Pure Heaven

I am in love. Darphin sent me an early holiday gift – a peek at their new dynamic duo – Predermine Firming Wrinkle Repair Serum and the Predermine Densifying Anti-Wrinkle Fluid. I can’t decide which I love more. Forget the science, which is compelling. It’s the pure luxury of the texture, scent, and the glow I get which has hooked me. The serum is light, hydrating, and gorgeous under my foundation. I already have a special post-foundation trick also – I tap a couple of drops onto my fingertips, rub it around in my hands and press it to my already made up face to set my makeup with an extra dose of dewiness.

In the morning have been alternating between the serum and the fluid – not really using both together – but choosing between luxuries. The fluid (lotion) is great for when I wake up with an extra pinch of tightness/dryness. I put it on under my primer. At night, I love it over my Skinceuticals Vitamin C Serum.

This morning, my husband asked me what new soap I was using to wash my face. He said it smelled unbelievable. I told him it was the Darphin Predermine Serum. Knowingly, he said, “Ah. . . Darphin.” He knows how much I love Darphin.

Pure love, pure heaven.

New Upper East Side Store: A Family Affair

There is nothing like the energy around opening a new store. Take hundreds of boxes of beauty products, mix in a bunch of bluemercury veterans, and voila: new store. Today, we opened another bluemercury location! It is on 3rd at 75th in Manhattan - a perfect neighborhood store next to Citarella and near EJs diner. I adore this location. It was a fun store to set up - we had staffers that have been with bluemercury forever, our new team of beauty junkies - even my daughters (in the picture) helped clean some shelves. We are so excited to have a new store and new team members in the bluemercury family. Come check it out!

1311 Third Ave
New York, NY 10021
212-396-1500

Sheer Nars Perfection

I often use the words NARS and perfection in the same sentence. Francois just knows how to do color, end of story, period. I spoke with Erin, our Marlton manager and product junkie extraordinaire on the phone and she told me I had to get the new NARS Multiple Tint in Cadaques. So I did. This is my new summer multiple from NARS. Although it looks like it is fluorescent magenta in the tube, it comes out as the perfect, sheer, happy, lively pink. This is my new go to for cocktail parties and dinners out. Love, love, love.

Inspiration, Transformation, & Tight, Healthy Skin

Every year, in our sleepy shore town in New Jersey, there is a race on July 4th called the American Mile. The race goes the whole length of the town - one mile. I have been “in” this race for the past five years. Last year, 2009, I ran an inglorious 12 minute mile. After the awards ceremony, my daughter, who was six at the time turned to me and said, “How come you never win anything?”

Talk about a wake up call. She was right. Admittedly, I had had 3 children in a span of 5 years and was not in the greatest shape. I had been walking and doing a little biking, but nothing strenuous. So I decided last summer that I was going to step it up. I started running on the treadmill at the gym last fall. First,1 mile. Then 2 miles. By the spring I had worked up to 3.5 miles 3 to 4 times a week.

This July 4, 2010, I ran a 7 minute mile, and won first place for my age group. (Yes, 40+. In fact, they said I would have won for the 30+ group.) The best part for me – the excitement of my daughters when I went up to collect my medal.

What’s even great are the side effects – I have more energy then ever, the skin on my face has tightened and looks healthier due to the blood flow from running, and I have dropped 5 pounds while looking more toned.

Slow, steady transformation is possible - sometimes we need a little inspiration from our children to kick start it!

The Drive by Eyeshadow Shop

The other day I was touring stores – stopping by one store every two hours – and my day ended with a stop off at our Marlton, New Jersey store. Bluemercury staffers Lynette and Melissa were so passionate and excited about the new makeup that had just come in, I couldn’t help but ask them for new summer eyeshadow ideas.

I have totally been in a rut. Stuck using my winter shadows, because I have no time to experiment and be creative. I just asked them for a quick recommendation, no trial. I just purchased and kept moving. Here is what I ended up with:

Melissa’s Recommendations








3 Bobbi Brown eyeshadows
1. Champagne (shimmery bone) for all over the lid
2. Heather (matte lavender) for the crease,
3. Eggplant (deep blue purple) for lining and/or a quick eye highlight.

I popped them into a Bobbi Brown 3 pan and now have a look to go. I must say, I wore this look over the weekend with a white dress and it was new, light and was great for an evening cocktail party.

