Kevyn Aucoin: Beauty Goes On And On

It was major news when we announced last week that Sephora was expanding its selection of Kevyn Aucoin Beauty products. Those who have discovered the beauty business vet's creations already know, this was a man who knew how to do pretty beautifully.

But we had a few readers who wondered: Kevyn passed away in 2002 - how can his line continue to expand?

Valid question - and to get an answer for our curious readers (and me!), I went straight to Kevyn Aucoin Beauty's own Chenelle Mayers.

"For one," she explains, "the company is still owned privately by the Aucoin family and we are lucky to have original formulas and concepts that Kevyn created for his brand. Kevyn had plans to roll out many products before passing. A good example is our Precision Brow Pencil. This item was based on an original idea of Kevyn's, and launched in 2006 (4 years after his passing). It's now a top seller for the brand."

"We also take our direction from his books, including his ultimate beauty bible, Making Faces. The Flesh Tone Lip Pencil is a great example of an item that was developed specifically by Kevyn. He believed that flesh colored pencils were the secret to defining, enhancing, or creating a lip line while making your lip color last longer."

"Kevyn was an all inclusive person who believed that diversity should be embraced, so that's reflective of our line. Our hero product, Sensual Skin Enhancer,which can be used as a concealer or foundation, has a wide range of skin tones. When it comes to complexion and color, we will always make sure that all skin tones are included."

"Our Creative Director, Danny Griffin is well seasoned in the beauty industry and was an avid follower of Kevyn’s career. His concepts mirror Kevyn’s philosophy and creative spirit. His mission is to keep Kevyn’s legacy alive in the beauty industry and I think it is safe to say that we are off to a good start."

If you haven't discovered Kevyn already, we're happy to make introductions.

More Of Him To Love: Kevyn Aucoin Beauty Expands At Sephora

The late makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin spent twenty years in the beauty industry making up Hollywood stars. He wasn't just "good at it" - he was legend. The proof? His loyal followers are still helping make his beauty products best sellers today.

The "I love this" factor that turns one-time testers into Kevyn Forever! fans is that he created truly one-of-a-kind products.

After 20 years of glamming up faces, what he's learned has gone straight into his line of beauty.

Sephora has always proudly carried a select line of Kevyn Aucoin Beauty, but now - celebration alert! - we've expanded the line to include scads more choices.

Some of the new arrivals we're expecting to start poofing off of shelves:

The Sensual Skin Enhancer
An obsession with the flawless skin of Japanese geishas lead to this all-in-one airbrush in a jar. Warm up a little in your palm and use it as a sheer foundation, then dot it on trouble spots as a concealer.




The Flesh Tone Lip Pencil
Big, full, pouty lips the simple way: By enhancing what you already have.






The Pure Powder Glow
A soft-glow blush that's designed to work on every skin type, this cheek treat mixes color plus skin brightening for a double dose of pretty.

Bump Watch: The Hair Edition

No, this isn't another Is she? Isn't she? pink arrowed belly patrol. The girls at Glamour have harkened on a new hair trend: The Bump. The look is a high on the crown tease that can be accompanied with a total pin under, thereby creating a bumped bun; a low hung pony, which imparts an air of sophistication; or loose locks for one hot mama Cannes 'do. It seems pretty darn versatile and a whole lot easier for mere mortals to achieve than the perfect messy updo, especially if you've got the following tools: (in addition to bobby pins, 'a cou'se)

Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray ($11)
Even the most high-maintenance gals know that a little less than squeaky-clean hair makes styling a cinch. This spray-on version of the already popular powders whisks away excess oils without making strands too slippery.

Sephora Smoothing Hair Brush ($48)
The A-number one secret to getting the hair bump right—no frizz. This boar and nylon bristle brush tames flyaways and smoothes down the hair shaft to impart a little more shine.

Sephora Snag-Free Hair Elastics ($3.50)
Keep your bump in place and your hair happy with lightweight bands that won't rip or pull.

Frederic Fekkai Summer Hair Zero-Humidity Frizz Control ($22)
Those steamy summah days can cause hair to get a little overexcited and a bit unruly. Rein it in with a one-two spritz of the alcohol-free formula.

Phyto Phytovolume Actif Maximizing Volume Spray - Fine Limp Hair ($28)
Gain a whole lot of volume and big douse of lift and some serious stay-put with an amino acid and keratin-packed hairspray.

