Our Favorite New Beauty Finds

We love trying all the latest beauty products out there and sharing our finds with you. There are tons of new products for smooth hair, soft skin or long lashes. Which should you try? Read on for our faves.

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, $42
When Rachel Zoe claims to be a fan, you know its got to be “MAJOR!” This tinted moisturizer is perfect for summer as it provides light, skin illuminating coverage as well as sun protection.  And coming from one of our favorite makeup brands, it’s no surprise the shades are gorgeous.

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation, $42
Illamasqua is known for their highly-pigmeneted, dramatic makeup, but this foundation is natural and beautiful.  It goes on so smooth and has staying power.  Plus you can layer and blend for the right amount of coverage for you.  It isn’t cakey at all and has a mild fragrance.

Simply Vera Vera Wang Cosmetics Transforming Shadow Duo, $19.50
Vera Wang’s line for Kohl’s has now expanded into cosmetics. The formulas and packaging are so luxe you won’t believe they aren’t from a high end department store.  The eye shadow duos are the perfect size to keep in your purse and come in an array of shimmer-y and matte shades that go on smooth and don’t crease.

Kiehl’s Activated Sun Protector Sunscreen for Body SPF 50, $23
Kiehl’s new sunscreen not only protects you from the sun but is also full of antioxidants and anti-aging ingredients such as goji berry, vitamin e and wheat.  It’s perfect for sensitive skin, too!

 

Maybelline Volum’ Express The MegaPlush Mascara, $7.99
This new mascara’s gel mousse formula doesn’t flake and creates super long lashes that almost look fake. The unique flexor brush ensures lots of product gets on your lashes without clumping. Plus, you can’t go wrong with this drugstore price!

Nexxus Pro-Mend Split End Treatment Daily Shampoo, $9.50 and Split End Binding Daily Conditioner, $17
If you’re prone to split ends between cuts you’ve got to try Nexxus’ new shampoo and conditioner.  Their pro-mend line is formulated to treat dry, damaged hair and bind split ends.  The scent is addictive and keeps your hair smelling fresh between washes.

Eclos Anti-Aging Moisture Therapy Regenerative Cream, $24.99
We recently discovered Eclos’ line of plant stem cell products that is amazingly moisturizing with great anti-aging properties.  The moisturizer smells fantastic and isn’t greasy…it will leave your skin feeling super soft!

Spring Fever Giveaway

With temperatures soon to be rising, we’ve got that spring fever and are celebrating with a very special PageDaily giveaway! Enter here for your chance to win a plethora of goodies sure to warm those winter bones and get you spring ready in no time. Our giveaway is stocked with fabulous picks like Ouidad hair care, ROXoxox jewelry, a FitBit Wireless Personal Trainer, StriVectin skincare and much more!

Our Spring Fever giveaway package is valued over $1000 and includes:

• ROXoxox Island Rox bracelet/necklace and Dune Rox Ring. Rock some serious arm and finger candy with this braided leather and chain detailed bracelet (also doubles as a necklace) and their 14K GF and Citrine statement ring.

• Kristin McGee Fitness DVD’s. Get ready to shed the layers with workout guru Kristin McGee’s workout DVD’s including, MTV Power Yoga, Kristin McGee’s Power Yoga, YogaTone, Bendigirl and Body by Bethenny.

• Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner and Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel. The Prickly Pear Cactus Extract, Green Tea and Vitamin B5 infused conditioner promotes long-lasting hydration and helps seal the cuticle layer of hair, preventing frizz and encouraging a healthier scalp. An Allure magazine, Glam.com and Daily Glow favorite, the heat activated  gel is made of wheat protein that breathes in humidity- protecting the hair shaft for a perfectly styled do.

• 2 Exude Lip Glosses. Exude’s custom smooth and non sticky formula not only hydrates your lips with an anti-aging complex and gives you show stopping color but it’s also celebrity stylist, Rachel Zoe’s favorite!

• Electric Yoga Bolt Bag. The neon lightning bolt bag is lightweight, beyond functional and waterproof lined- perfect for errands, spring time workouts and beach visits!

