hair therapy {how-to}: easy pool-to-party hairstyles

just in time for summer, senior stylist Graziella Lembo {at SalonCapri in Boston} shared with me the how-tos on 4 hairstyles she created that transition effortlessly from pool to party {or bedhead to bombshell beach babe} in just a few quick steps…

and even if you have no party plans, i think these inspired styles are fabulous for any time you might want to change up how you typically wear your hair. take a look…

Luxe Low Loop Knot:

beginning with straightened hair and a center part, spray Kerastase Double Force all over hair and smooth to create a sleek look.

work Shu Uemura Cotton Uzu through the ends of hair to creates shine and pull back hair into a low ponytail.

take a one inch section of hair and wrap around the elastic securing with a bobby pin. with remaining hair, loop up and secure with elastic. take the ends of the loop and wrap around the elastic, securing with bobby pins. finish with hairspray to create a lasting hold!

 "Bedhead-to-Beach" Faux Bob Fishtail:

using a 1 inch curling wand, take small sections of hair and create loose beachy waves

once waves have cooled ~ gently loosen by running fingers from scalp to ends.

taking the top section of hair, pull back bangs and create a cascading side fishtail braid down one side of your head.

using bobby pins, pin waves up and under to create a faux bob and secure the look with Kerastase Double Force

"Pool To Party" Wrap Bun:

the perfect style for after a dip in the pool; begin with your hair wet and create a low ponytail.

taking your favorite hair scarf, use a bobby pin to secure it to your elastic. twist your hair around the scarf and wrap hair up in a bun.

secure the look with bobby pins and finish with Kerastase Double Force to hold!

Textured & Tousled Beach Waves:

start the look with your fresh-from-the-beach waves or if you have freshly washed hair, spritz strands with a salt water solution for texture.

next, spray Kerastase Double Force throughout dry hair and create a deep side part;

on the shorter side of your part, pull back your hair and secure with a bobby pin. secure with hairspray and use a curling wand to tame any flyaway pieces.


thank you, Graziella for sharing how to create these fabulous perfect-for-summer hairstyles! be sure to look her up if you're in the boston area, SalonCapri.com. you can also find the salon on Facebook and twitter. 

info and images courtesy of PR representing Salon Capri

Leighton Meester at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards

when Leighton Meester attended the 2010 Teen Choice Awards, she too had a pretty makeup look, created by none other than CoverGirl's celeb makeup artist Molly R. Stern.

Molly shares what products, and how she used them, to create this soft, feminine look...

for her face:

"i prepped Leighton's skin with Josie Marin Argan Oil Skin Primer and lightly moisturized with Sk-11 Facial Lift Emulsion. next, i sparingly used CoverGirl Clean Liquid Makeup.

for her eyes:

"we wanted a celestial glow with a smidge of an edge. so i first based her eye with NARS Cream Chadow in Corfu on the lid, then with Shu Uemura P Gold 94 over the top. i added a little silver sparkly glittery shadow from RMK, a treasure i found in japan, to the inside of the lid and under the outer edge of the eye. next, i lined the top of the lid at the lash line and under the eye with CoverGirl LiquiLineBlast Eyeliner in Blue Boom. for her lashes, 2 coats of CoverGirl LashBlast Fusion in Brown was the perfect finish."

on her cheeks:

"i used Kevin Aucoin Creamy Moist Glow in Nuelle and dusted YSL Touché Blush over the top. to set her look for the red carpet i dusted all over with La Mer Treatment Powder Foundation in Linen.

on her lips:

"i wanted a long lasting nude so i chose CoverGirl Oulast Lipstain in Nude Kiss on the lip with CoverGirl ShineBlast Lipgloss in Dazzle over top."

thanks Molly-- fabulous work!

xo

Get a Flawless, Glowing Look Like Jennifer Hudson

when Jennifer Hudson got together with Sam Fine, celebrity makeup artist and creator of The Basics of Beauty, for a shoot showing off her gorgeous new, slimmed down physique, he gave her a gorgeous, glowing makeup look. below, Sam shares his insider advice on how you, too, can achieve the same flawless and glowing face at home in just a few easy steps.

begin with coverage.

Sam says: "every great look begins great coverage. Jennifer has beautiful skin, but like many women of color, she has varied tones. i use foundation to unify those varying tones. one of my favorites is the (CoverGirl) Queen Collection Natural Hue Compact Foundation because it's cream- to- powder, so it dries down to a powdery finish and looks really natural."




use a bronzer.

