The Beauty Sleuth

Want a way to rehydrate and refresh your skin? One of my go to essentials is Pür Minerals Fulvic Mineral Mist. It is a moisturizing face mist that infuses your skin with vital moisture and the active ingredient fulvic acid will help soothe and invigorate your face, hair and body. I spray it before and after makeup application for that beautiful dewy skin everyone loves. This refreshing tonic spray is derived from ancient plant beds, fulvic acid imparts nourishing and rejuvenating effects for a more vibrant, healthy looking appearance. If you are a mineral makeup fan, spritz this mist on and your skin will look like you have perfect looking skin, without any tell tale look of foundation or powder.
$17.00

For skin that looks caught between winter and spring, its nice to know there are a few products out there that will help with the transition. Pür Mineral Moisture complex keeps skin looking and feeling hydrated and fresh. This powerful PM moisturizer, works overnight to nourish, protect and rejuvenate the skin. As you sleep, ingredients such as white birch extract, whey protein, vitamin C and Co Enzyme Q 10 will go to work and target fine lines, wrinkles and all the environmental damage you’ve endured in the daytime, so you wake up with beautiful healthy looking skin.
$36.00

Both available at: www.purminerals.com

When he’s not providing age defying makeovers for actresses, models and media personalities, our client, NYC Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon Dr. Andrew Jacono dedicates much of his time to rebuilding the faces and lives of victims of domestic violence. Did You Know :: One in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. Tune in on Sunday, February 20th at 10 PM to Discovery Fit & Health to watch as Dr. Jacono and his team work to heal both the physical and emotional scars of domestic violence on Facing Trauma.

BEAUTY BLOGGER BRUTALIZED: One of three stories follows the incredible journey of Ilianexy, a beautiful Latina beauty blogger who at 22 was savagely attacked by her boyfriend and left with horrendous scars on her face, neck and arms. While living a life in hiding, Illy began blogging about her passion for makeup and enjoyed posting photos of her “good side” to showcase the latest make-up looks — never sharing the disfigured side of her face with her followers. Watch as Dr. Jacono transforms Illy’s life through facial plastic and reconstructive surgery to help erase her scars, ultimately giving this beauty gal the confidence to reveal both sides of her face to her followers for the first time on camera!

With the help of Dr. Jacono, these women are reclaiming their lives, and I truly believe that their courage and perseverance are an inspiration to victims of domestic violence everywhere.

The other day I while I was on a photo shoot, my model Quinn Miles had told me that she had put new extensions in her hair in anticipation of our day together. I noticed right away that there was a pretty big difference in texture from her natural hair and the added Remy extension hair. I asked if she had washed it or if it was fresh and sure enough, it had been taken straight from the package and applied right onto her head. I wasn’t worried though as I knew I had a few great products in my arsenal that would make her natural relaxed hair and the new extension hair look totally integrated and voluminous yet keep its manageability and softness.

I talked to Quinn about this amazing product from TERAX called Silk foam mousse that would give her hair the same silky smoothness as the Remy extension hair. Now, understand that most of my models know me and trust that if I am using a product on them there is only ONE reason for it. It simply works. But my beautiful Quinn, well, it was our first time together and she just didn’t know me yet. I wish you could have seen the look on her face as she watched me apply the mousse to her hair. I know she was waiting for her hair to start frizzing up and get that hard and crunchy look. She did confess later that she was a little freaked out and had never seen anyone apply foam mousse like that to African American hair before, as this generally was not a good combination.

However, Terax Silk foam is something more than a styling mousse. It is loaded with rice proteins and hydrolyzed silk which smooths and soothes the cuticle of even the most delicate of hair. With the right amount of heat, a heathy dose of the mousse and a ceramic round brush, I was able to coax her natural hair to blend seamlessly with that of the Remy hair. The beauty of this product is that it adds no oil or weight, so the hair keeps its fullness, volume and shine yet has fantastic touchability. Our Art Director, (who also had a full head of extensions, was so impressed she told me she was going to run out and get some Terax for herself!) For finishing, I used REDKEN Forceful 23 Super Strength Finishing Spray. This high shine, work spray keeps hair in place but brushes out easily making for quick style changes. It’s my go-to finishing spray for both location and studio jobs as it can handle every environment change without compromising the texture of the hair. After a full day of shooting and several hair changes, Quinn’s hair looked as fresh and touchably soft as it did in the morning. My biggest reward for the day? Telling me that I had been one of the best people to style her hair— Ever. I’ll take that any day of the week!

