Happy Halloween from Benefit!

Our pretty peeps down the street at Benefit just sent us a scary-good Halloween surprise. They dressed up as their favorite products and went for a photo shoot at a Sephora store--then sent us the amazing pictures of it! We just had to share. Enjoy the photos and have a boo-tiful Halloween, all!


P.S. Can you name all the products represented and which is your favorite???

Founder's Day Event: Day Two

Last night was Day Two of the Founder's Day event at Sephora University. I got to meet:

Maureen Kelly, tarte
Lena Korres, Korres
Mark Potter, Cosmedicine
Alina Roytberg, Fresh

Like the speakers from the night before, these 4 shared their best beauty secrets and talked about products to come. Also like the night before, everyone took home a ton of beauty goodies (so much so, extra bags had to be handed out!).

Next week I'll post videos from each of the founders, plus a few more tidbits from the show (wanna hint? Jean Ford will show you Benefit's not-yet-released-yet boxed blush. Wait'll you see the color!).

Until then, here are some pretty facts to tide you over:

From Maureen Kelly: "In school, I used to spend all my money on makeup. But one day I flipped over one of the compacts, and started reading the ingredients. There wasn't a thing in there I could pronounce, let alone recognize. I didn't want to create another beauty line like that."


From Lena Korres: Growing up in Athens, her grandmother used to apply yogurt to Lena's skin whenever she got too much sun. It was a standard Greek skin fix. When she decided to create a yogurt-based cream for Korres, it took Lena over 3 years to figure out how to make it without preservatives. Worth the wait: Her paraben-free Yoghurt Cooling Gels and masks are a Sephora favorite.

From Mark Potter: Did you know he began his career as a meteorologist? He also happened to have extremely sensitive skin, and found himself always asking his doctors why things bothered his skin, not just how he could treat it. Looking to solve his skin issues, he started experimenting with formulas, and his formulas became instant successes.

From Alina Roytberg: Growing up in Europe, she never used much more than soap and a bit of moisturizer as her beauty routine. But when she married her husband Lee, she discovered she'd married the biggest beauty addict she'd ever met. "Here's what you do with that," she told us. "You start a beauty company and make him your partner." She and Lee started Fresh 17 years ago.

One Palette, 30 Looks: Lauren Miller

It's possible to create over 30,000 looks with Sephora's new Ultimate Blockbuster Palette. We wanted in on all that pretty, so this month, 30 Sephora staffers are giving themselves makeovers using the palette. How whoa! will they go?

Model: Lauren Miller, Sephora.com

Lauren gave herself a daytime neutral look by mixing brown hues from the left shadow tray in the palette. She blended a matte brown with a glitter-flecked bronze to add a very light touch of shimmer.

She then lined her eyes with a matte gray shade, getting the shadow wet first for extra staying power and liner precision. To finish off her eyes, she dusted on a champagne color with a hint of glitter.

She finished the look with a swirl of the brighter pink blush, then picked a few different pink and purple glosses for a custom-blend mauve.

It's 30 looks in 30 days with Sephora's Ultimate Blockbuster Palette! Stick around: There's a new look tomorrow!

Korres Sugar Plums Set Makes a Sweet Impression in San Francisco

Yesterday, Lena Korres, Korres' co-founder, made an appearance at the Powell Street Sephora in San Francisco. (Later, she made a cameo at Sephora University for Brand Founders' Day--more on that later!) Sugar Plums was the topic dancing in everyone's heads--and sparking on their eyes, lips, and cheeks, too--thanks to Korres' new holiday kit, a trio of purple products that are just plum pretty.

Korres National Makeup Artist Deb Svarc tipped us off on some tricks tied to this verry-merry-berry set. "Most women are so caught up trying to find the perfect red or the perfect pink, but actually it's berry that looks good on everyone," she explained. "I love the Plum Cherry Lip Gloss because it's shiny without being sticky." For a more intense plum pout, Deb recommends layering the Plum Lip Butter (which doubles as a cheek color!) under the gloss. For the "instant holiday smoky eye," use the Plum Sunflower & Evening Primrose Shimmering Eyeshadow in the outer corners and crease, line the top lashes with Silver Soft Eye Liner Pencil, and smudge. You can also layer the shadow over a light base color for a lilac look.

Now that you've scored some sweet expert tips, feast your eyes on some snaps from the store event.

Lena Korres (center, gray dress) with Sephora's skincare and color merchants.



Korres' holiday offerings are here--goody goody gumdrops!



Korres' artistry squad

Makeover station

Jackie Lantern With A Costume Idea

C'est moi! Jackie Lantern here with a little tip before I leave all you beauty-full ladies (don't cry your seeds out - I'll be back next October!)

Still haunting around for a Halloween costume? Do as I do and be inspired by your makeup bag!

Like me: My current fave scent is Music from Harajuku Lovers - so I turned the spritz into my costume. Can you see the resemblance?

Have beauty-full Halloween - just don't make like a pumpkin and do anything rotten.

A Public Service Announcement

Brought to you from your friends at Beauty and the Blog.

Warning: Using beauty products past their prime can result in adverse appearances.
Raise your hand if you read the Use By dates plastered on milk, yogurt and other important things like your favorite prods. Now raise your hand again if you actually adhere to those recommendations.

Personally, I'm in the group that uses those dates as guidelines, not rules. And my low-cal chocolate soymilk sits in the Frigidaire and gets mixed into the cups of coffee weeks way past the number on the pack. Same holds true for my makeup—I pump mascara tubes within an inch of their life. And I slap on creams that have been sitting in my cabinet since before pop tarts were experiencing a baby boom.

And let me just say that is all Bad Idea Jeans. Pour quoi you ask?

The long version: Regular readers of this blog know all about my battle with white bumps and my undying obsession to obliterate my pores, and after my beaucoup successful experiment with the MD Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel, I knew I needed to keep on the regiment.

So like an addict I dug out a similar old-school formulation with a back date of ...ummm about two years. The results? Big white bumps, extra drying around my lips and a heaving helping magnified pores.

Like I said sometime we need a little reminder: Shelf life is there for your own prettiness protection.

—Jenna Mahoney

Image courtesy of University of Nebraska

Founder's Day Event: Day One

Last night I attended Day One of the Founder's Day event at Sephora University, where I got to meet:

Jean Ford from Benefit Cosmetics
Dany Sanz from MAKE UP FOR EVER
Jerrod Blandino from Too Faced Cosmetics
Lisa Price from Carol's Daughter
Oscar Blandi from Oscar Blandi

They shared the next big products they'd be releasing, and chatted with the audience before breaking into 5 themed lounges filled with goodie bags (check out Benefit's sea of pink treat bags!), snacks, champagne (see Jerrod sipping his on the far left in the pic?), makeovers, and individual time with brand founders. Whew!

I'll post more later, but here are just a few of the tricks I picked up:

From Jean Ford: "When you find a lipstick you love, buy 6 and store them in the freezer."

From Dany Sanz: If you love her made-for-hi-def HD foundation and powders, get ready for an HD concealer (in 10 shades!). And here's a fun fact: She started the first makeup school in Europe 25 years ago.

From Jerrod Blandino: Did you know he invented glitter makeup? It was almost by accident: Looking to create a super-glitzy shadow, he tossed real craft glitter into one of his black shadows. He loved the effect so much, he made glitter part of his permanent collection.

From Lisa Price: How'd she get her company's name? Her mom was her first "product tester" back when she was cooking things up in her kitchen. People would comment on the wonderful scents and lotions, and be surprised that "Oh, Carol's daughter made that?" The rest is Lisa Price's herstory.

Oscar Blandi: Which do you love more, Oscar Blandi's hair products, or the scent of Oscar Blandi's hair products? He says there's nothing worse than smelling someone's product. His favorite thing? Getting a hint of a sweet, floral scent. He decided that even hair products should have a wonderful, sensual scent.

More later! Tonight I'm off to meet tarte, Korres, Cosmedicine and Fresh!

Fear Factor; Turns Out To Be A Spa Treatment

Yes or no: Would you pay to have live snakes draped across your back?

If yes, proceed to Ada Barak's Carnivorous Plant Farm (and spa!) in Israel. For $80, you can get a combo pack of nonvenomous snakes (big ones for kneading, little ones for the "shivery" sensation) dumped on your back or on your belly.

Supposedly, this sensation feels like "a cold compress." Some clients even claim it eases migraines and soothes sore muscles.

"People either like it a lot or they hate it," Barak told a Time reporter brave enough to try this out (pictured).

I think I'll pass, thanks.

San Francisco Beauties: Meet the Co-Founder of Korres today!

Calling all San-Fran Glam Girls!

Lena Korres, co-founder of Korres and overall natural-beauty expert, will be at the Powell Street Sephora TODAY from 12pm-2pm! All you Beauty Insiders will be able to try the NEW Sugar Plums Color Collection, receive free color and skincare consultations, and score a deluxe gift with any Korres purchase!

See you there!

One Palette, 30 Looks: The Sephora Ultimate Blockbuster Palette

Last month, Allure magazine put Sephora's Ultimate Blockbuster Palette on their 2008 Best of Beauty list, declaring it the must-must for serious makeup addicts and artists.

They aren't kidding: The Ultimate Blockbuster Palette is packed with 84 shadows, 60 glosses, 5 blushes, plus powders, a lipliner, eyeliner, and applicators. The only thing it's missing is....actually, it's missing nothing.

If you do the math (and we did), it's possible to get over 30,000 different looks with this palette.

Road test time! To see just how many looks we could squeeze outta this palette, we're bringing you a new makeover every day, all month long, using only the palette. Our recruits: Sephora employees/makeup lovers.

Buckle up! It's gonna be a beautiful month...

Halloween Panic Costume (Idea #2)

Halloween is tomorrow and that's a problem because 1) You still don't have a costume, and 2) You're not into yesterday's idea about going as a makeup artist.

How about this: Go as a runway model.

You can get specific and mod with our posts featuring Spring 2009 runway looks from New York and L.A. We included the products you need to copy the looks; all you have to do is pick the show.

Channel Betsey Johnson's Harajuku look, or try out Miss Sixty's messy hair. Or, feeling really bold? Copy the hot cheeks seen at Debra Davenport, or the cat eyes with dark lips seen at Elmer Avenue.

Masquerade: Dressing Up For At-Home Beauty

A few weeks ago I turned 26 (hee, hee). And the only thing I really wanted to celebrate and commemorate this momentous age is a wide-armed silk kimono from Chinatown.

Begrudgingly, I'll admit that the request was born out of my SATC marathon. But my real desire for the pretty robe was to be an impetus for performing at-home masks with more regularity. I figured that having a special outfit (a beauty costume if you will) would graduate me from the once-in-a-while-clay-masker kind of gal to a once a weeker that the skin-smart-girl inside knows I can actually be.

The minute after I opened my piece of blue silk perfection, I donned it and dropped some essential oils into a boiling pot of water, before steaming my faché. Then it was five looong minutes of pore opening via the above-mentioned method. A swipe of toner that has been sitting in my broom cabinet since I moved into this apt was immediately followed by the new (ish) Juice Beauty Organic Facial Rejuvenation Mask ($32), a USDA-organic formulation filled with fruit acids and other goodness. The mask is a veritable apple juice for skin mixed with honey (a yummy humectant), carrot seed (a powerful antioxidant) and olive oil (a vitamin E packer). There is also a bunch of botanical extracts like geranium and chamomile that sooth skin and increase circulation. And of course there are fruits like lemon, grape and apple, which slough away dead skin, eliminate oil build-up.

