It all started during the blustery freeze of February with Sensai's Lip Base ($26).  We were wedded to that tube of lip treatment all winter, not just because it was the best hydrating balm around, but because it also has an SPF of 15 (we like that) and further, it seemed to plump and smooth scratchy winter puckers.  (Sensai, if you don't know, is quite the sensation abroad -- an upscale makeup and skincare line that European women have embraced.  Think Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys here in Gotham.)  While we're not giving up our Lip Base for summer (it helps keep lipstick on longer, anyhow), we are expanding our lip palette to include a few new tricks, namely Sensai's two lipstick lines, Lasting Treatment Rouge and Deep Moist Shine Rouge ($40 each).  The slightly frosty sun-kissed peach tones will be a must for the beach.

And another lipstick that will look fab on the lips and probably looks even more fab in its case as you extract it from your purse, is the Rouge G de Guerlain, le dernier cri from a name synonymous with the planet's most exotic and iconic fragrances.  Rouge G looks like an aerospace accessory, with a shiny gleam on its futuristic-looking case.  Created for Guerlain by Lorenz Bäumer, a French jeweler who has designed for Vuitton, it's a little jewel of a bullet-shaped torpedo, with a hinge that pops the top open, to reveal a mirror and a deliciously seductive, creamy lip color, that interacts with light and makes your smile just dazzling.  ($45)

Lastly, we're also swearing by the new lipstick line from YSL Beauté, Rouge Volupté, in a rainbow of over a dozen intense, densely pigmented colors, that drench the lips with a smooth and silky feel (field-tests support the knowledge that that sensation is even transferred to the cheek of a kissee).  It's also got an SPF of 15, as do the lipsticks in YSL Beauté's Rouge Pur Shine, a classic line from the company that we have used for years -- we especially like #11, a dewy, sheer transparent pink.

So, stock up your summer makeup kit with this trifecta of lip colors from Sensai, Guerlain, and YSL Beauté.  And get ready to give someone some serious lip. 

We'll be exploring more spring cleaning in the next few days -- facial cleaners we love and which we lavish upon our ever-grateful-to-look-improved-upon visage... but before we get into more pore-cleansing, we thought in honor of imminent Easter, we'd put our best face forward with some of Christian Dior's color finery. And Dior, as always, never disappoints us, with its multi-hued line of maquillage. What a gorgeous palette the company has put out for the springtime. 

For starters, we fell in love with pretty facial bronzers, then all the bright glosses for our lips, and of course, we could not forget the gorgeous ombréed shadows for the eyes.

Lips: Dior Addict High Shine translucent lip color -- so fragile, just a hint of a tint and so many colors from which to select ($25) and the Gloss Reflect ($24.50; below left), more color, more shine, more come-hither on our lips.  For cheek shine, we could not decide between the Poudre de Soleil ($42), that really does impart a kiss of the sun or the DiorBlush ($38; above), that is two blushes in one, a shimmer and a sheer, one velvety and matte; then a little eye excitement with the 5-color petite compact of stunning shadows, in "Mystic Jade" ($54; below right), the just-right tones for Easter, to match our bonnet. 

Et voilà!  Our face was finished for Easter.   

Posted on Friday, March 21, 2008 @ 06:28 PM | 111 replies View/Post Feedback

Browse: Beauty: Makeup & Skin Care

No, not that kind of spring cleaning, but a facial spring cleaning -- getting all the goop and gook off your face and out of your pores, so you can start the season with a shiny, bright visage.  And boy did we have a spring cleaning the other day. New in New York:  Blue Mercury.  Sounds like something a little space age-y, doesn't it?  But that couldn't be further from the truth.  Au contraire, it's something VERY cosseting. 

Anyone who's ever heard anything about best-selling author and celebrity dermatologist Dr. Nicholas V. Perricone knows that he has based his skincare philosophy on a three-pronged approach, including an anti-inflammatory diet, supplements, and topical antioxidants. But if you're not an adherent and have no time for the regime, at least drop by the newish, posh salon and treatment center (not his office) and avail yourself of the miracle Electro-Stim Lifting Facial -- because you might just find it delivers the same result! We've had many a facial in our lifetime and have to say that this facial, at least as performed by master esthetician Estela Gilboe, is an hour-plus of sheer heaven, and the results are, well, utter magic.

This is not your mother's facial, that's for sure. There's a cutting-edge machine involved that delivers some type of electro-stimulation technology that promises rejuvenation -- the non-invasive "facelift," if you will. The literature says it stimulates facial muscles, which in turn results in greater facial contour -- and a more youthful look, which the staff says can actually be measured by complexion analysis using VISIA technology. We don't know about all this, but what we do know is that Estela works miracles and that we saw lots of dead skin cells come sloughing off our face and we saw a more youthful visage a few hours later.

