Style Fix

We are no longer in the middle of red carpet award season - unless you are excited for the quirky mix of styles that will be gracing the MTV Music Awards tonight, Sunday May 31, at 9 p.m. But that doesn’t mean the awards have stopped rolling in, they’re just smaller recognitions.

The FiFi Awards, considered the Oscars of the fragrance industry, recognized one male and one female scent as “Fragrance of the Year” this weekend at the 37th Annual Fragrance Foundation awards ceremony. Victoria’s Secret NOIR Eau de Parfum received the top odor honor for females, while Sean John’s I Am King did so for males.
Mark Jacobs, Queen Latifah, Ernest Borgnine, Dustin Hoffman, and Paris Hilton all attended the banquet held in New York City.

NOIR is a new “playfully provocative, yet elegant” scent launched by Victoria’s Secret in January 2009. The fragrance is a blend of sparkling nectarine, sultry amber, and exotic orchid. I Am King Sean John’s second fragrance for men and combines sensual fruits and warm skin nuances. P. Diddy previously received this honor in 2007 for Unforgivable, his first fragrance.

Also happening this month, Allure magazine announced the winning beauty products in the 2009 edition of the annual Readers’ Choice Awards. More than 2,000 products were entered in numerous categories including lipstick, eye liner, facial cleanser, and more, but only 53 products were selected for recognition in Allure.

To celebrate, Allure is giving away winning products for free every day in June, with 10,200 products being given away total. Visit allure.com/freestuff every day in June to enter the contest. To have a daily reminder sent to your cell phone, text “FREESTUFF” to ALLURE (255873).

There was an article in the Metro, a free daily newspaper, today about actors in Hollywood during this recession. A small-time actor was whining about having to take another job when formerly he could get by on acting gigs alone. It talked about top-level actors taking more commercials, too. So, who is catching extra work in the fashion biz?

Justin Timberlake’s woman Jessica Biel is out fetching him some extra moolah (not that he needs it - he just reportedly dropped nearly $100,000 on a diamond-encrusted Chanel watch and a pair of diamond Montblanc earrings for Jess) by joining Jennifer Connelly, Jessica Alba and Halle Berry as a spokesmodel for Revlon cosmetics. Her face will debut in the makeup company’s spring 2010 campaign.

It’s nothing new, but one of the Becks is posing in underwear for an Emporio Armani ad yet again. The newest display was of wifey Victoria Beckham donning sleek lingerie and an I Dream of Jeannie inspired hairdo for the Autumn/Winter 2009/10 season, shown here. The photo was revealed today, May 6, when a 20-foot picture was uncovered in front of Macy*s Herald Square. Now that we have our Posh fix, we move on to awaiting the unveiling of hubby David’s newest near naked Armani ad.

Fasion designer Anna Sui is following in the footsteps of Alexander McQueen and designing an affordable clothing line for Target as a part of the store’s Designer Collaboration series. Sui is taking her inspiration directly from the wardrobe of Gossip Girl for her collection that will appear in a select 250 stores nationwide on September 13.

Take a look at this photo from Emanuel Ungaro’s fall 2009 fashion week runway show in Paris, France. Notice something different? Perhaps something a little ’80s? Focus on her makeup, close in on her lips. Ta da! One lip is orangey red; one is pink.

Makeup artist Tom Pecheux, for M·A·C Cosmetics, created this two-toned look exclusively for the Emanuel Ungaro show and he admits, according to Glamour magazine, that while the look was very inspired by the ’80s, it is very modern when paired with a bare face. Glamour gossipers also swear that the colors were less intense in person.

If you look up close, you can see that the two colors are not completely equal but separate. It appears as if Pecheux first painted the entire mouth pink, and then went back over most - but not all - of the top lip with a drastically contrasting color.

What do you think? Would you rock it?