The texture of the mask is so lightweight and easily absorbed that upon first application it feels more like a face wash. But the instructions tell you to spread the juicy goodness all over and keep it there for ten minutes. So, still dressed in my piece of blue silk perfection, I sat and waited and waited. This is the time to tell you, there is a bit of a caveat: The scent is a bit strong. And over time, the mask dries so talking on the phone can be a bit of a bore, not to mention un petit difficile.

Tick, tock, tick and it was time to rinse. I removed my mask in a circular motion and what to my wandering eyes did appear? But a glowy, scrubbed face that was equally clear.

But what is the real moral of this long-winded story? The outfit often makes the girl.

—Jenna Mahoney

Tomorrow Is Halloween, Do You Know Where Your Look Is?

For a last minute look for Halloween, we tapped our Product Expert at Sephora University in San Francisco who indulged us with some scary-sexy tips that you can pull together quick. Here, doing her first-ever Beauty And The Blog post, meet Jenn Shank!

"It’s that time of year again, when gusts of wind blow burgundy-amber leaves around the ankles of cheery, excited children dressed from head-to-toe in masks, capes, gowns and hats. That’s right, Halloween!!! I am still a "kid at heart" and love the joy and exhilaration of deciding what character, persona or animal I will be. And, for many who enjoy the parties that come with this haunting holiday, the thought of having to put together an elaborate costume is scary. So, here are some quick, easy, makeup tips for gorgeous or ghostly faces." - Jenn Shank, Product Expert, Sephora University

The "Scare" Necessities:
White Powder / Foundation: Sephora Brand (D05)
Black Eyeliner: Urban Decay 24/7 (Zero)
Red Lipstick: Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (Cruella)
Mascara: Tarte (Lights, Camera, Lashes)
Blush: Make Up For Ever Blush (No. 74)

The Looks:
Storybook Princess / Hollywood Starlette (Think Snow White!):
Step 1: Apply white powder/foundation all over face (for porcelain, princess skin)
Step 2: Line eyes on upper lash line (thicker at outer corner for a dreamy gaze)
Step 3: Lots of mascara! (for ‘bat-worthy’ eyes)
Step 4: Add lots of blush to apples of cheeks (for a fantasy flush)
Step 5: Coat lips with red lipstick (for a rosy, kissable pucker)

Zombie / Vampire (Vampy Vixen ):
Step 1: Apply white powder/foundation all over face (apply very thick for a ghastly glow)
Step 2: Mix blush and eyeliner and smudge around eyes (for deep, lifeless eyes)
Step 3: Create ‘lesions’ with liner and lipstick (smudge mascara around cuts for ‘bruising’)
Step 4: Mix liner with foundation to create lip color (for colorless, rotting lips)

Top 5 Holiday Beauty Trends

OK, so it's a teensy bit early to be talking holiday.

But think about it: Friday is Halloween, and after that Party Season swings into high gear. Just like you may already be raiding the racks for perfect party dresses, organized beauty addicts are doing the same with their looks. Here, we're calling the top 5 trends for the holiday season. From purple lips (so Spring '09 Zac P) to metallic lids, green eyes and a sexy santa baby pout, you'll be the belle of all your balls.

So watch it, file the trends away in your head, and rock your parties.

Leggings Out, Treggings In

Leggings didn't turn out to be the flash-in-the-pan trend everybody thought they'd be. Just when you think they're over, some starlet comes out with her own line, or leggings show back up on the runway, and everyone loves them again.

It's hard to argue against leggings. They're comfy! They turn dresses into tops! They come in pretty colors! So I'm very much in favor of a new trend showing up in London: Treggings.

Style.com says treggings are like leggings, but just thicker. Sort of like if your skinny jeans hooked up with your leggings, but then the leggings cheated on the skinny jeans with a chunky cable knit. That's treggings.

When this trend hits the states, will you wear it?

Photo courtesy of Forever Amber

The Halloween Panic Costume

Halloween is day after tomorrow and you're freaking out because you have less than 48 hours left and no idea what you're going to be.

Relax. I've solved it for you: Go as a makeup artist.

All that requires is fabulous makeup. Which, considering you're the type to read a fab beauty blog like this, shouldn't be too tricky.

Make it even easier on yourself by scooping up ColorOn's press and peel eyeshadows in a no-one-can-fake-this animal print.

All night long everyone will be asking you, "No seriously, how'd you do that?" Answer with your best mischievous smile and say, "I told you. I'm a makeup artist. And you, honey, could use some eye shimmer."

Get The Goddess Look: Hecate

GET THE LOOK: Hecate

In honor of Halloween, who wants to be the Witch Queen? This daughter of Perses and Asteria (the island of Delos), and first cousin of Artemis and Apollo, is the goddess of magic, ghosts, and crossroads. Powerful enough to earn the respect, and fear, of Zeus—Hecate is both frightening and loyal, and as "the worker from afar" she is capable of extending her influence over earth, land, and sea.

Perfect for Halloween, Hecate is an early prototype of the classic image of the witch with her animal familiar. She holds sacred the dog, the polecat, the snake, and any herb that can be used in magical potions and poisons. If you are at a crossroad with your Halloween beauty, here is a list of Hecate-approved products to guide you safely on your way.


Fusion Beauty Triple Threat Intense Target Magic Wand
Hecate can make herself look young at will, and with the Triple Threat Intense Target Magic Wand so can you. The serum refracts light, softening the look of deep wrinkles, and the antioxidant formula helps prevent future damage to the skin—just like magic.



Dior Hypnotic Poison Eau de Toilette Spray
A potion of mesmerizing herbs that includes bitter almond—one of Hecate's faves. This magical scent will bewitch—and bewilder—all you wish to enchant.




Stila Purrfect Eyes - The Talking Palette
When the witch Galinthias offended Hera, she was transformed into a polecat. Taking pity upon the animal, Hecate made Galinthias her companion—an image that has been handed down to us as the witch with her black cat. These eye shades will purrfectly bring out the bewitching feline in you.


Kat Von D Painted Love Lipstick in Hellbent
When Persephone was taken to be queen of the underworld Hecate agreed to be her companion. In return, Hecate gained power over disembodied spirits. This lipstick shade will give you the look of someone powerful enough to be able to control the denizens of Hades.



Lorac Snake Charmer Face Palette
When she desires, Hecate can appear with three frightening heads—one of which is a snake. Not only does the Snake Charmer Face Palette contain warm and exotic shades for the cheeks and eyes that will charm both snakes and man, but it comes in a snakeskin case that would impress the witch goddess herself.


Philosophy The Haunted House
These scary-but-sweet bath and shower gels in Pumpkin Spice, Black Licorice, and Caramel Apple are perfectly packaged for Halloween to celebrate the ghouls and goblins that fall under Hecate's dominion.

-Dax Carver

Image courtesy of Celtic Moon

Get the Look: Halloween Edition

Sephora designing genius Heather Gray isn't the only creative kid in her family. Proof: her sister Laura's contest-winning Halloween costume. Luckily, Laura didn't take her Halloween beauty secrets to the grave with her and offered to share the products behind her gravely glam look with us.

Here's how to replicate Laura's look, dead on.

Laura Geller Spackle
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Stila Smudge Pot in Jet Black
MAKE UP FOR EVER Eye Shadow in Iridescent Anthracite 169
Blue and iridescent eyeshadows from Tarte The Vanity Limited Edition Palette
Clinique Kohl Shaper for Eyes in Black Denim
Givenchy Captiv'Eyes Mascara in Purple Black
NARS Glitter Pencil in Le Sept on lips
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero for body art

Founder's Day Event (If you're a Beauty Insider)

Don't forget! Tomorrow, October 29 and Thursday, October 30, Sephora Beauty Insiders ONLY are invited to a special event in San Francisco to meet the famous faces (Benefit! Korres! tarte! Too Faced!) behind Sephora's cult-classic brands.

The 2-day event takes place at Sephora University in San Francisco (and includes a goody bags, makeup lessons, one-on-one chat times, and more!). $25 gets you into one day, and $40 covers registration for both - but you get your registration back as a gift card good for anything at Sephora.com or in Sephora stores!

The events for both days start at 6 pm. Want to RSVP? Call 1-877-SEPHORA and use promo code: Gorgeous.

October 29:
Jean Ford, Benefit Cosmetics
Dany Sanz, MAKE UP FOR EVER
Jerrod Blandino, Too Faced Cosmetics
Lisa Price, Carol's Daughter
Oscar Blandi, Oscar Blandi

October 30:
Maureen Kelly, tarte
Lena Korres, Korres
Mark Potter, Cosmedicine
Lev Glazman & Alina Roytberg, Fresh

Behind the Brow Guru: Anastasia Soare's Brow Makeovers continued...

As far as we’re concerned, fellow Sephora staffer, Caryn, came to Anastasia with enviable brows. But, she seemed determined that they lacked volume and shape. Anastasia was happy to comply, as she is a fan of a thick, strong brow and immediately went to work evening out their length and thickness with her indispensable stencil.

Anastasia first brushed Caryn’s brows up with a Spooley Brush, then used a mixture of Brow Powder Duo in Golden Blonde and Strawburn to give her brows added fullness. The results were fantastic—there were lots of oohs and ahs. Caryn’s reaction sums it up, “My eyebrows were always very course and straight across with no shape. The more I had them threaded and waxed, the thinner they got...still with no shape. Anastasia filled in my brows, making them appear thicker than usual (which I love). She also created perfect arches that really frame my face. I couldn't believe what a difference the brows make!”

Since this is the last in our Beauty and the Blog series of amazing Anastasia brow makeovers, we'd like to thank the Brow Guru for her stunning work and her easy-to-follow instructions. Next time we feel the urge to pluck, we're going to straight to the Anastasia Brow Studio at Sephora instead!

3 Minute Makeup PICKS

Greetings beauty mavens! Nicci from nicciknows.com here.

Yesterday's trick was the art of doing 3-minute makeup! Today, I'll tell you which beauty picks are best when you're in a hurry.

Keep it simple. A 3-minute makeup session means not using more than four products. The general recipe is:

1) A perfecting product like foundation, powder foundation or concealer

Nicci’s Sephora Faves: Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15; Make Up For Ever Duo Mat Powder Foundation and Laura Mercier Secret Eye Concealer.

2) An enhancing and brightening product like bronzer or blush.

Nicci’s Sephora Faves: Tarte Tres Chic Limited Edition Mini Cheek Stain Set or Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Powder

3) Framing the eye in some way whether it’s with mascara, eyeliner or one eyeshadow.

Nicci’s Sephora Faves: Diorshow Iconic Mascara, Yves Saint Laurent Easy Liner for Eyes, Nars Duo Eyeshadow in Bohemian Gold.

4) Coloring the lip with lipstick, gloss or tinted lip balm.

Nicci’s Sephora Faves: Vincent Longo Lipstain Lipstick, Stila Cosmetics Shine-on Gift of Glaze Limited Edition Lip Glaze set, Fresh Lip Shine

Happy hustling!!

Tried + Tested: Bixeux Skin Bionaturals Eye Treatment Cream

A week of tapping on the little cream that could packed in a slender pink tube around her eye area and the girl with not so horrible skin is starting to see why all the beauty girls are abuzz.

