BFP

It’s Like Candy!

Tanya Sweetie — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:51:25 +0000

Ah Halloween, the one day of the year when it’s acceptable to walk around with flaky, pasty, ashy skin – provided that it’s for costume purposes only. But if impersonating the undead isn’t your thing no matter what day it is, head over to Bath By Riley to hunt for some beauty sweets that are more treat than trick.

Created by Lorie Riley, Hand Candies are these individually wrapped, handmade scrubs for your hands. And despite the name, the colorful packaging, and the delectable scents (Flirtini or Key Lime Pie, anyone?), these goodies are not edible. Place a handful in your bathroom in a decorative soapdish lest you forget.

Besides the inexpensive price, I’ll give you one more reason to indulge. Escape your fear of public restrooms: pop a few Hand Candies in your bag and pull out a convenient excuse to not use that gooey pink stuff that never comes out of the dispenser anyway.

Want an even better rescue? Brush up on your confectionery improv techniques and use these little candies infused with sea salt, avocado seed oil, cocoa and shea, on your feet or elbows for a quick exfoliating experience. Your body will thank you and your dentist will definitely be pleased. Leave it to Shecky’s to find a company that appeals to the sweet tooth on a whole other level.

BarbieCollector.com – Christian Louboutin Doll

Tanya Sweetie — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:21:11 +0000

Ever see that tee, “I want to be like Barbie…”? Indeed! Not that I envy anyone, er, anything with such an insanely impossible figure as hers. Nor do I desire to have a lifetime of endless careers that assure my status as Who’s Who in Everyone’s World but leave me with absolutely NO privacy ever!

No – I just want to be that doll who has a collection of red-soled shoes, “complete with miniature shoe boxes and cloth shoe bags”, designed exclusively for me by one of the most coveted French luxe designers.

And even if you aren’t the most dedicated Barbie collector, you’ve still probably heard the news by now. Nevertheless, word about this iconic team-up bears repeating and this news hails directly from the source. Well – Barbie’s source.

BarbieCollector.com – News – Feature Doll

It’s also worth noting that while only 2,400 of these dolls will be available online and via catalog, CLB doesn’t go on sale to the general public until November 19, 2009. My name may not be on the wait-list for Christian Louboutin’s lastest masterpiece for ladies, but it sure is on the VIP Pre-Sale list for the first Barbie by the designer!

Bluefly 30 Bags in 30 Days

Tanya Sweetie — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:47:19 +0000

Why bother with a dollar and a dream when you can take a chance at winning a fabulous Marc Jacobs bag from Bluefly and People StyleWatch!

Now I realize that it’s highly unlikely you’ll share the actual wealth so if you do happen to get lucky, please be sweet and share a photo with me – will ya?

McQueen Sues Madden – Footwear News – WWD.com

Tanya Sweetie — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:46:53 +0000

Sigh…let the Style Wars begin. I’m not even going to ask what the fashion world is coming to because knock-offs and counterfeits have been an abominable force in the fashion and apparel industry for quite a while now. Yet, the details of this Alexander McQueen vs. Steve Madden lawsuit read like a page from Dana Thomas’ book, Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster. The charge: trade dress infringement.

McQueen Sues Madden – Footwear News – WWD.com

Usually, there may be a slight difference in the knock-off item – perhaps a fringe or buckle where the original has a snap or zipper. But Madden’s Seryna bootie truly does look exactly the same as McQueen’s Faithful (pictured above). Judge the similarities for yourself.

This episode (as in drama) raises two questions in my mind: with all of his “runway-inspired designs”, is this really the first pair of shoes that Steve Madden produced that are a counterfeit of the original? And how is it that he was able to avoid getting busted for this before?

In any economy, a story like this makes a valid case for buying from sample sales, invite-only online sites, and off-price retailers as opposed to spending thousands on the “real thing”. I’m just saying…

Shecky’s Bags Beauty’s Best

Tanya Sweetie — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:13:31 +0000

I’ve been attending Shecky’s Girls Night Out and Beauty Night Out for roughly five years now and I have to say that with each event, Shecky’s attracts some of the hottest companies in the beauty industry. I’ll even admit that I’m most psyched about what’s in the bag. This year was certainly no different. On October 7th, I patiently waited for about 15 minutes outside of the Puck Building in lower Manhattan where the Beauty Night Out was held on the 7th and 8th. Once inside, I headed directly to the “S” table to pick up my ticket, and snagged a chock-full-of-goodies bag – two lines later. It was totally worth the wait.

I chose to hold off on digging through my goodie bag (above is a sample) and went directly to the table of one of the 2009 winners of Shecky’s Beauty At Its Best Awards: YoYo Lipgloss . Now if there’s one thing that I know all about, it’s poking around in the bottom of my handbag to find anything from keys to lipgloss. Sound familiar? Most handbag makers caught on and started making self-attached key ring straps, but I have to thank Angie Onassis Parlionas , YoYo Lipgloss CEO and President, for bringing the concept closer to the face of beauty – literally.

