Hello, Lancome Hong Kong!

[I'm back in the U.S., but I'm going to finish posting about my Lancome trip to Asia with Michelle Phan!]



Michelle and I left our hotel in Beijing at FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. That's never fun, especially when you're not a morning person. Plus, we were very sad to leave our new friends in Beijing. We headed to the airport and caught our Air China flight to Hong Kong. The drive from the airport to our hotel was amazing. You leave the airport and all of a sudden there's the harbor and all these high rise buildings from out of nowhere. I was so sleepy that I forgot to take pictures, but trust me that it was lovely.



Hong Kong was as busy and bustling as everyone promised it would be. "It's the New York of Asia," said David, the head of PR for Lancome Worldwide. "You will love it." Parts of the city definitely felt like New York, but it was different in ways I couldn't quite put my finger on. At nighttime, with all the neon signs, side streets and alley ways, it felt slightly science fiction-y, like the Ridley Scott movie "Blade Runner."



Our wonderful hosts for the week, Nancy and Joyce from the PR team in Hong Kong, met us at our hotel and welcomed us to the city. We freshened up and headed to a photo studio on the other side of town. Once there, Michelle did her own makeup (using some of the Lancome Ultra Lavande Spring collection. You can see the Violet Groove color on her nails in one of the pictures above.) The hairstylist, whose name was Bowie, teased her hair into a wild ponytail for the second photo while the web crew from the magazine interviewed her for an online video.



We had a very nice dinner with the local Lancome team at a restaurant overlooking the water, but we didn't linger. The next few days were going to be quite busy: a personal appearance at the Lancome boutique in the biggest mall in town, two press events and several photo shoots. So it was back to the hotel and straight to bed. I emailed my friends and loved ones back home and snuck a peek at Facebook. (Facebook!!! China blocks most international digital media, so we were on a Facebook/Twitter/YouTube/Blogger diet back in Beijing.)



Truth be told, it was good to take a break from all things digital! You read it here. Digital detox. The next big thing. : )



PHOTOS: Michelle strikes a pose, Air China on-air breakfast, Michelle's doodle, at the photo shoot, doing makeup with the web crew, Michelle's Lancome products, fake lashes and silver lids.

Day Four: Beauty Editors & E-Fluencers

Today is the Teint Miracle/Michelle Phan event at the five-story event space across from The Opposite House, our hotel. The first sesson is for “e-fluencers,” as the top beauty bloggers and vloggers here are called. America’s clearly not the only place with a thriving beauty blogosphere. The second session is for the beauty editors. The e-fluencers are an enthusiastic bunch. They jump around, photographing and videotaping everything: the space, Michelle, themselves, each other. Their style is quirkier too. The beauty editors are more laid back demeanor and fashion wise. I meet the beauty directors from Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar (a guy!), Good Housekeeping and several magazines unique to China, such as Trends Health. Michelle, no surprise, feels more at home with the e-fluencers.



Michelle does a Q&A in front of the audience with Michelle Kwok, a former colleague of mine from New York who is now the assistant general manager of Lancome China. Michelle P. then recreates the “China girl” looks from the video she shot earlier in the week. The whole group moves downstairs for the Teint Miracle unveiling and Michelle demos the product on a model. Afterwards, there are group interviews and one-on-one time with different TV stations and the Chinese versions of YouTube—Tudou and Youku. Funnily enough, both online channels feature bootleg versions of Michelle’s videos. Tudou somehow has more than 700 Michelle videos available, one grainier than the next, even though Michelle’s only made 100 or so videos total. (YouTube is blocked by the Chinese government, as are Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.)



Everyone here is very young. It’s not like New York or Paris where you have career beauty editors and executives well into their second and third decades of work. The fashion/beauty/media industries only exploded here in the past decade, so it’s not surprising everyone is younger. Still, I can’t help feeling like I’m in an Asian version of that science fiction story Logan’s Run, where no one is over the age of 30. But at the same time, it’s exciting. I feel like I’m really witnessing something while it’s happening. Sandy Linter, the amazing makeup artist, and I trade emails. She’s been following the trip via the blog entries and she pegs it: “The Youthquake all over again.”



The Youthquake she’s referring to took place in the 1960s in New York and London and led to so many changes, both political and cultural. It will be interesting to see where China’s Youthquake leads.