• StriVectin-SD Volumizing Hand Treatment and StriVectin-SH Dermal Infusion Mask . Give Father Time a run for his money with this revolutionary cream that combats five signs of aging hands. Rejuvenate with the intensive restorative mask that nourishes and firms skin, diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

• Stephanie Johnson ML Traveler. Tote your beauty bounty in style with this roomy and chic make-up case.

• FitBit Wireless Personal Trainer. The Wireless Personal Trainer is like having your own personal trainer but better. Monitor workouts, sleep and food intake with wireless updates and app syncing to help you reach your fitness goals.

• Essie Nail Varnish. Rock the season’s hottest shades on your hands with four different varnishes.

• Spa Water Guide Book and Water Bottle. Create healthy, delicious and inexpensive vitamin-infused water with this collection of twenty two refreshing recipes from award-winning spas around the world and take it on the go with an eco friendly water bottle.

• Tarina Tarantino Sparklicity Shimmer Dust. Add a little sparkle to your look with this paraben free microcrystalline shimmer designed to pouf the perfect sparkle onto your face, body and hair.

• Illamasqua Precision Ink. Create a perfectly defined eye with their fine tip liner that is long lasting and waterproof.

• Clearasil PerfectaWash. This innovative Automatic Face Wash Dispenser delivers the perfect dose of dermatologist tested cleanser for visibly clearer skin in twelve hours without over drying.

• Make Up Forever Make-Up. Nab color palettes from the industry’s go-to brand which was created in 1984 in the discreet Parisian workshop-boutiqe of renowned make-up artist Danny Sanz.

• Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Body Lotion. Instantly smooth and nourish wintery dehydrated skin for a soft, smooth and moisturized and spring ready skin!

• Limited Edition POP Phone Handset in Gold. Chat in style with this metallic handset that eliminates over 99% of absorbed radiation from cell phones.

 

Hot Lipsticks We Love

“Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together.”
― Elizabeth Taylor

The drink part is of course optional, but Liz got it right in saying that lipstick is an important step in pulling yourself, or your look, together!  It takes a confident woman to rock a bright lip color, but these super flattering and wearable shades make it easy.  Try a colorful lip this spring, it’s an easy way to complete your outfit and you can keep the rest of your face clean and simple.

Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Dahlia or Scarlett color, BUY NOW, $30
Scarlett Johannson is the face of Dolce & Gabbana makeup and a notorious fan of red lipstick, calling it “glamour in a tube.” If you want to capture the sexy star’s red lip look, try this D & G’s Scarlett or Dahlia shades.

Successorize Your Look with Stylish Necklaces

I love wearing statement necklaces and layering chic jewelry to infuse style into my daily outfits– which are what I like to call “successories.” A successory (see my quote on page 107 of this month’s People Style Watch) is a special accessory that is successful at taking your look from good to glam in record time! A successory can be a great leopard bag or a fab pair of earrings. The necklaces below certainly fit the bill and here are my favorite for the season:

Dannijo Medine Necklace, BUY NOW, $495
The fabulous sister team behind Dannijo create the most gorgeous and unique statement necklaces. Their Keira Bib style is an antiqued Copper chain with marble resin beads, and the taupe and turquoise color palette make for perfect spring shades. I love the versatility of this piece from dressing up a simple white tee to a sexy cocktail dress. Dannijo is a favorite of Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, Alexa Chung, Michelle Trachtenberg and style blogger “Man Repeller” Leandra Medine.

Jennifer Miller Swarovski Crystal Horn Necklace, BUY NOW, $295
I am obsessed with my Jennifer Miller Crystal Horn Necklace and like to wear it with my Ramy Brook dresses, or with jeans and a silky top. The yellow gold-plated necklace is on a 36” link chain and falls in just the right spot. It’s chic style finishes off any outfit! Jennifer Miller has cultivated a celeb following including Beverly Hills Housewives Kyle Richards and Lisa Vanderpump, New York Housewife Countess LuAnn de Lesseps and Angelina Jolie.

T.Cyia “Atomic” Gold Multi Chain Scarf Necklace, BUY NOW, $205
The T.Cyia handmade Multi Chain Necklace is a stylish and versatile piece that can be worn as a scarf, tied in a knot or double wrapped. Mixed metals make it on-trend and easy to wear with everything including gold and silver jewelry. The talented LA-based design team Tim McElwee and Cyia Batten create these beautiful pieces that are incredibly artistic. They are also favorites of Jennifer Lopez, Kate Walsh and Melissa George.