- Jenna Mahoney

P.S. SNEAK PREVIEW ALERT! The Bump pictured above was created for our Fall Catalog, which is FULL of some major bump-age. Stay tuned - Sephora will be Bumpin' by mid August.

New Products From Philosophy: Online Now!

Most beauty products fall into one of two categories:
1. They make your routine easier
2. They change your life

File these new launches under #2.

Philosophy now has two additional versions of their two bestselling products: Purity Made Simple gel cleanser will now have a foaming counterpart, and Hope In A Jar moisturizer will now also offer an SPF 20 formula (a Sephora exclusive!)

Psst! These beauty goodies hit stores on June 15th...but you can pick them up on Sephora.com right now!

The Purity Made Simple Foaming Cleanser is equally as skin-friendly as the original gel formula, but was created in response to all the customers who pleaded with Philosophy founder Cristina Carlino for a foaming spin-off. It's the ask-for-it-and-get-it approach to beauty - nice!

"It was very important to us that the foaming version be as gentle as the famous original," says Cristina. "This is foamy enough to satisfy the biggest fan of foaming cleansers, without using any of the traditional detergents found in 'foaming' formulas!"

Same rules applied for Hope In A Jar with SPF: It had to be as non-irritating and sensitive-skin appropriate as the classic.

"Clients have requested (downright pleaded!) for an SPF-containing version of HIAJ for years," says Cristina. Taa-daa! "We now - finally! - have a formula that gently hydrates, smooths and retexturizes for that famous HIAJ healthy glow...but protects from the sun, too."

Sweet Music: New Usher Fragrance

File this under: I can't believe this is my life. Last night I got an unbelievable-last-minute invite. And I was among a few selected guests at a dinner to celebrate R&B superstar and JT duet-er Usher's limited edition fragrance which will be available in September (Usher For Him is available now). Yeah I know totally crazy (!) and yes you can say you know me…

The dinz was yumz and the company was too. Usher brought along his wife (one word—totally gorge! Her skin is absolute perfection) his manager (who also works with my latest obsession Nicole) and his adorably cute and smiley son. But instead of fawning over the amazing talent and hot bod of this young phenom, I was—honestly—focused on the fragrance. Just like the last batch he has developed one for men and another for women. I'm love, love loving the ladies' version. It is so sweet, light and delicio that I'm actually thinking it may be my wedding scent.

The mix of jasmine and gardenia is feminine with touch of innocence. And the peach top note is what makes the mix subtly linger. Yeah, I'm in love. Oh and my new bestie Usher gave me a copy of his new album. It rules…swoon… xoxox. - Jenna Mahoney

Let The Computer Pick Your Next Perfume!

Sephora has a fancy new way to find a fragrance...other than the old-fashioned "sniff test."

Meet the fabulously intuitive Scentsa.

Scentsa is a touchscreen kiosk that you'll see in select Sephora stores, and this high-tech honey can tell you everything you want to know about a scent in a jiffy.


You can browse both his & hers perfumes based on favorite notes or scents (Woodsy? Citrusy? Flowery?), by designer (Chanel? Marc Jacobs? Cartier?), or even by name (Angel!).

Scentsa can even show you other perfumes with the same notes as your current favorite fragrance (Note: I believe this is called, "Broadening one's horizons.").

Since I'm currently having a moment with Marc Jacob's Splash, I used Scentsa at Sephora's Powell Street shop to discover that:

• This fresh-herb inspired perfume contains notes of tomato and basil (um, so I like pizza and things that smell like it, ok??)
• Splash is in the fresh-herb-inspired family of notes
• Similar-scented picks include Privet Bloom, Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Mandarine-Basilic, and Fresh Redcurrant

Scentsa also gives a perfume's history, the year is was created, and for those of us who couldn't crack Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey on the first try, there's a phonetic pronunciation guide, too.

Try it! Seek out your Sephora store for a Scentsa near you:

• New York City (42nd & Madison, 711 Lexington, 150 Broadway, Flatiron, Times Square)
• Chicago (Northbridge)
• Las Vegas (Miracle Mile, Venetian)
• Orlando (Florida Mall)
• Dallas (Northpark)
• Atlanta (Lenox Square)
• Honolulu (Ala Moana)
• Massachusetts (Burlington)
• California (Powell Street, South Coast Plaza, Fresno)
• New Jersey (Garden State, Short Hills)
• Washington, DC (Tyson’s Corner, Georgetown)

Suit Up Like A Calendar Girl: Sephora Summer Catalog Fashion Credits

Calling all bathing beauties: We're getting calls, emails and comments from clients and staffers alike on where to get the gorgeous bathing suits featured in our summer Calendar Girls catalog, website, and store windows. The bathing suits are mainly vintage, and our stylist Inge Fonteyne (ingefonteyne@gmail.com) borrowed them from Southpaw Vintage Clothing, 226 West 37th Street, NYC, (212) 244-2768; Miss June's bathing suit is by Amacord by Chio di Stefania. Complete credits below!