Sure, it's got a cruelty-free promise, plus nine other big guarantees. And then there are the numbers:
A 75% reduction in puffiness
A 30% increase in elasticity
A 70% reduction in bagging.

But what has really gotten the girl with not so horrible skin on the Bixeux Skin Bionaturals Eye Treatment Cream ($59) bandwagon is the super-smooth but not too heavy creamy-like texture combined with the lighting-fast absorbability. The girl with not so horrible skin has been nothing short of amazed by the insta-effect that comes from the lotion's brightening qualities.

It must be those fancy ingredients like alpha arbutin, a skin lightening and skintone smoother, vine-eco, which comes from grapes and provides protection against free-radical damage i.e. wrinkles, and actiflow, a natural yeast derivative that reduces the appearance of dark circles.

The girl with not so horrible skin has always wanted to be in a band, and using this lightweight moisturizer makes her feel like she's getting one step closer…

—Jenna Mahoney

Behind the Brow Guru: Anastasia Soare's Brow Makeovers continued...

Our fearless Beauty and the Blog leader, Laura, is next in line for a brow transformation. She complained of overly tweezed, too-straight brows. But, what Anastasia discovered was that one of Laura’s brows was higher than the other. A common problem, she explained, and an easy one to disguise.

Anastasia started with a quick stencil fill-in (strategically placed to give the illusion that Laura’s brows are at the same height). Using a bit of Brow Powder Duo in Ash Blonde and a swipe or two of Brow Gel, Laura’s brows looked full and shapely. An added step of applying highlighter Brow Duality just under Laura’s newly formed arches and she looked like she got an extra three hours of sleep. No joke!

Laura's reaction? "Before Anastasia set me straight, I always thought me brows were very thin and rued the day I first plucked them as a senior in college (I know, late bloomer!). But Anastasia made me realize that it was arches that my brows were missing - and a few strategic plucks took my brows from straight to almost voluptuous!"

"I Get 8 Hours Every Night" Makeup

Project Runway makeup artist and Sephora blogger Nathan Johnson dished up a trick last week I can't believe I've never tried: lining around the eye with peach (not pink), eyeliner or shadow to instantly cover/mask/hide/banish red-rimmed eyes. Which have pretty much become my trademark look every sleep-deprived Monday.

This weekend at my Sephora store, I hit the jackpot: I found the perfect peachy-flesh-toned shadow from Urban Decay. Named (unappetizingly, if you want my opinion), ABC Gum, this shadow is a perfect match for fair to medium skintones. It's matte without a trace of shimmer, but is heavy enough to cancel out even a morning after Saturday night red eye.

This little trick worked so well when I tried it on in the store, my shopping buddy took one look at me and immediately picked up one for herself. "Here's to Monday," we said as we clinked champagne cocktails later that afternoon. After all, now no one needs to know we stay up too late on a school night.

3 Minute Makeup TRICKS

Greetings beauty mavens! Nicci from nicciknows.com here.

As a beauty expert and makeup artist with over 10 years of experience (I know, I'm dating myself), I can tell you that it IS indeed possible to create a great look in just 3 minutes - here's how:

Taking your look from ordinary to extraordinary can take only 3 minutes with some simple and clever makeup tips. You might even want to print out this article and tuck it inside your makeup bag so you’ll have a quick reference on those rushed occasions.

The key to looking polished, pretty and pulled together in just 3 minutes is in knowing yourself and understanding your beauty needs. To know what you need to look good, take a closer look at your features. Here are some things to consider:

1) Are your eyelashes blond?
If your eyelashes are light, mascara is generally going to be a must.

2) Are your hair and skin tone a similar shade?
If so, then color on the cheeks will be necessary to brighten you up.

3) Or, are they vastly different: i.e. black hair and very fair skin?
If there is a stark contrast in your hair and skin tone like black hair and fair skin, then a lip color that will brighten and balance is going to be crucial.

4) Does your skin have acne, acne scars or discoloration like rosacea?
If your skin has visible imperfections, applying a foundation for coverage is going to be important.

5) Is your complexion on the sallow (yellow) side?
If your skin is sallow, wearing a blush color that brightens and adds color will be vital.

Then ask yourself the following…what do you need to feel like yourself and be comfortable? For some people, this could be black liquid eyeliner or filled-in brows.

These are all factors in determining what items are needed for your 3-minute makeup.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you which picks will get you gorgeous in 3 minutes!

Meet Lisa Price From Carol's Daughter

If you live near Arlington, VA's Pentagon mall, guess what! Lisa Price, founder of Carol's Daughter (I heart you, Almond Cookie Body Butter!) is stopping by Sephora Pentagon for a special makeup session on Sunday, October 26th.

The topic: Beauty Solutions for Women of Color. This is your chance to talk beauty with Lisa Price, the fabulous founder of Carol's Daughter.

Make an appointment to meet this amazing woman, get a complimentary skin and hair consultation from a Carol's Daughter expert and go home gorgeous.

Consultations happen all day (from noon to 6 pm), but Lisa will be there from noon to 3 pm.

Beauty Trend: The Italian Nail Mohawk

I first noticed it on the waitress delivering my extra-foamy cappuccino. The center of her nail was dressed in a beautiful burgundy polish, but the sides were left naked and bare—kind of like a nail version of the mohawk.

Initially, I chalked it up to time constraints. I imagined the waitress thinking 'I really want to look nice for Paolo tonight but I don't have time to paint my entire nail before work.'

Then I spotted those stripe-y fingers everywhere.

I did a background check and discovered there's nothing tricky behind this trend. "In Florence, we like this manicure because it's considered fashionable and chic," said one shopkeeper.

Florentine fingers give you an edge—like the chipped-polish fad, but not as trashy—and add some grit to your glamour.

Dime. What do you think?

Under The Tuscan Sunphora

While vacationing in Florence last week, I put down the pizza, pasta, and gelato long enough to take a peek and picture of the local Sephora, which I dubbed La Dolce Sephora.

La Dolce Sephora has a dusty-stone façade that fits in perfectly with the surrounding old-world-chic architecture. Staying true to its European roots, this store comes in a size small—making it easy to spot your favorite brands and products but also easy to knock over display trays.

I chatted with a couple cast members and they revealed Tri-Aktaline wrinkle reducer is their best-selling product (lower right: my mom was an instant fan), smoky eye kits are a big hit (sultry stares are 'in' everywhere), and Sephora Brand Atomic Volume Mascara is a must-have for Florentine women.

Talk turned to Sephora stores in the States and I noticed that something major was missing: Bare Escentuals Mineral Powders! Though they don't carry B.E. in their store, they had heard all about it.

"Is it true that the Blodgett has a bus?," asked one wide-eyed cast member, referring to B.E. founder Leslie Blodgett's 'Try, Believe, Love Texas Tour'.

"Don't you swirl-ah and ah-tap?" said another, smiling as her hand made a circular motion in the air.

I confirmed these tales were true. I then revealed that I actually know someone who was on the bus with 'the Blodgett.' They gasped in awe—and I decided it was time to make a valiant exit.

Departing La Dolce Sephora, I was showered with two-cheek kisses, slipped a sample-size of the Atomic Lash (and ordered to apply, pronto), and sent off in a resounding chorus of 'Ciao Bella!'s.

I was so happy, I decided to get another gelato.

Meet The Founders @ Sephora University

Are you a Sephora Beauty Insider? Because this invite's for you only, honey.

Come celebrate a Decade of Gorgeous at Sephora University in San Francisco and meet the famous faces behind your favorite brands. Learn their secrets, get personalized beauty services by their talented pros, and go home gorgeous.

Bonus #1: Score an awesome gift bag!

This is for Beauty Insiders only, and space is limited. The event takes place October 29 and October 30, from 6 to 9 both evenings. $25 gets you into one day, and $40 covers registration for both.

Bonus #2 : Your registration is given back to you as a gift card for anything at Sephora stores or Sephora.com!

Want to RSVP? Call 1-877-SEPHORA and use promo code: Gorgeous.

October 29:
Jean Ford, Benefit Cosmetics
Dany Sanz, MAKE UP FOR EVER
Jerrod Blandino, Too Faced Cosmetics
Lisa Price, Carol's Daughter
Oscar Blandi, Oscar Blandi

October 30:
Maureen Kelly, tarte
Lena Korres, Korres
Mark Potter, Cosmedicine
Lev Glazman & Alina Roytberg, Fresh



Photo from NorCalBluffs. Doncha wish you were here?

Behind the Brow Guru: Anastasia Soare's Brow Makeovers continued...

The brow makeover of the day illustrates two of the most common complaints Anastasia sees in the salon—over-plucking and how to fill in a scar. Jess, our lovely redheaded writer, may have been a bit heavy-handed at her last DIY tweezing session and, as a result, her brows have shrunk. Also, she has small scar on her left brow from a childhood run-in with an errant baseball.

Anastasia suggested that Jess extend her brows on both ends and create more of an arch, in addition to filling in her scar. Sounded like a lot of work, but the stencil made it easy. She filled in Jess’s brows, first with the Brow Pen, followed by Brow Powder Duo in Strawburn. The overall effect was amazing—completely natural looking! Anastasia gently asked that Jess step away from the tweezers for awhile, so her brows could ‘stretch out a bit.’

Jess thanked Anastasia for her expertise, “I’ve never been able to find someone to teach me how to fill in the scar without it looking fake. You’ve killed two birds with one stone—you’ve covered the scar beautifully and made my brows look fuller in a natural way.”

Melting Dresses: A Good Excuse To Buy The Fancy Underwear

It's a shame Alanis Morissette didn't include this in her warbling about irony: A dress that melts off faster than your mascara.

Two British professors actually created a dress that will dissolve over time - at a slightly slower pace than a sweaty party, they swear (and doesn't that just sound like the premise to a bad 80s flick?).

The dress is made from a clear polymer, polyvinyl alcohol, and is festooned with flowers that leave a little tint as they dissolve.

“In your lifetime you throw away around 20 tonnes of packaging material. We want people to think about that,” co-creator Professor Tony Ryan said.

Hello, Tony? Most girls don't even like their eyeliner dissolving during the day. But thanks for thinking of us.

Special thanks to Fashion Indie for finding out about this.

Thrrrob, You Make My Heart Thrrrob

I'm in love, and you can tell because I'm blushing. Or are these the rosy cheeks of someone who's just been a little naughty?

Ladies never tell.

When my fellow Sephora bloggers and I got our brows plucked to perfection by the brilliant Benefit crew, I took advantage of location to play around at the makeup counter. And there it was: What would become my true love, sitting right next to a blush brush.

Thrrrob is the newest in Benefit's boxed powder collection, and it's also my new favorite blush. It lightly mimics the natural flush a girl gets when she's in love...or flirting...or getting caught being naughty...

Thrrrob, I think I love you.

Bid On A One Of A Kind Beauty

You already know that Sephora turns 10 this year. Mainly because I can't stop thinking about how makeup-less I must have been in 1997.

To celebrate, a few of our fave brands decorated Sephora train cases and by decorate, I mean splashed out on some of the jazziest, most creative designs ever seen on train cases (and ladies, we have seen our fair share of train cases).

Now for the sweet part: Sephora is auctioning off 18 of those train cases to help raise money for Girls For A Change (we heart GFC very much).