Top 5 Black Friday Shopping Steals

My turkey is almost ready for the oven, which means that the biggest shopping season is about to begin. Before you start your post-Thanksgiving shopping it’s important to have a plan because nobody wants to be trampled from a doorbuster that’s not a winning score.  So here are top five favorite post-Thanksgiving shopping picks.

Barneys:

If you have a thing for high-end shoes then Barneys is the destination for you. The store carries an extensive selection of high-end names and the most must-have styles. Most department stores usually start their shoe markdown 30% off but Barney’s usually cuts their prices 40%.

Gap:

Yes, we all love luxury boutiques but a girl also needs her basics. We are longstanding fans of the Gap’s jeans and tees. If you haven’t checked out their winter warm leggings, then you really should. For their Doorbuster, Gap is offering 50% off everything in the store until 10am Friday. Online shoppers can save 40% during the Thanksgiving weekend and through cyber Monday.

Gucci:

If you have a taste for fine luxury Italian tailoring this is the place to go. We suggest bypassing the handbag collection and going straight to the ready-to-wear department. Starting December, 2 the markdown on clothing will go to 50% off. But you can find the private presale link at Madison Avenue Spy.

Piperlime:

If you are looking for some one-stop-shopping, you might consider tapping your fingers over to Piperlime. From Black Friday through Cyber Monday, the online retailer will be offering customers 20% off on everything on the site. If you’re not sure where to look first, we suggest browsing the stylist’s picks. Rachel Zoe – is always a good launching point.

Saks Fifth Avenue:

An extra 50% off all reduced items can draw quite a crowd and that’s what Saks Fifth Avenue does almost every Friday after Thanksgiving. Until noon, shoppers can save up to 70% off at the swanky department store. I suggest sorting through the contemporary designers and waiting for further markdowns in the higher end brands, which will come later in the season.

Lila literally wears (and owns) many hats, as her multidimensional personality gives her the ability to inspire and admire. As a visionary, she is known for spotting trends before they are in style. For instance, in 2001 she declared cuffs and capri’s to be the look of the future. We all know where that went.  Lila possesses duel degrees from FIT and MIT, which were integral in her success in inventing the push-up bra and high heels. Most recently, Lila was instrumental in the search for WWD, in Iraqi. Unfortunately, her tour abroad was unsuccessful except the amazing deal she got on a camel hair coat. MadisonAvenueSpy.com was started, in May 2008. Lila has written for SmartMoney.com, the Wall Street Journal and Accent Magazine. Lila’s combined experience in covering retail and financial markets allows her to bring a unique transparency to the luxury goods market. She developed Madison Avenue Spy to share “insider” information in a sector that kept very hush hush to most luxury retail shoppers.

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:

The Ultimate Party of the Year-Fashion’s Night Out

It’s back-and better than ever. In it’s 3rd-year, Fashion’s Night Out, where thousands of retailers across the country stay open late for the ultimate shopping party of food, drinks-and of course to celebrate fashion. This all-out extravaganza will hit New York City on Thursday, September 8th, a prelude to New York Fashion Week (September 9th, 10th & 12th).

With debuts from J Brand and Chanel, to celebrity appearances from Heidi Klum, Rachel Zoe, Joss Stone, Ne-Yo, The Real Housewives of New York; and to top-it-off, Vera Wang in an ice cream truck, this is one star-studded event you won’t want to miss.

