Beyoncé Heat: Catch the Fever

If you're in NYC's Union Square on Tuesday night, and start to think you're in a scene out of True Blood, don't be alarmed. The fiery red lights and creeping fog are to promote Beyoncé's perfume, Heat. The illumination is billed as "a steamy, sexy aura that embodies Beyoncé’s unique appeal."

Catch the lady herself at Macy's Herald Square at 5 pm on Wednesday, February 3. Be one of the first to purchase her 3-piece fragrance scent and you'll get to take a photo with Beyoncé!

Beyoncé Heat is a combo of red vanilla orchid, magnolia, neroli and blush peach, honeysuckle nectar, almond macaroon and creme de musk with base notes of giant sequoia milkwood, tonka bean and amber. Can't wait to catch a sniff!

Do the Walk of Shame in Style

Because we've all been there and done that, but don't want to get caught in the act again.  Read these tips courtesy of BettyConfidential on how to do the walk of shame in style and nosy doormen, neighbors nor even co-workers won't be able to guess what trouble you got into the night before.

Bobbi Brown Brightening Skincare

Bobbi Brown's new line of brightening skincare includes a hydrating lotion, intensive serum, moisture cream, SPF 50 face base, and a spot treatment corrector with SPF 25. Though we're daunted by a five step regimen, we're suckers for a great serum, so that and the SPF 50 base would be the first two products we'd love to try. Here's what Bobbi had to say about the new line:

“I believe beauty starts with healthy, glowing skin. Traveling through Asia, I’ve discovered that many brightening skincare lines do not address women’s immediate need to cover dark spots. I used my makeup artist’s perspective to create this simple 5-step regimen: It includes skincare to give you brighter, smoother and clearer skin over time—and treatment makeup to give you a beautiful, even complexion instantly.”

MAC To The Beach Collection

Just in time for summer's first weekend, MAC's To The Beach offers everything from lipgloss, to bronzers, to shadows and liners that transform you to a surfer girl, whether you're headed to the beach or just want to look like you've been there.  Here are our favorites from the collection:

The Marine Life High-Light Powder is the prettiest piece in the set, a pressed powder in the mold of a seahorse in shades of pink, peach and pearl.  Wear it on top of your cheekbones or under your brows.

The Lustre Drops in Sun Rush give you a dewy bronze glow as if you've been in the sun all afternoon.  We mixed this with our body lotion for our shoulders and legs to give them the same shimmering glow.

The Creme Bronzer is a good alternative to powder when your skin is dry from the wind and sun.  Spread this with your fingertips where the sun would hit your cheeks, forehead, chin and even the bridge of your nose for the most natural look. 

The Lipglass and Lipsticks each come in pretty coral plastic cases with shell prints.  The shades range from frosty peaches to brozed plums, so there's a shade for just about everyone.

MAC's version of the summer's hot teal color is the Shimmermoss Eye Shadow.  Use this along your lid to make you eyes pop against your new broze complexion.

Last, we'd love to get our hands on the MAC To The Beach Bag with its coral print, it would make the perfect carryall for our books, water, and lotion.

How to Fake Your Best Tan

We love Carmindy on What Not to Wear and she brings the same straight talk to Daily Makeover. Recently she discussed the best way to fake a great tan. You know us, we're big proponents of looking like you've got a tropical tan without actually exposing yourself to the sun's harmful rays.  Read on to see Carmindy's advise on getting the most natural-looking fake tan ever.

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Coach Poppy

Although simply put, they are just scents, fragrances have distinct personalities and just like best friends, the personalities of a perfume must match that of the wearer.

The Coach Poppy handbag collection embodies youthfulness, color and a vibrancy. Coach’s new Poppy fragrance complements all parts of the collection so perfectly that it essentially captures its youthful essence in a bottle. I’m lucky to have gotten a sneak peek at the fragrance although it will officially launch in July, 2010.

