Beauty pro division

I don't know any girl who doesn't long for longer, fuller lashes. The cosmetic industry banks on our love of mascara and our search for that one product that will give us the appearance of perfectly curled, lengthened and fuller looking lashes. So it's really no surprise that false lashes are what's hot for this Fall. False lashes can give us all of the above and add a little drama to our look.

False lashes of today are certainly not your mother's false lashes. They come in so many different styles, some even a little over the top if you are the adventurous type. NYX Cosmetics has 50 different false eyelash looks to choose from, so you can go with a natural looking lash to something more daring, flirty and fun--and at only $4, you can afford to buy several to suit your mood each day of the week.

Sephora has a good video on how to apply false eyelashes:

So will go with conservative lashes this season or will you dare to be different?

As we draw to a close for New York Fashion Week Spring 2008, the trends are set and we really have some great looks in beauty to look forward to next season.

The look--minimal yet polished.

(Doo.Ri RTW Show)

The focus is no longer on the eyebrows, but on the lip instead. The comeback of lipstick carries over into Spring, where the look is precise. Other lip looks include matte, stained and see through color.

(Narciso Rodriguez RTW)

Skin: Looks more natural that is a midsection of matte and dewy. Cheeks have more contour with the focus on irridescence.

Eyes: Focus is on excentuating the roundness of the eye. False lashes are applied in the middle of the lashline as opposed to the end. Eyeshadow colors have a great range of plumbs, blue to grey and poppy colors that include oranges, corals and bright neons.

(Zac Posen RTW)

*Photo Credit: Style.com

There's a certain oil finding its way from Morocco and into the beauty products you are using these days. What has started out as a low hum has now erupted into a full blown chatter--everyone is talking about the amazing properties of Argan Oil. Just as Ojon nuts produce the hair's elixir in the rainforest, oil from the Argan nuts have gained momentum as "Liquid Gold" for the skin.

There are two beauty brands that I am familiar with who use Argan Oil as an ingredient in their products. Kaeline Argatherapie and Solessence. Argan Oil is the heart of Kaeline's products and Solessence uses the potent oil in their skin care set. So far I have only ever used Kaeline's products with amazing results.

Some of the benefits of Argan Oil are:

* Hydrates the skin while neutralizing free radicals.

* Reduces active blemishes and visible scars.

* Revitalizes and improves the skin's elasticity.

* Relives symptoms of eczema and psoriasis

* Reduces redness

Argan oil is also good for use in your hair and on your nails; it's even been said to help soothe rheumatism and arthritis pain. Argan Oil is virtually scentless and is not greasy as one would expect when you think of a typical oil. It's great for all skin types and will help heal acne, not cause it. Believe me, I was skeptical myself, until I tried it and haven't stopped using it since.

Have you used Argan Oil yourself? I'd love to hear how it worked for you.

It's only a natural progression, along with facial treatments such as Botox and chemical peels, why not have doctor exclusive beauty products? Understanding your skincare needs is best understood by your doctor who then can recommend which products are appropriate for use after treatment. Allergan, best known for Botox Cosmetic and the dermal filler Juvederm, is the one leading the way for this doctor-exclusive skincare trend.

Allergan presently has two skincare systems that you can only find exclusively through your physician: Vivite and Prevage MD. Vivite is a cosmeceutical skincare system that consist of 10-20% glycolic compound while Prevage MD has the highest concentration of Idebenone (1%) of any other cosmeceutical. Along with Prevage MD, the other Prevage series of products is a collaboration of Allergan & Elizabeth Arden.

Now it has just been announced that Allergan will also be working with Estee Lauder brand, Clinique to develop a skincare line that will work with in-office procedures and will be sold exclusively through a physician this Fall. I find this new trend intriguing--skincare so powerful that you can only get it from a doctor. Whether it actually works or not may be mute, but the psychology behind it may just boost visits to the doctor seeking out a skincare miracle.

What do you think of this new trend in skincare?

With spring right around the corner, neutral is the hot new shade of the season. Get the look with neutral nails! Muted shades of gray, cream and pink will bring this chic trend of spring all the way to your fingertips. The cream tones of the light shades leave your nails looking elegant and feminine. To keep you on trend, try butter London’s Yummy Mummy and Tea With The Queen to give you the perfect neutral shade and keep your nails looking fabulous!

Tips for neutral shades:

* Keep your nails short. Let your nail color make the statement, not the length of your nails.

* Layer on the Lacquer! To keep the opaque colors from becoming sheer, be sure to layer two coats of every color for a lasting look.

