Do the Walk of Shame in Style

Because we've all been there and done that, but don't want to get caught in the act again.  Read these tips courtesy of BettyConfidential on how to do the walk of shame in style and nosy doormen, neighbors nor even co-workers won't be able to guess what trouble you got into the night before.

MAC To The Beach Collection

Just in time for summer's first weekend, MAC's To The Beach offers everything from lipgloss, to bronzers, to shadows and liners that transform you to a surfer girl, whether you're headed to the beach or just want to look like you've been there.  Here are our favorites from the collection:

The Marine Life High-Light Powder is the prettiest piece in the set, a pressed powder in the mold of a seahorse in shades of pink, peach and pearl.  Wear it on top of your cheekbones or under your brows.

The Lustre Drops in Sun Rush give you a dewy bronze glow as if you've been in the sun all afternoon.  We mixed this with our body lotion for our shoulders and legs to give them the same shimmering glow.

The Creme Bronzer is a good alternative to powder when your skin is dry from the wind and sun.  Spread this with your fingertips where the sun would hit your cheeks, forehead, chin and even the bridge of your nose for the most natural look. 

The Lipglass and Lipsticks each come in pretty coral plastic cases with shell prints.  The shades range from frosty peaches to brozed plums, so there's a shade for just about everyone.

MAC's version of the summer's hot teal color is the Shimmermoss Eye Shadow.  Use this along your lid to make you eyes pop against your new broze complexion.

Last, we'd love to get our hands on the MAC To The Beach Bag with its coral print, it would make the perfect carryall for our books, water, and lotion.

How to Fake Your Best Tan

We love Carmindy on What Not to Wear and she brings the same straight talk to Daily Makeover. Recently she discussed the best way to fake a great tan. You know us, we're big proponents of looking like you've got a tropical tan without actually exposing yourself to the sun's harmful rays.  Read on to see Carmindy's advise on getting the most natural-looking fake tan ever.

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Bachelorette Party Guide Los Angeles

Our next installment on Bachelorette Party City Guides is up on AOL's Aisle Dash. You won't want to miss this one if you're planning a bachelorette -- or a girls' getaway -- in Los Angeles.

Men and Short Hair: What Do They Really Think?

We've always heard that men prefer longer hair.  We've had our hair long for most of our lives, only once or twice cutting it short.  We'd like to think that we're not wearing our hair long just for the men in our lives; but because it flatters us.  Daily Makeover's Sarah Mansour took a closer look and reported back to us.  Read more here.
Related articles:
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Photos from Getty Images

Web Snob May 28th, 2010

The best of fashion and beauty around the web:

E! News fashion commentator Giuliana Rancic talked swimsuit season tips with Stiletto Jungle.

Allie is Wired has pictures of Lindsay Lohan's back-to-blonde look.

Bag Snob has the most stylish doctor bag ever!

Beauty Snob has a great new DIY treatment that quickly tackles a number of beauty issues that is worth trying before checking into a medical spa.

Coquette discovers a fresh take on classic chambray, that involve no western-style shirts!

The Jet Set Girls recap the Makeup Show NYC and tell the best new products.

Manolo says, some enchanged evening, you may see South Pacific.

Get Carrie Bradshaw's clover necklace from SATC 2--SHEfinds has the scoop.

Second City Style not only discusses the amazing new essie 6-piece Summer 2010 Collection we're giving one away.

Shopping and Info found the best white dresses by Thakoon and Riller & Fount for summer.

The Beuaty Stop found a $14 foundation that actually looks better as the day goes on.

The Fashion Bomb offers tips on What to Wear to a Memorial Day Barbecue.

The Shoe Goddess says to ditch your boring black shoes and try bright yellow!

Sex and the City 2: Our Review

We had low expectations for Sex and the City 2 because the trailer portrayed the plot as slim and the early reviews cut it no slack, so we were surprised we enjoyed it as much as we did.  Of course, there's no denying we are gaga for fashion, the New York lifestyle, and the importance of a handful of close girlfriends.

We went to a screening on Wednesday night sponsored by Coty and Sarah Jessica Parker's new fragrance SJPNYC.  In our eyes, the two biggest stars of this movie were the fashion and the locations.  You couldn't count SJP's outfits, in fact it would make a good drinking game.  We spent lots of time over dinner dissecting the movie's styles so the fashion made its impression on us.

