Second City Style Fashion Blog - Style, Luxury, Beauty & Shopping

Beauty 411. The Sephora Sun Safety Kit

An admitted recovering tanorexic I now don't step outside without at least 30 spf on my face and 15 on my body (I know it should be more) even when it's raining! So I totally applaud the Sephora Sun Safety Kit and think everyone should order one.

The kit includes 11 travel-size Summer Sun Protection Essentials:

• Korres Natural Products Watermelon Sunscreen Face Cream SPF 30, 0.05 oz
• Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Defense Moisture Lotion SPF 30, 0.25 oz
• DDF Daily Protective Moisturizer SPF 15, 1 oz
• Cosmedicine Medi-Matte Oil Control Lotion SPF 20, 0.35 oz
• Juice Beauty Green Apple Moisturizer SPF 15, 0.17 oz
• Murad Firming Bronzer SPF 15, 1 oz
• Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 55 PA + + +, 0.08 oz
• MD Skincare Powerful Sun Protection Pads SPF 30, six single-use packs
  
• Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control Cream Ultra Protection SPF 30, 0.17 oz
• Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer SPF 15, 0.25 oz
• Tarte 24/7 Lip Sheer SPF 15, 0.098 oz
• plus a UV indicator card, all in a limited-edition Sephora pouch

Better still, 100% of the net profits ($21.55 from every kit sold) will benefit The Skin Cancer Foundation. Sephora will make a total donation of up to $430,000.00 before 12/31/08. Supplies of the kit are limited and will be available from April through June 2008 or while supplies last.

What a great way to sample all of the best sun protection products of the season and donate money to a very worthy cause! It's a win-win. Find your favorite.

Sephora Sun Safety Kit $25 ($87 value)

Beauty News. Stila Partners With Marchesa to Create The Backstage Beauty Collection

According to WWD, Stila Cosmetics is jumping into fashion with a partnership with Marchesa.

Founded by Jeanine Lobell in 1994 and owned by the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. from 1999 to 2006, was purchased by the private investment firm Sun Capital Partners in April 2006.

Deanna Kangas, who joined Stila as chief marketing officer in January, is responsible for developing partnerships and overseeing all marketing activities. One of her first projects?  A new color lineup created with Marchesa's founders. The colors used in February for Marchesa's fall 2008 show were so well received, said Kangas, the decision was made to add them to the fall 2008 Stila color collection and showcase the brand's partnership with Marchesa to consumers.

The Backstage Beauty Collection includes three palettes, each with one matte and two shimmery eye shadow shades and an eyeliner. The Front Row Look is a black-patent palette with a smoky quartz eyeliner; The Red Carpet Look is a red-patent palette with an onyx eyeliner, and The Runway Look is a pewter-patent palette with an onyx eyeliner. Each palette is finished with fake leather rosettes that can be reused as necklaces or bracelets.

The limited edition  palettes will retail for $40 each and will be available at Sephora, sephora.com and stilacosmetics.com in August.

Read more "Stila Does Marchesa Collection" here

Source & Product Photo: WWD

Beauty Beat. AHAVA: Skincare Favorite of Kristin Davis

Who's not counting the days? One of the most anticipated days of this summer's releases is right around the corner; that's right... Sex and the City: The Movie! With spending the past year filming on the streets of NYC and filling their nights with movie premieres and events, just how does the “Fab Four” manage to stay looking so young and sexy?

Kristin Davis shares her secret to looking young that comes all the way from the Dead Sea in Israel; the skincare line AHAVA. Kristin uses products such as AHAVA’s Cleansing Milk, Mineral Eye Cream, Purifying Mud Mask and Age-Defying All Day Moisture SPF 15, to keep her skin looking amazing. The Dead Sea minerals, salts, and botanicals help her maintain her signature healthy glow and fresh appearance even in the midst of hectic filming.

What's AHAVA all about? Founded in 1988, AHAVA Dead Sea Laboratories has unearthed the secrets of the revitalizing effects of minerals on the skin. The only cosmetics company indigenous to the Dead Sea region, the AHAVA employs a truly singular scientific approach in its environmentally-conscious research activities.

So I tried some of Kristin's favorites and am now a fan too.