Want to get involved? In fact, want one of these fab cases yourself? The auction starts TODAY - just head to online charity auction house Charity Folks.

The cases up for auction were designed by Anthony Logistics, Bare Escentuals, Benefit, Bliss, Cargo, Caudalie, Dylan's Candy Bar, Fresh, ghd, LORAC, Marc Jacobs Daisy, Make Up For Ever, Philosophy, Stila, Sephora Brand, Tarte, Too Faced and Urban Decay.

The auction will begin on October 22nd and will close on November 6th - here's to making a little bit of birthday change where it counts.

Interior DecHAIRrating: Sultry Hair Wallpaper

Did anyone see today's Thrillist Nation? (I know it's for bros, but this chick loves it anyway.) The story featured Roll Out Custom Wallpaper, and one of their available designs caught my eye in particular. Behold the "Sultry Hair Wallpaper" by artist Andrio Abero. The continuously-cascading-coif-pattern is slightly disturbing but seriously cool!

What do you think?
Does this wallpaper inspire you to:
A) Comb your home for matching accents
B) Pick up a paint brush instead

It's Here! It's Here! Lancome's Oscillation PowerMascara

Remember way back in July when Lancome's Oscillation PowerMascara was available on Sephora for one day only? And was so madly popular, it sold out in, like, 12 minutes?

Manual lashers immediately signed up on a waiting list - which is is now 21,000 strong. That's 42,000 eyes waiting to get this vibrating mascara sensation!

First, girls, the good news: Oh, we have it. In stock and ready for purchase.

Secondly, if you missed the original frenzy: Lancome's Oscillation PowerMascara is a wand that vibrates at 7,000 oscillations per minute so your lashes get pumped. But pumped evenly.

In fact, we got tips straight from Lancome on how to rock this wand:

• The key to great results: Apply in slow, straight and steady strokes
• Don’t zig-zag and don’t wiggle
• Don’t overpump the wand (There’s plenty of product on there for multiple coats!)
• If at first you don’t succeed…don’t give up! Ôscillation sometimes takes a few tries to get the hang of it
• Oscillation is great for the lower lashes, so don’t forget to apply there

Once you get ah-mazingly good at the basics, you can trick out your technique. For example, apply, and then go back and re-apply to the tips alone. You can get amazing length.

Or, put the wand right at the base of the lashes, activate the vibrating action and hold in place for a few seconds. Then slowly sweep to the tips of the lashes. It gives you beautiful thickness at the base and lots of oomph.

If you tried it, let us know!

Behind the Brow Guru: Anastasia Soare's Brow Makeovers continued...

Today's brow makeover belongs to...me. I'm incredibly self conscious and hate having my picture taken, so the only reason I agreed to participate is that an opportunity to be groomed by the Guru herself was just too good to pass up (and it's my job!).

My chief brow complaint is that I basically don't pay them any mind at all and every makeup artist I meet scolds me for not darkening them. The mantra usually goes something like this: They're too light! They blend into your complexion! Fill them in and your jawline will pop—this one really gets me as I have no jawline to speak of, only chubby cheeks.

I finally submitted to Anastasia and her bag of tricks:

The first thing Anastasia did was apply her trusty stencil to determine where my brows needed bulking up and paring down. She trimmed the top of my brows (a technique not recommended for amateurs!) and then, not surprisingly, exclaimed that my brows were practically invisible and needed more oomph so that they'd frame my eyes and face.

She brushed the hairs up with a spooley brush, then darkened them with her magical Brow Pen. (See photo of me with only one brow done. Yikes!) Next she used Go Brow, her highlighter pencil, on my light blond stray hairs so she could see exactly where they were, but also noted that the highlighter can be used to conceal any short, dark stray hairs that you don't have time to tweeze.

When I looked the finished product, I was shocked to see two nice looking friends hovering above my lashes, giving my face a more angular feeling! Thanks to Anastasia, I've seen the light (um, dark) and I'm ready to commit to regular brow enhancement.

Jackie Lantern Goes Trick Or Treating At Sephora

Hello darlings!

Jackie Lantern here with a little secret on how to STAY CUTE this Halloween.

I don't know about you gals, but being around all this candy makes me blow up like a giant orange balloon. Give me enough of those trick-or-treat sweets, and I feel like I'm bursting at the seeds!

This year, I'm making my indulgences guilt-free by going trick-or-treating at my fave Sephora store. Clever idea, right? Honey, you know this head of mine is full of more than just seeds and pulp.

Here's my idea of Halloween candy:


Dylan's Candy Bar Chocolate Cupcake Collection
These treats smell so much like the real deal, they've gotten a 5-star rating on Sephora.com.




Philosophy Hot Cocoa Bath & Shower Gel
Whenever I use this, people tell me, "You look good enough to eat!" I take that as a real compliment.







Urban Decay Flavored Body Powder - Marshmallow
Trust me, girls - this smells so delish that not having a body doesn't stop me from patting on this sparkling, glimmery, sugar-scented powder.






Fresh Sugar
Want a sugar rush that won't make your pants scream for mercy? How about throwing in a little all-day lip exfoliation, too?

Behind the Brow Guru: Anastasia Soare

Meet Anastasia Soare. She's the ultimate brow guru; based in LA all (and we mean all) of Hollywood relies on her to create the perfect brows for their features. When offered brow makeovers that would appear on Beauty and the Blog, lots of Sephora’s NYC staffers said, “Pick me!” The Brow Guru herself agreed to fly in from Beverly Hills and grace us with her tweezers. We, the brow-challenged, consider ourselves very, very lucky.

After completing architecture school, Anastasia left Romania in 1989 for the sunnier climes of Los Angeles. She then applied her creative energy to cosmetology school in the U.S., and ultimately developed a talent for giving fabulous facials, which is how she discovered that American women were ignoring two of their most impactful assets—their brows! Out of this revelation her empire was born, and well-groomed arches would eventually become the next de rigueur part of our beauty routines. Each day we’ll be posting a new brow makeover, illustrating Anastasia’s solutions to the most popular brow challenges.
















Today, we’re starting with Stacy (pictured above), a staffer who felt that there was too much space between her brows. Anastasia agreed and explained:

“Your brows should always start right above the inner corner of your eye.” She started by marking the beginning, middle and end of each arch and then using one of her goof-proof Anastasia Beverly Hills Classic Stencils to generate the basic shape of the brow.

Any hairs that fall outside of the stencil area can be tweezed or waxed, and any sparse areas on the inside of the stencil can be filled in with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Mini Duo Angled/Spooley Brush.

The results were truly transformative. “I felt like my brows really highlighted my face shape, and gave me a more youthful, radiant expression, “ says Stacy.

You Asked, He Answered: Nathan Johnson On Keeping Fine Lines Covered

Roxy asked...
Nathan Johnson, you are the bomb! I have a question for you. As one gets older (but I'll never tell!) is less often more with makeup? I am having trouble with "setting" powder being too obtrusive, especially around the fine lines of the eyes. Sometimes I avoid the powder altogether there. What am I doing wrong? Please help!

Roxy! Thanks for the compliment. YOU are an angel!

First off, you are not doing anything wrong. Your question is tricky and at the same time, it's a common complaint for most women of a certain age. With liquid or cream foundation, setting powder is necessary. You have to use it; if you don't your makeup will run, crease and never become one with your skin.

There are a few things that may be at fault. We'll look at them one by one. I have a feeling that trying one or more of these tricks will remedy the problem.

First of all, regardless of your age, when it comes to foundation and setting powders, less is ALWAYS more.

I cannot impress upon you enough the importance of wearing only the level of coverage that you need. If you have chosen a texture of foundation that is too heavy, when you set it, it is going to look even heavier. Believe it or not, the obtrusiveness of your powder may be because of your foundation or concealer. Have you tried liquid or tinted moisturizer? Use only what you need to create the illusion of perfection.

If you find the texture of foundation you are using is right, then the setting powder is the culprit. Talc powders can grab onto the foundation and force everything into the fine lines, giving you the look of an ancient paper mache mask (I'm being dramatic!). And the problem only gets worse when worse when your skin's oil starts to come through the makeup.

There is one sure-fire way to conquer this. Use Cover FX setting powder. It is mica-based and 100% talc free. When you rub it between your fingers, the powder feels like silk. It has been blasted 1,000 times per particle and has absolutely no texture. No texture means no settling into fine lines. Put a touch on the end of a fluffy brush and lightly tap it onto your skin. The foundation will grab only what it needs. The formulation is 100% mineral based, non-drying to the skin and the reflectivity of the mica picks up the light and makes the skin look even more luminous. Is that not awesome?

Roxy, solve the problem by following these steps and I have no doubt you will look gorgeous and creaseless all day long.

The Mind Readers

Ok, now those brilliant sisters at the helm of the coolest co. in SF have graduated from coolio makeup mavens to full-on mind readers, and provided everything I've ever wanted into an adorobs (like I needed to say that) little pack.

You see, in honor of the holiday season, they've picked and packaged their best and brightest goods for eyes into a mini jewelry box and called it Primpcess ($34). The limited edition set boasts the best and brightest including BadGal Lash in black, a cooper-rose creaseless cream shadow/liner called r.s.v.p and Boi-ing, that no-dark-circles/blemish-is-getting-through-this concealer formulation.

Inside, there are also brushes a mirror and a step-by-step application with pretty illustrations booklet. Oh! And how could I forget the mini EyeBright? That's there too, along with an accent powder shadow and brown-green liner. Now, the only thing that is missing from this ready-made Christmas wish list is meeting the mind readers and thanking them for such genius-oisty without me even having to write to the makeup elves.

—Jenna Mahoney

Get The Goddess Look: Artemis

GET THE LOOK: Artemis

The most paradoxical god on Olympus, this daughter of Zeus and Leto, and twin of Apollo, is the goddess of the hunt and wild animals, while at the same time she reigns over midwifery and is the protector of children. Playful, free-roaming, and eternally youthful—Artemis is nurturing and powerful, but expects nothing but the best from those who follow her lead.

A true untamed beauty, Artemis' sacred symbols include almost any wild animal, as well as the palm tree, laurel, amaranth, cypress, and always the bow and arrow. Here is a list of products that will set your personal Artemis free:

Dior J'adore Bath Collection
Both sophisticated and natural, this bath and body collection combines amaranth—a true fave of Artemis—with other florals that will drive you, and others, wild.

ColorOn Professional™ EyeEnvy Exotics Kit

These peel-off mineral cream eyeshadows in animal prints and camouflage are perfect for letting others know you are on the hunt!

Tarte Full Blossom Natural Swirl Cheek Stain

When Leto gave birth to Artemis and Apollo under a palm tree, it forever remained sacred to all three. Tarte's Full Blossom Natural Swirl Cheek Stain not only contains the antioxidant power of the Açaí Palm fruit, but also perfectly expresses Artemis' care-free spirit.




Bare Escenutals Be Campy Collection
In earth-tone shades for your eyes, complexion, and lips, this collection will help you to reflect Artemis' back-to-nature, free-roaming sensibilities.





Georgio Armani Eau de Parfum Spray

With one of Artemis' faves, the laurel, this scent is woodsy enough to reflect the hunting goddess, yet still feminine and powerful.




PerriconeMD Target Care Super Berry With Açaí Dietary Supplement Powder
Artemis eats ambrosia to stay eternally young—perhaps PerriconeMD has found the next best thing in these super-antioxidant rich powder supplements that contain Açaí Palm fruit, one of Artemis' faves!

