Welcome To America

One of the things I love most about traveling is exploring all the different beauty brands. Paris was a non stop beauty excursion for me. If you can't go that far, Canada is the next best trip to take. Montreal is a mix of North American and European beauty philosophies. Many hard to find "niche" french brands are easily found there. Mass market brands also develop products there first! Like a pop star, it needs to be tested in different markets before being launched in the U.S. Apparently, we are a difficult bunch to please and picky! Don't act surprised?
The worst is when you fall in love with a product and it is not available in your homeland. Lately, a few of my international faves are now available.

1. L'oreal Elnett Hairspray
Glossy hold and shine! Never have you heard these two words to describe the very same product.

2. Aveeno Positively Nourishing Body Wash
Well, not so foreign but these products were just released last month. I bought the three different kinds from my last trip to Montreal which was six months ago.

3. Nivea Touch Of Body Washes
I used to go to independent chemists to find really good Nivea products. I don't understand why this brand is so under developed in the U.S. market. The best quality/price ratio you will find.

I am always on the look out for new imports. I will be bringing you new updates very soon!

Bisou,

Ms. Lynn

Polish Your Wardrobe

There is officially twenty days until spring! Can you believe it? I sure can't. With all the snow benches laying outside it is very hard to believe winter is soon to be over. I am de cluttering everything: wardrobe, books, magazines and of course beauty products. I have the urge to just throw everything away and start fresh and new. Unfortunately for me I have to wait to be in my new place before doing an image revamp. A light weight and inexpensive alternative is to start with nail polish. Never mind that I already own possibly every shade of red. I just think that no look is complete without the perfect manicure and pedicure. Do not think for one second I am not looking at your tootsies. If you're gonna put them on show they better be ready for the spotlight.
So there I was walking around in (you guessed it) Duane Reade in Herald square making a never ending list of polish colors I am dying to purchase. I was being tempted by all, Rimmel London, Sally Hansen, O.P.I and Revlon. Ah, reminds me of my first days of being a product junkie. I gave myself a fresh mani daily and this is all I want to do now, eat cheese all day and apply nail polish. This spring I will aspire to keep my mani and pedi consistently tidy.
It won't be very hard with this list of the most mouth watering colors

The cleverest names are matched with the cleverest colors with:
Hong Kong Collection by O.P.I
- Panda monium Pink
-Red My Fortune Cookie
-Dim Sum Plum

My new favorite color:
Rimmel London Long Lasting Pro in Steel Grey. It is the best combination of grey and with a hint of lavender. Love, love, love! I can't stop staring at my own nails! The brush is wide and fanned to enable a precise application in minimal strokes. I was taken by the beautiful taupe after testing on one finger that I could not stop applying it to all ten. The cashier was gushing and could not believe it was coming from a $3.99 bottle of polish. Chanel makes the same color and it's of course sold out. You may have a hard time finding this color at your drug store.

The list is not over. Brace yourselves for Miss Sally Hansen:
Complete Salon Manicure (5 in one: base and top coat, strengthener, color and self renewing shine!)
- Cafe au lait (one of my favorite skin tone hue)
- Gilty pleasure
- Kook-a-mango (summer toes!)
- Lavender cloud (just like a marshmallow)
- Commander in chic (taupe very close to Rimmel's steel Grey)
- Peachy keen (colour of the moment, will look beautiful with all the khaki and coral color palettes of the spring/summer collections)
-Pat on the black (almost black burgundy that I have been wearing for more than two years)
- All fired up (orangey- red that wants to make me board a plane to the nearest caribbean island)
- Pedal to the metal ( a Beyonce approved silver-chrome)
- Right said red (red corvette of reds)

These are only the colors that stood out to me at first glance. A good start or addition to any Diva's polish wardrobe.

Bisou xxx

Ms Lynn

Beauty Challenge #1

Never have I take pen to paper to write down my New Year's resolutions. Never would I think to actually have this list available on a blog for all to see.They say that goals are easiest achieved if written down. Now it seems the universe is forcing me to achieve one of these goals which happens to be one of my greatest challenges: Finish what I start. Finishing all products before I purchase new ones. I'm always going to need something right?...Eventually! I can't ignore new packaging, new products and sales.This is what I do best. The situation is that I am moving, yet again. This time around I prefer not to have to carry boxes and boxes filled with magazines and beauty products. Considering I have little furniture moving should actually be a breeze for me. This is what I am passionate about, magazines and beauty. I buy them when I'm happy and sad. I have a whole reward system which I won't get into right now but you understand.
The challenge is the not buying part. I can deal with throwing away stuff because it makes more space to replace. I guess once I'm settled I can always refill. But in the meantime, what am I supposed to do? Ignore the new product launches, not buy the latest issue of Glamour U.K for my annoying subway commute and ignore emails from Sephora and Origins? Inconceivable! But it must be done! Good timing since spring is coming. Start fresh and new. I have exactly one mont to achieve this task. Seems like an eternity but now that I am writing this I feel oddly motivated.
Wish me luck and willfulness. This girl will need serious encouragement.

Au Revoir.

Ms. Lynn

Image Of Perfection: Halle Berry

When is she ever not perfection? This photo made me stop dead in my tracks. In this moment, I want to look like her: the hair, the dress, the manicure. I love her whole look! I am talking about the new advertisement campaign for her second perfume Pure Orchid. Notes are of blackberry cream, Italian lemon and Masdevalia orchids. I was sold at blackberry but looks can be deceiving as I learn over and over in the perfume department. I will run to the nearest mass market retailer and sample this new juice. If I can't look like her then I shall smell like her.

