Holiday Pre-Party Perfection

It is holiday season – a time of dashing from work to parties and from parties back to work. I have a fail-proof way to get ready and have glowing skin, even after a long day:

1. Have hair blown out before work in morning. (Much better than waiting for a hair dresser that is behind in schedule. Or, if it is the weekend, it frees up the afternoon to be with the kids.)

2. Dash home, wash face with gentle cream cleanser (Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution) hop in shower, wear shower cap. (Cheesy, but effective.)

3. Once out of the shower and dried off, put on a cozy robe. Keep hair in shower cap, while swiping a gentle cleansing water across the entire face with a cotton ball, including eyes. Cleansing waters are like non-toner toners.
They get your skin extra clean, are non-oily and non-drying. Just like putting water with a kick
on your face. My favorites are Caudalie Cleansing Water or Darphin Azahar Cleansing Water.

4. Use a gentle peel pad – either MD Skincare Alpha Beta Peel Pads or Peter Thomas Roth Unwrinkle Peel Pads or Trish McEvoy Beta Hydroxy Pads to exfoliate and smooth the skin. This is the key step for a healthy glow! Foundation goes on beautifully after this.

5. Next, I put on Darphin Hydraskin Serum. I am dry and this adds extra moisture. I also put Laura Mercier Foundation Primer on to make sure my foundation goes on smoothly and does not seep into my fine lines. (If you are oily, skip the serum step and use Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in Oil-Free).




6. I then do my eyes. For me, heavy navy eyeliner and the use of my Shu Uemura eyelash curler prior to mascara is a must.



7. Next foundation (I go with heavier coverage for night), concealer, cream blush, then lips.

8. After 20 minutes, not including the shower, I am done and ready to get dressed.

I have been doing it this way for years. It really is the trick to a speedy, healthy glow.

back to bluemercury.com

Fried Hair Relief

I was out in California touring our stores in San Francisco and L.A. and made a huge mistake. I had someone blow out and flat iron my hair – and she did not know what she was doing. She basically fried my already highlighted hair. Enter Frederic Fekkai Salon Glaze. I am in love with this product. It is like an extra conditioner you use after your conditioner. (Ok, I confess, sometimes I use it instead of my conditioner.) I get the best hydration and shine from this product – everyone comments when I use it. I just use it in the shower, leave it on for 3 minutes and voila – instant moisture, strength, and shine. It doesn’t weigh my hair down at all. So much shine in so little time . . . 

Return to bluemercury.com

Guaranteed Compliment

The other morning I was checking out of my hotel (on one of my many road trips in the search of new sites for a bluemercury store and spa) and the bell hop, who had no reason to be extra nice that day, popped a question I haven't heard since I was in my 20s. "Has anyone ever told you that you look like Meg Ryan?" I almost dropped to my knees and kissed his feet. When I was in my early 20s, I used to hear that once in a while, due to my then real blonde hair and perky nose. I racked my brain for what I had done differently that morning, and couldn't think of anything. Then the light bulb went off. My skin had felt so grimy and dull the night before, that I had whipped out my last packet of MD Skincare Alpha Beta peel pads and used them before I went to sleep. Instant glow! And apparently instant Meg Ryan!

Return to bluemercury.com

Living the dream

I must admit, some days, being in the beauty business can be quite glamorous. I had the great fortune to host six fabulous beauty editors from Allure, Vogue, Elle, InStyle, Lucky, and Marie Claire at the New Yorkers for Children Charity: A Fool’s Fete. While the gala was a blast (Mary Kate Olsen and Tinsley Mortimer were there), the fun part was the pre-party in my hotel room.

We had two fabulous hair stylists from Bumble and bumble (Joey and Travis) and two fabulous makeup artists from Trish McEvoy (Billie Jean and Tracey) come in and do our hair and makeup while we drank champagne and took in the Central Park view. I heard great stories about how certain editors got into the business. (Yes, it is like The Devil Wears Prada, one was an Executive Assistant for two years before getting the opportunity to write.) And we all felt like we were at prom again, getting into our formal dresses after we were "professionally perfected."

There is nothing like sitting back and having your hair and makeup done by the best in the business. I could get used to this...

Return to bluemercury.com

Cleansing water

Aaaah... cleansing water...

