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Archives for June 2008

Beauty Snacks: Sites of the Day, June 14

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Malie Organics
Treat yourself to natural beauty with organic skin care products from Hawaii. The folks at Malie (mah-lee-ay) created this wonderful line of body care products and home fragrances using ingredients from the lush, tropical rain forests and rich volcanic soil of the ancient Garden Island of Kauai. I love the pretty packaging, and the scents remind me of Hawaii.
malie

Body & Soul Cosmetics
Body & Soul makes a complete line of high-quality cosmetics in classic colors paired with vintage-inspired packaging. The line brings back a time when cosmetics were crafted to be glamorous, so that women could adorn their vanities with jeweled compacts, crystal perfume bottles and delicate powder puffs. Ooh, la, la — sign me up!
body&soul cosmetics

Philip Rickard Honolulu
Philip Rickard jewelers creates high-end Hawaiian heirloom jewelry, a popular jewelry style here in the islands characterized by gold bangles and intricate engravings of Hawaiian symbols and words. Gwen Stefani is a fan and wore some of Rickard’s bracelets in her music video for the song Luxurious.
Philip Rickard Honolulu
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Clinique Liquid Facial Soap, Mild: A Handy Travel Buddy

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Last week, while packing for my trip, I couldn’t find my precious little travel-sized bottle of Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple. What a bummer! I love that stuff. It’s my overall, all-time favorite facial cleanser, but it was nowhere to be found, so I tossed a tube of Clinique’s Liquid Facial Soap into my travel bag and hoped for the best.

Risky move? Maybe. Before this week, I’d never used the product before. It came into my life about a month ago as part of a gift with purchase.

I have sensitive skin, prone to breakouts, especially when I use new facial products. I certainly didn’t want to be wrestling with a new crop of zits while on vacation, but because my face generally tolerates Clinique products well, I decided to chance it.

The product comes in two versions, mild and oily (the stronger one). I have the mild version. A dime-sized amount of the clear, non-scented cleanser removes all of my makeup (even the waterproof Clarins Wonder Mint mascara I’ve been wearing every day) and leaves my skin feeling crisp and clean without a lot of tightening. After about a week of use it hasn’t yet broken me out.
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5 Tips to Beat Seasonal Skin Problems

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summer-skin

When seasons come and go, changes in temperature, humidity and sun exposure can really play tricks on skin. Here are five of my favorite skin care products and tips to deal with seasonal skin problems.

  • Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief: This Great Moisturizer Doubles as a Mask
    “Rapid temperature and humidity swings wreak havoc on skin. When we leave a heated building and head out into the cold, or enter an air conditioned building on a hot day, our skin works to maintain its moisture balance, and while it’s adjusting to environmental swings, skin will delay its own ability to repair.”

  • Clean and Clear Advantage Invisible Acne Patch
    “When work deadlines and sleep loss collide, like they did for me last week, I expect to get a few zits on my face (sigh). My latest little sebaceous gift included a painful pimple right beside my left nostril. Like most women, I usually dread pimples, but this zit (I named her Eva) gave me the perfect excuse to try out Clean and Clear’s Invisible Acne Patch.”

  • MAC Moisturelush Cream: Say Buh-bye to Dry
    “Everyone’s skin changes with age, but for women dry skin strikes earlier than it does for men. Guys experience moisture loss in their skin later in life than women do. A woman’s skin tends to become considerably drier after menopause. Thankfully, there’s moisturizer.”

  • Moisturize in a Flash with Olay Quench Mousse
    “When I hear the word ‘mousse’ I think of Bullwinkle, or maybe a creamy chocolate mousse (yum), or perhaps hair mousse, but I don’t think of moisturizing lotions — that is, until now. Introducing Olay Quench Mousse, Olay’s latest entry in the crowded field of body moisturizers.”

  • Your Skin Care Cheat Sheet: Retinols and Retinoids
    “Vitamin-A derivatives have a molecular structure small enough to penetrate skin’s lower levels, where they strengthen and replenish collagen and elastin. Clinical research going back 20 years confirms the anti-aging properties of retinoids like Retin-A and Renova.”

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

MAC Cosmetics Cool Heat Face of the Day: Climate Blue Love

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The MAC Cool Heat collection debuts today, and not even 2,500 miles of open ocean can stand in its way. Here’s a quick Hawaii-inspired face of the day with a few of the products. 🙂

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On the eyes I used…

  1. Too Faced Shadow Insurance on the entire lid (underneath all of the other products)
  2. MAC Soft Brown Matte in the crease
  3. MAC Climate Blue Eye Shadow on the upper lash line
  4. MAC Warm Chill Eye Shadow on the inner corner of the eye lid
  5. MAC Cool Heat Eye Shadow on the lower lash line
  6. Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Noir Black on the upper lashes

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Of the Cool Heat products I’ve used so far, Climate Blue Eyeshadow moves me the most. I love its soft texture and dark blue color.

The rest of the look…

Brows

  • MAC Concrete Eye Shadow

Dark circles (yep, they came with me on vacation!)

  • MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer in NW 25
  • Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder #2

Face

Cheeks

Lips

  • MAC Cremestick Liner in Pink Treat
  • MAC Slimshine Lipstick in Tropic Glow
  • Chanel Glossimer in Astral

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These pictures were taken at Haiku Gardens, just steps away from my in-law’s house. It’s a beautiful garden with a pond (and resident turtles) and a small chapel for weddings. Haleiwa Joe’s Seafood Grill, perched on a hillside overlooking the garden, is packed every night with diners from the area. It’s also one of comedian Adam Sandler’s favorite hangouts when he visits the island.

The entire MAC Cool Heat Collection…

Eye Shadows, $14 each

Solar White (frost) – frosty muted white gold
Warming Trend (veluxe pearl) – frosty light taupe
Warm Chill (frost) – frosty seafoam green with gold pearl
Gulf Stream (frost) – frosty mid-tone blue green with green pearl
Cool Heat (frost) – frosty teal with multi-dimensional pearl
Climate Blue (velvet) – mid-tone violet blue with pink pearl
Blue Flame (veluxe pearl) – dirty metallic navy blue

Slimshine Lipsticks, $14.50 each

Tropic Glow (frost) – blue pink with silver pearl
By Degrees (frost) – neutral brown pink
Gentle Summer (frost) – light clean yellow pink with white pearl
High 90’s (frost) – clean pink orange
Swelter (frost) – sheer clean red

Scents, $22.50 each

Turquatic – notes include cedar, lotus leaves
Turquatic Heat – notes include lotus flower, jasmine, Tahitian tiare flower

If these colors appeal to you, get out there and snag your Cool Heat loot! If you’re a US resident and live near a MAC store, print and bring this coupon with you to the counter to get 15% off your purchase.

I enjoyed snorkeling at Shark’s Cove yesterday and saw lots of amazing fish. I believe I even swam with a few different schools (unless we were all just headed the same way). How academic, LOL! 🙂
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Chanel Makeup Studios Make Going International as Easy as Placing a Call

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Yes, Virginia, there is Chanel Heaven, and thy name is the Chanel Makeup Studio.

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One of three Chanel Makeup Studios in the US (Honolulu, Hawaii; Costa Mesa, California; and Seattle, Washington), the Honolulu studio, located at Nordstrom in the Ala Moana shopping center, not only lets Chanel junkies play with the company’s full domestic makeup, fragrance and skin care lines but also allows them to get their Chanel-addicted hands on exclusive international products not normally carried by Chanel’s regular US counters.

Some European Chanel products currently available at the Ala Moana Chanel Makeup Studio

  • Chanel Irreellee Blush in Snow ($40)
  • Chanel Irreellee Blush in Sable ($40)
  • Chanel Les 4 Ombres De Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow in Beiges Velours ($55)
  • Rouge Allure Lipstick in Reve ($30)
  • Rouge Allure Lipstick in Discrete ($30)
  • Hydrabase lipstick in Sahara Beige ($30)
  • Glossimer in Muscat ($25)
  • Chanel Les Vernis Nail Color in Viollete ($20)

Non-Hawaii Chanel-aholics needn’t despair because nirvana is just a phone call (and a credit card) away. US residents may order Chanel’s international products by calling any of the three US Chanel Makeup Studios. Reach the Honolulu studio at (808) 953-6100. Ask for Sheila, the studio’s fabulous Chanel makeup artist, and tell her “Hi!” for me.
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Bright Ideas for Summer Nails

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Summertime means being able to wear brighter nail colors like corals, hot pinks and even sparkly blues or purples without looking like crazy nail lady. Here are a few ideas to brighten up your fingers and toes.

  • Essie Summer 2008 Nail Polish Collection: Help!
    “After washing off my neon-orange fingers and chewing three Tums (note to file: do not eat half a bag of cheese crunchies in one sitting), I pulled out my Essie Summer 2008 nail polish stash and painted each of the nails on my left hand (and the pointer finger on my right) different colors. This is what too many cheese crunchies can make a woman do.”

  • China Glaze Text in Colour 2BHOT: Holographic Hotness
    “The 2BHOT colors are a bit flashier/more club kid than my usual pink, peach, and coral nail color choices, but I really like them. The funky way the colors seem to change in the light adds another dimension to these polishes that makes them a lot of fun.”

  • Chanel Flamingo Nail Colour: My Sunday Morning Manicure
    “Part of Chanel’s summer 2008 collection, Flamingo is a soft, pale pink with flecks of shimmery silver. I swooned when I first saw it in the store a few weeks ago; I have a well-documented weakness for pink.”

  • China Glaze Ink Nail Polish: Wow, That’s Bright
    “The set includes six bright and slightly obnoxious colors, a cute packet of nail decals, a wee bottle of black polish (great for drawing patterns on the other nail colors) and a bottle of orange-scented cuticle oil.”