To complete the look, pair these muted tones with a bright outfit for the season and you are sure to be set for spring!

With spring finally here, we can finally look forward to warmer weather coming our way. Make the most out of the season and try a sheer and shimmery look to show off that dewy and radiant SPRING glow! To achieve the look, here are some great tips from redpoint’s Spokesperson and celebrity Makeup Artist, Fatima Olive.

1) For the best results, great sheer makeup begins with the proper skin preparation. To start, lightly exfoliate dead skin cells with a washcloth dipped in warm water.

2) Don’t forget to apply SPF!

3) Use a tissue to blot excess oil from the skin.

4) Keep coverage light! Mix moisturizer or a primer with foundation to even out skin tone without looking made up. You can always add concealer to problem spots after. redpoint’s Smooth & Remove Airbrush Pencil is an easy to use concealer pencil to dab on spots and blend with a buffer brush on the opposite end.

5) Groom and shape eyebrows - it’s the first step in getting your eyes to look great without actually applying makeup. You can even use a little hair spray or hair gel on an old, cleaned mascara brush to keep brows put.

With Memorial Day come and gone, the unofficial start to summer is upon us. Before you head to the beach, it’s time to groom some unkempt [bikini] areas, get your body bronzed and dress up your beach wear for a trip to the shores that will rival summers past.

Polka-Dot No More
For the most sensitive spots on a woman, shaving and waxing can cause several problems, including rash and unwanted bumps. After months of dieting to fit into your bikini, this is the last look you want when sporting a “barely there” two piece. Min New York offers Solution2 Rollerball, an innovative post-shaving and waxing treatment that uses an advanced blend of liquid aspirin and organic spearmint to tighten pores and prevent redness, alleviating razor bumps, ingrown hairs and general skin irritation.
Available at www.MiN.com; $20.00

 

Bronzed Babe
Waxing “down there” is only half the prep for your day in the sun. Unless you’ve been lying in damaging tanning beds, chances are you could use a little color to help camouflage dimples and accentuate all the right curves. JOICO Skin Luxe Golden Shimmer allows you to show off your tan in its entire golden splendor, without the harmful effects from sun exposure. This luxurious, coconut-scented lotion builds an even, natural-looking tan without the dangers of sun bathing, while imparting a light touch of sexy, tan-enhancing shimmer on the skin.
For retail info, call 1-800-80-JOICO or visit www.JOICO.com; $15.95

Pierce Mattie was recently interviewed by Cosmetique News in Paris about how men's grooming products in Pakistan are beginning to become more acceptable and opening an opportunity for growth. Below you will find the original interview that took place that I believe will shed some insight into this emerging market for beauty.

Courtney, Cosmetique News: I’ve read a few reports detailing how men’s beauty products and services do well in Pakistan, as the influence of global pop culture and an existing cultural acceptance toward men ‘adorning themselves’ for special occasions like weddings make even men’s makeup products acceptable there, despite the strong influence of Islam. What can you tell me about this market?

Pierce Mattie: Pakistan is currently experiencing a rapid growth rate annually higher than most Middle Eastern countries with their economy and commerce. It currently remains as the world’s sixth largest growth rate. Their two largest areas of growth are finance and manufacturing. Previously, Pakistan’s economy was primarily an agricultural base, but over the past ten years it has increased to being a service-based country. This mostly includes wholesale and retail with an increase in marketing and public relations, both of which are image related industries. The trend is going from men in the workforce who may have worked outside mostly during the week to ones that are now indoors, at a computer, taking meetings and attending social functions for lunch and dinner. Thus, their grooming demands have increased.

In 2006 Pakistan signed the Free Trade Agreement with China to increase its bilateral trade to other markets. This has caused the workforce again to become more competitive both in their appearance and business savvy skills. The men are taking on a more global esthetic than that typically centric to Pakistan. There is a huge influence coming from East India at this time with men’s fashion and grooming that is melting Pakistani trends with an Indian Asian inspiration. I also see a huge amount of lineage between Pakistan and France. The Fashion Institute of Pakistan has an equally male staff as it does to its female counterparts, something unique to the country’s leading fashion school, thus increasing the enrollment of men in the college as well.

Courtney, Cosmetique News: In your understanding, which products/channels are the most successful, and which have the most potential for growth?

