A Most Surprising Response to My Aversion to Botox Injections on Cruise Ships

I was amazed to receive such a comment on my blog, so I thought I would post it here prominently instead of burying it in the normal comments section. A while back, I wrote about the recent phenomena of getting Botox on cruises. This trend is totally insane, in my not-so-humble opinion.

But here is the response I received from "last minute cruise vacations". This is last minute cruise vacations' two cents::

Is Botox-at-sea a good idea?I spoke with Pittsburgh plastic surgeon and anti-aging expert Dr. James J. Barber, the author of “The Forever Factor”. Barber, who has worked with Botox since it was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration, acknowledged that there has been a lot of abuse of the product by unscrupulous doctors who dilute the drug with more saline than is recommended. Nevertheless, Barber feels that Botox can be safely offered on cruise ships so long as it is administered by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist, in a sterile environment and at recommended doses.

I'm not sure if this exchange between last minute cruise vacations and Dr. Barber, who is a real person, did take place. But I hope this type of comment doesn't resurface on my blog.

Hugs from the Thought police,
Charlotte

Hit the Snooze Button, and a Week Passed

OMG! So tired!

Pulling out the old typewriter here, but I'm feeling too mellow (code: exhausted) for a true update. I will have you know though that Vincent Longo makeup is 75% off at the Bath & Body Works across the street from Grand Central station. Nabbed a tube of his lipstick in Foolish Virgin for around six bucks.


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Mind drifting to RNC (bad, too early!), and Palin's thoughts on women's rights (much too early!)....must return to more pleasant thoughts of pink-mauve cosmetics. (Sigh, better.)

I may be looking for an heiress-blogger....if you know any girls or boys who like makeup counters, drop a line to eyeshadowgovernment [at] gmail.com.

Stay charming,
C

Product Review: Burt's Bees Lip Gloss

I wasted a good fifteen minutes today agonizing over what lip gloss to buy at Walgreen's. (Charlotte-like thoughts include....Do I need lip gloss? Will it taste like an oil slick? Where's the iced tea? How shiny is too shiny? And what the heck is in this tube anyway? ) I've been trying to be more careful about what lips products I wear because honestly, you can't help but eat some of it. Elves are not making that lipstick disappear.

So I'm delighted I bought Burt's Bees Super Shiny Lip Gloss in Nectar Nude. The top three ingredients in the tube are castor seed oil, sunflower seed oil, and acacia decurrens flower wax. The Nectar Nude shade is just a little shiny and appears almost invisible. Although I wish it had more color, it makes the skin on your lips feel very soft (without any weird chemicals). I might start wearing Burt's Bees gloss every day, both alone and on top of lipstick.

Verdict: Success!
Buy it: Burt's Bees Super Shiny Lip Gloss ($6.99), Drugstore.com.

Blogger Champagne Klatsch: Botox on Cruise Ships and Chocolate Soap

Earlier this week, a posse of us blogger-ette girls met downtown to catch up over champagne, though only water for me. (Is Louisa May Alcott my sister? No, I am just a lightweight.) During our candlelit meeting, we discussed all the things and people that inspire and annoy us.

Like...Cosmetic Surgery on the High Seas. Anne Fritz, who writes for Jet Set Girls, jumped in to tell us about her newest post. The dish: Norwegian Cruise Lines now stows doctor who will administer Botox on their ships. Isn't that nice of them? But what about the stormy waters and those big needles? I'd much rather fight a pirate or a large squid than a dermatologist on a wobbly floor. Make them walk the plank!

Rats! This icebreaker got us all bunched up and peeved about Botox. Some of us were concerned about a recent study that shows Botox particles can travel from a rat's whiskers to its brain. I was in the anti-Botox boat as were several other fashion-beauty blog klatschers who talked about frozen eyelids and all types of horrible, horror stories. Anne confessed she was pro-botulinum toxins, and likes to drink some in the morning with toast. She is against Botox on cruise ships though. And others kept mum. Then, we changed the subject to....

Yummy Soap. Do tell. Well, the fabulous Charu at Butterfly Diary was kvelling over her new soaps from Soapier. I've never seen anyone quite so rapturous about soap, but the "spirits" at the table were flowing freely. She really loves their products that smell like chocolate, like this chocolate-raspberry Red Devil slice by Soapier.
I would give you more details, but need my beauty sleep....will talk more about my new blogger girlfriends soon. Also, expect product reviews asap!

Stay gorgeous darlings,
C

Would This Make Me a "Holly Hunter-Ite" or a "Holly Hunter-ophile"?

Hi senoritas,

A) I'm trying to grow my hair as long as Holly Hunter's.

And B) I have trouble accepting the abundance of lukewarm, female characters we see in the movies and on TV. So as ya probably know by now, Saving Grace's a rare TV show. Holly Hunter plays Grace, a headstrong female investigator with few apologies for who she is. She's totally rockin'!

Now, the show has set up an online forum EmbraceYourGrace.com where women are weighing in about real, emotional issues. They don't censor their contributors or make them divulge their most embarrassing makeup bloopers. Hold your horses, you say? No, giddy up. It's good news for the web. There's a million miles of fluff content directed at women (guilty as charged!), and not nearly enough straight talk. Check it out.

Also, trying to stay "on message," I'm also a massive, massive fan of the Holly Hunter flick, Home for the Holidays.

The Better To See You, My Pretties: Eyeglasses Made in France

I scanned this photo from the new J. Crew catalog because I love good eyeglasses. Also, the phrase "Made in France" in the product description didn't hurt. These vintage-style, Selima eyeglasses for J. Crew are available in golden olive for $325 online, or through catalog orders.
This model is called Menrad.

P.S.: The Selima Menrad eyeglasses are listed as unisex, but right now only appear in the men's section of jcrew.com.

Bob Dylan Plays My Backyard + A Word on Disposable Razors

Hooray! Bob Dylan's playing Prospect Park tonight, just a few blocks from my house. This is a huge event. Also, any possibility of seeing "our" (maybe you had one too?) high school crush, Jakob Dylan, is golden. Blue-eyed, slightly cheesy songs, very good.

If you were born before the boy's moment, this cover of Rolling Stone in 1997 was a big deal.

Next Subject.

Maybe I've mentioned the preponderance of ungroomed men in California whose presence eventually inspired a move to New York. Living in Oakland in the midst of artistic boys for whom both shaving and showering were "optional" daily activities, I dreamed of a better town where good hygiene was valued, where I could converse with gentleman who expressed their identity through long, well-constructed sentences instead of draping, untamed follicles.

The Park Slope section of Brooklyn has been great. Better yet, people shower here. They appear happier to have done so. So it seemed kind of unfair to me when a member of Rogue Wave appeared on Style.com's front slideshow today. Slide #21, from New York too. How? I'm sure the Rogue Wave guys from my old neighborhood are nice, but they are also oblivious to advances in razor technology.

Hence, the Gillette® M3 Power Nitro is my pick of the day.


Buy it: Gillette M3 Power Nitro (about $15), Walgreens.

Photo Credit: Style.com/Elizabeth Perrin

As Promised, SpaGoddess Ayurvedic Cleanser Review

Well, I had a strong premonition about the Etsy product I mentioned about a week ago. A sample packet of SpaGoddess' Ayurvedic Cleansing Grains arrived in the mail. It is a totally magical 99% organic powder made by goddesses or gnomes or wizards. And I'm really not one to kvell over most facial products I try.

The oat grain and rice powder act together as a strong, all-natural exfoliant. I rub it very gently across the skin with water as a basic face cleanser. It's even better though when you add water and then press it on the face as a mask. If you leave the mask on for 15 or 20 minutes, the Moroccan clay in this bottle majorly cleanses the pores. I feel like I've made a trip to the spa every day I use it. 'Mazing!



Buy it: Ayurvedic Cleansing Grains ($16), SpaGoddess on Etsy.

Eye on City Chic Girls

I was out and about this weekend in Brooklyn, and it looks like fashionable city girls are a bit feminine with tough accessories. Young, super-cool women heading to parties were wearing pale vintage tops with structured denim shorts or simple dresses. Shorts this season can be very short, but often have a funky, retro twist and are paired with black gladiator sandals. Cut-offs are absolutely out, and clean lines are in.

For "fancier" girls, I noticed one young lady on the street looking very winsome in this pink wrap dress by Diane von Furstenberg. It's called the Nalia dress.

Most hip Brooklyn girls seem to pass on lots of perfume and $300 dresses (although we all probably would wear both if our budget allowed). Women in New York look gorgeous in the summertime, and based on my grandmother-like non-20-20 vision, seem to barely wear any makeup. Anyhoo...From my skewed perspective, it does seem that all women at rock shows in Brooklyn look like they walked off the page of an Urban Outfitters catalog.

Out on the Town Beauty Tip: To look fresh into the wee hours, this pot of Bobbi Brown concealer is a gal's best friend. It helps me look happy, not sleepy. Scroll down for more...

So what else does one need before heading out in the city? Flushed cheeks and lips. In this heat, believe me: you can even skip blush. Nature will provide.

