Tag Archives: Davines

The Best of 2013

Best-Beauty-2013

I’m not good with goodbyes, but I’m ready to give 2013 its final sendoff. The promise a brand new one holds is pretty thrilling, especially when this year has been so good to me. I hit publish on my very first 312 Beauty post in January, the start of a wild and crazy ride! There was the time Refinery29 included me in a list of bloggers “you need to be reading,” the reminiscing I did on wedding day beauty for POPSUGAR and the segment I did on Chicago’s FOX 32 on Memorial Day. I’m still awestruck from meeting so many incredible women at A Night for Green Beauty and honored I got to interview Butter LONDON’s global colour ambassador Katie Hughes, Space NK founder Nicky Kinniard and Illamasqua founder Julian Kynaston when they came to Chicago.  Most of all, I’ve had the best time talking beauty and getting to know so many of you (on the internet and in real life!) Let’s do more of that next year, k?

I can’t wait to see what the next year in beauty will bring. It’s fitting that my last post of 2013 is all about the products I loved most this year. I give you, my top 10!

Deborah Lippmann Glitter and Be Gay is hands down, the best nail polish I bought all year. I wore this constantly! The sparkling yellow gold and bits of blue holographic glitter are killer.

I used to think that salt sprays were drying until I tried Davines This Is A Sea Salt Spray. It’s the best styling aid for my type of hair (stick straight). I spray on dry hair before I curl and get the softest waves that last all day. No small miracle.

Everything I thought about natural mascara changed thanks to Kjaer Weis. The 99.8% organic mascara is better than most others (natural or otherwise). Plus, it smells like roses!

I tried at least a dozen facial oils this year and Lina Hanson’s Global Face Serum was easily my fav. It plumps up my skin and makeup looks better when I apply this first. The scent, from a blend of 11+ exotic plant oils, is intoxicatingly good.

ILIA Cosmic Dancer is the most flattering gold highlighter. It’s soft and brightening and not the least bit brassy. Word is that it’s limited edition for the holidays, which I’m not ready to accept.

Katie Hughes herself introduced me to Butter London Cheeky Crème Blush in Pistol Pink. It’s a bright pop of color and you can dab it on your lips, too.

This year will go down as the year of MAC RiRi Woo. It was released several times with all of Rihanna’s MAC collections and it sold out quickly with each one. Worth the hype.

My mornings were greatly improved after discovering R.L. Linden & Co Thousand Petal Beautifying Mist, which is like a blast of floral adrenaline. Plus, I want to be friends with the owners. They seem like such cool chicks!

Washing my face will never be the same. Elizabeth Dehn for One Love Organics Vitamin B Cleansing Oil exfoliates with plant extracts as it breaks down all of your makeup. Two thumbs up.

I’ll never be Camilla Belle, but at least I have Benefit Gimme Brow to get me a little closer in the brow department. It’s part brow filler part volumizer and takes 2.5 seconds to apply. I’m already on my second tube!

Happy New Year!

Davines More Inside

Davines-More-Inside-Products

This Is A Sea Salt Spray. This Is An Invisible Serum. This Is A Medium Hairspray. And THOSE are the actual names of three products in the new 16-piece Davines More Inside styling line. We’ve all been there. We’ve left the salon with products that we don’t know what to do with when we get home. More Inside lets the product explain itself from the start. What’s even better is that most of the styling products are hand-wrapped in graphic printed paper with a sweet and oh-so meta message + how-to tip.

Davines-More-Inside-Messages

You guys, it’s like a present in itself!  One you carefully want to unwrap so you can use the paper again. Didn’t everyone’s grandma teach them how to open gifts that way?

Davines-More-Inside-Salon-Blonde

I previewed the line at salon blonde in Bucktown last week, which is participating in Davines third annual Sustainable Beauty Day, today, October 7. Each October, Davines enlists its salon partners to dedicate a Monday to help fundraise for The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. The salons offer haircuts and blowouts free of charge, encouraging clients to make a make a donation. All proceeds are given directly to the cause and in the spring, Davines volunteer helps plant the trees. There really is More Inside and behind this brand, which I love.

More Inside will be launching in full later this month. A tip that I got from the team at salon blonde? Spritz This Is A Sea Salt Spray on dry hair before curling, section by section before you curl as you might do with a hair spray. It helps set the curl and gives it a nice texture.

Camp Gorgeous at Neiman’s, Natural Deodorant + the Perfect Weekend Bag

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{Photo via Politics of Pretty}

The ‘Camp Gorgeous’ beauty event kicks off at Neiman Marcus on June 2. An $85 purchase gets you this adorable striped beach tote filled with beauty samples (I spy Exfolikate!) Chicago ladies, go see my girl Tess at LMdB for your beauty needs. (Politics of Pretty)

Really important question: Where in Chicago can I get a cronut? Detox exception? (Birchbox)

Natural deodorant is very subjective, but Kathy’s review of Soapwalla has me curious. (Beauty Palette)

Davines is expanding upon its popular Oi oil line to include a shampoo, conditioner and a leave-in. (Refinery29)

Searching for the perfect weekend travel bag? Me too. Which is why I think you’ll be very excited to see this. (Pretty and Fun)

Lilac Lips + Met Gala Beauty

SJP-Met-Gala-Makeup

First, let’s appreciate the giant feathered mohawk situated atop Sarah Jessica Parker’s head. You can’t say she didn’t own the punk theme of Monday’s Met Gala. Second, let’s admire her flawless makeup, especially the plum eyes and soft lip. I’ve been curious about the NARS Tender Night Velvet Matte pencil that launched with the brand’s summer collection.

NARS-Tender-Night-Velvet-Matte

Mainly, is it wearable? For daytime? Anytime? By normal people?  I mean, you wouldn’t think so at first glance. Which is why I was so excited to see SJP rocking it at the Met. She shows just how pretty and wearable Tender Night can be. It’s more interesting than a beige-hued nude and way more modern. I think it looks phenomenal coupled with her plum lids, courtesy of NARS Calabria Soft Touch Shadow Pencil.

The beauty at the Met Gala was all sorts of incredible. Here’s a round-up of my favorite looks!

  • Emily Blunt wore bright pink lipstick on her eyes. And it looks great… (Politics of Pretty)
  • Some serious punk-inspired nail art – I’m partial to Sienna Miller’s spiky mani. (Beauty Sweet Spot)
  •  Anne went platinum blonde and killed it. (Beauty High)
  • Miranda Kerr is maybe the perfect woman. I appreciate her glamorous waves, styled with Davines products. (Beauty Blogging Junkie)
  • I love her signature red pout, but Tay is really working the nude lip and inky eyes. (PopSugar Beauty)

SJP Photo Credit:  DListed