May 21, 2010 in Makeup by Denise Wild

To celebrate 10 years of Juicy Tubes, Lancôme has released a collector’s edition of the popular lipgloss. Juicy Tubes 100% Natural Origin gives you the same stick-free finish you already love, now with a 100% natural formula and packaging. Conditioning honey and shea butter moisturize your lips while natural colouring agents are used to create shades such as Apricot and Rose.

GS Approved: Japanese visual artist Yayoi Kusama has accented the lipgloss tubes with decorative illustrations that make the exterior packaging as enviable as the colour on your lips.

Inspiration: Scarlett Johansson returns to the big screen in Iron Man 2 this month, and brings with her that trademark pout! Plump up your lips to get a similar look with the limited edition Juicy Tubes collection.

Beauty Editor: Jemima Codrington

May 19, 2010 in Makeup by Denise Wild

Yes, you read that right—collagen enhancing. Meaning you don’t have to have any procedures or needles, but can instead stimulate your lips’ natural collagen and elastic to get a rejuvenated pout instantly. Faces Ultra Lip Plump Gloss utilizes natural ingredients such as ginger root, peppermint, and soya oil to make your lips look and feel fuller, while minimizing the appearance of fine lines. And with 10 shiny shades to choose from, you’ll have no trouble finding your perfect colour for summer days or nights.

GS Approved:  Antioxidant vitamin A and moisturizing vitamin E keep your lips supple and soft, even under stress from the sun and free radicals.

Inspiration:  While promoting her new album Aphrodite, Kylie Minogue has been seen out smiling at press events and live performances all over Europe. Having famously now sworn off cosmetic surgery (“I won’t go near it,” she says), Kylie’s no doubt a fan of glosses that put a natural plump in her pout.

Editor’s Note: You’ll feel a slight tingling when you apply this gloss—that’s the peppermint working. Don’t fret. It’s totally normal!

Beauty Editor: Jemima Codrington

May 18, 2010 in Makeup by Denise Wild

Finally, a brow solution for girls on the go! Brow geniuses Tweezerman and the beauty mavens at Benefit have teamed up to make a trendy tool that’s perfect for minimal summer maintenance. Tweezerman for Benefit Brow Shaping Brush is a must for a quick tune-up and makes grooming a cinch. The retractable design protects the brush from picking up grit and dirt, and makes for easy carrying in your purse or make-up bag.

GS Approved: The no-slip grip handle is easy to use, plus it’s durable. So although it’s a little pricey, it lasts. Hey, beauty is an investment!

Inspiration: While on the rounds promoting ‘Grown Ups”, Salma Hayek has been looking more relaxed and radiant ever. If you’re lucky enough to have dark eyebrows like Salma, skip the pencil and powder and brush them upwards for a natural look.

Beauty Editor: Jemima Codrington

May 17, 2010 in Hair by Denise Wild

Hate fly-aways? Me too, especially with short hair. I love this new Nexxus Maxximum Super Hold Styling and Finishing Mist to keep them in check. It’s ideal for straight hair and sleek styles, and doesn’t have any nasty build-up. It doesn’t flake or cake around the hairline too, which is a plus. The micro-mist technology is fast-acting and long-lasting, so you can enjoy great hair all day long. The NexxuSpheres microsphere time-release technology releases ceramides, antioxidants, UVA/UVB, and nutrients throughout the day, so your hair gets a mini-salon treatment, too!

GS Approved: This spray holds up to humidity, so it’s a great choice for holding those summer hairstyles in place at weddings and other special events!

Inspiration: At the premier of her new flick “The Killer Inside Me”, Jessica Alba rocked a sky-high do. Keep your similar look in place—and with a glossy finish—using this non-aerosol spray from Nexxus.

Beauty Editor: Jemima Codrington

May 14, 2010 in Makeup by Denise Wild

Don’t just fake that healthy glow—get it with the new Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Bronzing Powder. The pocket-size powder is formulated with Sea Water minerals, which contain calcium and magnesium, already found in the skin. Mica adds a luminous look giving you a sun-kissed appearance, while vitamins A, C, and E moisturize to give you healthy skin that looks fresh and natural.

GS Approved: This powder is talc-, fragrance-, and oil-free, so it’s great for use on combination, oily, and sensitive skin.

Inspiration: Recent Tony-award winner and Elizabeth Arden spokesperson Catherine Zeta Jones always looks glowing. We love her natural-looking complexion, so to replicate it, dust on a healthy glow of your own.

Editor’s Note: The kabuki brush is smaller than pictured, making it a little difficult to get an “all-over” glow, as it tends to brush powder in straight lines as opposed to dispersing it. The powder itself, though, is fantastic. I found it spread more evenly and looked better when applied with a full-size kabuki brush.

Beauty Editor: Jemima Codrington

May 13, 2010 in Body by Denise Wild

We all feel better with baby-soft, clean skin. Here’s a shortcut: St Ives Exfoliating Apricot Moisturizing Body Wash. It gently exfoliates dull, dry skin as it cleanses. Its key ingredient, apricot, is known to be hydrating, nourishing, and is an antioxidant. It gently exfoliates with lightweight jojoba beads, which are ideal for shower gels, soaps, and scrubs because they’re gentle and they don’t tear skin on a microscopic level like some nutshells can. This body wash is safe for sensitive skin and has a fresh shower scent. Super soft skin is only a shower away!