Terax Hair care available at: www.sephora.com
Redken haircare available at: www.redken.com/

Winter. While it would be nice if that single word merely conjured images of picturesque snow covered landscapes, we know this is not what first comes to mind. The reality of winter tends to be brutal— Bitter cold, freezing rain, a few “ storms of the season” thrown in for good measure, leaving us with the residual mountains of whitish frozen stuff, banked along curbs and drives, quickly becoming a convenient relieving spot for Ricky the Outrageous Rottweiler.

When it comes to our skin, the results of old man winter are clear. Dry, flaky, parched and tender, our skin is in a state of constant stress. Winter skin is no joke and in order to remedy this byproduct of the dipping barometer, I recently tested three dynamic products offered from GOLDFADEN (http://www.goldfaden.com) This skincare collection utilizes at its core, the power of Red Tea which is an effective and potent ingredient that heals and protects skin. For my test drive, I selected Power Scrub, Pure Power and Unline, and had beautiful results.

Here’s the what they say:

Dr. Goldfaden’s revolutionary Power scrub rivals in-office treatments & procedures! Pure ruby crystals remove dulling skin cells, allowing antioxidant rich Red Tea to directly impact new skin cells for deep rejuvenation. This foaming cleanser, infused with seaweed extract and hyaluronic acid, improves the appearance of the skin. Ideal for Normal / Combination or oily skin. This product is not recommended for dry or sensitive skin. (SRP: $95)

Pure Power is a breakthrough product for environmentally damaged, dull and aging skin. Dr. Goldfaden’s highly concentrated serum employs the pure power of Red Tea to infuse skin, creating a protective antioxidant barrier. Added hyaluronic acid maintains natural moisture retention. Use as needed to boost radiance levels, perfect under make up and moisturizer. Pure Power will ease discomfort post waxing and shaving. Truly a healing revelation, a must for all skin types. (SRP: $85)

Unline is a 100% pure hyaluronic acid and anti-aging hexapeptides reduce the depth and appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while inhibiting and relaxing the contraction of neurotransmitters that cause facial wrinkles. Unline contains the highest level of nutrient rich seaweed extract to promote a natural, healthy glow. (SRP: $125)

My comments:

I have combination skin, and the dry indoor heating, frigid wind and other elemental forces left my skin feeling like it had gone through a dehydrating machine and seemed that no amount of water intake made a lick of difference. The surface was so dried out that most creams just sat on my skin, looking greasy. So first things first. It was essential that I remove as much of those dried out dead skin cells from the surface of my skin and with Power scrub you can do just that. It is a very intense scrub (which I advise to go easy, a little of this scrub goes a very long way) The result was super smooth and clear skin. I applied Pure Power right afterwards and continued to use daily, both morning and night. The results were immediate; I could see this was going to be a great remedy for me. As its a lightweight serum type product, it penetrated even the driest areas of my skin and hydrated it all day long. Not only did my skin feel supple but it glowed like I hadn’t seen since the barometric nosedive had begun! In addition to Power scrub ( which I used once a week ) and Pure Power, I added Unline during the day and found that my pores looked better and my skin generally smoother. I think the combination of these three products gave my skin a one two punch support it needed. I finally have the fresh, glowy skin that I love and best of all , its now attainable all year long with the help of these power products.

GOLDFADEN is available at: http://www.goldfaden.com

I came across this little clip of Karl Lagerfeld and Grammy nominated artist, Janelle Monáe, who recently had the pleasure of meeting fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld during a show in Russia.  Ms. Monáe is an incredibly huge talent, packaged up in an itty-bitty package. She is pure dynamo. Her silky smooth voice (when she speaks it reminds me of voices from generations ago, deep, rich and provocative) and innate style make her one of my favorite performers out there today. Who needs to shake you money tree, or be bootilicious or any of the other tag-lines that are associated with the plethora of identikit female performers these days, when you can pull it together like Ms. Monáe. Her stand-out style demands that you take notice of her and believe me when I say we have. Quoting Mr. Lagerfeld, “ Her way to move is unique and remembers nobody else…It’s really something she invented “

Check out the link below for the meeting to witness them discuss their affinity for dressing in black and white and to hear what the great Karl Lagerfeld had to say about Ms. Monáe. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxaLBLfV6hY

I have also a link to one of my favorite videos of her, called Tightrope which has an old school video vibe (you remember, when they made music videos that were innovative and perfection )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwnefUaKCbc&feature=related

and a little about what the videos all about

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4AE7r51Dqc&feature=related

Enjoy!

