Stay Tuned: Clarisonic Plus Kit Launches 02/03

The cult-followed Clarisonic Brush has come out with a new and improved model...and you can ONLY get it at Sephora!!

This new brush takes sonic cleansing beyond the face by gently cleansing and exfoliating areas of the body that need extra attention—such as the décolleté, hands, arms, elbows, and feet—which allows them to better sop up all of your nourishing skincare products. It also comes with a third "body speed" so you can give an extra buff to those tough areas.

Everything you need for your gleaming-skin regime is included in this handy kit:

- Clarisonic Plus three-speed brush

- International charging cradle for worldwide use

- Sensitive brush head

- 3x trial-size facial cleansers

- Spot therapy brush head (for the body)

- Trial-size refining skin polish (for the body)

Product Patrol: This Week's Hottest Launches

CLEAN Simply Soap: This soft floral scent makes me think of a fluffy cashmere bathrobe, Egyptian cotton sheets, and a hot, sudsy bubble bath. Ahhhhhh.

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer: This heavy-duty, long-wearing concealer is perfect for covering dark circles and tattoos.

Dermadoctor POETRY in Lotion®: This youth-restoring formula contains the highest potency retinol available, housed within the latest

microencapsulation delivery system.

Urban Decay Cream Shadow: Whipped to perfection, each shimmering shade dries to a weightless layer of color that will not crease, fade, or hide in fine lines.

Smashbox Beauty Guru Palette: This multi-tiered palette features all of the "it" shades from Los Angeles Fashion Week for eyes, lips, and cheeks.

BONUS:
Sephora Brand Metallic Nail Polish: Offered at a great $5 value, you can get a shade for every look.

Makeover: The Softer Side Of Smoky

With big, beautiful blue eyes and long lashes, my cousin Danielle has a tendency to be heavy-handed with the eye makeup when getting ready to go out. To prove to sweet Danielle that she can play up her peeper's features while playing down the makeup, I enlisted the help of Sephora makeup artist Angel Keith.

Angel started with Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion, then used Anastasia Go Brow highlighter below the lash line. Next, using the Sephora Brand Crease Brush, she blended Stila Chinois Eyeshadow in to the upper crease and pulled it to the outer corner of the eye in a "v" shape.

Then, she layered Stila Eden Eyeshadow in the crease. Angel chose this color since it's a shade darker than Danielle's skintone and has a rose undertone. Using the Sephora Brand All Over Eye Shadow brush, Angel patted TheBalm Luscious Lani Eyeshadow all over the lid, starting from the lash line and working up to the crease. (The patting motion keeps the shadow fallout to a minimum.)

Using the Sephora Brand Angled Eyeliner Brush, she loosely defined the outside edges of Danielle's eye with TheBalm Caught in the Act Courtney Eyeshadow. By using a rich brown with a gold sparkle, instead of black, she softened the look. (Oh, and don't worry about straight lines—the smudgier the better.)

She then added a flash of Smashbox Photo-Op Under Eye Brightener on the inside corner of eye in a crescent moon shape. This delivers a light-reflective glow to the eyes and makes them appear sultry, not tired.

On the lashes, she used Too Faced Lash Injection Pin Point Mascara. Lastly, Angel filled in Danielle's brows with the other side of Anastasia's Go Brow. Her trick for brow length: Place the pencil at a diagonal angle on the edge of your nose and mark where it lands on your eyebrow.

The result: a sepia-toned smoky eye that smoldered, not smothered.

Green Glamover: Friday

Looking to be green and gorgeous?

All week long, Sephora's Laura Heck is volunteering her lids to show you what Cargo's PlantLove collection can do for a girl's good looks and eco-chic reputation--proving once and for all that Mother Earth can be a real knockout.

FRIDAY

On her cheeks: Cargo PlantLove Blush in Begonia and Tulip and Baked Illuminator in Bronzer.


On her lids: Cargo PlantLove's Willow, Iris, Bluejay, Heron, and Peacock.

Love this? She's been doing up looks all week!