Pierce Mattie: Close to half of Pakistan’s population is Punjabi, an Indo-Aryan ethnic group from South Asia. They continue to enjoy their spicy dishes at lunch, but realize that during meetings it’s best to have a neutral aroma. There is an increase in men splashing cologne after lunch with popular notes that neutralize food smells, as well as, increasing their shower rituals to both morning and night. Their music and dance of choice is a folk music called Bhangra and it’s known for being very colorful. Currently it’s being mixed into workout videos and used similarly to the way the US Fitness industry exploded with a Miami dance called Zumba. Pakistan features several of their videos with male instructors. Famous Punjabi men include; Hrithik Roshan, who is an award-winning Bollywood actor. A partnership with him would make for a great branding opportunity for a grooming brand to align with.

We have always prided ourself for staying ahead of the trends and having the foresight to know who is on track for becoming a haute property. We've comprised a Haute List that contains brands that are haute now as well as brands you should be keeping your eye on.

 

 

Indie Fashion & Beauty Magazines:
1. Visionaire
2. Metro.Pop
3. VMAN

Foreign Beauty & Fashion Magazines:
1. Company (UK)
2. Jessica (Hong Kong)
3. Trendi (Finland)

TV Shows:
1. 90210
2. Kath & Kim
3. Gossip Girl

Women’s Apparel:
1. Topshop
2. Valentino under Alessandra Fachinetti
3. Rodarte

Men’s Apparel:
1. Pastelle
2. RMC Martin Ksohoh
3. ANAMA

Jewelry Brands:
1. John Hardy
2. Alexis Bittar
3. Trollbeads

Handbag Lines:
1. Rebecca Minkoff
2. Foley+Corinna
3. Timi & Leslie

Cosmetic Lines:
1. e.l.f.
2. Colorescience
3. Classified Cosmetics

Facing the Fall 2008 Fashion Trends 

With the non-official summer fashion cut-off finally arriving yesterday, it’s time to update your makeup routine to correspond with the new fall trends.  Naturally, I like to think my fall fashion trend picks from our Fashion Rag are also all encompassing of the hottest makeup trends this fall so I went ahead and found the best beauty looks to go with each trend.

Goth Glam:  This is not the Goth of the 90’s, so please get the hope out of your head that your dark red lipped and raccoon eye lined ways were making a comeback.  Instead, the 2008 brand of Goth calls for a simple sweep of pewter shaded shadow, a clean black lash line and a plum matte lip.  I like Duwop Gray Eyes Shadow Kit (I also LOVE their Reverse Eye Liner that will compliment the clean eye desired for this look by preventing smudging and running of the eyeliner) and Urban Decay makes a terrific lipstick in Apocalypse.

American Classic: This trend beckons for a fresh face—the natural “all American beauty” if you will.  To follow the clean lines of these fall offering, stick to enhancing your own beauty with minimal color and lots of attention to a luminous complexion.  Choose from peach colored glossy lips, pale blush and a simple eye that plays up natural lashes.  Fresh makes a Twilight Freshface Glow primer that achieves the desired radiant skin and Benefit’s Posie Tint doubles as the perfect cheek and lip color.
SoHo Boho: Since the look is all chic hippiedom, make sure you add the appropriate amount of drama with a smudged black liner and a prominent brow. I recommend the Anastasia Go Brow for brow shading and highlighting.  Balance the look with a muted lip. The addition of a lightly applied jewel toned shadow, like Shu Uemura in Me Yellow adds some color to this otherwise bleak palette.


Future Femme: This is where we get to have a little more fun with the creative opportunities this trend makes available. The colors are unexpected, the liner is exaggerated (think a lighter version of Amy Winehouse’s trademark cat eyes) and the lip is dark.  For eyes, first pick a color you wouldn’t normally wear.  Mine will be the bright pink and green hues found in the Laura Gellar Baked Marble Eye Shadow in Starburst. The pop out colors of the Sugar Cosmetics Round The Clock Eye Shadow Palette in Punch Out, rivaling Crayola, are perfect for this look.


Overall, bright luminous complexions, dark lips and shimmering bright eyes seem to be the prominent palette for fall 2008.  If you ever feel stuck on which shades to choose for which trend, check out the name of the hues available.  Marketers (for the most part) name shades appropriately so you should be able to link the trend up accordingly (i.e. Apocalypse is the lip shade I found for Goth Glam).

While I’ve never been one to enforce the no white shoe after Labor Day law, I will make a conscious effort to gradually shift towards the darker hues that fall beseeches us to incorporate into our every day looks in the coming weeks.

 

Copyright © 2008 Beauty Pro. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, on a site giving proper attribution back to our blog or directly on Beauty Pro, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement.