their A Perfect World line, for one, has been an all-time fave, not only of mine, but of many an MUA (Make Up Alley) friend via reviews and must-have info shared on their boards. Here's the scoop on the free skincare kits being offered right now by Origins:

Starting today and running through September 3rd, Origin's customers can choose 1 of 3 FREE Skin Care Sets with any Origins.com order plus they will receive FREE SHIPPING!

There's no minimum to buy and no offer code needed.

CHOOSE FROM:

A Perfect World™ Skin Care Collection
• APW Deep cleanser w/ White Tea
• APW Liquid moisture w/ White Tea
• APW Antioxidant moisturizer w/ White Tea
• APW Intensely hydrating body cream w/ White Tea

Origins Organics™
• Foaming Face Wash
• Purifying Tonic
• Nourishing Face Lotion
• Silkening Body Spritz

Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins™
• Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Face Cleanser
• Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Treatment Lotion
• Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Face Cream
• Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Body Cream


As said above, there is no minimum purchase needed to take advantage of this offer, and no codes to have to input. So, buy a lipstick, buy a cleansing bar; heck, just buy a liptint. Whatever you do, you don't want this opportunity to pass you by without taking advantage of it. And make sure to share this info with your beauty or Origins-loving friends as it's only available until September 3rd OR until quanitites run out!



Happy Shopping!! xo

Clinique New High Impact Lip Colour SPF15

Clinique's new High Impact Lip Colour w/SPF15 is sure to be a winner. High on colour, long on comfort. Dressed-up colour wears beautifully for 8 hours. And lips enjoy every minute. In 20 highly moisturizing shades that continually smooth, soften, comfort ($14 USD). Protect from UVA/UVB, too. I'm loving these shades, and with the double SPF I'm feeling weak ... could be a little online shopping spree coming on!



For more information, visit Clinique counters or Clinique online.

Vivica, Glam Gods and Hair - Oh My

Do you want another reality style show? Well, do ya? Calling all Rachel Zoe wanna-be's.

You're getting one whether you want it or not. Behold - Glam Gods -premiers tonight on VH1 (10 pm ET). I suspect this program may actually get some cross-over viewers from the BravoTV audience as well as their own loyal VH1 viewing youth.

Why? Hostess with the mostest - Vivica A. Fox - for one. This gorgeous, style maven is sure to bring class and respectability to what could otherwise be just "another one of those reality shows". Secondly, the show is bringing in some downright notable hot-shots in the style world. My sources tell me Charles Worthington London stylist Tim Rogers is on board to style the contestants. Rounding out the panel of judges is US Weekly Bureau Chief Melanie Bromley and celebrity stylist extraordinaire Phillip Bloch. After viewing highlights from their portfolios, Vivica and her glam panel select four team leaders for their first challenge: "Who Wore It Best?" Each team must create a red carpet moment using identical designer dresses. By the end of the night, two stylists will be eliminated from the competition and sent home.

Want a little Tim Rogers how-to? You've got it. Tim worked his magic on the contestants utilizing all of the CWL products, but always picking up his favorite, SALT SPRAY, first. That’s because big hair full volume texturizing salt spray instantly creates fuller, healthier, shinier hair that feels just as good as it looks. The unique spray “sure shot” delivery system places product directly where it needs to go –targeting areas that need a “boost” of volume or texturize. Naturally fine and limp strands are plumped up with an active blend of ingredients.

For more on Glam Gods, click here.

Target Is Bringing In the Artists

Ahhhhhh ... the sweet sound of economic relief whispers softly in the distance!

Well, anyone who enjoys the splurge of fantastic cosmetics created by renowned makeup artists at less expensive prices should be jumping up and down over the news. Elle is reporting that Target has enlisted three makeup artists known for their high-end lines to create product ranges that are a little more politically correct (read: reasonably priced). This month, JK Jemma Kidd, NP Set from Napoleon Perdis, and Pixi by Petra will debut in stores on Target.com ($12 to $39) with everything from electric eye colors (JK) to a 20-shade lip palette (Pixi). "My original line is for the red carpet," Perdis says. "This one is for the after-party."