It’s a long, long day. We take a 20-minute break then meet in the lobby for the drive to dinner. We have a fun meal with the Lancome China team in a private room at a traditional Chinese restaurant near the Forbidden City. Keeping my vow to try everything, I have the braised jellyfish, a sake-like red wine sweetened with dried plums, and warm, sweet walnut milk. Then it’s back to the hotel, where once again I fall asleep the second my head hits the pillow.



Photos: Michelle and the Lancome team, the e-fluencers, the event space, watching the Teint Miracle demo, Julia & Michelle, gothy attendees, Jerome and the beauty director of Vogue China, me and the beauty director of Harper's Bazaar China, outside the event space at night.

Lancôme's Artsy Halloween @ PS1!

OLAF BREUNING AND CYNTHIA ROWLEY FOR MOVE! AT MOMA PS1 from V Magazine on Vimeo.

If you're in New York this Halloween weekend, stop by PS1 for Move!, a series of fashion and performance art collaborations curated by Visionaire magazine. Lancôme will be doing all the makeup. Our lead makeup artist for the weekend will be the lovely and talented Alice Lane. (If you didn't read about Alice in Vogue recently, check out the article above.) Alice and her team will be applying lots of body paint, face makeup and even silver leaf to dozens of dancers and performance artists over the course of the two-day event. We'll be packing a lot of Bi-Facil!



Some of our favorite fashion brands are involved, such as Rodarte, Proenza Schouler, Marc Jacobs and Cynthia Rowley, and several amazing artists. If you're around, stop by and say hi. The makeup area is open to the public. The entire event is free and open to the public.



For our friends who don't live near NYC, we'll have a video and lots of pictures to share with you soon.



Enjoy the video from Cynthia Rowley!

How to Get Bombshell Makeup with Up-and-Coming Vlogger Jessica Harlow

One our favorite things here at the Lancome P.R. department is beauty how-to videos. We think these videos are the most exciting thing to happen to the beauty industry in a long, long time. It's so much more useful to see products tested and demonstrated live as opposed to just reading about them.



It's why we signed Michelle Phan as our official video makeup artist and it's why we're starting to work with other up-and-coming YouTube artists such as Jessica Harlow. Michelle introduced us to Jessica a few months ago and we liked her immediately. She has a lovely, calm way of sharing her tips and techniques and she's clearly enthusiastic about all things beauty. (She also has the most gorgeous hair! The girl should be in hair commercials.)



Jessica did a Lancome-sponsored video called Bombshell Makeup this summer and we're finally getting around to sharing it with you! She's a fan of that classic Sophia Loren beauty look and decided a how-to on that subject would be fun. (It also gave her a chance to showcase her new obsession, Color Design Matte Shadow in Fashion Label, and her old favorite, Artliner!).



Tomorrow, we'll share a Q&A we did with Jessica. In the meantime, enjoy the video. You can learn more about the products she used (Lancome and non-Lancome!) on her blog.

Who Wore Lancôme at the Emmys? Our Favorite Redhead, Mad Men's Christina Hendricks

Happy Monday everyone. Did you watch the Emmys last night? It was the most entertaining it's been in a long time, thanks in big part to host Jimmy Fallon. Did you catch the Bruce Springsteen/Glee opening? Adorable. Lancôme was very proud to work last night with the amazing makeup artist Vanessa Scali, who did Christina Hendricks' makeup. Christina, who plays one of the secretaries on "Mad Men" and was nominated for a best supporting Emmy, looked GORGEOUS! (Details below.) I can't wait to try the lip color that Vanessa customized for her. We had the pleasure of meeting Christina when we hosted the Night Before party in L.A. during the Oscars earlier this year. She has beautiful skin in person (and in pictures) and clearly takes good care of her complexion, so we were thrilled to learn she's a Genifique fan.



I really think Christina deserves best dressed for the evening. It wasn't just the makeup, which was so pretty and simple, but the whole look, head to toe, from that amazing hair color on down. Christina has the most hourglass of figures, something that could be considered a red carpet challenge, but she still found a beautiful Zac Posen dress that was a perfect fit, a knockout color and red carpet worthy. She and Zac proved you don't have to be a beanpole to rock the red carpet.



Did you have a favorite look from the night? I also loved January Jones' kooky blue Versace gown. I have a soft spot for the gals who take risks on the red carpet. Not Bjork and her swan dress, but the level right below that.



Lastly, did you notice how many actresses were sporting dark nail polish? After so many seasons of sky blues and greys and browns, maybe black is making a comeback!



