Tag: beauty

My 3-Year-Old Breaks Down His Favorite NYFW Backstage Beauty Looks

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I was perusing the hundreds of fierce hair, nail and makeup looks from New York Fashion Week when my 3-year-old son (who has a penchant for nail polish and long, but not too long, hair) announced that he wanted in on the fun. I indulged him by scrolling through image after image of models backstage at the shows, and asked him to select his faves. These were his top picks, and I fully endorse them. I’m only sorry the stunning red lip seen at Jason Wu didn’t make his list — it’s at the top of mine.

Standout Blue Nails at Jenny Packham

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This nail look, created by Rita Remark for Essie, is hands down my favorite nail look of the season (so far, anyway). Two coats of Essie Nail Polish in Butler Please is all it takes to recreate the covet-worthy manicure.

Messy Top Knot at Sandy Liang

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 12: A model poses during O&M for Sandy Liang Spring/Summer 2016 Presentation at Milk Studios on September 12, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Anna Webber/Getty Images for O&M)

O&M Global Creative Director Janelle Chaplin created this seriously cute topknot with help from O&M Surf Bomb Sea Salt Texture Spray. It added the texture needed for a lived-in updo that would last. The gingham accessory completed the perfect boyish vibe Chaplin was going for.

Lucite Sunset Nails at Rebecca Minkoff

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Sunset meets rocket pop in this manicure created by Michelle Saunders for Essie. She created the look by sponging on the sunset shades in this order: Essie Nail Polish in Tarte Deco, Marshmallow, Beach Bum Blu and Midnight Cami. She applied Spaghetti Strap over each nail to help the shades melt together, and finished with the Essie Gel.Setter Top Coat.

Red Tips at Brooks Brothers by Zac Posen

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While this photo shows a manicure created with just two coats of Essie Nail Polish in Fifth Avenue, the red nails were adorned with a plaid design (created by striping on Essie Nail Polish in Pret-a-Surfer) before they hit the runway.

Fierce, Fresh Face at Wes Gordon

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Makeup artist Dominique Samuel for Maybelline New York nailed the fresh-faced look that was seen at show after show this season. He created it with help from some hard-working Maybelline New York Products that won’t launch until October or early next January, so keep a look out for these natural-beauty boosting products:

Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Contour (available January 2015)

Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Fix Setting + Perfecting Loose Powder (available January 2015)

Maybelline New York The Rock Nudes Eye Palette (available January 2015)

Maybelline New York Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara (get it now!)

Maybelline New York Lip Studio Color Sensational in Barely Bloomed (available October 2015)

Navy Striped Nails at Ji Oh

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Rita Remark for Essie was on a roll this season. This winning look was created with one coat of Essie Nail Polish in Resort Fling and one coat of Sugar Daddy topped with one vertical stripe of After School Boy Blazer swiped on each nail (in a randomly placed location). To finish off the look, a second stripe was added to one nail only.

Now that you’ve seen my son’s favorites, tell me which look was your number one.

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I've Aged Out of the VMAs, but I Love This Hairstyle

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Image: Perez Hilton

I’m not sure exactly when it happened, but I aged out of the VMAs. Maybe it’s because I haven’t seen a music video since Beyonce released her video album in 2014 or maybe it’s simply because I’m old. My friend and former CosmoGIRL! colleague Lauren put it best yesterday. On Facebook she posted, “2 years ago I was in the audience at the VMAs. Tonight I turned it off because I quite honestly couldn’t take it for one more minute. ‪#‎nolongerwantmymtv‬‪ #‎kidsdontgetthatreference‬.” I feel her pain. But, that didn’t keep me from perusing the red carpet photos from the event. Out of them, along with a lot of crazy, came this whimsical Vanessa Hudgens hairstyle. One part beachy, one part bohemian goddess, this look is totally achievable and stunning. Here’s how Schwarzkopf celebrity hairstylist, Richard Collins created the look:

Step 1: Spritz heat protecting spray on dry hair.

Step 2: Create soft waves all over using a one-inch curling iron skipping a few thick sections of hair around your face. Spritz waves with hairspray for hold.

Step 3: Create two braids along both sides of your hairline (using the sections of hair you didn’t curl in the previous step) and secure with tiny, clear hair elastics. Wrap each braid to the opposite side of your head, and secure above your ears with bobby pins. This will created a braided headband or crown look. Finish with shine spray.

Products used: Schwarzkopf styliste Crystal Shine & Hold Heat Protection Shine Spray, Schwarzkopf styliste ULTIME Biotin+ Volume & Texture H2O-Free Hair Spray, Schwarzkopf styliste ULTIME Crystal Shine & Hold Laminating Shine Hair Spray, $6.95 each at Walmart.

The New York Fashion Week Makeup Look We Want Now

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Over the past few days we’ve been lucky enough to hangout backstage at New York Fashion Week to scope out the looks that we’ll all be wearing come Fall 2015.

The first look Carrie and I both agreed was a must-copy? The makeup seen at the Nanette Lepore show. Created to look like a rich, posh rebellious school girl who got a little (ok, a lot!) carried away with her mascara, this look is equal parts pretty and rough. Lead makeup artist Grace Lee created the look by applying more than 12 coats of three different mascaras. No joke! The three she used: Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Mascara, Maybelline New York Pumped Up Colossal Volum’ Express and a brand new Maybelline mascara that doesn’t come out until June. She applied about four coats of each until the models’ lashes were spidery and clumpy. The lip color, which is equally as cool, is the Maybelline New York Color Sensational Rebel Bloom in Orchid Ecstasy. She finished the look by dabbing a bit of colorless lip balm (Maybelline New York Baby Lips in Quenched) on the upper cheekbones for a touch of glow.

Do you love it as much as we do?

Beauty Problem Solver of the Week: L'Oreal Paris EverStyle Alcohol-Free Strong Hold Styling Spray

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EverStyle Strong Hold Styling Spray

I have successfully trained my close friends and family to tell me about each and every beauty product they try and decide they can no longer live without. Case in point: While on a two-week long Hawaiian vacation, my mom texts me with urgent info about a beauty problem-solving product she recently bought and had surprising success with. Here’s how the exchange about this hairspray went down:

M: [After sending me a photo of the L’Oreal Paris EverStyle Alcohol-Free Strong Hold Styling Spray] Wet or dry spray!!! Amazing!!!

K: Tell me specifically what you like about it. I’m sitting here desperately trying to think about post ideas.

M: I like it because you can use it on wet or dry hair. Easy to style and it makes your hair shiny with body!

K: How did you use it?

M: I used it for the first time today in dry hair that was flat after being wind blown all day. It looks like I washed, dried and styled my hair!

K: What does it smell like?

M: Fresh smell.

K: Did it make your hair wet? Did you have to blow dry it a bit or what was that process/experience like?

M: Not wet, but damp.

M: I need a Curtis pic. [I had to get her back on topic here. She was demanding photos of my son.]

K: So did you let [your hair] air dry? Brush through it with a specific brush?

M: Sprayed it on and used a round brush with a hair dryer.

M: I’ll let you know how it works on wet hair tomorrow.

K: Okay. Cool. [Then we go on to talk about how my son bit a friend at school. Ugh.]

She texted me the next morning to say that her hair still looked fabulous from her touch-up with the hairspray the night before. She texted again the day after that to say, “Styling spray great on wet hair too!” Mom likes exclamation points. She also included photos of her hair, which looked great. The photos on the other hand, didn’t look so great. She wasn’t wearing any makeup and she’s not the best selfie taker (sorry, Mom!). so I decided not to post the photos here. Mom, you can thank me for that later.