Anyone have any doubts that this is gonna be hugely popular for Target? I, for one, can't wait!

source: Elle

REVIEW: White Sands Curl Up In Silk Mousse

Allow me to introduce you to White Sands Curl Up In Silk Mousse. Mmmmmm ... it is as lovely as its name implies.

Curls are back! Ringlets, beachy waves, loose, soft, sexy curls - yep, they're all in. With the introduction of Curl Up in Silk Firm Hold and Medium Hold Mousses, White Sands, a professional hair care manufacturer infusing cutting edge science with natural botanicals, presents their Curl Up In Silk Line to effortlessly achieve defined curls with a radiant shine.

Due to the unique chemical molecular structure of the ingredients, this curl conscious duo will provide a new type of curl pattern. Once applied to wet or dry locks, the wave created will take on a rope-like effect, causing the hair to group together and turn over each other. Curl Up In Silk even resists moisture for long-lasting styles even in the highest levels of humidity.
With the additional benefit of thermal protection, the Firm and Medium Hold Mousses are the perfect compliments to your favorite heat styling tools such as curling irons, hot rollers, and flat irons.

Curl Up in Silk Firm Hold Mousse is ideal for round-brush styling, producing lift for unsurpassed body and fullness. Despite its firm hold, Curl Up in Silk is free of unwanted flaking and product build up, leaving hair silky, shiny and soft.

Curl Up in Silk Medium Hold Mousse allows you to create and define texture, dimension, waves, and volume. Use this product for scrunching and round-brush styling. Like its firm version, once the Medium Hold mousse dries, the hair feels virtually product free, which creates a touchable, nude-like feel.

REVIEW: These are both dreamy, light mousse products. Both do exactly what they claim. My favorite of the two is the Medium Hold Mousse as I enjoy using it to go au naturel. I can literally step out the shower, lightly towel dry my hair, scrunch in some of this delightful mousse all over damp hair, brush or comb through to de-tangle, scrunch the hair a bit to initiate the curl, and let dry. What results is lovely, soft, natural looking waves and curl with huge shine factor. That is one of the points about this product I'm enjoying most; the shine benefit is really quite apparent (and this with desperate need of re-touching my color - I'm 3 weeks overdue - shhhh). The mousse is as you'd expect it to be in texture - a light creamy foam- no surprises there. It has a subtle, fresh, clean scent to it. There's no sticky or stiff feel to the hair after application or after drying. That White Sands is an eco-friendly company and uses natural, botanical ingredients in these products makes them preferred in my book. Until recently only known in the professional and celebrity arena, White Sands is really carving a prestigious name for themselves among consumers wanting top-notch professional products easily available to them at reasonable prices.

White Sands Curl Up In Silk line is available through White Sands distributors, with prices ranging from $18 - $22. For more information, please visit White Sands online.

NARS Backstage: 3.1 Phillip Lim Fall 2008

Q. What was your inspiration for the Look?
A. It was a picture of a woman that Phillip gave me at the make-up test a few days before the show. The woman looked very powerful and it made me think of a mixture of the 1930's and 1980's. I wanted to give the models a hint of 80's with a powerful and modern feeling, so I created a look centered around a strong eyebrow and a poignant berry red lip, complemented by flawless, clean skin.

Q. What makes this Look special/unique?
A. No words speak more! Just a strong eyebrow and beautiful red lips! This look was very powerful - when I focused on these two features.

Q. How does it relate to current trends?
A.The strong 80's eyebrow that I created is very popular right now.

Q. What products were used for this Look?
A. I used a few key items. NARS Concealer, Powder Foundation, Eyebrow Pencil, Bali Single Eyeshadow, Fire Down Below (lipstick) and Dragon Girl (velvet matte lip pencil).

