Marla's Beauty Blog

New Upper East Side Store: A Family Affair

2010-07-22T17:24:00.005-04:00

There is nothing like the energy around opening a new store. Take hundreds of boxes of beauty products, mix in a bunch of bluemercury veterans, and voila: new store. Today, we opened another bluemercury location! It is on 3rd at 75th in Manhattan - a perfect neighborhood store next to Citarella and near EJs diner. I adore this location. It was a fun store to set up - we had staffers that have been with bluemercury forever, our new team of beauty junkies - even my daughters (in the picture) helped clean some shelves. We are so excited to have a new store and new team members in the bluemercury family. Come check it out!

1311 Third Ave
New York, NY 10021
212-396-1500

Sheer Nars Perfection

2010-07-21T09:02:00.000-04:00

I often use the words NARS and perfection in the same sentence. Francois just knows how to do color, end of story, period. I spoke with Erin, our Marlton manager and product junkie extraordinaire on the phone and she told me I had to get the new NARS Multiple Tint in Cadaques. So I did. This is my new summer multiple from NARS. Although it looks like it is fluorescent magenta in the tube, it comes out as the perfect, sheer, happy, lively pink. This is my new go to for cocktail parties and dinners out. Love, love, love.

Inspiration, Transformation, & Tight, Healthy Skin

2010-07-15T09:25:00.004-04:00

Every year, in our sleepy shore town in New Jersey, there is a race on July 4th called the American Mile. The race goes the whole length of the town - one mile. I have been “in” this race for the past five years. Last year, 2009, I ran an inglorious 12 minute mile. After the awards ceremony, my daughter, who was six at the time turned to me and said, “How come you never win anything?”

Talk about a wake up call. She was right. Admittedly, I had had 3 children in a span of 5 years and was not in the greatest shape. I had been walking and doing a little biking, but nothing strenuous. So I decided last summer that I was going to step it up. I started running on the treadmill at the gym last fall. First,1 mile. Then 2 miles. By the spring I had worked up to 3.5 miles 3 to 4 times a week.

This July 4, 2010, I ran a 7 minute mile, and won first place for my age group. (Yes, 40+. In fact, they said I would have won for the 30+ group.) The best part for me – the excitement of my daughters when I went up to collect my medal.

What’s even great are the side effects – I have more energy then ever, the skin on my face has tightened and looks healthier due to the blood flow from running, and I have dropped 5 pounds while looking more toned.

Slow, steady transformation is possible - sometimes we need a little inspiration from our children to kick start it!

The Drive by Eyeshadow Shop

2010-07-09T09:00:00.003-04:00

The other day I was touring stores – stopping by one store every two hours – and my day ended with a stop off at our Marlton, New Jersey store. Bluemercury staffers Lynette and Melissa were so passionate and excited about the new makeup that had just come in, I couldn’t help but ask them for new summer eyeshadow ideas.

I have totally been in a rut. Stuck using my winter shadows, because I have no time to experiment and be creative. I just asked them for a quick recommendation, no trial. I just purchased and kept moving. Here is what I ended up with:

Melissa’s Recommendations

3 Bobbi Brown eyeshadows
1. Champagne (shimmery bone) for all over the lid
2. Heather (matte lavender) for the crease,
3. Eggplant (deep blue purple) for lining and/or a quick eye highlight.

I popped them into a Bobbi Brown 3 pan and now have a look to go. I must say, I wore this look over the weekend with a white dress and it was new, light and was great for an evening cocktail party.

Lynette’s Recommendations

3 Trish McEvoy Eyeshadows
1. Shell (light matte pink) for all over my lid
2. Golden Apricot (shimmery soft apricot) for the crease
3. Bronze (golden coppery brown) for lining

I popped these into my Trish McEvoy planner and am going to try them tomorrow for a meeting I have in Philadelphia.

I must say, our team is so talented. I felt like I went to a drive-in takeout eyeshadow place and my order was exactly perfect!

Paint by Number Sunscreen

2010-06-28T09:01:00.019-04:00

I am completely obsessed with sunscreen. I went to St. Barth's for a friend's 40th birthday party and perfected my summer sunscreen regimen. In the scorching hot sun, at the beach, on a boat, and by the pool, I did not burn once.
During the morning before breakfast by the pool, I quickly slathered Kiehl's Dermatologist Solutions Super Fluid Daily UV Defense SPF 50+ on my face. Light and hydrating, this feels nice and light on my clean morning skin.

After breakfast, I stepped it up for the beach. I applied Skinceuticals Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50 on my face and back of hands. This is the powerful gorgeous new sister of my 10 year favorite, Skinceuticals Sport UV Defense SPF 45. Light, but with the same strong physical block, there is no other product like this. I won't go to the beach or into direct sun without this. I applied Skinceuticals Sport UV Defense SPF 45 to my chest and shoulders (this super strong block is essential since I always seem to burn my chest).

I followed with Peter Thomas Roth Continuous Sunscreen Mist SPF 30 light and airy sunscreen on arms and back. Then, the glam block: I sprayed Dermalogica Water Block Solar Spray SPF 30 on my legs for the sexy, hydrated look. This is oil based, has a heavenly citrus scent, and has a bonus of being SPF 30!
This is my summer sun routine and I am sticking to it!

Pimple Persistence

2010-06-07T10:59:00.006-04:00

My skin has been breaking out more than ever since the start of this year. Not huge breakouts, just consistent. At any given time I have 1 to 3 pimples. This is new for me. I am finding if I am diligent, I can control the quantity and severity of the pimples. But, like dieting, it is taking huge discipline. My tools:

1. Wash face right after running. I have been crazy busy this year. In an effort to drive up my energy level, I have stepped up my exercise to running 3+ miles, 3 to 4 days a week. There is nothing like lingering perspiration to ruin the skin.

2. Cut the afternoon caffeine, switch to herbal tea. I am a Starbucks addict. A double tall skim no whip mocha is my daily morning drink. When I feel low in energy in the afternoon, I have been drinking another one, or a mocha frappucino. I think the extra caffeine and milk has been adding to breakouts and skin dehydration. It takes huge will power for me to order passion fruit unsweetened tea instead of a sweet, energizing coffee.

3. Cut the dairy. I love cheese. I am a non-meat eater so I get protein and calcium from cheese. I know this causes me to get pimples around my mouth. Resisting the parmesan on a salad or brie at a cocktail party is so hard.

4. Use Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Peel Pads when desperate. Last night I had 3 inflamed, red pimples right in a row on my right cheek. I used these salicylic acid pads before bed and nothing else. My skin was clear in the morning.

5. Cover and disguise with Bobbi Brown Face Touch Up Stick (my color - warm beige). I have this bad habit of grabbing any concealer in my drawer to cover pimples with (Laura Mercier, Cle de Peau, Trish McEvoy). The problem is that they cover, but actually the oil in them feeds my blemishes. This Bobbi concealer covers and heals. I keep one in my purse. (A hint - I had to go much darker than my bobbi skin foundation color to get the right coverage.).

Annoying pimples are new territory for me. My current road map is working for now.

Sometimes You Just Need a Pro

2010-05-24T16:20:00.010-04:00

Last Saturday was my 40th birthday party. I honestly usually do my makeup myself for all events, but decided that I would go to bluemercury and have it professionally done. I know it sounds funny since I own bluemercury, but honestly, I usually do not have time to have someone do it.

I must say, there is nothing like having a great makeup artist do your makeup. I wanted a heavy smoky eye and nice, clear, even skin that lasted all night. I raced into our Bethesda location at 4:30 and Kate went to work. I was out in 30 minutes with a dramatic eye and even skin – it was perfect. Here is what she used:

Trish McEvoy Eye Base in Demure over the entire lid. Trish McEvoy Midnight Diamond Eye Powder Definer in the crease with Trish McEvoy Arabian Nights Eye Powder Definer blended all over the lid and in the crease with a heavy hand on the corners. Eyes were finished off with Trish McEvoy Lash Curling Mascara.

Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base as a face primer, followed by Bobbi Brown Moisturizing Foundation Compact in beige and Laura Mercier Secret Concealer #2. This was set with Laura Mercier's Secret Brightening Powder. This was finished off with Laura Mercier Bronzing Pressed Powder in Golden Bronze and Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Maui as a blush.

The Trish McEvoy Essential Penci l was used all over the lip with Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster SPF 15 Lip Gloss in Pretty Pink.

My makeup lasted all night, looked great in photos, and I felt great. A pro is a pro is a pro, no substitute.

My Bluemercury Haul

2010-05-17T10:43:00.005-04:00

I went shopping at bluemercury in Bethesda the other day. Yes, I know it sounds odd. Although I have closets and closets full of beauty products, sometimes there I things I use in large quantities that the vendors do not regularly send me. So I have to shop just like everybody else. So what did I get?

1. Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer. I have been using Laura Mercier Primer for almost 9 years. I would never put on foundation without it. Primer helps the foundation sit on top of the skin, rather than absorb into the lines and pores. 2 years ago, she introduced her hydrating primer, and as I am bone dry, this is a great upgrade. I bought 2.

2. Trish McEvoy High Volume Mascara. My “go to” mascara. Gives me the fullest lashes, doesn’t flake. I have been using this since it came out. It is a Japanese formulation tube mascara that washes off with water only – no eye makeup remover necessary.

3. Acqua di Parma Colonia. I have been wearing this for 11 years, since I started bluemercury. Created in the 1930s, a light, sophisticated citrus, this fragrance is mine, mine, mine. I have gone through bottles of the fragrance and tubes of the lotion. I can’t live without it. I bought the fragrance in 2 sizes and the body lotion in the tube. A dream.

New York City 48 Hour Whirlwind

2010-05-10T09:34:00.043-04:00

Still recovering from a 48 hour NYC whirlwind. It was unbelievably fun and unbelievably exhausting. Took Acela up to New York City from Washington on Wednesday at 2pm. Here is the rest:

WEDNESDAY 8 P.M. Dinner at Diane Von Furstenburg Studio for Independent Filmakers Project. Chatted with Ed Burns about his new movie coming out, met Diane, hung out with Uma Thurman and Jaime Lynn Sigler. Everyone was so nice. This organization funded one of my favorite indie films – “Maria Full of Grace.” All things indie are always good. Went to bed at 1am. Left hotel at 4am.

THURSDAY 5:20 A.M. Guest Host on Worldwide Exchange anchored by Nicole Lapin. This was live and scary. Retail numbers were coming out that morning, I was asked to talk about retail. Except when I was in the green room, the producer comes in and says – we’re going to ask you about Greece. Greece? Ok. So I rolled with it. Had an absolute blast. After the first segment I got used to being live on global television. (P.S. I did my own makeup, studio makeup artists touched me up! Thank you NARS Sheer Glow Foundation and Trish McEvoy High Volume Mascara.)

11 A.M. Meeting at Bobbi Brown offices in Soho. Saw fall and holiday collection. Bobbi nailed it. Every sku is unbelievable. Can’t wait for kohl eyeliner pencils and new palettes!

12:30 P.M. Meeting at Crème de la Mer. In love with new top secret launch. Their conference room has a gorgeous huge fish tank in it with exotic fish. Want to take it home with me.

AFTERNOON. Looked at new Manhattan sites for new bluemercury stores.

7 P.M. Operation Smile Dinner. Chatted with Jessica Simpson about her show. Ended up at midnight at Nobu with a bunch of 20 something internet entrepreneurs. Can’t believe that I was the old entrepreneur in the crowd.

FRIDAY MORNING. Breakfast with husband at hotel. At last, some quiet time. Finally, in jeans, hair up, no makeup – we hung out, grabbed breakfast and caught the Acela home to see the kids. I am exhausted and energized!

