The Well Defined Eye via Clarisonic Opal x Tarte Cosmetics

It makes a statement when Clarisonic partners with a beauty brand to produce a beauty bundle.  I mean, they already have their own skincare products that are perfectly compatible with the cleansing and treatment tools they manufacture.  So why partner with a brand outside?

Answer:  Because they know their customers demand the highest possible quality results!  So when you see Clarisonic bundling with say Philosophy's Purity Made Simple Cleanser, it makes sense.  And when Clarisonic decided they wanted to extend their presence in the beauty market with their Opal Sonic Infusion System, they went to whom?  Tarte Cosmetics!

Here's why:
Clarisonic wants to give skincare aficionados the ultimate set for creating a sultry, defined and flawless eye. The Opal Sonic infuses serums into the skin more effectively than manual application. As the device is moved in small circles around the eye area, its soft applicator tip delivers products with more than 7,500 gentle micro-massages per minute. Serums and creams are absorbed more deeply and evenly, enhancing their ability to promote healthy, hydrated, and younger-looking skin.

Exclusively available now at Sephora, the new, limited edition set pairs the sonic device that with a selection of skinvigorating™ products from Tarte. The Opal gently infuses Anti-Aging Sea Serum beneath the skin’s surface, instantly hydrating, smoothing and brightening the eye area in just one minute.  Follow with Tarte's pioneering products made with high-performance naturals. Tarte's Lifted Natural Eye Primer with Firmitol gives the effect of younger, smoother eyes while acting as a base that locks shadow in place all day and boosts pigment payoff. With a fully refreshed eye area, follow your eye treatment with these other healthy, nourishing cosmetics from Tarte. Check around ... (seriously, google, check beauty reviews, other stores, etc.) you'll see the Tarte products in this set are truly in a class all their own in terms of their natural, nourishing ingredients and what they offer in way of enhancing what you already have to create the appearance of beautiful, enviable, head-turning eyes. 

This set contains:

Opal Sonic Infuser

1.7 oz Anti-Aging Sea Serum

2 Replacement Applicator Tips

Universal Voltage Charger

Wristlet Carrying Case

0.24 oz Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! Mascara in Black

0.003 oz Tarte EmphasEYES™ Aqua-Gel Eyeliner in Black

0.08 oz Tarte Lifted™ Natural Eye Primer with Firmitol™

Sounds fantastic!  Though seemingly pricey at first glance, this is actually quite reasonable for this set of products and tools (compare Opal elsewhere).  The Opal Sonic Infusion System With Tarte Limited Edition Set is available only at Sephora and retails for $185. 

 Pssst ->  Don't forget to do all your online shopping (including Sephora) through Mintbox for exclusive discounts, % off purchases AND cash back options. You'll seriously be surprised at all the brands and tremendous deals you'll find there. Access your Mintbox invitation here!

MINTBOX: New! Sephora Event

So, if you read me yesterday you know I'm newly addicted to a fab little site called Mintbox.  It's invitation only (don't worry, your invitation is below) and the sales and deals from the best of "yumminess" brands are located there.

Today begins a new event for Sephora.  Now, we all know Sephora.  Well, those of us addicted to beauty do, right?  Here's what you may not know.  Sephora's name comes from a combination of "Sephos", Greek for beauty, and the Greek form of "Tzipporah", which means bird. That explains why goddesses everywhere flock to the wonderland that is Sephora for all their beauty needs. Shop all of Sephora!  Mintbox editor picks appear below but you can purchase whatever you want of Sephora through Mintbox.

Featuring over 200 classic and emerging brands across all categories including skincare, fragrance, bath & body, smilecare, and haircare, in addition to their own private label, Sephora guarantees to keep you properly primped and preened whatever your style may be.

Mintbox's Sephora event features tempting cash back options, fabulous multi-sample packs (one from Lancome is delicious) and combinations of both.  There are lots of other fantastic stores (beauty, fashion, home decor, children's wear, etc.) with deals abundantly available there now too.  You can even donate your cash back to charities Mintbox has partnered with if you like that idea.  But you can't get these deals and options anywhere other than Mintbox. So what are you waiting for?  I wouldn't steer you wrong or waste your precious minutes if this wasn't truly swoon-worthy. Your invitation appears below. Enjoy! xo

Invitation to Mintbox! I Want Access!

source/images: Mintbox

Sephora: Free Clutch + Samples ... Yummy!

