MELT DIRT AWAY WITH OLE HENRIKSEN
Photo Credit: olehenriksen.com
When I went to New York’s Maritime Hotel to learn about Ole Henriksen’s new Pure Truth Melting Cleanser, I wasn’t sure what to expect, having tested hundreds of cleansers in my lifetime.
This new 3 in 1 bright orange cleansing gelée is quite revolutionary, explained one charming lady whose skin looked so flawless that it could have been airbrushed. The Pure Truth Melting Cleanser is a re-imagined take on the classic cold cream, which may have fallen out of popularity in the US but women in Europe and the Far East have been using for more than a dozen decades (myself included).
The Melting Cleanser, or gelée, contains a unique blend of ingredients formulated to brighten and boost collagen synthesis, including vitamin C, virgin cherry oil, and Ole Henriksen’s favorite, rose hip seed oil (nature’s bountiful source of omegas 3, 6, and 9). The melting cleanser is transformative in a David Blaine kind of way, morphing from gelée to oil when applied on skin, then when activated with water, it spins into a creamy milk-like texture to become a complete magician.
The gelée itself is clean and fresh, like bright orange jelly or marmalade, and is paraben and synthetic free. It has a hint of fragrance, but I learned at the event that Henriksen, because of his European heritage (he’s a great Dane), “loves fragrance” but lets it be as natural as possible.
For $36, this is a beautiful, refreshing product, and one that deserves attention. It launches in stores and online on August 21.
EYE CANDY: CHUBBY STICK SHADOW TINT FOR EYES
Who doesn’t love Clinique’s Chubby Stick, that on-the-go lip balm of moisturizing color, which is so fun to use and comes in a rainbow of shades. Now Clinique is introducing a new member of the Chubby Stick family: Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes ($16). It’s easy to apply, allergy tested, and the colors are über flattering. And like its big sister, the stick is perfectly portable and convenient, delivering a sheer wash of pretty colors that are buildable, blendable, and long-lasting.
Ease of use is really at the heart of this sheer stick shadow that applies evenly across the eyelid. Silky and creamy, it stays put without dusting onto cheeks or creasing during hectic and long days. Since it’s formulated with vitamin E, it’ll keep your eyes feeling soft, too.
Chubby Stick’s crayon-like barrel makes application a cinch when you’re running short of time and out the door. A twist of the base exposes just the right amount of tint; a quick sweep across the lid gives you an everyday or dramatic look in a snap; a quick twist down and you can replace the cap with a “click.† My colleague said that even when she dabbed the Chubby Stick on her eyelids, she could see the color immediately. So if you want a more subtle look, a little can go a long way.
According to Clinique Global Color Artist Jenna Menard, “You can create a professional look in just minutes by applying different colors on particular areas of the lid. The key is to blend the edges of the colors with a shadow brush before the makeup sets.â€
Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes comes in 12 shades, ranging from nudes (“Bountiful Beigeâ€) to pinks (“Pink & Plentyâ€), violets (“Lavish Lilac†and “Portly Plumâ€) to blues (“Big Blue†and “Massive Midnightâ€). Let your imagination lead you and layer several together. “Each shade can be worn alone as an allover color on the lid, combined with an eyeliner to create more definition, layered under a powder shadow to create more dimension with two textures, or layered with other shadow sticks to create a creamy blend of wow colors on the lids,†Ms. Menard says.
Just like the Chubby Sticks for lips, we expect the version for eyes to be a huge hit. Look for them in stores in February 2013.
THE FIRST AT HOME OMBRE HAIR COLOR
Ombre is a buzzword that’s so popular these days that it has its own place in the dictionary. But at-home ombre hair coloring? That’s an entirely different story.
L’Oreal’s Feria Wild Ombre ($12.99) is the first of its kind to put the power of ombre directly in women’s hands. In other words, yes, you can get ombre at home—that is, as soon as the kit arrives in stores next month. At a recent event, L’Oreal executives talked about the hot new hair coloring trends from around the world, including platinum blonde, red hair, and jet black. Ombre is very much a trend ever since Lindsay Lohan showed a picture of her hair tinted in several soft shades.
Celebrity hair colorist Christophe Robin says that the trick to doing ombre at home is the right formula and the right brush. “There’s a trick to getting it right,” he says. “Brush your hair and do the section behind your neck first; wear an old tee shirt and bring all your hair to the front [in other words, part your hair and bring the hair to the front], put the product on the brush and layer it on your hair.”
If you have a lot of thick hair, use more product; if you have finer hair, use less. L’Oreal Feria Wild was formulated with just the right amount of viscosity so that it doesn’t run all over your hair—it’s not too fluid as to be messy but flows enough so you can sweep it nicely on the ends of your hair. Robin also says that it’s important to use the brush horizontally and not vertically, since the color should be even across, and faded towards the ends. With L’Oreal’s new patented brush, you can target specific strands and create a lightened and darkened effect to your taste. Depending upon the intensity, you can achieve results in 25-49 minutes at home.
There are three shade ranges of Wild Ombre: for medium to dark hair, for dark blonde to light brown hair, and for light to medium blonde hair.
The formula uses a lightening technology that actually protects hair as it lightens it, and includes a Lightening Powder, a Creme and a Creme Developer to get the perfect look. It’s a three-part lightening system so that you can easily create ombré effects ranging from subtle and sexy to bold and edgy.
DEW POINT: CLINIQUE’S OVERNIGHT MOISTURE SURGE
Called a mask, but really more like an overnight drink of water for your skin, Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask ($32) puts your slumber hours to good use. You apply the mask at bedtime, sleep with it on, and awake with smooth, soft and nourished skin. Simply rinse off the mask in the morning when you shower or wash your face.
As soon as the nearly odorless creamy mask is applied, skin feels comforted and smooooth. The moisturizing effect starts immediately, but Moisture Surge Overnight Mask is actually formulated to maximize the healing mode that skin slips into at night. According to Clinique scientists, skin is programmed to fine-tune its rhythm for the next day while you sleep at night.
At night, you want to assist your skin as much as possible to heal and recharge. Moisture Surge Overnight Mask contains essential lipids that work to help calm skin and reduce irritation from daytime environmental aggressors. In addition, the ever-so-essential barrier function is boosted so you can meet the next day’s challenges.
The mask features one of BITB’s favorite skincare ingredients: hyaluronic acid, which locks in moisture via an invisible moisture mesh. Other ingredients help to maintain the skin’s moisture balance, repair and strengthen the barrier function, and clam and soothe.
Apply, sleep, and rest. The next thing you know it’s morning and you have smooth, moisturized and softer skin.
