10 Trends To Toss & Keep For 2012

Keep: Ombré Highlights

OK, so ombré’s been around for awhile–but there’s a reason why: The two-toned look works on anyone. Whether it’s golden streaks like Rachel Bilson’s, or warm caramel highlights for a blondie, the ombré look is great for enhancing hair color without the commitment of a full dye job. This is one hair trend we won’t might bringing into the New Year.

Toss: Half-Buzzed Hairstyles

Half-buzzed hairstyles certainly had their moment this year. From Cher Lloyd to singer Cassie to Project Runway winner Anya Ayoung-Chee, it seemed like the shaved ‘do popped up just about everywhere. Unfortunately the half-buzzed hair, looked just that: half-done. Leave it in 2011.

My Top Five Foundations for Perfect-Looking Skin

I like to protect and even out the tone of my skin every day with a light foundation. I have tried so many over the past few months and found these to be the best and most natural. I am very sensitive to smell and perfumes so the five listed below have a slight pleasant scent if any. Here are my favorites whatever your budget:

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

Chanel finally came out with a super lightweight water-based foundation last spring and I think it is one of their best new products. The ultra-fine and oil-free fluid feels like a second skin and blends easily. It is available in 10 shades and contains SPF 15.

Buy Now, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, $45

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20

Laura Mercier is a cult favorite and I must admit I am one of their biggest fans when it comes to natural-looking foundation. Even though the name says tinted moisturizer, this superb formula has coverage and evens out the skin perfectly. I like both formulas depending on the season (oil-free and regular). This foundation also has SPF 20.

Buy Now, Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20, $42

Sue Devitt’s 70% Triple Seaweed Gel Foundation

The Triple Seaweed Foundation is an oil-free gel formula that evens out skin imperfections and offers an instant healthy glow. I like that it is super lightweight and 70% water based so you can layer if for more coverage as needed. Also, visibly reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines–just love it!

Buy Now, Sue Devitt 70% Triple Seaweed Gel Foundation, $38

L’Oreal Visible Lift Instant Age-Reversing Foundation

For a lightweight and soft foundation, L’Oreal’s Visible Lift is a great product, especially for the price. It protects your skin with SPF 17 and evens out skin tone. Plus, it comes with a brush applicator and is easy to apply!

Buy Now, L’Oreal Visible Lift Smooth Absolute Instant Age Reversing Foundation, $15.95

Revlon PhotoReady

Revlon PhotoReady foundation gives you picture-perfect skin without caking and feels light on the skin. It can be found at your local drugstore but feels like expensive department store make-up.

Buy Now, Revlon PhotoReady Makeup. $13

 

 

 

 

Melissa’s Tips, Tricks and Product Picks: Purple Love

This season I’ve been OBSESSED with all things purple.  Here are some of my favorite purple purchases:

Ramy Brook Casey top, Buy Now, $395

Thakoon Sand-Wash Side-Drape Dress, Buy Now, $525

Nike Dri-FIT Wool Half-Zip Women’s Running Shirt, Buy Now, $80

BY TERRY Crayon Khol Terrybly in Purple Label, Buy Now, $33

Sue Devitt Hydrating Marine Minerals Destination Eye Palette in Kilimanjaro, Buy Now, $37.50

Rag and Bone EXCLUSIVE Midrise Skinny Twill Leggings, Buy Now, $185

Transitional Dressing – Shoshanna Gruss Must Haves (Summer to Early Fall)

As summer comes to an end, feel beautiful and confident as the season transitions into colder temperatures. Here are some of my wardrobe and beauty must have’s for the upcoming season. And remember, don’t be afraid to experiment – trust your instincts and find what works for you!

· Look 1: Sweater Dress – A short sweater dress is a staple piece for your transitional wardrobe. Try the Shoshanna Olive ¾ sleeve merino wool and silk combo dress, and match it with a great Leopard bag like this Jerome Dreyfuss Billy Large Shoulder Bag. Ankle boots are perfect to pair with your short dresses as we get into September – save skin tight boots for winter weather. These lace up chunky heels by Madison Harding are a perfect example.

Buy Now, Shoshanna Pleated Sweater Dress, $375
Buy Now, Jerome Dreyfuss Billy Large Shoulder Bag, $1,892
Buy Now, Madison Harding “Ethel” Desert Booties, $300

· Look 2: Lace – Lace is a big trend this Fall. This classic Shoshanna shift silhouette, enhanced with an overlay of black floral lace and a prettily scalloped hem works for day and night. Wear it to work with a lightweight black crepe blazer like this one by Vanessa Bruno then dress it up with a gorgeous Edie Parker clutch for a night out! The Laura clutch in an ocean pearlescent and amethyst mica stripes paired with the Nicholas Kirkwood Erdem Printed Crepe Platform Pump compliments the dress perfectly.