After an awkward beginning where contrived plot lines and tired banter jostled us around aimlessly, our fave foursome takes off on a first class trip to Abu Dhabi  (Morocco was beautiful in the role of Abu Dhabi).  The girls stayed in the Amanenja hotel and scenes with Aidan were shot at the new Mandarin Oriental.

The plot thickened in the last twenty minutes or so and carried the girls back home and back to their lives.  We wish the entire movie were more clever and engaging;  but we still encourage all of our girlfriends to go; but do your better halves a favor and leave them behind.  Unless they're fans of haute couture and scantily clad Australian jocks, the payback would be too big.

See where we stayed for our SATC 2/birthday extravaganza.

On Our Radar: The Carlton Hotel NYC

On Wednesday night, we booked a double room at the The Carlton, a Preferred Hotel and Resort in Midtown right off of Madison Square Park.  It's close to Penn Station, which would have been great had our cab driver not taken us on a long tour of the city (there was a mix-up with the address).  The lobby was impressive, as we had expected.  We were running late and unfortunately the hotel restaurant, Country, wasn't serving lunch.

Our first guest room was stylish and contemporary, though small for the four us.  Our luck changed when the air conditioner conked out.  After a call to the front desk and a visit from the service technician, we were shuttled up to the Empire Suite which had a much bigger bedroom, a huge sitting area with a long dining table and best of all: a view of the Empire State Building. 

We recommend the Carlton for its location, the attentiveness of the staff, the comfortable rooms, and the good sized bathrooms.

Read more about why we chose the Carlton Hotel. 

We were given a special press rate for our stay at the Carlton Hotel.

Beating Frizz in Summer's Heat and Humidity

Yesterday we stopped by Ted Gibson's salon in NYC for a blowout before our SATC screening and Anne's birthday extravaganza.  I had an appointment with Devin Toth who is featured in June's Allure magazine.  I asked him the best way to control frizz as the summer starts to heat up.

First use a product on damp hair with an anti-humectant like Ted Gibson's Build It then blow dry and style.  When hair is dry, layer on light coats of hairspray to create a barrier from humidity. At home I use Ted's Beautiful Hold hairspray.

It was hot and humid last night and my hair held up well.  That's Heidi and I above at Abe & Arthur's for our after party.  To find Ted Gibson salon products or to make an appointment with Devin Toth, visit tedgibsonbeauty.com.

The Original Cosmo

Mixing up a batch of Cosmos before heading to the SATC2 opening tonight? Try a modern twist on the classic cocktail created by Dale DeGroff. Dale created the original legendary cocktail at a Grammy's party in 1992 at the Rainbow Room. Madonna and her entourage were seated in the VIP section when she requested a "chic and delicious" cocktail. DeGroff served her the first ever Cosmo and the legend was born.

Will his new Cosmopolitan Dreams be as big a hit? Tell us what you think!

3/4 ounce Citrus Vodka
3/4 ounce Cointreau
3/4 ounce Cranberry juice
1/4 ounce Fresh lime juice
2 1/2 ounces Piper Heidsieck Champagne

Assemble the vodka, Cointreau, and juices in a boston shaker with ice and shake well to chill.

Strain into a champagne glass and fill with champagne.  Garnish with a flamed orange peel.

Learn more about the origin of the Margarita.

A Peek Inside Poppy King, "The Lipstick Queen"'s Carry On Bag

We recently met Poppy King, aka the "Lipstick Queen" fresh from a trip to London. Here's what she travels with: 

My carry on bag is a large Louis Vuitton (I think this style is called “Never Full). It's super simple and fits everything.

What beauty products do you travel with?
I travel with Visine, NIA 24 Skin Strengthening Complex and my Lipstick Queen Medieval which is a lip balm and lip color in one.

Do you have a favorite wrap or sweater for chilly planes?

Just a good old pashmina!

Are you currently reading any books or have a guilty pleasure magazine for the plane?

I am a real saint and sinner when it comes to reading...I read very heavy books (at the moment my 3rd Proust) and then when I am in a sinner mood I will buy those gossip mags for the plane.

What music do you listen to on your iPod when traveling?
Disco and funk so that it is upbeat and keeps me in a good mood.


Any favorite plane snacks?
Fruit! It adds the illusion that I am doing something healthy rather than sitting in an awful old plane.

Anything else you always travel with?
A toothbrush! No matter what state I am in if I have clean teeth I feel fresh.

