• John Frieda Root Awakening

I pretty much stay in the realm of  haircare products that are for volume or color-treated hair, so at first the new John Frieda Root Awakening shampoo, conditioner, and detangling spray were definitely outside of my comfort zone. For the sake of good beauty journalism I tried them out anyways, and was quite pleased with the results. I was greeted with a sweet mint aroma upon opening the bottle, and upon completion of all three products, my hair appeared to have the same oomph that volumizing shampoos give, with the luster of color-treated hair products. An added bonus: gone were my obnoxious flyaways, without weighing down my baby-thin hair.

• Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick

Although it won’t actually hit shelves until later this summer, I’ve been using Maybelline’s new color sensational lipstick and lipgloss in “Barely There” exclusively.  The rich pigments give me the right dash of color, and unlike a great many lipsticks out there, it actually dose moisturize (read: I have not had any “dry lip” issues whatsoever).  Although I prefer the pale pinks, there are 48 lipstick colors to choose from, in a cool packaging that’s reminiscent of an NYC skyscraper.

• Givenchy Prisme Again! Compact Powder Quartet

Stuck inside at the office all summer? We know the feeling! That’s why this new Givenchy Prisme Again! Compact Powder Quartet in Sun Mango ($43, at Sephora.com) rounds out our list for summer beauty must-haves. If you’re not as pale as me, try the Sun Cinnamon shade, and between the two, I’m pretty sure you’ll love the transparent matte texture to give yourself a touch of all-over sun kissed appeal.

• Avon NailWear Pro Nail Enamel in Venus

It costs only $5 , but does the duty of polish triple its price. That’s right, I put it to a rigorous test — wore it to work for three days, did house cleaning, tugged at my cuticles, and guess what? It still looks like I have a fresh manicure! Amazing- and you can’t really beat this slick gold shade that will shimmer even better against suntanned skin.

• Solerra Sunless Silk, Sunless Tanning Lotion

Sometimes it pays to spend a little more, especially on a product that could go terribly wrong and make it obvious that you didn’t spend a lot on it. FPD feels that way about self-tanners; when you’ve found the perfect one,  you should stick to it, even if it means you need to scrounge elsewhere.  We’ve tested and approve of the ($24.99, Drugstore.com)

I was very excited to attend the InStyle Hair issue launch party last night at the Hotel Gansevoort, which most certainly did not disappoint! I was greeted in the penthouse bar area immediately by a delicious mojito and several dresses from the exquisite fall 2009 Marchesa collection. These dresses were true beauties, and I would love to wear one of these to my next big event (hint hint, Marchesa!). The party was packed with celebs, including Ali Larter, Fabiola Beracasa in some fabulous, oversized eyeglasses, Shannen Doherty, and Olivia Palermo. I met up with fellow bloggers from shefinds and anewmode, while taking everything in, including devouring the delicious risotto balls (which I succinctly dropped the garnish on my blouse and shoe)! I’m looking forward to testing out the new John Frieda Root Awakening products that were given out, and already perused the new InStyle Hair issue.  Although I feel I have a decent amount of expertise in beauty, I would classify myself as hair novice, and felt that the articles in this spring 2009 Hair issue were actually quite helpful to a “hair dummy” like me.  The “Change your part, Change your look” and “Amazing Hair Color at Home” features will prove to be helpful. Enjoy the party pics, and keep your eyes peeled for the new InStyle Hair issue!

[Celebrity photos via Theo Wargo/WireImage for Tractenberg]

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