Keratin Treatment At Home by Rio de Keratin

I have a LOT of hair, and that hair has lots of body, and some definite texture to it.  Unfortunately that “texture” really just translates to something between curly and wavy and often ends up looking frizzy.  I own every straightening iron, fancy pants blowdryer, and expensive hairbrush in the book just to keep all of that hair in check.  It’s a lot, yes, but it’s an investment in making sure that I look more Tina Fey and less Tina Turner.

Oh, and add in Louisiana humidity to the mix and we’re talking poofy to the max!  So, while I enjoy some waves and body in my hair, I usually still have to use almost all of those tools to “straighten” it before it looks presentable.

A few of my friends have had those Brazilian Keratin treatments done to their hair – and they have raved about the results.  However, they’ve also sheepishly diverted attention away from the 400 and higher price tag.  So, when Rio de Keratin offered to send me one of their at-home Keratin treatments to try, I jumped at the chance.

I followed the directions to a “t” and saw excellent results.  The treatment was so easy to apply (section your hair and spray it on until your hair is saturated!  So easy even I could do it, and that’s saying something!), and after a careful blowdry with a large round brush and 5 passes with my flat iron (as per the instructions, to “set” the treatment) I had pin straight, shiny, AMAZING hair.

That night was a girl’s night, and my friends all marveled at my hair.  (“I did a keratin treatment” I said nonchalantly as I accepted their compliments.)  That night, my boyfriend had the similar comments, and the next day my mom noticed as well.  Not bad.

The best part is that it has lasted.  My air-dried waves have at least less than half of the frizz that they did before.  This cuts my straightening and taming time down significantly, which leaves time for the cooler things in life, like tweeting and blogging.

Rio de Keratin launches August 1st, and if you are looking for a cost-effective, natural, at-home solution to those pricey salon Keratin treatments, this is definitely an option to consider.  At $100 it is still an investment and it won’t last as long as a salon treatment, but it’s an excellent option for anyone wanting to try it (or wanting to have it done on their own schedule).

Disclosure:  Rio de Keratin sent me the treatment to try for free, but that in no way affected my review or opinion of the product.  If you’d like more information on how this works, you can check out my Disclosure policy.

At-Home Spa Treatments For Summer

Our Favorite New Beauty and Fashion Lines for Summer

Greetings from the fabulous though rainy NYC! Two weeks ago, I attended Lara Spencer’s Product-n-Press Summertime Baby in Chelsea and had such a blast previewing new products that included everything from makeup, accessories, and clothing to petwear and a new line of espresso and iced coffee drinks. After totally agonizing over my favorites, I’ve come up with three that are essential to any Chic Shopper Chick—sexy (and slimming!) makeup, a vintage-inspired fashion line full of sophisticated and tailored looks for both day and night, and bold, edgy accessories.

Purple Labs NYC

One of the first tables I visited featured Karen Robinovitz’s Purple Lab NYC makeup line. Purple Lab bills itself as “a fresh, fun innovative brand all about double-duty beauty, a mix of science forward technology and a dose of chic glam into your,” and, let me tell you, their products do not disappoint! I was able to grab a sample of their featured “Huge Lips, Skinny Lips” lipgloss–a lip plumper that comes in a variety of fun and flirty shades that’s infused with orange peel extract (a natural metabolism enhancer) and hoodia (an all-natural plant extract that acts as an appetite-suppressant). And it’s paraben-free! The lip gloss goes on so smoothly and stays on, giving your lips that sexy, tingling sensation of a lip plumper and fantastic color. Plus, who can say no to a makeup that gives you an extra bit of support in getting ready for bikini season? Other fantastic products include “Cheek Implants,” a long-lasting cream blush that’s full of active ingredients that plumps up cheeks and “Lashionista Modelista,” a mascara with a hint of diamond dust. Purple Lab NYC products can be bought online or in-store at Kitson and Scoop.

