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!

Naked Face - New trick

If I have serious creative work to do, I often work from my home office after grabbing a coffee at Starbucks. It is these days where I don't see anyone professionally, that I love to wear a naked face. Our Englewood, New Jersey store manager, Deborah, taught me a new naked face trick. After slathering on sunscreen (I wouldn't be without it in the spring - used Darphin Vitalprotection Age-Defying Protective Lotion SPF50 this morning), I take my bronzer, dust my cheeks, and the new trick: my eyelids. It is amazing. It is a little bit of extra color, without any work. This is really 30 seconds and out the door. What more could a busy mom want!

Party Circuit

Hibernation over, spring party circuit starting. Our calendar is booking up with after-work and weekend events. I have a bunch of quick pre-party tricks that I wanted to share:

1. For the glow: Cleanse face completely and use exfoliating peel pads (Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha-Beta or Trish McEvoy Beta Hydroxy Pads) before applying makeup. Your skin will look years younger. It is my trick, I do this before every event, WITHOUT FAIL. And, if I am racing from office, back home/or to hotel room and then to party, I wash my whole face, leave my eye-makeup on, and still use the pads. I then touch up my eye shadow, reapply foundation and blush and lips.

2. For drama: I have learned how to do an easy smokey eye: pick one color and use on entire lid and crease. I use an eye base (sometimes I just use a light concealer on my lid) put Bobbi Brown bone all over my lid and then go over the entire lid and crease with a dark shadow. You need to find the perfect one for you, but, once you find it – this is a 2 minute step. I have been attached to Laura Mercier Coffee Ground, a deep chocolate brown, recently.


3. For great skin: My most up to date go to is the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Fiji. Great coverage, lasts all night, great glow. A little heavier than my normal Bobbi Brown Skin SPF, but this is really working for me right now. I am even able to skip concealer with this one, goes right up under my eyes fine. I do use this over Laura Mercier’s Hydrating Primer so my skin looks nice and moist.

These are my pre-going-out tips and I am sticking to them.

Heart-broken

I was traveling last week and my NARS Laguna Bronzing Powder broke into a million pieces. I didn’t realize how attached I was to this glorious bronzer, until this happened. I discovered bronzer when I was a teen – I used to use the Guerlain orange-looking one. (If you look at my pictures – I definitely have an orange tint!) There is nothing like a bronzer to give you that quick sun-kissed look. NARS Laguna is my absolute go to – the perfect hint of sun, a little glimmer, no orange. I often put it over a pinkish or coral blush. Right now – I am layering it over NARS Penny Lane Cream Blush. I already ran to bluemercury to pick up another. It is now back in my life and I am no longer broken-hearted (or broken-bronzered).

My Travel Must-Haves

I am traveling almost the entire month of February. Tonight, I organized all of my cosmetics so I could pack efficiently and zip in and out of the airport without checking my bags. I thought I would list out 10 things I can't live without and will be traveling with:

1. Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Serum. Hydrating treatment I am currently using every morning under primer.
2. Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer. A must use every day before foundation.


3. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Fiji and/or Bobbi Brown Skin SPF 15 Foundation. NARS has fuller coverage than Bobbi, but love both. During the dead of winter I am a little more addicted to NARS.


4. Penny Lane Cream Blush by NARS. Almost had a panic attack when I couldn't find it tonight.
5. Bobbi Brown Bone Eye Shadow. The perfect all over lid color.



6. Trish High Volume Mascara. My all-time favorite.
7. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. They just sent me two travel size ones. Generally, for face cleansers I alternate between whatever I have in travel size.


8. MD Skincare All-in-One Facial Cleanser with Toner. Use as a toner/slash peel. Stronger than a cleanser, lighter than a peel. Gets the day's travel off my skin.
9. Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Serum. My one stop night treatment for an overnight trip. This really does it all for me. The best glow ever.

10. Sample moisturizers and eye creams. Sounds awful, but I generally only pack a moisturizer and eye cream for an emergency and when I do, it's only what I have in travel size. Right now, I am travel with a lab sample Bobbi Brown's new Brightening Moisturize Cream coming out this March or April. I love the texture and it is fine for day or night. If I go on a longer trip, I always pack a moisturizer and eye cream. Anything to not have to check a bag!

Currently also toting: "Caesar" by Colleen McCollough, WWD Dailies to catch up on, and debating whether I am ready for a kindle!