1. As for the lips, pull out a dark reddish-brown lipstick and ever so lightly draw a line in the palm of your hand.

2.Then, quickly brush your index finger against the lipstick line and dab your lips for a very faint, is-she-born-with-it? lip stain.

3. Finish the lips by applying a dime-sized amount of household olive oil for extra shine and moisture.

4. Complete the look with a coat of mascara, like Bad Gal mascara by Benefit.

And Unveiling....the Most Coveted Item of the Week: Annick Goutal Petite Cherie perfume cream ($95) at Bergdorf Goodman.

Late-Nite Retail Therapy...

Just ordered some organic Ayurvedic Cleansing Grains from SpaGoddess on Etsy. Will tell you how it goes.

Bollywood Icons and Indian Film Industry Beauty Advice

Asin Thottumkal just happens to be one of the most stunning women ever. This gal is a hot commodity in the Indian movie industry, and so like (ok, as of five minutes ago), I've decided I'd love to look like her, talk like her, dance like her, and wear bizarre, swirly-bodiced red Lanvin dresses like her too. After searching Yoox.com, it appears though that even a "basic," simple dress by Lanvin retails at $3,325.00. Yo.

There's no real advice on how to get "Asim's look" without genetically cloning her. For mortals like me, I would assume she's got some good red lipstick (Lipstick Queen in Red Sinner), brown eyeshadow, and a great hairstylist with some type of ceramic-heated iron. If that's a wig, I can accept that since she looks too jaw-drawwwwpping to be true.

Pucker Up for a Tip: Use a lipstick brush to gain more control of the look. First, dip the brush into a red tube of lipstick and line the upper and bottom lips. Draw a v at the very center of the upper lip. Then choose either point on top of the "v" and slope the brush upward and then down and outwards for this classic heart-shaped, Hollywood lip. Fill in the middle of the lip area with small, firm brush strokes.

Also, Where to Get All the Bollywood Beauty Insider Secrets: My squeezable, great friend Gen has looped me into her obsession with Bollywood dance routines....and whaddayaknow? I Heart Makeup has tons of Bollywood makeup tips. This is a post about M.A.C. senior cosmetics artist Vimi Joshi who works a lot with young Bollywood stars!

Budget Beauty: Hard Candy Take Out Makeup Kit

Good things come in small packages! We're featuring this box o' tricks by Hard Candy because it is the only makeup kit with 6 glosses, 8 eyeshadows, and tiny trays of rose blush, bronzer and concealer for only $12.50. Oh yeah, and mascara and eye pencil. That's like less than fifty cents an item.

The Hard Candy Take Out Kit is also very "date"-friendly since it can fit into a small clutch purse. Glittery and yum!

Buy it: Hard Candy Take Out Makeup Kit, Sephora.

Ramblin' Eyeshadow Government Update: The Stay-cation and Ye Of Hard to Spell Name, Jake Gyllenhaal

I've been waiting for an excuse to use this new word so I can feel really cool, like "I just had a stay-cation." I've been much too busy to plan any stay-cation though. Does planning a stay-cation make you dumb?

Anyhoo, it's just plain hanging around the house with an air conditioner whispering in my ear for now. I am eventually going to have a KILLER stay-cation tho if the universe allows me my due. Luck is on my side. For example, wherever I go people are leaving perfectly decent paperbacks behind on the subway and on the sidewalk, and I've been bringing them home to read.

I would give you a beauty tip today, but it seems like the time of year to not bother about dressing up. Just be fabulous. Do whatever you want to do.

Celebrity sighting: A beautiful chow dog in fine spirits walking down Prospect Park West, near the F train, and like about two weeks ago, Jake Gyllenhaal stepping onto the train at the Bleecker stop. (Send me a chow chow!)

Getting More Upbeat: New York Magazine Look Book

New York magazine's Look Book "Best Friends" edition really cheered me up! Check it out here.
One of the women met their best friend in New York at the same place I did. Weird!

Christian Bale Is Gross

We don't always do celeb gossip, but we just had to get that off our chest. We hear Mr. Bale pushed his own mother and if it's true, he sucks, which is just very upsetting. An hour ago, TMZ dished about allegedly what he was like a few days before it went down:

"During a scene, Shane Hurlbut (seriously), director of cinematography, screwed up a shot -- at least in Christian's mind. We're told Bale went ballistic, screaming 'I will kick your ass' along with other choice remarks.

Maybe Bale needs to take a part as the Easter bunny in his next film. A little too much method acting playing the Terminator Quatro. :-( :-(

Chanel Iman at V Magazine and another Video of Storm Agency's "Hottest Male Models" (our favorite topic)

This is gosh darn gorgeous Chanel getting all dolled up:



Had to show you this second video since it's entertaining to watch male models hard at work splashing water off their glistening torsos, hanging on tire swings, and trying to look just ever so slightly anguished. The men don't say anything, kinda like bugs with chiseled stomachs. So awesome!

