Tom Ford and Topshop Delve Into Beauty

Tom Ford's lipstick line of 12 classic shades will launch June 1.  "I took the most universally flattering colors that a woman can wear, and then I reimagined them in a modern and authoritative way," says Tom to WWD. For a whopping $45.00 a tube (although I do love the ivory and gold casing), I think I'll steer clear of such "flattery" and save up for the Alexander McQueen handbag I've been eyeing.

In related news, Topshop has finally launched their highly anticipated makeup line. Makeup artist Hannah Murray collaborated with Topshop, and Topshop's in-house design team, led by Sarah Thorne designed the packaging, which happens to be very Alice + Olivia inspired with the black and white spots, smudges and stripes. Price for products range from $10 for a pencil to $30 for lashes. The range includes nail polishes, eye shadow duos, glazes and glosses, among other items.  This, I can't wait to try. The colors are a rainbow of sorbets, metalics and bolds.

 Everything a girl can want -- and then some! But is it worth the hype? Has anyone checked it out?

Katy Perry Faces Proactiv

Breaking Beauty News!

Proactiv hits the inter-web with a new and improved formula AND celebrity face... It is the same effective formula now enhanced with exclusive new micro-crystal benzoyl peroxide acne medicine designed to get acne fighting medicine into the pores fast, penetrating even clogged pores quickly.


Katy Perry will front the celeb-endorsed combination therapy acne treatment line. Mrs. Russell Brand battles the pimple? She must have some kick-ass air-brushers, her skin always looks flawless....

Can't wait to try the enhanced Proactiv... will you be trying it?

Jessica Stam As The Nina Ricci Cat

One of my besties, the gorgeous Jess Stam, shot a Nina Ricci commercial where she plays a seductive feline.

Have a look at the sexiness of the Ricci Ricci cat!



I hope the scent smells as good as the commercial looks... anyone here tried it?

CEW Winners 2009

Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) honored the most innovative beauty products of the year and dubbed their choices for best in the biz.


“Women don’t want to make buying mistakes. They’re looking for performance and value. With the CEW Beauty Awards, consumers have the advice of more than 4,000 beauty experts to lead them to the best products the industry has to offer,” says Carlotta Jacobson, CEW President.

Here are the winners:

BATH AND BODY

Body Treatment - Mass
Avon Products, Inc. Anew Clinical Professional Stretch Mark Smoother

Body Treatment - Prestige
Ojon Tawaka™ "The Ball"

Scented Bath & Body - Mass
Vickery & Clarke Natural Apothecary Eucalyptus & Peppermint Cold & Sinus Soak

Scented Bath & Body - Prestige
Fresh Fig Apricot Bath and Shower Gel


FACIAL SKINCARE

Acne Treatment
Clean & Clear® Advantage® Blackhead Eraser™ Exfoliating Cleanser

Anti-Aging - Mass
Olay Regenerist 14 Day Skin Intervention

Anti-Aging - Prestige
Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Corrector

Cleanser & Scrub - Mass
Neutrogena Wave™ Power Cleanser and Deep Clean Foaming Pads

Cleanser & Scrub - Prestige
Fresh Appleseed Brightening Exfoliant

Eye Treatment - Mass
Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller

Eye Treatment - Prestige
Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Eye Treatment

Moisturizer - Mass
Olay Definity Color Recapture

Moisturizer - Prestige
ESTÉE LAUDER Time Zone Line and Wrinkle Reducing Moisturizer SPF 15


HAIR

Hair Care, Style & Coloring - Mass
Avon Products, Inc. Advance Techniques Grey Root Touch-Up

Hair Care, Style & Coloring - Prestige
Living Proof, Inc. Straight Making No Frizz Styling Cream for Medium to Thick Hair


MAKEUP

Eye Product - Mass
L'Oréal Paris Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara

Eye Product - Prestige
Lancôme Ôscillation

Face Product - Mass
CoverGirl Simply Ageless Foundation

Face Product - Prestige
Giorgio Armani Face Fabric Foundation

Lip Product - Mass
Avon Products, Inc. Pro-To-Go Lipstick

Lip Product - Prestige
YSL Rouge Volupté Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick SPF 15