The High Risk Smokey Eye

2010-05-05T09:43:00.021-04:00

Wolf Blitzer of the Situation Room on CNN

Bret Baier of Special Report on Fox News

Was getting ready for White House Correspondent's dinner parties when I decided I was going to experiment and innovate with a smokey eye. Usually I use a Laura Mercier's Coffee Ground, a deep matte brown, all over my lid and in the crease for the 2-minute smokey eye. But for some reason on Saturday night I was feeling extra daring. So I pulled out my brand new NA RS 15x15 palette and used 4 colors for a smokey eye. This could have easily been a disaster, but I was LUCKY!. Used eyeshadow base, then Edie (shimmery bone) over entire lid, then used Underworld 1, a shimmery silver in crease and on lid, blended Underworld II, a deep midnight shimmer blue all over lid and in crease, with a heavy hand on the corners. Lined top and bottom of eyes with Night Breed, a black shimmery NARS classic, and voila - a midnight blue smokey eye. This could have completely backfired. But taking a risk at home in your bathroom with makeup is really not so risky when you think about it!

Capitol File after party was a blast - Wolf Blitzer, Ewan McGregor, Ashley Judd, Kim Kardashian, etc. Washington meets Hollywood - par for the course these days!

So Sweet

2010-04-30T16:34:00.005-04:00

As I was sitting at my desk, eating a salmon Caesar salad, checking e-mail, looking at products, and talking on the phone – I couldn’t take my eyes off the new Tocca Baci Lip Glosses. They are so sweet. And I don’t mean sweet in terms of surfer dude sweet. I mean sweet in terms of the perfect definition of ideal sweetness. Little tiny rollerball lipglosses, 3 perfect pastel colors, 3 italian escapist names – Amalfi, Catania, Salina. I just keep thinking how when I pull one out of my purse, how everyone will ask me what it is. And for $14, they are even more sweet (now I mean surfer dude sweet). I am in trouble if my daughters find them – I will never see them again!

So You're a Soccer Mom Now?

2010-04-30T09:14:00.003-04:00

I was at the bliss offices in NYC talking about my pre-soccer-game Saturday morning routine: sunscreen, bronzer, navy blue eyeliner and mascara when one of the staffers who I have known for almost 10 years blurted out, with surprise - "So you're a soccer mom now?!"

Once I got over the shock that I was just categorized as someone I couldn't associate with during the Clinton election (during which soccer moms ruled the country and I was only 22 and had no idea what the reference even meant), I proudly responded - "Yes, I am."

The soccer mom's favorites:

1. For the sunscreen slather ReVive Filtre de Soleil Visage SPF 45, Darphin Vitalprotection Age-Defying Protective Lotion SPF 50 or Dermalogica AGE Smart Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 30, all hydrating for my dry skin.

2. For bronzer - my favorite - NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna. Brushed on cheeks and eyelids.

3. For mascara - Trish McEvoy High Volume.

Swiping Lab Samples

2010-04-29T09:08:00.003-04:00

How do I know I love a product? When I try to swipe lab samples from our brands' creative teams.

I just scrambled through two days of meetings in NYC with some of my favorite brands. This is one of the most fun things about bluemercury: my job is to play with new beauty products that are not yet on the market.

So here is a sneak peek at the lab samples I tried to swipe:

1. Laura Mercier's new foundation launching this fall.

2. Darphin's organic and unbelievably heavenly facial treatment oils. I wanted all. These will be my summer sun damage salvation.

3. One of the NARS duo eyeshadow combos. Had the perfect green/blue grey for a fall sultry eye.

4. Remede's new antiaging serum with crazy new cell oxygenating technology.

5. Every single thing from Tocca's holiday collection and a very Jackie O./Michelle Obama dress from Tocca's fall fashion lineup. I am in love with their showroom.

6. Fresh's new fragrance which is the best ever, created by Lev, the founder of fresh who I have known for 11 years.

7. And hurray - Molton Brown actually gave me two of their new shower gels - think pink peppercorn!

I am purposely being a little cryptic. I need to keep my access, right?