MISS COVER GIRL

- Southpaw vintage yellow striped skirt & yellow bandeau top
- Lee Angel yellow bangle
- Louboutin yellow wedge sandal

MISS JUNE

- Amarcord Vintage Fashion one-piece white cut-out suit
- Louboutin cork peep toe pump with fuchsia detail

MISS JULY

LOOK 1: YELLOW BATHING SUIT
- Southpaw vintage yellow suit
- Amacord gold heels



LOOK 2: CREAM BATHING SUIT
- Southpaw creme/gold suit
- Prada peach vintage sandals
- gold bangle with clasp (available at Barneys)
- Meazza vintage gold strappy sandals

MISS AUGUST

- Southpaw vintage cheetah suit
- RJ Graziano wooden bangles
- Pierre Hardy white/tan patent pumps
- mint Prada cross-toe pumps

Tried +Tested: Sephora Brand Nail Patch

Calling all Virgos, perfectionists and chicies with little to zero time. Have we got a phenom. for you. The brand-spanking new Sephora Brand Nail Patch ($10) promise long-wear, chip-less color with zero drying time. And in the words of those crazy kids at Seattle Grace—seriously. The peel and stick lacquered pieces deliver non-streaky, super-even and fantastic, stay-put color. And we're not talking of the 80s press-on nail variety. These strips actually adhere to the nail a-la polish, but sans the wetness, smudginess and waiting time of the traditional method. I tried the pink, which pack some serious She-Ra Color. And after a week of wear, they look almost as fresh as the first day, which is an extra-special plus if, like me, you spend oh, um 18 hours a day typing. And since the patches require nail polish remover to disappear, I'm totally going to be feeling all Princess of Power for a few more days. - Jenna Mahoney

Blue Crushing: The East Coast Edition

Unlike the Cali crew here at Beauty & The Blog, I didn't grow up with groms and blondes. My upbringing was equally beachy but more in a topsiders and madras kind of way. But something happened on the way to the next century. I joined the thousands of women inspired by a small movie to get all Gidget. And as I patiently wait for the east coast waves and water temps to be even minorly ride-able, I've been trolling the store to get my beach bag ready to go. - Jenna Mahoney

Bliss FatGirlSlim
Fact: Surfer girls don't have cellulite. So, if I'm going to hang ten (as if) with the ladies, I've got to fight the sag. Of all the concoctions I've tried, this one's texture and scent make rubbing away the flab a little more fun.

Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream SPF 55
There's a reason why the name of this stuff includes the word "ultimate." The formula offers a load of full-spectrum protection, it's easily absorbed and it keeps fighting the good fight after a serious sesh of water time due to all those wipeouts.

Lavanila PureVanilla Eau De Parfum Rollerball
There's something about being at the beach, that makes me get all get-back-to-the-earth like. And nothing says, "I love being a natural beauty" like the sweet scent of vanilla. The roll-on applicator insures that my fragrance goes where I want it and not where I don't, like the inside of my bag.

MD Skincare Powerful Sun Protection SPF 25 Lip Balm
It is pretty difficult to find an ultra-moisturizing lip protector packed with a high-level of SPF. In addition to shielding the sun, this promises to gently exfoliate and plump up collagen production.

Sephora Brand Snag-Free Hair Elastics
As if all of that wiping out weren't enough, trying to keep my hair out of my face while I'm actually riding a wave can be a serious feat. Keep a bunch of these in my secret wetsuit pocket will be a major help. Now if perfecting the pop-up were so easy….

Video: Kat Von D Explains Her Signature Look!

We caught up with Kat Von D at our summer cover shoot. We were shooting Kat as Pin-Up Girl (look for her in our Summer "Calendar Girls" catalog) , and then in her signature look, which included beautifully blended smoky eyes and siren red lips. It took Kat all of 10 minutes to complete this look, as we literally looked on in awe--when it comes to makeup, she's a machine!

The Next Beauty Guru: Enter The Contest!

