Beauty411

Fashion's Night Out: My Top 10 Can't Miss Picks!

Fashion's Night Out, a celebration of retail and fashion, will kick off New York Fashion Week on Thursday, September 10, 2009.  Fashion's Night Out was conceptualized by Anna Wintour as an attempt to boost sales in a tough economic environment.  Vogue partners with the CFDA and NYC & Co. to host an evening extravaganza, full of appearances by fashion and beauty's elite, the likes of which have never been seen.

A seasoned shopaholic, I can't wait for Fashion's Night Out.  I'll be covering the event as part of New York Fashion Week.  With so many fantastic venues to choose from, I've narrowed my list to these can't-miss picks:

• Barney's New York:  Personal appearance abound here, including Isabel Toledo, one of Michelle Obama's fave designers.  Lipstick Queen Poppy King will be on hand to do "lip readings" .

• Bergdorf Goodman: Zac Posen will be painting the windows;  Andre Leon Talley will be hosting the new game Fashion Rules with guests Donna Karan; Isaac Mizrahi will also be attending.  There will be a cook-off hosted by Padma Lakshmi, of Top Chef. Lancome's Sandy Linter will also be making an appearance to share tips and techniques.

• Bloomingdales (flagship): Tons of personal appearance and festivities here will make this a stop you won't want to miss. Plus, Clinique is hosting Milly designer Michelle Smith with cocktails and makeovers from 5-7 pm.  You'll want to pick up "The Milly for Clinique" makeup bag gift with purchase with any $25 Clinique purchase.

• Chanel: The Soho store will feature the Chanel Champagne Nail Bar (a concept I'm totally behind!), where the highly sought-after Jade nail colour will make it's debut. Shoppers will be treated to mini-manicures with Jade.  At the 57th Street Store, guests can custom-create their own Chanel handbag--can you even imagine? This might be my most anticipated event of the night.

• Henri Bendel: The evening's events will be focused on accessories and beauty.  A personal appearance will be held by Trish McEvoy. And being as how Henri Bendel is known for their beauty and fragrance departments, I'm sure this will be a fabulous stop.

• Lancome: At the Boutique (Columbus Circle), there will be an appearance by designer Chris Benz, creator of the new Pout-a-Porter lipstick. The wait list will officially open. Cupcakes, champagne and makeup--what's not to love?

• M.A.C:  (42nd at Park Avenue) Get in on a sneak-peek party for the Style Black Collection, M.A.C's journey to the dark side. DJs will be on hand to add to the atmosphere. No one throws a party like M.A.C. Plan on this being a party to remember!

• Magnolia Bakery:  The iconic cupcake bakery will be dressing up their classic cupcake with a special Fashion's Night Out cupcake and donating a portion of the proceeds to the 9/11 Memorial Fund.  An excellent stop to re-fuel and get your sugar high on.

• Saks Fifth Avenue: Appearances are the name of the game here, including visits by fashion and beauty's biggest names: Donna Karan, Carolina Hererra, Guiseppe Zanotti, Aerin Lauder, Bobbi Brown and Frederic Fekkai. Over 1,000 cosmetic giveaways to really add excitement to the night.

• Tory Burch: One of the most fun events, Tory Burch is hosting a neighborhood blcok party at the Meatpacking District Store, complete with DJs and barbeque.  Definitely a can't-miss stop!

While Fashion's Night Out promises to be full of fun, the evening will also benefit two worthwhile charities: A limited edition t-shirt (see photo above) will be sold by participating retailers, with 40% of the proceeds going to National September 11 Memorial and Museum at The World Trade Center.  In addition, a citywide clothing drive will support the NYC AIDS fund.

Every day that gets closer to Fashion's Night Out, I get an update more amazing than the day before it, so keep checking FashionsNightOut.com for the most up-to-date information.  It's also where you can find links to retailers and even compose and email your own itinerary.  Now...how to be in more than one place at a time?!

Francois Nars at Barneys New York in Chicago!