"bronzer is always a must for all women to illuminate their complexion. it's important to choose a bronzer that's one shade darker than your natural skin tone and apply it to the outer perimeter of your face to warm the skin and create a halo of glow. after applying bronzer, you can go back and layer over blush to give the skin a pop of color. on Jennifer, i used CoverGirl Natural Hue Mineral Bronzer and Cargo's Matte Blush in Laguna.

the eyes have it.

"to create Jennifer's classic, natural eye, i used a brown shadow. Shu Uemura makes a great pressed eye shadow in an array of shades – in this case, their Matte Taupe with Golden Flakes Eyeshadow works perfectly. for this look, i didn't use a ton of liner, and totally avoided lining underneath her eyes to keep them soft. we used tons of mascara to enhance her look – my favorite is CoverGirl LashBlast. i always like to apply a coat of mascara, and then move on to something else to let the first coat dry. i'll come back a few minutes later, curl the lashes, and then layer on a few more coats of mascara to really build the lashes. this makes them much more dramatic and makes the curl hold well. it's like spraying your hair with a coat of hairspray before using a curling iron."



finish with a pretty nude lip.

"to complete her look, i gave Jennifer a beautiful nude lip. the key to a nude lip is to begin by lining the lips with liner that is one shade darker than your natural lip color. don't worry about matching the liner to your lipstick-- if you match it to your lips, it will look great with any shade of lipstick. after lining the lips, feather the liner towards the center of the mouth to great a base for the lipstick. next, apply your lipstick. on Jennifer, i chose IMAN Cosmetics' Luxury Moisturizing Lipstick in Citron. i finished by slicking on a golden gloss add dimension and shine. CoverGirl Shine Blast Lip Gloss is perfect!"

she looks fabulous, don't you think? if you want to learn more from Sam Fine, check out his best-selling dvd, The Basics of Beauty.

xo

Shu Uemura Still Available Online

as you may have being reading around the web, the Shu Uemura brand will be leaving the states soon. if you're a fan, this is terrible news, but don't get too upset just yet!

while you won't be able to make purchases at department stores, or at one of the boutiques (these locations will begin to phase out in the coming months.), you will still be able to purchase products at shuuemura.com, and new products will also continue to be introduced via the site-- and i'll be sure to let you know!

you'll also be glad to know that shu uemura Art of Hair is not affected by these changes. they will continue to remain in top-tier salons across the country as well as online at shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com.


xo

Emily Blunt at Wolfman Premiere

Laini Reeves, owner and creative director of Essensuals London, made actress Emily Blunt look fabulous at the premiere of the new movie, Wolfman. taking inspiration from Emily's vintage style, Reeves created a new take on the traditional 1920's updo.

by making a custom flapper style accessory-- a peacock feather fashioned to an elastic headband (love it!)-- Reeves created the mood for the hairstyle she had in mind.

here's the step-by-step to help you recreate this look for your next soiree.

1: start with hair that is smooth and glossy. Reeves has been using Shu Uemura Essence Absolue while on tour with Emily; apply this prior to blow drying.

2: gently scrunch dry hair to encourage a natural wave and boost texture.

3: secure the headband (if you don't have one, i pretty clip will work just as well) and twist hair up and over around a hair band, to back of head with messy bun at nape of neck.

4: loosen a few strands to create a more modern, soft, tousled look.

5: finish with a light holding spray.

so simple, right?

xo
image: Photo Agency via Zimbio.com

hair therapy: Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil

in the cold, dry months of the year (we've had many more this year in so cal!), hair needs extra moisture. i give my hair weekly deep conditioning treatments, and love leave-in conditioners. when i was informed about Shu Uemura's latest Art of Hair product, Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil*, i jumped at the opportunity to try it.

sold out worldwide (yes, it's that popular!), Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil has become my absolute must have. when a product wows me from first use, it becomes a staple.

so what makes it so great??

first of all, it smells great (i noticed this of course as i rubbed it between my hands before applying it to my hair). this "liquid gold" serum glides through my hair and leaves it shiny and silky soft. i like to rub in whatever's left on my hands and it never leaves my hands feeling greasy.

also, Essence Absolue is a multi-tasker! it can be used in so many ways; as a pre-shampoo treatment, as a leave-in, as a UV protectant, for protection during color application and an uber-shiny finishing aid.

i have been applying a pump to my ends at night before bed and about 5 pumps before i wash my hair (once a week)-- it loves this stuff and i'm loving the results from using it. the price tag is definitely on the luxe end of the haircare spectrum, but since i know i'll miss this when it runs out, i have already signed up to be informed when it becomes available for purchase again.

visit shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com for more info.

xo
*a full size product sample was sent to me by a representive of the Shu Uemura brand for the purpose of review

Amy Adams at 'Julie & Julia' Premiere

CoverGirl celebrity makeup artist Molly R. Stern created Amy Adams' red carpet look for thursday night's nyc premiere of Julie & Julia.

