Fashion Pulse Flash of the Week: New Clinique, NARS, Suave, more

There’s no better time than now, with New Year’s resolutions fluttering all around, to start a great skin regimen. Clinique Superdefense SPF 20 Daily Defense Moisturizer, $47, will hydrate with vitamins C and E, barley and wheat germ extract, soothe with sea whip and caffeine, and protect with SPF 20 that includes full UVA/UVB protection . The brand new product JUST became available at Clinique counters and online at Clinique.com in two skin type options of dry/dry combo and combo oily/oil skin.

As quoted on BeautyHigh, one of my beauty resolutions for 2014 was to experiment with darker shades of lipstick, and upon seeing the shade “Fierce” by Red Apple Lipstick ($23.50 each), I knew it had to be on my must-have list! The brand itself certainly piqued my interest; a mineral-based formula and free of gluten, parabens, toxins, overall allergens, and soy, and Made in the USA,  I like that the brand features real women wearing the various lipstick shades on the site, as well as provides application tips for a stellar pout.

I found each product to as opaque, yet moisturizing as expected, and the clear Rallye Balm ($15) truly felt luxurious sliding on! The brand has great customer service and a generous return policy (return up to six months from the purchase date), while products (also includes makeup brushes, lipgloss, liners, more) are exclusively available through Red Apple Lipstick’s website.

It’s an exciting time for hair care, as it becomes easier to make natural choices for your everyday usage, regardless of the budget. Suave Professionals^® Natural Infusion range, works with natural ingredients and is free of parabens or dyes, which launches in stores nationwide this month! Click on the links below for more info on the competitively priced line of products (ranging from $2.74-$5.50) that will suit your specific hair needs!

There’s no denying that I’m an accessories junkie, so attending the ENK Accessorie Circuit Tradeshow during this market week had me right in my element! With designer and fine jewelry, handbags, footwear, scarves, belts, and more, there was eye candy everywhere I looked; it was stimulus overload!  I was able to walk away with some great ideas for what the trends will be based on what I saw, which you can certainly bank on statement jewelry NOT going anywhere! Also quite prevalent was menswear-inspired footwear, pastel hues for bags, and PLENTY of bling, polished metal, and tribal influences.

Regardless of how over sized (or mini) the items got, the silhouettes were kept clean and defined. Some of the brands that I spotted that you can expect great things from this upcoming season include Alexis Bittar, Ballasox, Ben-Amun, Botkier, Campbell,  Fraas, Gorjana, Nocturne, Rebecca Minkoff, Superga, and of course, my good friends at Sorrelli!

Sherry Ratay, once again, got my locks to look out-of-this-world wonderful this week! She “added depth with soft ribbons of red” to create a multidimensional look that enhanced the great red base she created last time. I’m so luck to have Sherry and Alicia Delbrey taking care of my tresses, and can’t wait for what she will do next (in March). Stay tuned for additional hair color care tips from Sherry, coming next week!

If you can NEVER get enough of NARS, then my friend, I’ve got a few items to share that will make you perk up in interest!

Let’s start with the Pro-Prime Instant Line & Pore Perfector, $28, launching February 1^st at NARS boutiques and on narscosmetics.com. How slick and targeted is this little guy? It’s perfect to travel with, and easily zeroes in on your priming needs, as it   features an advanced, lightweight formula that smoothes, preps, and plumps skin just where you need it. Vitamins A, C, and E boost the antioxidant protection,  and can easily be whipped out for fast and easy touch ups on the go when you see some shine surfacing on your skin.

There’s no denying that pink is HUGE this year, beauty not withstanding, so grab the hue and product that suits your fancy, and have FUN! Think pink with the NARS Final Cut Collection, a Nordstrom Beauty exclusive, and available in Nordstrom stores and online for a limited time. Products include the NARS Final Cut Satin Lip Pencil ($25), NARS Final Cut Blush ($29), and the NARS Final Cut Illuminator ($30).

I went all “Red Carpet Glam” for the People’s Choice Awards with P&G Beauty (Herbal Essences, Pantene, COVERGIRL, Olay, Vidal Sassoon, etc) at its viewing party this week, with hair and makeup worthy of startlet status. I’m proud to say that I won’t let a few of my new favorites, including the Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo out of my sight, along with the incredibly lavish COVERGIRL Bombshell Volumbe by LashBlast Mascara, which is available in four shades and features a dual wand application of a base coat and top coat.

Full Disclosure: Items reviewed in this feature were given gratis to Fashion Pulse Daily.