V Magazine January 2010 preview - part 2

I have got to start this one off by bowing down to makeup artist Frank B, because that red lip look he created is just stunning. His work here is amazing and every woman in this editorial has skin that looks glowy and flawless.    
The entire creative team, from photographer Solve Sundsbo to the "diva fans" blowing that sexy hair styled by Esther Langham, did an outstanding job. 


V Magazine is really breaking new ground with this issue. Too bad it's such a big deal that the world gets excited over one plus-model issue, much in the same way we swooned over the Vogue Italia Black Issue. Maybe it is a sign they should do editorials like these more often.
http://models.com/v-magazine/v-size-2.html


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EDIT: The jewelry in this editorial was designed by my friend, Dana Lorenz, creator of  Fenton/Fallon jewelry!!!
If you haven't heard of Dana yet, you may have also seen her designs on Blake Lively, Rihanna, and FLOTUS Michelle Obama.
Fenton/Fallon is available at Barney's New York.

new years eve buzzkills

* Ladies who wear orgasmically high heels one night of the year - pumps that they just bought, have not broken in, and can't walk in. Yes... I am laughing at you, not with you. There is nothing wrong with a sexy flat or kitten heeled boot. You look ridiculous dancing in the club barefoot.

* Guys that insist on opening the champagne because they think it looks chivalrous in front of the ladies, but then it becomes a fizzy mess. Chivalry is letting me open the bottle properly because I won't spill a drop.

* Drunk drivers. Don't be morons... Doesn't every respectable corner of civilization have free cabs, or trains, or buses tonight?


That's it. Have fun. See you next year.

how to get kissed at midnight

Happy New Year, Mes Amis... and Happy Birthday, Leslie! In exactly twelve hours we will be partying our way into a new decade, so here are my tips to help get you ready, and hopefully keep you from looking like a train wreck in the morning.

Fellas, if you think you're gonna get kissed at midnight, breath mints are the most obvious party favor... but please for the love of god exfoliate your lips. Crusty, flaky, winter-dry lips are disgusting. Gently scrub using an old toothbrush with a little Vaseline on it, and top it off with your lip balm of choice. Burt's Bees is a very popular remedy for dry lips, and very Dude-friendly without all the scent and shimmer. Do not leave the house to go party without aforementioned lip balm, because drinking alcohol can dry your lips out, and nobody wants to kiss a raisin.

Ladies, that plan on partying til the wee hours of the morning...
Long-wearing lip colors and stains are my best friend on big party nights when there is champagne involved. Avoid the gooey telltale lipstains on your champagne glasses by opting for a pink or berry tinted stain. Try Benefit Posie Tint or Lorac Sheer Wash. I used the Lorac on my wedding day, so it's Party-Tested And Wedding-Proof. Both of these are double duty products that can be used as sheer lip OR cheek stain for the long lasting color. After applying to your lips, top it off with a clear gloss for extra shine or a hydrating balm like 8 Hour Cream for extra moisture. If you decide not to wear lashes, don't forget your waterproof mascara and eyeliner, so you don't end up looking tragic in your blackberry photos. For help with your lashes, go back a few posts to http://smoothlikebuttababy.blogspot.com/2009/10/put-on-lovely-lashes-for-halloween.html.

an old school favorite is a winter must-have

8 Hour Cream by Elizabeth Arden is a fix-all product, a staple in a lot of makeup artists kits, and has been a perennial favorite on Allure's "Best of Beauty" list.
I was once told in a product training this skin cream "heals everything but a broken heart" and they were right.
I keep it in my purse for my severely chapped hands when the Chicago cold makes my skin so dry it cracks. It is fantastic on notorious trouble spots like ashy knees, scaly feet, rough elbows and dry peeling lips. If you like a lighter formula the 8 Hour Cream is also available in a sheer tinted lip balm in a tube. Both of these formulas can be used on scrapes, cuts, and minor burns in the same way you would use Neosporin or similar ointments. One of my personal favorite ways to use 8 Hour Cream is as a healing moisturizer for my jacked-up cuticles.
It may feel gooey like Vaseline when you first put it on your hands, but it absorbs quickly and doesn't feel greasy. The smell is slightly medicinal at first, but it fades after a while, and my cuticles look so much better I don't care what my hands smell like. The Lip Protectant and Skin Cream both retail for 17.00. That's not bad at all... especially for a product that eliminates the need for so many things in your toiletry cabinet.

8 Hour Cream can be found at Ulta Stores or EA Red Door Spas everywhere.

Who Rocked It?