Lynette’s Recommendations

3 Trish McEvoy Eyeshadows
1. Shell (light matte pink) for all over my lid
2. Golden Apricot (shimmery soft apricot) for the crease
3. Bronze (golden coppery brown) for lining

I popped these into my Trish McEvoy planner and am going to try them tomorrow for a meeting I have in Philadelphia.

I must say, our team is so talented. I felt like I went to a drive-in takeout eyeshadow place and my order was exactly perfect!

Paint by Number Sunscreen

I am completely obsessed with sunscreen. I went to St. Barth's for a friend's 40th birthday party and perfected my summer sunscreen regimen. In the scorching hot sun, at the beach, on a boat, and by the pool, I did not burn once.
During the morning before breakfast by the pool, I quickly slathered Kiehl's Dermatologist Solutions Super Fluid Daily UV Defense SPF 50+ on my face. Light and hydrating, this feels nice and light on my clean morning skin.


After breakfast, I stepped it up for the beach. I applied Skinceuticals Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50 on my face and back of hands. This is the powerful gorgeous new sister of my 10 year favorite, Skinceuticals Sport UV Defense SPF 45. Light, but with the same strong physical block, there is no other product like this. I won't go to the beach or into direct sun without this. I applied Skinceuticals Sport UV Defense SPF 45 to my chest and shoulders (this super strong block is essential since I always seem to burn my chest).

I followed with Peter Thomas Roth Continuous Sunscreen Mist SPF 30 light and airy sunscreen on arms and back. Then, the glam block: I sprayed Dermalogica Water Block Solar Spray SPF 30 on my legs for the sexy, hydrated look. This is oil based, has a heavenly citrus scent, and has a bonus of being SPF 30!
This is my summer sun routine and I am sticking to it!

Pimple Persistence

My skin has been breaking out more than ever since the start of this year. Not huge breakouts, just consistent. At any given time I have 1 to 3 pimples. This is new for me. I am finding if I am diligent, I can control the quantity and severity of the pimples. But, like dieting, it is taking huge discipline. My tools:

1. Wash face right after running. I have been crazy busy this year. In an effort to drive up my energy level, I have stepped up my exercise to running 3+ miles, 3 to 4 days a week. There is nothing like lingering perspiration to ruin the skin.

2. Cut the afternoon caffeine, switch to herbal tea. I am a Starbucks addict. A double tall skim no whip mocha is my daily morning drink. When I feel low in energy in the afternoon, I have been drinking another one, or a mocha frappucino. I think the extra caffeine and milk has been adding to breakouts and skin dehydration. It takes huge will power for me to order passion fruit unsweetened tea instead of a sweet, energizing coffee.

3. Cut the dairy. I love cheese. I am a non-meat eater so I get protein and calcium from cheese. I know this causes me to get pimples around my mouth. Resisting the parmesan on a salad or brie at a cocktail party is so hard.

4. Use Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Peel Pads when desperate. Last night I had 3 inflamed, red pimples right in a row on my right cheek. I used these salicylic acid pads before bed and nothing else. My skin was clear in the morning.




5. Cover and disguise with Bobbi Brown Face Touch Up Stick (my color - warm beige). I have this bad habit of grabbing any concealer in my drawer to cover pimples with (Laura Mercier, Cle de Peau, Trish McEvoy). The problem is that they cover, but actually the oil in them feeds my blemishes. This Bobbi concealer covers and heals. I keep one in my purse. (A hint - I had to go much darker than my bobbi skin foundation color to get the right coverage.).

Annoying pimples are new territory for me. My current road map is working for now.

Sometimes You Just Need a Pro

Last Saturday was my 40th birthday party. I honestly usually do my makeup myself for all events, but decided that I would go to bluemercury and have it professionally done. I know it sounds funny since I own bluemercury, but honestly, I usually do not have time to have someone do it.

I must say, there is nothing like having a great makeup artist do your makeup. I wanted a heavy smoky eye and nice, clear, even skin that lasted all night. I raced into our Bethesda location at 4:30 and Kate went to work. I was out in 30 minutes with a dramatic eye and even skin – it was perfect. Here is what she used:







Trish McEvoy Eye Base in Demure over the entire lid. Trish McEvoy Midnight Diamond Eye Powder Definer in the crease with Trish McEvoy Arabian Nights Eye Powder Definer blended all over the lid and in the crease with a heavy hand on the corners. Eyes were finished off with Trish McEvoy Lash Curling Mascara.















Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base as a face primer, followed by Bobbi Brown Moisturizing Foundation Compact in beige and Laura Mercier Secret Concealer #2. This was set with Laura Mercier's Secret Brightening Powder. This was finished off with Laura Mercier Bronzing Pressed Powder in Golden Bronze and Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Maui as a blush.

The Trish McEvoy Essential Pencil was used all over the lip with Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster SPF 15 Lip Gloss in Pretty Pink.


My makeup lasted all night, looked great in photos, and I felt great. A pro is a pro is a pro, no substitute.

My Bluemercury Haul

I went shopping at bluemercury in Bethesda the other day. Yes, I know it sounds odd. Although I have closets and closets full of beauty products, sometimes there I things I use in large quantities that the vendors do not regularly send me. So I have to shop just like everybody else. So what did I get?

1. Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer. I have been using Laura Mercier Primer for almost 9 years. I would never put on foundation without it. Primer helps the foundation sit on top of the skin, rather than absorb into the lines and pores. 2 years ago, she introduced her hydrating primer, and as I am bone dry, this is a great upgrade. I bought 2.

2. Trish McEvoy High Volume Mascara. My “go to” mascara. Gives me the fullest lashes, doesn’t flake. I have been using this since it came out. It is a Japanese formulation tube mascara that washes off with water only – no eye makeup remover necessary.

3. Acqua di Parma Colonia. I have been wearing this for 11 years, since I started bluemercury. Created in the 1930s, a light, sophisticated citrus, this fragrance is mine, mine, mine. I have gone through bottles of the fragrance and tubes of the lotion. I can’t live without it. I bought the fragrance in 2 sizes and the body lotion in the tube. A dream.

New York City 48 Hour Whirlwind

Still recovering from a 48 hour NYC whirlwind. It was unbelievably fun and unbelievably exhausting. Took Acela up to New York City from Washington on Wednesday at 2pm. Here is the rest:

WEDNESDAY 8 P.M. Dinner at Diane Von Furstenburg Studio for Independent Filmakers Project. Chatted with Ed Burns about his new movie coming out, met Diane, hung out with Uma Thurman and Jaime Lynn Sigler. Everyone was so nice. This organization funded one of my favorite indie films – “Maria Full of Grace.” All things indie are always good. Went to bed at 1am. Left hotel at 4am.
















THURSDAY 5:20 A.M. Guest Host on Worldwide Exchange anchored by Nicole Lapin. This was live and scary. Retail numbers were coming out that morning, I was asked to talk about retail. Except when I was in the green room, the producer comes in and says – we’re going to ask you about Greece. Greece? Ok. So I rolled with it. Had an absolute blast. After the first segment I got used to being live on global television. (P.S. I did my own makeup, studio makeup artists touched me up! Thank you NARS Sheer Glow Foundation and Trish McEvoy High Volume Mascara.)




11 A.M. Meeting at Bobbi Brown offices in Soho. Saw fall and holiday collection. Bobbi nailed it. Every sku is unbelievable. Can’t wait for kohl eyeliner pencils and new palettes!

12:30 P.M. Meeting at Crème de la Mer. In love with new top secret launch. Their conference room has a gorgeous huge fish tank in it with exotic fish. Want to take it home with me.

AFTERNOON. Looked at new Manhattan sites for new bluemercury stores.

7 P.M. Operation Smile Dinner. Chatted with Jessica Simpson about her show. Ended up at midnight at Nobu with a bunch of 20 something internet entrepreneurs. Can’t believe that I was the old entrepreneur in the crowd.

FRIDAY MORNING. Breakfast with husband at hotel. At last, some quiet time. Finally, in jeans, hair up, no makeup – we hung out, grabbed breakfast and caught the Acela home to see the kids. I am exhausted and energized!

The High Risk Smokey Eye

Wolf Blitzer of the Situation Room on CNN

Bret Baier of Special Report on Fox News


Was getting ready for White House Correspondent's dinner parties when I decided I was going to experiment and innovate with a smokey eye. Usually I use a Laura Mercier's Coffee Ground, a deep matte brown, all over my lid and in the crease for the 2-minute smokey eye. But for some reason on Saturday night I was feeling extra daring. So I pulled out my brand new NARS 15x15 palette and used 4 colors for a smokey eye. This could have easily been a disaster, but I was LUCKY!. Used eyeshadow base, then Edie (shimmery bone) over entire lid, then used Underworld 1, a shimmery silver in crease and on lid, blended Underworld II, a deep midnight shimmer blue all over lid and in crease, with a heavy hand on the corners. Lined top and bottom of eyes with Night Breed, a black shimmery NARS classic, and voila - a midnight blue smokey eye. This could have completely backfired. But taking a risk at home in your bathroom with makeup is really not so risky when you think about it!

