Hair from the Glossies - My Sassoon Makeover

Thanks to Style Coalition, I was invited to the Sassoon Salon Uptown to partake in the Fall beauty event. The Sassoon Salon is brightly lit and well mirrored with stark white shiny tiles and walls contrasted by black leather chairs and counters. After being greeted with a glass  of prosecco at the door, I find my fellow bloggers at the back of the salon snacking on light bites and chatting excitedly as we caught up. We wait to get our "before" pictures taken to contrast against our soon to be polished looks.

Soon after, I have my make-up touched up by Karim Orange, a make-up artist who uses  Au Naturale, a line of organic, non-toxic, cruelty-free cosmetics. She uses a cream concealer to create a flawless complexion before giving me a light dusting of eyeshadow for a look that is natural but makes me feel pretty.

After a touch up a wonderful gentleman named Rob gave me a shampoo and treatment called "Shine". Rob was super considerate asking me of the water temperature was fine and even if I was okay with a good scrub. I have to say it feels really nice to have someone else wash your hair.  He offered me a beverage and an opportunity to recline after he applied the treatment which was in a mini spray format. The treatment which lasts anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks is supposed to work like instant gratification for the hair. It smells pleasant enough on my shampooed head and the longer it sits in, the better my result are supposed to be. A while later after the treatment is washed out, I am paired up with a Stylist named Lei who is adorable and decked out in a cute mint colored outfit and kelly green pumps. 

At the hair station, I notice that unlike traditional salons, there are full body mirrors allow you see how your hairstyle will while it's in progress. Lei asks me a few questions about how I feel about my hair, my lifestyle and what I have in mind. I tell her truthfully that while I love a good haircut, I don't spend more than 5 minutes doing my hair and on most days, even less time. I tell her that I've had hair of all lengths so I'm not afraid to lose any length. I haven't had a haircut in about a year and my hair is long and healthy but not really doing much for me. I don't know what to expect but I have an excitement boiling up inside me for change. Lei tells me she wants to give me more volume and says, "Something a little like this", while gesturing to a picture of a bob. Since, I'm feeling open, I tell her that I trust her to know my hair type and what would suit me best. So she quickly separates my hair into wet sections and cuts it piece by piece and I see a hairstyle begin to emerge.

Lei gives me tips for how to blow dry my hair as she dries it at the roots agains the natural direction of growth and she flat irons my hair before coming in with her discerning eye and gentle touch. She quickly snips away any strays and creates the perfect line. And although I didn't tell her much, I feel like Lei knew intuitively the hairstyle that I wanted deep inside.

Before too long a wave of nostalgia comes over me. When I was young, and I looked at fashion magazines I remember looking at Vidal Sassoon ads with models with perfectly sleek glossy bobs and thinking that that was the epitome of stylish hair. Along the way, as many haircuts and attempts at angled bobs I've experienced, I don't think my hair ever felt as glossy as those magazine pages. Thanks to Lei and the Sassoon team, the angled bob of my teenage dreams has become my own. I can't help but smile and feel like a million bucks. While long hair is pretty, short hair feels stylish!

Sassoon Salon Uptown, 7 West 56th Street, New York, New York 10019
Sassoon Salon Downtown, 32 West 18th Street, New York, New York 10011

*All photos courtesy of Natalie Poette

In Full Bloom with Jane Iredale

A few days ago I had the opportunity to stop by Floristy in Chelsea for a flower arrangement class thanks the the lovely folks at Jane Iredale. We were also celebrating the launch of PureMoist lipsticks which come in 24 shades. The lipsticks are designed with keeping your kisser supple thanks to the natural ingredients such as sunflower oil and vitamin E.

While the class was brief I learned some important lessons about creating a hand tied bouquet from the instructor/owner of Floristy. He recommended choosing a front to the bouquet and making it look visually appealing from 80% of the angles. This makes sense since you tend to see arrangements mostly from one side.