-Dax Carver

Tried + Tested: Amazing Cosmetics The Amazing Seven Collection Lipsticks

As a certified gloss girl, I have to look waaay back into the beauty vault to remember the last time I wore lipstick. It was a wedding so long ago that said couple now has school-aged children with different spouses.

I sashayed across the dance floor with super SWAKable pin-up red lips with serious staying power. And the heavyweight lacquer was so long-lasting that it stayed with me well into the early morn. And, well, you can imagine the dried corners…yeah, ick.

So, safe to say when I read in WWD's Beauty Biz the other day that lipstick is the story of the season, I was totally Hiesmen-ing on that. That was until I met the coming-soon Amazing Cosmetics The Amazing Seven Collection Lipsticks, which pay homage to the 1960 screen gem "The Magnificent Seven."

The ultra-hydrating formulas go on so smoothly, even a sassy gloss girl like myself would swear she was swiping on a beloved little sheer—and light—gloss. And there's even a bit of shimmered glitter, but you've got that day-long wear of something a lot less fleeting and fancy-free.

The seven new shades all have cute movie star names of the glam-est gals around. Marilyn is a soft peachy-rose that's universally flattering. Elizabeth and Audrey are sweetly coopered pinks, which are perfect for day and night. And the sexy Sophia is a pretty plum that makes you want to pucker up.

—Jenna Mahoney

Too Faced Multitaskers: Extra Uses Revealed!

Earlier this week, I was in Irvine, CA at the fabulous Too Faced headquarters doing a makeover shoot. (Results will be revealed after the new year!) While walking me through the look she created on her co-worker model, makeup Nikki Vasilomanolakis (pictured) enlightened me with some alternative uses for two of their top products. Ready for show and tell? Enjoy the extra benefits.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance, $17
What it does: The silicone based eyeshadow primer transforms any eyeshadow into a perfectly blendable, color-drenched, intensified version of itself, then locks it down perfectly until you take it off.

What is ALSO does:
-Mattifies Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Eye Shadows.
-Works the same magic on cheeks to help concentrate blush for a sculpted look.
- Prolongs and intensifies lip color, too.


Too Faced Starry-Eyed Liquid Eyeliner, $17.50
What it does: Defines lash lines with colorful, sparkling micro-glitter.

What it ALSO does:
Adds sparkle to mascara-coated lashes for a twinkling wink.

Spring 2009 Beauty Trends: Backstage at The Green Initiative

SHOW: The Green Initiative
MAKEUP: Smashbox
MODEL: Lena from Photogenics
BEAUTY BOTTOM LINE: Monochromatic bronze from hairline to chin line.

THE LOOK: The Green Initiative's collection featured natural materials (example: a dress made of glass rings), so Smashbox made sure that the accompanying makeup look was equally as natural. To achieve this, they stuck to a bronze palette, using only faux lashes and clear gloss as extra pops. The minimal look also included a sculpted, tawny cheek and sienna lids. Together, the low-maintenance features emanated a gorgeous, everyday glow, proving it IS easy being green.

GET IT: Smashbox Camera Ready Full Coverage Concealer, Single Eyeshadow in Sienna and Brazilian Bronze, Fusion Soft Lights in Baked Starburst, Lip Enhancing Gloss in Crystal, and MAKE UP FOR EVER Strip False Lashes in Ref 25026.

Tom Ford's New Fragrance: Nothing You've Smelled Before

Blending a fragrance Tom Ford himself would want his name on isn’t a task anyone but the most experienced would take on. Fortunately, Rodrigo Flores-Roux, the perfumer working under Tom’s creative direction, has been blending perfumes since 1991.

Tom Ford’s latest fragrance is White Patchouli, which as the name suggests, starts with patchouli.

But wait: it’s definitely not what you’re thinking—there are no musty herbal odors here. Why? Because new extraction techniques means Tom and his team have a scent that’s like nothing you’ve smelled before.

First, a little background: The patchouli plant is in the same family as mint, basil, lavender and rosemary. It’s grown on islands around the Indian ocean, in Indonesia, Malaysia and other surrounding tropical hotspots. On its own, patchouli doesn’t have a scent. Only after drying it does the essential oil develop into that recognizable scent.

How To Dry Patchouli...Differently
While older drying methods tend to be labor-intensive—about 6 months of drying—and imprecise, newer drying methodologies have recently been able to extract patchouli’s complex scents, like leather, fruit, wine, wood—along with the really earthly, medicinal smells.

Although he uses patchouli in all of his fragrances, for this new scent, Tom wanted a wholly new interpretation of the scent. Experimenting with those new refining techniques, Tom and his team eliminated the undesirable elements of patchouli and came up with Patuchulio Orpur. This ingredient became the base of White Patchouli. As Rodrigo describes it, it’s like woodsy, ambery, rich material. Not heavy or earthy at all.

Once the team had this key note, the next challenge became finding the right ingredients to blend with it. Tom was inspired by lightness, Lucite, and materials that have depth and heft but are see-through, to keep the fragrance light and enlightened.

They layered a golden amber in first. Struck by the white peony’s transparent petals, Tom added that element next.

Spice & Flowers
Through trial and error, they created a formula with notes of bergamot, mandarin for freshness, and flowers like rose, gardenia, and jasmine. There’s a hint of coriander, which added an interesting masculine element. Coriander is typically reserved for oriental or masculine fragrances, but in White Patchouli, it added a splash of pepper to this blend.

The final scent, as Rodrigo says, is light, but very rich, and capable of becoming dark. And there’s a good chance you won’t recognize the patchouli—this new interpretation is truly like nothing you’ve smelled before.

You're Invited To Sephora's Birthday Party

As I mentioned last week, Sephora is 10 this year! That's 10 years of liners, lipsticks, lash lacquers - not to mention soaps, skincare, spritzes. Ahhhh....it's been a pretty, pretty decade.

Wanna celebrate? This Friday and Saturday, Sephora stores are throwing parties! Aside from being stocked with made-just-for-Sephora birthday treats from beauty's biggest brands (Fresh, Urban Decay, Philosophy, NARS - take a peek at everything here!), you can get a free makeover or skincare consultation.

And because no birthday is complete without party favors: Get a free lipstick case just for strolling in. Come raise a gloss to a beauty-full decade!

Hello, Houston! The beauty crew from Stila will also be at the Houston Galleria this Saturday. Party + Pretty!

Spring 2009 Beauty Trends: Backstage at Samora

SHOW: Samora
MAKEUP: Smashbox
MODEL: Danica for LA Models
BEAUTY BOTTOM LINE: Tempting cat eye, sparkly lids, and pretty pink lips.

THE LOOK: Inspired by the designer's homeland, this flirty French-girl look features Bridgette B-like eyes (heavy, yet crisp, with the black liner and long strip faux lashes) glitzed up with a bit of glitter. To balance that bling, the Smashbox team mattified the models' French kissers with powder and applied un petit de bronzer on the cheeks--no color. Now, feast your eyes on the finished look. Belle appetit!

GET IT: Smashbox Single Eyeshadow in Nude, Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner in Midnight Black, Bionic Mascara, MAKE UP FOR EVER Strip Eyelashes in Ref 25108, MAKE UP FOR EVER Diamond Powder in White Gold, Bronze Lights in Suntan Matte (very light application), Photo Finish Lipstick With Sila-Silk™ Technology in Stunning.

Spring 2009 Beauty Trends: Backstage at Tulle & Cloth Logic

SHOW: Tulle & Cloth Logic
MAKEUP: Smashbox
MODEL: Sarah Deanna
BEAUTY BOTTOM LINE: Bold pops of color on the eyes and lips.

THE LOOK: Bright brights, big pretty! Check out these vivid lids and lips. Either painted in yellow or orange, the eyes rocked sunny hues concentrated on the inner parts of the peepers on a "V" with some subtle smokiness around the outside in a "C." Artist Lori Taylor describes the shape in which the shades are applied as an "ice cream cone" shape. (So smart!) Lips were covered in creamy tulip shades of pink and orange. Last but not least: LASHES! Two sets per eye, in fact...talk about double vision.

GET IT: Smashbox Camera Ready Full Coverage Concealer, MAKE UP FOR EVER Star Powder in Yellow Gold 920, MAKE UP FOR EVER Flash Color in Yellow 13, Smashbox Single Eyeshadow in 24 K, Cream Liner in Thunder with Single Eyeshadow in Obsidian over it, Bronze Lights in Suntan Matte, Photo Finish Lipstick With Sila-Silk™ Technology in Alluring.

Spring 2009 Beauty Trends: Backstage at Nonja McKenzie

SHOW: Nonja McKenzie
MAKEUP: Smashbox
MODEL: Meghan Davis
BEAUTY BOTTOM LINE: Smoky eye and nude lips a la Valley of the Dolls.

THE LOOK: Straying from the many pops of color we've consistently seen this week, this pared down and sultry look plays off the classics: smoldering lids, lightly contoured cheeks, and a shiny nude smile. To give the eyes extra emphasis, Smashbox makeup artist Hank Hoffman "dolled" them up with faux lashes (another runway re-occurrence this season in LA) and framed them with bold-but-believable brows. Overall, this look proves you can still make a glamorous spring spectacle without
dipping into the color spectrum.

GET IT: Smashbox Single Eyeshadow in Sandal (lids) and Walnut (crease), Bionic Mascara, Cream Eyeliner in Midnight Brown, Blush Rush in Ecstasy, and Lip Enhancing Gloss in Crystal.

Bailout Beauty

Given the state of the union, there are going to have to be some cutbacks in my household budget (especially since I've got a wedding going on this summer). But like you fellow sav. Sephora gals, I believe that beauty is a right, not a privilege. And there are some things that I refuse to let go.

Here's my got-to-keep-it-no-matter-what-the-precio list:

Clarins Younger Longer Balm ($98)
Just because we've got some serious worries these days, doesn't mean we should look like it. This take-no-prisoners formula combats small lines, big wrinkles and everything in between with a patented blend of antioxidants, green algae and butcher's broom. Plus, it's as rich and creamy as the day is long.



no!no! ($250)
If cutting back means you are trying to stretch time between waxes, think again. This handy dandy at-home device delivers salon-style fuzz-free faces in mere minutes with little redness

—Jenna Mahoney

Spring 2009 Beauty Trends: Whitley Kros

We couldn't get to Los Angeles in time for this show, but ghd was nice enough to divulge the tips and tricks used to create this catwalk coif. Thanks, ghd!

SHOW: Whitley Kros
HAIR: ghd
BEAUTY BOTTOM LINE: A laid-back, soft, and textured top knot with loose ends.

THE LOOK: First, the ghd Directive Team sprayed ghd Sea Spray into hair, then blow dried to create texture. Hair was then finger-combed into a high ponytail for a slightly messy effect. ghd Polishing Serum was applied to the ends of the ponytail to tame flyaways, and then the hair was twisted into a knot and secured with bobby pins, leaving the ends free. A final light mist of ghd Ultimate Hairspray finished and secured the look.

GET IT: ghd Sea Spray for Matte Waves, Sephora Brand Snag-Free Hair Elastics, Polishing Serum, and Ultimate Hair Spray.

Spring 2009 Beauty Trends: Kevan Hall

We couldn't get to Los Angeles in time for this show, but ghd was nice enough to divulge the tips and tricks used to create this catwalk coif. Thanks, ghd!

