Julia Roberts @ Glamour's Women of the Year Awards (Makeup by L'Wren! Dress by L'Wren!)

Ms. Julia Roberts was in town earlier this week to accept a Glamour Magazine Women of the Year award. This event is held every year and it's always an incredible gathering of powerful, accomplished and of course glamorous women. You won't be able to watch the video above without getting goosebumps. (And if I can be shallow for a second, how FABULOUS does Diane Sawyer look? Whatever she is doing--or not doing--I want to do the same.)



Julia was honored for her work on behalf of children and the environment. (Guess who presented her award? Um, Oprah.) Julia's longtime makeup artist Genevieve Herr did the makeup and we were thrilled when we heard Genevieve would be using some of the L'Wren Scott holiday makeup. Julia was wearing a L'Wren dress, so it was L'Wren from head to, well, knee.



Genevieve is a great makeup artist. I spent some time with her last month in L.A. when we shot some new Julia ads and she shared so many great makeup tips. She loves Lancome and had lots of tips involving Teint Miracle, our lip liners, Juicy Tubes, even Oscillation mascara. (She loves the brush and the formula, but she uses it WITHOUT the vibration!) There's a great story on Genevieve in the beauty section of December's American Elle, so be sure to check that out.



Patricia put together a little makeup recap on Julia's look, so here it is:



Julia’s subtly smoky eyes were done up with Ombre Absolue Quad in Les Gris L’Wren from the L’Wren Scott collection. Genevieve used two of the shades; the sheer gray was swept onto the outer lid, the crease and outward and the black was used as liner. Topping the look was Hypnôse Drama in Le Noir L’Wren, a shimmering mascara that Genevieve says added “a lot of glamour.”



For the lips, Genevieve used L’Absolu Rouge Crème de Brillance in Le Rouge L’Wren. This intense berry gloss provided the perfect contrast for Julia’s dark dress and eyes, says Genevieve. Lancôme’s Teint Miracle Lit-from-Within Foundation delivered flawless skin, while Blush Subtil Powder Blush in Rose Romantique added that finishing touch of color.



Let us know if you have any questions about Julia's look. Comments welcome too!

Eat, Pray, Love Lancome's Newest Pretty Woman Ambassadress on Oprah Monday!

Actress Julia Roberts, known around the world for her talent, charm and smile, is the newest Lancôme ambassadress.  Take a look at Lancome online and peek at some of her favorite products: Dual Finish Versatile Powder Makeup in Matte Linen I, Definicils High Definition Mascara in Black and L'Absolu RougeAdvanced Replenishing & Reshaping Lipcolor Pro-Xylane SPF 12 Sunscreen in Fleur Impressioniste.

Julia will be on Oprah Monday, May 24th talking about her highly anticipated adaption of "Eat, Pray, Love," which by the way I am chomping at the bit to see! I mean, seriously cannot wait for this to come out. 

Eat, Pray, Love is one of those books that has the ability to completely change the reader's life.  Written by author Elizabeth Gilbert, the best-selling memoir takes us along for what becomes a very personal, spiritual journey.

Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) had everything a modern woman was supposed to dream of having - a husband, a house, a successful career - yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused, and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced and at a crossroads, Gilbert steps out of her comfort zone, risking everything to change her life, embarking on a journey around the world that becomes a quest for self-discovery. One might say, the female version of the sterotypical male mid-life crisis. In her travels, she discovers the true pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy; the power of prayer in India; and finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of true love in Bali.  Eat, Pray, Love proves there really is more than one way to let yourself go and see the world.

Eat, Pray, Love ... Let Yourself Go! The film stars Julia Roberts, James Franco, Richard Jenkins, Viola Davis, Billy Crudup and Javier Bardem. Adapted to film by Sony Pictures and directed by Ryan Murphy, it will open in theatres August 13, 2010. 

Timely, isn't it? As the summer begins to set and autumn's trees and foliage soon change colors in preparation for the death of one period and the gestation of another full of promise and rejuvenation. Well, while you're waiting for what hopes to be a spectacular film experience, tune in to Oprah Monday and hear what Julia has to share about marriage, family, her new film and hopefully some deliciousness about her new role as Lancome ambassadress.

For more information about Julia's confident, naturally elegant look, visit Lancome USA online for the products, how-to tips and the behind-the-scenes video.

The Hollywood Report!

So what did you think about the Oscars? I loved it. I usually find the show a bit dull, but there were so many uplifting moments this year. Gaby Sidibe's Cinderella story. Kathryn Bigelow's big win. Sandra Bullock's first statue. And for the most part, everyone looked gorgeous. Our friends at More Magazine and Fab Over 40 must have loved how great the 40+ crowd looked. Demi Moore, Tina Fey, Helen Mirren, Oprah, Michelle Pfeiffer, Meryl Streep, Kathryn Bigelow. They all looked amazing.

The younger set represented too. Zoe Saldana and Carey Mulligan looked so gorgeous and gamine-like when they presented together. I liked Zoe's daring dress choice (Givenchy), although some of you probably disagree.

Do you have a favorite for the night? My faves were Zoe and Maggie Gyllenhaal, whom I adore. I admire her fashion choices and her willingness to look like an individual on the red carpet. I never thought I'd see Dries Van Noten at the Oscars, but there it was!