The fragrance has many layers but its main identity is fruity and floral. At first whiff, it opens with the smell of juicy cucumber flower petals and mandarin top notes. Then it goes deeper to give a candied red rose petal and creme brulee flavor and finally leaves you with a delicious woody smell of whipped marshmallow.

Coach’s Poppy Fragrance is deep and lasting yet fruity and punchy, which makes it a great summer spritz. Created to embody the Poppy girl, you don’t have to be young to wear this fragrance, just young at heart.

Available starting July 2010 at Coach stores at $60 for a 1.7 ounce bottle.

Contributed by The Stylester.

This review was based on a free sample.

New June Jacobs Vanda Orchid Collection

We love products that remind us of a luxury spa and this new line by June Jacobs does just that. The Vanda Orchid shower gel is rich and moisturizing. The dry oil body spray is perfect for the dry skin on our legs, especially since we're showing them off more in the spring. These products are paraben, preservative, petrochemical, and sulfate free meaning you can free spoiled and eco-friendly at the same time. Also included in the collection are a body balm and a mist.

Available at http://www.junejacobs.com/ and http://www.skinstore.com/.

This review was based on a sample.

Easy and Inexpensive Tips for a Whiter Smile

Dentist to celebrities, Dr. Laura Torrado, shared with us these tips to getting a brighter smile (and keeping it that way) without the big price tag associated with laser teeth whitening.  We'd add our favorite OTC product, Go Smile, to her list.

Here's what Dr. Torrado recommends:

1. Over the counter whitening strips are an inexpensive alternative to professional bleaching kits or office bleaching


2. Daily brushing and flossing after every meal is the most inexpensive and easy way to maintain a healthy, beautiful looking smile

3. Baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, table salt and a dab of toothpaste are the perfect ingredients to a home whitening concoction

4. Do not use teeth whitening recipes that involve lemon or orange peels- they decalcify and de-mineralize your enamel making it more prone to decay

Nars Summer 2010 Collection

Francois Nars created the Summer 2010 collection as an homage to Catherine Deneuve's character, Severine, in Belle de Jour. "Severine's look was not complicated-this wasn't a woman who wanted to do her makeup all day- but that doesn't mean she wasn't polished," said Nars. "Effortless looking makeup can often be the most elegant, allowing a woman's natural beauty (and personality) to shine through- especially during the summertime."

Here is Nars' friend and muse Amber Valleta in the Summer 2010 colors. We love how fresh the turquoise is on her eyes:

Some of our favorites are highlighted here:

Burn It Blue Duo Cream Eyeshadow, $32
This iridescent ocean-blue paired with turquoise cream can be worn sheer or heavy for drama at night.

Love Devotion Lipstick, $24
A nourishing, long-lasting sheer guava lipstick that looks daring to apply; but flatters everyone.
Coup de Coeur Lip Gloss, $24
Shiny, sheer apple-brandy tinted lip gloss that all of us wore in South Beach in March.

Versailles Nail Polish, $16
This champagne-gold nail hue made a gorgeous pedicure on our (spray-tanned) toes.

Also included but not pictured individually:
Enchanted Cream Blush, $26
A soft-peach cream blush that delivers a hint of shimmer and smooth, silky color

Lamu Multiple, $38
A fresh, glazed-apricot shade with gold sparkles to create shimmering accents

Cayenne Cream Eyeshadow, $22
A spicy, deep brown cream eyeshadow that is intensely rich yet carries a weightless texture

Available at http://www.narscosmetics.com/.
This review was based on a sample.

Men and Short Hair: What Do They Really Think?

We've always heard that men prefer longer hair.  We've had our hair long for most of our lives, only once or twice cutting it short.  We'd like to think that we're not wearing our hair long just for the men in our lives; but because it flatters us.  Daily Makeover's Sarah Mansour took a closer look and reported back to us.  Read more here.
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Photos from Getty Images

Dior Addicted to Gloss Luggage Tag

This embossed Dior luggage tag is too cute to stow in our carry on. It's stamped with Dior's Paris address and accented with rhinestones. Inside you'll find a bronze and juicy pink lip gloss.

