For those of you who opt for salon color over at-home options, it’s safe to say that you’ve probably experienced some kind of hair coloring drama at some time or another. I like to think that I have a pretty good idea of how to keep my expectations in check after 22 years in the beauty business, but even with that experience, I sometimes get blindsided. That said, it didn’t stop me from looking for a better, healthier, way to color my hair. Enter Redken’s Chromatics prismatic permanent hair color. This oil based, permanent hair color had a hefty PR buzz going but true to Beauty Sleuth form, I was on a mission to get the nitty gritty details from my own experience.

I have been a longtime fan of Rodney Cutler —His cut and styling prowess have graced hundreds of magazine editorial, runway shows and a plethora of top models locks, worldwide, so it made sense to me to turn to his namesake salon, Cutler Salon NYC (and where Redken professional products can be found) for help with my hair. At my consultation, I went right to the top and sat down with lead colorist, Summer Parham who is based in his the New York City salon. For those in Miami, Rodney also has a salon at the Perry Hotel in South Beach.

I had a lot of questions for Summer about Chromatics, especially as I had experienced another oil-based permanent color product released by a rival company, a few years back. Since the release of Inoa, there have been several problems that have cropped up— predominately with repeat processes, removal of the product from skin or other areas at the time of coloring and lack of vitality or dimension to the hair after the coloring process. While Chromatics is also an oil-based color, it has several pluses over Inoa. First of all, the capacity to customize color and “paint” the hair like you would traditional custom color to add dimension and fractional color makes this product a stand out. The oil delivery system reaches deep into the shaft of the hair and as Summer says: “ After using chromatics, the hair becomes two times strong, we call that 2x fortified, than without or by comparison to other similar products. For people who have never colored their hair, it was proven to be stronger after Chromatics color.”

Parham also says the Chromatics formula is ammonia-free and has absolutely no smell, which I can attest to. “The mixing process is better for stylist as well, it’s easier to get out of the hair and is easier for the colorists to mix as well. The coverage is fantastic. It’s not only the palette we put in the tubes but it is extremely customizable. 100 % grey coverage. clearer options to create as many shades can be customized to each client. Other similar oil based color lacks the dimension and range of Chromatics.” » Read the rest of this entry …

If you like the look of a lip stain but don’t like the desert dry lips that usually ensue, then look no further than Skinn Cosmetics, Tint & Shine Luscious lip stain and gloss. Offered in two shades, one a sheer red and the other a burnished bronze, both shades will give your lips the perfect amount of color . Don’t be alarmed by the richness of these stains, the liquid consistency is super sheer, goes on smoothly and is almost fool proof. The handy double ended applicator make it a no brainer for touchups during the day, so pop one in your handbag when your on the go. Although you may find you won’t really need to add more stain after the first application, the pigments are long lasting enough to go the whole day without having to reapply you will want to add a smash of top gloss for extra shine. During my test drive, my test models said the stain felt comfortable, never dry and the gloss added just the right amount of moisture without the gooey feel that some glosses have. So when it comes to comparing lip stains, Skinn Cosmetics Tint & Shine Luscious lip stain and gloss doesn’t give lip service and that’s why I give it top marks for performance and quality.

Tint & Shine Luscious lip stain and gloss is $18.00 and is available at www.skinn.com

Redken has introduced its latest styling Star with Powder Grip 03, a mattifying, volumizing powder.This innovative styling product is sure to be in every noteworthy stylists set bag. Why? Its featherweight texture, and ease of use makes it the go-to product for creating tousled texture that appears product-free. I road tested it at a photo shoot recently, on my lovely model Sandrine Marlier, who made for the perfect candidate as she has a ton of hair yet its fine, silky texture can make creating extensive volume difficult. This amazing powder not only defined her layers but added scads of gravity-defying volume that lasted the entire shoot. There was absolutely no product build-up or stickiness, just fresh voluminous locks, all day long. I love the matte texture, which gave the hair a modern twist. Brand ambassador, Rodney Cutler says he doesn’t have to use hairspray in conjunction with this powder as he normally would with a spray-in volumizer, so I tested that out as well. My result: Not a single spritz was needed for gorgeous off-the-chart volume. Powder Grip 03 has a added bonus: it makes up-do’s a snap, as the matte texture gives the hair “grip” for pinning, which means the hair stays put without much effort.
This product goes a long way, so easy does it on the application but I swear once you try it, you’ll never go back to any traditional “body-building hair products” again.
Available at retailers nationwide or visit for more info Redken.com

Mattése Elite introduces a brand-new makeup palette for Holiday 2011 with an impressive array of 172 different shades. Designed by Mattése Elite’s pro makeup artists, the sleek black box opens to reveal an extra large mirror and tiered drawers that hold 96 eyeshadow shades, 63 lip-glosses and 12 blushes. Oh my heart is going a pitter-patter with all the beautiful posibilites to come!.

The Mattése Elite Makeup Palette Kit retails for $39.99 and is available for purchase exclusively at Ricky’s NYC store locations and at www.RickysNYC.com.

