Bloggers Take Manhattan

Please forgive me, peeps, for I have no time to do what I do.

I'm in NYC for the annual Daily Makeover Beauty Bloggerati conference - and it's been makeup, skincare and hair 24-7. So please forgive the lack of posts lately. But while I'm on here apologizing, I might as well tell you what I've been up to. I'm so tired, I'm about to pass out. But here are some quick highlights...

If you haven't tasted the crispy fried chicken, basilicious mozzarella sticks or fruit embellished fro-yo dessert at Mad For Chicken (formerly BonChon), you have not lived. Thanks for the tip, Erika.

Daily Makeover's site is about to get a makeover. Can't be too specific, but their new content and tools are going to blow your beauty-loving mind.

Had delish lunch at the Estee Lauder offices and finally met all of the PR girls I talk to ten times a day. All of the brands (which include an impressive lineup: MAC, Clinique, Bobbi Brown, La Mer, Tommy Hilfiger, Jo Malone, and more) are very interested in learning more about the Beauty Bloggerati and how they can better work with us.

Our Columbus Circle beauty crawl went a little like this:

*Fell a little more in luvre with Kiehl's. Told everyone within earshot about my obsession with their Superbly Restorative Argan Body Lotion; I think I converted many of my fellow bloggers into fans. Then we were all introduced to Kiehl's new Sunflower Oil hair products; the shampoo smells yummy fantastic - like fresh apricot. We also got the skinny on the new Rare Earth line, created for acne-prone and greasy gals like yours truly. They sent me home with samples, so look for reviews soon.

*Lancome is the freaking bomb. We were greeted with champagne, heavenly cupcakes and veritable wonderland of makeup. I had an opportunity to play around with their fall 2009 collection and chat up celebrity makeup artist, Andrew Sotomayor...who has the BEST SKIN EVER. No joke. You could inspect his face with a high powered microscope and not find one pore. And the kind folks at Lancome sent us all home with a bag of goodies, including the Oscillation Powerbooster mascara primer and new Hypnose Drama mascara - which, together, are TO DIE!

*L'Occitane has this amazing anti-aging skincare product, called Divine Cream, that will hit shelves September 16th. I smoothed some on my hand and the texture was truly divine. L'Occitane don't lie.

*I wish Philadelphia had a Space NK store. Really, every city should have at least one. It smelled so damn good inside and they had some mellow Marvin Gaye on the stereo...I just didn't want to leave. What I love about Space NK is the diverse range of brand offerings. I consider myself a beauty savant, and there were products and lines that I've never heard of. Can you even?

*If there's a store where I want one of everything, it's Fresh. I seriously don't think you can go wrong with anything they sell. My new fave Fresh products are the Brown Sugar Body Scrub and Body Cream. It's like a 1-2 punch to your flaky epidermis. Exfoliate with the scrub and then moisturize with the cream and you'll swear that you got bumped to the top of the skin transplant list. The transformation is unbelievable!

Attended the What Not To Wear premiere party at the Ted Gibson Salon, to celebrate Ted's new gig as the show's resident hair guru. Briefly chatted up Jason Backe and congratulated him on the oodles of magazines he's been quoted in these last few months. I love me some Ted and Jason...dolls, the both of them. They deserve all of the success coming their way.

Me, Amber and Marta at Revlon dinner

Dinner with Revlon at Almond was ab fab. The steak frites I ordered was un(freaking)real. Plus, we got up close and personal with some of their newest products. In the middle of my meal, I applied their Colorstay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick...and it still looked perfect when I returned to my room at the ACE Hotel 2 hours later.

Okay, losing consciousness now. I'll check in again as soon as I can. You might have to wait a lil longer than a New York minute...but it will be worth it.

Recessionista's Fabuless Pick of the Week: eos Lip Balm Smooth Spheres

If the thought of sticking your bacteria-laden fingers in a pot of lip balm/gloss doesn’t appeal to you, I have an excellent (and economical) solution.

New Lip Balm Smooth Spheres from eos have this cool, ergonomic packaging that bridges the gap between high-end lip balms and chapsticks. And the USDA certified organic formula is enriched with hydrating ingredients (Vitamin A, shea butter, and jojoba oil). Available in three delish flavors (Summer Fruit is my fave…and it’s pink, natch), these balms will only set you back a couple of bucks.

I love 'em. Chuck Bass loves 'em. You (and your wallet) are gonna love 'em too!

Lip Balm Smooth Spheres are now available at evolutionofsmooth, drugstore.com and will soon be available at Walgreens (July), Rite Aid (July), SpaceNK (August) and Duane Reed (August).

Seeing Double

Yesterday, as I was perusing the CVS website, a new skincare brand caught my eye.

What struck me the most about 24.7 Skincare is its similarity the Freeze 24-7 skin care brand. From the names to the packaging to the product descriptions, they’re nearly identical. Take a look…

24.7 Skincare Instant Plump Volumizing Lip Shine: Triple action lip treatment works with Retinol, Niacin and GABA to immediately plump, hydrate and nourish lips. ($19.99)

Freeze 24-7 PlumpLips Lip Plumper: Revolutionary lip plumper and gloss that delivers full, pouty, buttery lips in minutes. Hydrates, smoothes and soothes…It’s addicting! ($40)

24.7 Skincare Smooth & Go Immediate Skin Perfector: Instantly illuminates and smoothes, bringing a newfound soft, flawless look to your skin. Performs brilliantly under or over makeup and wouldn't think of smudging or smearing. Perfectly portable for whenever or whenever you need a quick skin-perfecting fix - an absolute must have, with mistake-proof application! Treat fine lines and wrinkles, imperfections, dark circles, lip lines, laugh lines, large pores. Perfect for: quick touch-ups: Smooth & Go, use under OR over makeup, absorbs excess oil, instant brightening, instant smoothing. ($29.99)