If you follow the blogs, you probably know that we did the makeup for Kate Winslet (of course) and Demi Moore (gorgeous). Funnily enough, both wore L'Absolu Rouge lipstick in Rich Cashmere. (Demi's was topped with Juicy Tubes in Spring Fling, which Angelina wore to last year's Academy Awards!)I don't know what's up with that shade, but it's become our No. 1 makeup artist fave. Kate also wore it to the Golden Globes, Julia Roberts wore it to the "Duplicity" premiere last year and the models at Victoria Beckham and L'Wren Scott's shows last month wore it. And on and on. As for lashes, I think both wore Hypnose Drama mascara, which is getting an insane amount of blog lovin'. I'm still obsessed with Ôscillation, but I'm thinking about making the switch.

Tomorrow, Lancôme in L.A., Part Two. Or, How I Met My New Hollywood Crushes, Gerard Butler and Jon Hamm. (Sorry, Clive.)

And guess what else is tomorrow? The blog's birthday!!! We'll definitely have to do a giveaway.

Talk to you soon...

PHOTO FROM WIREIMAGE

Shea Yeleen - Shea Butter with a Double Purpose

We all know about the miracle properties of shea butter; that it is an extraordinarily effective moisturizer for dry skin, eliminates stretch marks, promotes cell renewal and even helps protect skin from harmful UV rays. But not many people know the amazing story of how shea butter is actually created---by the hands of women living in Africa's embattled regions, who labor for hours on end to produce this highly sought after ingredient for mere pennies a day.

Shea Yeleen International, a non-profit organization, has set a goal nothing short of a miracle in itself. Not only is it their mission to organize and train women in the villages of Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Mali to produce high quality natural shea butter, SYI uses this shea butter as the main component in a decadent and high quality body care line that they make available for sale to the western world. Fifty percent of the profits go right back to these African communities to further empower these women to sustain livings and provide for their families.

Rahama Wright, Shea Yeleen's Executive Director came up with the idea to create the nonprofit organization while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in the poorer regions of rural West Africa. "I've always been interested in poverty issues and in Africa," Wright, who's mother's side of the family is from Ghana, explains. "By living and working in Africa, I became inspired by the women there who have these tremendous challenges in terms of poverty, but at the same time, have so much beauty and joy and inner strength." Just last November, Wright's efforts led her to become one of 80 winners in the first-ever leadership training contest spearheaded by Oprah: Women Rule! O's White House Leadership Project Contest (3,000 women applied).

Imagine that you are a woman in a small rural village in West Africa, struggling financially to care for your family. Following a tradition handed down by your mother, you produce shea butter, oil found in the nut of the shea fruit, as a means to make money. To process the shea butter, you start with a five kilometer walk to harvest the fruit and then follow a labor intensive process of hand extracting that takes up to 20 hours to produce 2-4 kilograms of oil. You sell a portion of the shea oil on the local market for 20 cents a kilogram. It is not very much money, yet to you it is better than nothing.

What if you knew about an international demand for the very product you labor to produce? On the international market, thousands of different kinds of cosmetics products are made using shea butter, and sold for $10-$60 for a few ounces. However, you do not have access to this market even though the natural resource originates several kilometers from where you live. What if this could change?

"Women in rural West Africa are the creators of shea butter, and it makes sense to join the popularity of shea butter and natural products to the need for women producers in rural Africa to overcome poverty- it's a win-win situation because consumers receive the best shea butter product that will nourish their skin, and women receive above market rates for their shea butter. As we begin to expand, we will demonstrate that transforming the skincare market can also transform communities," said Rahama Wright, Executive Director of Shea Yeleen International.

Shea Yeleen Products

Honeysuckle and Lavender Scented Body Butter
An ultra-hydrating vitamin rich shea formula that instantly soothes dry skin while leaving it glowing and softly-scented with honeysuckle and lavender essential oils. (Retail: $25, 6 oz.)

Honeysuckle and Lavender Scented Body Balm
This dense, natural shea butter, combined with lavender and honeysuckle oils, is especially perfect for soothing extra dry skin from head to toe. Just the smallest amount will leave skin soft and radiant. (Retail: $20, 4 oz.)

Unscented Body Balm
Made from100% natural shea butter, this body balm protects your skin from daily elements like harsh weather and hard water. Excellent for dry, irritated and sensitive skin on elbows, knees, hands and feet. (Retail: $20, 4 oz.)

Baby Balm
This baby balm is rich with skin nourishing elements which calm your baby's skin and protects it from harsh elements. Ingredients include shea butter, avocado oil, aloe vera, calendual oil, essential oils of lavender, rosemary, chamomile, comfrey, and natural baby powder fragrance. (Retail: $20, 4 oz.)

Cherry and Peppermint Lip Balms
This delicious lip balm (available in peppermint or cherry) will moisturize and heal your dry, chapped lips, leaving them kissable and soft. (Retail: $5, .5 oz.)

I've had an opportunity to try the body butter, body balm and the lip balms. These are richly hydrating products with lovely, subtle scents. They instantly moisturize even very dry skin and I've fast become a fan for keeping my hands and arms smooth and moisturized. Skin is left with a healthy glow and lips are hydrated and supple. I've tried an amber body balm and a lavender honeysuckle butter, both of which are subtle in scent - fresh without being overpowering. They've newly introduced two varieties of hand-crafted shea butter soaps in their offerings, lavender and lemongrass. I'm hoping to try those soon. Such wonderful products, such a fabulous giving back to the communities that produce them - that's a winning situation all around! And, you can't beat the prices for the quality. What a fantastic project.

Learn more about Shea Yeleen International and their gorgeous products online.