Yeojin Bae

Yeojin Bae, an extremely talented fashion designer from Melbourne, Australia, was on hand to showcase several gorgeous summer pieces from her self-titled label. Sold in Barneys New York as well as other upscale stores and boutiques world-wide, her line combines detailed tailoring with feminine hues, producing chic daywear and seriously lust-worthy evening wear. The dress that caught my eye—and one that would totally turn every head on 5^th Avenue—was her Maggie Petal cocktail dress in Mint, which Bae expertly pairs with a skinny cantaloupe-colored belt in her summer 2010 lookbook. The color is refreshing, the flower detail is flawless, and the look overall is so unique a summer-y. Perfect for wedding season! For a more casual look that showcases Bae’s vintage inspiration, I absolutely loved her Ruby hand-beaded wrap dress in Sky Blue–also a part of her Summer 2010 collection.

Adha Zelma Jewelry

Created by two long-time best friends, Sheanan Bond and Cherise TrahanMiller, Adha Zelma jewelry is a handcrafted jewelry line that draws its inspiration from natural elements and possesses a distinctly spiritual aesthetic. These embellished tear-drop earrings and cascading necklaces adorned with one-of-a-kind beads, feathers, and stones can dress up any day outfit or add some spice to a simple LBD. A favorite of mine on display were the Sly earrings from the Rock & Bone collection. Described on their website as “4 strands of 24k gold-plated Czech beads accented with duck and goose feathers, bugle beads, onyx, abalone, citrine, howlite, goat teeth, and red chalcedony,” I would pair these earrings with a simple racerback tank, a pair of distressed jean shorts, and some studded gladiator sandals for a rocker-chic day look and a slinky black dress for an elegant but edgy going-out outfit. Adha Zelma jewelry can be bought online on their website or at ShopFlick, as well as in store at several boutiques in Brooklyn, NY.

Bio Ionic: PowerLight Pro-Dryer {Giveaway Closed}

Thanks for reading Chic Shopper Chick!  This giveaway is over, and a winner has been chosen by random.org.  Thanks!

About 2 years ago, I discovered blow dryers.  I mean, I suppose that I had always known about them but they were just these annoying things that made my hair all frizzy – sort of like Tina Turner after spending a summer day in Louisiana kinda frizzy.  Not. Pretty.

Two years ago my world changed.  My stylist, Meggan, always made my hair look PERFECT using just a round brush and blowdryer.  I attributed it to the fancy wash, the fresh cut, and the loads of product that she put in my hair.  One day, I bemoaned my fate of frizzyness and my constant need of a flat iron and she looked at me as if I had suddenly sprouted antenna from my shampoo commercial perfect hair.

“You can do this at home” she said to me.  She spoke slowly, as if dealing with a small child who had, until that point, only ever spoken French. “It’s all about the blowdryer.”

I smiled politely, inwardly rolling my eyes, and cringed knowing that a sales pitch was likely to follow.  It didn’t.  What followed, however, was the hair-ducation of Erika Lehmann.  Meggan told me about the wattage, the detachable nozzles, the importance of a “cool” shot button, the variable speeds, and challenged me to try it at home.

Can I just say that I HATE admitting when I’m wrong?  Really, it does not help my ego.

Meggan took me from mega-frizz, to mega-awesome in about a week.  She was correct, the right blowdryer does make all of the difference.  So, since you already know I’m a fan of the Bio Ionic One Pass, I thought I would introduce you to the Bio Ionic PowerLight Pro-Dryer – the blowdryer that will make your stylist smile with approval.

Check out some of the features of the PowerLight Pro-Dryer:

It has all of the features that Meggan recommended to me, like high wattage (1875W!), a cool shot button, variable speeds and heat settings, and the nozzle that allows you to control the air on a concentrated area.  Actually, the Pro-Dryer has 2 removable nozzles!  Not to mention, it’s ultra light, super fast (important when you have TONS of hair like me!), and conditioning.

Thanks to Bio Ionic, I have a Bio Ionic PowerLight Pro-Dryer to give away to one of my readers!

1.  Become a Fan of Bio Ionic on Facebook.  They are giving away tons of prizes each week – so if you don’t win here, you may win there!

2.  Leave a comment here telling me that you became a fan and also sharing with me one of your styling tips or your favorite celeb hairstyle.

That’s it!  For an extra entry, you can follow Bio Ionic on Twitter, subscribe to my YouTube Channel, or tweet this contest out to your followers (click the button at the top!). If you do, leave a comment here letting me know.  However, to qualify you must do the first two as well.

