Friday, October 31, 2014
Vogue’s Guide to the Best Marathon Gear: The Sneakers, Leggings, and Energy Snacks to Take You to the Finish Line
Marathon Sunday is hands down my favorite day of the year in New York City. All five boroughs hum with the shared adrenaline, so I’ve always felt lucky that not only do I get to witness New York at its finest, but participate as well. Sunday will be my eighth NYC Marathon—I ran my first in 2002 and have run on and off since then. I always run as a guide for Achilles International, an organization that pairs volunteers with disabled athletes to accompany them during the race. This year I am running with my friend Tyler, an autistic young man, who is extremely athletic and in very good shape! Because of that I made sure to train harder this time around as I knew Tyler would give me a run for my money—pun intended. My training kicks into gear mid-summer and I typically stick to a schedule of running four to five times a week with one long run of increasing mileage up to 20 miles—I never go more than 20 before the actual race, since running 26.2 miles once a year seems like plenty!
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4 Halloween Beauty Ideas by Makeup Whiz Pat McGrath, from the Ghoulish to the Glamorous
If, today, October 31, you find yourself without a costume, consider yourself in luck. All the disguise you need is waiting for you at the makeup counter, as proven by editorial whiz Pat McGrath, who whipped up some less-than-expected classics for Vogue.com by way of glitter, glue, eye shadow, and sequins. Riffing on the show-stopping feather brows she dreamed up for the fall 2014 Alexander McQueen runway, the addition of a few spotted and snow-white plumes resulted in an ethereal exotic bird. Geometric splatterings of gold, blue, and magenta were the makings of a glamorous-meets-glam rock clown. Even the ever-appropriate skeleton costume was given a fashionable update with a splash of onyx crystals and exaggerated contouring. Here, a look through McGrath’s ghoulish guises—because, when your makeup is this opulent, no one will be looking below your neck.
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“There Are No Ugly Women, Only Lazy Ones”: A New Beauty Exhibition Explores the Life and Legacy of Helena Rubinstein
“There are no ugly women, only lazy ones,” Helena Rubinstein famously declared—a manifesto as persuasive and direct as the industrious beauty entrepreneur herself, who is the subject of a compelling new exhibition opening today at the Jewish Museum in New York. Formidable beyond her four-foot-ten frame, Rubinstein was the quintessential self-made woman, effortlessly navigating the intersection between culture and commerce while amassing a glittering checklist of breakthrough innovations—from the first waterproof mascara to a series of novel skin-tightening therapies.
Yet, for all of her forward-thinking advances, it is Rubinstein’s personal journey, from pioneering émigré to powerhouse beauty scion, that manages to truly captivate. Born in 1872 in working-class Kraków (two of the many biographical details that she creatively revised over the years), she set sail for Australia at age 24, abandoning her given name, Chaja, in favor of the more urbane Helena Juliet. Before long, her alabaster complexion caught the attention of the sun-weary locals, and in 1903 she began selling her miracle face cream, Valaze—purportedly infused with “rare Carpathian herbs”—at her debut salon in Melbourne. In the ensuing decades, her global empire grew to include outposts in more than 30 cities, from London (where clients often took pains to arrive unnoticed, as beauty rituals were largely practiced by women of ill repute) to Rio de Janeiro.
It was in New York, however—where well-heeled women swung in and out of the doors of her self-titled seven-floor flagship on Fifth Avenue—that the tireless Rubinstein made her mark (always with an eye on her archrival Elizabeth Arden and the upstart Charles Revson of Revlon, whom she archly referred to as “the nail man”). Madame, as she was universally known, championed the use of then-experimental chemical peels and was an early advocate for sun protection (“I have but this to say, sunburn is beauty suicide”). And while not a conventional beauty herself, she adopted a striking sensibility: She filled her closets with Schiaparelli, Poiret, and Balenciaga, wore layers of opulent jewels, and swept her raven-colored hair into a severe chignon.
Her preoccupation with the female form was evidenced in her staggering collection of contemporary art. Many of those works, including portraits of her own likeness as rendered by such artists as Man Ray, Marie Laurencin, and Andy Warhol, are on display in the exhibition. Here, a few of our favorite quirky facts worth noting for those who plan on checking out “Helena Rubinstein: Beauty is Power” this weekend.
“Helena Rubinstein: Beauty Is Power” opens October 31 at the Jewish Museum, New York City; thejewishmuseum.org
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Thursday, October 30, 2014
#TBT Scream Queens: 18 Beautiful Horror Heroines, from Tippi Hedren to Drew Barrymore
Horror aficionado Alfred Hitchcock may have said that blondes make the best victims—likening them to “virgin snow that shows up the bloody footprints”—but we would like to make a minor amendment. It’s not only blondes but babes who elevate scary movies from mere camp to art. With their wide-eyed allure, those skilled genre screen sirens amplify an audience’s sense of unease, upping the stakes in an environment weighted with fear. What would Dracula have been without Helen Chandler’s Mina, whose ethereal beauty and bedroom eyes (and yes, blonde hair) serve as an easy juxtaposition to the Count’s refined brand of evil? Sissy Spacek’s delicate, almost fragile features in Carrie bring a timid grace to her character, even as she overturns Chris and Billy’s car by way of telekinesis, her pale pink prom dress sodden with pig’s blood. Shelley Duvall’s doll-like visage was seemingly sculpted to wear the expression of alarm she perfected in The Shining. In recent decades, knockouts like Drew Barrymore, Halle Berry, Naomi Watts, and Elizabeth Olsen have found their way into nightmarish narratives with faces that are (almost) too beautiful to die. In honor of Halloween, a glance back at the scream queens who make being terrified look good.
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Wednesday, October 29, 2014
11 Foolproof Nail Polish Shades for Your Wedding Day: From the Classic to the Unexpected
Choosing a nail polish for your wedding day can be stressful: The options are endless, and your hands will be scrutinized. (You’re going to be sporting a new ring, after all.) In an effort to streamline the selection process, we asked some of the fashion industry’s top editorial manicurists and beauty entrepreneurs to name their best polish picks for your walk down the aisle this fall—from the classic to the unexpected.