 

Francois Nars, Founder and Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics will be making a rare personal appearance at the new Barneys New York in Chicago on Saturday, June 20th from 2:00 - 3:30pm. 

Nars will be signing copies of his books Xray and Makeup Your Mind.  In addition, a special limited-edition NARS Loves Chicago makeup collection will be made available for sale at the NARS counter.  This set features four classic products resurrected from the archives especially for the women of Chicago.  I love that!

The NARS makeup artists will also be offering customers in-store makeovers using the NARS Loves Chicago set, as well as the Summer makeup collection.

For more information, contact the NARS counter at Barneys New York on Oak Street at 312.587.1700 ext. 1175.  I want to hear all about it if you go!

Father's Day Gift Guide: 6 Fabulous Picks for the guy in your life!

Father's Day is coming up and because we do have quite a few guys that read Beauty411, we didn't want to forget them!  No matter what kind of guy you have to buy for--we have the Father's Day Gift Guide that has you covered:

LUSH Save The Planet Gift Set is a great gift for the superhero in your life. Wrapped with a fun comic strip made from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) paper, this set includes four grooming products that are sure to delight Dad.

Shave the Planet Shaving Cream will help him get super smooth shaves, Cosmetic Lad Moisturizer soothes sensitive faces, Bamboo Soap cleanses with a light scent, plus a Business Time Massage Bar will be sure to soothe his sore muscles.  My husband loves the LUSH line and he makes sure to keep his gym locker well-stocked.  Available at LUSH Cosmetics for $29.95.

 

Kiton Black Eau de Toilette Spray is a sophisticated, elegant and masculine fragrance that characterizes the fine tailoring of the Kiton Fashion House.  you can see that in the striking bottle, too. 

Kiton Black Eau de Toilette opens up with top notes of elegant Italian Bergamot (one of my favorite fragrance notes), lemon and red berries and a touch of violet leaves, which adds depth.  The mid notes are violet, cyclamen, cardamom and cedarwood to warm.  Base notes are vetiver, amber, leather, tonka bean and Sensual Skin Accord. 

I love the way this fragrance warms and develops; there are no hard edges to Kiton Black.  Kiton Black Eau de Toilette Spray (4.2 oz. $85) is available at the Kiton Store in New York City, Bloomingdales, NORDSTROM.com, Neiman Marcus, Barneys and Bergdorf Goodman. 

SENSAI COLORS Makeup Collection by Kanebo

  

The SENSAI COLORS Collection, a new treatment makeup line consisting of 22 items for the eye, lip and cheek, is now available. Japanese prestige skincare company, Kanebo, renowned for its exclusive, imperial koishimaru silk-infused creams, lotions and anti-aging serums, expands into color this Spring with their skin-benefiting SENSAI COLORS collection.  SENSAI COLORS were developed with famed Japanese makeup artist Hisano Komine, who developed key looks for the line.  

I've been given the chance to preview the SENSAI COLORS makeup collection and it is truly fabulous.  There are four sheer, layerable shades in each of the Eye Shadow Palettes ($50) and three color groups.  The  colors are based on the seasons. I've been using ES 01, Kigiku, browns and golds of autumn. Gorgeous with my blue eyes!  And the eyeliner pencil?  I've tight-lined and reverse-eyelined and I absolutely love it. It's soft and smudgeable, gliding on like silk. 

The Cheek Blush ($45) offers the perfect amount of iridescence and light play. The precise layering of the colors in the compact is reminiscent of the traditional layering of the Japanese Kimono.  The cheek color contains Airy Powder, which helps provide smooth, even coverage. The texture and feel of SENSAI Colors is simply incredible. 

The glossy, plumping Deep Moist Shine Rouge (12 colors/$40 ea.) and comfortably hydrating Lasting Treatment Rouge (18 colors/$40 ea.) both draw on water, silk and other innovative, Asian botanical ingredients, to keep lips kissable throughout February winds, and can be applied over the innovative Lip Base ($26) for flawless, continuously soft, SPF-protected lips.  I don't know that I've ever worn such luxurious lip formulas; it feels like you're wearing a lip treatment.