There is nothing more sexy that a head of voluminous, shiny, healthy looking hair. I personally, will do just about anything to get this look for my hair and anyone else I may be working on. But let’s face it, it rare to have a head of “virgin” hair. Is there a solution for color treated hair look to it’s best? This question tends to open up a Pandora’s Box of hair issues including hair that’s dry, brittle and lackluster—Hair that tends to become way too unruly for its own damn good. In order to baby color treated hair, you need to recognize the special needs of your newly color treated hair—And a new arsenal of hair care must come into play if you want to achieve a head of luscious, downright sexy, looking hair.

If you are looking for something that’s not only kind to your color treated locks, but is Vegan and earth conscious, turn to Pureology. Offering an array of hair care that is completely 100% sulfate free, full spectrum UVA and UVB sunscreens as well as a host of organic botanicals to soothe and protect your hair, Pureology will treat each strand with the TLC it deserves. Two stand outs from the Strengthening AntiFadeComplex product lineup are: the newly re-released Radiance Amplifier and the Root Lift volumizing cream spray mousse. Both of these products work to hard to keep your hair (and the color) looking its absolute best and the formulas are super concentrated so a little goes a long way. Both are gentle yet effective formulas that give serious care for delicate color treated hair.

For my road test, I selected two models who couldn’t have had more different hair types— one being having a head of fine bleached blonde hair and the other, a course and curly head of hair with mahogany highlights. For each I wanted to have smooth, shiny voluminous hair. Using the Volumizing mouse first, section the hair and apply this very dense and thick mousse from the roots to mid-length of each section, blowing dry as you go with a large round brush for maximum volume. When all the sections are finished, spray a light veil of Radiance Amplifyer all over the hair. For both of my test subjects, the results were outstanding. The hair had a gorgeous overall sheen yet remain supple and soft.

Pureology not only has a great track record for creating innovative, vegan hair care but they support Global Green USA the U.S. Affiliate of Green Cross International, and its national environmental initiatives.  Founded in 1993, Global Green’s mission is to help solve the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Pureology Serious Color Care: Radiance Amplifier and Root Lift are available at Pureology.

I don’t know for sure but I don’t think I am the only one who LOVES a quality Member-only sale site ( I know you love your Gilt-y, Haute Look… pleasure!). I for one, am a member of at least three of these discount sites, where I shop and save some serious green to my hearts content anytime, anywhere I can jump onto the internet highway. It’s true Bliss. For fashion, home and even travel, it’s really a no brainer. You get topnotch merchandise at great prices, which is all well and good. But on the beauty end of the spectrum, it has been a bit flat to say the least. A hot cosmetic brand here, a cutting edge skin care brand there, these can be found from time to time but with no real consistency and certainly no dedicated area in which to frequently get one’s beauty groove on.

That is all about to change tomorrow, November 15th at 12:00 EST. Enter a relatively new player, MyHabit.com, which launched last May (and is part of the Amazon family). Not satisfied with offering consumers just another Fash-Pack club, MyHabit.com is set to break out by launching a new area in its portal dedicated to all things Beauté. Oh! what music to my ears! This comprehensive site currently offers a plethora of international fashion and accessories for all, as well as distinctive home goods and now with the addition of beauty, its sure to become a one stop shopping experience for all.

Aside from a wide variety of coveted beauty products and brands, they will also showcase guest editors from an array of well known publications on a regular basis — For tomorrow’s inaugural release, the lovely Eva Chen from Teen Vogue will curate a collection of her favorite beauty finds. Look for top brands such as Oscar Blandi, Dr. Hauschka, Baqu and Boscia skin care to name a few coming to MyHabit.com. As you would expect, being an Amazon venture, shipping is free within the continental U.S. but if you just can’t wait for a few dollars extra , you can get it overnighted right to your door.

Sounds like perfection to me. Register today so you can beauty shop ( an more!) tomorrow….I feel a new obsession coming on!

www.myhabit.com

I must apologize. First of all, for being remiss at keeping up with this beauty blog, it’s been nearly four months since my last entry. And secondly, for keeping you all in the dark as to my absence!

I have been working very hard on a new venture, one that I hope to become a huge success. While I cannot divulge too much information on it right now, the drive needed to develop this new entity has literally gobbled up all of my free time and energy, leaving little time for anything else. That said, I will be launching very soon. I hope you can all stay tuned until then. In the meantime, I have carved some time out from my hectic freelance schedule and the building of a new beauty brand (oops, did I SAY that out loud?) and will be back online with more beauty news, reviews and insights. In the coming posts, I will be showcasing a selection of products that I have feel are new and noteworthy. Hope you all find them informative and useful.

From me to you : In beauty, as in life, Enjoy it!

You know it’s time to get a new hairdryer when that burning hair smell won’t go away even after you’ve cleaned out the filters! So what are you waiting for? I know. With all the choices out there, the selection process can be tough. Ceramic this, Tourmaline that, etc…who’s to know what really works, anyway? That’s when someone with hands on experience like David Yoon and his company Prosilk step in. This marshall of professional supply, Mr. Yoon will bet his FAR Infrared hairdryer will not only dry your hair to perfection but maintain and protect and improve the overall quality of your hair.
How so?

