TRESemme Lounge

The TRESemme Lounge provided dry styles for Fashion Week attendees in the tents. It was great to get my hair done by such amazing professionals. Hairstylist Tyler Laswell not only coiffed and curled my hair with expert precision but also created similar masterpieces on some serious Bryant Park VIP's; namely Ms. Fern Mallis.

The Fashion Week sponsor also gave away gift bags with the latest TRESemme products including some of their styling products and samples of their Naturals Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner. The products smelled yummy and gave my hair body, bounce and texture.

The lounge was a fun place to relax and mingle. Live feeds of the fashion shows taking place in the tents were playing on a screen throughout the day and it was a great place to sit down, rest your feet and people watch. The stylists gave amazing hair tips and tricks and informed me about fab. new products. Laswell used a Hot Tools Jumbo 1" Marcel Curling Iron on my hair and I gotta say it gave me one of the best hair days I'd had in months. It's officially at the top of my wish list.

It was a great perk being able to get my hair done each day (which I took full advantage of) and I appreciated how sweet and friendly everyone in the lounge was. Here's hoping I can recreate Fashion Week hair every day! Thanks TRESemme!

Fashion Week-Stephen Burrows-Beauty Breakdown

CFDA Lifetime Achievement Winner, Stephen Burrows has been creating lively, colorful prints and patterns for years. He's been an important staple in the fashion industry for several decades and mingled and partied with legend after legend. He was friends with Andy Warhol, dressed Cher and hung out regularly at Studio 54 at the height of it's disco days. This season he created a collection that showed off his traditionally vivid designs and knack for perfectly cut jersey dresses. Burrows said he looked at "Gustav Klimt and Tiffany Lamps" as the inspiration for his latest collection. His dresses had wonderfully abstract prints, rich colors and classic silhouettes. He also showed a variety of other styles like ultra-wide wool trousers, fur vests, black leather jackets and chunky cable sweaters.

Makeup Inspiration: The inspiration for the makeup was based on the look and feel of Biba-the iconic European fashion label and mecca in the 1960-70’s era. Head makeup artist, Quinn Murphy, said he wanted to enhance the style of the clothing and overall youthfulness and individuality of the time. The look was strong but not heavy. Murphy made the look special by balancing a smokey eye with red lips. He did this by creating a layered effect on the shadows. The lips were modern and bright.

FACE: He pared down the skin by making it youthful and fresh. He used minimal concealer and a minimal amount of Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. He used a Beauty Blender Sponge to make the foundation look as sheer as possible. He skipped the blush altogether to not overpower the face with color. After setting the skin with powder he added a dot of moisturizer to the cheekbone, bridge of nose, forehead and chin to add a youthful glow.

EYES: Murphy said the eyes were a “smoldering tornado of black charcoal shadow, more undone and bohemian than a traditional smokey eye.”. He applied a small amount of black cream shadow, Black Flash Color by Make Up For Ever, from the lash line to the brow. He then used a black Armani eye pencil to line the inner rim and top of the lash line and smudged it. He then took a matte black eye shadow with a sponge tip applicator and lightly dotted the colors around the eye. He used black eye shadow on the lower lash line and blended further with an invisible loose powder. Finally he brushed on Armani Maestro Mascara on the lashes. By using small amounts of the shadows he was able to layer and build the look.

LIPS: Murphy chose a moist red lip to complete the look. He used Ruby Woo by M.A.C. to the edge of the natural lip line and the applied a tinted lip balm (Benefit Benetint Lip Balm SPF 15) to give moisture without being glossy. The softer red lip countered the deepness of the dramatic charcoal matte eye.

HAIR: Hairstylist Michael Deunas created a modern, chic donut shape (an alternative to the classic bun) for the hair. "The modern shape added simplicity and beauty to Stephen Burrows collection." he said. He sectioned the hair off at the base of the neck horizontally across. He sprayed each section with OSIS Flatliner and a round brushing smooth and then flat ironed each section smooth. He brushed the hair into a tight ponytail on the right side behind the ear. Denunas took OSIS Wax and smoothed it over each ponytail and wrapped the ends of the hair with a hair doodle and rolled it to the head so the hair was wrapped around it. He then snapped the hair doodle into a donut shape and spread the tightly wrapped hair around it. Deunas then took small hairpins and secured the hair doodle to the head. Finally, he finished with OSIS Elastic Hairspray and OSIS Air Pomade.

NARS Cosmetics Founder, François Nars!