I chose a focal point with a full Hydrangea stem and built my bouquet around it. I also learned that in order to give a bouquet a more modern feel, I should color block my flowers by placing like colors together. For my bouquet I grouped the dalhias, cockscomb and roses and I arranged the unique flowers like fiddlehead in mid-bouquet to make sure they got noticed. Finally I filled in with astralagus and framed my arrangement using an umbrella fern for a cascading finish.

While munching on artful veggies and sipping on Prosecco I completed a bouquet to be proud of! Lush, fresh and full of color the flowers made a great pairing with the Jane Iredale PureMoist lipstick. I got to take home a goodie bag of complimentary shades and liner to try for myself. 

The lipstick smells faintly of raspberries and has a wonderful velvety texture as it goes over your lips even if they are a little on the dry side. It is smooth and has a light sheen through it and doesn't crease up in your lip crevices. The product is packaged in a skinny matte gold tube with angled tip that serves for precise application even without lipliner. However if you do use lipliner there is a chance to play the colors and expand the range of each lipstick! Pretty awesome! The lipsticks so far have been pretty great and feel great on. I get dry lips especially at this time of year and usually avoid lipstick, glad that I can wear some color. My personal favorite is Margi a matte red that I can't help but wear often. In fact I am wearing right now!

Nail Artist: AstroWifey

Photo courtesy of AstroWifey

Last week I was in the Dominican Republic for a wedding.  The Sunday before my trip, I ventured to Jefferson Park to visit manicurist and nail artist AstroWifey for festive "no chip" manicure.

I came to AstroWifey with a few ideas in mind, and I could not be more pleased with how she brought the "his & her" theme to life.  It may be a bit hard to tell from these pictures, but she even drew different style eyeglasses.  Yes, she hand painted each of those designs!  Amazing right?

This manicure has been one of the best manicures of my life.  It's been 10 days and I literally have just one chip, and this is after a hell of a lot of activity - traveling, carrying DJ equipment, swimming, playing in sand, zip lining, horseback riding, and biking.  AstroWifey uses CND Shellac.  You may remember Erin's writeup about it awhile back.  The shine really does hold up!  And CND has some new powders, so your manicurist can custom make colors like this bright orange by AstroWifey.

I had such a great experience and her prices are very reasonable.  I highly recommend it!  It can be a bit of a trek from the east side, but if you live off the blue line, it's actually super easy to get there.  To view her price list and book an appointment, visit her page on StyleSeat.

Buy: NCLA Nail Polish

Last month I had a chance to try out and review NCLA nail wraps.  With the fashion forward designs that are easy to use and don’t dry out, NCLA nail wraps are an easy affordable way to make a big statement.

As of today, NCLA is expanding into a brand new nail polish that not only features amazing colors but are guaranteed to be 5 Free - No harmful carcinogens such as DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde or Camphor. Plus nothing is tested on animals!  Way to go  NCLA for raising the bar in health while still pumping out beautiful colors in super cute and clean looking rectangular bottles.

The colors are all inspired by all things LA and I have to admit that I was completely enamored by pretty much the entire collection.  From the bright purple to Pick me Up at Melrose Place to the bronze tone Bel Air Trophy Wife to the serene blue of Santa Monica Shore Thing I was hooked.  Also for an unexpected modern color - light grey concrete Downtown Dollface is pretty perfect.  I also loved Hollywood Hills Hot Number’s chunky glitter look that will add plenty of fun-fetti over any color or a bold statement after several coats on it’s own.

Each bottle will be retailing for $16 a pop at select fine retailers.  Check out ShopNCLA.com for more info.

Sephora Friends & Family 2011

Every year I wait until this time of year to stock up on my beauty products at 20% off.  Sephora Friends and Family is back and if you have not been so fortunate to get a code from a store associate fear not.  You can get your very own code online at SephoraLove.com/FriendsandFamily.  So what will you be picking up?  Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, Make Up Forever Fluo Night Pigment and Nails Inc Magnetic Nail Polish is on my list.