Ten Year Makeover

2010-04-15T12:29:00.006-04:00

What I've learned.

1. How to take care of my skin.
2. How to do my own eye makeup.
3. How to eat healthy (more salmon, more spinach, more fruit, less processed carbs).
4. How to be a mom and a companion to my husband.
5. How to be at peace.

The first two I learned from bluemercury staffers. The last three from life!

The March to 40

2010-04-07T09:59:00.011-04:00

I will be turning 40 in May. When I started bluemercury at age 29, I had none of the skin concerns I have now - hyperpigmentation, fine lines around the eyes. Here are the things I really notice between 35 and 40:

1. Getting small indentation on chin. Dermatologist said that is from tensing facial muscles and loss of tiny fat deposits. Her solution: Restalyne. My solution: live with it.

2. Uneven skin tone. Too many years of California sun on fair skin are starting to show. My solution: glycolic acid peels (either at bluemercury spa or Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Peel Pads), Vitamin C (the miracle collagen building, spot busting vitamin), and a little better coverage on the foundation front. (NARS Sheer Glow in Fiji or Bobbi Brown Skin SPF 15 or Dr. Dennis Gross All-in-One Tinted Moisturizer Sunscreen SPF 15).

3. Eyelids starting to wrinkle at inner corner. No one told me about this one! Just noticed it last year. Eyeliner starts to flutter up wrinkles in the morning after I first apply. Solution: little dose of Bobbi Brown or Laura Mercier concealer on inner corner prior to application of all over eye shadow. And a q-tip for touch up after.

I'll take 40 over 29 any day, I am much wiser and more at peace. And the beauty challenges - I'll tackle those one at a time!

Naked Face - New trick

2010-03-11T09:12:00.002-05:00

If I have serious creative work to do, I often work from my home office after grabbing a coffee at Starbucks. It is these days where I don't see anyone professionally, that I love to wear a naked face. Our Englewood, New Jersey store manager, Deborah, taught me a new naked face trick. After slathering on sunscreen (I wouldn't be without it in the spring - used Darphin Vitalprotection Age-Defying Protective Lotion SPF50 this morning), I take my bronzer, dust my cheeks, and the new trick: my eyelids. It is amazing. It is a little bit of extra color, without any work. This is really 30 seconds and out the door. What more could a busy mom want!

Party Circuit

2010-03-10T08:51:00.014-05:00

Hibernation over, spring party circuit starting. Our calendar is booking up with after-work and weekend events. I have a bunch of quick pre-party tricks that I wanted to share:

1. For the glow: Cleanse face completely and use exfoliating peel pads (Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha-Be ta or Tris h McEvoy Beta Hydroxy Pads) before applying makeup. Your skin will look years younger. It is my trick, I do this before every event, WITHOUT FAIL. And, if I am racing from office, back home/or to hotel room and then to party, I wash my whole face, leave my eye-makeup on, and still use the pads. I then touch up my eye shadow, reapply foundation and blush and lips.

2. For drama: I have learned how to do an easy smokey eye: pick one color and use on entire lid and crease. I use an eye base (sometimes I just use a light concealer on my lid) put Bobbi Brown bone all over my lid and then go over the entire lid and crease with a dark shadow. You need to find the perfect one for you, but, once you find it – this is a 2 minute step. I have been attached to Laura Mercier Coffee Ground, a deep chocolate brown, recently.

3. For great skin: My most up to date go to is the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Fiji. Great coverage, lasts all night, great glow. A little heavier than my normal Bobbi Brown Skin SPF, but this is really working for me right now. I am even able to skip concealer with this one, goes right up under my eyes fine. I do use this over Laura Mercier’s Hydrating Primer so my skin looks nice and moist.

These are my pre-going-out tips and I am sticking to them.

