She's a Brickhouse

Since its introduction in 2002, Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick has taken up permanent residence in thousands of makeup bags.

Named Best New Product by In Style Magazine, this shimmering powder imparts a subtle, lit-from-within glow. Extremely versatile, the five ribbons of colors can be used individually or blended together for a subtle wash of color. Sweep on cheekbones, brow bones, decolletage, lids, or apply with an eyeliner brush to the inner corner of eyes to make them POP.

The Shimmer Brick comes in apricot, bronze (cult favorite), beige, gold, pink, peony, and rose. For a limited time, you can purchase the Tawny Shimmer Brick and Lip Kit (shown, right) - a Shimmer Brick/lip palette hybrid inspired by Bobbi's best-selling blush.

The Devil Wears OPI

Ever since I first watched The Devil Wears Prada, I have been fruitlessly searching for the nail polish Emily Blunt's character wears in the movie. An indescribable merger of black and purple with a hint of sapphire, I had almost given up in my quest. Well, more than a year after its release, it seems as if I've been granted an early birthday present.



Russian Navy and Midnight in Moscow from OPI's Russian Collection are my inky indigo dreams realized. And I'm not even going to wait until Fall to wear it. I'm a trendsetter, so I'm gonna rock it now and be the envy of my peers. They'll cautiously hang on to their corals and pinks for a little while longer, wishing they had the courage to join the darkside.

I'm heading to Moscow...who's with me?

Beauti-full Brows

This fall, your tweezers won't hibernate - but they will definitely take longer naps. The full-figured brow is back, and she isn't wasting any time making her presence known.

She has been seen on on countless magazines covers and prowling the runways of Marchesa, Carolina Herrera, Proenza Schouler, and Vera Wang. At Jonathan Saunders, brows were green, yellow, and pink!

Earlier this summer, Sienna Miller raised some eyebrows when she debuted her new look at the Valentino show - officially cementing the dramatic brow as the new "it" accessory.

The Fall '07 brow channels Brooke Shields in her Jordache days. But don't be fooled...this trend isn't as easy as it looks. Much like tousled hair and minimalist makeup, it takes a skillful and steady hand to perfect the I-just-woke-up-looking-this-good look.

For the gals who went a little wax happy this summer, Anastasia's Nu Brow - Brow Enhancing Serum will help to condition, repair, and restore the eyebrow. This nourishing gel stimulates hair growth, resulting in bold and beautiful brows in just 4-6 weeks! For my Frieda Kahlos out there, Anastasia also offers Classic Stencils - to easily tweeze unruly brows into ship-shape.

So move over, skinny brow...you have officially been replaced by your zafdig sister!

Insider Scoop

Do you fancy yourself a cosmetics connoisseur like me? Well now, you can actually be a beauty VIP – and have the card to prove it. Sephora’s Beauty Insider rewards program offers deluxe samples, personalized tips and product picks, invitations to exclusive in-store events, and a special gift on your birthday. Can it get any better? It sure can…because it’s free! Click here to sign up today for your “all-access pass to personalized beauty.”

She’s Got Legs, She Knows How to Shave Them…

Many women dread the summer, when their leg-shaving skills (or lack thereof) are put on display. But whether you’re a short shorts kinda gal or you think donning capris exposes too much skin…at some point, you’re going to have to show off those gams. So here are a few tips to make your next shaving experience a smooth one.

First, get into the shower/bath and wet your legs with warm water. Duh. But before you rush into your shaving routine, take a few minutes to allow the hair on your legs to soften. The moist heat of the water will also open the pores of your skin, which results in a close shave (the same reason barbers use warm towels on their customers).