Buy Now, Shoshanna Lace Dress, $395
Buy Now, Vanessa Bruno Tie Front Crepe Blazer, $702
Edie Parker Lara Clutch, $1,295
Nicholas Kirkwood for Erdem Printed Crepe Platform Pump, $860

· Look 3: Prints – Start to bring out your rich fall prints like the Shoshanna La Dolce Vita cascading front dress. This dress has the perfect combination of warm and cool colors that get you in the mood for Fall. Style it with a chunky statement necklace. Dannijo has some of my favorite Fall jewelry this year! This bib necklace can be paired with almost everything in my closet. The citrine stones and pearl beads give just the right amount of color to the antique brass chain. Pull the whole look together with these black Proenza Schouler multi-strap suede sandals with geometric cutouts.

Buy Now, Cap-Sleeve Cascade Dress, $375
Buy Now, Proenza Schouler Multi-Strap Sandal, $1,170
Buy Now, Dannijo Bib Necklace, $656

· My Perfect Makeup– Keep your summer tan glow with the Shoshanna “3 X A Charm” luminizer, bronzer, blush trio from my best friend Charlotte Ronson’s new cosmetic line exclusively at Sephora. It’s a whole new wardrobe for your cheeks: mix and match this trio of colors to create a range of looks. Each features LFT™ (Light Filter Technology) to automatically adjust its pigments based on your lighting. The result is the perfect glow under any light, day or night. Made with long-lasting, jet-milled talc, these three silky powders glide on evenly to create a natural, healthy-looking glow. Moisturizers and vitamins calm and soothe thirsty skin. This Trio brings out a fresh glow—and offers multiple ways to transition your own look. I love her whole collection and the lip gloss named after Charlotte’s sister Samantha is simple enough to wear and has just the right amount of color. Don’t forget your lashes! My go-to mascara is Lancome Hypnose – it wraps lashes one luxurious layer at a time without smearing, smudging or clumping!

Buy Now, 3 X A Charm Luminizer, Blush, Bronzer, $28
Buy Now, HYPNÔSE Custom Volume Mascara, $25
Buy Now, A Perfect Kiss Lip Gloss, $14

You can also find Shoshanna at:

www.facebook.com/shoshanna
www.twitter.com/shopshoshanna

Fashion Week Favorite Beauty Round-up

Hair:

We loved the effortless look with a new “twist” Ted Gibson created for Lela Rose: “The new braid for Spring!” We can actually do this one ourselves.

We think textured, beachy So-Cal hair like the looks created by curl expert Ouidad backstage at Timo Weiland will be an easy trend to create at home this Spring and Summer. Try a loose updo topped with a sporty backwards baseball cap.

We saw a chic, sleek pony styled by Renato Campora for Frederic Fekkai at Marchesa. Dress it up by wrapping a section of hair around ponytail to conceal the band.

Make-up:

The look at Rachel Zoe was a heavy eye with natural lips. The lipstick from her new Exude line was used on the models in Nude.

We are so obsessed with the retro matte eyeshadow topped with black liquid liner we saw backstage at Alice+Olivia, created by Sarah Lucero for Stila on Beauty.com. Perfect!

Buy Now, Stila Matte Eyeshadow, $18
Buy Now, Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, $20

Brows are going to be huge for Spring! The models at Altuzarra sported minimal makeup but with serious brows created by MAC make-up artists. They were also responsible for the major brows backstage at Proenza Schouler and paired them with pretty flushed cheeks.

Statement-making brows were the theme backstage at Cynthia Rowley too, where Make-up Forever artists used shadow to fill them in.

Brows were a big part of the look created by Francois Nars, founder of NARS cosmetics, for the Marc Jacobs show. A strong brow was paired with major lashes and nude lips inspired by Amy Winehouse.

Buy Now, NARs Eyebrow Pencil, $21

Nails:

We spotted pretty and preppy pink striped nails at Rebecca Minkoff. To get this look, paint vertical stripes using essie’s bright Pink Parka over essie’s Below the Belt white.

Buy Now, Essie Below the Belt White, $3.44

Sally Hansen’s natural looking Parchment Complete Salon Manicure polish was used to create the natural-looking nails backstage at one of our favorite young designers, Alexander Wang.

Buy Now, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Polish, $6.99

Sally Hansen

Poppy red nails looked fresh on the models at Jason Wu. Their nails were polished with OPI’s Monsooner or Later.

