Blog

Actress, perfumer, mother, and fashion plate, now Sarah Jessica Parker can add fashion exec to her plate. Last week the Halston brand confirmed that the Sex and the City star has signed on to take a role in the fashion house - exact title TBD.

While it may well be a creative role, and rumors are that it may be the brand’s creative director, it’s likely that SJP will not advise Halston’s principal designer Marios Schwab in any capacity.

No stranger to the fashion industry, Parker launched a collection called Bitten for retailer Steve & Barry’s in 2007 though the company has since filed for bankruptcy and liquidated. Read more in WWD here.

While we all love catching up on celebrity gossip, hearing about the latest and greatest beauty products and fashion launches, it’s times like these when we all seem to glean some perspective and feel fortunate for what we have.

Given the enormity of what happened in Haiti these past few days, taking time to reflect on just that is perhaps one good thing to come out of this tragedy.

Below are easy ways we can all help via text and Twitter. Every bit helps.

• Text the word “Yele” to 501501 to donate $5 on behalf of the Yéle Foundation, the leading contributor to rebuilding Haiti founded by Wyclef Jean.
• Text the word “Haiti” to 85944 to donate $5 on behalf of the Rescue Union Mission and MedCorp International.
• Text the word “Haiti” to 25383 to donate $5 On behalf of the Internal Rescue Committee.
• Text the word “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10 On behalf of the Red Cross in the U.S.

Here are more ways to help.

— cindy

One of my favorite things about going to a spa — other than the obvious pampering — is the lounge many of them have. I love arriving early and hanging out post-treatment and lounging, reading magazines, eating fruit and nuts, and drinking spa water.

Spa water is my name for the cucumber, citrus, or various other flavors that spas add to their water. For whatever reason, the added touch of fruit makes it that much more decadent and delicious.

And because my spa visits are few and far between these days, I was thrilled to discover this water pitcher made expressly for making spa water. Buy it here and add in cucumber slices, or orange slices, lemon, or peaches to your water at home.

I have a slight obsession with home scents and part of my compulsion is varying them by season. In the summertime I usually opt for citrus scents, florals for spring, and something amber and crisp for Fall. Which leads us to winter and my newest discovery: Antica Farmacista’s Il Fuoco di Lustro (Lustrous Fire).

Il Fuoco is built on earthy notes of guaiacwood, oakmoss and cedarwood, along with evergreen and amber musk, with a slight smokiness. Basically, it smells like the best fire ever, even if you don’t have a fireplace (like me).

The reed diffusers last for months and the effect is more subtle than a candle. They’re sold for $62 (250 ml) and $92 (500 ml) or in a more affordable room spray ($28 for 100 ml). Find it on anticafarmacista.com and in Nordstrom stores.

—cindy

Sandra Bullock rocked some sleek, straight locks at the People’s Choice Awards recently, and while we love waves and curls, we’re excited to recreate this red-carpet look. Lucky for you, we’ve got the how-to’s here.

Sultra’s Laser Iron (available at Sephora) is our go-to flat iron for seriously straight hair. Here’s how to get Sandra’s style:

1) Divide hair into four equal quadrants, making a center part from forehead to nape of neck and above each ear back across to the center part.

2) Beginning at the bottom of the first quadrant and working up, take a 1/2 inch section and guide hair between the plates, getting as close to the roots as possible. Gently clamp the hair between the plates, and try to work with sections narrower than the plates.

3) With the iron in one hand and a round brush in another, slowly glide the iron away from the root, placing the brush under the hair, following the iron with the brush.

4) Twist both the iron and the brush at the ends so the hair wraps around the brush.

5) Repeat all steps until all sections are complete.

The dog days of winter is the time of year I like to start my Spring cleaning. If you are anything like me, sometimes there are favorite items in my wardrobe that get lost in the back of my closet, so when they are found, it is the same as finding a pot of gold! I also like to rotate out more fashiony items in my closet and put them away for when they feel new and on-trend again.

For those of you like me, here are some of the key clothing trends for this Spring to help you figure out what to keep in storage until next year, what to get ready to wear again, and what items may go on your wish list of things to buy this Spring.

A lot of the trends this Spring have been around before, so chances are you have some great pieces in your closet that are ready to come out again!

Tribal prints and details were everywhere for Spring, from Gucci, to DVF and even Balenciaga. While a majority of these looks are totally over the top, you can incorporate animal prints, fringe and prints in colors of the desert, like browns, golds, and orange, like the sunset.

Denim was found from New York to Europe in every iteration so there is no time than this season to pull out your chambray tops, skirts and dresses, along with your favorite denim duds. Always remember to be careful when pairing jeans with denim tops or jackets. Try to wear different shades of denim at one time, if you feel compelled to wear denim head-to-toe. Otherwise, just pick your favorite piece and pair it with something non-denim or chambray.