 

AHAVA Purifying Mud Mask- Normal to Dry Skin
This energizing mask is loaded with a unique combination of minerals found only in the mud and water from the Dead Sea. It gently penetrates deep through surface skin cells to draw out impurities, and remove dead cells to reveal a smoother complexion.
5.3 oz - $28.00

AHAVA Cleansing Milk – Normal to Dry Skin
This mild liquid cleanser is specially formulated to work deeply, but delicately to dissolve make-up, impurities and the daily build-up of grime. Skin radiates with a healthy glow which is the hallmark of fresh, clean skin.
8.5 oz. - $24.00

AHAVA Mineral Eye Cream - All Skin Types
delivers rich moisture to the delicate skin around the eyes. Based on an all-natural blend of botanical extracts, select vitamins and Dead Sea minerals, it absorbs rapidly, softening the skin for a visibly younger appearance.
1.0 oz - $40.00

Visit Ahavaus.com for more information.

- Lauren Dimet Waters

Beauty Trends. Floral Palettes Blooming This Spring

As I eagerly await the arrival of the Dior Flower Blossom ($52) petaled palette for spring (shown in the middle above), I started searching for other pretty floral palettes. They are popping up in eyeshadows, blush and bronzer. What can I say? I can't wait!

Shop the ones above here.

- Lauren Dimet Waters

Beauty Beat. Beauty and the Feet

Finally! The cold weather is behind us and we can now look forward to taking our feet out of hibernation and sliding them into this season’s must-have sandals and peep-toe stilettos! But, no matter how great the shoes and manicure, there is one thing that will turn the most anticipated time of the season into a dreaded nightmare—stinky feet! It’s sometimes inevitable—with feet sweating from the warm weather and friction between feet and shoe materials, we all have become victim to a little foot stench. But thanks to Fragrant Footings we can be rest assured that our piggies with be fresh all day.

With their step-to-release technology, microscopic bursts of essential oils and aromas are transferred to the feet with each step. Perfect for any type of shoe, you can get some for your gym shoes to your sandals. Simply peel and stick inside your shoe and you are one step closer to great smelling feet!   

$11-$15 a pair at SummerSoles.com

- Natayle Henry

Beauty News. Sarah Jessica Parker WON'T Show On HSN.

Although her fragrances Covet Pure Bloom and Lovely will be sold on the Home Shopping Network, Sarah Jessica Parker will be making no appearances to hawk her scents. While developers of her Coty perfume lines insist that Parker "was never asked to be on the Home Shopping Network because of her schedule," HSN insiders get the impression that Parker "doesn't want to ever appear" on the channel. Well, first of all, wouldn't her schedule actually be too busy with all the Sex & The City media she's doing right now? Secondly, let's be real, who can really blame her if she doesn't personally want to go on HSN? Nothing to get in a flap about... she's a huge star! Our guess is that Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and P Diddy won't be selling their own fragrances on HSN anytime soon either.

Source: NYPost

Beauty Beat. Pop Beauty Smokey Rose Wallet for Spring

I recently acquired and have been playing with the new Pop Beauty Smokey Rose Wallet. I am having too much fun experimenting with the colors and am feeling totally ready for spring/summer. Not bad for a mere $42!

This limited-edition, full-face, faux croc wallet contains plummy rose colors for eyes (12 shades), cheeks (4 shades), and lips (2 shades). The powders are coated and triple-milled to ensure super-smooth application and blending.

The kit comes with full instruction sheets on proper application.

Smokey Rose Wallet $42

Beauty Beat. Be a Betty

Second City Style has blogged about this before, but since there have been some new color additions to the line, we figured, why not mention it again? Besides, this product cracks us up. For the person who has gray, too much time on their hands, wants to be a 'true' blond or a need to be purple in the nether regions, Betty Color for the Hair Down There dye is for well, the hair down there. That's right, match your hair above (on your head). I mean we all have green hair right? Totally terrify your lover, husband, boyfriend....what have you.

$19.99 at BettyBeauty.com

Beauty News. Audrey Tautou New Face of Chanel No.5

Chanel announced Monday that it signed French actress Audrey Tautou ("Amélie" and "The Long Engagement") as the newest face for Chanel No.5. According to WWD, a TV campaign, which will begin running next year, will be directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. This isn't the first time Chanel has tapped a leading lady and her favorite director to create a campaign. Remember the Nicole Kidman and Baz Luhrmann commercial in 2003?

Source WWD

Celeb Beauty. Naomi Watts New Face of an Angel

 

According to WWD, actress Naomi Watts has been chosen as the new face of Thierry Mugler's Angel fragrance. The new advertising will start appearing in magazines in October.

Source: WWD