CHRISTINA HENDRICKS' EMMY MAKEUP



Inspiration:

Mia Farrow’s Daisy Buchanan from “The Great Gatsby”



Face:

Vanessa prepped the skin with Lancôme’s La Base Pro makeup primer. To perfect Christina’s already luminous skin, Vanessa used the new Teint Miracle Lit-From-Within foundation (coming soon to a counter near you!). “It has an amazing transparent quality that leaves the skin looking flawless and luminous without being shiny,” said Vanessa. “I applied it with a brush and then blended with my fingers.” Blending with her fingers heated up the foundation a bit, allowing for a seamless finish. Vanessa followed with Effacernes Concealer under the eyes, her “all time favorite concealer.”



Cheeks:

For a fresh pop of color I used Blush Subtil Shimmer in Shimmer Pink Pool on the apples of her cheeks. Dabs of Giorgio Armani Beauty’s Fluid Sheer #2 highlighted Christina’s cheekbones.



Eyes:

The eye shadow was mix of YSL’s Ombre Solo Eyeshadow in Cashmere Brown and Midnight Black. “I applied these all over her lid, under the bottom lashes and blended it out past her natural lash line to softly elongate the eye,” reported Vanessa.



Eye Liner:

To define and elongate the lash line, Vanessa lined the eyes with Le Crayon Khôl in Black. “I used a touch of liner under her bottom lashes but smudged it for a softer look,” said Vanessa. For added depth, Vanessa used Artliner Precision Point liquid eyeliner in Noir at the very base of Christina’s lashes.



Mascara:

Several generous coats of Définicils Waterproof Mascara in Black were used on the top and bottom lashes.



Lips:

Christina’s lips were a mix of Lancôme lip colors for an effect that Vanessa described as “red with a little dash of pink.” A sheer coat of Color Design Matte Lipstick in Corset was topped by La Laque Fever Lipshine in Cyber Coral.

Eve Asked, We Answered: How to Get Arlenis's Blush Look. And Who Won the Arlenis Giveaway?

Blog reader Eve asked about Arlenis's blush in the picture from the Arlenis makeup.com interview post earlier this week. (The picture is a behind-the-scenes shot from the new Teint Idole Fresh Wear ad.) Alex Sanchez, one of our amazing national makeup artists whom you might recognize from the videos he did with Arlenis (that's them above, obviously!), provided a step-by-step guide to getting the look. If anyone has followup questions, just leave them as a comment and I'll get Alex to answer. As for the winner of the Arlenis product giveaway...congratulations to Poley! Check your inbox for an email from me. Thanks to everyone who left a comment.



From Alex:



In the Arlenis photo, her glowing skin is the focus. To make the fabulous contours of her cheekbone pop, a highligher and a deeper countouring blush was used.



Highligher

No need to purchase a separate highligher when you can use eyshadow to achieve a similar effect. With Large Eyeshadow Brush #17, use a touch of pink, peach or golden pearlized shadow (according to skintone) to brighten the area around eyes.



Fair complexions--use Color Design Eyeshadow in Gaze

Medium complexions--use Color Design Eyeshadow in Vue

Dark Complexions--use Color Design Eyeshadow in Bikini Golden



Apply the shadow in a C-pattern on the high planes of the face with the #17 brush.



Bonus Tip: You can also apply the highlight down the center of the nose to refine the shape and touch just above the cupid's bow of the mouth to create a fuller, more sensuous lip contour. Just remember a little product goes a long way and as with all professional makeup...blend, blend, blend.



Contouring Blush

In the photo, Blush Subtil in Bronzed Rose was used.



To recreate the look on fairer skins, you can use your bronzer as a contouring blush. Just make sure that you use a matte bronzer to achieve the most depth. Tap the bronzer into the hollows of the cheek with Precision Cheek Brush #8 [Kerry's note: My favorite brush ever!] for a chiseled cheek.



Bonus Tip: To recreate the chic neutral monochromatic effect that Arlenis has you can use your bronzer on your eyes as eyeshadow.

Dear Bi-Facil, I'm Sorry I Cheated on You

I have a confession to make. When I went to Paris recently, I saw a new beauty brand with a cool-looking eye makeup remover as part of its line. The makeup remover had this very interesting flat pump top and some natural ingredients, so I bought it.



Needless to say, it didn't work nearly as well as our famous blue Bi-Facil, and on top of that, it stung! What's with all of these eye makeup removers that sting? I spent the weekend at a friend's house months ago and used the eye makeup remover from a very upscale indie French beauty brand and it stung so badly I thought I had grabbed nail polish remover by accident.



