Total Beauty Awards

Total Beauty is having their very own beauty awards and you are invited to vote for your favorites.

Vote at http://www.totalbeauty.com/awards

Polls close March 31 and winning products will be announced April 7, 2010.

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Microfinish Blush

There's lots new coming on the makeup front from Make Up For Ever. Some just previewed at an industry show but already out at Sephora and launching nationally everywhere shortly is the HD Microfinish Blush.

HD Blush is a high pigment, easy blending cream/gel blush. The formula is fairly thin and you only need a small amount .

The blush is also made to be long wearing and look perfect in HDTV conditions. It is invisible to the camera/eye on skin and has both mattifying and reflecting powders built in.

The two shades I have are what I would call medium colors, 8 being a bit deeper. They are very natural looking and easy to use . They have no shimmer. I used my fingertip to blend, but the proper brush would work as well. They easily blend down to a sheerer, lighter finish.

There are 14 shades and the bottle is .33 oz.

$ 25.00 at Sephora.com

Ginger and Liz Nail Polish

After hearing great things about the Ginger and Liz nail line from Charu of Butterfly Diary, I got the chance to try them and meet the founders at Robert Verdi's Luxe Lab during Fashion week.

The company was begun by S. Liz Pickett and H. Ginger Johnson. Both ladies were on hand at the Lab and were happy to meet all of us. You can see them along with Ms. Charu getting her nails done in the image above.

The biggest hit and what I wanted on my nails is Swagger , a super metallic pink gold. Alas, since we had to take off a dark purple and time was short ( I got bumped briefly for Joanna Coles of Marie Claire, who couldn't have been nicer and didn't want to bump me), and Charu was ready for her appointment. ( These manicures were the hottest ticket going , even more than the blowouts) .

Swagger wasn't working on the nails as not every bit of the darker shade came off , so I went with another dark purple, Ginger and Liz's Hold The Drama. Good color, good name.

My picture of the finished mani is darker than the actual shade. Hold The Drama is dark but not that dark. It's a deep purple and almost exactly like an old favorite, the long discontinued original Hard Candy Fetish.

The polish holds up beautifully. I had no base coat , 1 coat of color and a quick top coat and got easily a week of wear. It's a strong formula. Strong, but without the Big 3 toxins. Ginger and Liz is also organic, and vegan friendly .

Ginger and Liz sells for $ 12.00 each and is available at http://www.gingerandliz.com/, Damone Roberts salon in NYC and Henri Bendel in NYC.

Hammered Ring Cuff at Ann Taylor LOFT

Love, love this new cuff bracelet from Ann Taylor LOFT. I've been looking for a goldtone cuff for awhile now. Cuffs are a staple in jewelry wardrobe and I have a lot of silver ones, great silver ones, but no gold ones. I'd been stalking Gilt Groupe sales but never hit buy.

Now I have this and it's spot on perfect. It's unique, a little tough, and amulet like, but dressy too.

At first I thought it seemed a bit Egyptian, but now thinking maybe Etruscan? Either way, you've got great design references. It's heavy , sturdy and seems well made.

I will wear this all year long, but no doubt it will accentuate the summer tan and bare arms nicely.

The Hammered Ring Cuff is $ 29.50 at Ann Taylor LOFT and part of the launching soon Spring 2010 line.