I've admired his work for years and stock up on his products whether I need to or not, so as you can imagine meeting the man behind the makeup brand was beyond thrilling. Watching him work his magic (overseeing the look) at the Victor dE Souza show was wonderful. He's got such a fabulous style and mysterious persona and I loved his whole vibe. It was a fantastic moment for me. I really did get to meet one of the people in this industry I admire the most. Not a bad way to spend a Wednesday evening!

In honor of this fantastic meeting I wanted to divulge some of my faves NARS products and hope you'll share your favorites too.

I love how glowy and sun-kissed I look with The Multiple in South Beach on. I adore Orgasm Blush because it's true, it really is universally flattering. I also love their eyeshadows. They're so blendable, richly pigmented and layer perfectly on your skin. My favorite shades are Ondine, NightBreed and NightFever. I also adore their creamy Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella. The pencil goes on soft and perfectly stains your lips so you don't have to reapply constantly. There are countless others I could talk about and I'm constantly finding new lipsticks, eye shadows and skin illuminators that I love. Alas, my wallet would like me so much more if I wasn't such an active fan! All in the name beauty, right?

What are your favorite NARS products!? Let me know!

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week-Victor dE Souza

Jessica Biel & Victor dE Souza at the designer's Fall 2010 show
As soon as I arrived at Casa Le Femme in the West Village for the Victor dE Souza show I knew I was in for something special. The ambiance was warm yet mysterious, magical yet cozy.

There were sparkling chandeliers that added magic to the already warm lighting. There were plush red velvet couches tucked away in intimate-looking coves that lined the room and a six-foot high limestone fireplace that looked like it was a secret door to Narnia. There was also an enormous fire pit in the sunken in center of the room that seemed to have erupted from the floor into a perfectly rounded cylindrical sculpture. The place was in no way subtle, which was fitting because the Victor dE Souza collection was anything but. It was, however, dramatic, innovative, beautiful and filled with gasp-worthy pieces.

What's amazing about the designer besides being a true couturier (with hand stitching and artisan construction) is his ability to make his clothes look as modern as they do feminine and Holly Golightly –esque. The look of the show was "alien chic" and meant for a woman who is classic and chic yet able to "transcend her immediate surroundings… [and be of] an alternate universe". This was apparent in the mixture of futuristic clothing with classic silhouettes and structures.

The look captured the eerie beauty dE Souza wanted to convey. The NARS Cosmetics team headed by makeup artist, Lena Koro, transformed the models by covering the entire eye with a black contact. My fellow 'True Blood' fans will be familiar with the identical possessed "Mary Ann has taken over your soul-savage glare" look from the show. The eyes instantly became filled with an entrancing lifeless stare. Amazing what a pair of contacts can do.

MAKEUP: All makeup was by Nars. The face was powdered Geisha-white using Loose Powder in Snow and all traces of eyebrow hair were covered. Eyeliner in Black Moon was winged out and thickly traced in a reverse cat eye fashion. Koro said she wanted the liner to look like it was part of the eye so that in addition to the contacts the entire eye area was black, creating extra drama. The lips provided the only hint of color with a slick of barely there-practically white-pink Triple X Lipgloss.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week-Rebecca Taylor

The hot designer of the moment, Rebecca Taylor knows how to design and dress for "it" girls. It's the kind of girls that go nuts for her collections, sit in the front row of all her shows and wear her urban chic designs out on the red carpet and in every day life. Her Fall 2010 collection was for such an "it girl". There was a Euro coolness and femininity to it as the designer did draw from a 70's Parisian attitude yet was still primarily inspired by an urban New York City girl. Taylor knows how to do classic sportswear and in this line there was a beautiful twist to that and her more signature feminine designs. The color palette was more neutral with "dusty hues contrasted with military olives and hints of old gold. Fabrics were washed to provide a worn, overly-loved appeal and are combined with cashmere wool suits, leopard faux furs and down quilted coats, together giving this collection an affordable luxe quality."

Hair: Rudi Lewis, lead stylist for Cutler/Redken wanted to create something that screamed effortlessly cool. 'It' Girls, like Lou Doillon and Charlotte Gainsbourg were used as an inspiration. Lewis said, "I wanted them to look as if they'd been to the hairdresser, before going out partying all night, then tumbling out of bed and pulling their boyfriend's jumper on over their hair. I created a bed of 'static' at the roots of their hair before putting a loose undone wave through the lengths, and then brushing the whole thing out and fluffing up the surface just before they went on the runway."

To recreate the gorgeous style at home, try these tips and tricks and you'll have a runway-worthy 'do in no time!