When I got home at 10 tonight from a trip to our Jacksonville and Atlanta stores, my skin felt grimy. Even after washing my face with an alpha hydroxy cleanser (I used Skinceuticals Cleansing Cream). So I pulled out my Darphin Azahar Cleansing Water and was immediately transported to Europe.

While Darphin is a French brand, the scent of this glorious, no-oil soothing water reminded me of the orange blossoms of Seville, Spain, where I went for spring break years ago, when I was studying in Madrid. (Apparently, azahar means orange blossom in some language, but I am too tired to look it up.) I swiped it all over my face with a cotton ball. Clearly, I needed it, as the cotton ball absorbed all sorts of airplane grime.

I love cleansing waters. They are "no toner" toners - not drying, extremely soothing. Glorious water.

Return to bluemercury.com

Little Necessities and the Upper West Side

I am headed up to Manhattan for the opening of our Upper West Side store. I had about 5 minutes flat to pack, with two of my three kids taking my clothes out of the suitcase while I was putting them in (imagine, packing is more fun than dolls!). I am on the train now, thinking of everything I forgot.

Luckily, I will be able to get them at bluemercury in Manhattan. No more waiting until I get home to grab my must haves. What am I missing? A good pair of tweezers. The thing about tweezers is that I always need them and I always seem to lose them. I probably buy about 6 pairs a year. They are a necessity for me. Although I have my brows done by Lance, one of our Georgetown estheticians, they always seem to sprout random hairs between treatments. And, embarrassingly, as I am getting older, the hairs above my lip seem to sprout here and there at the most unexpected moment. Last weekend, we were travelling with no bluemercury for miles, so my husband picked up a pair of drugstore tweezers for me. What a disappointment. A week old and they have no grab. It’s back to Tweezerman and Rubis for me.

What else am I missing – my beloved travel size Acqua di Parma Colonia, my travel size Bumble Shine Spray and my Darphin eye serum for puffiness. I will be picking these up tomorrow at the bluemercury at 83rd and Broadway!

P.S. We have two bluemercury veterans running this location (they bleed blue) – Alexis and Michelle. They are veritable encyclopedias of knowledge and fabulous makeup artists to boot. Lucky New York and lucky me!

Return to bluemercury.com

My Rut is Finally Back in Fashion

Do you ever get stuck in a rut with your lipstick and lip gloss colors? I find that I repurchase the same colors year after year. Occasionally, I’ll discover a new one, which then becomes one of my staple colors.
The good news - this spring, some of my “go to” colors are perfect for the spring fashion season. The look (which I got to see at the Zac Posen show in the fall) is pink, tulle, flowy, goddess-y clothes. (On the opposite end, primary colors are also in, but that is not me, except for the color aqua blue) The makeup – sheer, shimmery and/or shiny pastels. Think pink, raspberry, lavender. (Read: no red and no coral) My old stand-bys are perfect.

Trish McEvoy Cream Pink Rose lipstick — a matte pink rose – which I always wear with her Iced Nude lip pencil.

Laura Mercier Pink Champagne lipstick, a little bit deeper pink mauve – also perfect for spring.

And my old spring and summer stand by – Laura Mercier Violet Lip Glace. It’s being repackaged this spring – still it is the perfect violet/lavender/pink gloss. Wearable alone or over any pink or rose lipstick.

I am also thinking about tracking down one of my old favorites, NARS Catfight, which I can’t seem to find anywhere.

No, these colors will not work for everyone. I am blonde (ok, they are highlights, but I was blonde up until age 22), blue eyes, with fair to medium skin and I freckle easily. (Laura Mercier Tinted Nude is my coloring).

Despite the fact that my makeup is back in fashion, I, of course, will probably not be found in tulle, pink, or flowy, goddess-y clothes. I will be wearing my staple colors, black or blue. But my lips will be perfectly IN.

Return to bluemercury.com

A Brightening Experiment

Last night, I had just flown in from California and was wide awake at 1 am. (Clearly, I was on West Coast time.) I was feeling adventurous and decided to try two new products - the new Bliss The Youth As We Know It Cleanser and Darphin's Clear White Brightening and Soothing Serum. (I am brightening obsessed right now.)

While I love both products, this cocktail combo was way too powerful for my hyperpigmented, somewhat dry, starting-to-lose elasticity-at-37 skin. My skin peeled right away. The kind of peel where you just sort of rub your skin and wonder what is coming off on your finger tips, and then realize it is just the top, dead layer of your skin.