Guy To Go: Travel Kits For Him

One of my bad habits, one of which I practiced just last week, is the art of tossing my travel necessities into a bag with little thought to what I need or the best way to actually pack the stuff in the first place. It doesn't help matters that the rising charge for bag checking at the airport is prompting passengers to try their darndest to fit everything into one carry-on and one smaller bag. Savvy packing is more essential than ever.

Men often think even less about what goes into their grooming bag than any other part of packing. And with airport security requiring that all liquids be less than 3 oz (though that seems to vary) and be placed in clear zip-lock bags, it becomes more complicated to figure out ways to carry those necessities. Still, all it takes is some good planning and ingenuity and all your essentials will be there when you need them. Remember, the smaller the bottle the better. Those travel-sized versions of toothpaste, mouthwash, and deodorant available at drug stores are perfect for travel. But what about shaving supplies, washes, and skincare? Well, Sephora has a cargo-load of airplane-approved kits that are perfect for any travel situation.

These all-inclusive travel kits include everything you need for travel grooming—and each product is 3oz or less:

Jack Black On the Road Travel Pack
Includes an All Over Wash For Face, a Hair & Body wash, a three-in-one Beard Lube shave treatment, a Double Duty Face Moisturizer SPF 20, an Industrial Strength Hand Healer, and an Intense Therapy Lip Balm.






Zirh Travel Basics
Contains a Clean facial cleanser, a Fortify conditioning shampoo, a Shave Gel, and a Soothe post-shave solution.







Korres Men's Kit
This set includes an Absinthe Men's Shave Cream, a Marigold & Ginseng Aftershave Balm, a Magnesium & Wheat Proteins Men's Shampoo, a Juniper and Rum Little Showergel, and a Ruscus & Chestnut Men's Eye Cream.



Sephora Brand Men's Weekend Kit
Includes a Shower Gel for Body and Hair, Cleansing Face Gel, a Shaving Foam, and a Moisturizing Face Gel.






If it's the perfect travel shave you're searching for, look no further:

The Art of Shaving The 4 Elements of the Perfect Shave Carry-On
Includes a Pre-Shave Oil, a Shaving Cream, Shaving Brush, and an Aftershave. Available in Unscented or Sandalwood.







If you have acne-prone skin, don't let over-sized regimen bottles break your bank with checking fees:


Anthony Logistics For Men
Perfect for the skin and for travel, this set includes an Acne Cleanser, a Daytime Acne Treatment, a Nighttime Acne Treatment, and a Spot Therapy.

-Dax Carver

Green Glamover: Thursday

Looking to be green and gorgeous?

All week long, Sephora's Laura Heck is volunteering her lids to show you what Cargo's PlantLove collection can do for a girl's good looks and eco-chic reputation--proving once and for all that Mother Earth can be a real knockout.

THURSDAY

On her cheeks: Cargo PlantLove Blush in Begonia and Baked Illuminator in Wind

On her lids: Cargo PlantLove's Sparrow, Willow, Heron, Swan, and Dove.

Love this? Take a look at past glamovers!

Loving The Free Makeovers At Sephora

Every girl hearts freebies - and now ours just won an honorable mention.  BellaOnline editor Jilly Florio rates Sephora in her top 5 places to get an awesome [free!] makeover:

"Sephora stores are commonplace and you can get a killer makeover at any one. Find a saleperson you like and ask if you can get a makeover. 

What is super fun about Sephora is that you have so many brand lines to play with. You can mix and match between brands - say, using Stila lipgloss, Urban Decay eyeshadow and Cargo blush - or you can ask the makeup artist to stay within any one brand line you want to get to know. I had a Two Faced makeover once that really introduced me to some enjoyable cosmetics. I even had a Dr. Brandt facial at one Sephora during a Dr. Brandt event - check your local Sephora to see when events are on the docket. "

Indeed!  Find a store, and head on over.

Faking Fake Lashes - 2 Tricks To Try

Not a fake headline, but sounds like one anyway: "Side effects may include amped lashes."