Teen Vogue has announced the 2008 Readers Choice Beauty Award Winners:

BEST BODY LOTION: Bath and Body Works Black Amethyst
BEST BODY SCRUB: Bath and Body Works Wild Honeysuckle Daily High Lather Scrub
BEST ECO-FRIENDLY LINE: Burt’s Bees Collection
BEST FACE LOTION: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
ULTIMATE SPLURGE: Chanel Chance eau fraiche
BEST FOUNDATION: CoverGirl TruBlend #3
BEST DRUG STORE BUY: CoverGirl TruCheeks #5
BEST CONCEALER: CoverGirl TruConceal #5
BEST TEETH WHITENING PRODUCT: Crest Whitestrips, Premium
MOST WANTED PRODUCT: Miss Dior Cherie L’eau
BEST BODY WASH: Dove Go Fresh Body Wash
BEST HAIR, STYLING: Garnier Fructis Style sleek & shine Anti-Humidity Hairspray, Ultra Strong
BEST RAZOR: Gillette Venus Embrace
BEST SELF-TANNER: Jergens Natural Glow moisturizer
BEST HAIR COLOR: L’Oreal Paris Feria multi-faceted shimmering haircolour
BEST LIPSTICK: Mac Creme Lipstick, Impassioned
BEST EYESHADOW: Mac Eyeshadow in Stars N’ Rockets, Swimming, and Moon’s Reflection
BEST EYELINER: Mac Eye Kohl in Smolder
BEST PERFUME: Marc Jacobs Daisy
BEST MASCARA: Maybelline New York Colossal Volum’ Express Mascara, Classic Black
BEST BLUSH: Nars The Multiple, Portofino
BEST SUNBLOCK: Neutrogena Ultimate Sport Sunblock, SPF55
BEST FACEWASH: Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash, Pink Grapefruit
BEST NAILPOLISH: OPI Nail Polish Elephantastic Pink
BEST CONDITIONER: Pantene Pro-V Beautiful Lengths Conditioner
BEST SHAMPOO: Pantene Pro-V Beautiful Lengths Shampoo
BEST ACNE PRODUCT: Proactiv System
BEST FACE SCRUB: St. Ives Apricot Scrub, Blemish & Blackhead Control
BEST LIP GLOSS: Victoria’s Secret Beauty Rush In My Cherry AMOUR

I don’t carry makeup with me. So if I get a sudden invite to go out after work, I often stop by a local makeup counter and get a quick touch up. On my last commute route, there was a Clinique artist in the mall that knew me. She knew that I would buy makeup from her as a thanks, even if it wasn’t the same day as when she did my makeup for me. She as nice and helpful from day one.

But now I have a new job and a new commute that doesn’t pass Ms. Awesome Clinique Lady’s counter. So I had to break in a new makeup counter lady this Friday when I got invite to a happy hour after work.

I approached the artist at a nearby Douglas and asked if she could help me find a foundation that would cover up my pimples. She was happy to oblige (no one else was in the store). She tested some out on me, then cleaned my face and recovered it. She added cover up, blush, bronzer, and eye makeup. But it was not a flawless application. First she used a q-tip to get foundation from the jar to my face, but she re-dipped the q-tip into the container back to my face and back and forth again. Germs! Then she told me that I am “actually pretty, but don’t let it show.” Insult? Compliment? I couldn’t tell.

When all was said and done, I asked her to write down the brand and color foundation for me. I wanted to wear it for a while to see how my skin liked it. She proceeded to beg and scold, telling me I had to buy it now and that my face would know by now if it didn’t like it. Her rudeness turned me off from returning. And my face? It didn’t like the makeup. By the end of the night my face looked caked and greasy.

So, crazy makeup lady, thanks for making me pretty for the night, but you can guarantee that your backhanded insults and pathetic attempts at making a sale will keep me away.

Many companies are reporting financial losses. I am assuming that comes as no surprise. Some, however, are still expanding.

* Actress Halle Berry and porn star Jenna Jameson both have new fragrances coming out right now. Halle Berry collaborated with Coty on her woodsy, oriental scent, that contains essence of figs and mimosas, called Berry’s Halle. Jenna Jameson’s is called Heartbreaker, which is taken from her own backside, literally. She has a “heartbreaker” tattoo on her rear.

* Oscar de la Renta’s son, Moises de la Renta, is launching his own hipster-inspired clothing line. Items, which will mostly be under $1,000, will included hoodies, tight leather pants, biker jackets, and little black dresses.

* Chanel has produced a Segway, as in the lean-forward-to-make-it-move, stand up, motor-powered transportation of choice for security guards like Paul Blart: Mall Cop. No price is listed, you have to ask.

A lot of fashion-related business moves that celebrities make blow me away. But nothing has confused me as much as these two new ventures:

* Rapper 50 Cent is reportedly starting his own men’s cosmetics line that will incude health supplements and moisturizers. One source told NY Mag that “his range will be for the guy who likes to be pampered, but the supplements will make it more butch.” It’s one thing for a pretty boy like Diddy to make beauty products, but a rough and tough, slightly scary one like 50 Cent is just weird.