This retractable lipgloss clips onto your shirt so you can apply and keep it moving without wondering where you put your lipgloss. My daughter loved the original, larger-size YoYo Lipglosses so I bought all four of the new minis , including the Cha-Cha Chocolate pictured above. I personally love the minty taste and smooth texture. Hopefully Angie and her crew will be back for the Girls Night Out on October 22nd so I can snag the Swarovski version for myself!

After making sure that my lipgloss was secure, I grabbed my friend Tiffanie (creator of Whatta Butta shea body butters) and her friend Joanna, and headed over to the event’s national partners: Midori, Skyy Infusion, and X-Rated Fusion Liqueur. My drinks of choice : an X-Rated Flirtini and a Shop Til You Drop. I chose not to obey the command of the latter drink but I did enjoy watching beauty demos from Wink Eyelash, Kiss nails, and three different curling iron companies, and receiving samples from Yes To Carrots, Nailene, and Nivea.

(Shhh…I also took a peek at some of the most sought-after runway designer clothing and accessories, available at Emphatic NYC for “whisper-about-it” prices. Check out their Shecky’s highlight .)

Below, I’ve put together an abbreviated version of a would-be Night Out Necessity Kit from the contents of my goodie bag, which had about 25 items in it.

One product that I was really excited to see in the bag was a full 6 ounces of Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple high-foaming daily cleanser (a $21.50 value) and an online offer with purchase. Philosophy has some of the best socially-conscious products on the market. The messages on the product packaging are truly inspirational and uplifting, and the company always has great gift-with-purchase offers. The goodie bag offer: receive a free 2 oz. cinnamon buns award-winning, ultra-rich shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath with any purchase of $25 or more on philosophy.com . The offer is valid thru 11/30 or while supplies last and you must enter promo code cinnbuns1109 at checkout. See their website for details.

Shecky’s Beauty Night Out and Girls Night Out are definitely some of the best night out events around but you’ve got to see it for yourself. Click here to view exclusive Shecky’s footage and to get tickets for October 19-22nd. (Friday’s tickets are sold out.)

Drop me a line if you’re planning to attend on the 22nd and we’ll strike a pose at the Shecky’s photo shoot booth!

Gone But Not Forgotten

Tanya Sweetie — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:14:53 +0000

What do NY Fashion Week, Prescriptives , and MAC’s Tendertone SPF 15 lip balms have in common? They all followed the cycle of “going, going, gone” – hopefully on to some other place or forum that is as equally glamourous as it is accessible. In the case of these iconic events, brands, and products, you can bet that the creative karma that made its way onto the runway or into the products’ identity will ensure many happy clients return to scope out what’s in store next season.

And speaking of going with the seasons, NY Fashion Week, Spring 2010 marked the final curtain for the event’s Bryant Park production. The supermodels will now strike their poses several blocks west, at the world-renowned Lincoln Center, for the Fall 2010 edition of Fashion Week. If Naomi’s on the runway you can believe there’ll be enough drama to script an Upper Westside Story!

As far as final appearances go, Prescriptives , the 30 year-old brand owned by Estee Lauder, is being discontinued. The brand is best known for offering cosmeceuticals stamped with approvals from leading dermatologists, and makeup formulas that cater to an extensive range of skin tones and complexions and are custom blended on palettes in the presence of the client. It might be wise to get your fave products now, as your own sort of “while supplies last” precaution.

So what if you’ve just used the last of your star lip moisturizer, like MAC’s Tendertone tinted lip balm in Deep Sigh or Sweet & Nice, and the product was a limited edition? Short of attempting to recreate the product on your own, you can try to find a comparable product. Or in the case of MAC Cosmetics , also owned by Estee Lauder, you can check out its discontinued products through Lauder’s Gone But Not Forgotten program. If you still have the container or know the name of the product, call (800) 216-7173 and the company will search their warehouse to find items that may still be in stock. Once your product is all gone, don’t forget to return any six MAC containers to a MAC counter for a free lipstick or lip glass through the on-going Back To MAC Program. Social responsibility never goes out of style nor is it easily forgotten!

Good as it Goetz

Tanya Sweetie — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:10:32 +0000

One of the greatest things about living in New York is having access to some of the most enticing goods by ingenious entrepreneurs. In this case, a stroll from Sunday brunch at Good Enough To Eat yielded a celebrity sighting of sorts and led to the browsing of one chic apothecary and skin lab: (Malin+Goetz), at 455 Amsterdam and 82nd Street.