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Olivia Wilde and the Appeal of Effortless Evening Hair
The beauty pendulum may be swinging back to polished, labor-of-love curls, but Olivia Wilde’s undone hair last night was one thing those bouncy, round-brush blowouts never are: easy. Spotted at the IWMF Courage In Journalism Awards in Beverly Hills last night, the actress looked, with her deconstructed waves, as though she’d wrapped a few thick pieces around a curling iron, raked her hair with her fingers, and headed out the door—a pre-event strategy as simple as blending a quick haze of slate cream-shadow over your lids and dabbing on a bit of lip balm. We suspect whoever said there are no shortcuts in life never looked this good.
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Kate Moss’s No-Maintenance Party Makeup: Made for a Festive Night Out
A few years after the first Playboy Club opened its doors, but well before Soho House became the members-only club to beat, there was the legendary London hotspot Annabel’s—the only nightclub the Queen has ever visited and the paparazzi-free stomping ground of Brit icons like Naomi Campbell, Lady Di, and Kate Moss. Snapped at Annabel’s fiftieth anniversary party last night in a pajama-inspired look, the latter supermodel matched her makeup to her feather wrap with shimmering rose-gold lids and pale pink lips. A swirl of bronzer and a dab of highlighting cream along the cheekbones provided a glowing nod to disco, while Moss’s bendy, lived-in blowout felt right for a night of dancing. The best part? The model’s signature smoky liner, which wore itself into a soft haze by the time she took to the turntables later that night. Because if Moss has taught us anything, it’s that when you’re the last to leave the party, your makeup mantra should be: The smudgier, the better.
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The Fashion Lover’s Handbook for Halloween Hair and Makeup: Inspired by the Spring 2015 Collections
The recent spring 2015 collections may have heralded the return of clean skin and natural hair on the runway, but it was the season’s boldest beauty statements—fresh-from-the-ocean hair at Jacquemus, subversively pierced brows at Rodarte, delicately gilded lips at Dries Van Noten—that ultimately captured our imaginations. And while a crown of fauxhawk knots (Marc by Marc Jacobs) or a colorful woven braid (Marco de Vincenzo) may not be made for the office, Halloween presents the opportunity to incorporate your favorite more-is-more runway hair and makeup moments into your costume. Here, our recipes for five festive disguises that are as chic as they are convincing.
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Tuesday, October 28, 2014
The Seasonless Versatility of Emma Stone’s Signature Bob
Since arriving to the big screen in 2007, Emma Stone’s implausibly healthy-looking hair has gone from copper to platinum, pin-straight to wavy, with bangs and braids thrown in for good measure. The hair chameleon took another turn earlier this year when she chopped her collarbone-grazing lengths into a modern bob, and has since been offering lessons in above-the-shoulders styling. While promoting her latest movie Birdman this month, Stone chose a sleek, flippy blowout for the Closing Night Gala presentation of the film, securing one side behind her right ear to expose three well-placed studs. Days later, she paired a low-maintenance wave with a fluffy Michael Kors collared sweater at the 92nd Street Y Film Series. For a recent Good Morning America appearance, Stone opted for the texture of an undone braid to offset her ultra-feminine Giambattista Valli dress. Here’s a look at three updated and unfussy interpretations of the classic bob.
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The 10 Best Beauty Looks: Week of October 27, 2014
From L.A. award shows to the streets of NYC, this week’s best beauty moments were found in bold blushed cheeks, understated updos, and soft, old-Hollywood waves.
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Monday, October 27, 2014
Here’s Everywhere Taylor Swift Has Worn Red Lipstick: From the Beach to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and Beyond
This morning, Taylor Swift’s new album, 1989, debuted in stores and online to glowing reviews. It’s true that the singer-songwriter’s talent for writing forward-thinking pop belies her 24 years-but then so does her prowess for wearing a classic red lip quite literally anywhere. If Swift’s go-to beauty statement is any indication, a day at the beach, a rainy afternoon, a quick jaunt to the grocery store, and a black tie gala are all perfectly reasonable occasions for a crimson pout. She often writes about her favorite lipstick color, penning lyrics like “cherry lips, crystal skies, I could show you incredible things,” and “I’ve got that red-lipped, classic thing that you like.” So integral to her trademark look are shades like NARS’s Dragon Girl and Shiseido’s Drama that it’s actually difficult to picture what Swift looks like without red lipstick—we challenge you to try. Congratulations on the new album, Taylor. Here’s to knowing your strengths.
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Sunday, October 26, 2014
The 10 Best Beauty Instagrams of the Week: Cara Delevingne, Gisele Bündchen, and More
The final, crisp days before winter’s chill descends offer the perfect excuse to get outside and—as Alessandra Ambrosio captioned a beauty selfie this week—feel the elements. Gisele set the bar (and her leg) high by posting a yoga pose among a smattering of fall foliage, while student Amy Sall snapped a selfie of her Nike running ensemble and her killer abs. Factor in a snapshot of beauty entrepreneur Hannah Bronfman hitting the Pilates machine, and it’s safe to say that Instagram was downright motivating this week. And if Cara Delevingne wasn’t exactly showcasing her affinity for a good workout while standing at the counter of McDonald’s, her luscious hair (and that of her sisters) offered plenty of inspiration. Speaking of hair, the week’s best posts are rounded off with close-up captures from hair legends Didier Malige (who posted a spur-of-the-moment micro braid) and Christiaan (who apparently doesn’t go anywhere without his golden comb).