Freeze 24/7 Freeze & Go Instant Smoother & Brightener: Use under or over makeup to fix fine lines, absorb excess oil and brighten skin for a flawless finish. Perfectly portable, this sleek, metallic, pod-like package is designed for optimal convenience and totability, with a removable mirror and metered dosage to ensure a flawless finish on-the-go. ($65)

24.7 Skincare Targeted Wrinkle Treatment: Targets lines and wrinkles with a latest-tech formula including GABA, Lavendox and Hyaluronic Acid Spheres. The results are impressive: 100% of respondents saw a 50-90% reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles within 10 minutes, making it an effective, non-surgical cosmetic alternative to Botox and other invasive procedures. ($39.99)

Freeze 24/7 Instant Targeted Wrinkle Treatment: This dream cream is for real and delivers a powerful punch against wrinkles. Watch them melt away within minutes. Respondents saw a 50-90% reduction in the visible appearance of fine lines and wrinkles within minutes of application. A safe alternative to Botox and other synthetic products which produces results - not side effects. ($65)

After noting the similarities, I instantly smelled a lawsuit. But it seems that the brands are in cahoots. 24.7 Skincare was created in partnership with an initial investor in Freeze 24-7. So maybe there won’t be blood. But there will be youthful skin and plump lips – whether you shop at the department store or the drugstore.

Freeze 24-7 is available at Nordstrom, Henri Bendel, Bloomingdale’s, Space NK, and Saks Fifth Avenue. 24.7 Skincare is sold exclusively at CVS.

Tea Time

A few weeks back, I attended the TotalBeauty.com launch event at Space NK in SoHo, NYC. My trip up from Philadelphia was, let’s put it this way, an adventure. So upon crossing the threshold into the store, I quickly downed two glasses of champagne and perused the inventory with my fellow beauty bloggers – shout out to Marina, Elke, Julia, and Antonia for putting me at ease and making me feel so welcome!

I was introduced to many new brands and products that night, but the one that I immediately regretted not buying was the Thai Tea Body Wash from Philip B. Seriously, I was on Amtrak riding back to Philly thinking, “Why didn’t I get that body wash? It smelled sooo yummy.” After a week of hemming and hawing, I broke down and decided I had to have it; and it’s been a fixture in my shower caddy ever since.

Inspired by Philip B.’s journey through Asia, Thai Tea Body Wash is enriched with 20% pure botanical plant extracts indigenous to Thailand. Ingredients include Thai Tea (rich in antioxidants), honey (moisturizes), coconut oil (softens skin), milk proteins (gently exfoliates), peppermint (stimulates circulation), lemon grass (normalizes oil production), ginger root (soothes skin), and citronella (deodorizes and balances oil production).

The smell is sweet, yet invigorating (it reminds me of the spa) and is the perfect AM pick-me-up I need before starting my day. It foams well, and tingles a little on the skin - thanks to the peppermint oil.

At $40 (you can get it at Amazon.com for $35) it’s pricey; when I first saw the cost of the Thai Tea Body Wash, my eyes were as big as saucers…don’t ya just love my puns? But a little goes a long way, so don't use a cup when a teaspoon will do (there I go again) and use a loofah to extend the life of the 12 oz. bottle.

This Holiday, I Wish You Laughter

Here’s one thing you probably don’t know about me. I am an expert gift wrapper. I take pleasure in the holidays, not just for obvious reasons, but because it gives me the opportunity to flaunt my knack for gift wrap.

But I recognize that not everyone is as gifted as yours truly…gifted, get it?

[Crickets]

So if you’ve got any last-minute gifts to buy, here’s a suggestion. The bath and body products from Space NK are fantastically fragrant, and the gift sets come in the most charming packages – so there’s no wrapping required!

Space NK’s founder, Nicky Kinnaird’s travels inspired the indulgent products. Of the line’s many scent options, I prefer Laughter – which is fragranced with “an uplifting blend of lime, rosemary and juniper enlivened by an unexpected sweet, spicy bite of ginger.”

The Ultimate Experience in Laughter is a perfect introduction to the Space NK Bath & Body range; it includes Body Wash, Body Balm, Bath Oil, Soap, two Bath Tablets, Travel Candle, and Eau de Toilette.

Space Cadet

Space NK, founded in 1993 by beauty junkie Nicky Kinnaird, began with one small shop in Covent Garden, London. Today, it’s a 50-store chain, offering a carefully edited selection of high quality, original and effective beauty products from innovators and specialists around the world.

"The process is a combination of personal research, word-of-mouth and pavement pounding during my international travels," Kinnaird explains.

In May 2007, the apothecary crossed “the pond” and opened its flagship store in the heart of SoHo. If you’re one of the lucky lasses with a Space NK in your neighborhood, I encourage you to take a trip to see, firsthand, what makes this chain so addictive.

Kinnaird adds, “For those of you unable to get to our stores in the UK and beyond, why not browse and discover products for yourself online?”

Spoiled Pretty thinks you’ll fancy Face Boutique’s Fresh Faced Moisturiser. Ideal for everyday use, this oil-free gel is designed to hydrate and nourish young skin while providing the perfect base for makeup. Its unique ingredients include zinc-rich Smithsonite, which regulates sebum, prebiotics to help reduce breakouts, and strawberry extract to tone. It's also crammed full of powerful antioxidants squeezed from cherries, apples and grapes.