#instaglam

What a fantastic Friday! This one is extra special, as it’s my birthday!  I don’t have much planned, besides a walk on the High Line and dinner with Fashion Pulse hubby tonight, Pilates class and a massage or reflexology tomorrow, and getting my nails done with my good friend and talented makeup and nail artist, Keri Blair, on Sunday.

I wish that my bday was always on a Friday! I hope everyone has a fun and relaxing weekend, with next week being a short one – yay!

In the meanwhile, here’s some of the cool stuff from this past week that I’d love to share with you:

It doesn’t get much more practical than the jane iredale Refill-Me Refillable Loose Powder Brush ($35; available starting in July). Sold empty and separately from the powder, all you need to do is twist off the bottom and load in your powder, twist back on and turn the brush to open in order to apply the formula. This process creates an ease of application, is less messy than loose powder, and makes the powder easily portable. Use any of the Jane Iredale loose powders, which include Amazing Base Loose Mineral Powder, Amazing Matte Loose Finishing Powder, and Powder-Me SPF 30 Dry Sunscreen.

Sometimes the elements that we love about summer, like the hot temperature and intense heat can wreak havoc on skin. If you suffer from breakouts during this time of year, than you may want to give the Clear Start by Dermalogica’s Brealout Clearing Cooling Masque a go. With a soothing gel-like texture, the masque includes natural ingredients such as camphor and licorice extract to soothe inflamed skin and irritation, while a dose of salicylic acid with clear the break outs. Sounds like a win-win? Well, it most certainly is! (Available now for $24 at Dermalogica.com)

 COVERGIRL has released some new, exciting products just in time for the summer! The new #instaGLAM Collectiom includes the Colorlicious Lip Gloss, Bombshell Curvaceous by LashBlast Mascara, Bombshell Intensity Liner, Bombshell Shine Shadow, Ready, Set Gorgeous Foundation, Powder and Concealer, and XL Nail Gel.  All of these pieces are $9 and under, feature a myriad of benefits and shades, and will certainly up your beauty  game exponentially! I’m really digging the mascara, as it has two brushes and two formulas to layer to achieve extreme volume, curl, and intensity, while the nail polish gives the look and wearability of a gel, but WAY easier and less time consuming to apply (no UV light required!).

 

 

I was recently given a copy of the Schiffer Fashion Press (SFP) LookBook: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2014 Collections and man, is it neat! Available for $45, it features 2894 color photos that display the trends and collections of the season in a book layout that is as collectible as it is cool. Looking at the clothing, accessories, and beauty in this format gives a nice perspective on the trends and designer signature styles to have a better understanding of the inner workings of each season. Use it as a coffee table tome or desk side reference resource, and either way, you’ll be pleased with the incredible fashion and professional compilation of this lookbook.

Elizabeth Arden Untold Absolu recently launched and elaborates on the original scent launched last year by introducing black raspberry, Italian bergamot, red plum and ginger LMR to its existing arsenal of  jasmine absolute, French Narcissus absolute Eau de Parfum, Tahitian vanilla bourbon absolute, cashmere woods, and Brazilian tonka absolute.  If you are looking for a seriously sexy, sultry fragrance for summer 2014 to add a hint of sensory sophistication, this one may just be for you, plus the faceted flacon will look absolutely stunning a top a vanity (the 1.7 oz bottle retails for $69)!