Q. What are any tips and tricks women could use when emulating this Look?
A. If you want to go for a bold red lip, it will always look the best and the most modern when it is paired with clean skin and a nude eye.


GET THE LOOK

Face:

• Basically no base or cheek color
• Apply NARS Concealer where needed to cover skin imperfections
• Add NARS Powder Foundation if needed with NARS Botan Brush, for softer finish

Eyes:

• Use NARS Eyebrow Pencil to draw brows for a strong look
• Apply NARS Eyeshadow in Bali

Lips:

• Apply NARS Lipstick in Fire Down Below to entire lip
• Blend NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl in center of lip to brighten and empower color

FEATURED PRODUCTS

Powder Foundation
Eyebrow Pencil
Matte Eyeshadow Bali
Semi-Matte Lipstick Fire Down Below
Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Dragon Girl

source: NARS Cosmetics

Vanity Fair: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the New Jackie-O

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy sits down with Maureen Orth in an interview for Vanity Fair magazine, the September 2008 issue. The following excerpts are taken from that interview:

...While her husband’s ratings are in the cellar, she is getting raves for her beauty, class, and elegance. When the couple visited the Queen of England in March, for example, the British gushed over her perfect curtsy and her demure, Jackie Kennedy outfits. “She’s imaginative, clever, educated. She knows how to behave,” says designer Karl Lagerfeld, who often used Bruni as a model. “She speaks many languages. It must be an embarrassment for the wives of other heads of state to see this beautiful creature who can wear anything and speak like that.”

In 1975, when the Red Brigades were kidnapping wealthy individuals, Carla’s family moved to Paris, where she attended an Italian school and received a French baccalaureate. Her parents expected her to continue her studies, but she soon tired of the 37 Métro stops it took to get to classes on art and architecture, and she couldn’t wait to be on her own. So when her brother’s girlfriend, a model, told her to try modeling, she made her move. “What I wanted was to be free, independent of my parents,” says Carla. “Modeling is a fast-acting job—right away you get to work, and you learn in two or three months by working.” That became her pattern: take on a big challenge, learn fast, and land on top.

She also learned to take on men. “Carla is the hunter, not the hunted,” says a man who knew her in her teens. “She is a female womanizer.” Carla herself says she was very much influenced by the works of Simone de Beauvoir and France’s original bourgeois bad girl, Françoise Sagan, who championed sexual freedom for women. “I think it is a major duty for a woman to be independent.”

Carla had a truly regal quality, and designers liked her because she was easy to work with. “She was full of life and wit. She was beyond polite,” says Karl Lagerfeld. “So many, like Linda and Christy, had periods of being moody and difficult. She was always perfect.” Designer Jean Paul Gaultier agrees: “She’s clever, super well educated, and very focused. She is like the heroine of a book or a movie.”

As she left modeling, in 1997, Carla, who up to then had been considered the least educated and least artistic member of her family, began analysis, she says, to get over “my narcissism” and to prepare herself for the next stage in her life. She quietly began writing song lyrics, never imagining that she would one day perform them herself. But Bertrand de Labbey, the music agent and producer, convinced her that she should, and he also got her to write songs for the hugely popular singer Julien Clerc, who recorded several of them. When Carla made her first album, she asked one ex-boyfriend, Louis Bertignac, to produce it, and another, Leos Carax, to direct the videos. Quelqu’un M’a Dit (Someone Told Me), delivered in a sexy, breathy voice, came out of nowhere to become a smash-hit CD that sold two million copies. Once again she was pleasantly surprised that old boyfriends had come through for her. “Sometimes the desire, the passion, makes you fight, but when that goes completely, you have only the good part of it,” she says.

About Sarkozy, her husband, “I was in love at first sight,” Carla confesses. “I was really surprised by him, by his youth, his energy, his physical charm—which you could not actually see so much on television—his charisma. I was surprised by everything—his poise, and what he said, and the way he said it.” Carla asked Sarkozy for a ride home and gave him her number.