That’s it!  This contest will run through June 4th, 2010 at 11:59pm CST.  You must be a US resident to enter.  After the close of the contest, a winner will be chosen at random and posted here.  The winner has 72 hours to respond.

Speed Styling with the Bio Ionic One Pass {Giveaway CLOSED}

Thanks for entering!  This giveaway is now closed!  The winner was comment #95, as determined by random.org.

Confession:  I’m obsessed with my hair.  The color, the cut, the shine, the softness, the style…  OBSESSED.  My hair is naturally wavy and incredibly thick – it takes almost 45 minutes to blow dry.  Yes, I work hard for all of this hair, especially if it’s down and styled.  Of course, for all of this hair a gal needs some pretty serious tools.  When Bio Ionic approached me about taking their One Pass Flat Iron for a run, I couldn’t turn them down.

An iron that only needs to pass ONCE through your hair to straighten it?  Unheard of!  I have so much hair that it sometimes takes 3 or 4 passes to get that smooth look that I’m going for.  I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical.  So I tried it.

One Pass.  They aren’t kidding.  Here is video proof, too.  It works just like that.

So why do I think you should buy a One Pass from Bio Ionic? (And I do – I am recommending them to anyone looking to purchase.  Yes, mine was free, but if I had used one for a week I would have purchased one myself, hands down.  Don’t forget, it’s my promise to you that I will not recommend any product that I do not wholeheartedly believe in.)

1.  Time.  Who doesn’t need more time?  Even with all of this hair, I can walk out the door in roughly 8 minutes with it bone straight.  Did I mention that it heats up in seconds?

2.  Healthier Hair.  First of all, with only one pass, your hair is taking less abuse.  Secondly, the ionic technology actually makes it softer and healthier – it straightens your hair from the inside out.

3.  Looks.  It doesn’t just go fast and make your hair all healthy and stuff.  It LOOKS GOOD.  Isn’t that the reason we’re doing this, anyway?  Or, is that just me?

Some of the features of the One Pass, borrowed from their website:

• Silicone Speed Strips for faster straightening and increased shine
• Instant heat, up to 400°F & instant recovery
• Nano-Ionic™ Mineral fused to cushion plates
• High levels of negative ions & Far infrared energy for silky
  smooth conditioned hair
• Bio Ceramic 5 Second heaters
• Multi-level heat controller
• 10ft swivel cord

Wanna try the Bio Ionic One Pass?  I’m giving one away here on Chic Shopper Chick!  Here is what you have to do to enter:

1.  Become a Fan of Bio Ionic on Facebook.  They are giving away tons of prizes each week – so if you don’t win here, you may win there!

2.  Leave a comment here telling me that you became a fan and also sharing with me one of your styling tips or your favorite celeb hairstyle.

That’s it!  For an extra entry, you can follow Bio Ionic on Twitter, or tweet this contest out to your followers (click the button at the top!). If you do, leave a comment here letting me know.  However, to qualify you must do the first two as well.

That’s it!  This contest will run through April 22nd at 11:59pm CST.  You must be a US resident to enter.  After the close of the contest, a winner will be chosen at random.

A Girly Getaway to Sin City? Yes, Please!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of KAO Brands. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m not sure it’s ever been this bad before.  My spring fever, that is.  I mean sure, I typically start daydreaming of beaches and sunshine sometime when the temperature hovers around 75 degrees, but I’m not DESPERATE for it.  This year I’m suffering much worse than usual, and when I saw this chance to win a trip to Las Vegas for myself and 3 friends from KAO Brands (did I mention that it included $1,500 in spending money?) all I could see was me, poolside, with a tall glass of water (and perhaps a tall cabana boy?).

Head on over to the Temptation is Beautiful website to enter (I would highly encourage it, then I would encourage you to take me with you if you win – I’m very entertaining!) where you can also enter to win a daily beauty basket in addition to the grand prize trip to Vegas!  While you’re there, try taking the interactive quiz to see if you’re Hot Hot Hot (ahem, I absolutely am, per my results!  See the proof below!) or Cool as a Cucumber, then share it with your friends for more chances to win!

So what is your Temptress temperature?  Take the quiz and leave a comment to let me know!  Don’t forget, if you win (my US readers only, I’m sorry my international friends!), you definitely want to bring your favorite blogger along with you!  Can you just imagine renting a poolside cabana and being waited on hand and foot?  I can too!  Don’t worry, if I win, you can come along!