Dear Beauty Addicts,

You're forever getting asked, "Who does your face?" The day after you showed up in aqua eyeliner, it sold out in your city and the three counties surrounding it. You house-mix your own lipstick because your colors aren't sold in stores. It's generally understood that the song, "You've Got The Look" is totally about you.

You are A Beauty Guru. And now Smashbox & Sephora are after you.

Smashbox & Sephora are on the hunt for the next guru of gorgeous. If you’ve got a brilliant beauty idea—and the superstar personality to match—we want to hear about it!

Show us why you're the one we want by giving us your freshest beauty idea. And of course you can be creative! Send in your blogs, video, art, or whatever best shows your cosmetic cunning.

Enter online at sephora.com/win/beautyguru - and remember, Sephora & Smashbox only crown one ultimate Beauty Guru, but there are plenty of other prizes for next-in-line knockouts.

Get all the deets at Sephora. And if you're wondering what you get if you win...well, we're gonna need bullet points for this:

• $5,000 of Smashbox Cosmetics
• An it's-all-paid for trip for two to L.A.
• A week-long apprenticeship at Smashbox Cosmetics to design the official Smashbox Fashion Week Makeup Palette (yes really!)
• Another it's-all-paid-for 3-day trip for two to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in L.A. in March 2009 for the debut of your palette
• All the fame and glory that comes with being the official designer of the 2009 Smashbox Fashion Week Makeup Palette - which'll be sold exclusively at Sephora and featured in the Sephora catalog
  

CEW Awards: Who Made the '08 Hot List?

Big day for beauty today! The 2008 CEW beauty awards just wrapped up at The Waldorf-Astoria; an annual event that honors beauty's best-of-the-best, picked from 600+ products, with 1300+ beauty professionals attending! The fabulous Mario Cantone hosted, brand reps gave lovely thank-you speeches, and we learned some interesanto stats about just how important beauty is in our lives. Like ... there are more spa than Starbacks in the U.S. ... and as the unemployment rate skyrockets, so do lipstick sales (discuss!) ... and apparently if you stack all the lipsticks sold world-wide since '03, it would out-stretch three Empire State buildings!?) No problemo if you missed our live, Twitter-happy text updates, though. You can check out the big winners here, and while you're at it, give a shout out to Sephora's pretty prize-winners below. Congrats to all the winners! -- Jessica Anderson

Bare Escentuals RareMinerals
Philosophy The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash
Shiseido Bio-Performance Intensive Skin Corrective Program
Dior Diorshow Blackout Mascara
Fekkai Coiff Control Ironless Straightening Balm
Clinique Skin Supplies For Men M Cover
Marc Jacobs Daisy

Hello Pretty Ladies!

Got a minute?  I’d like to say hello – hi! I’m Jenny – and introduce myself as the new girl at Sephora. Some icebreakers: I hoard skin cream. If I found $20 in my pocket, I ‘d march right out and buy more false eyelashes. I once cut bangs to cover a blemish. And I love love cute packaging. Really, the best way to get to know me is through my makeup bag – so with that, here are Five Favs For Right Now (hey, I’m fickle):

1. Bare Escentuals RareMinerals Blemish Therapy: I don’t have a T-zone. I have an OAO-zone: Oil All Over. The natural sulfur in this powder is the ultimate anti-acne arsenal: it soaks up oil and shrinks blemishes without turning my skin into sandpaper. It wears perfectly under regular makeup, and if I “forget” to wash my face at night (not that I would ever!), I know I’m still sockin’ it to my oil slicks.

2.  Make Up For Ever Eyelashes – Individual: You didn’t think I was kidding about the eyelashes, right? “Falsies” are my favorite new trend, and these individual lashes are my top picks for daytime drama. I add a few to the outer corners of my peepers, or pile them halfway across my eye when I’m feeling extra saucy.

3. Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray: We just met so maybe I shouldn’t admit this, but I don’t wash my hair everyday. Not with water, anyway. Oscar Blandi’s Dry Shampoo products are as good at scrubbing out oil and residue as an actual shower. Besides, this should count towards my water conservation efforts.

4. Vincent Longo Vibrant Eye Waterproof Mascara: I spent the better part of 1989 decked out in teal mascara (like, totally!), so you can imagine my mini-victory dance when I spotted the peacock colors of Vincent Longo’s Vibrant Eye Mascara collection. Current color: Blu, natch!