Since her marriage, Carla has been casting off her wild, bohemian side. “I think monogamy is not an idea, it’s a fact,” she says today. Moreover, she has proved to be a great asset to her husband, for, like Ronald Reagan, she always knows which are the flattering camera angles. “She makes the president more desirable, more modern. France needs modernity, talent, cleverness. It’s like Jack and Jackie. Like Rainier and Grace Kelly. A new worldwide couple!” I ask Carla how she likes being compared to Jackie Kennedy. She answers, “She was so young and modern, and of course unconsciously I would project myself more like Jackie Kennedy than, for instance, Madame de Gaulle, who would be much more like the classical French woman behind her husband.

Her fantasy at 40 is to give birth to a baby at the Élysée. “I’d love to have children with Nicolas. I hope to, if I am young enough. It would be a dream.” Nevertheless, she has ruled out fertility programs. “If it comes, I’d be the happiest person in the world, but if it doesn’t come, I’m not going to tempt the Devil.” Lighting another slim cigarette, Carla says, “If life doesn’t give me another child, well, it has given me so much already.”



source/photos: Vanity Fair, Sept 2008

GIVEAWAY: PureOlogy Dandruff ScalpCure Sets

Recognizing that most dandruff treatments, while effective in fighting the symptoms of dandruff, have proven to be harsh on color-treated hair even sometimes stripping hair color, PureOlogy set out to change that.

A gentle, effective approach to dandruff for color-treated hair, PureOlogy Dandruff ScalpCure is an anti-dandruff shampoo and conditioner combination with a doze of 2% Pyrithione Zinc, which helps fight the scalp scaling, itching and flaking associated with dandruff as well as prevent the recurrence of dandruff-related symptoms with regular use.


Dandruff ScalpCure contains a certified organic botanical blend of mushrooms, green tea and burdock root to calm and soothe the scalp while protecting, strengthening and hydrating hair. In addition, it not only treats, and prevents the symptoms of dandruff, it also features the latest ingredient technologies to enhance color radiance and shine, while providing color protection. For my review of PureOlogy Dandruff ScalpCure, please click here.


I have a number of PureOlogy DandruffScalpCure Shampoo and Conditioner sets to give away. If you'd like to be one of the lucky winners to try these amazing haircare products, all you have to do to enter is this:

1) Post a brief comment to this article in the comment section below letting me know WHY you'd like to try PureOlogy DandruffScalpCure (a short response is fine),
2) Complete the little form underneath with your contact information so I can mail you the prize if you win.

MAILING ADDRESS WILL NOT SHOW ON BLOG OR WHEN VIEWING ENTRIES (hidden) NOTE: I have a number of sets to giveaway for this prize; there will be multiple winners. Duplicate and incomplete entries will be disqualified. Contest open to residents of USA and Canada only. Some restrictions may apply. Entries will be accepted through 11:59 pm on Sun., 09/07/08.

ALLURE: Wednesday's Wealth of Giveaways

1. DKNY crepe de Chine dress (retail value: $275) Log on at 12 P.M. EDT for your chance to win one of four dresses. dkny.com

2. Bain de Terre Botaniceuticals Iron It Out Pomegranate Thermal Protector Spray (retail value: $12) The first 500 Allure readers to sign up at 1 P.M. EDT will get one free. baindeterre.com

3. Eau Thermale Avène Trixéra + Seléctiose Emollient Cream (retail value: $29) The first 500 Allure readers to sign up at 2 P.M. EDT will get one free. aveneusa.com

4. Clinique Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Juicy Apple (retail value: $14) The first 100 Allure readers to sign up at 3 P.M. EDT will get one free. clinique.com

5. Kérastase Soleil Masque UV Défense Active (retail value: $58) The first 100 Allure readers to sign up at 4 P.M. EDT will get one free. kerastase.com

6. Logics Color DNA System Color Nourishing Lite Shampoo and Conditioner (retail value: $24 each) The first 100 Allure readers to sign up at 5 P.M. EDT will get both free. matrix.com

For more information on these fabulous giveaways or to enter the contests at the designated times, click HERE.