Before the blush has even come off a new year, I rush out into it, bull in a china shop style, just to see if I can out-smart Old Man Time. He and I have been running this life-marathon for longer than I can remember, and I am not sure where he manages to get his bag tricks but somehow he stealths me every time and the year just seems to slip away. Now I am not going to complain about that too much because I have a few tricks of my own for the old guy and I always leave benchmarks along the way, just in case there was a notion I may have been sitting around picking daisies. At the end of the year, I make a mental tally of things achieved, people I wanted to get to know better, things I wanted to do with my kids, husband, family and usually end up feeling ok about it all.

I don’t know if I make a difference, but I try to and that’s something I put value on. I am grateful for all those who gave and shared and took risks with me , cried and laughed til it hurt. You all make a difference in my life. I am grateful to love what I do and thank my lucky stars that I have the most amazing people around me who support all my wild and wacky dreams and ambitions. Without you, I think I would be wallowing in a boo-hoo-hoo-fest, a long time ago. Anyway, this year’s race is almost done, and while its been challenging, I am satisfied.

To O.M.T— I’ll be waiting for you,. Let the race begin!

Joyeux Noël to all

TBS

Everyone wants shiny, manageable hair and it often seems that in order to achieve this you have to spends buckets of money to do so. Well, there’s a new kid in town, called Twisted Sista by Urban Therapy and not only do these products cover the gamut of hair care solutions but at $5.00 a pop, they won’t break the bank! I, along with some very eager testers test drove the collection on a series of photo shoots over a two month period and this collection of hair product really stood up. Overall, the line did extremely well in the shampoo and conditioning department— The testers all remarked on the how much they liked the texture of their hair after use of both shampoo and conditioner and continued to get great results with regular use. This cleansing/conditioning duo contain coconut oil and fruit sugars which gently cleanse, add moisture and help reduce breakage and took top marks for this road test, but don’t stop there because I would say that the styling products weren’t far behind and did fairly well, too.

The collection is fortified with Panthenol which strengthens the cuticle, and vitamin E to add shine, and silicone to control and de-frizz even the unruliest of hair. Each product has a sweet, beachy smell that I really liked and for those of you who live in areas where the sun shines more often than not, the added UV-protection benefit is definitely a plus. The line features the organic compound Benzophenone which is a powerful UV-blocker that is found in many sunscreens on the market today and is a component in their de-frizz shampoo (which really does what it says!) De-frizz conditioner (ditto) Relaxing straightening creme, curl activator and 30 second curl spray. What does this mean for you? Long term protection for your locks that will keep it in great condition, especially if you color your hair.

Urban Therapy can be found at Rite Aid, Target and Duane Reade and coming this March at a Walgreens near you.
For all those online buyers: you can get your direct from: www.urbantherapylondon.com.

It’s finally been announce by the Dior camp which outlet Natalie Portman will be the face of—Miss Dior Cherie. With her newly released thriller, The Black Swan, her (relatively) new production company, Handsome Charlie Productions (named after her dog and one of her favorite actors, Charlie Chaplin), and her contract with Dior, this amazing talented, funny and gorgeous star just keeps adding to her already well decorated list of accomplishments. Keep an eye out for Natalie in the upcoming film releases from her company, as well as campaign ads for Dior in 2011:  “No Strings Attached,” which the actress stars, releases in January, as well as “Hesher” and the first Miss Dior Cherie ads, coming out in March. Ms. Portman’s star just keeps getting brighter and brighter. Shine On, Lady!

International hairstylist Rebekah Forecast has been working in the fashion and celebrity world for a long time now and while her name may not jump out at you in recognition, it should. Represented by The Wall Group and the Sally Hershberger Downtown Salon in NYC, her hefty client base of top drawer magazines and advertisers like Victoria’s Secret, Vogue ,Vanity fair, DKNY, Coach and Kenneth Cole illustrate just the tip of her creative iceberg. Rebeckah’s technical skill keep her in a special group of artists who really know their craft inside out, but it’s her unique creative spark that ignites her work.