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Saturday, October 25, 2014
A Range of Red Lips: From Kendall Jenner’s Bright Crimson to Lupita Nyong’o’s Rich Burgundy
While Jennifer Lawrence’s recent warm crimson had a harvest-time earthiness that feels just right for fall, the appealing lineup of saturated rubies and plummy bordeaux this week showcased the year-round appeal of red lipstick in all its shades. Anne Hathaway and Naomi Watts hit red carpets in Beverly Hills and Paris wearing a classic matte scarlet that brightened their powdery alabaster complexions, while Katie Holmes’s rich, polished burgundy in New York offered a gorgeously wearable take on the dark lip trend. Over in London, Lupita Nyong’o channeled a young Grace Jones with a disco-inspired pairing of candy apple lips and shimmering gunmetal eyes. Even nude makeup fan Kendall Jenner traded in her trademark beige lips for a swipe of bright berry at a Knicks game in New York. Here, a look at why red lipstick season is kicking off well before the holidays.
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Friday, October 24, 2014
Matching Your Lipstick to Your Coat: Lily Aldridge and Rihanna Elevate the Monochromatic Look
Earlier this fall, Karolina Kurkova sent photographers into overdrive when she stepped out wearing a shocking red Armani Privé fringe coat and an identical shade of crimson lipstick at a Fashion Week party in Milan. From the look of things, the supermodel may have rewritten an unspoken beauty rule in the process. After a summer of no-makeup makeup and model-off-duty buns, coordinating your lipstick shade to your look—with its carefully planned-out, made-the-effort implications—suddenly feels fresh again for fall. And what better backdrop to make the point than a colorful statement coat? Spotted in New York this week, Rihanna’s cool pink pout and pastel topper provided an elegant counterpoint to her casual dark denim and Timberlands. In town to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Thakoon’s self-titled fashion label, Lily Aldridge wore a rose silk duster and identical flesh-toned lipstick. The result? A new level of color cohesion that gave new meaning to the term match point.
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Thursday, October 23, 2014
Fall’s Best Foundations: 12 New Formulas to Transform Your Skin
With life moving at hyper-speed—checking email at 30,000 feet is now normal, FaceTime is a fully appropriate form of catching up—multitasking has never seemed more essential (or more efficient). So is it any surprise that your foundation is about to catch up? The latest high-tech formulas function as part camouflage, part skin care treatment—and, now, part problem-solver. Whether you reach for a fluid infused with optical brightening pigments to fight dullness, wrinkle-fighting peptides to smooth fine lines, or mattifying micro-powders to eliminate shine, fall’s new targeted foundations take on any complexion issue—while remaining stealthily, gloriously undetectable to the eye.
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TBT: The Evolution of Gwen Stefani’s SoCal Beauty, from Punk to Polished
This week, Gwen Stefani released ‘Baby Don’t Lie,’ her first solo single in almost a decade. It has been an additional ten years since Stefani, with her unique brand of SoCal ska-punk beauty, came crashing into the collective consciousness as the front woman of No Doubt, adorned with a bindi—an accessory incorporated into her wardrobe after spending time with bandmate and then-boyfriend Tony Kanal’s Indian relatives—ab-baring crop tops, and a crown of miniature, knobby knots. The rocker’s platinum locks have been tinted baby blue, cotton candy pink, and a surprising glossy chestnut for the music video of 2004’s “Cool.” The same year, her omnipresent red lip, signature cat eye, arched brow, and ice-blonde bob—which took on an increasingly Old Hollywood appeal mixed with a dash of rockabilly chic as the mid-2000s progressed—were given an amped-up Jean Harlow–inspired look for the April cover of Vogue. In 2013, when Stefani graced the front of the magazine once again, she appeared as an of-the-moment rock ’n’ roller in head-to-toe Saint Laurent from Hedi Slimane’s premiere collection, her golden waves rivaled only by her metallic bolero. With a twelve-year marriage to Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, three sons, three clothing lines, a forthcoming solo album, a current gig as a judge on The Voice, and a seriously enviable body, the risk-taking Stefani is certainly not just a girl—she’s an enduring style icon.
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Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Dakota Johnson Offers an Expert Lesson in the Best Makeup for Brunettes
One of the first blondes to take the brunette plunge this summer, with a glossy shade of chestnut brown, Dakota Johnson is already well versed in adapting her makeup to her new deep fall hair color. Spotted at the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Show at L.A.’s Chateau Marmont yesterday, the 50 Shades of Grey star paired a shimmering smoky eye with tawny rose matte lipstick and a hint of cream blush that picked up on the tones of her floral print Tome dress and emboldened her recent dye job. It’s a combination that could stand as an example for native brunettes and dark-haired newcomers alike: For all its subtlety, Johnson’s tone-on-tone palette wasn’t lacking in impact—because the real appeal of nude makeup (and eye-grazing bangs) is a supercharged gaze.
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Tuesday, October 21, 2014
How to Get the Easy Knots, Fishtail Braids, and Sun-kissed Skin of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalists Show
Calm and confident summed up the mood on the second floor of the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles this afternoon as makeup artist Lottie Stannard and her army of Maybelline New York assistants—dressed head to toe in matching black outfits with identical backstage kits—worked their way through a lineup of fresh-faced models in the hours before the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalists’ afternoon runway show. “We’re keeping the skin very modern and dewy on everyone,” said the makeup artist, who goes simply by Lottie, as she applied a light layer of Maybelline’s Dream Pure BB Cream over each girl’s complexion. From there, she was creating a series of varying looks as impactful and unique as each designer’s collection.
“It’s a very pretty, sun-kissed, Western look, with lots of gold and bronze that’s brushed almost up to the eyebrow,” she explained of Ryan Roche’s modern prairie girl, who got a burnished metallic eye, courtesy of Maybelline’s new Expert Wear Palette in The Nudes, and a dab of the company’s Baby Lips Crystal Balm on the mouth. The rest of the face remained “quite sheer so you can see the skin and, instead of highlighter, we are using clear Baby Lips Balm on the eyelids, bridge of nose, and cheekbones—anywhere the sun hits—for a glow-y feel.”