* Clay Aiken, the gangling, scrawny American Idol that almost did make it because his personal style was so bad, is slated to be a new guest judge on America’s Next Top Model. If it must be true, I can only hope that at least it’s the makeover episode that features Clay.

As seen on Totally Looks Like, a picture-based site in the I Can Has Cheezburger network that allows users to visually point out look-a-like celebrities, animals, products, and more, these two perfumes are packaged suspiciously similarly.

On the left we have the perfume Nina by designer Nina Ricci, which debuted in its apple-shaped, red bottle in 2006. On the right, is Hot Topic’s Forbidden Fruit, a scent tie-in to the movie/book phenomenon Twilight, which, obviously, debuted after Ricci’s.

The similarities are undeniable; they are near twins except for the gold versus silver leaves and stem. In fact, Nina Ricci’s team thought the look was legally too close for comfort: the design house is suing. Even though an apple was a natural choice for the teen vampire product as it has already been a featured symbol of Twilight, such an obvious imitation is never the right choice. The leaves, shape, size, etc. could have and should have been different. Not to mention there is already a perfume deemed “Forbidden Fruit.” The first F.F. scent was created as a Desperate Housewives marketing ploy. Is that a second lawsuit I smell?

A year and a half ago, on May 24, 2007, former Style Fix writer Sheryl Sisk wrote Mineral Makeup Showdown: Bare Minerals vs. Sheer Cover. Sisk’s post about mineral foundation continues to be one of the most popular ones on Style Fix, with comments still rolling in. Some debate over which product is better, but most warn others of the scam-like tendencies of these two companies.

But today, the mineral trend has caught on and we have more options then the expensive subscriptions of Bare Minerals and Sheer Cover. Many drug store brands have similar foundations, powders, blush, and more that work just as well, but for a small fraction of the cost.

My recommendation is Maybelline Minerals. The line can be found in anywhere Maybelline is found, and includes concealer, liquid foundation, luminous blush, loosed powder, pressed powder, lip color, and, my favorite every day product, the powder foundation, shown here with the included brush.

I struggle with adult acne, but since using Maybelline Minerals powder foundation I’ve been getting compliments on my skin tone! One friend actually expressed jealousy over how smooth and flawless my skin is. Of course, I confessed that it wasn’t me, it was my makeup.

So yes, mineral makeup is all that it is advertised to be: it works like an airbrush. It covers spots, dots, lines, and circles. The products are in the $5 to $15 price range.

Perhaps if I get brave, I will show you a before and after of my pimply, bare skin and my flawless Maybelline Minerals face. …

Consumers feel very nostalgic about the bold fashion ad beauty statements of the 1980s, but very few actually look good in leggins, ankle boots, and neon colors.

Enter Too Faced Cosmetics to offer us a happy medium. The makeup company boasts a Sony licensing deal this season as store shelves are graced with the brand new Too Faced Smurfette Collection, which “turns ’80s fantasy into today’s beauty reality.” At a time when the fashion market is being bombarded with rehashing of ’80s trends, it’s nice to see a company jump on this fad’s bandwagon without taking it 100 percent literally.

Snag one if you can: this collection of makeup, which pays tribute to Too Faced’s Founder and Creative Director, Jerrod Blandino’s, favorite childhood idol, is a limited edition offer! And yes, blue eye shadow is included.

For winter 2008, MAC Cosmetics selected an interesting influence … Dame Edna!

Here she is in Los Angeles Monday, December 15, launching her line.

And thanks to Temptalia, who has full details on every MAC collection, for a complete rundown of what Dame Edna has to offer:

Lipstick
* Gladiola Matte mid-tone blue pink (Matte)
* Coral Polyp Creamy mid-tone coral (Amplified Creme)
* Kanga-Rouge Creamy dark blue red (Amplified Creme)

Lipglass
* Hot Frost Sheer mid-tone blue pink with multi-dimensional pearlized pigments (Frost)
* Splendid Frosty pale pinky coral (Frost)
* Possum Nose Pink sheer bright coral with multi-dimensional pearlized pigments (Frost)