  • China Glaze OMG Text in Colour 2BKEWL Nail Polishes
    “I’m lucky enough to live close to my parents, so tomorrow I’m heading home to visit my mom for Mother’s Day. I thought it might be fun if she and I painted our nails a matching color. Here’s the twist: I would like it to be a slightly obnoxious color, so her yoga friends at the senior center can ask her about it (‘Girl, I saw those nails from across the room while I was mid-downward dog!’).”

Right now I’m wearing coral on my toes and sheer pink on my fingers. How about you? Do you have a current favorite nail color?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Lippmann Collection Nail Studio: A Manicure and Pedicure in Paradise

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I did a little post-birthday beauty indulging yesterday at the new Nordstrom store (only three months old) in Oahu’s massive Ala Moana shopping center. Visitors to Oahu often miss or skip Ala Moana, but it’s really quite impressive as malls go.

Beyond the beautiful layout, with open-air sections, koi ponds and indoor palm grottos, Ala Moana is a retail paradise. It houses more than 260 stores and restaurants (making it one of the largest malls in America) and includes a great mix of ultra-high end, Rodeo Drive-esque stores like Chanel, Prada and Tiffany; consumer-friendly shops like Old Navy, Gap, Sephora (aka, home away from home); and larger department stores like Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.

Before coming out to Hawaii, I was told by a friend that the new Oahu Nordstrom store was the only one in the United States with a Lippmann Collection Nail Studio. Uh … when I heard that, I booked a manicure and pedicure with a quickness only known to animals in heat and hopelessly addicted beauty junkies.

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Lippmann polishes, designed by celebrity nail manicurist Deborah Lippmann, are recognized for their durability and color. With Nordstrom’s help, Lippmann created the Lippmann Collection Nail Studio (referred to as The Lippmann Nail Bar by the Nordie’s staff). She got her start after makeup guru Bobbi Brown discovered her polishes, which are known as much for their fun names (Lippmann is also an accomplished jazz singer and names her polish colors after song titles like Tiny Dancer) as they are for their strength and quality.

Since Lippmann began in the business by catering to on-the-go starlets, several of her nail treatment products can be used quickly and without water. The studio is also known for its waterless manicure.

While I had “some work done” at the nail bar, Aimee (pronounced eye-me), the store’s Lippmann counter manager and manicurist, filled me in on the philosophy behind the Lippmann services.

A Lippmann manicure is less painful than a typical mani/pedi treatment. Cuticles aren’t cut, hands and toes are soaked in large bowls of warm water rather than spa tubs with jets, and the nails are only filed in one direction to prevent breakage. It’s more of a holistic approach to nail care. A Lippmann manicure focuses on improving the health of your nails over time. During a mani/pedi, the nail technician asks you about your personal nail care habits and will also recommend treatments and techniques that you can apply at home.

Six Degrees of Mariah Carey

The singer is currently on Oahu to shoot a new video. The first thing Aimee said when I sat down for my manicure was that she was currently on-call to do Mariah’s nails and might have to leave at any second. Consequently, all I could think of during my manicure was, “I’m with Mariah Carey’s manicurist, holy frickin’ crap!”

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The Lippmann Nail Bar offers several different nail treatments. I really wanted to indulge myself, so I went for the Star Treatment Manicure and Pedicure, which includes an exfoliating scrub, as well as a hand-and-foot massage.

Partial menu of services…

Star Treatment Manicure ($40)
Nail and cuticle care, scrub with heated mitts, hand massage, polish (55 minutes)

Star Treatment Pedicure ($60)
Nail and cuticle care, foot soak, exfoliation of callused skin, exfoliating scrub to knee (oy! I’m so glad I shaved my legs), foot massage, polish (60 minutes)

Studio Manicure ($30)
Nail and cuticle care, hand massage, polish (50 minutes)

Studio Pedicure ($50)
Nail and cuticle care, exoliation of calloused skin, foot massage, polish (50 minutes)

Aimee helped me pick out shades for my hands (Tiny Dancer, a pale pink) and my toes (It’s Delovely, a bright coral) and described several of Lippmann’s famous nail treatments.

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I really enjoyed both the manicure and the pedicure, but the pedicure took the cake. You’re treated like queen for a day, reclining in a comfortable, squishy chair while your toes get pampered and painted.
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Beauty Snacks: Sites of the Day, June 10

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Honolua Surf Co.
My favorite surf apparel company, Honolua makes cute t-shirts, rash guards, dresses and sweatshirts (yes, it gets chilly in the tropics). Every time I visit the islands, I pick up a couple of their printed tees.
honolua

MakeupFix
The lovely Mrs. Lynne takes makeup ‘ohana (family) to new heights with her beauty blog, MakeupFix.net. Reporting from the island of Oahu in Hawaii, she covers MAC Cosmetics and a whole lot more.
makeupfix.net

Poof
Their slogan reads, “Changing the way you do your business, one drop at a time.” A small business based in Hawaii, Poof sells these little drops that you plop into the toilet after you’ve “dropped the kids off at the pool.” I wrote about them once before. The drops eliminate any unpleasant odors … and the whole concept just makes me laugh.
poof
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