GS Approved: Using a soft, cleansing scrub a few times a week is the most effective and gentle way to permanently smooth skin!

Inspiration: St Ives Apricot Face Scrub has been around for ages and has made top beauty lists time and time again. It’s reached skincare cult status and deserves a place in your beauty routine. Pair it up with St Ives Exfoliating Apricot Moisturizing Body Wash, and you’ll have a dynamic exfoliating duo!

Beauty Editor: Andrea Victory

May 12, 2010 in Hands & Feet by Denise Wild

Manicures are your hand’s best friend. Nothing makes you feel a little more ladylike than professional polished tips. But we like saving money! So how about a quick trick to get a great at-home varnish? Us DIY girls love the Sally Hansen Quick Care Clean-Up for Manicures. As easy to use as a pen, simply stroke away imperfections and polish slips around your cuticles. No more messy, fluffy, q-tip clean-up attempts! Now you can have the ease of a professional tool. Wipe the tip clean after each use for longevity. (Replacement tips are kept in a cap at the opposite end.)

GS Approved: Sally Hansen lends a helping hand with a simple solution that takes us from messy to perfect when it comes to our manis and pedis. Two superbly polished thumbs up!

Inspiration: People will always notice your nails when you are piling on bangles. Marc Jacobs has us coveting this colourful stack of arm candy. Make your nails shine as bright as your great style!

Editor’s Note: Beauty School Lesson: For a salon-like at home manicure, try to cover the nail in just three strokes. At first you might wonder how in the world it’s done, but keep practicing. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll agree: A pro-look mani is done in three!

Beauty Editor: Andrea Victory

May 11, 2010 in Skincare by Denise Wild

Did you know that white tea can save your skin from damage? Silver-tip white tea contains Epigallocatechin Gallate, a powerful antioxidant that protects skin from age-accelerating free radicals. Lucky for us, Origins A Perfect World SPF 25 Age-Defense Moisturizer contains rare silver-tip white tea, so we can protect our skin and keep it healthy and radiant, no matter how much pollution and sun we encounter daily. The formula also contains Maritime Pine, which works on a cellular level to strengthen skin’s defense system. 84% of women tested said their skin looked healthier and radiant after using it, and makeup artists love it for its compatibility with makeup.

GS Approved: Moisturizers with sunscreen tend to top our list, especially during warmer months and in hotter climates. A cream with sun protection and antioxidant benefits quickly wins our attention!

Inspiration: Silver-tip white tea has been praised by China’s emperors for centuries as a key ingredient in the ‘Elixir of Immortality’. Enjoy your own version of an immortal elixir with a cup of white tea in an elegant, nature-inspired Kate Spade June Lane teacup!

Editor’s Note: I remember discovering Origins when I was a teen during the launch of A Perfect World collection in 1998. With tear sheets from my favourite teen magazines stashed under my pillow, I dreamt of my own stash of Origins goods. Years later, I’ve discovered dreams do come true, as I now apply A Perfect World to my skin on a daily basis!

Beauty Editor: Andrea Victory

May 10, 2010 in Skincare by Denise Wild

Avocado has been proven as an excellent conditioner and moisturizer, great for restoring hydration while caring for the needs of both your skin and your hair. Fruits & Passion has taken avocado’s beauty benefits to the next level with a lip balm free of petroleum-based additives, mineral oil, and beeswax. Instead of chemical preservatives and colorants, they’ve used plant waxes, coconut oil, and shea butter to create Fruits & Passion Avocado Lip Balm. Ethically harvested avocado oil makes up 10% of the balm, meaning you’re getting the real deal and real moisture. 

GS Approved: A product that takes the environment into consideration, leaving out harmful chemical ingredients is a great bet.

Inspiration: Avocados are sometimes called alligator pears because their shape is similar to a pear, and their peel resembles an alligator’s skin. Speaking of look-alikes, this wooden bangle by A.V. Max looks like the nut of an avocado, while it’s hammered, silver, round studs are reminiscent of the textured skin of the nutritious fruit. (Yes! An avocado is a fruit!)

Beauty Editor: Andrea Victory

May 7, 2010 in Skincare by Denise Wild

Ever the pioneer of anti-aging skincare, Vichy has created Vichy LIFTACTIV CxP Total Daily Serum with new targeted therapy technology. The active ingredients in the serum affect only the molecules they needs to, giving a more concentrated, noticeable result. It reduces the look of wrinkles and lines, boosts firmness, and gives you a glowing radiance all in one product. The gel-based formula glides on easily to wear alone or under your makeup. 

GS Approved: Vichy LIFTACTIV CxP Total Daily Serum keeps the surface layer of skin moisturized while vitamin C works on renewing cells beneath the surface.

Inspiration: Olivia Newton John’s recent appearance on Glee at age 61 had everyone impressed by how great she looks! Give your skin the gift of a hard-working, concentrated serum for an all-over glow like Olivia’s.
 

Beauty Editor: Jemima Codrington