Heart-broken

2010-03-08T16:52:00.015-05:00

I was traveling last week and my NARS Laguna Bronzing Powder broke into a million pieces. I didn’t realize how attached I was to this glorious bronzer, until this happened. I discovered bronzer when I was a teen – I used to use the Guerlain orange-looking one. (If you look at my pictures – I definitely have an orange tint!) There is nothing like a bronzer to give you that quick sun-kissed look. NARS Laguna is my absolute go to – the perfect hint of sun, a little glimmer, no orange. I often put it over a pinkish or coral blush. Right now – I am layering it over NARS Penny Lane Cream Blush. I already ran to bluemercury to pick up another. It is now back in my life and I am no longer broken-hearted (or broken-bronzered).

My Travel Must-Haves

2010-02-02T09:36:00.027-05:00

I am traveling almost the entire month of February. Tonight, I organized all of my cosmetics so I could pack efficiently and zip in and out of the airport without checking my bags. I thought I would list out 10 things I can't live without and will be traveling with:

1. Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Seru m. Hydrating treatment I am currently using every morning under primer.
2. Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer. A must use every day before foundation.

3. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Fiji and/or Bobbi Brown Skin SPF 15 Foundation. NARS has fuller coverage than Bobbi, but love both. During the dead of winter I am a little more addicted to NARS.

4. Penny Lane Cream Blush by NARS. Almost had a panic attack when I couldn't find it tonight.
5. Bobbi Brown Bone Eye Shadow. The perfect all over lid color.

6. Trish High Volume Mascara. My all-time favorite.
7. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. They just sent me two travel size ones. Generally, for face cleansers I alternate between whatever I have in travel size.

8. MD Skincare All-in-One Facial Cleanser with Toner. Use as a toner/slash peel. Stronger than a cleanser, lighter than a peel. Gets the day's travel off my skin.
9. Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Serum. My one stop night treatment for an overnight trip. This really does it all for me. The best glow ever.

10. Sample moisturizers and eye creams. Sounds awful, but I generally only pack a moisturizer and eye cream for an emergency and when I do, it's only what I have in travel size. Right now, I am travel with a lab sample Bobbi Brown's new Brightening Moisturize Cream coming out this March or April. I love the texture and it is fine for day or night. If I go on a longer trip, I always pack a moisturizer and eye cream. Anything to not have to check a bag!

Currently also toting: "Caesar" by Colleen McCollough, WWD Dailies to catch up on, and debating whether I am ready for a kindle!

Generation L

2010-01-26T12:41:00.003-05:00

Can we create Generation L? We have Generation X, Generation Y, the Millennials, Baby Boomers, and more. My current obsession (besides beauty products and building a great company) is creating Generation L. I have three little kids age 2, 4, and 6 all born in the first decade of the 21st century. My job, in my opinion, is to create Little Leaders - the future of the 21st century. Between problems of the environment, Middle East destabilization, the U.S. deficit, the end of Social Security as we know it and countless other crises that will emerge (e.g. Haiti), our kids will be up against some huge challenges. They will need the skills and values to take on these challenges head-on. I don’t have the perfect recipe for this – but for me, half the battle is planning for where you want to end up.

So all I ask is that moms unite: let’s see if we can create Generation L, a generation of caring, resourceful, peace-loving, thoughtful leaders.

Two side notes:
1. If anyone has recipes for how to accomplish creating little leaders, please post!

2. I am turning 40 this year – you can see I am reflecting on other things besides the beauty business – so I apologize to those who are only looking for beauty biz stuff right now.

Palm Beach 4: Makeup Oldies But Goodies

2010-01-11T09:15:00.001-05:00

None of my typical makeup was really "working" for me in Palm Beach. My brown eyeshadows for fall were too dull. My pink matte blushes (think Nars Penny Lane) too flat. My lipsticks (Laura Mercier Rose or Bobbi Brown Tulle) too wrong. So I had to dig into my bag (I brought 5, gallon-size ziploc bags of makeup and skincare) and reset my makeup. I went back to a shadow I started wearing 8 years ago - Trish McEvoy Cashmere (although discontinued Trish Matte Eye Shadow in Heather and Glaze Eye Shadow in Rose Quartz are good equivalents). Bobbi Brown Bone Eyeshadow all over my lid, Trish McEvoy Cashmere in my crease, and a deep purple eyeliner (Trish McEvoy Arabian Nights) became my old but new Palm Beach look. For blush - I used NARS South Beach Multiple (South Beach, Palm Beach it is all Florida). Lips - Laura Mercier Blush Lip Glace - another color I have worn for years and years. The purple hue on the eyes worked much better then my typical brown eyeshadows and blue eyeliners. Voila - oldies but goodies. Everyone has them!