Sometimes the grass isn't greener. There's a reason certain products are best-sellers. If you're ever curious about what Lancome's best sellers are, there's a cool feature you can check out on lancome.com. Click here and you can see the best sellers for the week, month or year. And guess what product is always first?



If you're a fan of Bi-Facil, let us know what you think.

The Blog is Back!

Hi, everyone. Thanks for your patience while I took a little blogging break. I missed talking to everyone, but it was a good way to get some of the cobwebs out of my brain!



If any of you live in the U.S., you know a big part of the country is going through a heatwave right now. Your first priorities should be drinking enough water, making sure your family, neighbors and pets are okay and wearing sunscreen if you have to be outside. After that, you can worry about making sure your makeup doesn't melt off your face. There's nothing worse then spending 10 minutes doing your makeup only to get to the office or school and discover everything is a sweaty mess.



If you've been reading the blog since the beginning, you might remember our friend and fellow beauty blogger Jamilla Camel. Jamilla did a blog post last year on sweatproof/waterproof makeup where she actually applied her makeup then blasted her face under the shower. That's dedication. The two Lancôme products she wore were L'Extreme waterproof mascara and Le Crayon Khôl waterproof eyeliner. She swears you can even swim in the ocean in Le Crayon Khôl and it will not budge.



I'd also throw in some Dual Finish pressed powder and our new Teint Idole Fresh Wear, which I'm liking very much. It has an SPF of 18, plus the formula is shine free and oil free. I can't imagine any foundation staying totally shine free when it's 100 degrees outside, but at least this gives you a good head start. (That's our spokesmodel Kate Winslet above, looking radiant but quite shine free.)



If you have any hot weather beauty tips, feel free to share them.



Stay cool!

Are You in the Market for a New Blush? Check Out Karla Sugar's Swatches. (Giveaway Alert!)

A big merci beaucoup to Karla Sugar for her great Lancôme blush swatch posts. Karla feels our blushes are underrated and I have to agree with her. "On the list of brands with a great reputation for blush, I think Lancôme is frequently overlooked. Though I don’t have a lot of experience with their creme blush, I find their powder shades to be nuanced and lovely," she says.

If you're pale/fair and looking for some new blushes, check out her posts. (Does anyone know of great blush swatches for medium and dark skin tones? Please leave links in the comment field if you do. They don't have to be Lancôme, but fab if they are!)

As a thank you to Karla, we're doing a blush giveaway. Tell us what two Lancôme Blush Subtil powder blushes you'd like to try and leave some blush advice or a blush question. We'll choose one person to get the two blushes of their choice plus the best blush brush on earth, Precision Cheek Brush #7. Please post by Thursday night!

Speaking of blush, here's a little advice from our MUA Sandy Linter. People are always confused about where to apply their blush and where their cheekbones are. She said there's one way to find out. Press your fingers into your face and feel where the cheekbone runs. For more on her sculpted cheek advice, check out her Q&A on makeup.com.

Thanks again to Karla Sugar! And welcome back from India. We're loving all your India beauty posts.

The Giveaways Are Back! Win Aaron De Mey's Spring Nail Shades from Europe!!

I'm caught up with the last round of blog giveaways, so time for some new ones. I'm spring cleaning over the next few weeks, so there will be some fun giveaways. The first: our spring nail polishes from Europe, from Aaron De Mey's O My Rose collection. You couldn't get the polishes in America and some nail fanatics were NOT happy. Our European friends couldn't get Chris Benz, so it all works out in the end.

Anyway, the colors are Pop Petrol, a gorgeous dark teal shimmer, and BB Sand, a sexy pale gold glitter. I picked these up when I was in Paris earlier this year. It's the Le Vernis formula, so it comes with that fabulous brush that makes it so easy to paint your nails. It puts skinny brushes to shame. Try it and you'll see exactly what I mean.

Die-hard beauty blog fans will remember that the fabulous All Lacquered Up did a review and giveaway of Pop Petrol in January. That's Michelle's photo above. Nail of the Week did a NOTD (nail of the day) with BB Sand, as seen above. She didn't love it, but that's okay. You can't love everything. (Or can you?) Nail of the Week, how do we get in touch with you? We love your blog and I want to make sure it's okay that we used the photo above.

If you'd like to be entered to win, leave a comment detailing what spring cleaning you need to do. Do you need to organize your makeup, clean out your closets, get rid of a boyfriend? : )

Please post by Wednesday night and we'll pick one post at random. Good luck!