Review: ColorOn EyeEnvy Precious Metals Kit

If you want to wear a pile of eyeshadow, but don't really know how to go about spackling 500 layers of shiny eye makeup, then I guess this "will do the trick."

You throw the ColorOn sticker across your eyelid, and when you peel it off, your eyelids are covered in a sticky colored paste. After trying these out, ColorOn Precious Metals eyeshadow strips ended up being too intense for my taste. The final effect is very artificial, best left for a night out at the discothèque or, uh, Halloween. But maybe these just weren't well-designed for my "facial structure." Uh...


Government Grade: C-

P.S. If these doodads work better for ya, send a pic along with a list of your top beauty buys, and I'll post you on the website. E-mail eyeshadowgovernment [AT] gmail.com.

Banish My Drudgery! Coffee Talk About Vogue Magazine, Lava Lamps, and My Life

I've got too much time on my hands when I spend all day dressing up fancy. Between ironing our outfits from Paris, unearthing that perfect French lipstick, and ripping open the USPS package (my new silk lavender skirt) along with heaps of love letters, what else am I to do with myself? P.S., perhaps some exaggeration before that last comma.

RECENT GRIEVANCE REPORT: My new skirt that arrived in the mail has a lovely clustered grape pattern on it, which is kind of like eating a snack if you believe Vogue. On page 74 of the July issue, it says, "Think thin: Stave off hunger pangs just by picturing your last meal." Call me crazy, but if your hunger reaches a "pang," as in ouch, surely it's time to lunch, brunch, dine, or for chrissakes nibble.

MITIGATING FACTORS: Aren't Iman and Tyra and Chanel and Jourdan Dunn beautiful? Eyeshadow Governemnt does give Vogue props for its July article about discrimination against black models. Vogue's apt headline = "Is Fashion Racist?"
This was a thrilling read, so definitely check it out.

FURTHER EVIDENCE OF MY GENERAL MALAISE TODAY: Finding a Youtube video of a lava lamp accompanied by Edith Piaf doesn't help...

Fragrance To Like: Gap Body Coconut Tuberose Eau de Toilette

As someone who likes expensive perfume--okay very, very expensive perfume--I am surprised when I happen upon a fragrance without a frightfully high price tag.

In comes Gap Body Coconut Tuberose (Fleur de Coco) to tickle our fancy and delight.

The eau de toilette scent is extra-flirty, and the bottle is also quite pretty, as is the price ($28). We hope you agree.

Love it!

XO,
Charlotte







Buy it: Gap Body Coconut Tuberose Eau de Toilette ($28), Gap.

Happenings and a Special Introduction to CozyCot

Hey girlfriends,

In case you haven' t noticed, I've kind of been going on "overdrive" on the schmancy technology thing this past week. In terms of the right-hand column, the "beauty calendar" is a work in progress. Bigger news: Eyeshadow Government is officially on Facebook now, and you can even pick up your very own widget version of this blog to put on Facebook or Myspace or...wherever. The widget even has arrived inside this post!

Biggest news: I am thrilled that a beauty site CozyCot in Singapore invited us to join their community as a "Cotter." Eyeshadow Government has touched upon the women athletes in the Beijing Olympics. But joining CozyCot is a next step in participating in a global community of women, and an excellent opportunity to communicate your thoughts with women in Singapore. CozyCot's about beauty products, but you can write about whatever you want...they have a discussion board with different forums about careers, relationships, technology, and health. So we hope you'll chat it up and share ideas. The world just keeps on becoming more connected.

And to post Eyeshadow Government to Facebook or Myspace, click on the words "Get widget" at the bottom of this box!


Lipstick kisses,
Charlotte

Time to Get Out of My House

Feeling way cooped up and need to get away from my computer. But before I do, one more thing to share: Agatha Ruiz de la Prada has designed the cutest line of children's watches for around $12 a pop. Also in Agatha's children's line for the Spanish company Miquelrius, I found the Small Daisy Trolley Luggage which glows in the dark. (It's perfect for the 5-year-old jetsetter off to Barcelona or Martha's Vineyard.)

I think I'm going to order the watch from ShopMiquelrius.com and hope it fits.

Borghese Sample Sale Today in New York City

UPDATE

Borghese is holding a sample sale, with a whopping 50 to 75% discount off unused products, at 10 East 34th St on the 3rd Floor. That's right around the corner from the Empire State Building, NYC girlies. The sale runs today through Wednesday. (Note: Cash Only.)