Palm Beach 3: New Years 2010 with Fekkai, Woody Allen and Trump

2010-01-08T09:00:00.041-05:00

Marla Malcolm Beck with Woody Allen

Marla Malcolm Beck with Donald Trump

Marla Malcolm Beck with Regis PhilbinLucky me. Invited to Trump's again for new years. To get ready, the Fekkai team invited me into their Palm Beach salon. Denise blew out and flat ironed my hair (using Fekkai products, of course!) Elle did my makeup - a dramatic smokey eye that I could never have done myself. She used deep browns and blues and dark liners. She even applied a couple of individual false lashes. It is always a treat to be pampered like this!
Trump's was the usual tasteful, luxe party. Glorious appetizers outside under the stars and festive dinner and dancing in the ballroom he built for his and Melania's wedding. His close friends, Woody Allen and Regis Philbin were there, as usual. I enjoyed ringing in 2010 with my fun, supportive husband. This is the year I am turning 40 and I am ready!!

Palm Beach 2: New Go-To Sunscreen

2010-01-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

ReVive Skincare sent me the new SPF 45 launching this March. This is my new go to warm weather outdoor sunscreen. I put this on every morning in Palm Beach and zipped out the door to play tennis. Easy application and I felt like I had nothing on. I also loved the firming and hydrating properties. Am addicted.

Palm Beach 1: Pre-vacation

2010-01-05T16:37:00.016-05:00

Went to bluemercury to stock up before our Palm Beach trip. Clearly I am a product addict. I bought the following:
1. Five Skinceuticals Sport UV Defense SPF 45. I use nothing else on the kid’s faces. They never burn with this on.

2. Two MD Skincare Powerful Sun Protection SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion. Easy to apply to little arms and legs.

3. Two MD Moms Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes SPF30+. Easy for re-application at camp. Kids put this on themselves. The only physical sunscreen in wipes that I have ever seen.

4. Four Peter Thomas Roth Continuous Sunscreen Mist SPF 30. So easy for reapplication for kids on backs. Great for lazy husbands also!

5. Two Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Hydrating. I ran out.

6. Two Phyto Phytomist Hydrating Conditioner spray. Use on my daughters hair as spray conditioner on wet hair.

7. Frederic Fekkai Technician Color Care Shampoo and two Fekkai Salon Glaze. My favorite hot weather shampoo and conditioner.

8. Trish McEvoy Planner Page. Needed a new, fresh one.

9. Rubis tweezers and Tweezerman tweezers. Another case of the disappearing tweezers. Not sure why I always lose them!

Ready to go!

Snow, Sledding & Beauty Perks

2009-12-22T08:21:00.006-05:00

So one of the perks of being the founder of bluemercury is that I get to test everything that comes into our store. So imagine my delight when two fabulous new products, launching this spring came, across my desk.
One – Darphin’s new Vital. .. .SPF 50. A super-hydrating lotion with SPF 50. Being as sunscreen obsessed as I am, I wore this out sledding on Sunday with the kids. (Yes, I was worried about the sun reflecting off the snow. ) I returned home perfectly hydrated and unburned.
After I showered and cleansed my skin, I then re-hydrated with La Mer’s new regenerating serum, also launching this spring. This is one of the most hydrating serums I have ever tried. My skin looked so refreshed, I didn’t where a stitch of foundation or tinted moisturizer as everyone piled into our house post-sledding Sunday evening for black bean chili and tacos.