Let me back up and explain what drew me inside. There was a plain white menu board outside of the shop that listed some of the things one would and would not find in these products. I’m always looking for the perfect scent that wears well or a candle to reflect my current mood, so I convinced my friends to stop in for a moment. Now I’m not sure whether I was more wrapped up in the delicious citrus scent of the Neroli candle (the orange one in the Junior set) or by the simplicity of the packages and store design, but I was pleasantly overwhelmed with trying to decide what to sample next.

One of the beauties about these products is that they’re unisex and the skin tonics are designed to complement others in the line. In fact, the tonics are even displayed in a manner that gives you scent hints. As if that isn’t enough to make you commit, consider that the brand features a winner of Allure Magazine’s Editors’ Choice Best of Beauty Award (2008), the detox face mask. Now that’s as good as it gets – all the fine details you’d expect from a top lab with none of the skin-damaging chemicals.

Unpretentious and warm, the “celebrity” I sighted was one of the brand’s co-founders, to whom I was introduced after insisting that I read about the company in Entrepreneur magazine. I was right, of course! With a vibe like this, there’s no doubt that (Malin+Goetz) will be one of my go-to spots for detox skin care and some of those intoxicating candles for the VIPs in my life.

Running this town: Fashion’s Night Out

Tanya Sweetie — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:06:18 +0000

Appropriately scheduled in between the Mercedes Benz’s Fashion Week events that are only accessible to the A-List or those fortunate enough to be the someone who knows someone on “the list”, Fashion’s Night Out, hosted around the globe, was like some sort of coming out party to celebrate the return of all of the things that define the industry: vibrance, attitude, design.

The scene at one Manhattan retailer could have been a preview from Gossip Girl meets The Game: Daily Candy, in attendance. Champagne flutes carefully balanced in the hand holding the wool-blend slacks, mini decadent pastries in the other. Stylish associates in wicked leather skirts paired with the obligatory leggings and edgy ankle books; their male counterparts in sharp blazers, proper fitting jeans and kick-ass shoes. The soundtrack: a certain urban rebel anthem that let event hoppers know why we were all there: “we gon’ run this town tonight”. Yup!

And that was just at the LOFT, Times Square!

I kept my VTS (ahem, that’s vow-to-self) and stuck to a lean budget, but allowed myself some slacks for work. Yes, that would be the pair from the champagne hands. Too bad I was pressed for time and couldn’t drop in a couple of doors down to witness the body makeup demonstrations by Make Up For Ever at the new Sephora store (5 Times Square). Nevertheless, I sincerely hope that this Fashion’s Night Out accomplished its mission of breathing some life into NYC’s local economy, revitalizing the multi-billion dollar fashion industry, and saving thousands of jobs in the process.

Who gets all the Play?

Tanya Sweetie — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:42:50 +0000

The fellas, of course! At least that seems to be the point of Givenchy‘s new fragrance for men. Sexy has definitely arrived and it was escorted by none other than the man who informed us all that he was bringing it back. How’s that for a prophecy? And there’s something about the come-hither look in JT’s eyes that lets you know that he’s all business about his Play.

Even the bottle’s design alludes to Justin’s musical prowess: an MP3-inspired package that seems to hint at the act of reviving one’s sexiness with each spritz.

I checked out the fragrance up close and personal, as in – on a blot stick at Sephora, though I would have rather smelled it on Mr. Timberlake. Suffice to say: Givenchy doesn’t disappoint. There’s an overt sensuality that draws you in. In fact, the fragrance gets straight to the point and makes you want to Play. Nicely, of course.

Shecky’s Beauty Night Out, October 2009

Tanya Sweetie — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:22:54 +0000

At least once a year, I gather a girlfriend or two but hopefully more this year, and head down to the Puck Building – that would be 293 Lafayette St. at Houston, in NYC – for an ultimate night out, courtesy of Shecky’s. For anyone who has never experienced it, picture this: $30 for a “winning” ticket (I’m having a Wonka moment here), unlimited access to sponsored Spirits (I recall having some sort of Midori special last time), the biggest names in beauty (come on, say Vera Wang with me) and a few up-and-coming beauty and fashion gems.

Then there are the on-the-spot makeovers and product raffles that leave you feeling like a winner, a big theme of mine. To top it all off and leave you feeling like you hit some sort of beauty counter lottery, there’s a goody bag worth over $100 and filled to the brim with the latest from some of those big names. Cameras are on scene so bring your best smile – and your camera (phone) because you’re bound to want to post your own pics.

Sounds good? Great! Gather your Gs and get to going. This year’s event is taking place on October 7-8, from 5pm-10pm. Five fab after-work hours with your girls, some deluxe beauty goods and premium liquor…I bet the fellas wish they had an event this spirited! Shecky’s also hosts a Girls Night Out for those who can’t get enough of this sort of thing. Click here for more info or to purchase tickets.