Vogue Daily has a post up about a new collaboration between (my fave) Essie Nailpolish’s Essie Weingarten and Madison Avenue jeweler Judith Ripka. The three limited edition shades: Queen of Hearts (classic red), Put a Ripka Ring on It (sheer, sparkling pink) and Heart My JR Jewels (deep burgundy) are certainly pretty, but what makes this collaboration so exciting is a little something extra Weingarten and Ripka decided to throw in: “I wanted to make the pie really sweet,” says Weingarten. “Instead of just adding gold and platinum to the polishes, I told them to throw in a diamond!” Hidden away in three out of the 30,000 limited-edition bottles is a one-carat diamond, emerald, or sapphire.

But thinking of all the 5yrs old bottles of nailpolish that reside in my bathroom vanity… how will you ever know if your bottle is one with a golden ticket?

While I may sometimes take secret pleasure in tabloid magazine articles about celebrities without makeup (Stars! They Have Dark Under-Eye Circles Just Like Us!), this was certainly not the case when I stumbled across this editorial in the September Issue of Harper’s Bazaar.

No, there is no comfort to be found in the makeup-less faces of Kristen McMenamy, Nadia Auermann, Shalom Harlow, Amber Valleta, Helena Christensen, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer and Tatjana Patitz . Not a blemish in site. Instead, all I can think after seeing these images is: “I really need to take care of my skin”. Cindy Crawford is 43 years old! It is my new goal in life to have her skin when I am her age… Oh, who am I kidding- I don’t have her skin in my mid-twenties.

I think it may be time to invest in an age-defying skin moisturizer such as Dermalogica AGE smart Dynamic Skin Recovery plus SPF 30.

Image Source: Models.com

I’ve been making it a point to spend as much time in the sunshine this summer, trying to get at least one beach or pool day in during the weekends. So far so good… I have a great tan going and the time outdoors in in the sun helps melt away my weekday stress. The sound of the water, kids playing or doggies splashing, and the warmth on my skin is like free therapy.

Of course, what’s good for my mental health isn’t necessarily good for my skin, which is where slathering on the sunscreen comes into play. I was introduced to the best sunscreen by a friend this summer- Neutrogena Cooling Body Mist Sunblock. The one-touch continuous spray cools your body as it hits your skin. I’m not sure what miracle ingredient makes this possible, but I am addicted. I kept reaching for the bottle to cool myself down. Requires much less energy than running into the waves, and is better for my skin! You must give it a try…

My reasoning for being excited about Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Eye Makeup Remover Pads is two-fold. One, I am incredibly lazy when it comes to washing my face before bed, yet hate eye makeup smudges on my pillowcase (oh ya, that whole leaving makeup on before going to bed speeding up the ageing process and clogging pores thing is kinda a drag too). Two, I am a constant eye-rubber, which means by the end of my day, I inevitably have mascara smudges under my eyes. So, these ultra-soft, 100% cotton eye make-up remover pads, which remove all traces of mascara- liner and shadow too should I ever wear them- plus contain a blend of ginger extract, basil, turmeric and chamomile oil to calm, soothe and protect delicate skin, will be a welcome addition to my beauty arsenal. I plan on keeping a pot in my purse for mid-day touch-ups, and one by my bed, for a last minute clean up at the days end.

Often, mascara is the only makeup I manage to get on my face (often while stopped at red lights on my way to work). I’m incredibly lazy when it comes to my makeup, but I feel self conscious and bug-eyed without it. Yet, despite my obsession with mascara, and it’s key role in my beauty routine, I’ve always worn drug store brands, my biggest mascara splurge being on MAC Zoom Lash. Feeling a little bit like mixing it up a little when it comes to my beauty buys, I recently bought myself Chanel’s Inimitable.

Can I tell you? I am obsessed! I’ve even received a compliment on my lashes since starting to use it, I am not even exaggerating. Yes, it is a bit of a splurge for a small tube of black gook that probably uses the same ingredients as the drug store brands, but it has made a believer out of me. Chanel’s little tube of magic is truly Inimitable.

I’ve been seeing more and more beauty site’s doing write-up’s on these new lip balm Smooth Sphere’s from Eos and my curiosity has definitely been piqued. 95% organic and 100% natural, they contain shea butter, jojoba oil, and vitamin E for moisturizers. The Smooth Sphere’s come in three mouth-watering flavors: Honeysuckle Honeydew, Summer Fruit, and Sweet Mint. Natural products and yummer flavors are always a plus for me, but what is so cool about this product- and what sets it apart from the millions of lip products out there- is its cool shape.