You might know by now, that I enjoy sharing all kinds of beauty related information and insight, which I love of course, but I also feel compelled to showcase some of the people behind the scenes —Those who’s brilliance are a force within our industry. Many of these artists are not household names and Rebekah Forecast is one of those rare talents who’s work you’ve probably seen without even realizing it. Unlike some of the masters like Oribe, Frédéric Fekkai or Guido who’s names conjure instant recognition, Rebekah seems to prefer to fly under the radar, with no splashy aim for spotlight or fame. She just gets on with the business of creating great hair for her clients,year in, year out and as she says “ To do a better job than last year in all aspects of my life…”  Her tenacious attitude, forward thinking and vision keep her at the top of her game and in demand. Rebekah’s signature style of effortless, sexy hair is the reason why celebrities like Cheryl crow, Cynthia Nixon, Anne Hathaway and Fergie ask for her when they need to look their best for red carpet or photo events.

I had an opportunity to ask her a few questions where she not only shared her personal thoughts on business and her future but also a few of her signature tricks of the trade for achieving beautiful head-turning hair for yourself.

TBS: How did you get your start?

RF:I started my hairdressing career with a three year apprenticeship at the ripe age of 15 in London’s West End.

TBS: What inspires you as a hair stylist?

RF: I am constantly inspired by past and present images of fashion, art and life. I like to sculpt so hair is a great medium and an outlet for my creative energy.

TBS: What is the signature hair look you are known for?

RF: I am know for making hair look healthy, modern and beautiful, while keeping it easy and uncomplicated. I try to enhance what the model, celebrity or client has naturally, while ensuring it’s a head turning look.

TBS: Do you have a favorite product/s? And if so what are they and why do you like them?

RF: Right now I am loving the following products:

Sally Hershberger “Supreme Lift” at the roots on damp hair for maximum root support.

Orlando Pita “Elevate” onto dry hair as a thermal styling support.

Orlando Pita “Elevate” as a dry shampoo at the end to add volume and texture.

Fekkai “Brilliant gloss” to add shine and texture and that at the beach sexy texture.

TBS: Do you prefer to work on shows, photo shoots or in the salon? What inspires you about your favorite work outlet?

RF: Life and the world we live in are constantly changing so I need to be changing too. I feel my work is energized by the constant challenges of all aspects of what I do from an editorial shoot on the beach, to a client at the salon, to a clay sculpture study. Each compliments one another and brings something fresh to everything I do.

TBS: I understand you have worked on developing products for top line brands. How was that process and would you consider developing a line of product under your own namesake?

RF: Working on the business side with products has taught me a lot about supply and demand, in addition to how the whole process works – from having an idea to getting the product on the shelves. It is very intriguing but also a lot of work. The industry has changed so much and there are so many products out there right now! I think it’s hard for the consumer to weed out the men from the boys or should I say woman from the girls! So yes is the answer to your question… when the timing is right.

TBS: What are your plans for the coming year? Do you have an big projects on the horizon?

RF: Next year I plan to stay still just long enough to start creative projects I have in mind. To do a better job than last year in all aspects of my life and be grateful for all that l’ve had pass my way this far.

TBS: Favorite Color? Q: Favorite hair shape or silhouette? Q: Favorite beauty inspiration or Muse?

RF: My favorite color is… oh it depends on the occasion, there are so many to choose from! When it comes to hair color, I love to make women look beautiful so what fits one does for sure not fit another.  Proportion is key to any silhouette so the head shape should always be enhanced for a look to compliment.  I am so lucky to work with all the most beautiful models in the world, so how could I pick a favorite!? » Read the rest of this entry …

One of my favorite actresses, Natalie Portman stars in the phychological thriller, The Black Swan. The release date is set for December 3rd and I for one will be cueing up to see this film. It incorporates all the elements that I adore. Classical dance, intrigue, my favorite actors and of course outstanding and creative makeup artistry. What’s there not to love?  You might be wondering who is the artist behind this beautiful makeup design.  Her name is Judy Chin who’s CV reads like a who’s who in the film world. We are all familiar with her work: Sex in the city, Frida, Failure to Launch to name just a few of her signature films. For the Black Swan, she wanted to incorporated some of the elements from the set, adding silvery branches so brilliantly crafted across a bold coal black sweep across the eye area. Ms. Chin’s masterful eye for detail, created the perfect makeup look that captures the essence of the character. This accentuates the contrast from the corp dancers and the Black Swan—They being pale and delicate, and the Black Swan, dark and fierce. I don’t know what I will enjoy more, taking in Ms. Chin’s amazing artistry or Natalie’s rivoting film presence, either way I know I am going to love this film!
TBS