MEN’S GROOMING

Men’s Grooming
ZIRH Holdings LLC Drenched


SCENT

Men's Scent
PUIG USA Prada Infusion d'Homme Eau de Toilette Spray
Fragrance Supplier: GIVAUDAN

Women's Scent - Mass
Avon Products, Inc. Bond Girl 007
Fragrance Supplier: FIRMENICH

Women's Scent - Prestige
Harajuku Lovers Fragrances "G"
Fragrance Supplier: FRAGRANCE RESOURCES


SUN

Sun Product - Mass
AVEENO® Continuous Protection Sunblock Spray SPF 70™

Sun Product - Prestige
Clarins Delicious Self Tanning Cream


*It looks like Oil of Olay and Avon are the favorites among mass brands... not a huge fan of Avon (although maybe I should give the products another try) but I do love the Olay Complete All Day Moisture Lotion with SPF 15. Works wonders on oily skin.

As a side note, why is everyone obsessed with Armani foundation? I have it and I've gotta be honest, I'd take my Make Up For Ever HD Foundation over Armani any day of the week.

What do YOU think of the winners?
Any product on here that you LOVE OR HATE?

Q & A With Christian Lacroix

Uber- fahsion designer, Christian Lacroix, teams up with Avon to launch their newest collaborative fragrance, Absynthe, inspired by the green fairy (duh).

Here, Christian dishes to Avon on the process, the fragrance and the smell...


Why did you choose to collaborate with Avon on this fragrance?
We both create products that help make a woman feel her best. Working with Avon on Rouge and Noir was a rewarding experience. Rouge and Noir were two of Avon’s most successful global launches, so pursuing the creation of Absynthe seemed like the perfect next step in our partnership. Developing Absynthe with Avon has been a gratifying experience creatively and I continue to be impressed with the depth and reach of this brand.

What was your role in developing the fragrance?
I love these new scents; they are fragrances I truly believe in. I need to feel a part of everything we create together, so I worked very closely with Avon to develop two new fragrances that really spoke to me and my designs.

What excites you about creating a fragrance?
Creating a fragrance is very personal—something that shares one’s fantasies and loves with the world. It is a wonderful feeling to see a man or woman exude confidence and sex appeal when wearing a scent that I have created. When creating my runway collections, I love to clothes to exude extravagance, luxuriance, and bright colors. It is no different when I create my fragrances.

How did you come to name the fragrance Absynthe?
The color chartreuse, a brilliant shade of bright green, is such an inspiration to me. Also, as the trademark color of the historic potion, absinthe, the shade has a very special connection to my new fragrances. Everything about the shade is captivating – it exudes fantasy and awakens the senses. Chartreuse is the most visible color to the human eye and paired with the mysterious edge of absinthe, we’ve created a new form of escapism in a bottle: Absynthe. From my very first runway collection to my newest fragrances, I highlight eccentricity in opposition to the minimalism with an explosion of colors, the chance to be fully free in my designs and to create totally unique pieces.

Absinthe has a long and controversial history, why did you choose to work with that concept?
Being a European, the history of the potion has been a story that has intrigued me since I was a little boy. Absinthe, called “the green fairy” lured people for centuries into a world of mystery. When I think of Abysnthe, I think of the beautiful mythical fairy. She mixes a mysterious potion that captures the attention of everyone around her and that only she knows the recipe for – it is both magical and mysterious. And it is somewhat dangerous, but incredibly inviting.

Absinthe was a phenomenon among Europeans in the 19th century and I wanted to create my own enticing phenomenon for my customers. It’s such an intoxicating, intriguing tradition, and I loved the idea of developing my own scent to bring that history to life.

What does Absynthe mean or say about you?
In keeping with my own design aesthetic, it uniquely combines a historical element of my European culture with a luxurious, modern sensibility.

How do these fragrances make you feel?
Mysterious is definitely the first word that comes to mind. The scents are also very sexy, but in a subtle, enticing way. Absynthe is alluring and inviting, but at the same time a little bit coy.

What do the fragrances smell like?
Absynthe for Her is a mysterious potion of sexy florals and rich woods inspired by the magic of absinthe. Top notes of absinthe extract, golden freesia and green anise mingle with mid notes of orchid, saffron and narcissus nectar. A smoky drydown of antique wood, ebony musk, myrrh and amber adds mystery to the oriental fragrance.