The Makeup Show NYC Recap

The Makeup Show NYC is a must-attend event for beauty professionals and makeup lovers alike that happens once a year. In its 5th year, over 70 exhibitors showcased their products, art and services from stage and special effects makeup to everyday beauty and skincare. Here are my top 5 picks from the show:

5. Mai Couture Blush Papier
Mai Couture took the technology behind blotting paper and combined it with a soft powdery blush to create this on-the-go product. Gently rub the paper on the apples of your cheeks to use it as a blush!

4. Stila Smudge Stick
This waterproof eyeliner is the pencil version of Stila's popular smudge pot. There is a little shimmer in the highly pigmented liner which goes on smoothly and stays on.

3. Shu Uemura UV Underbase Fluid with SPF 20
This product is the best but least known offering from Shu Uemura according to the makeup experts manning their booth. This wonder-base cuts redness, smoothes skin surface, elongates the life of foundation all while protecting you from the sun with SPF 20.

2. Smashbox Lustrous Lip Gloss Kit

This kit was the fastest selling item at the Smashbox booth and everyone was lining up to pick it up. The limited edition kit includes 6 of the best-selling glosses by Smashbox, and the best part is that it is an unbeatable value!

1. Make Up Forever Aqua Cream Waterproof cream color
Boasting the longest line of shoppers waiting to purchase at this booth, it goes without saying that Make Up Forever wins the best product of the show. The new Aqua Cream is waterproof, crease proof and highly pigmented. It goes on smoothly and can go on anywhere! The red Aqua Cream can be worn as a shadow, blush or lipstick with equal stay power on all areas. Every beauty lover must have one of these pots in her makeup collection.

Contributed by The Stylester.

SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills

The SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills is steps from the Beverly Center and Rodeo Drive.  It boasts a couple of great restaurants, The Bazaar by Jose Andres and Tres in the private guest lobby.  With just under 300 rooms, a spa, and a rooftop pool (pictured below), this very chic and modern hotel was a spot we wanted to visit on our recent trip out West.

If you're looking for a great weekend escape, try their Brunch and Massage Package which include a 60 minute massage at Ciel Spa and brunch at Tres were you get a cava mimosa or a Brazilian screwdriver made with pressed tangerines.  Yum!  Rates from $409 and valid through December 31st, 2010.

H. Stern and Why We Love to Shop for Jewelry on Girls Getaways

One of our favorite things to shop for when we travel has always been and will always be jewelry. It's the best souvenir, because you'll have it forever and when you get compliments on a piece, you can say, "This old thing? I got it in Santorini, Santa Fe, Paris..."

So naturally it follows that one of our most treasured memories is touring and shopping at the H. Stern headquarters in Brazil several years back. In Brazil, you literally can't turn the corner without tripping over an H. Stern outpost, but the workshop in Rio de Janeiro is something else entirely. You learn about the history of the brand, the natural gem stones of Brazil and watch the jewelry makers in action. Then, you're set lose to sip cocktails and shop. Our little square necklace from the Rainbow collection bought at the H. Stern store in Rio is one of our prized possessions.

Fast forward a few years to last week. We were invited to a blogger breakfast at the H. Stern store. Despite our appreciation of H. Stern, we had never set foot in the New York City store before. It's near Rockefeller Center, so we had surrendered the store to tourists. That was a mistake.

We had forgotten the H. Stern heritage of using nature, movement and dance in the jewelry collections--and all at good value. No wonder that H. Stern is a celebrity favorite, including Rihanna who is wearing H. Stern rings, above. Similar to the folks working at the David Yurman Townhouse, everyone who works there was happy to help and let us try on all the pieces we wanted.

Diane Von Furstenberg fans that we are, we gravitated towards the DVF H. Stern collection. The Sultra Sport Watch is sexy, elegant and functional:

and we also love the Rock Crystal Bracelet from the DVF collection.

The next time you're in NYC shopping at Sak's or the original NYC H+M, be sure to stop by!

FTC Disclosure: I attended a press-only breakfast at the Townhouse, where I was gifted with a piece of H. Stern jewelry.

SATC Countdown, Choosing a Hotel

We're attending an advanced screening of Sex and the City on Wednesday night thanks to Coty Prestige and Sarah Jessica Parker's new frangrance, SJP NYC.  To make it a true girls' night out, we invited a couple of our besties to join us to make our own foursome.  Next the usual planning ensued: what to wear, where to eat, and where to stay.