Who can resist a booty of free beauty samples, especially when packed inside a chic and oh so useable little clutch bag? Not I ... now only to decide what I want to purchase to get it.

Free with any $25 Sephora online purchase.  The clutch is equipped with four pockets (perfect to keep your cell phone hidden), has a glossy black finish, loaded with 12 fab samples from great beauty brands.  These are the kinds of promos that speak to me!

Hurry ... supplies won't last long for this one! Check sephora.com for all the deets.

Hoping to get back to beauty blogging soon and I apologize it's been so slow, hit and miss.  I've some absolutely fantastic products to tell you about in reviews. Been so busy at the office!  : (

xo

Fashion's Night Out 2010 with Arlenis, Elettra and Michelle Phan!

We had an absolute blast on Fashion's Night Out in New York City this past Friday Night. As I mentioned, we had a "tango and touch-ups" party at Bloomingdale's 59th Street to celebrate the launch of our French Coquettes Fall 2010 collection. Our spokesmodels Arlenis and Elettra made an appearance and we had professional tango dancers on hand to give lessons to any willing party.



We had a great turnout and even Arlenis and Elettra took a spin on the dance floor.



Then we ran to Sephora where Michelle Phan was appearing. Michelle did a live blog session then met with anyone who wanted to say hi or take a photo. We must have met hundreds of people that night. We're sorry to anyone we had to rush during the photo session! Michelle didn't want anyone to leave disappointed and our time was up so our only option was to move quick quick quick.



If you stopped by, thank you! It was a fun night. The city indeed felt like one big party. And it was for a good cause. If people stop shopping, people lose jobs.



Enjoy the photos. I just posted additional pictures on our Lancome Paris Facebook page. Stop by and take a look.



Check back tomorrow for pictures from backstage at the Chris Benz Spring 2011 presentation.

Join Us on Fashion's Night Out in NYC!

Do any of you live in or near New York City? If so, we'd love for you to join us for Fashion's Night Out on Friday, Sept. 10th. I'm sure most of you have heard of Fashion's Night Out. It's the brainchild of American Vogue editor Anna Wintour. She wanted the fashion industry to do something to help stimulate the economy, so she came up with this idea for a city-wide shopping party. On FNO 2009, New York City was filled with designers, models, celebrities and lots of excited shoppers. It was a fun night and we did events with Daria, Elettra, Arlenis, Chris Benz, Daniel Martin, Sandy Linter and Andrew Sotomayor. Everyone had a blast.



This year, we've scaled it back a bit. To be honest, we were a bit spread thin last year! We tried to race from event to event, but it was impossible because of all the traffic--both cars and foot traffic! So this year we're doing two very special events. The first one is "tango lessons and touch-ups" at Bloomingdale's 59th Street. Our spokesmodels Elettra and Arlenis will be on hand at 6 p.m. to say hi to everyone and we'll have some amazing professional tango dancers doing mini-exhibitions every 30 minutes. If you'd like a quick tango lesson or a touch-up featuring products from our French Coquettes Fall 2010 collection, stop by and say hi.



We were thrilled when we opened September Vogue and saw that they chose "tango and touch-ups" as the #1 beauty event for FNO. (See the article above!) The Bloomingdale's event goes from 6 to 8 p.m.



Then at 7 p.m. over at Sephora Fifth Avenue (between 48th and 49th streets), our video makeup artist Michelle Phan will be making her very first personal appearance. She'll be doing a special video live in the front window. Then she and Vogue beauty editor Christina Han will be meeting and greeting customers from 8 to 9 p.m. If you have a question about how to make your own video or how to become a beauty editor, come over and chat with us. I'll be there too.



If you can't make it, don't worry. We'll have lots of photos to share after the event.



If you live in the U.S., enjoy the holiday weekend! The rest of you, have a great weekend too!

Fall in Love with Tresor in Love! (Giveaway Alert!!)

We had a photo shoot yesterday in the 8th arrondisement, in a building with windows overlooking the Arc de Triomphe. It was a gorgeous view, very beautiful, very Parisian, made all the better by the leafy green trees and bright blue sky. I snuck out to visit the Sephora nearby on the Champs-Elysee, the huge Parisian thoroughfare packed with tourists, chain shops, cafes and a giant Louis Vuitton store. The Sephora is ENORMOUS, even compared to the big Times Square Sephoras near my office.



There was so much fragrance, makeup, skincare and haircare that the average beauty junkie would just combust trying to take it all in. One of the new fragrances on display is Tresor in Love, our latest scent and a sibling to the legendary Tresor. T.I.L. takes the iconic fragrance and transforms it into a fruity floral. If you like that category of fragrance, you'll be interested in knowing it's Lancome's first fruity floral. (Previous Lancome scents have all fallen into the floral, oriental, chypre and/or citrus categories.)



The fragrance has been a big hit in Europe and will launch in the U.S. in early fall. We filmed the TV commercial and print campaign with Mario Testino and our spokesmodel Elettra a few months ago while she was on break from school. The print ad was shot in a studio in New York and the commercial was shot in a beautiful private home in the heart of Paris that used to belong to Karl Lagerfeld. There were dozens of extras, all good looking and all dressed in black, white and grey. Elettra looked like a young Audrey Hepburn in a white cocktail dress by a famous Italian designer and insanely high YSL heels. The poor thing had to stand for take after take in those shoes.



Let's give away a bottle of Tresor in Love. Just leave a comment saying what fragrance you're wearing today. Is it your signature scent? Do you rotate fragrances? Layer fragrances? Let us know. If you're wearing nothing, you can say that too! Please post by Wednesday night. We'll pick one post at random.



Good luck! We're on a soundstage outside of Paris right now and I need to stop typing. It's all quiet on the set and who knew how noisy a keyboard could be!! (Bye!)

Are You Ready for the Criminally Cute? TokiDoki Launches at Sephora!

Sephora, the visionary retailer, has always been at the forefront of beauty, showcasing groundbreaking brands, trends and the latest product innovations. Taking this tradition to the next level, Sephora presents tokidoki, a line inspired by the work of celebrated Italian artist Simone Legno. tokidoki invites you into a world of criminally cute beauty, where one glance is never enough. A provocative and playful mix of colors, textures and must-have accessories define this exciting new beauty brand available exclusively at Sephora in May 2010.

The line combines the imaginative playfulness of the tokidoki universe with the highest quality, color-rich formulations. Pop pigment shades for eyes, lips and face come together alongside professional tools and accessories, all inspired by Simone’s cast of characters, like the milk stealing Moofia and the sweet and prickly SANDy. Don’t let the cuteness of these characters fool you; this color collection impresses the most experienced makeup aficionados. With immaculate attention to detail such as artist approved chisel tip applicators, indigenous Japanese and Italian ingredients and professionally milled powder formulations, every aspect of the line brings together art, color and performance for an unforgettable experience.

“The creation of these tokidoki cosmetics has given me a completely new way to express my characters and their universe,” says creator Simone Legno. “And doing it as a Sephora exclusive made perfect sense – they understand the relationship between fun, creativity, self-expression and color unlike any other retailer.”

Simone Legno’s passion for Japanese culture and his eclectic background are the driving forces behind the whimsical universe of tokidoki. Growing up in 1980’s Italy, Simone first discovered the art and subculture of Japan’s youth in the Japanimation cartoons and comics that bombarded the pop culture scene. With the concurrent punk scene he juxtaposed these diverse influences, to design a world where innovative characters, subversive designs and outrageous storytelling co-exist.

“At Sephora, we are relentless in our search for innovative product offerings to redefine the beauty landscape,” says Margarita Arriagada, SVP of Sephora Merchandising. tokidoki stands at the forefront of cool, defying the rules of what works in pop and counter culture trends. The unique appeal of these characters and their stories is undeniable. It’s because of this extraordinary vision that we are pleased to present the first complete beauty collection from tokidoki, exclusively at Sephora. “

Escape into a world of criminally cute beauty

FOR EYES


• Cromatico Eyeshadow Singles ($15) – The innovative, highly pigmented Italian - and Japanese - derived formulation provides a luxurious texture that glides on and layers beautifully for a velvety finish. Available in 16 shades and multiple textures.

• Cromatico Eyeshadow Palette ($25) – Create stunning color looks with four complementary shadows housed in character-themed palettes, each with its own collectible charm. Available in three color collections: Adios (smoky gray), Bastardino (smoky brown/nude), and Diamante (purple/plum).

• Perfetto Eyeliner ($16) – This artist-inspired, chisel tip liquid pen liner provides ultimate control and precision definition. The high pigment, waterproof formula can be used for artistic expression anywhere on the body. Channel your inner artist with this quick-drying liner pen. Use it to draw liner on the eyes or create a temporary tattoo on the skin. Available in 8 shades.