Capitol File after party was a blast - Wolf Blitzer, Ewan McGregor, Ashley Judd, Kim Kardashian, etc. Washington meets Hollywood - par for the course these days!

So Sweet

As I was sitting at my desk, eating a salmon Caesar salad, checking e-mail, looking at products, and talking on the phone – I couldn’t take my eyes off the new Tocca Baci Lip Glosses. They are so sweet. And I don’t mean sweet in terms of surfer dude sweet. I mean sweet in terms of the perfect definition of ideal sweetness. Little tiny rollerball lipglosses, 3 perfect pastel colors, 3 italian escapist names – Amalfi, Catania, Salina. I just keep thinking how when I pull one out of my purse, how everyone will ask me what it is. And for $14, they are even more sweet (now I mean surfer dude sweet). I am in trouble if my daughters find them – I will never see them again!

So You're a Soccer Mom Now?

I was at the bliss offices in NYC talking about my pre-soccer-game Saturday morning routine: sunscreen, bronzer, navy blue eyeliner and mascara when one of the staffers who I have known for almost 10 years blurted out, with surprise - "So you're a soccer mom now?!"

Once I got over the shock that I was just categorized as someone I couldn't associate with during the Clinton election (during which soccer moms ruled the country and I was only 22 and had no idea what the reference even meant), I proudly responded - "Yes, I am."

The soccer mom's favorites:

1. For the sunscreen slather ReVive Filtre de Soleil Visage SPF 45, Darphin Vitalprotection Age-Defying Protective Lotion SPF 50 or Dermalogica AGE Smart Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 30, all hydrating for my dry skin.

2. For bronzer - my favorite - NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna. Brushed on cheeks and eyelids.

3. For mascara - Trish McEvoy High Volume.

Swiping Lab Samples

How do I know I love a product? When I try to swipe lab samples from our brands' creative teams.

I just scrambled through two days of meetings in NYC with some of my favorite brands. This is one of the most fun things about bluemercury: my job is to play with new beauty products that are not yet on the market.

So here is a sneak peek at the lab samples I tried to swipe:

1. Laura Mercier's new foundation launching this fall.

2. Darphin's organic and unbelievably heavenly facial treatment oils. I wanted all. These will be my summer sun damage salvation.

3. One of the NARS duo eyeshadow combos. Had the perfect green/blue grey for a fall sultry eye.

4. Remede's new antiaging serum with crazy new cell oxygenating technology.

5. Every single thing from Tocca's holiday collection and a very Jackie O./Michelle Obama dress from Tocca's fall fashion lineup. I am in love with their showroom.

6. Fresh's new fragrance which is the best ever, created by Lev, the founder of fresh who I have known for 11 years.

7. And hurray - Molton Brown actually gave me two of their new shower gels - think pink peppercorn!

I am purposely being a little cryptic. I need to keep my access, right?

Ten Year Makeover

What I've learned.

1. How to take care of my skin.
2. How to do my own eye makeup.
3. How to eat healthy (more salmon, more spinach, more fruit, less processed carbs).
4. How to be a mom and a companion to my husband.
5. How to be at peace.

The first two I learned from bluemercury staffers. The last three from life!

The March to 40

I will be turning 40 in May. When I started bluemercury at age 29, I had none of the skin concerns I have now - hyperpigmentation, fine lines around the eyes. Here are the things I really notice between 35 and 40:

1. Getting small indentation on chin. Dermatologist said that is from tensing facial muscles and loss of tiny fat deposits. Her solution: Restalyne. My solution: live with it.

2. Uneven skin tone. Too many years of California sun on fair skin are starting to show. My solution: glycolic acid peels (either at bluemercury spa or Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Peel Pads), Vitamin C (the miracle collagen building, spot busting vitamin), and a little better coverage on the foundation front. (NARS Sheer Glow in Fiji or Bobbi Brown Skin SPF 15 or Dr. Dennis Gross All-in-One Tinted Moisturizer Sunscreen SPF 15).

3. Eyelids starting to wrinkle at inner corner. No one told me about this one! Just noticed it last year. Eyeliner starts to flutter up wrinkles in the morning after I first apply. Solution: little dose of Bobbi Brown or Laura Mercier concealer on inner corner prior to application of all over eye shadow. And a q-tip for touch up after.

I'll take 40 over 29 any day, I am much wiser and more at peace. And the beauty challenges - I'll tackle those one at a time!