If you're using Lumigan, eye drops used to treat glaucoma, you may have noticed a fuller fringe. Pharmaceutical analysts are saying the ingredients in Lumigan make lashes longer and more voluminous - which means it's being turned into a new lash enhancing product called Latisse.

Being hailed as the next Botox (Srsly! How big are these lashes?), Latisse does have a few side effects of its own, including red, itchy eyes, darkened eyelids, and an empty wallet ($120/month).

If that's too steep, try out lash trend #2: Lash conditioners, like Fusion Beauty's mascara. These enhanced formulas are like toner for eyelashes, making them stronger so that they can grow faster.

Green Glamover: Wednesday

Looking to be green and gorgeous?

All week long, Sephora's Laura Heck is volunteering her lids to show you what Cargo's PlantLove collection can do for a girl's good looks and eco-chic reputation--proving once and for all that Mother Earth can be a real knockout.

WEDNESDAY

On her cheeks: Cargo PlantLove Blush in Begonia and Tulip and Rose and Baked Illuminator in Bronzer.


On her lids: Cargo PlantLove's Marigold, Iris, Beech, Lily, Swan, Parakeet, and Peacock.

Love this? Take a look at Monday or Tuesday.

Vote--And Score A Date With A Sephora Pro!

Calling all beauty addicts—it’s time to watch and vote for your fave MVP (Most Voted Pro)--and WIN!

Stop by our Facebook page and watch Sephora’s Pro Beauty Team videos. Then vote for your favorite makeup artist —aka the Most Voted Pro. You can also enter to win a trip to San Francisco for an Allure photo shoot alongside the winning artist! Talk about gettin’ gorgeous! 

Plus, before the cameras start flashing, you’ll enjoy a makeover with the winning Sephora Pro. And the royal treatment continues with complimentary round trip airfare, three-night hotel accommodations, meals and transportation for you and a guest.

So hurry, honey: Head over to Facebook and vote for your MVP - then head over to Allure and enter the contest.  

 

WIN IT! Find Bo's Shade & Score a Lipstick

An odd change is occurring. It wasn’t too long ago when I happily left the house with little more than moisturizer on my face and lip balm on my lips. I routinely ignored makeup suggestions from friends and worried over formal occasions that required cosmetics and application skills I didn’t possess. But now? Well, I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’m still struggling in my journey with makeup. 

Yet at the same time, I am developing an excitement for new products and cosmetics that I never felt before. I find myself inspecting and admiring the makeup of strangers in the subway and on the street. Last week, I even asked a woman what lipstick shade she was wearing. (The brand was MAKE UP FOR EVER, but she couldn’t remember the shade.)

Thankfully, my growing passion is finding an outlet here. As I had written before, I have been anxious to find a new everyday lip color. And I need your help! I know what you’re thinking: This Bo is always asking for advice and suggestions. Why can’t she be more of a giver? Well, I agree. To make this fun for everyone, we will have a little contest! In upcoming entries, I’ll post photos of me with new shades, and you can leave comments for the ones you like. 

We’ll select two comments from the entry that features the lip color I ultimately choose . The two winners will get the product, I will finally get a new everyday shade, and happiness abounds! Stay tuned.

–Bo Young Lee

Green Glamover: TUESDAY

Looking to be green and gorgeous?

All week long, Sephora's Laura Heck is volunteering her lids to show you what Cargo's PlantLove collection can do for a girl's good looks and eco-chic reputation--proving once and for all that Mother Earth can be a real knockout.

TUESDAY

On her cheeks: Cargo PlantLove Blush in Cherry Blossom and Tulip and Baked Illuminator in Fire
On her lids: Cargo PlantLove's Loon, Finch, and Thyme.

Love this? Take a look at Monday.

Green Glamover Week: MONDAY

If you think Earth-friendly makeup equals blands, blahs and browns, you owe yourself a trip to the Natural & Organic tab at Sephora.com. Green beauty has gone glam with color-full makeovers from beauties like Josie Maran, Korres, and tarte.