SHOW: KEVAN HALL
HAIR: ghd
BEAUTY BOTTOM LINE: Loose waves with a deep side part pulled into a low chignon.

THE LOOK: First, the ghd Directive Team applied ghd Fat Hair Lotion to models’ dry hair. The product was then heat activated using a blow dryer with a diffuser attachment, which created body and texture. Next, a light mist of ghd Sea Spray was worked through the hair to infuse even more texture and hold. Using the ghd IV styler, a slight finger wave was created by gently rocking the styler back and forth, starting at the crown and continuing all the way to the ends. Hair was pulled back at the nape of the neck and secured in a ponytail. Then, ghd Polishing Serum was applied to the ponytail to smooth out any flyaways as the hair was then twisted into a low chignon and secured with bobby pins. Finally, ghd Ultimate Hairspray was used to finish and hold the look.

GET IT: ghd Fat Hair Lotion, IV styler, Sea Spray for Matte Waves, Sephora Brand Snag-Free Hair Elastics, Polishing Serum, and Ultimate Hair Spray.

Spring 2009 Beauty Trends: Backstage at Debra Davenport

SHOW: Debra Davenport
MAKEUP: Smashbox
MODEL: Algo Brehan for Photogenics
BEAUTY BOTTOM LINE: Heated cheeks with lips and lids to match.

THE LOOK: Strike up the coral--again! Warm tones are definitely dominating LA Fashion Week's backstage, if you haven't already sensed the trend. This iteration focuses on the cheeks, which are enhanced with a golden peach blush. "Warm tones tend to make you look more fresh and well-rested," Lori Taylor said, as she sculpted the apples of her model's cheeks. She also used a coral/pink shade in the crease of the eyes to add dimension. Finally, she layered the lips with sweet peach glosses. Orange you excited to wear these shades?

GET IT: Single Eyeshadow in Champagne (lids) and Flamingo (crease), Bionic Mascara, Bronze Lights in Suntan Matte, Blush Rush in Paradise, and Lip Enhancing Gloss in Afterglow and Expose.

In NYC? Get A Free Makeover From Project Runway's Nathan Johnson

Girls of New York: Get out your pens and write down these dates....

Nathan Johnson, aka Sephora blogger aka Project Runway Makeup Artist, will be hosting in-store events at Sephora shops around New York.

Drop in or call ahead to schedule an appointment for a free makeover or color consultation with Nathan.

October 17th @ 34th Street
October 18th @ Soho
October 24th @ Union Square
October 25th @ 5th Avenue
October 30th @ Lexington Ave
November 1st @ Times Square

Spring 2009 Beauty Trends: Backstage at Eco-Ganic

SHOW: Eco-Ganic
MAKEUP: Smashbox
MODEL: Amanda Fields for L.A. Models (She modeled for Korto in last night's Project Runway finale, did you see?)
BEAUTY BOTTOM LINE: Full lashes, shimmering lids, and a juicy, watermelon pout.

THE LOOK: A look that lets lashes take top billing, this fresh face shows that a little goes a long way. After perfecting the skin and filling the brows, Smashbox artist Lori Taylor added illuminating shadow to the lid and inside corners to the eye--and then loaded on faux lashes. The trick here is to add brown lashes to the bottom lashline. This adds noticeable fullness without looking too "Twiggy," Lori says. The top falsies (classic black wispies) help to open the eye as well. The result is fabulously framed peepers that exude natural femininity. Lastly, the lips are lacquered with peach and pink glosses, shades that keep pouting up backstage this week.

GET IT: Smashbox High Definition Healthy FX Foundation SPF 15, Single Eyeshadow in Champagne (lids) and Oyster (inner corners), Cream Eyeliner in Midnight Brown, Bionic Mascara, Brow Tech, Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion in Prism, Bronze Lights in Sunkissed Matte, and Lip Enhancing Gloss in Afterglow and Beauty.

Trick Or Treat, Smell These Sweets!

I always dress up for Halloween (and not as the "naughty," "sexy," or "slutty" version of otherwise respectable professions, thankyouverymuch).

Unfortunately, the days of house-hopping trick or treating are long gone, which means the only sack of candy I get are the ones I buy myself.

Consider this the grown-up-girl equivalent of that pillowcase full of precious candy cargo you'd collect, then hoard, as a kid. Plus, instead of making your pants scream and your gut bust, Philosophy's Haunted House is filled with yummy skin-softening treats in delish flavors like Black Licorice and Carmel Apple.

Knock knock, Philosophy! This grown girl wants to trick or treat at your house.

Tried + Tested: Bieux Skin Bionaturals Eye Treatment Cream

The girl with not so horrible skin is back.

After a very successful experiment with the MD Skincare Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel, she's realized that there's more to a picture perf. fache than all-gone white bumps and see-ya-later small lines. Because now the girl with not so horrible skin has just got to deal with those deep dark circles under her brown eyes. (Does anyone else feel like a woman's work is never done?).

Luckily for the girl with not so horrible skin, there's a new eye treatment on the block. And after hearing rumors that the Bieux Skin Bionaturals Eye Treatment Cream ($59) is garnering praise around the block, she has decided to try it for herself.

But what really sold her was the fact that the emollient cream is paraben-, silicone-, fragrance- and oil-free.

—Jenna Mahoney

Pretty Girls Don't Need Groceries

Take a look in your cupboards, then compare what you see with what's in your makeup bag. Is one a little better stocked than the other?

According to the beauty buyers at FeelUnique.com, women will slash the grocery bill first before they run out of makeup: "Almost one in three women would rather eat less than cut back on lotions and potions."

My first thought: Outrageous! A vaguely discriminatory statement like this is just another star in the constellation of micro-inequities that cumulatively serve to perpetuate ridiculous gender stereotypes!

Second thought: Although, I really do buy a lot of hairspray.

With times getting leaner, it's true that the first thing to get economized was my grocery bill. Bye-bye organic butter lettuce, hello frozen spinach! It's just a matter of priorities. I can't give up my Boscia Intensive Eye Treatment when it's making such progress in my Great De-Wrinkling.

But starve first? Mais non! Though now that I think of it, Juice beauty goodies are made with organic juice...

Guest Blogger: Nathan Johnson On Lining Your Rims

Ladies, it's time that you know how to do one of the sexiest things in makeup: Lining the inner rims.

Before we begin, I'll answer a question some of you may be wondering. Why do people do it?

Well, honestly, there are hundreds of possible reasons (maybe not hundreds, but…) Here are two of the most common ones:

1. Using any color on the bottom rim adds instant adventure and drama to the eyes.

2. Coloring the upper rims is a great way to add tons of depth to the lash line without having a hard line on the lid itself.

Here are my secrets for lining the inner rims.

There are several products you can choose from. If you are just beginning, the easiest option is the pencil. I use pencils on my clients when I want a softer look or if it's their first time. With pencils, application is fast and easy. I recommend you go with a professional liner because the product tends to wear longer and be more water resistant. Try Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes, Sephora Brand Keep Kohl, or Dior Crayon.

First, warm up the tip of the pencil on the back of your hand. This step will take the product from room temperature to body temperature and allow for easier application.

Next, to apply on lower lid, place your pointer finger under the eye and gently pull downward until the lid lifts away from the eye. Drag the warmed pencil over the entire inner rim several times until the desired depth of color is reached.

Have fun here…experiment with color. Black is always sexy, but why not spice up the fall with some jade? If you already line your rims, I challenge you to try bold new colors. Think outside the box here. How about lilac on the inner third and navy on the outer two-thirds? Go for it, girls.

Here is another option (and one of my favorite secrets): If you look a little tired or drawn, use a flesh-colored pencil on the rim. This will open and brighten the eyes. If you had a rough night, this will cover the redness and irritation. Who knew an instant eight hours of sleep was hiding in a pencil? CAUTION: When I say flesh-colored, it is relative term. Choose a pencil that is one or two shades lighter than your own skin tone. If you are fair-skinned, I advise you to think more peachy and less pinky (the pink ones look too much like the irritation we are trying to cover). If you have deeper skin, choose a medium tone champagne color (go with a dark peach or champagne color; they're better at hiding the red we want to brighten).

Now, for the upper lid, application is the same but the result is different (remember, this adds depth to the lash line). Simply place the pointer finger under the arch of the brow, gently lift until the lid pulls away and apply your color.

If you are ready for it (and you want longer wear) choose a gel liner (Make Up forever Aqua Creamliner, for example), Use the same method to open up the inner rim, but tap the product on with a flat liner brush. If you want longevity, this is your product. Gel liners can go all day. Woo Hoo!

Have fun and experiment. Sometimes do the lower rim, sometimes the upper and sometimes do both. You'll never know what looks best until you try it.

Lastly: Your eyes might tear up a little on your first try. This is very common and very natural, but you can avoid it by lining your rims in a fast, swift motion. If you go fast, there will be no time for the eye to tear (do you love my logic?).

As for removal: If it hasn't worn off on it's own, wet the end of a cotton swab with eye makeup remover, pull the lid out with the same method used for application and pull the swab across the rim.

Now is that easy or what? If you don't line the inner rims, start now. Get going, girls….add some sexy spice to your Friday or Monday or Thursday...

Spring 2009 Beauty Trends: Backstage at Crispin & Basilio

SHOW: Crispin & Basilio
MAKEUP: Smashbox
MODEL: Natalie Savic for Photogenics
BEAUTY BOTTOM LINE: Naturally pink lips an cheeks, wide eyes, and fresh skin.

THE LOOK: When makeup artist Lori Taylor told me this look was "easy to achieve," she wasn't lying. Besides tight-lining the lashlines with black liner, the bulk of the gorgeous look is left up to chemistry--specifically, the kind found in Smashbox's "O" collection. When applying O-Glow to the cheeks, remember that patting it on builds color and rubbing it blends it. Lori also used a fan brush to apply an extra pop of pink blush to the cheeks, because "pink cheeks make you look young." (I ignored that the model was just about to celebrate her Sweet 16...) Lastly, to tie it all together, she dabbed the blush on the balls of the lid for a perfectly pink wink.

GET IT: Smashbox Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion in Diffuse mixed with High Definition Healthy FX Foundation SPF 15, Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner in Midnight Black, O-GLOW Intuitive Cheek Color With Goji Berry-C Complex™, Fan Brush 22, Blush Rush in Chiffon, O-GLOSS Intuitive Lip Gloss With Goji Berry-C Complex™.

Spring 2009 Beauty Trends: Backstage at Caroline D'Amore

SHOW: Caroline D'Amore
MAKEUP: Smashbox
MODEL: C.C. Fontana for M Model Management
BEAUTY BOTTOM LINE: Head-to-toe golden skin, bronze smoky eye, and sexy pink lips.

THE LOOK: It's a general fashion rule of thumb that models sporting spring bikinis should rock an enviable tan, too. So Smashbox lead artist Lori Taylor made sure that she "made the face as bling bling as the body," for her look for swimsuit designer Caroline D'Amore. To get this golden look, she chanelled yacht-riding sirens and enlisted her hottest bronze shades. The terracotta-like cheeks and glossy pink lips paired perfectly with the gilded lids and wispy lashes. Charter this look when you're ready to bathe on a boat deck.