Bisous les cocottes xxx

Ms. Lynn

Emergency Beauty Kit

We all need some rescuing from time to time. It is no different for our skin. Look in the mirror, see if the warning sighns are there: zits, blotches, dry skin, eczema. It's all there, the evidence of your negligence. We're all very busy and stressed out and our skin often suffers. I can't seem to keep my eczema at bay. Sometimes, it doesn't matter how great your beauty routine is, lack of sleep and stress will undo any effort at clear skin. Is it possible that a clear mind = clear skin?
I can't confirm that just yet but it seems to be a major factor. Until I master my beauty resolutions, I will be turning to these products when things get too intense.

Ambi Fade Cream: Clears up discoloration from past blemishes and scars. This is not about skin bleaching (can Lil' Kim hear me?), just unifying your skin tone from past boo boo's.
Application Tip: Do not apply allover! Squeeze product unto a Q-Tip applicator and apply to the area to be treated.

Hydrocortisone 10: I like to use the extra strength and extra moisturizers version. Cortisone can be drying and over usage can cause skin thinning. the over the counter brands are safe and mild enough on minor eczema outbreaks. Anything above 1% should be prescribed.
Application tip: Apply a fair amount to the area that has erupted in rash or small little bumps. If I get an all over attack, I will spread evenly to my entire face like you would a mask. I do this for a few nights and sometimes I mix it with my moisturiser.

Salicylic Acid: My favorite ingredient to treat pimples and mild acne. It decloggs pores, exfoliates and smooths skin. You name it, it does it. I apply it everywhere and anywhere, bikini bumps, corns or any bump that was not there at birth.
I recommend Rapid Clear Fight & Fade 2-in-a gel from Neutrogena or Clean and Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment.
Application tip: Don't overdo it. Do the Q-Tip application. when I have been wearing a lot of make up or when my skin gets unusually oily, I will do an allover treatment nightly for a week. Seven nights are usually more than enough to bring things back to normal without causing additional irritations.

Vaseline: This is great for wind burned skin or lips. When nothing seems to work I just put a thin layer before bed. Tyra Banks approved!
Application tip: Put thin layer on skin after thoroughly cleansing. you can do this day or night depending on climate. Great on really cold winter days.

Bio Oil: You've all seen the ads and counter displays at your local walgreens or CVS.
this can be smoothed on face and body. Not to be used if you are pregnant since it does contain vitamin A. Claims to reduce stretchmarks?!? One can only dream.
Application tip: To be used just like any body lotion or facial moisturizer. I love to mix this with a cortisone cream, it creates the almost perfect facial moisturizer. Add to runny body lotions instead of throwing them away.

Et Voila! You may not need to run to ther derm with these tips.

Bisou xxx

Miss Lynn

Camera Ready

A few days ago I booked a last minute photo shoot. So excited but wait, my skin is not at all ready! A few days are needed to recuperate from all the late nights, dehydration and nutrient deficient diet. I had all of 36 hours to make the best of my skin. The camera does not forgive and without a good make up artist you can be plagued by horrendous pictures for the rest of your life. And I'm not even being dramatic. The theme for the shoot was very film noir on acid. This can be a great addition to my portfolio or blackmail material. I pray that I will get photo shopped to death. For the rest of that day I only drank water, ate fruits and swallowed several spoons of olive oil. Gross but it works. Failed to go to bed at a decent hour. Woke up to a massive zit on my chin staring back at me in the mirror, mocking me. Totally my fault. I should be good to my skin all the time. I should always be ready for my close up! I get to the shoot and there is no make up or hair stylist! No panick! I will have to do my best with what I've got: good genes, a maybelline concealer, a tube of Voluminous Mascara from L'oreal and a tube of black lipstick. Creative I will have to be and I was. I pinned all of my hair forward, since it was slightly dirty it had that wavy texture. Next, I applied countless coats of mascara and finally the lips were immaculately painted black. I always pay very close attention to every and any make up artist that has ever touched my face. All in all: I did an amazing job. All hair, lashes and lips! Fab! I don't know how the pics turned out just yet. Promise I will post it as soon as I receive the digitals.
A lesson to be learned: If you're on your best behavior all the time you then don't have to worry about the odd snap of camera phones or hanging out with those friends need to document every second of their life. Yeah, I have a few of those and I always put a little extra on for them. Who wants to be tagged on a photo on facebook not looking their immaculate best?
Girlies always be camera ready.

More Exciting Than Fashion Week

Unless you're one of the lucky few who will be sitting in the front row of this year's New York Fashion Week, there is one thing more exciting: All the beauty launches! I'm tingling just thinking about it all. Perfume launches, new color make up collection. I can't wait to test them all! For the next several weeks a visit to Sephora, Space Nk and Henri Bendel (to name a few) will be holding a little surprise. Don't get me wrong, this girl looooooves her fashion but it is beauty pulls it all together. You hair and make up will make or break an oufit. You know, you watched the Golden Globes. Jennifer Anniston was a desastre! Disheveled only works on Kate Moss and Brigitte Bardot. Ok! Rihanna is the poster girl for "the complete look". Her hair and make up, nothing is neglected. So, when the Avaatar like creatures will be descending upon us, I will be constructing my "complete look" from all the gorgeousness coming from the runway. If I don't make it to the rows or the runways of NYFW then I'll catch up with you at the after parties!

Ciao les belles!

Ms. Lynn