The SENSAI Color Collection launches with a week-long special event at Bergdorf Goodman just in time to help you achieve that helplessly-in-love glow for Valentine’s Day.  Seriously, this line is exceptional.  If you live in the New York area, trust me; get to Bergdorf to exerience it!

In-Store Launch Event:  Complimentary facials and spa services at Bergdorf Goodman

When:  February 9 – 14, 2009, 11am – 7p.  To secure your appointment, call 212.872.2537.

SENSAI COLORS are available at Bergdorf Goodman and select Barney's New York stores. For additional information, visit www.kanebo.com.

You may also be interested in:

Sensai Fluid Finish Foundation

Sensai Loose Powder

3LAB M Cream

3LAB has introduced "M" Cream, the first cosmetic product that contains stem cells from a rare Swiss apple.  This luxury skin de-stressing cream provides anti-aging benefits by working to increase resiliancy and cellular turnover, hydrating and firming using advanced science and natural ingredients.  I love the 3LAB line, because I think it's one of the most technologically sophisticated skincare lines on the market today. 

A sumptuous, gel crème that brings stressed skin back to life, “M” Cream hydrates and firms the skin with Nano-Claire GY, the world’s first bioengineered growth hormone. PhytoCelTec™ Malus Domestica, stem cells from a rare Swiss Apple that have been proven to slow down and delay the aging process.   Other ingredients help to relieve skin aggressors and bring out natural radiance while fighting the root causes of environmental damage.

To use "M" Cream, apply to cleansed and toned skin morning or night for firmer skin that glows. Can be used on top of any 3LAB serum.

3LAB "M" Cream retails at $250 and is available at Barneys New York, barneys.com and Saks Fifth Avenue.

You may also be interested in these related posts:
3LAB "h" Serum

3LAB WW Eye Cream

Giorgio Armani Beauty Celebrity Makeup Artist, Tim Quinn, Hosts a Holiday Beauty Blitz at Barney’s NYC

Giorgio Armani Beauty Makeup Artist Tim Quinn will be making a special holiday appearance at Barney's NYC on Saturday December 13th.  Old Hollywood glamour is this season's must-have look and Tim Quinn will be there to offer the best beauty tips to take your look from daytime at the office to a festive evening fête.  Whether it's how to get that perfect smoky eye or that perfect luminous complexion for the holiday season, Tim will help you achieve a gorgeous holiday beauty look.

Want a preview of Tim's expert advice?
"This year’s Giorgio Armani Beauty Holiday Crystal Collection offers shimmer through a variety of products.  I always like to pick one feature to highlight with shimmer, whether it be the eye or the lip or the complexion.  If you want to keep your look simple and glowing, we offer a shimmer puff that applies a delicate veil of sparkle on the skin.  It’s great for women are concerned about going overboard because it distributes the perfect amount to leave skin looking luminous." 

Appointments will be available between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM on December 13th at Barneys,  660 Madison Avenue (at 60th), NYC.  Appointments can be booked through the Giorgio Armani Counter. 

Visit Tim at Barney's to hear the rest of his best beauty secrets.  Sigh...if I only lived closer, you can bet I'd be there!

Strange Invisible Perfumes Introduces Musc Botanique

Alexandra Balahoutis, scent provocateur and botanical perfumist of Strange Invisible Perfumes, tells a new story with the introduction of Musc Botanique.  Musc Botanique interprets the carnality of nature in an atmosphere of botanical musk, distillates of Egyptian Geranium, Frankincense and notes of white amber.  It is lucid, subtly erotic and cystalline in nature. 

A precise reinvention of musk using only botanical extracts demands a dynamic mastery of pure plant essences.  "Musc Botanique is essentially inspired by the demure sexuality of botany," states Balahoutis.  Indeed, in wearing Musc Botanique, it is a very sexy, musk fragrance; long lasting, with a crisp universal character that develops warmth on the skin.  Botanical perfumes are created without the aid of synthetic fixatives, therefore longevity of the fragrance depends on the wearer's chemistry and environmental influences.  On me, I found the scent to last 3-4 hours and loved how it developed.  