But if you need to see it to believe it, Sephora's Laura Heck volunteered her lids to show you what Cargo's PlantLove collection can do for a girl's good looks and eco-chic reputation. We'll show you glammy & green looks all this week to prove once and for all that Mother Earth can be a real knockout.

MONDAY

On her cheeks: Cargo PlantLove Blush in Delphinium and Peony and Baked Illuminator in Earth

On her lids: Cargo PlantLove's Ivy, Bluejay, Thyme, and Willow.

Beauty Calling: Sephora Goes Mobile

It's gorgeous to go!

Take Sephora's ratings & reviews with you - even when you're shopping at your favorite store! Go to m.sephora.com on your phone's web browser to read product reviews from fellow beauty addicts for a pretty fix on the fly.

Spring 2009: 4 Trends To Try

Didn't make the Spring 2009 fashion shows? Nope, neither did we. Luckily, Fashion Indie made the couture carnival and found four trends worth copying off the catwalks:

A Softer Smoky Eye
After several seasons of dark, heavy shadows, eyes are lightening up. The eye is still dramatic, but the colors are softer. Makeup artist blended a combination of gold shadows black kohl for a metallic smoky eye.

Peach Blush
This season is peach, not pink!  Peach colors give you the appearance of being a bit made-up without looking too girly or bronzy. Because peach powder contains strong pigments, using a light hand to apply one swipe of blush a little below your apples so it doesn’t look too doll-like.

Bold Brows
Strong and defined brows made their way back to the runway this season. It’s a fresh but handsome look: Luscious eyebrows à la Brooke Shields. Tame full brows with a gel, or if your brows are uneven or sparse, fill them in with a pencil and set them with a tinted gel.


Major Liner
The perennial favorite stood out via strong-rimmed eyes with black pencil. How to rock the look: Keep the rest of your makeup simple with natural blush and lips.

And the winner is...SEPHORA Brand

It is truly the season for awards, from the Golden Globes to the Grammys ... to the Shape of Beauty Awards. Woo hoo — an award that we can actually qualify for, never mind win!

Shape magazine is celebrating their 5th anniversary of this beautifully prestigious honor. You may ask, How does one become a Shape of Beauty Award winner? Well, here's how it works: Hundreds of brands submit their new products to the beauty editors at Shape magazine. Shape readers, editors and Beauty Advisory Board test each product and then choose only the best fit for each beauty category. Today, the editorial and publishing teams from the mag visited our NYC offices to hand-deliver some exciting news! Here's a bit of the dialogue:

Shape Magazine: We are proud to present the Shape of Beauty Award for Best Body Cleanser from a prestige brand to ... (insert drum roll sound here) SEPHORA Brand Body Wash in Tangerine Grapefruit. Testers couldn't say enough about the uplifting scent of this product. "It smells like a glass of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice" and "Using it after my morning workout made me feel doubly refreshed" are just some of the quotes from those who've used it.

Sephora: Whoa! Thank you, thank you for such a gorgeous trophy. What a tremendous honor to be awarded by such a well-respected magazine like Shape. We are so glad you and your readers love this body wash and its zesty feel good scent just as much as we do. Thank you to everyone, especially the fans.

Cure for the Common Cold Nose

Oh, cold, how do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways: headaches, runny nose, mass tissue consumption, phlegm (gross), coughing, restless sleeping...

...and chapped, irritated skin around the nose! Every night for the past five days, I've felt like one of those cute Puffs characters whose nose inflames each time a tissue even gets close to it. Thankfully, I've been treating it with a trusty sample of REN Frankincense And Boswellia Serrata Revitalising Night Cream. It absorbs very quickly, and doesn't sting! Each morning, my nose appears and feels fully recovered.

If you're currently fighting a cold, go into a Sephora and ask for a free sample--or pick up a bottle and treat all of your features to some much-needed winter nourishment.

Now that's nothing to sniff at!

Proof At Last! Science Reveals Why We Love Makeup

Total confession:  I love putting on makeup.   Love it.  The presence of a new eyeliner in my makeup bag can actually motivate me out of bed 10x faster than a fat-free latte.