Special thanks to my girl TC for the tip.

Wear It Now: Empress by Sean John

So lately the world of celebrity seems to have infiltrated every crevice of our society. From the clothes on our backs, the music we hear, movies we watch to the scents that we wear. And while few have made it into the clothing industry with success the fragrance industry is one where I think that makes a lot more sense.  Sean “Diddy” Combs is one of the few players that seems to have transitioned seamlessly from music to becoming a lifestyle brand.  Following the success of his number-one selling men’s fragrance, I Am King, he decided to introduce a female counterpart.  Honestly I was a little skeptical about trying out this perfume but soon changed my mind.

According to the press release, EMPRESS is “made for the modern woman – this fragrance represents female royalty and feminine strength. EMPRESS is a woman’s secret weapon allowing her to rule over her domain. She is more powerful than a king; she is EMPRESS”.   I’m sure that idea behind the scent will resonate with most modern women.  Everyone desires power in some form and the fragrance offers the promise of an invisible sense of power, confidence and control.

As for the scent itself, it’s a great summer fragrance. It smells light, crisp and fresh as summer itself! I actually tested it out on several ladies at my office and found that although it had slightly different reactions to all of our body chemistries, the end result was universally good.  Even on my friend who cannot wear most perfumes because they can become overpowering found this to be subtly sweet and gentle.  The scent makes me think of going for a cocktail on a rooftop patio.

A blast of citrus hits you immediately thanks to the top notes of Key Lime Pie and Mandarin Imperial while at the heart of the fragrance is the sweet and feminine scent of Starfruit and Imperial French Berry.  The result is both sweet and tart.  Subtle hits of caramel and vanilla keep this feeling warm, relaxed and comfortable.  While I wouldn’t expect all of these scents to work together, they somehow balance to create something rather unique. 

I also love the design of the multi-faceted bottle and lid that are both simple and elegant.  Prices start at $38 for a body cream, $57 for 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum and $74 for a 3.4 oz Eau de Parfum.  EMPRESS debuted this August 2011 at Macy’s department stores nationwide.

Wear: BITE Beauty

A few weeks ago I was introduced to a recently launched beauty brand – BITE Beauty. It’s a collection of products that focus on the lips combining anti-aging antioxidants with natural and food grade ingredients.

The tagline caught my attention: “…Beauty for Lips That’s Good Enough to Eat” because the average woman will consume over 6 pounds of lip product over her lifetime. On a daily basis, intentionally or not, lips will be licked, or touched throughout the day as you eat or drink. Chemical based products like polybutenes and petroleum byproducts are replaced by organic shea and fruit butters and pigments are food grade and naturally derived. Since in the cosmetics industry, many lip pigments especially in the red category contain lead – food grade pigments become even more appealing.

If you think about it, women use anti-aging products on their skin and around the eyes, but the lips are not usually treated with as much care. As women age the skin around the lips unfortunately begins to lose it’s plumpness and lines begin to set in. BITE Beauty contains Red Wine Resveratrol that is a powerful antioxidant that assists the body to fight against free-radicals and helps to reduce wrinkle and prevent the appearance of fine lines while essential oils provide hydration. Each tube of lipstick packs the equivalent amount of Resveratrol found in 5 glasses of red wine.

I had the chance to test some of these products out firsthand and here’s what I thought about them:

Luminous Crème Lipstick – The lipstick comes in 24 shades and I got to test out Zin – a muted berry shade. First off I was very attracted to the packaging of this product in particular. The matte charcoal slightly bullet shape reflects the shape of the lipstick itself and it is simple and functional. As for the lipstick itself – it goes on velvety smooth and gives me a natural color that creates a sexy berry stained look. It’s not at all sticky and has a slight sweet taste. The color somehow seems to exude a sense of naturalness that makes the beauty of my lips shine through. Though the color is not particularly shimmery, there is a soft sheen to my lips as if I just applied lip balm. My lips feel as moist as if I had just applied a lip balm too.