FAR infrared is a cutting edge professional series styling tool, that employs ceramic conduction heating for instant heat transfer, negative ionization to break down water particles and seals moisture at the follicle and infrared technology to gently dry the hair from the inner follicle more quickly. What does this beauty tech speak mean for you and I ? It stops hair damage, infuses moisture , leaves hair with a silky shine and dries the hair 60% faster than conventional hair dryers.

“We have borrowed technologies from a broad range of industries to create our new proprietary applications for the professional hair care industry.  It is our great pleasure to be able to offer our Professional styling tools to salon professionals.  Our FAR Infrared dryer exceeds expectation, and provide professional stylists with a unique opportunity to actually improve the quality of their clients hair” states David Yoon

The dryer is lightweight, and easy to handle. The red light ring at the end of the nozzle is a conversation starter if you are using it in a professional environment for sure but the dryers overall performance will be the thing you’ll remember most. It feels tidy and streamline in the hand and with its drying power, you won’t be spending a ton of time just on blow outs. Try using a medium to large sized round brush or flipping your hair over your head while gently pulling the hair straight to create awesome volume, smoothness and sheen. Overall, the performance is excellent and is well worth the $130.00

ProSilk tools are available through select distributors nationwide. Contact ProSilk at www.prosilkprod.com or  (866) 434-8100 for a distributor near you.

I have a video runway shoot tomorrow so I stoppd by the NARS boutique to pick up as few things for my team and I. The look will consist of a smudgy cat-eye for the eyes and for the lips, I wanted a really velvety matte lip stain. Of course I found exactly what I wanted by the name of Red Square matte velvet pencil. This chubby stick goes on smoothly and the color is incredible. I couldn’t resist testing it out on myself at home, and did a little blot test and presto: Lip print delux!

Stop by and visit the girls at the Bleeker St shop to view some of the latest Fall 2011 releases as well as the classics like the Orgasm series.
Also available online at: www.narscosmetics.com

As a makeup artist, I do believe that Beauty is Life. Why else would I dedicate thousands of hours, endless days and big chunks of my life learning all there is to learn about this business—Testing driving products, experimenting with new textures and colors and working on all kinds of amazing subjects to boot. Not bad for an art school grad who had no idea this industry even existed. In my future I imagined I’d end up curating fine art in a Canadian gallery somewhere. Funny how life is, or is it fate?

On one of my recent strolls through Barneys, I came across a beauty brand that I hadn’t heard of before— Beauty is Life. Right away I loved the brand name and was eager to see if it stood up to my expectations. I was intrigued and did a little investigative digging on the creator of the line. It was designed by the German television makeup artist, Beatrix Isabel Lie, who aside from being an accomplished artist herself, founded an academy for makeup art and image consultation in Hamburg in 1978. She’s not only prolific in cosmetic application and training development but she has also been a longtime specialist in a dermatological skin clinic in Germany since the late 60’s. Ms. Lie is testament that passion and innovation in any given field do co-exist, resulting in a cause and affect scenario that can be compelling and exciting for the industry. Her product line is based on her 9R- typology teaching philosophy, which at its core, covers all existing pigmentation types regarding tone value. This was my kind of makeup artist—As an art student I did extensive study in color theory and values and to this day, I select my color choices for all of my subjects based on this education.

As far as product goes, I am alway looking for the basics like incredible foundations, concealers and powder because in my opinion, if the skin doesn’t looking right, no amount of color product will correct that. Flawless skin has always been my beat and I work really hard to create it (regardless of whether my model has ideal skin or not, skin always needs a little love for any on-camera work) be it a super natural looking finish or full coverage glamour. For me two things become incredibly important— One: that the skin look flawless after foundation/concealer/powder application and two: that the color and texture of the products used match seamlessly to the subjects own natural skin. The finished effect creates the illusion of absolutely perfect skin and is the ideal canvas for all color products.

While perusing the BIL collection, I did a patch test on my wrist. I really liked the feeling of the cream Camouflage, Cover cream pen and loose powder but I wouldn’t know for sure until I test drove it on several different models, under numerous conditions. The opportunity was right around the corner, as I had an advertising shoot the following day. After testing on several models with various skin types and colors, I was very pleased with the results. The concealers are highly pigmented and while they tend to be quite dry (a little under eye cream before concealer works wonders) once on the skin, it stayed put and didn’t crease. I liked that it could be layered up, meaning that you could build coverage depending on necessity. For the cream foundation, it has amazing pigment and was easy to apply. I was able to build the color where I needed it and burnish it to a flawless finish. The powder is fine-milled and very silky and blends into all cream product seamlessly creating a beautiful, baby soft finish that lasted. In essence, this foundation-concealer-powder trilogy have become staples in my makeup kit.

If you are looking for a high powered, top performing beauty line, this one’s for you.
To learn more about the Beauty Is Life academy check out: www.beautyislife.de and for product availability Stateside see: www.barneys.com