What type of woman do you envision wearing Absynthe for Her?
I’ve always believed that the fragrance a woman wears is an extension of her inner essence. When she selects a scent to wear, she recognizes its power to create a memory of her and to intrigue everyone around her. Absynthe for Her is for the woman who is beautiful, whimsical and mysterious in the most seductive manner. She leaves you wanting more.

What inspired the packaging?
With all of my designs, I love to use exquisite colors, embroideries, rich fabrics and motifs to translate my optimistic vision of life. The design on Absynthe’s packaging stems from a bull-fighting cape that I received as a gift and inspired me to create a couture gown years ago. I was so fascinated by the cape’s intricate pattern that I integrated part of the pattern for Noir and Rouge. Now I’ve modified that design for Absynthe so there is still a connection between my fragrances design and aesthetic. The bottle itself is beautiful as well. I love every fragrance to be distinctive in color. While Rouge and Noir were red and black, Absynthe for Her is packaged in a captivating chartreuse and Absynthe for Him in a masculine hunter green.

Demi Moore For Helena Rubenstein

I was on twitter (my new obsession) when I noticed that Demi Moore (a.k.a. MrsKutcher) is on too. Naturally, I opted to "follow" her and the coolest thing is that she actually updates her account constantly... herself! It makes you feel like you're a great friend, texting with your great friend to see how her day is going. It's such an awesome form of (faux) communication!

Anyway, she's been shooting the Helena Rubenstein campaign (skin care company) and documenting the process. She writes that she'll be working on the campaign for 2 days with Mert and Marcus and calls them "amazing photographers."

She then sends a pic of herself in prep:


And here's a pic from the actual shoot:


It should be illegal how gorgeous Demi is - this pic is definitely not photo shopped, taken from a camera phone, and she looks phenomenal! Not a day over 25!

Demi did the Helena Rubenstein campaign last year as well. Here's that ad:


This takes staying connected with the fans to an entirely new level...

Anyway, twitter is the SHIT! Interesting news, fun gossip, even beauty info!

If you tweet, follow me!

Beauty Banter: http://twitter.com/beautybanter
Personal: http://twitter.com/sarahrhoward

Tweet, Tweet!

YSL Perfume Bottle Makes Over 11 Million Dollars!

This story is brought to you by my French father...

"As you well know Yves St Laurent (pictured)and partner Pierre Berge's personal effects were sold yesterday in a Paris auction (733-piece art collection).

There is a person by the name of Marcel Duchamp who in 1921 designed a bottle of parfum by the name of Belle Haleine eau de toilette - the bottle of parfum is 6 1/2 inch by 4 3/8 inches. It was auctioned yesterday in Paris for $11,236,407.00 - can you believe that?!

The best part of the whole story is that Marcel Duchamp was an artist who was also responsible for creating the urinals all over the world!"

Christie's, the auction house selling the belongings is calling this the sale of the century (despite our global economic crisis). In the first of three days, the house brought it $262 million dollars!

My father goes on to say:

"Your readers should go and find their grandparent's old parfume and cologne bottles and perhaps they will get rich from them in years to come."

So, ladies, search the attacks, the cupboards, even the storage units. An old bottle of perfume may just be your winning lottery ticket!

Or you can start now by collecting perfume bottles and saving them for your great-great grandchildren. See, beauty is art!

If there was one bottle of perfume that you deem a work of art, what would it be? I'm thinking the Andy Warhol Bond No. 9 bottles... they're pretty gorge!

The Byron and Tracey Salon

Last night, I attended the grand opening of the new Byron and Tracey Salon (located in the old Byron Williams Salon in the BH).

Hair maven Byron Williams (responsible for the manes of Nicole Richie, Mischa Barton and Kirsten Dunst) and colorist Tracey Cunningham (who works her color magic on celebs like Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz and Molly Sims) have come together to open a joint salon.

This is BIG news. The combined star power between these 2 hair stylists is like the Academy Awards, Golden Globes AND Emmys all wrapped into one telecast. In fact, they probably tend to the tresses of at least half of the starlets attending the award shows!

Rachel Zoe hosted the shindig and some of Byron and Tracey's most loyal clients came for support. Among them, Nicole Richie, Jenny McCarthy, Tori Spelling and Nicky Hilton...