• Brillante Glitter Eyeliner ($14) – Eyes pop with sophisticated shimmer from these colorful pencil liners formulated with tiny, light reflecting glitter particles. Available in 14 shades.

• Punk Lash Mascara ($18) – Electrify your lashes with bold, long-wearing color while Kudzu extract and vitamin B condition and protect for full, healthy lashes. Available in 4 shades- black, purple, green and blue.

FOR LIPS

• Prisma Gloss ($15) – Add sexy shine to lips with this non-sticky moisturizing formula featuring Japanese indigenous kudzu extract. Available in 16 shades.

• Fantastico Lip Stain ($15) – This long-lasting lip stain is formulated with hydrating panthenol and a fruity mango flavor for all-day wear. Available in 5 shades.

FOR FACE AND BODY

• Inferno Bronzer ($22) – Rice lipids give this bronzer a healthy, hydrating, warm glow finish. Available in 2 shades, Diavolina (medium tan) and Royal Pride (light medium).

• Kabuki Luminosa Powder ($22) – Achieve a luminescent radiant glow with this highlighting powder.

• Kabuki Brush ($28) – A uniquely designed brush with synthetic fibers to use with Inferno Bronzer or Luminosa Powder for a professional finish.

FOR NAILS

• Galleria Nail Files ($10) – Sculpt nails with files inspired by skateboard decks featuring iconic tokidoki characters. Available in 6 styles, 3 files to a deck.

• SANDy Nail File & Cactus Pup Buffers ($5-8) – SANDy will shape your nails, the Pups will buff, all so cute with such a pretty payoff. Easily attached to any keychain for instant access.



FOR FUN

• Skull Burger, Devil Girl & Melodia ($16) – Tokidoki iconic character charm key chains.

• Mints ($5) – Refresh breath with these sugar-free mints available in Moofia (above) and Cactus Friends collectible tins.

• Bellissima Makeup Bags ($20-42) – Pencil case, hanging travel bag and rectangle clutch styles featuring an exclusive tokidoki illustration are the chic way to carry your makeup.

• tokidoki tank top ($29.50) – Women’s fitted tank top style featuring a design created exclusively for Sephora. Available in S/M, M/L.


photos from tokidoki x Sephora launch event (Highsnobette)

tokidoki, exclusively at Sephora, will be available in May 2010 (you can see them online now) on Sephora.com and all Sephora stores, as well as by calling 1-877-SEPHORA.

photos: Sephora, tokidoki and Highsnobette

While Sampling at Sephora

Don't you just love when you have a day where if you spend two or three hours just playing around in Sephora you don't have to feel guilty about the indulgence?  Such was a day for me yesterday and I enjoyed it to the hilt.

Here, some ramblings about my thoughts and experiences sampling these well known brands and products:

KATE SOMERVILLE EXFOLIKATE
First, Kate Somerville ExfoliKate (2 oz - $85).  Oh my goodness ... I have to say I'm quite surprised by my reaction to this one. I expected to love it with all the hype and rave reviews.  I can't stand it!  Well, that may be a bit strong, but seriously, ladies, the smell of this product left me so turned off I can't imagine applying it to my face. Yes, I know it's enzymatic and that perhaps lends to the smell of this exfoliator, but please!  Now the physical element of its exfoliation is gentle and I'm sure probably effective (as may be the product as a whole), but even after wiping the product from the top of my hand (which is where I sampled all the products I'm writing about) with water and a cotton pad, I could still smell the thing lingering in the air. Bleck!  I couldn't get used to this if you paid me.  I'm sticking by my REN Skincare F10 Enzymatic Smooth Radiance for gentle enzymatic exfoliation and REN's Glycolic Skin Renewal Peel for when I want a more potent treatment. For physical exfoliation, I'm still in love with my Rodan + Fields Microdermabrasion Paste, which I've literally used for years and haven't found anything I like as much.

KATE SOMERVILLE DEEP TISSUE REPAIR
So as I was already at the Kate Somerville shelves, I tried her famous Deep Tissue Repair Cream (1 oz - $150) next. Ok, so it's a nice thick cream in texture, but when I read the ingredients, I see there are lots of different alcohols (which concerns me, as will it be drying on facial skin?), some silicones, but also some rather nice anti-aging ingredients and cannabis seed oil, squalane, jojoba, copper ... by the way the cream boasts a high conentration of  "Peptide K8" ... Kate's clever utilization of her name (again) in her products. Anyway, I'm not blown away by this one, though I've hardly given it a fair shake as longer term use may have left me pleased with results; the skin does become firmer upon absorption of the cream.  I have to say, I'm so disappointed as I was sooooo ready to love this brand!  I can't imagine paying the price for the line, it left me that under-whelmed.