Musc Botanique is available at Barneys New York, Beautyhabit.com, select specialty retailers, the Strange Invisible Perfumes boutique and perfumery in Los Angeles or online at www.strangeinvisibleperfumes.com.

3LAB Perfect Sunblock SPF 55

3LAB Perfect Sunblock SPF 55 is not only a broad-spectrum sun protectant; it is an elegant anti-aging cream for the face and body.  The lightweight formulation in 3LAB's Perfect Sunblock is such that you don't feel like you're applying sunscreen; gone is the heavy, greasy afterfeel that so many sunblocks leave.  Instead, using a special polymer technology, Perfect Sunblock SPF 55 glides on more like a moisturizer and doesn't interfere with makeup application.  It absorbs and blends into the skin like a treatment cream, too, without a chalky residue.

In addition to a sunblock that absorbs 99% of all incoming UVA/UVB rays, Perfect Sunblock SPF 55 contains 4 powerful anti-oxidants to help boost the skin's ability to fight signs of aging.  Acai berry, Green Tea Extract, and Vitamin E work to neutralize free radicals and inflammation, prevent skin discoloration and help to soothe the skin.  Mulberry Extract helps to prevent skin discoloration and Portulaca Extract, an anti-inflammatory, helps calm the skin.  This kind of advanced formula helps keep me motivated to use a sunscreen on a daily basis, knowing that the product I'm applying has additional benefits beyond sunscreen.  It's exactly this type kind of advanced technology in a fabulous-feeling product that I've come to expect from 3LAB.

3LAB Perfect Sunblock SPF 55 is available at select Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York.  Visit 3LAB.com for complete availability information.

Sensational Sensai Loose Powder

Move over, Meteriorites...there's a new face power on my vanity and it is sheer perfection. Sensai Loose Powder, made by Kanebo, the Japanese beauty and skincare company, is an extremely fine, feathery-light translucent face powder.  Sensai Loose Powder is a blend of two exclusive powders:  Airy Powder and Weightless Moist Glow Factor.  This light-reflecting blend allows for a smooth, even coverage over foundation for a natural, flawless finish.  I apply the Loose Powder by pressing the puff that is provided onto my skin and then finish blending the powder with a large powder brush.  The puff is very elegant and is made of polyester fibres, which allows for better pickup of the powder and a more even application.  The fine composition of this powder also prevents settling into and accentuating fine lines and wrinkes.

Kanebo Sensai Loose Powder is a luxurious finishing powder that sets your makeup beautifully. The Kanebo Sensai line includes both cosmetics and skincare products.  Kanebo has integrated a special silk technology into their products, allowing for increased moisturizing properties that help to maintain the softness of the skin.  I love the Kanebo Sensai Loose Powder and can really see the difference in quality over other loose powders.  Kanebo Sensai Loose Powder retails at $55.  For more information or to find a Kanebo location near you, please visit www.Kanebo.com.

3LAB WW Eye Cream

3LAB WW Eye Cream is a serious anti-aging treatment product, with a cutting-edge formulation based on 3LAB's proprietary age-reversing Nano-Claire GY complex.  Nano-Claire GY is a bio-engineered human growth hormone that works at the cellular level to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Brought to you from the same developers as "h" serum, WW Eye Cream not only firms under eye skin, it stimulates circulation and evens skin tone.  That is important to note if you have dark circles, like I do.  WW Eye Cream also contains additional key anti-aging ingredients such as Portulaca Extract, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that helps to de-puff under eye bags and puffiness; Matriyxl 3000, which stimulates collagen production and Niacinamide, which suppresses melanin and combats UV damage.  Together, you have a multi-tasking product that effectively helps to firm and restore the appearance of the eye area.

I loved trying this product; it's perhaps the richest, most intensely moisturizing and luxurious eye cream I've used.  If you like high-end skincare, 3LAB WW Eye Cream is available at Barneys and Saks Fifth Avenue.  More information on the complete 3LAB skin care line can be found on the 3LAB website.