The 2010 Fashion Oscars

Did you watch the Oscars last night?  You know that I did.  It has even come to a point where I jot down notes in a notebook about which looks I love/don’t love so that I can find photos and information on it after.  I also write down my initial thoughts and impressions, as they make excellent fodder for a post like this one.  So, now that I’ve told you all of my secrets – here is a quick rundown of what I loved in my very own version of the Oscars – Fashion-style.

THE NOMINEES FOR THE 2010 CHIC SHOPPER CHICK FASHION OSCARS ARE:

I loved both of these looks – Queen Latifah has never looked better in an elegant lavender Marchesa gown with a sparkly twist, and Sandra Bullock was simply glowing in this golden confection of a dress (also by Marchesa).  I especially loved Sandra’s pink pouty lips and old Hollywood glamour style hair.

Two more nominees that made it solidly onto the “Best Dressed” list?  Markiska Hargitay in a sweeping Vera Wang dress, and Demi Moore in a blush-colored tiered Atelier Versace.  Both of them were simply stunning.

Rounding up the nominee list we have Rachel McAdams, for her sweeping, delicate Elie Saab Couture dress that just screamed spring.  I am especially fond of the sweetheart neckline, and that she chose to leave her collarbone bare.  And then, of course, we have Kate Winslet, who played it safe, but still looked stunning in this sleek YSL number that she accessorized with a 2.5 million dollar yellow diamond from Tiffany and Co.

Without further ado, the runner up for the 2010 Chic Shopper Chick Fashion Oscar is…

…A red-lipped Cameron Diaz in a billowing Oscar de la Renta gown that can only be described as show-stopping.  Diaz dropped her usual easy-going beach style in favor of something much more couture, and I, for one, was thrilled to see it.

Well, here we go.

It’s time.

Ladies and … well, ladies.  The moment we’ve all been waiting for.  The  2010 Fashion Oscar goes to…

Anna Kendrick who was nominated for her role in “Up In The Air”.  She stole the show in this delicate chiffon gown by Elie Saab – I especially loved that the gown was off-the-shoulders and not just strapless.  A perfect choice for her petite frame and age – this dress wins my 2010 Fashion Oscar.  Nice pick Anna!  Call me so that I can get you your award!

What were your favorites?

Mystic Tan. To Spray or Not To Spray.

Ok, I know I’m supposed to be the expert here, but I need a little help.  I have this Mardi Gras Ball coming up very soon, and well, my skin is so pale that you can practically see through it.  I plan to wear a strapless dress.  It’s a grey dress which won’t do much against my vampire-like skin.

I’m a big fan of how I look with a little glow, nothing overdone, just a little color.  My mom always said that tan fat was better than pale fat (oh yeah, welcome to my world) – and well, I don’t consider myself fat in the least, but people, c’mon – I’ve had a baby.  Wait, better yet, I should say I’ve had a baby and my name is not Camila Alves or Heidi Klum.  There are parts of me that will just look better with a tan.

Don’t worry, I’m fanatical about doing everything in my power to prevent wrinkles and sun damage, so I know better than to lay in a tanning bed for a few weeks.  Instead, I think it will be best to spray a bunch of chemicals on my skin.  That’s gotta be better, right?

But, um.  I’m skeered.  What if it turns me orange?!  The oompa-loompa look is not good on me.  How do I know what level to choose?  What if I go from looking very French to looking very Italian in about 20 minutes flat?  That’s gonna be awkward, right?

Have you done this?  Tips/tricks/suggestions for me?

Makeup Must: Foundation Brush

You’ve heard it before – you get what you pay for.  The savvy people of the world know that it is only mostly true – there are certainly things that aren’t worth the money or investment, but then there are, of course, lots of things that are.  Here is where I cut to the chase and tell you that a foundation brush is one of those things that is worth your money.

Let me back up, in case you are reading this, scratching your head in frustration, and saying “a whoodey-whatey?”  A foundation brush is a flat, tapered brush that you use to apply – what else – foundation.  Applying foundation with your fingers is a big no-no, even well-washed hands can spread bacteria and cause breakouts.  A brush will also give you a more even application – filling in each line and ultimately giving you a more finished look.  Ever wonder how celebs always have such flawless skin on camera, or why your makeup just doesn’t look as polished as you think it should?  The answer is simply:  buy a foundation brush.