GET IT: Smashbox High Definition Healthy FX Foundation SPF 15, Single Eyeshadow in Java and Brazilian Bronze, Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner in Dark Brown, Cream Eyeliner in Midnight Brown, Bionic Mascara, Fusion Soft Lights in Baked Starburst, Blush Rush in Heartbreak, and Lip Enhancing Gloss in Radiant and Illume.

LA Fashion Week Backstage Beauty Tip

Need to mix and match multiple shades without making a mess? Try Smashbox makeup artist Karen's backstage tool: a CD! Easy to hold why applying makeup, the disc provides a palette-like surface to blend formulas and wipes clean with ease. (So I'm betting it won't compromise the content saved on it!) Brings new meaning to "mix master," doesn't it?

Benefit Makes The Brows Go Wow

Some days, you feel like working; other days, you feel like grabbing your coworkers and sneaking off for a little SpaR&R treatment (note to boss: um, this was for research).

Joannie, Mari and I settled on getting our brows sculpted into architectural achievements that would define our face, perk up our eyes, and reinvent our lives. Or at least, make us feel like strutting.


It's common knowledge that the gals at Benefit do the best brows around, so we cruised off to their San Francisco shop to get tweezed, waxed, and tinted - but not before snapping our Before pics. After all, this was research (see note above).








Our lovely aesthetician, Julia (I mean, look at her brows. Would you have been nervous? We sure weren't) recommended a tint for all of us, then got to work shaping these babies into unregistered lethal weapons - one hair-trigger arch of these brows, and we were knockin' 'em dead.



She finished off with color-correct brow zings on each of us, using the powder to color as needed, and the wax to keep the strays from roaming. End result...well, ready for the reveal?





You better believe, we were definitely strutting on outta there.

It's Still Summer Until I Say It Isn't

I woke up this morning with dry cheeks and chapped lips. My skin: The harbinger of winter.

Is it getting dreary already? And are you thinking you should squeeze out your remaining hours of sunshine? Ditto. Hampton Sun, creators of the only fragrance that actually smells like summer at the Hamptons, got together with a former American Idol contestant to put into video what they put into their perfume: Summer, and plenty of it.

Get your :30 of pure sunshine fix here.

Spring 2009 Beauty Trends: Backstage at Elmer Avenue

SHOW: Elmer Avenue
MAKEUP: Smashbox
MODEL: Nikia for Grace Model Management
BEAUTY BOTTOM LINE: Funky, futuristic, and fierce. An edgy cat eye with a dark-purple pout.

THE LOOK: With 28 models (male and female) strutting in their spring line, Elmer Avenue featured multiple looks that spanned multiple eras, my favorite of which was their futuristic "2000s" look a handful of women modeled on the runway. Silver lids were hardened with "neat Amy Winehouse liner," as lead makeup artist Lori Taylor called it, and faux lashes. The shimmering lids and iridescent cheeks were anchored by a dark, ominously sexy purple lip. Spring fashion forecast: The future's so bright, you gotta wear (gorgeous grape) shades.

GET IT: Smashbox High Definition Healthy FX Foundation SPF 15, Single Eyeshadow in Platinum, Cream Eye Liner in Caviar, Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner in Midnight Black, Bionic Mascara, Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion in Prism (on cheeks), Wicked Lovely Lip Gloss in Sultry, and Wicked Lovely Lip Pencil in Tempt.

Spring 2009 Beauty Trends: Backstage at Julia Clancey

SHOW: Julia Clancey
MAKEUP: Smashbox
MODEL: Lesa Amoore
BEAUTY BOTTOM LINE: Corals, from glimpse to tips.

THE LOOK: Spring 2009 fever has hit Los Angeles Fashion Week's runways--and one of the symptoms is a peachy-keen flush, as evident at the Julia Clancey show this evening. Smashbox makeup artist Lori Taylor tags this look as a "modern-day Bianca Jagger," using lots of lashes at the outer corners of the eye and a creating a bronzed, chiseled cheek. Lori gave the eyes widening dimension by using nudes to contour and line, added a pop of flamingo on the balls of the lids, and then loaded the faux lashes with mascara, just to the point of clumpiness. Lips were accented with pops of coral, as were nails, which beamed with a fruity hue straight from our exclusive Sephora by OPI collection. Note to readers: Next spring, corral all the coral you can get your brightly polished fingers on!

GET IT: Smashbox Single Eyeshadow in Flamingo and Nude, Cream Eyeliner in Midnight Brown, Bionic Mascara, Blush Rush in Paradise, Bronze Lights in Sunkissed Matte, Photo Finish Lipstick With Sila-Silk™ Technology in Alluring and Elegant, Lip Enhancing Gloss in Afterglow and Illume, and Sephora by OPI Nail Color in Special Request.

Bare Escentuals Bus Tour Stops at the Sephora in Times Square, NYC

The Bare Escentuals Try, Believe, Love Tour Bus on Broadway!

So, lucky me! I got to meet the Queen of Minerals, Leslie Blodgett on Saturday at the Times Square Sephora. Once we started chatting, she spilled what Bare Escentuals products are super hot right now and why!

Here, I'm posing with the Rock Star, I mean... Mineral Star, Leslie Blodgett at Sephora Times Square.

“Everybody is loving Mineral Veil On The Go. In fact, I left mine at home and had to stop by Sephora in Soho to buy one for myself,” Leslie admitted. “We are not promoting that it’s refillable, but people are telling me that they are refilling it with more Mineral Veil once it’s empty”. Not familiar? Mineral Veil is BE’s top selling finishing powder and now available (and 5-star rated on Sephora’s Ratings & Reviews section) in a flow-through portable brush. One thing Bare Escentuals does recommend is that you don’t refill the brush with foundation, because the brush isn’t compatible for the swirl, tap, buff technique. But sit tight, a little birdie told me they are working on a flow-through foundation brush to launch in spring ’09.


“People are also going crazy for Bare Pleasures. They love it because they get 9 different shades of shadows in one kit!”

“Ruby Collection is one of my favorites! It goes with all skin types, from the palest blonde to the darkest brunette. And it’s made with real crushed rubies—sooo luxurious! I heard from clients that they are not only coating the tips of their lashes with the ruby mascara, but they are also wearing it in their hair and streaking it. We’re not telling them to do this, but people are just doing it!”

The latest BE trend: Men are using Bare Escentuals, because it doesn’t look like they’re wearing makeup, they just look healthier.

“Women are coming up to me and telling me their husband told them about Bare Escentuals!”

Client, Jennifer Mazzeo from LA tells Leslie that her husband Larry is the one who turned her on to Bare Escentuals!

If you'd looove to meet Leslie too, check out the Tour Bus schedule. It's making its way across the US! 

Get The Look: Hera, Queen Of The Gods

Want to be a Greek goddess? Well, the Olympian goddesses are immortal and ageless beauties thanks to a daily beauty regimen of consuming only ambrosia and nectar—super foods unavailable to us mere mortals. However, each goddess has her own personality and expertise, as well as favorite plants, animals, and symbols—and knowing these, as well as shopping Sephora, will give you the tools you need to emulate your favorite Greek goddess.

GET THE LOOK: Hera

Queen of the gods of Olympus, wife of Zeus, and goddess of womanhood, marriage, childbirth, and heaven. Powerful, in charge, and born to rule, Hera is passionate, but also territorial and reactive . . . and undeniably temperamental. If this sounds like you, then all hail her majesty!

An extraordinary beauty, Hera holds dear the peacock, immortelle, pomegranate, golden apple, lotus, and lily. Here is a list of products that will allow your outer Hera to rule:

L’Occitane Immortelle Skincare Regimen

Divinely powerful age-defying solutions containing antioxidant-rich immortelle—Hera's favorite flower!

Sephora Brand Apple Pomegranate Body Collection

Combining Hera's two favorite fruits, apples and pomegranates, this collection of bath and skin essentials is fit for a queen!

Versace Bright Crystal Eau de Toilette Spray

This regal scent combines notes of pomegranate and lotus—two of Hera's faves— along with other florals that will grant you the adoration you deserve.

PlantLove™ by Cargo Eye Shadow in Peacock and Lily

These eyeshadow shades represent Hera's favorite bird and one of her most beloved flowers. Change them out to always look divine and in charge.

Tarte Natural Beauty Cheek Stain

Combines the pomegranate, one of Hera's absolute faves, along with other antioxidant-rich ingredients for a healthy, natural tint.

Laura Mercier Stick Gloss in Pomegranate

In Hera's favorite tint, this lip gloss is sophisticated enough for the queen of the gods.

-Dax Carver

Image courtesy of the Hera Research Program

Our Favorite Diet-Friendly Halloween Treat

Writer's note: Yes, we are aware this sounds like the cover of your lovable women's magazine, but trust us, you'll love the results!

October means the changing of leaves, decorating pumpkins and chocolate a go-go. Now, if you are anything like me, those bite-sized yummers go a pop pop poppin' down the chute. And before you know it the gut is a gro-gro-growing like a balloon. So what's a cocoa lovin' girl to do?

Enter stage left: Too Faced Galaxy Glam Eye Shadow's new shade Cocoa Comet ($19.50), a delicious blend of dark brown powder shadow with a swirl of peach and a bit of blue. The treat looks good enough to eat, but it gives so much more than mere minutes of happiness. Use the deep hue to create the perfect dinner-on-the-town evening look or a sweet day-friendly smoky eye.

See, sometimes we know what really satisfies.

—Jenna Mahoney

I'm Good To Gold

Trendcentral has a big announcement: Dark Lips are going to be huge for fall (Uh, no kidding guys).

Besides confirming a trend I already forced on my own sister, the future-seeing forecasters also believe gold is going to be a hot hue for fall. Now that, I really didn't see coming.

They're basing it off of Chanel's new nail polish, Gold Fiction, with a gentle reminder that the last two nail colors Chanel launched (Vamp and Black Satin - and don't pretend you didn't go right out and buy those, Jenny!), kicked off a huge craze for those tones.

So, gold: Would you or wouldn't you? And don't worry - it goes with all the other fall trends Sephora already called out (pops of color, luminous skin, yes, dark lips, and more. Take a peek at the video).

Merci beaucoup trendcentral for the pic.

TUNE IN! Kat Von D and Sephora on LA Ink

Get your TiVo ready! Tune in to TLC's LA INK tonight for the premiere episode of season three featuring Kat Von D and her line of makeup at Sephora! Episode highlights will include a jam-packed event at Sephora 34th Street in New York, and an a meeting to discuss new product with our very own Sephora exec's Michael McGeever, Catherine Marovich, Catherine Chen and MaiLy Pham. Here are the deets:

Date: Thursday, October 9^th

Time: 10pm EST

Channel: TLC

Click here for your local listings.

Congrats to Betsy Olum, Sephora's Senior Vice President, Marketing!

Every year, four women are honored by the CEW at their industry luncheon held at NYC’s lovely Waldorf Astoria. This year at Sephora, we raised our glosses to our very own leading lady, Betsy Olum, for scoring a 2008 CEW Achiever Award. Yay!

Along with our fearless leader, Cristina Carlino, Executive Chairman and Founder of Philosophy, Jane Hertzmark, President of BeautyBank and Cheryl Vitali, Senior Vice President of Maybelline New York/Garnier, were also awarded. Each of the winners gave a heartfelt speech that wooed the crowd and even had them shedding a few tears at times.