Here are the events you’ll want to check out in New York, LA, Miami, Dallas, and Chicago:

New York:

Topshop, 478 Broadway between Broadway and Broome

• Teamed up with Vogue Magazine, top models Chanel Iman, Coco Rocha, Karlie Kloss, Abbey Lee, and Charlotte Free will be giving out styling tips for the upcoming season; they will also select their favorite items from Topshop’s AW11 collection, debuting on FNO

• Customers who purchase one of the “favorite items” get the chance to be photographed with their favorite model; pictures will be posted on Tophop’s Facebook page

• Shoppers who spend over $100 will receive a notebook with a print from the AW11 collection on the cover; choose from one of four covers

Bergdorf Goodman, 754 5th Avenue at 58th Street

• Appearance by Michael Kors; Performance by Audrianna Cole

• Oscar de la Renta will be signing his limited edition “Face of Fashion” Fall kaleidoscope palette by Le Métier de Beauté

• Badgley Mischka, Joseph Altuzarra, Lela Rose, and Reem Acra will walk the runway with their furry friends in the Designer Dog Show

Diane von Furstenberg, 874 Washington Street at 14th Street

• Performance by Grammy Winner Estelle; performance features songs off her new album, All of Me

• Sample DVF’s new fragrance, Diane, before it hits stores in October. Enter to win an autographed bottle from Diane herself

Tory Burch, 797 Madison Avenue between 67th & 68th Streets

• Spend $250 or more and get styled by Vogue Editor Jessica Sailer and photographed by Fashion photographer Beau Grealy; chance to be featured on the Tory Blog

• Limited edition tote will be given to everyone who makes a $100 purchase

DKNY, 655 Madison Avenue between 60th & 61st Streets; 420 West Broadway between Prince & Spring Streets

• Shoppers who spend $250 or more will receive a limited edition tote with a DVD of documentary “Bill Cunningham New York”

• Complimentary popcorn and beer provided by Brooklyn Lager

• Complimentary Blind Barber haircuts

Michael Kors, 610 Fifth Avenue at Rockefeller Center

• Appearances by the Rockettes

• Champagne and live music by a guest DJ

• Chance to win denim totes signed by Michael himself

Sephora, 597 5th Avenue between 48th & 49th Streets

• Get all your beauty questions answered by a panel of experts: Vogue Beauty Director Sarah Brown, celebrity hairstylist Oscar Blandi, Founder and Creative Director of Urban Decay Cosmetics Wende Zomnir, and skincare guru Kate Somerville

Sephora Soho, 555 Broadway between Prince & Spring Streets

• Be one of the first 50 customers here and receive a free makeover and a “Stila-Girl” inspired sketch of yourself

Sephora Columbus Circle, 10 Columbus Circle between West 58th & 60th Streets

• Celebrity skin experts Sophie Evans and Fiona Locke of St. Tropez share all their beauty secrets

• Complimentary spray tanning

• Product giveaways- all customers will receive a free gift with a St. Tropez purchase; change to a prize valued at $200

Lord & Taylor, 424 5th Avenue between East 38th and 39th

• Wear This, Not That author Suze Yalof Schwartz answers all your style questions. Enter to win a $1,000 shopping spree

• Singer/Songwriter Solange Knowles will be DJing. Meet her and receive a photo

• Meet Ivanka Trump and receive a photo

Macy’s Herald Square, 151 West 34th Street at 6th Avenue

• Gucci Guilty Dance Party with Samantha Ronson

• Appearances by Tommy Hilfiger, Coco Rocha, America’s Next Top Model Judge J. Alexander, Bobbi Brown, Anna Dello Russo, Karolina Kurkova, and Rachel Roy

• Live musical performance by Joss Stone

Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 5th Avenue at 49th Street

• The Chronicles of Narnia, Tilda Swinton will be making an appearance with Pringle of Scotland​ designer Alistair Carr and Central Saint Martins’ Louise Wilson

• Hat signing and performance by Ne-Yo
• Win a $10,00 Fall Shopping Spree from StyleList, visit: stylelist.com/saks/

Victoria’s Secret, 591 Broadway between Houston and Prince Streets

• Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Erin Heatherton, and Lily Aldridge will be offering customer makeovers, photo opportunities and a fragrance preview

L’Occitane, 48 9th Avenue at 14th Street; 146 Spring Street between Wooster St & Broadway

• Complimentary chilled rosé

• Complimentary hand massages

• Riviera-inspired tote bag filled with the brands most essential beauty goodies

QVC, 428 Broadway between Howard & Canal Streets

• Meet QVC Designers as they discuss fashion, beauty and trends

• Try on the latest fashion and accessories in the Rowenta fashion closet

• Heidi Klum is unveiling her new jewelry line for QVC, WILDLIFE by Heidi Klum

Bloomingdale’s, Soho, 504 Broadway between Spring and Broome

• Appearance by Rachel Zoe; her recent clothing line The Rachel Zoe Collection is available for purchase