REVIEW: Beauty of the Amazon with Rahua Haircare

Straight from the Amazon comes Amazon Beauty™—Rahua® Shampoo and Rahua® Conditioner. These products are created from ingredients harvested in the wild of the Amazon Rainforest. They embody the power, strength and beauty of the Amazon tribal women and contain the Rahua nut, which the women use to maintain their famously long, healthy, beautiful hair.

Rahua Shampoo and Conditioner are created with ingredients that are natural, organic, luxurious and sustainable. Rahua products are eco-friendly and give back to the Quechua-Shuar tribe women.

"The Amazon basin is the true original beauty garden of the world because of its plentiful indigenous plants, fruits and nuts that are high in antioxidants as well as hair and skin nourishing oils," says Fabian Lliguin, founder of Amazon Beauty. With pure extracts grown in the wild forests of the Amazon, they have created a collection of rare, potent elixirs in their haircare products that cleanse and condition the hair.

REVIEW: My experience with these products comes with a mixed review. While I appreciate the care Amazon Beauty has taken to bring quality products using sustainable, organic ingredients, I didn't get the clean feel to my hair that I prefer. I'm not one who has to have tremendous lather in a shampoo (and this shampoo does not later much), but I do like to feel the clean when I rinse my hair of the shampoo. It doesn't have to be squeaky (and really shoudn't be squeaky if you're treating your hair well), but it does need to not feel weighed down. On the upside, I can say the conditioner rocks! Despite that I didn't think my hair felt as clean as I like with the Rahua Shampoo, the conditioner does lend itself to creating soft, voluminous, shiny hair, even when used with a different brand of shampoo. The scent for both of the these products is very, very light, in fact really hardly noticeable, which is nice for those who prefer to smell of their chosen fragrance or unscented altogether. The packaging is nice (and eco-friendly, which I love) but can be slippery in the shower so hold on tightly to those bottles. The pricing is a steep, even for an organic, luxury brand, which is how they are marketing themselves. A bottle of Rahua Shampoo (9.3 oz) will run you $32 and a bottle of Rahua Conditioner (9.3 oz) is $34. Should you wish to try one of their elixirs or leave-in treatments, it could run you in excess of $100 a bottle. Now, I haven't tried any of the elixirs so they may be fabulous, but still way outside my price range when I can find fantastic products to treat my hair beautifully and with organic ingredients for much less.

For more information about Amazon Beauty and the Rahua line of haircare, please visit Amazon Beauty online.

PureOlogy: Break the Silence Volume Booster

PureOlogy is excited to evolve its partnership with the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) as the organization’s official haircare and styling partner. During September and October, PureOlogy will offer a Limited Edition Break the Silence Volume Booster promotion which includes PureVolume Shampoo, 10.1 Oz. and PureVolume Conditioner, 8.5 Oz. Also included is a complimentary, tortoise shell style brush with NOCC’s signature teal color bristle pad. The box features information about the signs and symptoms of Ovarian Cancer to educate women about this disease.


“In conjunction with Limited Edition Break the Silence Volume Booster promotion, PureOlogy will donate $25,000 to the NOCC,” explains Karen Fuss-Zipp, Senior Vice President of Marketing for PureOlogy. “PureOlogy and the NOCC will continue our year long campaign to facilitate a greater dialogue that will lead to earlier diagnosis, improved survival rates and quality of life for women with ovarian cancer.”



Throughout 2008, NOCC and PureOlogy and will host 21 NOCC & PureOlogy’s Walks to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer around the U.S. with a national walk in September during Ovarian Cancer Awareness month taking place in Los Angeles, California. NOCC’s national spokeswoman, Eva LaRue of CSI: Miami, is scheduled to attend the national walk to help increase awareness of the work NOCC and PureOlogy are doing to educate women about the symptoms and risk factors for ovarian cancer.