Products Test-Driven This Week: Mineral Fusion Pressed Powder and Pangea Organics Calendula and Blood Orange Facial Cleanser

On Location: Whole Foods Whole Body Section
After questioning the a meaning of Mineral Fusion (TM) pressed base powder, and wearing it multiple times, I am now ready to give it the stamp of approval. Compared to Bare Escentuals I.D. mineral makeup, its texture is more "powdery" but still flattering. Unlike many other foundations, it doesn't contain terrible parabens or talc. I met a Whole Foods insider who was involved in creating the Mineral Fusion line, and she confided to me most of the other mineral makeup brands didn't meet Whole Foods' "standards." This makes me think Whole Foods is looking out for us! Or as Cher once said in Clueless: "You see how picky I am about my shoes and they only go on my feet."

Also, on the super A-list of beauty products is Pangea Organics Egyptian Calendula and Blood Orange Facial Cleanser. Yeah yeah, it earned a Redbook MVP beauty award. But this puppy works by combining disinfecting ingredients like lavender, calendula, and blood orange essential oils while moisturizing with coconut and jojoba seed oil. This really revived my skin and made us forget all about the sucky cleansers we ever met.


Buy it: Mineral Fusion Pressed Powder, Pangea Organics Egyptian Calendula and Blood Orange Facial Cleanser (about $24) , Whole Foods.

Don't Forget: Your Pom Pom Is a Weapon....

Eyeshadow Government can relate to these young Chinese dancers who are a little shy about their new routines. When I was a freshman in high school, I wanted to become a cheerleader (totally true!), until the lady running the meeting announced we would have to practice for around three hours a day. Being a geeky girl who studied all the time, that was a deal-breaker. But I never forgot my dream....

These young women are training "in an isolated camp one hour outside of Beijing" to... shake their pom poms for the Beijing Olympics. Click here to get the full scoop "Bring It On, Beijing Style" about their Olympics cheerleader training.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Warm Weather Foundation Advice

Eyeshadow Government's big piece of official beauty advice for July weather is "lighten up." You've got your buckets of thick liquid foundation, and we applaud you for your patriotism.

It's tough with all the mercury rising though. You don't want your makeup to melt like an orange creamsicle. (Sorry, had to show you this cute bottle nosed dolphin too!)

Anyhoo, here's a 2-step tip...1. After you wash your face, put on a matte foundation while your skin is wet. The water will thin out the formula of your makeup, making it sheerer and less sticky in hot weather. But when it dries, it might be slightly uneven. 2. Next, take a kabuki brush (dry or dipped in pressed powder) and use firm strokes to blend the makeup for a polished, even finish. Extra water will help you make a splash no matter the weather!

Product Pick: We use Clinique Superbalanced Foundation Makeup for this weather because it's oil-free and automatically reduces shininess.


Buy it: Clinique Superbalanced Makeup ($19.50), Sephora.

Happy Fourth of July

Fourth of July has been an all-out extravaganza so far, so I'm afraid my typing abilities may be waning. I've already brunched, sunned, dessert-ed (as in consumed delicious Italian pasticcioti), and now I'm dying to see fireworks!

Also, I stopped by Sustainable-NYC (145 Avenue A, New York, NY) which while "crunchy" was not "dirty" or too "hippie" to carry lots of great beauty products. I'm especially excited by Skinny Skinny Rose and Black Pepper soap ($9.50) and Organic Apoteke Body Oil with Sicilian orange oil. My arms are so soft like fireworks now! Well, maybe I'm mixing metaphors but you get the gist!

Have a wonderful holiday with your friends and family.


Also, for your viewing pleasure...

Sephora's new video: "How to Wear No Make-up Makeup"

Hi Gorgeous, Coffee or Tea?

Hey perfume junkies and caffeine-aholics,

1. Couture perfumer Mandy Aftel just announced the arrival of black tea absolute, which can be blended as a "base note" if you make your own perfumes, or I suppose worn alone if you just love the smell of tea. For perfume makers, Aftel's online store Aftelier.com is a superb resource.

2. "Don" caffeine in other ways! Double up by snagging Bare Escentuals Buzz Latte Lip Balm -- made with real coffee extract.



3. And you can start and end your day with tea times two. Wash up with Korres White Tea Fluid Gel Cleanser! This mild cleanser is excellent for normal, sensitive and oily skin prone to break-outs.

Buy it: Aftelier Black Tea Absolute ($30), Aftelier.com; Bare Escentuals Buzz Latte Lip Balm ($8) and Korres White Tea Cleanser ($21), Sephora.