Bolder makeup statements included Edie Parker’s cool bohemian girl with her lived-in eyeliner. “I put it on the inside of the eye in the waterline and smudged it out,” said Lottie of using Maybelline’s Master Kajal Eyeliner in Midnight Brown. “Kind of like she’s been out all night.” Eva Fehren’s models sported a burgundy stain in the center of the lip using the company’s Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick (in Divine Wine), while Grey Ant’s models went out with a nineties-inspired taupe lip using the Color Tattoo Leather 24Hr Eyeshadow in Creamy Beige rather than lipstick. Meanwhile, manicurist Kimmie Kyees was sticking to a similarly era-appropriate palette of mauves, grays, browns, and taupe on toes and fingers.
In the adjoining rooms, seasoned New York Fashion Week hairstylist Jon Reyman was busy putting the final touches to what he dubbed an intelligent knot—created for Simon Miller’s model flock. “It looks haphazard but it’s really thought-out,” Reyman said as he finished the look, which he likened to a modern counterpart to the ponytail, by running some Aveda Dry Remedy Daily Moisturizing Oil through to the ends for a piece-y texture. “And it works perfectly with all of the hats.” Paul Andrew’s models’ sideswept waves were meant to evoke “glam, disco, Studio 54 hair”—courtesy of the company’s Volumizing Tonic—but it was the long, intricate fishtail braids with lots of shine he was fashioning for Roche’s runway girls that promised to transition instantly from the runway to the front row, where the event’s flock of actresses and girls-about-town were happily fanning themselves with their stiff cream invites. Minutes later, as models emerged into the hot, bright afternoon sun of the Chateau’s courtyard, that modern frontier girl look hit all the right breezy notes.
The post How to Get the Easy Knots, Fishtail Braids, and Sun-kissed Skin of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalists Show appeared first on Vogue.
Kerry Washington’s Pastel Blue Eyeliner: Why a Cool Color Palette Can’t Wait Until Spring
While fall’s siren call for deeper, richer makeup shades often brings with it a return to smoldering shadow and charcoal-rimmed eyes, Kerry Washington’s fresh pop of pastel color makes us want to fast-forward to spring. No stranger to the smoky eye, the Scandal actress stood out at a party in Beverly Hills last night with a thin swipe of powdery blue liner along her top lashes—a look that loosely recalled the slim blue leather strips affixed to models’ lids backstage at the recent Fendi show. An otherwise minimalist pairing of slicked-down hair, softly contoured cheeks, and pale pink lips kept things fresh—because the key to making the trickiest shades wearable is choosing a single focal point.
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The 10 Best Beauty Looks: Week of October 20, 2014
From L.A. to NYC, this week’s best beauty moments came by way of windswept waves, bronzed cheeks, and sultry, smoky eyes.
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Monday, October 20, 2014
Lupita Nyong’o Shines in Metallic Makeup: How to Add Impact to a Neutral Palette
Considering her penchant for bold splashes of color and the occasional statement hairpiece, Lupita Nyong’o’s head-to-toe neutral palette at the Sindika Dokolo Art Foundation dinner in London last night was a lesson in elegant restraint. Which is not to say that the actress and Lancôme ambassador’s pared-down makeup tones lacked impact: A glimmering wash of silver-threaded charcoal shadow made for a fresh take on the smoky eye, while a slick of caramel gloss offered another light-catching point of interest to offset her black silk Fitriani dress. Still, it may have been her slim jeweled headband, worn over the crown of her close crop, that brought out Nyong’o’s best asset: her supernaturally glowing skin.
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Blake Lively’s Slept-In Waves and Darker Roots: The Ultimate Bombshell Pairing
Fall has seen its fair share of lush, windswept manes—from Sarah Jessica Parker’s thick, second-day waves to Keri Russell’s breezy weekend curls—but does anyone do bohemian bombshell hair quite like Blake Lively? Back in the spotlight after announcing her pregnancy, the perennially beachy-haired actress and Preserve editor was snapped shopping in Manhattan yesterday with her trademark cascade falling into soft, well-conditioned strands around her shoulders—a look that had all the low-key allure of summer’s lived-in styles with just a hint of blow-dried polish. Rumored to have stopped highlighting her hair now that she’s expecting, Lively’s darker roots provided a rich note that feels just right for fall—and has us tempted to skip our next touchup.
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Sunday, October 19, 2014
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Debbie Harry’s Punk Braid, Blue Eyeshadow, and Bright Lips: Your Saturday Night Beauty Inspiration
If the spring 2015 fashion shows were all about bare skin and undone waves, let this fall be one last exercise in the art of more-is-more hair and makeup. The combination of statement eyes, lips, and cheeks can certainly translate to over the top, but as today’s Saturday night beauty lesson proves, it’s all in the execution. Take Debbie Harry, photographed in New York in 1978, her signature platinum dye job and exposed roots giving a punk finish to an otherwise neat French braid. Powder blue eye shadow is subverted with a rimming of black eyeliner. Cheeks are contoured in pink, not beige, and lips looks as if they were swiped with red as a rebellious afterthought. If you feel that you’ve applied too much, make like Debbie and kiss it all off. It’s one way to leave your mark.
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Friday, October 17, 2014
Warpaint’s Rock Star Beauty: At-Home Hair Dye, Lipstick as Eyeliner, and the Best Mascara of All Time
Yesterday at two-thirty in the afternoon, the members of L.A.-based indie group Warpaint were sipping iced coffee in the sun on an uncharacteristically balmy October day in New York City—a welcome respite from their yearlong tour to promote their self-titled sophomore album. If it sounds a little late in the day to be caffeinating, it’s not: Their work day often starts around 10:00 p.m., as it did on Tuesday night, when Theresa Wayman, Jenny Lee Lindberg, Emily Kokal, and Stella Mozgawa took the stage to perform their signature brand of spectral rock to a sold-out crowd at Webster Hall. There, the band’s shoe-gaze-y jams and hypnotic vocals were just as compelling as their rock star hair. Much like the music, their chromatic dye jobs and second-day textured strands walked the line between pretty and punk, while their onstage cat eyeliner had settled into a slept-in smolder. In the interest of mastering authentic she’s-in-the-band beauty, we sat down with the foursome to talk about everything from the perfect onstage mascara to the benefits of custom-dyeing your hair at home, and the best mascara ever made.