We also have to say that the time we spent with Estela was like visiting with an old friend. She is one of the most seasoned estheticians in the city...with an impressive resume and credentials. It's no wonder Dr. Perricone snapped her up from the Louis Licari Salon. Louis' loss was Nick's gain -- and ours. We cannot wait to go back to test drive the oxygen facial. The N. V. Perricone, M. D., Flagship Salon, 791 Madison Ave. (corner of E. 67th St.), 866-791-7911 and 212-734-2537; www.nvperriconemd.com

Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 @ 09:00 PM | 7 replies View/Post Feedback

Browse: Beauty: Medical | Beauty: Makeup & Skin Care

Although John Sahag died a year ago, his salon lives on; the master hair stylist left his business to "the kids" -- his stylists -- and one tradition they maintain is Student Night (Wed., 6:30 p.m.), where rock-bottom prices and top-flight talent await you. Haircuts are a mere $45! (Women's, normally $150-$225; men's, $100-$160). Single-process color is a scant $30 (normally, $125 & up), and highlights, $65 (regularly, $250 & up). Call Tues. between 11 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. 425 Madison Ave. at 49th St., 2nd flr.,  212-826-3305; www.johnsahag.com (This article originally appeared on the 9/06 issue of Manhattan Living.)

Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 @ 10:00 AM | 1276 replies View/Post Feedback

Browse: Beauty: Makeup & Skin Care | Services

The Juva Center offers something for everyone when it comes to laser and cosmetic surgery, aesthetic skin care, and general dermatology, and the packed waiting room attests to the solicitous care and exceptional skill of the entire staff. Whether it's head-to-toe skin treatments, micro-dermabrasion, laser procedures to obliterate brown spots and little blood-vessel "tributaries," or injectibles to do away with varicose veins -- or even more extensive surgery, like face lifts or tummy tucks -- the Center's team is equipped to expertly handle it. Dr. Michael C. Bruck will tell you that the demand for state-of-the-art, specialized cosmetic procedures is burgeoning...but a more interesting statistic buried in that generality is that, among men, cosmetic procedures are definitely on the rise. Dr. Bruck estimates that nearly 20% of his patients are men, and the most common procedure they come for is to shed those endearing, but unwelcome love handles: "You can never just spot-reduce an area at the gym. You can build an area, but not effectively 'remove' it." And so liposuction is the best bet. More fascinating, however, is the number of men who come in for Botox -- for their hands! "A handshake says so much about us," he comments, and further adds that men whose hands perspire opt for Botox to alleviate it. He also observes that the "brow-and-forehead" complex is another target for men, and he says that Botox is again the solution for those furrows. The Center also sees many men who come to have excessive hair removed. In other words, no reasonable cosmetic problem cannot be solved here -- regardless of your sex. Juva Skin & Laser Center and Health & Wellness Center, 60 E. 56th St. btw. Madison & Park Aves., 212-688-5882; www.juvaskin.com (This article originally appeared in the 1/06 issue of Manhattan Living.)

"Embrace the silence." That's what is written on the plaques outside the relaxation room/library (yes, library -- where, mercifully, cell phones are prohibited) at the Cornelia Day Resort. Indeed, each and every room in this exquisitely designed and appointed day spa engenders relaxation -- and luxury. (There's even a private side-street entrance for boldface names to use.) Romanian-born Cornelia Zicu has created a haven of sanctum in midtown, and even the little gift shop (with carefully edited wares) is peaceful. There are glorious treatments to be had here, too, from the signatures facials ($175 and up, depending on which "enhancers" you opt for, which might include the balancing peel or the oxygen revitalizer), soaking baths (Romanian mud, honey harmony), and all types of massages. There are seaweed pedicures, and special packages for the bride and her party, and on and on, but perhaps the most innovative of all the services is the Watsu massage, which is performed in a penthouse-level, private pool filled with 20,000 bottles of salinated Evian water. Really. Not surprisingly, 30% of the clientele is male, who also come for special facials, hand- and foot-grooming, waxing, and of course, to visit the barbershop. The best part of this sybaritic indulgence is that you can take home a bit of Cornelia, since the salon also sells three of Cornelia's own scientifically developed skincare-product lines ($28 to 150). 663 Fifth Ave. btw. 52nd & 53rd Sts., 8th flr., 212-871-3050; www.cornelia.com (This article originally appeared in the 1/06 issue of Manhattan Living.)