Royal Tour Eye Shadow Trio
* Royal Tour Mid-tone cool lilac (satin)
* Dame’s Desire Frosty mid-tone reddish purple (Frost)
* Climate Blue Dark blue fviolet with pink pearlized pigments (Velvet)

Wisteria Eye Shadow Trio
* Fineshine Frosty true-silver (Lustre)
* Wisteria Frosty robin’s egg blue (Velvet)
* Divine Night Frosty charcoal with silver pearlized pigments (Velvet)

Hight-Light Powder
* What a Dame! Pale orangey peach
* Spectacle! Pale soft pink

Nail Lacquer
* Asiatique Creamy classic red (Creme)
* Varicose Violet Frosty mid-tone pinkish purple (Frost)

A year ago, I attended a Mary Kay makeup party and learned a fantastic eye makeup formula that works wonders for every look from natural to smokey to crazy. And now I share this formula with you …

Pick three shadow colors that compliment each other. You should choose a light, medium, and dark one. The light one works well shimmery or pearlescent. For a subtle, natural look, choose a cream, tan, and brown. Smokey eye seekers should choose a pearly off-white, grey, and dark grey (not quite black). Try throwing a little color in by choosing green-khaki for natural or grey-purple for smokey. Or go crazy and have fun: choose a shimmery white, brown or grey base, and a bright color like purple or teal.

Regardless of your color choices, follow these steps:

1. Use a brush, about the size of a fingertip, to sweep the lightest color just under your eyebrow.

2. With the medium color, and a flat brush, shade the base of your eyelid, coloring an oval-like shape over the part that is hidden when you close your eye.

3. Dip a fine tip brush (but circular, not an angular, flat one, which would be used for applying powder liner) into the darkest color. Follow your natural crease, drawing a soft, but dark, line.

4. Blend the look with the larger brush and lighter color used in step one. Highlight lightly over the entire eyelid, from brow to lashes.

5. Apply liner and mascara.

6. Look hot and rock your new eye makeup.

For more advanced eye makeup techniques, check out Mac Cosmetics’ Looks collections that include halloween, party, glam, and more styles with how-to directions.

With teen magazines dying regularly in the fashion editorial world, it’s hard to believe that now would be the time for a new start up publication. But that’s exactly what COCO Eco Magazine is.

Feel Good Style and Organic Beauty View blogger Emma Pezzack, who is also President & CEO of green makeup company Futurenatural, made a recent announcement about the magazine’s upcoming arrival. She did so proudly, as she has been named beauty editor of COCO Eco.

Ecorazzi also proudly announced the publication’s October 18 release, including the naming of Anna Griffin, who has done correspondence for the environmentally friendly blog, as editor-in-chief.

Additionally, the magazine’s staff line up features carbon footprint-reducing experts, savvy fashionistas, artistic photographers, experienced writers, and many stylish, green thinkers.

The magazine officially launches the evening of Saturday October 18 with an L.A. launch party held in conjunction with D&A’s (Designers & Artists) new Green Market event showcasing sustainable fashion .

It is not a good thing to be notorious. It means that you are “widely and unfavorably known.” People remember notorious, sure, but it’s not in a good way. Murderers that made headlines and became famous, are notorious. The punk teenager that is known around the neighborhood for causing trouble and being rude, is notorious. Listen to me people, it is not a good thing to be notorious.

That being said, Ralph Lauren created a new fragrance line. Victoria’s Secret uber model Laetitia Casta (shown here), who is now a happy family woman living in France with her husband and two children, is the face of this new perfume.

So why then is it called Notorious?

I don’t want my scent to be “widely and unfavorably known,” and furthermore, a sexy, classy, family woman is hardly “widely and unfavorably known.”

So why, Ralph Lauren, is your new fragrance called Notorious?

I am less enthralled with the unique, new Spinlash mascara wand today than I was two days ago. I don’t know whether to blame Spinlash or CVS, but I can’t find it anywhere. The product was supposed to be in stores spring 2008; I would certainly consider the end of May to be spring.

So where is my Spinlash?! CVS? Akasha? Anyone? When and where can I buy (besides online) this crazy, rotating, eye makeup phenomenon?

Have you seen it in your store?

UPDATE: Spinlash people say: “SPINLASH is actually not yet available at CVS - it will be there in about a month. You can however find SPINLASH at any Target store nationwide. … It is also now available at drugstore.com if you don’t want to purchase it from our website.”

Super! So it’s off to Target for me …