Cat Eyes for All

This cover of the New York Times Fashion Magazine this past Sunday epitomizes fall to me. Dramatic cat eyes go with all of the deep, rich hues of fall. Burgundy dresses, high chic leather boots, furs and shearlings, the glamour of fall demands smoky and daring eyes. It used to be hard to get this look, requiring the perfect steady hands plus the perfect mix of water and eyeliner. No more – there are so many new, one-step, easy to use products. From Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick Eye Colour to NARS’ Larger than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner, drama and glamour is right around the corner for all of us. This look reminds me of the trademark makeup of one of my all time favorite fashion icon,
Carine Roitfeld, the former editor of Paris Vogue.


P.S. Need help with this – the bluemercury makeup artistry team is unbelievable at teaching tips and tricks!

What’s in My Purse: NARS Spring Lipglosses

Francois NARS is the master at creating great color. I picked up two new lipglosses – Super Orgasm and Angelika. These are my go to for spring. Super orgasm is a sheer pink with a hint of coral and glitter. Angelika looks scary in the tube – bubble gum pink – but is the perfect daytime sheer happy pink. I bought two sets. One for home, one for my purse. You can never have enough lipgloss!

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.

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!

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?

Uber Chic NARS

Went to the uber-chic NARS 15 year anniversary celebration. As we have carried NARS at bluemercury for 10 years, I was touched to be included. It was probably the chicest event I had ever been to. Francois Nars, an amazing photographer, styled and photographed 15 unique individuals into a special edition book for the anniversary. All of the photographs were exhibited at the event. Each portrait was inspired by an iconic image, person, or emotion, and a classic Nars product. For example, for Amber’s portrait, Nars looked to Catherine Deneuve in Belle du Jour and treated her lips with his popular sheer beige lipstick. Also included were Daphne Guinness, Isabella Rosselina, Marc Jacobs, Naomi Campbell. The party was over the top – which is what you would expect from a brand that values individuality and creativity. Marc Jacobs wore a skirt, Daphne Guinness looked spectacular, and Francois was himself. I think I was the only non-model, non-celebrity, awed mother of 3 there!

Francois Nars, Daphne Guinness, Marc Jacobs and Marla Malcolm Beck
Marla Malcolm Beck with Russell Simmons and Francois Nars
Marla Malcolm Beck with Daphne Guinness

Creativity Rules - More Spring 2010 Fashion Week

Hard to keep up with all of the events! Ran from event to event all week and made it back to Washington, DC in time for back to school night for my first grader.
Here are some more highlights:
1. Francois back in a big way. NARS faces at Thakoon, Philip Lim, and Marc Jacobs.
(left to right: models at Thakoon, Philip Lim and Marc Jacobs.)











2. Bobbi Brown's creative side came out at TIBI – Magenta eye shadow, green liner – what a fun side of Bobbi to see!
(top to bottom: Marla Malcolm Beck with Bobbi, a TIBI model and TIBI owner Amy Smilovic)
Marla Malcolm Beck and Bobbi Brown










Marla Malcolm Beck and a Tibi model








Marla Malcolm Beck and Tibi's Amy Smilovic
















3. Went to book party for new thriller out by Harvard Business School friend Norb Vonnegut.(yes, there is a relation to the other Vonnegut). Top Producer is Wall Street meets the Da Vinci Code.