• Appearance by Erin Wasson and her capsule collection for Zadig & Voltaire

• A truth or lie game told to shoppers; hosted by Bono’s Wife, Ali Hewson

Helmut Lang, 93 Mercer Street at Spring Street

• Live performance by indie band Best Coast

• Food by Luke’s Lobster; Drinks by Death + Company

• An interactive digital photo booth will livestream images from store onto helmutlang.com

La Maison du Chocolat, 30 Rockefeller Plaza at 49th Street; 1018 Madison Avenue between 78th & 79th Streets

• La Maison du Chocolat will be hosting a chocolate ganache tasting

New York & Company, 715 Lexington Avenue between 57th St & 58th Streets

• Shop, eat and take pictures with the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City, Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, Kelly Killoren Bensimon and Ramona Singer

• Music by DJ Steve Powers

Patricia Field, 302 Bowery between E Houston & Bleecker Streets

• Meet designers V.O.N., Seville Michelle Anastos, Phillipe & David Blond, and Zana Bayne

• Receive special gift bags and be included a prize raffle

• Vodka cocktails will be served; party goes until 1am

Rebecca Taylor, 34 Gansevoort Street between Hudson & Greenwich Streets

• Jams provided by Brooklyn band AVAN LAVA along with DJ performances by Narcisse & Fischerspooner’s Ian Pai & Le Chev

• Enter the “Who Wore it Best” contest from 7pm-9pm to win 2 tickets to a Rebecca Taylor Fashion Show

• Blooming Cake Pops and Svedka vodka cocktails will be served

Scott J Aveda. Salonspa, 242 East 86th Street between 2nd & 3rd Avenue

• Free Hair Care Consultations, Makeup Touch Ups, and Hand Treatments

• Be one of the first 50 guest and receive an AVEDA Product Gift and a voucher for a complimentary hair treatment with your next service

Vera Wang, 158 Mercer Street between Prince & W Houston Streets

• Vera Wang and her team will peruse NYC in their customized Mister Softee truck; giving out free ice cream

• Shopping incentives and giveaways available

Worth & Worth, 45 West 57th Street between Fifth & Avenue of the Americas

• Great Gatsby themed Gala including build your own hat event, celebrity hat auction, cocktails, live music, photo booth, and more

Madison Avenue Spy Fashion Hunt, shops between 57th & 86th Streets

• The ultimate scavenger hunt-shoppers are invited to attend and tweet pictures from a list of events happening at retailers on Madison Avenue (between 57th-86th streets). Shoppers who complete three tasks will be directed to a secret Madison Avenue location where they will be awarded with prizes and champagne

• Chance to win from leading brands like Betsey Johnson, Juicy Couture, La Perla; for officials rules, visit  madisonavenuespy.com

Manolo Blahnik, 31 West 54th New York NY 10019

• Sarah Jessica Parker and Manolo Blahnik USA invite you to celebrate Fashion’s Night Out on September 8th at their boutique where they will unveil a special shoe Sarah Jessica teamed up with Manolo in designing.

• In toasting this very special collaboration a van will be tooting around the city with Manolo’s favorite treat—milkshakes.

• Milkshakes and Manolos, what could be better! A portion of the proceeds will go to The Fund for Public Schools.

LA:

The Beverly Center, 8500 Beverly Boulevard

• This star-studded Luxury Fashion Show hosted by Nicole Richie will feature the trendiest fall looks. Expect to see an abundance of A-listers, press, and fashion editors

Alice + Olivia, 134 South Robertson Boulevard

• This carnival-inspired theme block party makes you feel like a kid again with sno-cones, cotton candy, games and raffles

ADBD Space (Paul Frank Pop-Up Shop), 8246 Beverly Blvd

• This retro-inspired disco themed party hosted by Paul Frank and Red Light PR is complete with a pop-up shop,  henna tattoos, and a custom photobooth.  Taryn Manning will be Djing the event. Don’t miss out on the fully stocked candy bar and drinks all night

Miami:

City Style Collective, 695 North Miami Avenue

• 30 of Miami’s hottest acts from fashion and beauty will be participating in this pop-up shop event. This jammed-packed event will feature mini-make-overs, hair touch-ups, photo shoots, dancing, live entertainment, and music provided by DJ Rob Di Nero

Dallas:

Galleria Dallas, 13350 Dallas Parkway Suite 3080

• Participating retailers here are offering a ton of deals and freebies: Prosecco and Italian specialty cocktails at Gucci, photo sessions at Saks Fifth Avenue taken by an Estée Lauder photography artist;  free wristlet with your purchase of $150 at Dooney & Bourke

Chicago:

Oak Street Shops, Oak Street between Michigan Avenue and State Street

• Drink and meet the designers of Henry & Belle Denim Company all while receiving a 20% discount; Ashley Zisook, owner of Sofia and her stylists will be offering champagne, discounts and giveaways. First 500 guests receive a FNO tote bag. All shoppers will receive one raffle ticket with every purchase at a participating store

Shopping for a cause: NYC AIDS Fund is the official charity of Fashion Night Out where 40% of proceeds from sales of the limited edition FNO t-shirts ($25), long-sleeved shirts ($30), caps ($15), and totes ($50) will be donated. The collection is available at various retailers and major department stores and online at fashionsnightout.com/collection

Barneys will be donating 10% of its FNO sales at the Barneys Madison Avenue store (and 10% of Barneys.com sales) to the National September 11th Memorial & Museum.

Rachel Zoe Launches a Lipstick Revolution

Rachel Zoe, celebrity stylist, designer, TV star and new mom can now add the title brand ambassador to her resume.  Rachel is the new spokeswoman for Exude, “a revolution in lipstick.”

She celebrated yesterday at the Plaza where there were make-up artists on hand to apply the brand new product, available at http://www.exudelipstick.com for $29 starting in August.

PageDaily was there to try out the new colors (Rachel even said the Plum looked “Major!” on me) and talk to Rachel about the line, as well as dressing a very stylish son!

“As soon as he is old enough to realize that he has Gucci and Missoni in his closet I am ripping out all the labels…I do not want him to get wrapped up in that but for right now for me it’s so much fun.”

Rachel also dished on her love for lipstick: “I never go anywhere without a lip.  I have pictures of me around 13 with a major lip on.”

As for her favorite shade?  “The Cranberry never leaves my bag.”

The 9 shades of lip crèmes and 5 glosses come in a unique dispenser which Rachel called “a whole new way to apply lipstick.”  To avoid the typical problems associated with lipstick – breaking, melting, not retaining their shape – Exude created a one of a kind crystal lip color applicator that dispenses the right amount of product with each use.  Plus it has a special cap that prevents make-up messes from happening in your bag.

The non-sticky formula is super moisturizing and full of healthy ingredients like vitamins C and E, omegas 3 and 6, and antioxidant-rich goji berry.   Plus it has a refreshing minty scent that we love.

Photo Courtesy of Linda Covello Photography

Rachel Zoe Sunglasses, $34

Rachel Zoe Sunglasses Stylist Rachel Zoe known for supersize shades These are from her line exclusive to QVC We love the Classic Round Frame and the Oversized Gradient Frame Gradient coloring transitions Flattering on almost everyone Flaunt your inner Jackie O! Price: $34 Buy at QVC

The Great of 2008

By Jennifer Wright

2008 was quite a year. You may note that I am refraining from applying too many glowing adjectives to describe it. That is in case you worked for Lehman Brothers, or Citibank, or Bear Stearns. Or on the off chance that you are a staunch Republican. Or, alternatively, that you are Bernie Madoff.  Taking those situations into account it probably wouldn’t be fair to call 2008 a really great year.

However, like every year, it had its moments. And by “moments,” I mean bodacious parties. Here are eight of the great parties of 2008, or at least, some that I really loved:

8: The Screening of Hamlet 2 : It was August 19th, but people dragged themselves back early from their summer houses to be rocked by Sexy Jesus. It was worth it. Focus Films provided miniature champagne bottles with straws as well as a variety of different, absurdly delicious popcorns.  The crowd was peppered with notables, including producer Eric Eisner, film star Phoebe Strole, and Focus Features president Andrew Karpen. But what about other screenings, you ask? What about Doubt? What about W? What about . . .  yes, you could certainly inquire. But Hamlet 2 gets extra points for being a party that happened during the summer and, yet, did not require me to sit on the Jitney next to a screaming baby for approximately 10 million years. Unfortunately, it is the only party I went to this summer of which that can be said.