Can you hear angels singing?

Foundation brushes will work with all sorts of foundations – cream, solid, liquid – you name it.  They are great for spot applications and can be cleaned using your everyday shampoo!  Makeup is an art – give new meaning to “painting” your face.

I personally use the Sephora Brand Professional Foundation Brush but I also really like the MAC 190 Foundation Brush and the Chanel Le Pinceau Teint brush.  You should expect a decent brush will start at around $25 but can go all the way up to $50.  It’s an investment, but remember that you will use it daily, and it won’t “run out” if you take excellent care of it!

Have any makeup tips and tricks you want to share?  Questions you’d love to see answered?  Leave them in the comments!

2009 Holiday Guide: Gifts For Mom

I sat next to a gentleman when I was on a plane on my way to Womma last month who was fascinated by my arsenal of beauty and fashion magazines.  He was the smart engineering-type, so lest he think I was the most vapid human being he had ever met (clearly I’m in the top 5, but certainly not number one), I offered him a little information about what I do for a living.  Then he asked for a suggestion on what he could get his wife for Christmas.  His exact words were “she likes little gift set thingies.”  Wow.  So I’m like, um, gift sets of what?  Socks?

Then he starts thumbing through a copy of Lucky (MY copy of Lucky, that is) and pointing out things she would like.  Finally I offered for him to take it home with him, and reminded him to use it wisely – he basically had a perfect list and guide of items right at his fingertips.  He also took my card, so on the off chance that his wife is reading this post, all I can say is I TRIED.

In case you haven’t picked up a copy of Lucky lately or you just have a wife or mother that is exceedingly difficult to shop for – here is a short list of a few ideas that will hopefully make your shopping experience a bit less painful.

momAgenda — I received my first momAgenda back in January and since then have discovered that I am unable to live without it.  It’s a one-stop source for everything I need to keep me organized – it has sections for my personal schedule, then I take advantage of some of the “Kids” column’s to keep my professional life organized as well (I only have one, so why waste all of that space?!).  Conference calls, doctor’s appointments, travel arrangements, playdates, and birthdays all have their place in my momAgenda.  The two ribbon book markers help me keep track of my current week, and my month at-a-glance, but you can use them however you want.  Even my favorite wines have a place in my momAgenda!  There is currently a sale going on site-wide at momAgenda with 15-40% off of everything in stock PLUS free shipping!

Soft Hugwear – Soft Hugwear is the stuff my soft, fluffy cloud dreams are made of.  They make blankets, eyemasks, travel pillows, and spa wraps, like the one above (which I own and LOVE).  This new, uber-posh line is available at WalMart, and I have got my sights set on the travel set!

Keurig Platinum Single Serve Brewing System – Let me just start my opinion of this with a WOW.  This has become the #1 item in my house that I just simply CANNOT live without.  I’ve recently become a coffee addict — which is tough in a house where no one else likes it.  I would find myself brewing a whole pot of coffee and only drinking a cup, so I started cutting it down, but it really is a good bit of effort to go through for just one cup of coffee!  The Keurig has totally changed that for me.  I keep the reservoir filled, grab the flavor of coffee or tea that I want, pick my size, and in one minute I have the perfect cup of coffee, and no more than that.  The difference is in the K cup – this little cup pre-filled with different options of coffee or tea – that you pop in the top of the brewer, then close the lid.  When you’re done, you just throw the whole cup away.  No mess at all.  Already have a type of coffee that you love?  You can create your own K Cups as well, so don’t worry!  I can also choose the size cup I’d like – which is perfect for early mornings when I’m grabbing my coffee on the go.

Philosophy Skincare – I debated adding this under my beauty guide, but I’ve got to say – a little pampering goes a long way for moms.  Any mom would be ecstatic to find this gift set under the tree – it includes everything she could possibly want to care for her skin – including Philosophy’s signature face wash, an exfoliating scrub, their signature moisturizer “Hope in a Jar” as well as the version for the sensitive eye area “Hope in a Tube”, as well as a micro delivery peel.  This kit is skincare heaven, and probably a splurge that mom would never get for herself.  The Miracle Worker Kit that you see here includes $156 worth of products for $86 bucks – plus FREE shipping from Sephora right now!