The next step is exfoliation. By getting rid of all of the dead skin, the razor cuts the hair closer to the root. And maybe, if you’re lucky, you can get away with shaving every other day. My secret weapon against scaly skin? Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa Signature scrubs. I was first introduced to this delightful line of products at the Kenwood Inn and Spa in Sonoma County, California - where my husband and I stayed on our honeymoon. The scrubs use grape seed oils and other natural ingredients to pamper the skin, and come in three formulas: Crushed Cabernet scrub (for rough areas like elbows knees, and feet – also drains and smoothes cellulite!), Merlot Friction Scrub (exfoliates and firms - ideal on arms and legs) and the Savignon Scrub (for sensitive parts of the body, can be used on the face). These lil' jars of joy pack quite a punch at $35 a pop, but Sephora has packaged petite sizes of these bestselling scrubs for on $32. The Scrub Trio is limited edition, so snatch some up before they’re gone.

It used to be that all I would shave with was a Gillette Venus razor. But I recently became a Schick Intuition convert...and there's no going back for me. Intuition is the razor with the shaving cream built right in, so you skip a step and save some moolah. Plus, it shaves much closer than any other razor I’ve tried, so I think you should try it too.

Finally, if you’re follicularly challenged like me, use Tend Skin to get rid of razor bumps and burn, and ingrown hairs. Used twice a day, it keeps skin irritation at bay. To request a free sample, email sales@tendskin.com.

Go Nude!

You know that commercial where they say something like, "In your lifetime, you will spend 1 month brushing your teeth and 2.1 years sitting in traffic"? Well...it makes me wonder how much time an average woman spends seeking the elusive "holy grail" of nude lipstick/gloss.

Nude lips are tricky to pull off. Obviously, we ladies all come in a myriad of hues - so there is no 'one color fits all' nude lip look. Too pale of a nude leaves you looking like a cadaver from an episode of CSI. Choose a shade that too closely matches your complexion and it looks like your mouth has pulled a David Copperfield (the illusionist, aka David Seth Kotkin - not the Dickens character). And a nude that's too brown makes you look like you've been licking chocolate cake batter off the spatula. Mmmmm, chocolate. I digress.

Anyway, back to my point...a good nude is hard to find. This is where my addiction problem becomes your solution. I have found the nude lipsticks and glosses to help you perfect that J.Lo pout. Continue reading for the best beauty buys - at every price level. If you have a favorite nude to add to the list, post it in the comments section.

Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Honey

Chanel Glossimer Lip Gloss in Unity

Fresh Lip Shine in Red Star

Lancome Juicy Tube Tropiques Ultra Shiny Lip Gloss in Bronzed Mocha

Loreal Color Juice Lip Gloss in Butterscotch Drop and Iced Latte

MAC Lipstick in Polished Up, Spice it Up, and Touch

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Deep Nude, Fleshtone, Raisin Rage, and Teak Rose

Sephora Harmony Gloss

Stila Lip Glaze in Blackberry*

* my "holy grail"

They Tried To Make Me Go To Rehab...

Hi. My name is Daneen and I am a makeup junkie. There, I said it. It's only been five days since my last beauty product purchase, but it won't be long before my next trip to the cosmetics counter. I spend way too much money on makeup. How much, you might ask? Well, it's really none of your damn business. Let's suffice it to say I spend enough. I recently vowed to cut back on any unnecessary expenditures...but the summer is ending and all of the fall colors are coming out. What can I say? I'm weak.

In my world, new lipgloss can be the difference between a good week and a bad one. I have a recurring dream about being "accidentally" locked in a Sephora store overnight. And when my purse was stolen 4 years ago while backpacking in Europe, the item I missed the most wasn't my cash, camera, or passport...it was my limited edition MAC cheek/lip stain. Yes, I realize how ridiculous that sounds - but hey, I'm being honest here. I have a problem. I am a makeup fiend. But there's no rehab for my compulsion. So I'm justifying my addiction by sharing my product reviews with you. Whew. I feel less guilty already. And now I have a valid excuse to buy that LashFusion mascara I've had my eye on. Thanks, y'all. And check back soon...lots of critiques to come!