When we wrote about the new Saks Fifth Avenue shoe department the other day, we realized that we somehow managed to get through nearly the entire summer without mentioning a few of our favorite footsie products, for keeping toes and heels pretty for sandal season.  And here it is late summer, nearly Labor Day (although with the weather we've been having, it feels more like we should be getting ready for Halloween), and we are just getting around to sharing some of our favorite foot products, some of which are from Earth Therapeutics, a company that produces hundreds of lotions and potions for skincare, all based on aromatherapy and friendly botanicals. 

If you caught the Letterman rerun the other night, then you saw beautiful Sienna Miller, with her glowing, flawless skin.  Well, according to the folks at Körner Skincare, Ms. Miller uses their products (along with Linda Evangelista, Jennifer Connelly, and Heidi Klum). Not a bad roster of clients, dare we say. Körner is a 100-year-old company based in Australia, owing its roots to grandma, Madame Körner, who first opened a skincare clinic/salon in her native Hungary over a 100 years ago. (Those Hungarians, they always have just the best skin…and they always -- and smartly so -- go into that business.)

The products are exquisitely packaged but not outrageously priced ($45 to $125, with a few strays over $200). But they aren't easy to find in the States. Here in Gotham, Bergdorf Goodman is your only option.

Starting next Thursday, Apr. 12th, through Saturday the 24th, you can take advantage of a fab deal Körner is offering. Buy any two products and get a FREE (we love that word) one-hour facial by Körner aestheticians. It’s not in time to make your face sparkle under your Easter bonnet, but it’s in time to catch any creeping break-out you may fall victim to after eating all those chocolate rabbits!

We promised you a trio of very cool make-up items this week, and here is the third one. As we said a few days ago, we don’t usually tout beauty products, skeptics that we are. But the three of these all had something neat to shout about. These pencils are from colorescience, the company with minerals in its make-up and 27 years of research behind it. Real mineral make-up is free from talc, oils, alcohols, dyes, and binders and reflects light, so you look younger, sparkly, and fresh. And these pencils -- for both eyes and lips -- are available in a range of lovely colors: Simply Mauvelous, Red Brick Road, Softer Shade of Pale, Blondes Have More Fun (is that really true?), A Cup o’ Joe, to name but a few. The neat thing, though, is the cap, which is also a pencil sharpener. It’s tiny and convenient. So each time you use your pencil, you can sharpen it to perfection, without having to hunt for a pencil sharpener. Each pencil is only $12.50, too -- a good deal. They're available at a variety of spas throughout the city; log on to www.colorescience.com to find one hear you.

We used to religiously use a Chanel eyeliner in a mysterious, smoky, purple-ish color. Not quite black, not quite violet, but just quite perfect. Then some genius in the marketing department decided the company should discontinue that color. Alas.  We were heartsick, our eyes no longer subtly lined, our Elizabeth Taylor come-hither look stripped from us! And ever since then, we’ve been hunting for eyeliner like that one. We found plenty of eyeshadows that were close, but sadly, no cigar.

Well, Urban Decay, purveyor of super-cool products (some, we have observed, with amusing, bellicose names like “Sniper Blemish Zapper,” “Commando,” and “Brow Beater”), has harnessed and packaged the perfect product -- heretofore unknown to us -- for turning all those eyeshadows into eyeliners. If you’ve tried to do this yourself with water, then you already know: It doesn’t work; the water beads up or the shadows get lumpy.

But, Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Transforming Potion has some miraculous ingredient that really turns shadow into flawless liner. There are two brushes within the tube, one on each end, so you get both a thin and a thick applicator brush.  So far, our only complaint is not about the product, but about us: We think you need three hands to use it so that you can hold the wand in one hand, the reservoir in another, and the eyeshadow in the third. Minor quibble, indeed. And overall, it’s a wondrous product -- so we then ponder, why didn’t anybody come up with this stuff sooner?

It’s $17 and available (as is Fiberwig, which we wrote up yesterday) at all Sephora stores. 

We get sent a fair number of beauty products -- everything from goopy and not-so-goopy, supposedly wondrous potions for the skin, to specialty hair products that practically promise to grow your hair overnight, to make-up that subtly hints that instant “cover girl” looks will be yours, sans surgery. Do we sound skeptical? So imagine our surprise when, among the latest deliveries this past month, we found, not one, not two, but THREE (count 'em) products to tout.  Yeah, really.

So, tune in to the next several postings for these magical make-up miracles.

#1 - Getting a Good Lashing: Fiberwig, the Un-mascara