Additionally, PureOlogy will be on-site at each walk, distributing travel-packs containing HydateShampoo®, HydrateCondition® and teal PureOlogy wristbands, to walk participants. If you're interested in helping to Break the Silence on ovarian cancer, please consider participating in one of the upcoming 2008 fundraising walks in your area:

August 23 – Wichita , KS
September 6 – NATIONAL WALK in Los Angeles
September 7 – Dayton , OH
September 13 – Philadelphia , PA
September 14 – Pittsburgh , PA
September 14 – Providence , RI
September 14 – Nashua , NH
September 20 – Sacramento , CA
September 20 – Omaha , NE
September 20 – Long Island , NY
September 20 – Toledo , OH
September 21 – Boston , MA
September 21 – W. Orange , NJ
September 21 – Columbus , OH
September 27 – Cincinnati , OH
September 27 – Dallas , TX
September 27 – San Antonio , TX

The Limited Edition Break the Silence Volume Booster promotion is available for $52. Visit PureOlogy online for salons and spas. For more information about this event, please visit pureology.com/nocc for NOCC & PureOlogy’s Walks to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer dates, locations, and registration information.

Prescriptives Beauty Deal Ending Tonight

Ladies, if you're thinking of taking advantage of this deal from Prescriptives, NOW is the time to do it.

The offer ends tonight, and they've already run out of the warm set. The cool set includes their top product picks in a full-size Colorscope Lipcolor (Rose Glow) and travel-sizes of Colorscope Lip Gloss (Sassy), False Eyelashes Plush Mascara (Black), Super Line Preventor Xtreme and a luxury cosmetic bag.

Receive this as your free gift with a foundation of moisturizer purchase of $32.50 or more. May I recommend (and highly) Prescriptives Flawless Skin Foundation as a possible purchase item? This foundation has been a favorite of mine for years due to its light texture yet incredible coverage. I always have this in my bag, and stocked up on another to take advatange of the free gift. You'll also have your choice of another deluxe sample at checkout, so it's a great little deal and fabulous products to boot!

To make your purchase or check out other wonderful Prescriptives products, visit Prescriptives online.

YSL Says They're In With Black Gloss Too

Extra! Extra! Read All About It ...


Well, in the same vein as those vibrating, motorized mascaras, methinks a new trend doth make its way into the world of fashionable beauty. How long shall it last and whose version will be the one to have?

Earlier today we reported on Lancome's version, as created by Aaron de Mey. Now, we hear of YSL's Gloss Pur Black. And, as with Lancome's gloss, this one is being introduced now as very limited edition and for pre-order only.

A cosmetic jewel that turns lips into a spectacular fashion statement. Mysterious, sensual, luminous… .For fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, black is THE color. And as a make-up artist, lips are THE focus. YSL GLOSS PUR Black unites these two facets of his art in a superb Limited Edition. From plum to ebony, it dresses lips in an infinite range of shades, depending on how it is applied – feather light or rich and bold. Transparent yet intense, it plays on the depths of black and the pure shine of a sparkle-free formula.

For more information and to pre-order for delivery mid-September, please visit YSL Beauty. YSL Gloss Pur Black retails for $28.

Coco Before Chanel

Are you ready for the Coco Chanel biopic?


The scoop is the story based on the early years and romances of Coco Chanel is one step closer to reality with the announcement that Alessandro Nivola (I love him - fab actor) will play her dashing American lover Arthur "Boy" Capel.


French actress Audrey Tatou will play a youthful Coco Chanel. The film, to be called Coco Avant Chanel (Coco before Chanel), will be directed by French director Anne Fontaine. Originally, the film was supposed to be released this year, but is now slated to open sometime in 2009.





photos: (Top) Audrey Tatou as Coco Chanel (official poster), (Right) Coco Chanel/Audrey Tatou

Lancome: de Mey's Dark Trend

In a very Interview with a Vampire kind of way, Lancôme's new artistic director, Aaron de Mey, is honing in on a particularly goth trend this fall - the dark lip. While this look is fab on the runways and in editorials, it’s a little hard to pull off in real life.