High Pigment Pencil – If you are into matte lip shades then this is definitely the product for you. Coming in 6 long wearing shades the packaging kind of looks like a fat lip liner pencil. The application is super easy and the product glides over lips easily providing liner and lipstick in one. The best part is that the color twists up so you never have to sharpen it. I tried the Honey Berry which is a great nude shade. The feeling on the lips is very light, non sticky and although it has a dryer look it doesn’t feel dry.

Lip Shine - While this product doesn’t appear to be too different from most lip gloss products out their in terms of packaging – the wand is slightly different in that it is angled for a more precise application. I tried the Melon shade which is a summery pink tone and it gave my lips a high shine look that is moisture rich and surprisingly natural. It you want lots of shine and a subtle hit of color Lip Shine delivers. The product sort of sits on your lips and lasts long while making your lips look juicy.

Lip Rouge – This product is actually a 2-in-1 lip color and blush. The slick little matte compact slips easily in my purse and the large mirror inside the lid is super useful. This product is firmer than the other products and a little color goes a long way. I tried the blush color that is a bright raspberry pink. Lip Rouge is a buildable color that can create a light stain effect or a more intense look with additional application. The color is matte and the feel is like almost nothing is on your lips. My favorite use for this product though is as a super natural cheek stain. Just the smallest dab creates just the right amount of flush that lasts all day.

SPF 15 Sheer Balms – If you want a slight tint of color, slight luster, the feeling of lip balm and the protection of sunscreen the Sheer Balms encompass all of that. It comes in a simple black tube that is very non-descript save for a tiny BITE logo on one end. It goes on light and gives a faint hardly wearing any product feel of lip balm. The color is semi-sheer so your actual lips shine through.

Vitamin Gel – I actually found the packaging of this product to be my least favorite as the product shows through but doesn’t look particularly attractive. If the tube was improved I think that my like of this product would probably turn to love. The product itself though is the tastiest of the entire collection and lends a glossy shine look on top of color or just on it’s own. The product itself does not change the color of your lips but contains the benefits of micronized multivitamins. While this product is not sticky it has a thicker slippery feel than some of the other products. Almost like you applied Vaseline to your lips without the petroleum. I tried the Pineapple flavor that is reminiscent of Asian candy.

Superfruit Butter – This product could be used by both men and women. It goes on without shine or shimmer and gives an incredibly light, feeling that feels thin yet protective. This is also another of the firmer products that apply in a super thin coat that spreads when it warms against the skin. It’s a super concentrated blend of fruit butters that can be used not only on the lips but actually also works great to moisturize nails and cuticles too. Since it is called Superfruit Butter I think I was expecting this product to have a great taste but this product has virtually no taste. The product contains subtle flecks that are pieces of actual fruit but none of the pieces are actually big enough to really be detected when applied The fruits used are in accordance to the 4 flavors – Acai, blueberry, Cranberry or Pomegranate that are super anti-oxidant rich. What can I say but I love multi-purpose products that work.

I love that BITE Beauty is indeed good enough to eat. The way they make my lips feel and look is great. While it was hard to narrow down I think that my absolute faves are the Superfruit Butter, the High Pigment Pencil and the Lip Rouge. BITE Beauty is available at Sephora in stores and online. Products range from $18 to $24.

The Phyto Universe Experience

A couple weeks ago I was invited to visit Phyto Universe in the for a complimentary hair treatment. To be perfectly honest it was my first such experience and I really didn’t know what to expect. I was told the appointment would take approximately 90 minutes and I couldn’t even imagine what would involved in that time frame. Generally speaking I am quite low maintenance about my hair and spend probably under 5 minutes styling it each day. I know that I probably should spend more time on my hair because it frames the face. A great head of hair can add a bounce in your step and make you feel confident and beautiful. For a woman, hair can be your crown of glory or your most often battle foe.