We chose the Carlton Hotel, a Preferred Hotel and Resort, in the Madison Square Park district of Midtown.  The Carlton has a long history, known early last century as the Seville Hotel.  The lobby is grand:

It has been updated but keeps its Beaux Art charm, from the rediscovered Tiffany skylight (below) which had been painted over to camouflage the hotel from WWII air raids to the vintage bar that Frank Sinatra frequented when he was in town.

The rooms are stylish and comfortable:

Check back soon for a review of our stay at the Carlton.

Bobbi Brown's New Antigua Face Palette

We're huge fans of a good makeup set.  They're perfect for travel because they take up a fraction of the space in your bag, they're a bargain versus buying the products separately, and they're great for rushed mornings when you want to look polished.

We've bought a handful of Bobbi Brown's palettes in the past and her new Antigua is on our list.  It's a combination of soft taupes for your eyes and pinky browns for your cheeks and lips which are designed to give you a glow as if you've been at the beach.

Free shipping and a sample of the Party mascara from her website.  Price is $55.

Jet Set Girls' Interview with Giuliana Rancic

With Memorial Day just around the corner, host of E! News and Fashion Police, Giuliana Rancic, gave Hope the dish on the best suits for your body shape, how to get ready for bikini season, what to do with your hair at the beach and even her favorite spot for a girls trip!

The Pacific Collection by Christine Mighion

We've been a fan of Christine Mighion's jewelry for a long while. Her pieces are unique and hand crafted.   The Pacific Collection was created with recycled gold and sterling silver and ethically mined stones.


One of our favorites is the Clean Water Ring ($400):

"My vision for this collection was to create sexy versatile pieces that would feel perfect for those balmy summer nights- pieces that a woman would instinctively pack if heading to a sunny and exotic vacation spot," said designer Christine Mighion.  

Ten percent from the proceeds of the Clean Water styles will be donated to CharityWater.org, which brings clean drinking water to people in developing nations.

Priced from $78 to $1050. Available at www.christinemighion.com. 

Another stand out is this set of Long Shore earrings ($540) made with blue topaz and recycled 14k gold.

Big Book of Barbecue

Add this to your list of summer must reads, The Big Book of BBQ: Recipes and Revelations from the Barbecue Belt. The book from the editors of Southern Living features the best barbecue places in the South, info on the most famous barbecue festivals, recipes, and photos that you can gain five pound from just looking at.

For those who prefer their meat from a cow and sans sauce, Steak: One Man's Search for the World's Tastiest Piece of Beef, is exactly that. Food writer and Condé Nast Traveler contributor Mark Schatzker details his 18-month search for the perfect steak across Argentina, Scotland, Japan, Europe and the states.

Web Snob May 21st, 2010

Our best bets from the Web this week:

Stiletto Jungle found a perfect slouchy white tee shirt for summer.

Who's the "least sexy" Sex and the City character? Allie is Wired reports the surprising results.

Bag Bliss: Our picks of the Purple Purse Trend!

Bag Snob has a great piece of summer arm candy!

Hey germ-o-phobes - Beauty Snob has the Violight Toothbrush Sanitizer.

Coquette loves the crafty glam look of Freida & Nellie's rhinestone friendship bracelets.

Fashion Pulse Daily gives Sally Hansen's latest products a test spin.

Just in time for Memorial Day, theJet Set Girls have a roundup of the best fashion, cosmetics and reads for summer.

KRISTOPHER DUKES is wearing Josie Maran 100% argan oil.

Manolo the Shoeblogger says, it is raining, and yet, you have need of shoes. You cannot go to the farmers market to look for hunky farm boys barefeeted.

Second City Style can't decide which celebs looked the best at the Cannes Film Festival. We loved so many!

Shopping and Info loves the nude Jimmy Choo sandals that Blake Lively of Gossip Girl wore in the black on the show.

Whether you're pear shaped, plus sized or large busted, StyleBakery found the best swimsuits for your body

The Beauty Stop swears by Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado.

The Shoe Goddess was thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in The Cinderella Project!

Hair Color Doesn't Have to do Harm

Contributed by Daily Makeover's Megan McIntyre

Hair color used to mean bleaching your way to dry worn out hair; but it doesn't have to be that way. Jason Hueman, colorist to the stars and mainstay at Ted Gibson salon's in D.C. and N.Y., dishes to Daily Makeover about the new L'Oreal salon color and the at home Garnier HerbaShine product that'll give you great color without damaging your hair. Stars like Ashley Tisdale change their color on a whim and do so with healthy results and you can too! Read on the see the full story.