And, yes, everyone's hair looked fab!

Scarlett Johansson for Dolce & Gabbana Make Up

Yes, you read correctly. Dolce & Gabbana is launching a cosmetics line (following in the footsteps of Calvin Klein and Armani). And yes, ScarJo will be the face!

Celeb makeup artist Pat McGrath offered her expertise for the line (so you know it'll be fab!). Stefano Gabbana told WWD that the lipsticks will be scented rose... "We wanted to create makeup with a scent. Domenico and I remember when we were children and opened our mother’s handbags — the scent of her lipstick trailed out. I observed that when women open makeup, they smell it first."

I totally smell my lippies!

The campaign was shot by Solve Sundsbo and is inspired by beauty icon Marilyn Monroe... and people.com has a sneak peak!!!!

Click here to view the first pics of Scarlett channeling Marylin!

What do YOU think???

Beauty From Around The World

Did anyone watch yesterday's Oprah? It was an interesting look into what other cultures deem to be beautiful.

Here are some highlights:

JAPAN: They are obsessed with pencil straight hair (no surprise here as the straightening technique used in many salons in the states is called the "Japanese Straightener"). They drink collagen and eat collagen infused foods as a way to promote healthy, poreless, youthful skin (we inject collagen into our faces for the same effect). They have a facial made from bird feces that is meant to keep skin youthful and radiant (Ummm...).

INDIA: They have a religious practice where the woman shave their heads and sacrifice this hair to God (this is considered spiritual and beautiful). In reality, the hair is shipped off to the states where we use it as very expensive hair extensions! The women of India are also known for their at-home beauty secrets... like mixing turmeric, lemon and honey for a glowing complexion!

BRAZIL: Plastic surgery is not only accepted, it is a way of life. You can actually pay for the surgery in installments - like layaway!

IRAN: The nose-job capital of the world. Iranian woman consider a nose job to be a status symbol, actually roaming the streets with post-op bandages.

MAURITANIA: Big bodies (and booties) are in! Thick ankles and plump arms are not only considered sexy, they are extremely desirable - stretch marks and all!

I guess what they say is true... Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

P.S. I was just in El Salvador last weekend for a wedding, and I received a blow out and curls for $12.00!!! AND it actually looked great.

No frizz or flyaways!

Has anyone had their hair tended to for less than $12.00!!! Let us know!

Live! On Sunset

A really unique, new store opened up on the Sunset Strip in the famed Tower Records building. It's more of a shopping experience, really, rather than an actual shop. As the marque suggest, Live! On Sunset is, well, live. Everything that happens in the store is streamed onto the internet for a truly virtual experience. So, even if you don't live in LA, you can log on and tune in to the store's site and either shop or simply people watch - all in real-time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (genius for all of you online shopping addicts).

Even cooler, the sales associates aren't merely there to make a commission, they are actually stylists who act as consultants creating multi-media content that is then broadcast (live) online. Sort of like your very own internet personal shopper.

The 8,000 square foot store is modeled after a sound stage (when in Hollywood...) with an open floor plan and movable fixtures that are constantly changing with the fashion. It's really like mini boutiques within the building. They have Kitson, The Way We Wore (amazing vintage!), Sportie LA, Dylan's Candy Bar (yes, the NYC candy emporium), Taschen, and, my personal favorite, Studio Apothecary (from Fred Segal). There's also a Buddha Bar replica, complete with those infamous Buddha Bar mixed CD's.

The Studio Apothecary section is complete madness - a beauty whore's heaven on earth! Candles, fragrances, lotions and potions occupy the shelves and fill the jars. It's mildly overwhelming but completely exhilarating!


Some of the beauty lines include Korres (their guava body butter is an all-time favorite), Voluspa, Rosebud, Creme Pour Les Mains, Mor, Marvis Toothepaste (amazing!) and Sud Pacifique.



Naturally, I attended the editor's launch, eager to see if the gift bag was a must or bust... and thankfully, it did not disappoint!