Upon my arrival to the spa I instantly felt transported from the bustling streets of Manhattan to an instant oasis of calm. The 3000 square foot vertical garden instantly caught my attention and invited me to leave my daily troubles behind. I learn that Phyto distinguishes itself from other hair care lines by not just caring for hair but as a treatment for hair and scalp to rebalance the scalp and hair ecosystem and stimulate micro-circulation, regulate sebum production and rejuvenate hair. In total over 700 plants are found in Phyto’s formulas and at the Phyto Universe you are given access to all of them – the full range of product is available in one location.

After a quick change into a robe, I am invited to sit down for a scalp analysis. I’ve had one done before during The Royal Treatment event at Style Coalition Lounge, so I was prepared for the worst. Your scalp is magnified by 200xs to reveal the real condition of your scalp and hair from root to tip.

My analysis revealed product build up at the root, an oily scalp with dry patches and very dry ends. I am led to a semi-private cabin and given a seat while a tray full of almost medicinal products is set up. The appearance if not for the soft towel would be almost clinical as I receive an education in caring for my hair.

The first step of caring for your hair? Exfoliation. Using a large paddle brush my scalp is carefully brushed for a couple minutes. My technician Ronald recommends focusing on the scalp and not the ends and doing this every time before washing your hair. His reasoning is that it readies your body for a shower, exfoliates and re-distributes the natural oils. Plus since hair is dry, it’s the best time to brush it.

Since hair and scalp can have different issues, each is addressed and treated separately. Vials of Huile d’ales a pre-shampoo intense hydrating oil treatment are used first and I notice that the fragrance is extraordinary. Essential oils of sage, lemon, rosemary, juniper berry, caster oil, oat amino acids and wheat proteins are combined to create a potent scalp stimulating mixture that also offers aromatherapy as a bonus effect. A second treatment of Phytosquame is applied to my scalp and I am given a gentle scalp massage before being gently steamed for the oils to penetrate. It has many of the same ingredients except it’s in a different base.

Since this is a true spa experience one interesting thing to note is that you never ever have to leave your seat once you are inside the semi-private cabin. The Steamer comes to you as does the sink! As I am left alone to enjoy the benefits of the steam, I can feel the oils penetrating my scalp and the scent of eucalyptus filling my senses.

The next step is to wash my hair with 2 different shampoos, Phytonectar and Phytheol Intense. Each shampoo is left on for a minute to allow the botanicals to go to work. Apparently the botanicals are activated by water and the lather of the shampoo contains these active botanicals. It’s important even when you wash your hair at home to warm your product in your hand for a couple seconds instead of applying directly to your head and to allow the product to sit for a minute. My technician gently explains each process as it happens so that I am fully aware of what is happening to my hair.

Now that my scalp has been treated, my hair is treated separately with Phytokarite hair mask for a few minutes and my ends moisturized with Phythosesame which contains sesame oil and has a slight chocolate scent thanks to the cocoa butter.

My hair is then carefully blown out with minimal product to showcase the natural beauty of my hair. My hair is soft beyond belief to a point where I have to ask myself is this really my hair? It feels light and bouncy, almost like a young child’s head of hair.

Since I am curious, I asked to see the difference with my scalp and hair after the treatment. The product build up is gone, the skin around the follicle is open and my hair still smells amazing. Since I am told that the botanicals are going to continue to work a couple days after the treatment, I don’t touch it and find that I actually have some of the best hair days of my life. Now I understand why both men and women boost their confidence by taking the time to treat their hair. Even 2 weeks later I can tell that the treatment has changed the texture of my hair and it feels smoother and softer than it previously was. It’s kind of like a facial for your hair and scalp minus the painful extractions! Thanks Phyto and to my wonderful technician Ronald for such a wonderful afternoon and for reviving the beauty of my hair.

Phyto Universe - 715 Lexington Avenue at 58th St - 212.308.0270