Zoolander of the 19th Century

The last book I read was so disappointing that I had to wonder whether I shouldn't just slowly microwave by the light of the TV all summer. BUT THEN I started reading hella old-school Balzac's Cousin Bette. Monsieur Celestin Crevel was so the Derek Zoolander of the 1840's! For example:

• "Most men have some habitual position by which they fancy that they show to the best advantage the good points bestowed on them by nature. This attitude in Crevel consisted in crossing his arms like Napoleon, his head showing three-quarters face, and his eyes fixed on the horizon, as the painter has shown the Emperor in his portrait."

Here's Zoolander from a VH1 Appearance for you too:



Carry on! Although I'd love to talk about "makeup tricks" of the 1840s, Professor Paula Cohen of Drexel University says that "during the 19th century, makeup ostensibly disappeared from the Anglo-Saxon world. Queen Victoria was a dowdy, didactic monarch, the sort of woman who never wore makeup and so decided no one else should. A painted woman during this period became a synonym for a whore or (just as bad) an actress." That sucks.

Anyway....fast-forward to circa 1871 to a model called Alexa Wilding (great name!). The model-dressmaker Wilding rocked some tough lipstick when she showed up in "La Ghirlandata" by Dante Gabriel Rosetti. Lipstick is always a "must."

Wizard Kicked Outta School

I think this substitute teacher was fired for being a "wizard." Huh? :-)

Beauty Products That Rock

This summer, it's okay to wear heaps of makeup and eat ice cream every day. But if you want to pare down your look, these are some Eyeshadow Government-approved beauty finds that totally rock. Golden, shiny, rosy, and sun-friendly products help us pass the lazy summer days! :-)

Lips

1. For a minimalist summer look, ditch lipstick and try gloss instead. Tarte's Super Fruit™ Lipgloss Set works great if you like to carry a smaller purse in the evening. My fave is the Cherry and Dallas dual-ended gloss. It glazes lips with a gorgeous shimmer, and also arrives in a pint-sized tube.



Foundation

2. Personally, I live for VIP Expert By Terry Light-Expert Foundation Brush. At $48, the By Terry foundation brush is definitely the caviar of foundations, equipped with a built-in brush for smooth application. It's so good, you start to wonder...should this even be legal?


Cheeks

3. Laura Geller Blush-n-Brighten blush powder (try Berry or Sunswept) always appears very natural. Also, if you have never used Laura Geller products, they tend to be pretty "goof proof," which I like since I have clumsy mornings too.




Sun Protection

4. Shoot down nasty UV rays! Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock SPF 30 almost does that. The mild formulation of this sunblock works wonders for sensitive skin like mine.



Let's catch up soon! How are you spending your summer?

Buy it: Tarte's Super Fruit™ Lipgloss Set ($30), VIP Expert By Terry Light-Expert Foundation Brush ($48), Laura Geller Blush-n-Brighten Blush ($28), Sephora; Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock SPF 30 ($9), Target;

Pink Everything?

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Extreme Wear in Fuchsia Power is great for summer pedicures. I'm so relieved they haven't discontinued one of my fave nail polish colors.



But while searching for a matching pink telephone, the internet unveiled this hazardous object:

I'm not sure if the Southern Telecom Fur Phone is the worst thing or the best. It kind of reminds me of a gremlin who became obsessed with Marilyn Monroe. How terrible is this?

Buy it (if you dare): Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear ($2.59), Walgreens; Southern Telecom Fur Phone ($49), Target.

Charlotte Hits the Pavement

If you were as lucky as me, you spent yesterday traipsing miles through the blazing streets of New York. Since graduatin', I've been working as a freelance reporter for a big city newspaper. But how does a gal reporter survive a heat wave, only like 100 degrees, without the aid of a parasol?

1. Duh, Sunblock!
I had a spare can of Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist sunblock with SPF 45 and Helioplex (TM) broad spectrum sun protection. Upon quickly spraying the sunblock on my limbs, the product formed a thin veil, leaving me to fret about my soon-to-be-burnt flesh. Luckily, the "weightless, clean feel" is a clever ruse by the masterminds at Neutrogena to make people like me worry. After hours in the sun, my skin didn't get burned. For maximum protection, reapply frequently on a scorching hot day or try a higher number, like Ultra Sheer Neutrogena sunblock in SPF 70 or 85.

2. Drinking Gallons and Gallons
Really, water should have been sufficient and it's advisable to avoid sugar liquids. I did drink a Snapple and a cup of root beer though, on top of bottled water. Sorry!

3. Hug the Darkness
I like hugging puppies and boys with glasses. Yesterday, I hugged the long shadows cast by the city's skyscrapers. It reduced at least some of the time spent exposed to my enemy, nasty UVA/UVB rays.