Military inspired pieces, including trench coats, are still hot. All shades of khaki and army green, including camouflage, are in this season. Keep your look a little more feminine by pairing it with a something lacy or sheer (but not revealing). If you’re curvy, be sure to belt your look to show off your curves.

Texture in fabrics were everywhere. To get a similar effect from the runways, keep wearing your ruffled tops and bottoms. Don’t be afraid to layer a few different textured items at one time. For example, wearing your ruffled top with a fuzzy sweater to add a sense of depth to your clothes.

Keep reading our Fashion Reports everything Thursday for more on this season’s trends and what our favorite designers are up to. And if you’re not sure what will look right on you, check out our Style Profile and fill out our questionnaire so we can help you maximize your features and look.

- Melissa

Lauren Luke is a makeup artist for the YouTube generation. A 28-year old single Mom from South Shields in North England, Luke has become the latest poster child for the power of social media.

She began with a webcam video showcasing her makeup skills (and giving helpful tutorials and tips), and soon developed a cult following — on Facebook and MySpace of course.

Cut to the end of 2009 when Women’s Wear Daily awarded Lauren the most promising “Newcomer of the Year” in the beauty category as someone who “electrified industry insiders with her bold approach to beauty.”

Here’s your chance to meet her, as she embarks on a multi-city tour to promote her makeup line, By Lauren Luke. Should she not hit your town, find her on YouTube and in Sephora stores where her By Lauren Luke makeup kits are sold. And, off-line, you can also check out her book, Look Like a Star.

Saturday, January 16th - MIAMI
Sephora
19575 Biscayne Blvd. #723
Aventura, FL 33180
Personal Appearance: 6pm - 8pm

Tuesday, January 19th - AUSTIN
Sephora
2901 Capitol of Texas Highway South
Austin, TX 78746
Personal Appearance: 6pm - 8pm

Thursday, January 21st - PHOENIX
Sephora
7014 East Camelback Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Personal Appearance: 6pm - 8pm

Saturday, January 23rd - LOS ANGELES
Sephora
10250 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Personal Appearance: 6pm - 8pm

The first full week of 2010 is just about done which makes us wonder, how are your new year’s fitness resolutions going? If you’re anything like us, you could use a jump-start. Here’s a few tech-savvy ways to get on the fast track to fitness.

Runner’s World , an excellent resource for all things running, has a service called What Should I Wear? to help you decide what to wear, whether you’re jogging in arctic temperatures or sprinting in the rain.

Based on the idea that habits take 21 days to form, habitforge allows users to enter a goal on their site (either publicly or privately), and will send a daily reminder checking in on your progress. Some popular goals? Stop smoking, meditate daily, and exercise at least 20 minutes per day. Should you fall off the wagon, the 21 day count starts all over again, along with the reminders.  Best of all, it’s free!

DirectLife is a paid service, $99 for four months, where you use a device to track your daily activities. Based on your age, gender, weight, and height, you wear the device, sync it with your computer, and get feedback from a real (not virtual!) coach. According to Philips, the company behind DirectLife, when the program began, nearly 50% of participants were inactive (according to the recommended level set by the US Center of Disease Control.) But that group of inactive people who completed the program increased their physical activity level by 10% on average, no small feat. Get more info here and good luck!

Recently we filled you on the best products to protect winter skin but here’s another one of our can’t-live-without, year-round, cult beauty favorites.

Lip Slip by Sara Happ is a lip balm like no other — not too sticky and super-moisturizing. We first discovered this as we’re longtime fans of Lip Scrub, a little pot of exfoliating goodness made just for lips. The scrub comes in six scents (almond, cocoa, vanilla bean, cinnamon, peppermint, brown sugar) and a limited-edition crème brûlée flavor. After using the scrub, paired with the Lip Slip, the result is nothing less than the most kissable pout — or at the very least, winter-ready lips.

Lip Slip, $24 and Lip Scrub, $24 is available at BeautyHabit.com.

Oprah loves them. Angelina sports then. J. Lo doesn’t go on tour without them. Bette Davis and Marlene Dietrich practically slept in them. But make no mistake, false eyelashes aren’t just for movie stars and celebrities.

One of our favorite beauty brands, shu uemura, has some of the best falsies we’ve seen, including (fake) diamond-tinted pairs, black velvet feathers, and a pair that are an affordable knock-off of the mink lashes adorned by many a celebrity.

shu uemura’s lashes start at $16 and go up to $79 (check out this floral version.) Be sure to start out with clean lashes before applying and check out this step-by-step guide to getting them on right.