But try admitting -publicly!- that putting on makeup makes you fizzy with excitement, and suddenly people are taking small but perceptible steps away from you. 

Ladies, BIG NEWS: Science has proved what we all knew all along:  Putting on makeup makes us happy.

Scientists in Japan recently discovered exactly what goes through a women’s mind when she applies makeup.  By using brain scanning equipment, they discovered that women experience a wave of euphoria and optimism as they prepare for their makeup routine, trumping the commonly held belief that positive feelings are experienced only after the makeup is applied.

The research aimed to determine the cognitive activities involved in how a woman perceives herself with and without makeup.  The goal: Reveal the exact reasons why women wear makeup and how it makes them feel better about themselves.

Either way, good work, team.  Let me know when I can say, "I told you so."

How To Trick: Smashbox's Artificial Light Lotion

Yesterday, Bo posted a note about the sample of Smashbox's Artificial Light Flash Luminizing Lotion she got as a Beauty Insider.  

But she was confused.  How does a girl use it?  We went straight to Smashbox's Carina Davis,

Associate Manager of Artistry and Education, for how-to tips.

"Here's how to use it: Artificial Light is primarily a highlighter for targeted areas on the face (brows, cheeks, cupid's bow, and anything you want to draw attention to!). 

However, another option is mixing it into foundation or lotion - that will give just a subtle all-over glow to skin and is a gorgeous second option!"

Tried It: Beauty Insider Sample Of The Week

Hi, it’s Bo with a quick beauty interlude: I went to Sephora last week to buy (finally!) a lip liner for my new red lips. Happily, I discovered I had enough points in my Beauty Insider Beauty Bank to get my free deluxe sample!

After an abnormally long time mulling it over, I picked a sample of the Smashbox Artificial Light Flash Luminizing Lotion. I have been testing it out this week, but I don’t think I’m using it correctly. I thought it was a highlighter and dabbed it under my eyes. But now I’m wondering if it is for the entire complexion? I read online that you should mix it with foundation or moisturizer, but the color and texture don’t seem concentrated enough.

Any suggestions?

-Bo Young Lee

Eye Studio: False Lashes In 3 Steps

According to Smarter Fashion, false eyelashes originated in Hollywood - producer D.W. Griffith had false eyelashes made out of human hair to enhance actress Seena Owen’s eyes for his 1916 film Intolerance.

Which sort of explains why it feels like you need a trained makeup artist to get them on.

Fortunately, the Eye Studio we blogged about last week at Sephora stores in San Francisco, New York, and Vegas aren't just all smoky eyes and winged eyeliner: you can get False Lash Class lessons, too. And just like their smoky eye tutorial, they'll show you how to get fake fringe in 3 steps. Easy!

Step One: Prep
Hold the band of lashes up to your eye; if the band is too long, trim it. Squeeze a small amount of lash glue to the tip of the tube. Run the band of lashes gently across the lash glue. Wait about 20 seconds for the glue to become slightly tacky before applying.

Step Two: Place
Place the inner corner of the band into the inner corner of the lash line. Leave the remaining part of the band unattached until the inner corner is set. Bring the remaining part of the band down on the lash line.

Step Three: Perfect
Press the band gently, but firmly into the lash line to set. Apply one coat of mascara to mesh your lashes with the faux lashes for a more natural effect. Apply liquid, pencil, or powder liner in between lashes and as close to the lash line as possible to camouflage the band.

Now, find some lashes!

Nathan Johnson's Secret Eyeliner Tricks

Get ready to line 'em, ladies! Our fave blogger and Project Runway makeup artist Nathan Johnson has a few pro tricks to try next time you apply your eyeliner.

First, the basics. Don’t...
… apply thick eyeliner to small or close-set eyes. It will make them appear even smaller.

…over-blend on the lower lash line if you have dark circles. Pulling your eyeliner too far onto the skin will make them look worse.

…circle the entire eye with dark color. It creates an eyeglass-style circle, which results in them looking small and beady.

…share eyeliners. Infections can be easily transferred.


Now for the Tips….
* If you have trouble drawing a single straight line, hold the outer corner of lid taut and apply using quick short strokes.