The Bliss cleanser, with exfoliating salicylic acid, is a light, creamy cleanser with a clean fruity scent. This is perfect for dull, dry feeling skin. I am going to try it again tonight, without the extra powerful step of the Darphin brightener.


The Darphin brightening serum will be added to my collection of great, irresistible Darphin serums that includes: Hydraskin for moisture in the morning, Intral (launching April '08) for soothing redness post-peel or sunburn and Fibrogene for absolute dryness. Light in texture, this new serum (coming out in May ‘08) uses fruit acids and vitamin C to reduce hyperpigmentation, brighten and smooth the skin. No one does a serum like Darphin. I will be retesting this one on a different night, without a salicylic acid cleanser! While my little experiment had extreme results, the great news was that I had smooth, beautiful skin today.

Return to bluemercury.com

Superbowl Beauty?

Ok. There's no question I am beauty obsessed. I was watching the play-off games on Sunday. Both were played in freezing cold weather. One of the sportscasters mentioned that the quarterbacks were playing with Vaseline on their faces to protect from windburn/chill. I responded with shock and horror. Vaseline!

Tom Brady, Brett Favre, Philip Rivers, and Eli Manning would have done much better wearing either Kiehl’s All-Sport "Non-Freeze" Face Protector SPF 30 or Darphin's Intral Balm. Many of our clients who are die-hard runners, and are willing to run in 20-degree weather, coat their faces in these balms pre-run. Great emollient and moisturizing balms - both feel unbelievable on the skin.

Considering the Superbowl is in Arizona, most likely, my advice will not be necessary… maybe next year. Instead, how about a great sunscreen? Skinceutical’s Sport UV Defense SPF 45 is perfect for protection while training in the Arizona sun. Looks like beauty products are even relevant in sports… In fact, they are always relevant!

Click here to return to bluemercury.com

Resort Time Packing List

Just went to Florida (Palm Beach) with my family. The amount of additional beauty products I felt compelled to bring is amazing. I brought exorbitant quantities of sunscreen including:

1. 4 tubes of Skinceuticals Sport UV Defense SPF 45 for my kids and my face. It's paba-free, oil-free, fragrance-free and great for all skin types. I won't go out in the sun without it, nor will I let my kids. It is the BEST sunblock on the market.

2. Skinceuticals New Active UV Defense SPF 15 with Mexoryl SX. Unbelievable texture - It feels like you have nothing on. Not strong enough for poolside or the golf course, but is the perfect shopping sunblock.

3. Two tubes of Remède SPF 30+ Firming and Contouring Lotion. This is for my personal indulgence - Family members are banned. Smells great, is highly moisturizing, and has sunblock.


4. Two tubes of Skinceuticals Physical UV Defense SPF 30. Great for kids’ arms, tummies, and legs.


5. One lab sample of Canyon Ranch’s new SPF 30 facial moisturizer. Stay tuned, this isn't on the market yet, I was just testing it! Amazing light texture!

6. Remède’s Translucent UV Coat Tinted SPF 30 Medium (Oil-Free). This is the foundation I use during warm weather, always. It is sheer and light and feels like you have nothing on. (This is currently being repackaged and will be back in stock soon!)

I had to completely change my skincare. For some reason (maybe I got slightly too much sun, NOT on purpose), all of my skincare products stung my skin, except Darphin’s Intral Anti-Redness Soothing Serum (which I used for moisture morning and night) and Darphin's Intral Redness Relief Recovery Balm. This balm is unbelievably soothing and hydrating and has an ethereal fruity scent that I can't put my finger on. (Both of these products are coming out in April - I was testing these too and they are fabulous.)


For color, I just couldn’t live without the following two products:

Bobbi Brown’s Chocolate Eye Palette – the shimmer wash in caramel toffee, champagne truffle, and cacao had this sort of sun kissed effect. (Currently not offered online; available at our Philadelphia [215.569.3100] or Suburban Square [610-642-5400] stores.)

AND

Laura Mercier’s Shimmer Block in Peach Mosaic – The perfect non-bronzer, bronzer – it’s a mix of peach, pink, and bronze shimmers which you swirl your makeup brush into to create the perfect sun kissed look.

I'm back now. Spring is around the corner and I am incredibly excited about all of the new products coming out!


Click here to return to bluemercury.com