Available at Nordstrom.

Review: Clinique High Lengths Mascara

We didn't know a thing about the new Clinique High Lengths Mascara before we opened it, so when we pulled out the streamlined, curved, florescent green comb we were wowed. It's so high tech, it looks like it was created by those clever folks at Apple.

A mascara is more than its wand, of course. We're happy to report the High Lengths Mascara lived up to its name. The tines of the comb really allow you to coat each individual lash. It was slightly more challenging to use the wand on our left eye (we're right handed), but we think we'll get the hang of it pretty quickly. That's Annie wearing it below.

Available at Clinique.

This review was based on a free sample.

Bobbi Brown's Orchid Palette

Bobbi Brown's Orchid Palette was too tempting to pass up at the Neiman's beauty event this week.  We love that the first two eye colors can be worn everyday, we can wear the bright middle shade when we want our eyes to pop, the darker purple on the right is perfect to intensify our look for nighttime, and the Caviar on the far right is a great liner.

The Pot Rouge is one of our favorite Bobbi Brown products because it's so versatile- they can be used on your cheeks and lips.  This palette comes with three colors. 

The palette is convenient to carry in your purse, take on a trip or just keep on the counter to streamline your beauty routine.  We'll pack this for Miami next week! 

There are two other palettes with different color combinations and as with many of Bobbi's collections they are only around for a limited time.

Here are the color specifics for the Orchid Palette:
Included Eye Shadow Shades: White, Dusty Plum Metallic, Orchid Sparkle, Mulberry, and Caviar
Included Pot Rouge shades: Powder Pink, Pale Pink, and Sand Pink

Waterproof Makeup

We don't generally wear too much makeup when we hit the beach--usually it's just SPF and tinted lip balm for us. But this summer, the Sephora Waterproof Bronzing kit may tempt us to take our beach beauty routine to a different level.

The kit is filled with beach ready hues in handy travel sizes that won't melt, fade or separate, even after hours at the beach.

The kit comes with a black waterproof eyeliner; black waterproof mascara, a Harmony trio bronzer in Rose 02; Super Shimmer Lip Gloss in Pink-o-Lada, and a mini nail polish in Curacoa, all in a handy, airport security friendly makeup bag.

The Waterproof Makeup Bronzing Kit is available at Sephora.

Sponsored Post: Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Wash

Two of my main focus areas in my Year I Stop Aging are my arms and my decolletage. While I always use moisturizer on my face, I haven't always been so good about taking care of the rest of me, and, it's starting to show. Both have plenty of freckles and sunspots, but what's really worrisome is that the texture is starting to change. While the skin on my face still has good laxity (when I pinch it, it quickly snaps back into place), the skin on my arms is looking tired and old. As if I need another reason to be concerned, a recent study indicated when judged independently from the face, your body skin, if maintained, is perceived up to 10 years younger.

Part of the reason I'm bad about taking care of these areas is that when I'm in a rush to get out of the door in the morning, I don't always have time to use moisturizer and let it soak in before getting dressed.

Enter Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Wash. Using Olay technology, it promises to:

• Improve elasticity
• Relieve dryness
• Deeply moisturize
• Brighten dull skin
• Even skin tone
• Smooth rough skin
• Minimize the appearance of dry lines

I look forward to testing it out and reporting back on results!

Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Wash are available where Olay products are sold. The suggested retail price is $5.99 for 8.4 oz. and $7.99 for 15.2 oz.

Beating Frizz in Summer's Heat and Humidity

Yesterday we stopped by Ted Gibson's salon in NYC for a blowout before our SATC screening and Anne's birthday extravaganza.  I had an appointment with Devin Toth who is featured in June's Allure magazine.  I asked him the best way to control frizz as the summer starts to heat up.

First use a product on damp hair with an anti-humectant like Ted Gibson's Build It then blow dry and style.  When hair is dry, layer on light coats of hairspray to create a barrier from humidity. At home I use Ted's Beautiful Hold hairspray.