You’re going to be on the road until December. I’d imagine it’s difficult to pack your entire beauty regimen. If we were to open your suitcase right now, what would we find?
JENNY: I follow a pretty strict skin care regimen morning and night with my face. So I pack face wash and sunblock from my facialist, Trina Runea, and a vitamin-C serum from Natura Bissé.
THERESA: I bring Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye Concentrate because it’s so thick it feels like it’s going to soak in and actually do something. And then having nice face wash, toner, and lotion on the road is really important, too. I use Acure Organics products mostly, which is available at Whole Foods, that’s really good—it feels very light and very natural. Heritage Store Rosewater is the best toner.
EMILY: Yes! I want it right now! My skin gets dried out, so to keep hydrated, I spray a lot of face toners.
What about for your hair? Do you bring your own shampoo and conditioner with you or do you just use what’s in the hotel?
STELLA: The goal is to get as compact as possible, so you’re not lugging around three giant suitcases full of clothes and products. Bringing your own shampoo and conditioner is tough, but I think we all use Batiste dry shampoo—it’s cheap, classic. And Lucas Papaw is the most important thing. I put that everywhere.
What else do you bring for makeup?
STELLA: Mascara is my every day go-to if I’m going to be out in the world—it just helps. In the day I like Rimmel London. It’s really good and simple. Onstage, I go for more intense eyes, because as the drummer, I’m all the way in the back. I have a Chanel mascara that’s really thick—so I like that for a show. But I don’t try to look too glamorous because you can’t see my face—my hair covers everything.
THERESA: Josie Maran’s mascara is the best mascara that I’ve ever used. It has argan oil in it, and it actually feels like you’re healing your eyelashes when you’re putting it on.
What about eyeliner? I noticed a lot of cat eyes on stage.
THERESA: I like cat eyes on stage. It’s kind of all I know how to do. Otherwise, I wear brown eyeliner on my bottom waterline. I think it makes the brown of my eyes pop out—and it works for Stella too.
JENNY: There’s this really amazing Neutrogena Color Stick in Raisin that I wear right underneath my eyes that’s really good for smudging. It’s kind of red, so it’s subtle and not subtle at the same time. It’s actually a lip liner so I use it on my mouth, too. That’s how I learned to wear makeup. I wasn’t allowed to wear it in high school, but I had one Estée Lauder lipstick that I would use for blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, and lipstick. I also like the look of red lipstick like Rimmel London Moisture Renew in Diva Red on the lips with a bare face.
Your hair has stage presence—especially the way the bleach looks under the lights. Emily, when did you start dyeing your hair?
EMILY: I was at a photo shoot and just took advantage of a good, free colorist. [Laughs] I thought we were just going to lift my color a bit—I’m naturally a brunette—but I didn’t realize he was going to bleach it! That was a misunderstanding. It ended up being fine because I had pink hair, which was cool. But then it rinsed out really fast. That’s when Jen and I dyed it a light, icy blue. That faded out too, and I’ve been growing the roots out for a long time to try to be really organic about it. I might cut it off into a bob, too. I just recently chopped off over five inches with my kitchen scissors!
Is that something you do a lot? Dye your own hair?
EMILY: Jen does her own hair.
THERESA: She’s really good at it! She can color-match extensions to her hair.
JENNY: I used to have it done professionally, but it always looked too perfect. I would like it best when it faded out and turned different colors, so I just figured out how to do that myself. To keep my hair pink like this when I’m on tour, I dye it every five days with a mix of Manic Panic Cotton Candy Pink and Pretty Flamingo, blended with conditioner. Then I comb it through with my hands.
What’s your beauty indulgence when you finally get home?
EMILY: Beverly Hot Springs for a steam. I’ve been going there for twelve years. It’s a natural hot spring.
JENNY: I always love getting massages, acupuncture, and facials as well.
STELLA: For me it’s running every single day for my mental health. Running changes everything.
THERESA: I lay on my couch for like two days straight. [Laughs] And sleep. And then I come out looking great! Sleep is the best thing you can do for your face and your body.
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Chanel Iman Makes The Case for Matching Your Lip Color to Your Dress
Matching your lipstick to your dress was a lesson taught to mid-century debutantes, just one of many old school beauty rules that now seems like frivolous overthinking. But at last night’s God’s Love We Deliver Golden Heart Awards in New York, Chanel Iman wore a plum lip that mirrored her asymmetrical Michael Kors dress with elegant aplomb. Balanced with a light-catching touch of metallic eyeliner and her smooth, straight bob, Iman’s look was anything but outdated. In a world where “I just threw this on” is the modern mantra, a thoughtful shade of matching lipstick is unexpected—and perhaps even a little rebellious.
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Thursday, October 16, 2014
How to Layer Your Skin Care: The Pro’s Guide to Applying Your Face Cream, Serum, Sunscreen, and More
Peels, concentrates, emulsions, mists, serums: It can be tricky enough to decode what certain beauty products do, let alone how to effectively apply each one in your routine. Which comes first? What goes under or over makeup? “Navigating the basics of how to layer skin care products is one of the most confusing topics among my patients,” admits the New York City dermatologist Neal Schultz, M.D. With fall’s new arrivals now at your fingertips, it can be tempting to dip into multiple formulas at once. But even the best intentions can backfire: Piling on an excess of products can interfere with their absorption and potentially lead to irritation, congested pores, and lackluster results (essentially, the exact opposite of what you’d hoped for). To avoid those pitfalls, we consulted the pros, and put together a definitive field guide to layering your beauty essentials.