Crystal Renn has walked the catwalk for Jean-Paul Gaultier and appeared in Dolce and Gabbana campaigns, and is the world's highest paid plus model. In the V Magazine January 2010 issue shot by Terry Richardson, she is smoking "haute" styled in exactly the same outfits as the typically slim high-fashion model, Jacquelyn Jablonski. Jacquelyn is also a very pretty girl, but the shoot is showing that skinny people aren't the only ones who can wear couture. Keep in mind that in the fashion industry "plus" doesn't always mean voluptuous - it just means you are more than size 8.
So here is Crystal Renn versus Jacquelyn Jablonski... and the winner, by TKO is...?

http://models.com/v-magazine/v-size-1.html

smashbox and tori... OMG

Smashbox has just released a new beauty kit inspired by the new Tori Amos album, Midwinter Graces. "Pink and Glitter" is named after Tori's first single from the album (which I love, by the way) and the kit contains a highlighter/blush duo, an eyeshadow, and a lip gloss. All of the shades are in the peach-pinky range, with pearl and shimmer finishes that will compliment the majority of skintones.

The limited edition four piece set is valued at seventy dollars but retailing for $32 online.



http://www.smashbox.com/ToriAmos?spMailingID=34492984&spUserID=OTQ4MTg1MjYzS0&spJobID=62497071&spReportId=NjI0OTcwNzES1

photoshopped "anti-aging skin care" ad banned

It doesn't take the brilliance of a genius to decide that the best way to market an age-defying eye cream is to get a supermodel in the ad... especially an older one that women of a certain age can relate to. However... airbrushing the life out of said supermodel's face to the point where she looks poreless and plastic just to get rid of a few crows feet??? That's more than just a bit tacky.


Older women have lines on their faces sometimes. Even Twiggy. Get over it.
Apparently the digitally smoothed-over Olay ad has been controversial enough to be banned in England for being "socially irresponsible" and potentially misleading the public into believing it's a miracle brow lift in a jar, when actually the only miracle is that it even mildly resembles Twiggy anymore.


http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/twiggys-photoshopped-olay-ads-banned-in-england-554961/

homemade spa-inspired gifts for the holidays

Avoid the hassle of dealing with crazy people, fighting for parking spots, and potentially ruining your holiday cheer. Instead of spending money on overpriced presents for everyone, why not make them yourself? All you need are some basic, easy to find ingredients.
One of the benefits of making your own bath salts and scrubs is knowing that you have fresh, pure, environmentally-conscious ingredients. You don't have to worry that your products have been boxed in a warehouse and shelved for months and months before you purchased them. Unless you planning on giving your puppy a fruity smelling bath, you know it hasn't been tested on animals either. If you have 12 nieces and 5 aunts to give gifts to, you can easily increase the individual ingredients in increments that will give you high-yield batches.
Here are some DIY gifts that can be made in your kitchen and packed into pretty, personalized jars.

Glycerin and Honey Sugar Scrub
1 cup sugar (or loose salt for a deeper exfoliation)
3-4 tablespoons liquid glycerin (*If you prefer liquid texture instead of a creamy scrub, add more glycerin.)
1 teaspoon pure honey
4-5 drops of your favorite essential oil
optional: lavender buds, chamomile blossoms, rose petals, or any finely chopped dried herbs of your choice
Mix well and store in an airtight container. Easy. The honey acts as a preservative, so it can stay in your bathroom cabinet for a very long time. It's great for elbows, knees, feet, and other dry, rough spots!
Stir or shake thoroughly before each use.

Grapefruit Exfoliating Salt Scrub
1/2 cup fine sea salt
1/2 cup fine mineral salt
8 ounces macadamia nut oil (If you like, you can substitute sweet almond or hazelnut instead of macadamia as your carrier oil.)
40 drops (roughly two tablespoons) grapefruit oil
20 drops lemon oil
10 drops ylang ylang oil
Stir scented oils into macadamia nut oil. Add the salts and mix well. Pour into a hinged or airtight sealing jar. You're done.


You can always alter the scent formula to suit the person you are making it for. For example: while you may like a rejuvenating rosemary-mint scent combo, my fellow stressballs need more calming scents like sandalwood and vetiver. Most essential oils can be found at health food stores and places like Whole Foods, and liquid glycerin is usually on the shelf next to cocoa butter and Vaseline. You should never apply undiluted essential oils or absolutes directly to the skin. This is why each recipe dilutes the essential oil with a carrier oil. There are a handful of oils and herbs (such as marjoram) that should never be given to pregnant women, so stick with the lavender and rosy scents while making gifts for them. If you have any questions about any essential oil contraindications, check out www.naha.org or www.aromaweb.com.
SO - now all you have to do is hit a craft store for some pretty bottles, jars, stickers, and ribbon so you can wow your friends with your insanely super-crafty jar-decorating skills.