Buy Now, OPI Monsooner or Later, $7.50

Check out our backstage photo albums from fashion week on facebook:

Fashion Week Spring 2012
Pamella Roland Presentation
Rachel Roy Presentation
Rachel Zoe Show Backstage

Check out our Fashion Week Flashback: Best Beauty Tips for Fall/Winter 2011:

Buy Tarte Glow Your Way to Gorgeous, $59.93

Buy Tarte Glow Your Way to Gorgeous, $59.93 Packed with blush, bronzer, cream eye shadow, lip color, concealer, mascara and eyeliner Comes in a glamorous purple make-up case that is the perfect size for the on-the-go gal to throw in her purse or weekend bag Shop the Full Story: Must-have Waterproof Make-up from Tarte at a Great Value

Fab Fixes for the Worst Beauty Crimes

Unfortunately, beauty has a bad side. Between late nights, stress and, sometimes, just plain laziness (consider me guilty as charged!), our appearances can go horribly awry. In honor of today’s Partner-in-Crime Girlfriend (have you told us why SHE is your Partner-in-Crime Girlfriend in the National Girlfriend Awards yet?), we’re letting the crime fit the punishment with fab fixes for your biggest beauty law-breakers.

CRIME: Late-Night Laziness

PUNISHMENT: Late nights and a little too much wine can often lead to laziness, especially in the skincare department. After all, isn’t that 10-15 minutes it takes to remove your makeup better spent in bed? Alas, waking up with mascara on your cheeks and foundation on your pillow is never fun. Cut your nightly beauty routine in half with Olay’s Daily Facial Express Wet Cleansing Cloths for Sensitive Skin (SALE: $4.49 at CVS). These pre-moistened wipes are alcohol- and fragrance-free and contain skin-nourishing ingredients like vitamin E and aloe—they even take off water-proof mascara! Perfect for ladies with sensitive skin and those who would like to get some shut-eye, ASAP (uh, everyone?!).

CRIME: Dark Under-Eye Circles

PUNISHMENT: So that double shot of espresso might be a totally necessary start to your day (and night), but too much caffeine and lack of sleep will start to show eventually. Fight tired eyes and dark circles with Aveeno’s Active Naturals Smart Essentials Anti-Fatigue Eye Treatment ($9.59 on Drugstore.com). This easy-to-apply product comes in a roller ball that massages eyes to reduce puffiness while distributing anti-aging antioxidants like Southernwood and vitamins E and C. Bright eyes are just a swipe away!

CRIME: Bald Brows

PUNISHMENT: If eyes are the windows to the soul, then make sure they look awesome by not over-plucking your eyebrows. Thicker, more natural-looking brows have been the trend for a few years now and there is nothing sadder than seeing a pair of unflattering, pencil-thin brows. The key to a great at-home pluck session is backing aaaaway from that fluorescent-lighted, magnified mirror (use natural light and stand back a bit, believe it or not!) and dropping the hard-to-hold tweezers for an easy-to-wield option like the Tweezerman Slant Tweezer ($20). The shape and fullness of brows should complement your face, which means being able to see your entire face before and during plucking.

CRIME: Popping Pimples

PUNISHMENT: Pimples have the worst timing (job interviews, weddings, first dates), but drop the rubbing alcohol and tweezers already (popping a zit will probably just result in blood and having to cover an unsightly spot with concealer, anyway!). Try Neutrogena’s Rapid Clear 2 in 1 Fight and Fade Gel ($8.99 at Target) to effectively zap zits. Good guys like salicylic acid help erase pesky spots and fight any fade marks after the fact.

CRIME: Hair Help

PUNISHMENT: Every now and then I go a little crazy with the styling tools—I have a pretty intense relationship with my blow-dryer (…and my flat iron, curling iron, etc. ). Add over-styling to all that summertime humidity and fun (like swimming), and anyone’s tresses can get into some serious trouble. So, sentence your strands to Oribe’s Shine Supershine Moisturizing Cream ($49 at Neiman Marcus), a lightweight, creamy leave-in conditioner that moisturizes hair while fighting frizz, humidity and even defining curls—all while creating shiny and touchable hair.

What beauty crimes are you guilty of committing? How do you help punish your bad habits? What do you think of our fixes?

-Elana Lott

Sheckys.com lets you share your man’s mystifying moments, get easy tips for the healthiest, happiest and most fashionable you, discover our Girls Night Out events and more, all while earning OMG Points toward free goodies!

Buy Stila makeup palette: Stunning in Sayulita, $14

Buy Stila makeup palette: Stunning in Sayulita, $14 Get five complete looks Inspired by Katie Lee’s trips to this surfer’s paradise Shop the Full Story: Hot and New In the Hamptons

Buy L’oreal Voluminous Black Mascara, $6.99

Buy L’oreal Voluminous Black Mascara, $6.99 Dramatic Volume Effect Separates & Builds Every Lash Shop the Full Story: Law & Order: Criminal Intent’s Kathryn Erbe – Tips, Tricks and Product Picks

Buy Nars Soft Touch Shade Pencil in Aigle Noir, $24

Buy Nars Soft Touch Shade Pencil in Aigle Noir, $24 Provide easy, portable, long-wearing application Versatile functionality to shade the lid, line, or highlight the eye. Shop the Full Story: Law & Order: Criminal Intent’s Kathryn Erbe – Tips, Tricks and Product Picks