Hair: Spray Cutler Volumizing Spray to hair and blow dry with a large round brush. Backcomb the roots to give hair a bit of texture and volume. Spray hair with Redken Spray Starch 15 and flat iron hair to seal in the fluffy texture into the roots. Finish with a light mist of Redken Workforce 09 Hairspray for a long lasting hold.

Makeup:: Head M.A.C. makeup artist, Rie Omoto created a soft, girlie chic look. She used M.A.C. foundation and Studio Sculpt concealer on the face. Applied Corkscrew eyeshadow on the brows to lighten and give them definition. She brushed Coquette Eyeshadow on in the inner crease and defined the eyes and made them pop using Black Paint Stick and Blacktrack Fluid Line. The cheeks were contoured with Mineralized Skin Finish and M.A.C. Cream Colour Base in Pearl was used as blush to add a rosy, shimmery glow. The lips were au-natural and Omoto used Lip Erase Dim to remove overly pink or red tones.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week-Louboutins at Lim

Check out these amazing Christian Louboutin boots backstage at the 3.1 Phillip Lim show! They're so beautiful and I've gotta say, Fashion Week has made me really excited for the thigh-high boots trend. After seeing them everywhere on the runway, I know it's a trend that's here to stay...for now at least.

What do you think of them? Do you own a pair yet? Planning on investing in some? Will you try and mix them up and wear them for dressy and casual occasions? Let me know!

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week-Victor de Souza

de Souza with actress Jessica Biel

As soon as I arrived at Case Le Femme in the West Village for the Victor dE Souza show I knew I was in for something special.


There were sparkling chandeliers and ornate fixtures that only added magic to the already warm lighting in the space. Plush red velvet couches were tucked away in intimate-looking coves that lined the room. A six-foot high limestone fireplace that looked like it was a secret door to Narnia. And, an enormous abstract fire pit in the sunken in center of the room that seemed to have erupted from the floor into a perfectly rounded cylindrical sculpture. The place was in no way subtle, which was fitting because the Victor dE Souza collection was anything but subtle. It was, however, dramatic, innovative, beautiful and filled with mouth-gaping pieces.

What's amazing about the designer besides being a true couturier (with hand stitching and artisan construction) is his ability to make his clothes look as modern as they do feminine and Holly Golightly –esque. The look of the show was alien chic, a look for a woman who is classic and chic yet able to "transcend their immediate surroundings… [and be of] an alternate universe". This was apparent in the mixture of futuristic clothing with regal, classic silhouettes and structures. The clothes were a mix of delicate and architecturally structured cuts and lines.

The look embraced captured the eerie beauty dE Souza wanted to convey. The NARS team headed by Lena Koro and Francois Nars, himself, transformed the models eyes using black contacts that covered the entire eye. My fellow 'True Blood' fans are quite familiar with the identical possessed "Mary-Ann has taken over your soul-savage glare" look from the show. The eyes instantly became filled with an entrancing lifeless stare. Amazing what a pair of contacts can do.

MAKEUP: All makeup was by NARS. The face was completely powdered Geisha-white using Loose Powder in Snow and all traces of eyebrow hair were covered. Eyeliner in Black Moon was winged out in and thickly traced in a reverse cat eye fashion. Koro said she wanted the black liner to look like it was part of the eye so that in addition to the black contacts the entire eye area was black creating mystery and drama. The lips provided the only hint of color with a slick of barely there-practically white-pink Triple X Lipgloss.

NAILS: The nails, done by Kristina Estabrooks for CND, looked like extra-terrestrial claws. Estabrooks fashioned pre-fabricated glowing white tips glazed in Copper Shimmer. The nails were placed above the nail bed for an extra alien-like effect. The stark white matched the bright white porcelain makeup to make it look extra subterranean.

HAIR: Phyto provided the hair products. Hairstylist Danilo called the look "Breakfast at Tiffany's on Mars". The hair had tons of dimension and volume. "The feel is very futuristic and modern yet elegant and feminine. Very alien-chic.", said Danilo. The stylist created an updated chignon. He took Phyto Wet Gel and Phyto Workable Holding Spray to build a clean, tight "Olympic ponytail". He then put the hair back and created a shape with a hairpiece that had bulk in the center but faded out on the sides. "This [style] accentuates the shape of a woman's face, so u really see a clear silhouette when [the models] walk; because his clothes really are all about silhouettes." said Danilo.

Check out all my behind the scenes pictures from the show. Including the shot of one of my absolute idols, Francois Nars. He was there to collaborate with the makeup team and oversee the entire look of the show. It was absolutely amazing to meet him in person!  