* * *

So there you have it, a few awesome last-minute picks for mom — stay tuned for some amazing giveaways, and check our the Technology section of the guide for some suggestions for the tech-loving people in your life as well as some of our newest giveaways!

Black Is In: Beauty and Fashion Deals for Black Friday

Black Friday is so often about the hottest toy or the newest Flat Screen TV…but what about all of the fashionista’s out there? Apart from the fact that most of us probably love our beauty sleep…we also can’t pass up a good deal on a great look! Here are some deals – available both online and in stores – starting tomorrow, Black Friday (don’t you feel like you should say “dun dun dun!” right after that?).  Read on to discover amazing discounts and deals, including free overnight shipping for the rest of your life!

BLACK FRIDAY – NOVEMBER 27, 2009

H&M: On Friday, November 27th, receive 25% off items of your choice from 5AM until 10AM* and enjoy Fashion Finds all day from $5.

Store hours vary; call your nearest H&M for opening hours. Store locator.

*Offer valid Friday, November 27th from store opening until 10AM. Not valid on previous purchases, for H&M gift cards, or in conjunction with any other discounts. These three stores open at 5 am on Black Friday; 5th Ave and 52nd street, Penn Station, Herald Square stores.

Zappos: Zappos is opening the doors to their VIP Club!  From Black Friday through Cyber Monday, your readers can visit Zappos.com and join the VIP Club.  By becoming a member of the  VIP Club, members will receive free, overnight shipping – for the rest of their lives!  This invitation will only last from midnight on November 27th until midnight November 30th.

The link to sign up for the VIP Club will be live starting at 12:01 am on Black Friday morning and will be taken down on midnight November 30th.  From that point on, anything you purchase through vip.zappos.com will arrive at your door the next day fo’ free.  You read that right.  Sign me up.

Crabtree & Evelyn:  Crabtree & Evelyn is having a Black Friday preview sale with 20% off sitewide!   Free shipping on orders of $25 or more, Hand Therapy lotion is 50% off, and you can snatch up Body Lotion for $7.  Great stocking stuffers, teacher gifts, or girlfriend gifts!

Apothica:  Apothica is offering 20%-70% off selected items in their clearance sale. This amazing store offers beauty brands like Herve Leger, The Art of Shaving, and beingTRUE – upscale beauty products marked as low as 70% off. You’ll find anything and everything: cleanser, wrinkle cream, mascara, perfume – you name it!

e.l.f.:  This Black Friday, you can take advantage of special shipping rates at e.l.f – have your order shipped for just $1.98 with no minimum order value.  Shipping is usually $7 and their prices start at $1.  Great stuff for a great deal!!  I love their studio collection brushes and am addicted to the lip liner.  Yes, it is possible to be a lip liner addict.

Sephora:  With any $50 online purchase at Sephora, you’ll get a free metallic flower clutch stocked with eight samples. Just enter CLUTCH4U at checkout.  Valid while supplies last. (PS – need an idea of what to buy?  Try my ultimate favorite T3 hairdryer, or a gift set from one of my favorite skincare lines, Philosophy.)

Macy’s:  Macy’s is having a Thanksgiving Sale with 20%-50% off of thousands of amazing items.  The sale is online Thursday 11/26 through Saturday 11/28, and in-store 5 am – 1 pm on Black Friday, and 8 am – 1 pm on Saturday.

Payless:  Payless is having a sale through December 1st that offers buy one, get another half off, on any item in the store.  Shoes?  Now you’re speaking my language!  Squee! See those shoes to the right, there?  Those are CHRISTIAN SIRIANO.  At Payless.  I’m just sayin’.

DJ Premium:  At DJ Premium you’ll find brands like L.A.M.B, Vivienne Westwood, True Religion, Custo Barcelona, and tons of others.  You can take 20% off of full priced items with the code:  IE20J6, and 25% off of your Black Friday order with 1FUN1U.

Arden B:  Until Noon on Friday, buy one item get another for $5 at Arden B – storewide, but in-store only!  Free shipping on purchases of $15 or more, and mix and match basics are 2 for $14.  You can also get 25% off of selected sweaters online.  Check out the Holiday Lookbook for ways to create an inspired Holiday wardrobe!