PHILOSOPHY MIRACLE WORKER
An anti-aging cream I AM loving is Philosophy's new Miracle Worker (2 oz - $55).  This product is the bomb, ladies!  Let me first admit that I've never been a fan of Philosophy's cult favorite Hope in a Jar (even though the divine Ms. O raves about it on her favorite things list as do others).  Again, it's a smell thing for me; I could never get used to the smell of Hope in a Jar, and for that reason alone I just never "acquired the taste" for it. I am a Philosophy Girl, though, don't get me wrong, loving lots and lots of their other skincare, fragrances, 3-in-1's and more. And I've found a new favorite anti-aging cream in their Miracle Worker.  This is a satiny almost gel-cream in texture product, much lighter than some of their other creams.  It glides onto skin, and with such potency that a little goes a long way.  It feels delightful on skin, and it's loaded with vitamin C, resveratrol, and antioxidants.  I loved the way this made my skin feel, very smooth. This one I bought!

BLISS TRIPLE OXYGEN +C ENERGIZING CREAM
Onto Bliss Spa's section to try their new Triple Oxygen +C Energizing Cream (1.7 oz - $54). This is a cream with a light weight kind of custard-y gel-cream texture and the satisfying shade of light orange (though don't look for it to smell subtly of sweet oranges or even vanilla-orange, a facet I wish they'd have provided; it doesn't have much of a scent at all).  The cream feels lovely on skin and is quickly absorbed.  The idea behind this product is the brightening and renewing effects of both oxygen and vitamin C.  I think I could easily love this, just wish it had the extra sensory pleasure of a sweet subtle apricot, citrus, peach, melon any of those scents to pair with the color.

TARINA TARANTINO PEARL GLOW PRIMER
Here's one more that needs mentioning.  Playing around with the Tarina Taratino collection and loving the Pearl Glow Primer (1 oz - $32).  This is an opalescent pinky-pearl primer that applies easily and yields a fresh glow to the face.  it's not too shiny, too highlight-y, just enough that even a 40-something year old can get away with wearing it without it looking too made-up.  I'm liking this.  It's a true surprise for the trip, as didn't expect to take to much from the collection geared mostly to younger beauty addicts.  It's a definite must-see on your next trip to Sephora.

Disclaimer: All products mentioned above were sampled while browsing at Sephora.

Tarina Tarantino Enters the World of Beauty

image: Sephora Beauty and the Blog

Sneak Peek inside Tarina Tarantino's Beauty Editors' Launch Event

TARINA TARANTINO is launching a cosmetics collection! Available only in Sephora stores starting in February 2010, the line was announced at an exclusive event last night in NYC.

Here's a girl doing what she loves, and it shows. I love when women are true to their passion and create their world to encompass it! Not the style for everyone, but who cares. (see yay vs nay comments at Sephora's Beauty and the Blog on this collection - link below)

Makeup for the ultimate glitter addict. The gem-designer/glamourina, who calls her studio "The Sparkle Factory," launches a line of makeup with Sephora, with the same attention to glitter she's shown in her accessories.

"Most people don't know that I started my career as a makeup artist," Tarina told nylonmag. "I love seeing the collaborations between brands and makeup companies, but I have to be honest, a lot of it looks really cool but it's not very good makeup. My goal is to have this collection be in girls' bedrooms and in the kits of top makeup artists."

Besides designing the packaging, Tarina and her team controlled the ingredients and formulas used for each product - a first for a Sephora collaboration reports Sephora and Nylonmag.com.

The Tarina Tarantino beauty collection exudes girly-girl! Her Eye Dream Hypershadows, which will be available in 24 shades, have high intensity pigment payoff reports Sephora. Check out the video of Tarina talking about two of her favorite products from the collection ... her Gem Glosses (inspired by the gems she works with in her jewelry pieces, mositurizing and plumping) and her sparkle dusters (shown in atomizer bottles below).




Awww, well, just a teaser ... you'll have to mosey on over to Nylonmag.com and Sephora's Beauty and the Blog to catch more of the report and revelation of the rest of the exclusive images of the new collection. Looks fun!

source: Sephora, nylonmag.com