It was hot and humid last night and my hair held up well.  That's Heidi and I above at Abe & Arthur's for our after party.  To find Ted Gibson salon products or to make an appointment with Devin Toth, visit tedgibsonbeauty.com.

Tatcha Blotting Paper

Blotting paper isn't a new invention, they've been used for centuries to help reduce oil and shine on the spot. Aburatorigami papers were originally created for Japanese gold leaf artisans to protect the metal as they hammerered it into paper-thin pieces. The crafty geisha realized that these papers were ideal for keeping her skin oil-free without stripping it of moisture. No one's sure how she figured out this nifty trick, but we would guess it involved a jewelry-making lover.

Tatcha Blotting Paper is made in Japan using 100% Abaca leaf and real gold flakes. There's nothing synthetic, no powders and no fragrance. The packaging is simply elegant and speaks for itself.

If your skin is dry, you can use blotting paper in place of powder. If your skin is oily, use these to reduce shine throughout the day. They're also perfect to dab up any oil or shine at the end of a long plane flight. These are a must come summer!

Available at Tatcha.com.

This review was based on a free sample.

Korres Lip Butter Trio

When the winter drags on like this year's, there's no surprise we have chapped lips.  Korres lip butter to the rescue.  This lip saver goes on smooth and creamy because of Shea butter and rice wax.  The Korres Lip Butter Trio is a limited edition set and a great deal at $19.50 for three (a $30 value).  I've got one by the sink, one in my purse and one in the car.  My favorite is the Quince because of the great sheer pink tint it leaves on my lips.  You can even use it on your cheeks to brighten up your face.

The review was based on a complimentary sample.

Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector

Around the world, women of all ethnicities are increasingly concerned with evening out their skin tone--including the two of us!  Women who are darker complected or who have sensitive skin have to be careful with products that can be too harsh.  Clinique's new Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector is designed to reduce the signs of acne scars, brown spots and other dark pigment in four weeks for any woman with any skin type.  Clinique tested it against prescription strength brighteners and their studies show that their Dark Spot Corrector worked as good or better.

Like with all whitening products, you are advised to avoid the sun while using it--so hold off on trying this if you have any spring break plans.

Here's what Hope says: I've used it for only a week even though I don't have many dark spots or scars that concern me.   I wanted to test it for gentleness and see if I'd see a general evening out and brightening of my complexion.  So far, I haven't seen dramatic changes; but I'll keep you posted.

Here's what Annie says: I've tried everything to get rid of the brown spots--some that I've had for close to ten years. I've had laser procedures, tried IPL and used a La Roche-Posay product two years ago and the suckers haven't budged. Though I'm fair, I'm always diligent with sunblock. I've been using the Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector  for two weeks and haven't noticed any lightening. Check back in April for an update!

Annie's update:  It has been close to six weeks now and my brown spots haven't lightened a bit. To be fair, I recently met with Dr. Linda K. Franks of Gramercy Park Dermatology in New York, who says that mine are particularly tough to treat because they're not that dark. She gave me another IPL treatment and...nada. Dr. Franks' advice: Try a retinol cream and/or let them darken up over the summer and try IPL again in the fall. The good news: my broken capillaries, along with the ensuing redness they caused, disappeared and my skin looks clearer than it has in years!

Available at department stores and on Clinique.com.

This review is based on free samples.

Edun for Sephora

Anyone who is a fan of Edun's organic style will want to hurry to Sephora this month to pick up the Edun for Sephora Palette. The product is inline with Edun's "Trade not aid" philosophy and all the proceeds from the sale of the palette will be donated to the Wildlife Conservation Society, a global charity that helps African farmers develop organic cotton in a way that supports community and trade.

The Edun for Sephora palette is available in two shade combos Harmony (shown) and Contrast. Each kit has six eyeshadows and one blush and comes in a wood case and a organic cotton drawstring bag.

Available at Sephora while supplies last.

This review was based on a free sample.