A sort-of hybrid between gloss in a pot and a roll-on stick, not only is it totally cute (kind of like a cartoon alien egg), but according to the company he round shape allows more precise application. Which I am pretty sure means less waste and more bang for your buck. I was already pretty sure I needed to get my hands on one of these to try out for myself when I came across this photo on Spolied Pretty:

Um, hello there Chuck Bass. What you got there? A yummy Smooth Sphere in Honeysuckle Honeydew? Yaaa, it’s a tad bit girlie of him… but, I’m sold. What’s good enough for Chuck Bass’ lips is good enough for mine.

I had a lovely late afternoon mani-pedi today and was excited to try out Essie’s Neon 2009 collection- Funky Limelight, Flirty Fucshia, Perky Purple and Punchy Pink- all perfect 80’s throwback neon colors to match my throwback neon jellies this summer.

I was surprised to discover, as I tested out the colors on my nails, that they are all matte or semi-matte when dry. Seemed a little counter-intuitive to me. Yes, matte nailpolish can look pretty cool- but it reminds me more of dark, grungy 90’s inspired colors rather than pop 80’s neons. I suppose you can always apply a shiny topcoat if you want to switch it up, however. When I arrived back home I did a little nail polish trend research and apparently matte nail polish may just be the hot new thing. OPI is introducing a matte collection next month featuring six of OPI’s most popular shades: Russian Navy, Lincoln Park After Dark, You Don’t Know Jacques!, Alpine Snow, La Paz-Itively Hot and Gargantuan Green Grape.

Now, this has me pretty excited. Russian Navy and You Don’t Know Jacques! are two of my favorites, I can totally picture rocking them in matte come this fall.

Sources: Nitrolicious, Makeup and Beauty Blog

Click on the above photo to be taken to an awesome, mesmerizing time lapse video from Bradly Brown. I love the transformation not only of the models face but also the evolution of her energy level. She goes from sleepy eyed and coffee downing to bright-eyed and vamping it up for the camera in seconds. If only my mornings were so easy… and came with my own hair and make-up team.

I guarantee you will want to add a bright yellow-gold shadow to your makeup bag after watching this… Love the name of this shade from Tarte- Mrs. Robinson.

Source: Bradly Brown via NotCouture

Memorial Day weekend is sort of the unofficial summertime kick-off. BBQ’s, pool party’s, officially being able to wear white and an extra day off of work all put me in a summertime state-of-mind. Here are some beauty tidbits, influenced by the summer months, that have been on my mind this weekend…

Summer is sandal season, which in turn makes it also pedicure season. I felt silly even contemplatin wearing close-toed shoes this weekend. No longer can I hide unkempt nails under tights, socks and a pair of boots. Just in time, NARS is celebrating their 15 year anniversary with a limited edition collection of vintage, previously discontinued, nail enamel shades. Perfect for summertime, I’m loving the shimmery tangerine Cha Cha Cha and deep grape Tallulah.

Giving up on my binkini body preparation plans of either tanning in my backyard or faking it with some self-tanner, I cultivated my base tan at a couple different pool parties over the weekend. I managed to hold my head high, despite a fellow sunbather inquiring if I had spent the last several months in the Netherlands, as that was the only reasonable explanation for my pallid frame which apparently was blinding him. I decided to embrace my paleness, and the lack of wrinkles and skin cancer that will hopefully come with it, and instead worry about what all the sun and chlorine was doing to my recently chopped, and finally healthy locks. It might just be my imagination, but it is already starting to feel a little dry after only two days in the sun and chlorine. Next time, I’ll come prepared with Phyto PLAGE Protective Beach Spray, which protects, moisturizes and nourishes the hair with UV filter, anti-UVB polymer, Olive Oil extracts, and Calendula, Willow and Rosemary extracts.

I’ll also be prepared with my base tan (a less-whiter shade of pale, if you will) and perfect pedicured toes…

Uh oh, girls. I think it may be officially swimsuit season. I am not exactly ready for this most-dreaded time of year, which is why I found myself at a pool party today in a skirt and tank. My bikini never left my handbag. It occurred to me that I may need to lay out in my backyard for an afternoon, or buy some self-tanner, before exposing my bikini bod to the general public. I don’t want to be held responsible for accidentally blinding somebody with the inevitable glare my extreme whiteness will create when exposed to sunlight. Scary stuff. Of course, it didn’t help that the aforementioned bikini-in-handbag is, oh, two seasons old. It is time not only for some serious tanning, but also a serious bikini update. My last couple swimwear purchases have been of the modern-hipster geometric print and color-blocking variety, but this year I am looking for a more old-fashioned cut and a bright floral print.

I love the 50’s wallpaper style print on the Diane Von Furstenberg Nicole Bikini and the impressionism inspired print on the Watercolor Bandeau Swimsuit from Shoshanna.

I’m thinking both these suits would be best accessorized with a little Mystic Tan…