Phew, mercy! Someone's gotta install a swimming pool in my backyard.

Gremlin-Colored Eyeshadow Trick!

Yoohoo girls,

It's only 94 degrees in Brooklyn today, a lot like being on the equator.
So if all the sunshine is making your skin cranky and red, this is a quick fix that I tried out today.

1. Put on moisturizer. 2. Next, I took my green Erth loose powder eyeshadow in Moss and dabbed it on the parts of my face that were a little too pink. 3. Then, I blended foundation over the green powder. 4. Joy! I was surprised how much it helped achieve a more even skin tone and reduced overall redness.

If you're more of a straight concealer gal, Physician's Formula and T. LeClerc also have some excellent green concealers. Just use it sparingly, so you don't end up looking too green around the gills.

What are your summer beauty secrets? Let me know!

XO,
Charlotte



Buy it: Erth loose powder eyeshadow in Moss ($5.25, Lushbrush.com).

Hodgepodge: San Francisco, Montreal, and London

Vanity Fair interviewed Bobbi Brown, who advises "Sometimes when you are stressed, a glass of red wine and some chocolate can be the best beauty regime." Click here to read the full interview.

For all those who are chilling in my hometown San Francisco, hipster clothing label Built by Wendy is having a spring sample sale with items up to 75% off. The sale begins tomorrow. The details: 3520 20th Street between Mission/Valencia, Friday and Saturday (both days, 11 am - 6pm), Sunday (12 pm - 8 pm), store # 415 824-1582.

Kate Moss has a new Starlight charity t-shirt she's selling through her line for Topshop. And I found these Topshop shoes by Paco Gil (see below) toooo irresistible.

The Gazette talks beauty with YSL makeup adviser Val Garland, who also does Kate Moss' makeup, backstage in Montreal.



New Yorkers have been a little resistant to this season's trend for red and pink lips, but not so in London. At the Jean Paul Gaultier party on June 4th and other London clubs, all types of party girls had brighter-than-thou lips.








(Photo source: www.dirtydancing.com, Alistair Alan)

Quirky Fashion

If you missed this last year, it's never ever too late to read the New York Times article, "Fearing Crime, Japanese Wear the Hiding Place." It's about a funny designer who made a dress that unfolds to look like a huge Coca Cola vending machine!!!! She believes it "could offer a woman walking alone a way to elude pursuers." Click here to see the outfit and the manhole purse. Throw it on the ground so no one steals your wallet. Obviously.

Confession Time: Nivea for Men Sensitive Extra Soothing Moisturizer

Happy Thursday!

Just checking in, and wanted to let you know I've got a new drugstore find. I got a little lost in Rite Aid [check out my map of Rite Aid below ;-) ], and bought Nivea for Men Sensitive Extra Soothing Moisturizer.

I feel quite embarrassed using boy's products. But my glamorous friends, don't cluck your tongue right off. I swear this one really works a charm for me. Let me know what you think! Will you write about it in your diary, haha?

XO,
Charlotte

Buy it: Nivea for Men Sensitive Extra Soothing Moisturizer ($6), Walgreen's and Rite Aid.

Marilyn Miller on YouTube - Very Galliano

Get into that time machine. A minute into this video, Marilyn Miller launches into a zippy flapper, tap dance routine! I'd like to be her.

Bobbi Brown Almost Bare Perfume and Dresses in Every Color

It takes a lot to get me to trill over a perfume, but I've really been appreciating my sample of Bobbi Brown's fragrance, Almost Bare. The perfume is a feminine, light bouquet. The blend of bergamot and jasmine notes are relaxing in mood, and never too girlish. This perfume is just right for a weekend, a June bridal shower, or even a nice lunch.
While we're at it, here are a few, cute lightweight numbers to hop around town in....

Dresses (from top left, clockwise): Oscar de la Renta Taffeta Embroidered Dress ($5,990, Net-a-porter), Vanessa Bruno Knot-Front Dress ($449, Net-a-porter), Lela Rose Taffeta Tank Dress ($625, Net-a-porter), Marni 'Fleur' print short sleeve dress ($975, www.marni.com) , Tiffany's Charm bracelet ($425 charm, $1,500 link clasp bracelet in 18K gold, Tiffany)

Air kisses,
Charlotte

Sex and the City Treasure Hunt

All the magazines have been singing, Hark Sex and the City! It took me a while to warm up to the show since it's become such a "thing." But I found out that Sarah Jessica Parker is pretty cool and old-fashioned in real life. Me too! Girlies you can laugh, but I prefer the modest cable TV version. And SJP and I have more than one thing in common.