But once Betsy was introduced by her BFF (and CEO of Too Faced), Jerrod Blandino, the energy in the room kicked up a few notches. When Betsy revealed her “a-ha” beauty moment, everyone let out a chuckle and felt a sense of familiarity: “At Charles of the Ritz, I was sitting in my office surrounded by nail polish, and I had painted every nail on my hands and feet in different colors. As I sat thinking about names for each of the shades and timing how long it took to dry, it hit me: ‘Oh my gosh! I’m actually getting paid to do this—sit in my office and have a mani/pedi. I LOVE my job and I love this business!”

Well, Betsy, we love you—thanks for being an inspiration to us all!

Happy Birthday Sephora!

Imagine, if you will, a world without Sephora.

The year is 1997. You're listening to Ray Of Light by Madonna, cleaning off your eyebrow ring, and picking out fancy cargo pants for a rave you're headed to later that night. First, you need a new tube of lipstick (raisin - that color is so hot right now!). You:

a) Venture into a drugstore, only to waste $5.99 on a hot-pinky-icky lipstick you couldn't try or even open before you bought;
b) Try your luck at a beauty counter in the middle of a department store focused on about a zillion other things besides beauty;
c) Get angsty and cranky and wind up coloring in your lips with a red-colored Sharpie
d) You have no idea how you managed to acquire makeup pre-Sephora

1998 was the year the first Sephora store launched in the U.S. and frankly, I think I've blanked out the pre-Beauty Authority years.

As a happy birthday treat, some of beauty's best brands created Limited Edition goodies for Sephora. For example:

Bare Escentuals put their Mineral Veil in a super-handy to-go wand for us.


Stila loaded up a collectible canister with best-sellers.


Philosophy packed 10 (yes, 10!) of their yummiest bath scents in their Classic Cookbook.
You can only get these b-day presents at Sephora (take a peek at the other brands that got gifty with us). These limited edition numbers are only around through October, but still, what a great party: Happy birthday, Sephora - now WE get the presents!

Online Watch: Beauty GuRoo

Confession: I spend a lot—I mean mucho lot, like I could have written the great American novel amount of lot—of time cruising the worldwide web looking for new beauty blogs. And unfortunately for my plans of becoming the American answer to Zadie Smith, more and more reputable ones are popping up faster than I can say On Beauty.

One of the latest is Beauty GuRoo. It's the musings of a former Elle and Allure girl named Roopika Malhotra (née Nayar). She tests products, spills insider secrets and takes readers along on her search for the perfect concealer. Her writing style is quick, cute, personal and informative. And isn't that what beauty blogging is all about?

—Jenna Mahoney

I'm feeling...blue? No, pink! Yes, def. pink!

I'm with my bud, Jenny Muller, in making all my purchases this month count for breast cancer awareness! Another product selling at Sephora with a cause is Shiseido's The Makeup Lipgloss in Pretty Pink. Five dollars from the gloss' $20.50 price tag will go directly to CEW's groundbreaking initiative, Cancer and Careers. This amazing program provides guidance for employers, managers and human resource departments to help support their employees who are fighting breast cancer while maintaining a productive workplace. So nobody has to feel the blues, just the pinks! 

In the tube, this gloss looks too fuchsia, but on lips it's the perfect sheer pink!

"Nice To Meet You, Leslie Blodgett from Bare Escentuals!"

Want to meet the Queen Of Minerals? Leslie Blodgett, CEO of Bare Escentuals, is kicking off The Bare Escentuals Try, Believe, Love Tour.

First stop: TOMORROW, October 9th, she'll be in Boston, MA at the Sephora Prudential Center

Next up: This Saturday, October 11th, at New York's Sephora Times Square store.

You can meet Leslie herself between 2 and 4 pm. Plus, book an appointment for an incredible "makeunder" using Bare Escentuals' revolutionary mineral makeup collection, and try the new, limited-edition bareMinerals Mineral Veil On-The-Go (already a five-star rated product with 129 reviews on Sephora's Ratings & Reviews section!).

The tour bus is making its way all across the U.S., so if you'd loooove to meet Leslie, take a peek at her tour schedule!

Wedding Day Memories: Trash It & Take A Picture

Just like hairpins, special-occasion makeup always finds a way to make multiple rounds on your social calendar. A girl can't have too much glitter or liquid liner, even if Halloween and the office holiday party are the only times you uncork those tubes.

But what about something really specific....like the giant tulle and satin cupcake of a dress you bought for your wedding? It's sorta only good for one occasion (unless husband #2 is very liberal and very into recycling...), right?

Today's Bride Online has an idea: Trash the dress, then take a picture. In fact, there's whole website, TrashTheDress.com, devoted to brides cavorting around in white-dress-wrecking sand, sea and mud.

Why not? It's a one-time-use-only gown and let's be honest: Your future daughter's reaction to your nuptial hand-me-down is going to be exactly the same as yours is to your mom's bridal confections.

Keep the makeup, trash the dress, and file this under: "Weird Things. That Maybe I Might Try."

Photo courtesy of trashthedress.com

We Guess This Means…

You like us….you really like us!

Thank you, thank you and thanks again!

For another year, you great girls and readers of the shopping tome Lucky have voted Sephora.com your fave spot for all things beauté on the www. And we quote from this year's Annual Shopping Awards issue: "It's difficult to find a mascara or lip palette that Sephora, home to hundreds of beauty brands, doesn't carry. The website also wins points for being astonishingly organized."

We work hard here so you don't have to when you need to get the goods. So thanks again for all the praise.

—Jenna Mahoney

Always There Makeup: A Haiku

There's a rumor swirling around the blogosphere that a certain polictica has her lipliner tattooed. Whether it is true or not has less to do with the price of gas and more to do with the Q: Is that a bad idea?

Here, an inspired Haiku:

Make-up forever

It sounds pretty O.K.

Until the tide ebbs…

—Jenna Mahoney

Givenchy's Good Idea: Phenomen'Eyes

Yes, it looks like a wrecking ball. Yes, it takes some practice. But trust me, Givenchy's Phenomen'Eyes is so very very worth the effort, your lashes will practically climb down off your face and plant a big smooch right on your lips.

Besides, this isn't a one-man (uh, girl) opinion, either - plenty of beauty bloggers are buzzing about it. In fact, it's got a 4-star rating on Sephora's Ratings & Review section (and 401 reviews - take a peek!).

The best review I've read, though, has to be Amber from Beauty Blogging Junkie. Not only does she love this wand, but she thinks she knows where Givenchy got the idea, too. Ready for a laugh? Click here.

Friday Night Picks & Pick-ups

Got plans tonight? Do they include a glittery top, eye makeup with shimmer and enough cash for the cover charge?

Sometimes just knowing how jaw-droppingly good you look is all it takes to kick-start Friday night. But if you need a little help breaking the ice (or if your dazzling looks have rendered them speechless), here are a few tricks to try tonight:




Wear this: Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Liner
Works with: "It’s a good thing I have my library card, because I’m checking you out."











Wear this: Kat Von D Painted Love Lipstick
Works with: "Don't you know me from somewhere?"










Wear this: Harajuku Lovers - Love
Works with: "Does your watch have a second hand? I want to know how long it took for me to fall in love with you."








And one for the fellas:



Wear: Lab Series For Men
Works with: "Hi, I'm Mr. Right. Someone said you were looking for me."

Product Patrol: This Week's Hottest Launches

Stila Talking Palettes: Come and get 'em!! Stila just launched a new slew of talking palettes (including one that allows you to record a message...perfect gift!!). With the press of a button, a Stila artist will walk you through the application steps so you can master your palette in under a minute.

Tarte Limited-Edition Sets: These gotta-have products are tucked in reusable purple and gold packages, making them the perfect gift. There's a clutch packed with glosses, a pouch filled with mini cheek stains, and a kit packed with bronzers, luminizers, glosses, and eyeshadows galore.

Juicy Couture Juicy Loves Sephora: This signature line of accessories was designed exclusively for Sephora: There's a canvas tote, train case, lip gloss ring, clutch, and brush kit.

Smashbox Best Of Smashbox: A travel-size set of Smashbox's best sellers: gloss, shimmering eyeshadows, and Bionic Mascara included.

Prada Infusion d'Iris: Filled with the clean freshness of Florentine Iris Padilla and the warm, subtle scent of Sicilian Mandarin, this crisp, citrus-floral fragrance is perfect for the modern woman.

Sorry Cancer, But Pink Was Never Your Color

I can't wait until cancer is like a tetanus shot: Something you get vaccinated for, but rarely worry about.

The worst thing about cancer is that it's getting personal. Everyone has a story. You know someone with cancer, or you've lost someone to cancer. Or maybe it's hit even closer to home. At Sephora, our own Senior Veep of Marketing, Betsy Olum, is tentatively enjoying her first cancer-free diagnosis in over a year (yay!).

I'm sure there's a date in the future when only old-timey peeps will remember when cancer was Bad with a capital B. In the meantime, I'm making all my purchases count this month for breast cancer awareness. For the next month, pink is my new favorite color.

Want to join me? Here's a list of beauty picks that give back. And believe you're making a difference, too. Do you know that this month, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation will award over $34 million in new research grants to find a cure? If I were cancer, I would be really worried.

Try This Trick With Your iPhone

Best iPhone application that really isn't: Next time you're in need of a lipstick check, use the Apple logo on the back of your iPhone.

You're right, Joannie McIntyre - it's the perfect mini-mirror!

The Best Makeover EVER: Halloween Edition

Now that fall is here (and Halloween is coming!), it's the perf time for a makeover. That's exactly what our friend Jackie Lantern was looking for when she visited Sephora last week.

Jackie's always had a head for beauty, and she's not afraid to try new trends; in fact, she revamps her whole face every year. When we asked if we could try a few of fall's new looks on her, she flipped her lid. "Hey," she said, "my face is your canvas."

"OMG! I totally need a new look!"

FIRST we prepped her skin with Josie Maran Bare Naked Wipes, which she loved. "I'm half Organic on my mom's side, so sustainable products are really important to me."


Luminous skin is a big fall trend, so we balanced out Jackie's enviably smooth but rather orangeNARS The Multiple in Palm Beach. The gold hue really brought out the beta carotene in her skin, giving her that skintone with a touch of pure gold glimmer, highlighting her natural ridges with grown in direct sunlight-kissed glint.

THEN, using Anastasia's brow stencils, we gave her perfectly carved arches. Strong brows really define and shape a face, especially when you don't already have one.


NEXT, we chose a few shades from MAKE UP FOR EVER's Flash Color collection. Contouring can play a big role when you have no natural features, so we used Rust 7 and Copper 19 to play up her eyes. We gave her a pop of color with Bright Blue 14, then finished with a fringed & fabulous pair of MAKE UP FOR EVER's false eyelashes. "I'll def. wear these for Halloween!" she gushed.

FINALLY, dark lips are another key look for fall, so we lined her normally toothy, thin-lipped grin with pout-plumping Buxom Lips in Vanessa (root vegetables and girls alike are fans - Buxom Lips was just voted a Best Of Sephora winner).

Jackie's new favorite scent is Love from the Harajuku Lovers collection - "I'm so into Harajuku style. I'm dressing as Love for Halloween!" - so we finished the look with a quick spritz of scent.

The end result? "Love it! This is the first year my beauty routine won't involve inserting a burning candle into my face!"

"I'm so gourdgeous!"