So how can you have fun with the look albeit less intense? Black lip gloss. A low-pigment black gloss is easy to wear alone and can be blended with other shades for a little drama.

Lancôme will be debuting such a product in November - Color Fever Gloss in Piha Black. This is part of a luxe lip set created by Aaron. Priced at $48, it features the black gloss and Color Fever Lipstick in Piha Red, inspired by the red of a Christian Louboutin sole. Aaron likes to have fun with makeup, so the idea is to wear the colors alone or to customize your own shade by mixing them together. The Piha gloss may also be used as an eye gloss for a little extra kick.

Only 500 of the sets will be available in the United States, exclusively at the Bloomingdale’s 59th Street location, lancome-usa.com and the five Lancôme boutiques. The waiting list at Bloomingdale’s 59th Street has just opened. To add your name to the list, please call 212-705-2886.


photos: Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise (Interview with a Vampire), Aaron de Mey

VOGUE: Keira Knightley - Wanderlust

Keira Knightley with a cross-section of the artists who currently make the German capital the epicenter of the art world. From left to right: Thomas Zipp, Thomas Helbig, Andreas Golder, Markus Selg, and Andro Wekua. Louis Vuitton chiffon layered dress. photo: Mario Testino


In the September 2008 edition of Vogue magazine, the much-anticipated fall fashion issue, we're treated to a spread featuring the fair Miss K. Actress Keira Knightley explores Berlin's vibrant art scene in looks that reflect the capital city itself: cosmopolitan, forward-thinking, and übermodern. Makeup Artist Gucci Westman considers Knightley to be one of the few leading ladies In Hollywood who is truly down-to-earth and always present and involved with the shoot." Gucci used Chanel to enhance Keira's already beautiful facial canvas.

Symphony Space
Creative minds are ever pushing boundaries; both Keira Knightley's avant-garde heels and the steel forms in sculptural installation artist Katja Strunz's studio are like nothing we've seen before. Knightley stars in The Duchess, out this month. Prada bronze guipure-lace dress, black collar, Plexiglas necklace, bag, and shoes.

Spot Treatment
Sleek as a Fassbinder heroine, Knightley still exudes the trait the infamous cineaste sought in his leading ladies: highly stylized glamour. Michael Kors cheetah-print bolero and pencil skirt. Prada ginger lace blouse and silk-stretch collar. Valextra crocodile bag. Louis Vuitton platform wedges.

Heels!
Knightley learns just who's walking whom outside Neue Nationalgalerie, designed by Mies van der Rohe. Ralph Lauren Collection charcoal coat. Prada clementine guipure-lace skirt. Patricia Underwood for Ralph Lauren leopard-print beret. Louis Vuitton peep-toe pumps.

Portrait of a Lady
Knightley clutches a likeness of her by Munich-born artist Andreas Hofer in the artist's studio. Thakoon lime-and-black plaid chiffon dress. Andreas Hofer/Gabi Dziuba brooch. Marni belt. Carolina Amato gloves.

Exhibit A
Conceptual artist Anselm Reyle created both Knightley's antic headpiece and the bronze sculpture Untitled (foreground) in his studio. Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière black wool-crepe molded dress, strass necklace, bracelets, and d'Orsay stilettos.

For the September 2008 Cover, Vogue used:

• Chanel Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow in Mahogany, $28.50
• Chanel Mat Lumière Long Lasting Soft Matte Makeup SPF 15, $52
• Chanel Rouge Allure lipstick in Enthusiast, $30
  

Vogue recommends these products for a similar look:

• Smashbox Eye Shadow in Rapture, $16, and Revlon ColorStay Mineral Eye Shadow, $8.50
• Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer in Luminous, $30, and Revlon ColorStay Mineral Foundation, $13.99
• Smashbox Photo Finish Lipstick in Legendary, $30, and Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Crème in Love That Red, $7.99

source: Style