* When lining the lower lid, leave some space on the inside corner of the eye. It will give a softer, less severe look.

* If the pencil feels hard on the lid or won't lay color easily, warm the tip by gently rolling it across the back of the hand.

* The thinner and more precise you draw the line, the more “pop” the eyes will have without looking like make up has been applied.

* For a natural enhanced look, rich, chocolate brown eyeliner is a better choice than black. It gives the same depth without the potential harshness.

* If you didn’t apply the liner so that it was perfectly straight and symmetrical on both eyes, dip a cotton swab into makeup remover and correct it.

* For easier application, hold your head back and look down into the mirror. This makes the eyelid tight.

* Apply liner as close to the lashes as possible. A gap of flesh between the liner and the lash line will ruin the effect.

* To start, keep the line as thin as possible. If a thicker line is desired, repeat the process either across the entire lash-line or simply on the outer third of the lid.

* With a finger or brush, blend away any thickness or depth of color that is more dramatic than you intended

Get The Look: Barbie (She Loves Stila!)

She's blonde, leggy, has been dating the same guy for 50 years, owns her own Dream House, and is getting 4 fabulous makeovers from Stila.



Of course you guessed the girl with everything: Barbie!



To celebrate Barbie's 50th birthday (Plastic surgery has to be behind those youthful good looks), Stila is introducing a limited edition collection of beauty cans and a talking palette .

The collab kicks off with limited edition Barbie Loves Stila offerings that will launch just in time for Barbie’s anniversary celebrations. The inaugural collection features 4 colorful “Decades of Beauty Cans” filled with Stila favorites that will help Barbie lovers recreate the best Barbie beauty looks. Each palette has two eye shadows and a cheek color or bronzer, as well as a lip product, and a mascara or liner.

The 4 cans include:



Ponytail Doll (1959) – Lip Color named Ponytail (red), Liquid Eye Liner, a 3-pan paper-wrapped compact with 2 eye shadows and a cheek color, and a Look Book



Malibu Doll (1971) – Lip Glaze named Malibu (pale pink), Lash Visor Mascara in Black, a 3-pan paper-wrapped compact with 2 eye shadows and a bronzer, and a Look Book



Foxy Doll (1980) – Lip Glaze named Foxy, Lash Visor Mascara, a paper-wrapped compact with 2 eye shadows and a cheek color, and a Look Book



Jewel Doll (2000) – Lip Glaze named Jewel (bright pink), Multi-Effect Mascara, 2-pan paper-wrapped compact with 2 eye shadows and a cheek color, and a Look Book




The four Barbie Loves Stila beauty cans will be available exclusively at Sephora’s 5th Avenue store in New York, international Sephora locations, and at Sephora.com.

Video: Smashbox Shows You A New Look For Spring

Watch the video: Smashbox artists show you how to get a fresh look that'll spark your creative side.

Be your own artist - makeup artist, that is. Smashbox just came out with a new paint-inspired palette that includes 10 of spring's freshest colors (plus Artist Eye shadow brush!) so you can curate your own gallery-worthy glamour.

Product Patrol - This Week's Hottest Launches

Stila Barbie Loves Stila Paint Can: Each paint can features the look of an iconic Barbie doll from the past five decades. Pop open the can and find everything you need to get that beautiful Barbie doll's signature look.

Solid fragrances: Two new solid perfume brands launched this week!! The cult Parisian perfumer, Crazylibellule, and Nuts Cream Perfume, a collection of delectable fragrances packaged in sustainable wood containers.





Tarte Spring Greening Reusable Straw Palette: A sustainable straw palette filled with six new mineral eyeshadows, three new t5™-infused lip glosses, and a bamboo-handled eyeshadow brush.

Fresh Rose FreshFace Primer: This refreshing prep treatment harnesses the cooling, astringent and balancing properties of rosewater. It can be used on all skin types.

Givenchy Precious Sari Glittering Eyeshadow: This glittering gel formula is non-sticky and non-oily, and allows you to intricately decorate your lids.