Shopbop:  Up to 70% off of items at one of my all-time faves, Shopbop.  This awesome sale includes Tory Burch Flats, William Rast denim, and Pour La Victoire boots, among other huge names.  We’re talking major wow factor over here.

Reinventing Beauty {Video!}

Have I ever mentioned to you that I have no concept of time?  Really, I don’t.  It annoys the heck out of people – even people who have known and loved me since I was a child want to shake me over this ridiculous lack of time-consciousness.  I’ll say I’ll be right back and I show up 4 hours later – tell you I’ll call you in 10 minutes and call you in 10 days.  I’m not denying that it’s annoying.  I live in Erika world, on Erika time.  It’s not one of my more charming qualities.

Speaking of never doing things on time – this brings me back to why I’m here.  Remember back in September I went to NYC to attend this little thing called Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week?  Well, while I was there I was invited to the CVS Reinventing Beauty Lounge – a pop-up spa like experience where I was basically pampered by having my nails, makeup, and hair all done.  While I was there, I was able to hang out with both Robert Verdi and Nigel Barker.  If it sounds like heaven…well, that’s because it is.

The highlight of the event was having my makeup done by Cover Girl Makeup Artist Jake Bailey.  He explained all of the different Cover Girl products to me, and gave me a rather stunning makeover with all of the products.  My absolute favorite of the bunch, which I have now incorporated into my daily routine, is the Outlast Lipstain.  It looks and works much like a marker — just paint it on your lips and go!  Jake also showed me a technique using a lip brush to get a lighter color from the lipstain that just made me look like I had these fantastic, naturally flushed lips.  I also fell in love with the Simply Ageless Foundation – and I am very loyal to my Clinique foundation, so that was a big jump for me!

Not that you are at all surprised, but I also made this video of my experience at the CVS Reinventing Beauty Lounge – it’s a lot of fun, and a little of me being silly (imagine that!) so enjoy!

Project Runway Party Video Recap!

My head is still spinning from covering Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and basically feeling like I had a full-time, real person’s job for roughly a week.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved every.single.second.  I am already making plans to return in February, to attend the final week in the tents at Bryant Park.  Not only did I have an amazing week at the tents, but I was fortunate to wrap up my week by covering the Project Runway Reception and Screening for Lifetime Moms.  I made the awesome video below for you, so you can feel like you were right there with me.

We were able to attend a reception at the Hearst Tower (where I totally had a “Confessions of a Shopaholic” moment when I was going up the escalator!) for Project Runway’s current season, after which we all piled into a lush executive theater to watch the 5th episode of this season!  You’ll find three of my favorite pictures below, but you can see all of my photos from the Project Runway Party in my Flickr stream.

These two were really, really nice!  I was originally standing to the left of both of them, and they insisted that I jump in the middle.   If you watched last week’s Project Runway, you saw Louise puncture her finger with the sewing machine — I asked her how she was doing, and she showed me that her fingers healed nicely.  She did share with me that she was so upset at the camera men when that happened, because there was one guy on each side of her, and both of them kept filming, neither of them made a move to help out.  Ahhh, the woes of reality TV.

Irina was the winner of the challenge in the Episode that we watched (where they used newspaper and she made that awesome coat with it!) and I had a great time chatting with her afterwards.  She was really nice — you can see her waving to me and my ubiquitous Flip Cam at the end of the video.

Then, of course, there was Althea Harper, whom I absoultely adored.  I talked to her mom for quite a while when Althea was on the red carpet being interviewed, and she and Althea both invited me to Althea’s Fashion Show the next night.  Unfortunately I coudln’t make it, but they were both so, so sweet – and I was really impressed with Althea in general.  We chatted about Tory Burch (I had just attended her show/presentation the day before), how it is to work for/with her, and about the fact that she designed what she was wearing.  She was so down to earth, it was like talking to an old friend!

I was so impressed with the entire cast of Project Runway Season 6 – they were all cheering each other on, supporting each other, applauding and squealing when Heidi told each of them that they were “safe”.  Watching that episode with them spoiled me, really, and just made me want to have a Project Runway party with all of them each week so that I could continue to feel the camradarie.

Think my mom will clap with me this week everytime we discover someone is “safe”?  It’s worth a try.

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