5. Laura Mercier Lip Colour – Shimmer: Two things make me strut like I’m in my own private music video: 4-inch heels, and bold red lips. I’m a fair-skinned freckled gal, so I love the blue undertones in Laura Mercier Lip Colour – Shimmer in Seduction. If you think you can’t pull off red lips, keep looking – your red (and secret music video) is out there.

- Jenny Muller

At Last! Sephora's Beauty-full Book Debut

Border's at Columbus Circle was lookin' prettier than usual last night, with editors and beauty junkies filing in to celebrate Sephora's new book, SEPHORA: The Ultimate Guide to Makeup, Skin and Hair from the Beauty Authority. The beauty-savvy author -- beauty and fashion writer and former Sephora editor Melissa Schweiger -- signed autographs and introduced the book, and Pro Team artists Sara Biria (at left) and Vanessa Dunn literally demonstrated some of the clever "quick fixes" you'll find in there. But don't fret if you couldn't swing by last night. You can click here to hear Melissa describe the book in her own words, and grab your own copy to revel in the plethora of pretty knowledge yourself!

High-tech: Make Up For Ever HD Powder!

With all the table-dancing and ahem-flashing in Hollywood today, I decided I could never make it as a celeb. But now it's official: Make Up For Ever's artistry director, Kevin Bennett, just said HD cameras can see 6x more than the human eye. Ah! So all that redness and blotchiness you try to hide under your foundation? Yep, forget it; the camera's onto you. OK, so how can you get ready for your HD closeup? Make Up For Ever's new HD Complexion Collection, a new line of lens-tricking product that's enhanced with silica micro beads that act as mini light refractors, veiling imperfections and giving a luminous "soft focus" effect. Just apply the primer (available in August), dab on the oil-free foundation (Aug.), and finish with the miracle powder. Voila, invisible coverage in all sorts of light, be it in the studio or on the street. Look for the miracle-working powder at Sephora next month -- it'll have Hollywood buzzing, no question.

Sephora in Miami: Shiseido's Golden Ticket

Willy Wonka would be so proud. Shiseido’s giving out 10 “golden tickets” over the two days at Inside In Style, with winners winning a $115 suncare bag full of Shiseido products! Just pull a sample from the bowl, and cross your fingers that your draw has a little ticket inside. If it doesn’t? Hey, you get a free Shiseido SPF anyway. Can't lose.

Sephora in Miami: Shiseido Sun Safety

South Beach = suncare, suncare, suncare. Protecting your skin from the sun is a must nomatter where you live, of course, but the especially-hot sun down here makes it extra important. Shiseido’s here giving self-tan lessons and dolling out samples of their Sun Protection Cream in SPF 55 and 36 – both of which protect from UVA/UVB rays that cause sunburn, cell damage, dryness, premature aging, you name it. The star ingredients are Xylitol, which retexturizes skin to keep it soft and smooth, and the antioxidant Thiotaurine. Even better: it’s water-resistant, so swim on, my friend. At right: Lisette Bedu, Shiseido's Ft. Lauderdale-based training guru.

Sephora Pro Beauty Team: Peacock Eyes

Nobody said a soft and simple bronzy look has to be boring. Here, the Sephora Pro Beauty Team played up eyes with different shades of blue and bronze layered shadows, both smoked-out for extra effect. Apple Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 16L (copper) as a creamy shadow all over the lids, then line eyes with 12L (a vibrant turquoise) to the upper and lower lash lines. But for the real pop-out effect? Smudge the outter corner of the eyes with a deep purple liner -- here it was MUFE #160 shadow, a new purple hue out later this summer. The last touch: MUFE Star Powder #955 applied on the top half of the lid, all the way up to the brow bone, and a quick coat of black mascara.

Sephora Pro Beauty Team: Gift Bags!

What’s a Sephora party without SWAG? As newly beautified (and beauty schooled) attendees leave the In Style tent, they’re grabbing a filled-to-the-brim bag of samples for the road. Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Eyes in black is stocked in each -- a liner most are saying they already use and love anyway! Now there's a sign of a tried-and-true product, huh?

Sephora in Miami: Sephora Calling!

POP QUIZ: How do you make sure your makeup stays poppin’ while you hit the beach? (“Poppin’” was my South Beach tutorial for the day. Thanks, K.B. of Coconut Grove.) ANSWER: A Sephora cell-phone mirror, clearly. These freebies were all the rage at the tent today. Just stick it to the back of your cell to check-in on your makeup anywhere, anytime. – Get it?