Observe the rule of three. Most dermatologists agree that applying more than three formulas at a time can be a bit overwhelming (for you, and your skin). “The problem with using so many product is that there’s a dilution factor, and possible conflicts with the active ingredients in those different items,” says Schultz. Slathering several hydrating formulas onto your face could cause them to simply pile up, rather than penetrate, while cocktailing too many potent salicylic acid serums and retinol creams could leave your skin inflamed. For that reason, New York City dermatologist Elizabeth K. Hale, M.D. says she’s a “minimalist” and prefers multitasking formulas (for instance, a face cream that contains antioxidants, moisturizers, and peptides, or a retinol serum that tackles fine lines and breakouts at the same time).
Weigh your options. After cleansing your face, keep this guideline in mind: “In general, you always want to layer based on weight or viscosity of products,” advises Schultz. So if you have multiple elixirs in front of you—a brightening essence, a dark spot eliminator, a plumping gel—quickly assess their textures. The thinnest should go on first. If all things are equal in consistency? Be strategic. “Go for the most concentrated product that will tackle your top concern,” recommends Hale, such as 2 percent dioic acid acne treatment, followed by something milder and meant to soothe, like a vitamin D–infused serum.
Factor in sun protection. The easiest way to never forget sunscreen: Choose a moisturizer that already contains one (and, as an added bonus, antioxidants to fend off UV-damage, which “are paramount to skin renewal,” notes Schultz). Opt for a lightweight lotion or hydrating primer with SPF if you anticipate using a creamy foundation next to avoid any caking. Let it absorb fully, then move ahead with your makeup. Should you decide to really streamline your routine? Well, those BB and CC multitasking, tinted creams were invented for a reason. “They’re a win-win, as their many active ingredients make them multifunctional,” says Schultz. It might be wise to keep a tube on hand, for those instances when time only allows for one—brilliantly executed—layer.
Reconsider the night shift. Apply re-texturizing products that exfoliate the complexion and leave you sun-sensitive, such as peels and pads with glycolic acid or retinol, to cleansed skin in the evening. In most cases, it’s fine—even preferable—to top with a hydrating facial oil, emulsion, or essence to limit irritation. Even those who swear by Retin-A can reach for moisturizer afterward. “Patients do it all the time to minimize dryness,” points out dermatologist Patricia Farris, M.D. Just stick with a thicker occlusive crème or balm, rather than a viscous lotion: Otherwise, “it will thin out the Retin-A, in the same way that adding water to cake batter thins it out,” says Schulz.
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5 Things You Never Knew About Perfume: A New Book Unlocks the Secret History of Scent
Even if you haven’t been formally introduced to Mandy Aftel’s transportative natural perfumes—from her small-batch liquid fragrances in their miniature glass bottles to her solid scents encased in reclaimed antique boxes—there’s a chance you’ve had an unwitting encounter with her popular culinary oils. Bartenders at PDT and Pegu Club, both in Manhattan, have incorporated the flavored essences into experimental cocktails; the artisanal ice cream whiz Jeni Britton Bauer uses them to churn out imaginative new flavors (vanilla cedar wood, wildberry lavender); and Daniel Patterson, the Bay Area chef who collaborated with Aftel on the 2004 cookbook Aroma: The Magic of Essential Oils in Foods and Fragrance [Artisan], stocks several varieties—including coriander, wild sweet orange, and pine needle—in the kitchen of his two-Michelin-star restaurant, Coi.
Today, Aftel opens another portal into her olfactory domain, with the launch of her latest book, Fragrant: The Secret Life of Scent [Riverhead]. Centered around five key aromatics—jasmine, cinnamon, ambergris, mint, and frankincense—it weaves together a powerful history of the senses. “People sailed around the world the wrong way just to get different aromas into their lives,” explains Aftel. In the spirit of those spice-seeking adventurers, she sets off on a sweeping narrative tour, exploring the role of scent in everything from Greek mythology and classic texts likes One Thousand and One Nights to its impact on modern medicine, and even flapper-era cocktails. Here are just five of the curiosities we learned from Aftel’s new book.
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Rihanna’s Street Style Pigtails: Reimagining a Childhood Throwback
Leave it to Rihanna to make pigtails look cool. Formerly the hairstyle of choice for girls under the age of ten and a certain silver-haired country-singing gentleman, the pop icon gave the twin braids street style appeal last night in Santa Monica. Not that we should expect anything less from the woman who has made everything from green lipstick to doobie wraps and pink pixie wigs seem like the modern beauty ideal. Her success in reimagining the childhood throwback lay with pairing it with chic, grown-up makeup—her bronze sculpting eye shadow and rose gold blush providing a soft glow, while her graphic cat eyes kept the hairstyle from going too soft. When in doubt, simply use the Rihanna rule of thumb: Throw on a backwards cap and call it a night.
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#TBT: Penélope Cruz’s Most Cinematic Hair Moments
Penélope Cruz is blessed with the kind of effortless, exotic beauty that inspires directors (Pedro Almodóvar and Woody Allen among them) and unhinges the hearts of audiences. With her made-for-smoky eyes and voluptuous mouth, her face is undoubtedly recognizable, but the Spanish actress is capable of chameleonic identity shifts, as evidenced in her many films. It’s the hair. Piece-y, voluminous up-dos coupled with a soulful stare characterize Cruz’s Raimunda, the glamorously raw center of Volver, while low-maintenance, loose waves transform the actress into a pious nun in All About My Mother. Broken Embraces showcases an impressive array of Cruz incarnations, all created through strategic wig placement and variations in fringe styling. Top her tousled hair with a black Panama hat and Vicky Cristina Barcelona’s careless spitfire, María Elena, is born. Her wispy Vanilla Sky bangs could serve as a beacon for a group of recent converts that includes Beyoncé, Alana Zimmer, Behati Prinsloo, and Catherine McNeil. Whatever the character, Cruz imbues confidence that is as alluring and iconic as her covetable mane.