Molly says: "it always seems that inspiration ends up coming from the dress. Amy wore a gorgeous full length Carolina Herrera gown with a charcoal and white pattern speckled with gold beading. so i borrowed from that exquisite color palette."

the look was "a steel and copper smoky lid, gorgeous full lashes, a peachy cheek and a golden amber lip."



face:

"i first started by prepping her skin with a refreshing spray of Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist. and then moisturized her skin with La Mer's The Moisturizing Lotion.
next, i based her skin sparingly with the new Cle de peau cream foundation."


"then i warmed up her cheeks with the gorgeous new CoverGirl Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush in Plush Peach."

eyes:

"for her eyes, i based the lid with a combination of Shu Uemura's Cream Eye Shadow in P Taupe, and Vincent Longo's Silky Orange Liquid Eyeshadow. over that i blended the new NARS shadow duo in Brumes."



"under her eye i smudged CoverGirl Exact Eyelights Eyeliner in Radiant Sapphire in the outer corner, and on the inner corner i dabbed a smidge of Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadow in ME gold 350."



"on her lashes i coated them with CoverGirl Exact Eyelights Mascara in Black Sapphire."

lips:



"to finish off the look i tinted her lips with CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain in Cinnamon Smile with a dab of YSL Golden Gloss over top."


i love the combination of high and low-priced brands that Molly used to create Amy's looks-- just goes to show you that even drugstore makeup can give you a fabulous red-carpet look! thanks Molly!

xo

Oscar Night Beauty: Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie looked beyond stunning on Oscar night. dressed in her usual balck, Angelina added a burst of color to her Elie Saab gown in the form of a pair of fabulous emerald-colored Lorraine Schwartz earrings and matching ring.



celebrity makeup artist Mary Burton created Angelina's flawless look: Le Crayon Khol in Black Ebony was applied to the upper and lower lash lines. she emphasized the shape of Angelina’s eyes by applying more liner to the outer corners of each eye, then several coats of Oscillation Mascara were applied to the upper lashes for added volume and length. Mary put a touch of pink to the cheeks using Shu Uemura Blush in M Pink 31 and applied it to her cheekbones near the temple. to create ultra-shiny and luminous lips, Mary used Juicy Tubes in Spring Fling.

tres magnifique!

xo
source

gifts for mom

mother's day is may 11th! it is the one day a year that mothers are celebrated for their efforts, the love they show and sacrifices they make. if you have a mom or are a mom yourself, it is the day that you can pamper and/or be pampered.

Sephora (who else?) has great ideas for the big day! they have categorized the "types" of moms, so finding the perfect gift should be a no-brainer. the sophisticate, the earth mother, the rock star and the glam mom are all profiled, and i will share the ideas and looks with you.

first up, the sophisticate:










she's cultured. she's wise. she knows exactly what she wants, when she wants it—and believe us, she gets it. a connoisseur of all things pretty, she can wax poetic about the best lotions and potions—starting with these beauties, each worthy of her super-seasoned standards.


for the sophisticated mom, it's important to focus on details. simple, fresh and oh-so-classy.

check our this video to see the look, then scroll down for fabulous gift ideas:









Marc Jacobs Perfume to Go
this scent is classic, luxurious, and comfortingly feminine. it is both sensuous and uncomplicated, complementing the wearer without overwhelming her, and comes in a take anywhere size.








Hourglass Color Link Palette
this Color Link Palette offer six eye shadows and two blushes in rich, luxurious colors and textures- providing all the tools necessary to create a number of beautiful looks.







Laura Mercier French Vanilla Bath & Body Collection
this collection emanates pure tahitian and bourbon vanilla aromas. velvety caramel notes and luscious kadota fig blend perfectly with creamy sandalwood and smooth amber for an enchanting and alluring experience, leaving skin soft and feeling fresh.








Shu Uemura False Eylashes
an indulgence for the lashes! momentarily transforms your lashes to stimulate your creativity and dramatize your look.





here's to fabulous, sophisticated moms!


xo

source: sephora