So You'd Like to be a Makeup Artist?

Get ready to schlep a lot of stuff!

These are pictures from four different shows we've done over the past few seasons. (L'Wren Scott, Victoria Beckham and Chris Benz, I think.) Even though I've been covering shows and working backstage at shows for more than a decade now, I'm always surprised at the amount of stuff makeup artists have to lug around.

I've even heard or read, can't remember which, about a very famous makeup artist (you know who she is) who travels to shoots with six suitcases, five full of makeup and one full of art books.

I guess you have to be prepared for anything.

Fab Over 40's Fave Lancome Products! Visit Kari's Website Tomorrow to Win Everything!

I arrived at work a little early this morning (that never happens) so I surfed around and checked out my favorite beauty blogs. I almost dropped my soy latte when I hit the Makeup and Beauty Blog. But ha ha, Karen was pulling an April Fool's prank on all of us. Good one, Karen, but we're glad it's not true!! : )

Then I came across an AMAZING post from our friend Kari at Fab Over 40. She listed her favorite Lancome products and why she likes them so much. I asked if we could share the list with you and Kari was gracious enough to say yes. So here it is. I have to say, Kari did a great job editing and found the best of the best! Kari, thank you again and thank you for taking care of the 40+ beauty audience on your blog!!

FAB OVER 40'S FAVE LANCOME PRODUCTS

Hypnose Drama - The latest addition to their ever-famous mascara collection. This one curls, thickens and gives “wow” lashes.

Absolue Ultimate Night Bx Serum - This is one of the products used on me during a facial and I buy it over and over again and use it nightly. Besides being good for my skin and reducing the look of wrinkles it smells lovely.

Tresor Fragrance - I love the floral combination of this fragrance. It’s not overpowering so it can be worn during the day, yet pretty enough for evening.

Miel Glace Blush - After reading that this was a blush that was used on Kate Winslet for a red carpet event, I thought I’d check out the blush. Only I thought I wouldn’t like it once I saw it. Then the sa tried it on me and I instantly fell in love. It’s that perfect shade of warmth and color without being bold. You ought to give it a try.

Sheer Amourose Blush - a soft, sheer rose blush that adds a hint of rose color to the cheeks, but keeps it sheer so it doesn’t scream color. Perfect for a polished look.

Tropiques Minerale Loose Bronzing Powder - Alex Sanchez, one of Lancome’s makeup artists, used this on me during a makeover and I had to buy it after seeing it on my face. It adds that “just been at the beach” glow to my face. I use the Natural Golden shade.

Absolue Precious Cells - This was sent to me by Lancome to try out when they first released it. I was worried that it might be too heavy as it is a thicker cream for day (the one I use has SPF 15), but I love it. It’s not too heavy, keeps my skin moisturized and I swear wrinkles at bay too.

Absolue Premium Bx- I heard that this was one of Sandy Linter’s favorite products, so I figured I HAD to give it a try. I keep this in my rotation of moisturizers as it’s lighter weight than Precious Cells, smells divine and gives my skin the perfect amount of moisture from hot humid summer days to cold dry winter ones.

Color Design Eye Shadow- The shade Vue is a pinkish sheer shimmer eye shadow that adds a nice veil of color. It stays put, the shimmer is the right texture, and it works with many other shades of eye shadows for blending.

L’Absolu Rouge Lipsticks – I’ve raved about this formula many times and I’ve bought many, many shades. It’s a perfect texture, the shades are plentiful, and once you’ve given them a try you’ll know why I love them because you will too!

Oscillation PowerFoundation - I admit, I had a not so great preconceived notion about this foundation. Vibration (really?) and a mineral powder which are typically not my favorite. Lancome sent me this to try and again I was pleasantly surprised. I actually like the fact that you don’t have to swirl and swirl a powder brush – the sponge applicator does it all for you. It gives my skin a smooth look, and it doesn’t discolor on me like many mineral powders do.

BiFacil Makeup Remover - Doesn’t every woman who wears any type of eye makeup use this remover? I’ve tried others that claim to be better than this and they actually were so drying to my eye area that I ended up having more wrinkles than I ever had! Yep, I immediately went back to BiFacil. Lancome always has a mini version of this in their GWP and they are perfect for travel.

Kari is doing a giveaway of all these products on her website tomorrow, so make sure to visit. (Kari didn't write the post knowing there would be a giveaway! We just offered it to her today!!) Tell her we said hello.