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The Best Wedding Hair of All Time: From Gisele Bündchen’s Tousled Waves to Audrey Hepburn’s Flower Crown
Once the ring has been sized, the dress chosen, the venue booked, and the invitations sent, brides still have one more major decision ahead of them: Wedding Hair. We capitalize this in George-Saunders-ian acknowledgement that the desire to express one’s whole self visually in a single hairstyle is nearly as difficult to do as it was to convey your essence on your now-defunct online dating profile.
The requirements are simple enough: something blithe, timeless, and not overworked; understated glamour with ethereal panache. A look back at history’s chicest brides should be proof enough that the very best version of yourself is waiting on the other side of a sleek blowout, a romantic braid, gently tousled waves, a neat knot, or, in the case of marrying a rock star, towering volume. From Diana Ross’s baby’s-breath-spangled chignon to Kate Moss’s slept-in waves and Jane Birkin’s untamed floral crown, here is the best wedding hair to ever make its way down the aisle.
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Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Miranda Kerr’s Bright Makeup Is Our Cold Weather Beauty Inspiration
Pulling off a bright cheek and lip is no easy feat, but Miranda Kerr doubled up on pretty pops of pink last night in Seoul with aplomb. Her hydrated complexion and palette-cleansing white ensemble helped to set off the dashes of coral lipstick and rosy blush, while her brushed-up brows and effortless hair added a fresh edge to her flush. It’s a subtle departure from the no-makeup makeup and neat bun she’s been favoring of late. And we can see why: The youthful glow provided by such vibrant hues imparts the picture of health—easy inspiration for the winter months ahead when we’ll all need a welcome dose of energizing color.
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Tuesday, October 14, 2014
The 10 Best Beauty Looks: Week of October 14, 2014
At premieres and parties and out on the street, there were more than a few good reasons to wear lipstick this week. The best beauty moments were found in shades of pink—sheer, nude, or bright—and seasonal pops of red and bordeaux.
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Monday, October 13, 2014
The Return of Helmut Lang’s Cultish ‘90s Perfume: Vogue.com’s Beauty Director Revisits a Signature Scent
Last week, upon hearing about the return of Helmut Lang’s cultish self-titled eau de parfum after nearly a decade out of stock, the memory of its sweet, powdery, strangely appealing fragrance suddenly came rushing back. As the first truly grown-up perfume I chose for myself after college, it had all the makings of a signature scent. For one, it didn’t smell like anything I knew—not rose or jasmine or gardenia or anything as predictable as patchouli or sandalwood. With its graphic, heavy glass black-and-white bottle, it looked great on my bedside table and (very important) seemed capable of inspiring Proustian memories, or so I thought, when misted onto the collar of a boyfriend’s sweater.
After it was discontinued in 2005, following the departure of Helmut Lang from his namesake house, I fell into a fit of despair, resorting to bootleg orders from overstock websites and, on at least one occasion, eBay—until finally, sometime in 2007, I reluctantly acknowledged that my perfume and I just couldn’t overcome the distance. In the years that followed, I moved on with Frédéric Malle’s Musc Ravageur, but I never quite forgot about that slightly maddening blend of lavender, rosemary, orange tree blossom, and woods—which, taken as the sum of its parts, somehow managed to smell nothing like its individual ingredients.
Apparently, I wasn’t alone: Blogs were erected to its memory, and over the years, more than one acquaintance or colleague has confessed to their latent Helmut Lang fragrance longings. So when the reissued bottle arrived at the Vogue offices last week, along with its slightly softer eau de toilette counterpart, I was apprehensive. Would it be a tweaked version of the original—a shadow of its former olfactory self? Thankfully no. I am here to report that, brought faithfully and accurately back to life by Maurice Roucel, the same star French perfumer who created it back in 1995, it smells utterly identical to the original—urban, elegant, strangely addictive, and somehow still timeless. In fact, the only noteworthy change is its slightly updated square glass bottle, which looks even chicer than its predecessor.
There’s more good news: Fans of the fashion house’s other discontinued cult classic fragrance—a leathery, woodsy, resinous perfume created by the nose Françoise Caron in the early 2000s and known as Cuiron—can also rediscover that forgotten scent at the company’s website or in its boutiques. Buy all three, line them up on your dressing table, and fall back in love with your long-lost olfactory flames.
Helmut Lang Eau de Parfum ($185), Eau de Cologne ($185), and Cuiron ($165) fragrances, available at helmutlang.com
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A Cult Swedish Superstore Brings Its Beauty Apothecary to New York
Last year, while strolling down Copenhagen’s Strøget, a picturesque street lined with stylish shops and historical facades, I happened upon a promising fashion boutique called & Other Stories. Bearing all the hallmarks of Scandinavian design—clean lines, cool utilitarianism, unfussy tailoring with an edge—the clothing was both highly covetable and brilliantly priced. But after wandering over to its in-house beauty apothecary, I soon realized it was the company’s makeup and skin care offerings that could justify filling up a second suitcase, from its addictive assortment of nail colors to its fast-absorbing body creams.
So when the Swedish label, which is owned by the same fast fashion super-company behind H&M, announced its imminent stateside arrival in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood (conveniently located around the corner from my apartment) earlier this spring, I was understandably elated. When the doors open this coming Friday, it will offer an edited assortment of its covetable beauty range, with a focus on the bath and body, fragrance, candle, and nail polish collections (skin care and cosmetics will follow next year). Here is our shorthand guide to what to buy now (available in store and online at stories.com beginning October 17).
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Elle Fanning’s Cat Eyes and Earthy Flush: How to Amp Up Your Makeup for Brunette Season
Graduating from beach-haired nymphet to sleek ingenue in a single trip to the salon, Elle Fanning’s recent brunette plunge has been one of the most sophisticated beauty transformations of the season. Snapped at the premiere of her new film in New York last night, the Young Ones star’s sleek, honey-brown waves had all the elements of fall’s labor-of-love polish—and set the tone for her rich new palette of warm, earthy neutrals. Fanning’s tawny rose cheeks, berry-stained lips, and a thick, inky swoosh of liquid liner made for a darkly romantic look that still felt soft, thanks to her bolder eyebrows—because half the fun of deepening your hair color is amping up your makeup.