1. I think we use the same tailor. He didn't speak much English, but I got the feeling that Miss Sarah Jessica Parker was, at least at one point in time, a customer. Her picture is hanging on the wall at the dry cleaning shop across the street from Tender Buttons on 143 E. 42nd St. (Bonus: Cross the street to buy neat enamel buttons from 19th century at Tender Buttons, and nosh on Spanish cheese from the gourmet shop next door!)


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2. Carrie and I go for drinks at the same hang-outs. On the TV show, the girls on Sex and the City go to The Coffee Shop in Union Square, which is coincidentally around the corner from my old job.



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3. I guess our similarities in lifestyle are running out since she's only, like, a millionaire....but our lives are not completely different. For example, SJP presented her clothing line Bitten last December over a private lunch at Indochine (430 Lafayette St). My new favorite drink is a prosecco-lychee cocktail which I get in Brooklyn. But Indochine serves a similar prosecco-passion fruit cocktail ($11). We're like two trains passing in the night. Sigh...

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Glamour Queens of the Day: The Marvelettes!

As a precursor to all this Sex and the City stuff, I thought it was high time to time warp to the Marvelettes and their eternal wisdom. They're way awesome at synchronized dancing and shaking tambourines too.

Diane von Furstenberg Photos Update: Love DVF's Authentic Vintage Collection

These are photos of the shoot I (and a group of other really awesome bloggers) directed. It's my first time delving this deep into the fashion world, but I credit my friends at Coutorture for dreaming up the idea.

We got to pick out dresses for the models at the DVF store downtown. The event was so much like the photo shoots you see on TV. The fashion photographer (mussed hair, sexy accent) said "beautiful" and "I love it" a lot, and every snapshot looked better than the next. This first yellow number is direct from DVF's vintage line. A Diane von Furstenberg team gal told me that the design is a true copy of one of Diane's earliest dresses.

To get the look, the makeup artist used Trish McEvoy 'Protective Shield' Moisturizing Tint SPF 15 for barely there coverage and Nars blush in Gina for a natural tangerine flush.

Buy it: DVF Vintage Yellow Wrap Dress, select DVF stores; $210 Provence Shoes in gold ($210); DVF Kalakaua Crochet Dress, sale price $270 at Saks Fifth Avenue online; Love Knot Necklace 18 karat gold ($7,600), select DVF stores. Makeup: Trish McEvoy 'Protective Shield' Moisturizing Tint SPF 15 ($40), Nordstrom, Nars blush Gina ($25), Sephora.

Sex and the City Movie Countdown

There reaches a point when idle "hype" becomes Truth. Youth is so impressionable after all, and thus...Eyeshadow Government is swept up by Sex and the City mania. The tide of articles, videos, television, and billboards has convinced me that the (splendid? trashy?) movie will be a great masterpiece of American cinema.

So three points:

1. Click to watch Vogue.TV's Behind the Scenes Sex and the City Cover Shoot right here.

2. Also, my SEXY SNEAK PREVIEW: I beg you to return next week to see my Carrie-inspired map of New York City.

3. Last but not least, if you're curious about that wild green hat SJP wore to the London premier, you can learn more about milliner Philip Treacy from this New York Times article ("I like things that exist for a moment, and that their moment is still attached to them").

Photo Credit: Sugar

A Penguin and a Beauty Tip

Skin Focus: Hydration

On most days of the week, I avoid all forms of gadgets since they just confuse me. Someone recently sent me a mascara that actually twirled itself, using an electric battery. Convinced I would poke myself in the eye with this contraption, it soon found a new home in my garbage bin (also where I store all my extra love letters!).

Anyhoo. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book Confessions of a Beauty Editor (written by the editor-ettes at Allure) recommends shopping for a humidifier to prevent flaky skin. Sure the last thing you need in Brooklyn is more humidity during the summer, but I thought those who spend these months in arid climates, maybe perched along a red canyon in Arizona, would be interested in this advice.

They say just stick the humidifier in your bedroom and let it whirl while you get your beauty zzzs. This Crane Penguin Cool Mist Humidifier is extra-sweet.

If you're sticking to the old-fashioned way, these are two moisturizers you might dig too.

Vitamin Enriched Face Base Bobbi Brown. This action-packed moisturizer, which has both shea butter with carrot extract inside, does marvels for the skin.


Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. Personally, I have always liked this moisturizer since middle school, and this is a touch more mild than Oil of Olay.


Buy it: Crane Penguin Cool Mist Humidifer ($35), Target; Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base ($47), Macy's and Barneys; Clinique Dramatically Different Lotion , Sephora.