Here's a list of the swag:
Voluspa Pink Fatale Candle
Creme Pour Les Mains Extra Pure Orange
Savon Extra Pure Fresh Verbana Soap
Rosebud Lip Balm in Strawberry
Dylan's Candy Bar - Chocolate Hazelnut
Top Shop Ivory and Gold Ornate Flower Ring
Joie Cotton Heather Grey Scarf
DIS-missals Book of Blank Rejection Letters (hilarious!)
Buddha Bar Volume III CD
Gift Certificate to the Store (YAY!)

Anything you want - from jewelry to jeans to hand cream - is literally a click of your mouse away. This place epitomizes the "one-stop-shop."

To log in and begin your virtual shopping experience, click here.

Madonna's Hair Stylist Opens His Own L.A. Salon!!!

Andy Lecompte, the man responsible for the fabulous manes of such celebrities as Madonna, Penelope Cruz and Lindsay Lohan, has opened his very own West Hollywood Salon, Andy Lecompte Salon.

(Andy's handy work on the cover of Elle Magazine)

Andy worked at another famous Beverly Hills salon, Chris McMillan, up until last week. On Tuesday, The Andy Lecompte Salon opened its doors to the neighborhood.

Our personal favorite hair maven, Jen Atkin, also made the move! We can't wait to check out the new boutique salon!

Here's a sneak peak:


Very New York loft meets West Hollywood chic! Tres gorgeous!

Max Factor's New Face Is...

Supermodel and trophy girlfriend to hotness Tom Brady, Giselle Bundchen!!!

The ColorGenius Face Collection campaign will start running in 2009 but the pic above is a sneak peek at the ad! **source** Giselle replaces Carmen Electra after her 3 year deal with cosmetic company.

Is Giselle a better choice? We think, yessssss! She's the sexxxiest (with the sickest bod and cutest boyf!).

You decide~~~



We think that Giselle looks absolutely gorge in this ad... angelic... like an angel - oh wait! She is an angel - a Victoria's Secret angel!

We've never really been a fan of the Max Factor color line but we are a HUGE fan of Giselle... so, maybe it's time to reconsider the products??? Hmmm...

Have a favorite Max Factor product? Let us know! We want to try it!

Kate Hudson - Hair Spokeschick

This is really "interesting" (and not in an educational sort-of-way) to me...

Kate Hudson has teamed up with Hairstylist David Babaii to create haircare line, David Babaii for WildAid, "an innovative new brand of professional haircare products and styling tools, with a percentage of the revenue from the line to benefit the global wildlife conservation organization WildAid."

We love a company that gives back and all but, Kate Hudson - hair guru - Really?!


Uhhhh... nice hair... NOT! We kid, we kid - not about the hair in this particular picture - but we're well aware that even celebrities have bad hair days and Kate happens to have gorgeous blonde curls!



Muchhhhh BETTER! Now this is hair hotness... and if the David Babaii for WildAid products created the above masterpiece, we're game!

The products actually sound pretty enticing (and exotic): Volumizing vocanic ash. Rich Cupucacu butter. Blue Algae. Wild Orchid. Kiwi. Mango. Jojoba seed. Dead Sea Salt.

Yes, we definitely need to test this line!!! Click HERE to peruse through the product list!

To learn more about the WildAid Organization, click HERE.

Celeb News and Reviews

***Kate Moss launches KATE fragrance... As for her newly resurrected relationship with coco face, Pete Doherty, well, we are appalled (and actually may not even buy the perfume just so that we do not put drug money into her already over-abundant pocket!)

***Lancome Cosmetics has teamed with Rag & Bone designers to create the Carbon Free T-shirts that retail for a whopping $50.00! All proceeds will go to carbonfund.org. Parisian super store, Colette, will sell the limited edition tee's. Lancome spokes-chick, Shalom Harlow (you remember the 90's supermodel) models. (Girl on the far right of the pic is Isabella Rossellini's daughter... she's cute! We likey...)

***Hero's star, Ali Larter has decided to go "real" for the Emmy's (in conjunction with Dove Hair Care that will follow her journey). In other words, Dove Hair Care is giving her a shitload of money to pretend to do her own hair so that real people will look at her and be like, she's so pretty... I want hair like that too." Then go out and buy the Dove products! (I've tried them--- they're good and affordable but it's not like they make your hair curl when it's straight...)


Have a piece of juicy celeb beauty-related news? Tell us and we'll post it! Email, beautybanter@gmail.com