7: Escada Event at Saks: It would be great to go out, sometime, and see a movie star who was not even more beautiful in real life than on the screen. It did not happen at the Escada event on October 30th. Hilary Swank looked impossibly gorgeous – and was lovely as she commented on the fantastic “architecture” of her one shouldered dress. And Amy Sacco was there! Of course, Escada’s creative director Damiano Biella was there too – Duffy even dedicated one of her songs to him.

6: Times Square on November 4th (If you were the aforementioned staunch Republican, just skip this one): It may not qualify as a traditional party, but at least every New Yorker was able to attend. And besides, how can you really define a party? Is it defined by wild dancing? Because that was happening on Times Square after the election results were announced. Cartwheels? Check. Wild screams of joy? Strangers embracing strangers? Check to all merriment. If you needed celebrities, well, Barack Obama was beaming down from the overhead screen.

5: Cookie Magazine’s Kidfest Benefit to aid Free Arts NYC: I spend a lot of time wishing that I’d grown up in New York. Because if I’d been raised here, rather than being taught to paint by my second grade teacher, Donald Baechler would have been helping me out. At least, he would have if I was a child who attended the Kidfest Benefit on November 16th.  Meanwhile, Patrick McMullan would be taking family photographs, while Brooke Shields, Kim Raver, Cynthia Rowley and Nigel Barker milled about. As it was, I felt like it was too late to try to learn how to paint with Donald Baechler. Fortunately, it was not too late to take advantage of their “decorate your own cookie” stand.

4: The Plaza Retail Collection Presents Maggie Norris Couture: When I was a kid, not living in New York, I spent a lot of time reading Eloise, about the little girl who lives at The Plaza. However, these days, I am savvy enough to know that Maggie Norris is giving Eloise a run for her money. After all, Eloise’s mother simply “knew Coco Chanel” while Maggie Norris’s gorgeous and simple yet impossibly elegant designs rival Chanel’s own creations. It was never more apparent than on November 13th, when models including Fatima Siad, Marcia Mitchell and Hayley Finklestein appeared in her creations. Onlookers included Devorah Rose, Alex McCord and Anthony Nicola, the general manager of The Plaza’s Retail Collection.

3: Kelly Klein and Andre Balazs Celebrate the Publication of HORSE: Rachel Zoe was there. She was there, and she was nice, and she took pictures with Melissa Meyers and me. That alone is enough to make Kelly Klein’s book party in Miami on December 3rd a memorable party. However, it becomes more memorable when you factor in the fact that Ivana Trump was there too. So was Julian Schnabel along with his son Vito and Calvin Klein. The book was beautiful, too.

2: RFK Bridge Naming Ceremony: You may have heard the name Kennedy mentioned in the news lately, and if you were at the RFK Bridge Naming Ceremony November 19th you’d certainly have had a chance to see the clan as well. Ted and Kiki Kennedy were in attendance as were a host of luminaries who graciously paid homage to Robert F. Kennedy. Some of those notables included Melissa Meyers, Sarah Jessica Parker and Alec Baldwin. Senator Clinton was also in attendance, as well as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Speaker Pelosi.

1: Young Lions Disco Ball: Edward Albee and Salman Rushdie aren’t generally the first thing you think of when you consider Disco, but they were in attendance for the Young Lions Disco Party at the New York Public Library on November 3rd. Bohemian It girl Arden Wohl was twirling wildly on the dance floor, alongside Stephanie LaCava and Ivanka Trump. Philanthropist Steven Schwarzman was also there, dancing exuberantly to Disturbia. And, like every party, it had its party animals, in this case, the giant NYPL lion’s mascot.

So, from a purely party based standpoint, it was kind of a great year after all. And if you weren’t out on the scene in 2008, I will be looking for you in 2009.