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Sunday, October 12, 2014
Kristen Stewart’s Sleek Androgyny: 3 Takes on the Boyish Crop
A reluctant style star who always seemed more at home in worn-in boyfriend jeans and baseball caps than red-carpet regalia and a fresh blowout, Kristen Stewart has hit her beauty stride with her razored, coupe sauvage crop. Ruffled into a deep side part at the New York Film Festival, the Clouds of Sils Maria star’s tousled chop provided a punk counterpoint to her fine-boned features and feminine dress. Swept clean under a black beanie or tucked under, yes, a baseball cap with a shimmering smoky eye, the style had the sporty androgyny we’ve always admired in Stewart’s off-duty image—only this time around, she’s taken it to camera-ready new heights. Here, a look at Stewart’s short-hair appeal.
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Saturday, October 11, 2014
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Tracing the Hair Evolution of the Beatles: From Mop Tops to Psychedelic Shags
John Lennon would have turned 74 today. The man who wrote antiwar anthems like “Imagine” and famously asserted that the most revolutionary thing you could do was to “stay in bed and grow out your hair” may forever be associated with the seventies peace movement, but it was his remarkable physical transformation during his time with the Beatles that reflected the rapidly changing cultural landscape of the sixties. In just five years, John, Paul, Ringo, and George went from mop-topped heartthrobs on The Ed Sullivan Show to shaggy-haired pioneers of psychedelic rock with albums like Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Yellow Submarine. In honor of the counterculture icon’s birthday, here’s a look at the Beatles’ hair evolution.
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#TBT: Brooke Shields in the Original Calvin Klein Jeans Campaign
When news of Brooke Shields’s new limited-edition makeup collaboration with MAC flickered across our iPhones, our minds were transported back to 1980, when a 15-year-old Shields made waves in the original Calvin Klein jeans campaigns with her expressive brows, amplified blowout, and unbuttoned down-to-there silk shirt. This was an ad for jeans—supposedly the look in which you’re most relaxed! And while it couldn’t be further from today’s current move toward no makeup–makeup and air-dried waves, there’s something about her sun-kissed complexion—and even her rich orange lip—that has us loving the lay-it-on-thick drama of the early eighties. Reason enough to pick up the company’s Veluxe Brow Liner.
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Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Dior’s New Limited-Edition Perfume Elixirs: 4 Perfect Fragrances Made for Layering
Since 2010, Dior has found a cult audience in its luxe thirteen-piece fragrance wardrobe, Collection Privée. This fall, the house’s latest scent collection, Élixir Précieux, is taking perfume into the realm of olfactory couture. Inspired by the ancient Middle-Eastern tradition of layering fragrances, each Élixir is comprised of a single-note concentrate—Oud, Rose, Ambre, and Musc—that’s made to be paired with an existing Privée perfume to create an entirely new bespoke scent.
Crafted with rare ingredients by in-house perfumer François Demachy, the elixirs offer a potent base for building on. For example, the fashion house’s “vigorous” Rose—made with a coastal variation of Turkish damascena, which Demachy admires for its “interesting aggressiveness”—offers a heady counterpoint to the Collection Privée’s powdery, woodsy Bois d’Argent. By contrast, the Ambre gives the fashion house’s New Look 1947 floral perfume a steamy, animalistic edge. Those game for experimentation can try layering the concentrates under any perfume of their choice: A drop of Oud dabbed on the inside of the wrists, for instance, seems destined to provide a favorite summer floral, like Le Labo’s sensual Jasmin 17, with a distinctly masculine note for chilly nights by the fireplace.
While the ancient ritual of dabbing a glass stopper on one’s pulse points is a luxury in itself, the sleek, thick-cut glass bottles are as indulgent as the three milliliters of fragrance they hold. Says Demachy, “Right away, these bottles tell you that every drop is precious.”
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Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Welcome To Sun School
Kelly Gilbert enrols at a tanning spa and leaves with a glowing report.
The Sun Spa was where it should be, which was on the beach and a short stroll from the loungers. It is essentially a glorious embroidered tent, comprising two treatment areas, a consultation space and an outdoor shower. The premise is this: you sign up and, in doing so, relinquish responsibility for your own sun-care application and hand your body over to the Sun Spa at prescribed times for sun preparation, product applications and after-sun care. We filled in a questionnaire to determine our skin types: I was "sensitive" and my husband "intolerant". Then our individual tanning programmes were worked out following a consultation that included a shaming "tan history", which required full disclosure of sunburn episodes. This was virtually every time I'd been away. I'd develop rosy shoulders or pink knees at some point after applying sunscreen and thought of it as par for the course. "It's only sunburn if it hurts in the evening," I offered, before immediately wishing I hadn't. But there was no judgement in the Sun Spa. Monica gave me a sympathetic smile and told me it is possible to tan evenly without turning red and for it to last, then fade, without peeling. I was sold. And signed up for the week.
It's a concept unique to Institut Esthederm, the niche French skincare company respected for its well-researched products (creams are selected according to skin type and the sort of sun exposure you'll experience, rather than by SPF ratings), and is one of just two in the world (the other is in Thailand). To me, its approach is enlightened: despite health warnings and threats of premature ageing, most Caucasian people like to tan, and if we accept that people tan, then we need to accept they burn, because it is a rare soul who applies sunscreen as the manufacturer prescribes (a tablespoon for every limb, every one to two hours). "Our philosophy is that we work with the sun and not against it," beamed Monica.
On day seven, after a lavish application of aftersun, which includes an ingredient to encourage my melanin to linger longer, I found myself reluctant to leave, wondering at the old me who applied my own body creams. My golden limbs gleamed, I looked radiant and, in Institut Esthederm-speak, I had "maximised my tanning potential". Yes, I might have balked at the time commitment involved but, just as the "cost per wear" justifies an expensive new coat, my subsequent tan endurance makes me feel that every application was worth it.