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Try This Sun-Kissed Red Carpet Look

Contributed by Daily Makeover's Megan McIntyre

Carol Shaw is the creator of Lorac cosmetics and a sought-after celebrity makeup artist.  She recommends using Lorac's TANtalizer Baked Matte Satin Bronzer on your cheeks, forehead and chin to get a sunny glow without the harmful effects of sunbathing.  Read on for more details on Rachel Bilson's gorgeous runway look.

Related articles:
How to get Audrina Patridge's braid
Do men like short hair?
Budget Haircuts

On Our Radar: New Orleans Wine and Food Experience

The New Orleans Wine and Food Experience is May 26th through 29th.  It features tastings, speeches and dinners and seminars

Highlights for us would be the Royal Street Stroll on Thursday which combines jazz, art, antiques, wine and food for an evening of tasting and shopping. We're not sure why these ladies were wearing togas at a previous year's stroll; but it looks fun!

The Riedel seminar: we did this on the Oasis cruise a couple of years ago and Max Riedel taught me that size and shape make a difference, in wine glasses that is.

Wine Lovers Musical: we're strangely curious about this audience participation show that combines wine tasting and musical numbers. 

Stay at the Hotel Montelione where Anne stayed for "Tales of the Cocktail" or the W New Orleans, because we always have a fun time at a W.

Tummy Tuck Sticks by Rodial

Here's a new one for us: the Tummy Tuck Sticks by Rodial which promise to flatten your tummy by decreasing the bloat.  The ingredients green clay, fennel seeds, pineapple and papaya shrink your belly by getting rid of the gas.  We know that fennel seeds aid in digestion (that's why they're served at the end of Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants); but we'll have to test the Tummy Tuck Sticks ourselves before we can attest for the combination. 

To use, empty the contents of one of the sticks in a glass of water and drink.  You can find the Tummy Tuck Sticks at Beauty.com.  This could be a great way to prep ourselves before our next trip to the beach.

Review: mark Just Pinched Instant Blush Tint and mark Glowdacious Illuminating Powder

Every woman has her trick to looking fresh and radiant even after a long cross-Atlantic flight or a late night of partying. For some it is under-eye concealer or bright eye-shadows or red lipstick. My easy trick for looking fresh and glowing is a great blush and a sparkly bronzer. Mark's Just Pinched Instant Blush Tint in Spicy is the perfect little blush for anyone looking for a pop of freshness on-the-go. The tiny little blush stick can be thrown into your purse and popped out to dab a little color on the cheeks. Just blend with your fingers and you'll look fresh and lively.

The one thing I noticed when using the blush is that it has a bit of a wet feel since it is a tint. To counteract this, I swept the Mark Glowdacious Illuminating Powder  on my cheeks - the light highlighter from the center of the palette on the apples right over the blush and the darker bronzer in the hollows of my cheeks. The products compliment each other perfectly and gave me a very lively sunkissed look on Friday morning at the office despite my long night of cocktails at Empire Hotel Rooftop Thursday night.

Available at Meetmark.com.

Contributed by The Stylster.

This review was based on a free sample.

10 Best Summer Flip Flops

One thing we left off our summer guide: Flip flops! We're so grateful for Betty Confidential for picking the 10 Best Summer Flip Flops and doing the work for us. Our fave are these gladiator-style flips from Old Navy.

Girls Weekend at the Dorchester Hotel

We haven't been to London in a few years, but this deal from the lux Dorchester Hotel may get us planning.  The Girls Weekend package is designed for a stylish, shopping foursome, a la SATC.  It features:

A personal stylist appointment at Harvey Nichols- Harrod's sexier and hipper competitor.

A Pow Wow Breakfast on The Promenade at The Dorchester- to strategize about the day's shopping.

Two interconnecting rooms for show-and-tell post shopping spree and easier access to each other's makeup and hair accessories.

Four handmade corsages from the florist at The Dorchester.  We haven't worn one in years; but it would make a great ice breaker at the bar later that night.

Four cocktails at The Bar at The Dorchester. 

Four Lip Glosses from The Dorchester Spa with signature light and mirror for mid-evening touch ups.
 
The package is available through April 30th, 2011.  The second night is free on the following UK bank holidays:  May 28-31st and August 27-30th.  Happy travels!