Me and Francois Nars

Francois Nars!!!!!!!!

Danilo explains the look. Check out guys shirt in the background

CND Copper Shimmer

Inside Casa Le Femme The fire pit


Makeup artists waxed off the eyebrows

Amanda Lepore

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week-3.1 Phillip Lim

The 3.1 Phillip Lim was truly an experience for me. The clothes, hair, makeup and atmosphere was mesmerizing. It was thrilling to get such a complete backstage experience, interviewing and watching the entire Phyto and Nars team and capturing all the chaos and beauty come together. Being fully immersed in the midst of it all and seeing the entire team prep. and preen the models as they gracefully sashayed out onto the runway right in front of me, was unforgettable. Lim is known for his gorgeous, laid back and supremely "cool" collections. This year's line was inspired by a disco-punk-rock lovin' hipster-kinda chic. The vibe of the clothes was ethereal, wispy and very dreamy. The pants all seemed to dance down the runway full of movement and airiness. What I love about Lim's clothes is that they create a character and back story and attitude just by the way they're shaped, draped or layered. There's such a "cool" chic swagger to his designs. The asymmetrical skirts, slouchy jackets, stunning trousers (in cream, amber and gold), fluttery outwear and whimsical sequins dresses were made for a carefree, "Devil May Care" kind of lady who is as savvy as she is Zen.

I'm thinking she's a fabulous rockstar's publicist (Fran Drescher circa This is Spinal Tap meets Agyness Deyn). She's all about the music, and loves clothes but never lets them wear her. She'll thrown on an ultra glamorous sequins gown or chic trousers but still take her bicycle to work . She's equally comfortable wearing a crystallized jumpsuit under a silk overlay with slits and negotiating deals at a fashionable club as she is wearing tapered harem pants, colorful booties and a oversize poncho to grab dinner. She's just cool. That's all there is to it. Too many tangents? I'm sorry, I was just kinda running with it and hoping you would too!

MAKEUP: Head Nars makeup artist, Lisa Butler, created the youthful, rebellious disco-punk look that exuded rock and roll edginess just like Debbie Harry did back in her Blondie days. Butler said the look was multi-layered, “The eyes are punchy and edgy while the skin was kept healthy and glowing. The lips are a soft, sheer pink for the elegant punk-rock princess style that Phillip was looking for.”.FACE: Butler's team used Riviera Multiple, Douceur Blush (new for Fall 2010 but similar to Lovejoy or Madly Blush) and Luxor Multiple to illuminate the skin. EYES: The makeup team dusted Abyssinia and Nymphea Single Eyeshadow over the lids and crease. The also brushed Coconut Grove Single Eyeshadow (not out till the Fall but similar to shade, Bali ) and finally lined the rim of the eyes withLondon Eyeliner Pencil. LIPS: Bangkok Pure Matte Lipstick (new for the Fall but similar to Sex Machine Velvet Matte Lip Pencil), a fairly natural pinkish color was used to add some subtle color to the pout.
NAILS: CND is the premiere nail polish brand for Fashion Week and beyond. The brand is not only a veteran at Bryant Park, but also the nail polish line that first brought their gorgeous colors to Fashion Week over twenty years ago. Nail artist Angi Wingle (such a doll), created a gorgeous uptown Blondie chic manicure by using Creamy Cameo, a milky peachy pink and pairing it with the shiny Gold Chrome for French pedicure tips on the toes.










HAIR: Key hairstylist Odile Gilbert used Phyto products to create the perfect homage to the blond rocker and recreate her rocking hair-do. The look was as wispy and airy as the clothing. Hair was made to look fluffy with a distinct middle part. Cascading curls were added for the models with longer hair and the volume was created by adding plenty of mousse and brushing the strands upside down, curling the hair and then brushing out the curl. For the longer hair styles, Gilbert's team used Phyto Professional Intense Volume Mousse to create dry texture. They then used a curling iron to make rounded curls but ran their fingers through the curls to create a fluffy, piecy look. Gilbert then sprayed PhytoVolume Actif (a volumizing spray) to the root and then blow dry it out to create added volume at the root. Gilbert finished off by adding Phyto Professional Workable Holding Spray and Phytolaque Hair Spray. If any of the models had dry ends Gilbert added Phyto 7, a leave in conditioner to soften their strands and leave hair looking supple. To recreate this look at home, take a curling iron and invest in PhytoVolume Actif and Phyto Professional Workable Holding Spray to get optimum usage and recreate lasting looks.