CEW Beauty Award Winners

Yesterday in New York City, the Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) Beauty Awards for 2010 were announced. The all-star products are selected by CEW members working in the beauty and related industries, including manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, and media.

The CEW Beauty Awards are the beauty industry's highest honor. The awards recognize the most innovative beauty products of the year. The finalists were announced in March (see BTiB list of finalists at this link).

Without further ado, here's the list of winners from CEW's Web site.

• Bath/Shower Product Mass: Olay Body Wash Plus Tone Enriching Ribbons
• Bath/Shower Product Prestige: Fresh Sugar Açaí Body Scrub
• Body Treatment Mass: Vaseline Sheer Infusion with Stratys-3
• Body Treatment Prestige: Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Night Health Bedtime Spray
• Acne Treatment: La Roche-Posay Effaclar AI Intensive Acne Spot Treatment
• Anti-Aging Mass: Olay Professional Pro-X Deep Wrinkle Treatment
• Anti-Aging Prestige: Lancôme Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate
• Cleanser & Scrub Mass: VISINE Total Eye Soothing Wipes
• Cleanser & Scrub Prestige: Shiseido Future Solution LX Extra Rich Cleansing Foam
• Eye Treatment Mass: Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Eye Roller
• Eye Treatment Prestige: Shiseido Benefiance NutriPerfect Eye Serum
• Moisturizer Mass: Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Awakening Face Massager
• Moisturizer Prestige: Shiseido Future Solution Total Regenerating Cream
• Hair Care Product Mass: L'Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Color Care Moisture Shampoo
• Hair Care Product Prestige: Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo
• Hair Coloring Product Prestige: ColorMetrics TouchBack by ColorMark
• Hair Styling Product Mass: Klorane No Rinse Care with Papyrus Milk
• Hair Styling Product Prestige: Living Proof Full Thickening Cream
• Makeup Eye Product Mass: CoverGirl Smoky ShadowBlast
• Makeup Eye Product Prestige: Lancôme Ôscillation Powerbooster Vibrating. Amplifying. Primer
• Makeup Face Product Mass: CoverGirl Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush
• Makeup Face Product Prestige: Clinique Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder
• Makeup Lip Product Mass: Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lipcolor
• Makeup Lip Product Prestige: Guerlain Rouge G de Guerlain
• Men's Grooming: American Crew Trichology Hair Recovery System
• Men's Scent: John Varvatos Artisan
• Women's Scent Mass: Avril Lavigne Black Star
• Women's Scent Prestige: Coty Lola Marc Jacobs
• Sun Product Mass: Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion SPF 60+ with PureScreen
• Sun Product Prestige: Bare Escentuals BareMinerals SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen

You can go to CEW's Web site to read about all of these products and why the were award-worthy. It's a good read! You can also watch the Today Show on May 25 to see CEW President Carlotta Jacobson feature this year's winners.

CEW logo and list courtesy of CEW

Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50

Kiehl's has a new sunscreen that takes away any reasons you might have had for not wearing sunscreen on your face and neck. No more arguments that sunscreen is too white, thick, or pasty - or interferes with your makeup!

Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50 ($32) is ultra-lightweight. Apply it, and it literally disappears into your skin. It's oil-free and fragrance-free, so it offers protection without any annoying or irritating "side effects." It's water-resistant too! How's that for perfect?

The superior photostabilized formula offers UVB and UVA protection with its active ingredients Avobenzone (Parsol 1789), Octisalate, and Octocrylene. You apply it after your moisturizer and before your foundation (assuming you wear foundation).

This nice "facial fluid" provides long-lasting, broad-spectrum sun protection to help prevent the dark spots, freckles, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and solar elastosis that result from sun exposure. Just shake well before applying to thoroughly mix the ingredients.

There are only a few high-powered sunscreens on the market that are as light and fabulous as this one, and they are more expensive. Kiehl's has come up with a winner!

You can purchase this wherever you buy Kiehl's - it's widely available. Saks has it in stock.

Photo courtesy of Kiehl's

NARS Pure Sheer SPF Lip Tint

NARS Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment ($25) nourishes and hydrates the lips with a sheer, slightly noticeable tint. The new lip treatment comes in six shades.

I love the convenient "slim-stick" which allows for easy direct application from the tube. The ingredients include "good stuff," including wild mango butter, which has moisturizing benefits to leave your lips soft and supple; and vitamin E, polar berries, and acai oil, hydrating antioxidants.

When I first saw these little beauties in the store, I couldn't decide on a shade. They are extremely sheer, leaving just a hint of a tint. So I went for one of the shades with the right coloring for my skin tone and the most pigment: Angélique, described as a barely there strawberry. I love it! It feels good, looks good, and lasts for an hour or two. While its benefits may last longer, I re-apply to get the pretty tint back.

While you may think of these as expensive tinted lip balms, I think if you try one you'll agree that they are a lot classier than most. NARS suggest you can wear these under your regular lipstick or lip stain. I like them just the way they are! If you are searching for a pigmented lip color, though, these are not your destination. If you want more color, a slim line applicator, and SPF protection, try Bobbi Brown's Treatment Lip Shine SPF 15.

Most of the NARS shades offer barely there color. Bianca is clear/white.

The other four colors are:

• Aurore, a seashell pink tint;
• Greta, mauve tint;
• Paloma, cantaloupe tint; and
• Laura, pastel pink tint.

You can purchase the Lip Tints at NARS, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Beauty.com, or wherever you find a NARS counter.

Photo courtesy of NARS

The Friday Forum - May 21

As I write this, I'm excited. Later today, I'll be headed to Saks to see Tim Quinn, Giorgio Armani Beauty's Celebrity Face Designer. I always enjoy my time with Tim, and I love watching him make women look good and feel good. When Tim visits, every woman is a celebrity! I'm sure I'll have plenty to report this weekend.

It's time for The Friday Forum. Most of you know, we share information in The Friday Forum. Are you using a fabulous product and want to sing its praises? Tell us about it! Did you find a beauty product disappointing? Tell us why! Do you have questions others might be able to answer? We can help! Want to talk about skin care? I'm game! Just use the comments. We have busy weekends and slow ones on the forum. Either way, I always enjoy hearing from you.

As usual, I will share the best beauty bits with you over the weekend. I'll put them in the comments, so check for free shipping offers and other treats from beauty companies. I'll be posting the latest ones over the next few days.

Don't forget to enter this week's giveaway contest for Zoya nail polishes! The deadline is tomorrow night.

The microphone is yours!

Photo from my garden

LORAC Behind The Scenes Eye Shadow Primer

LORAC says that all eyes will be on you when you use Behind The Scenes Eye Shadow Primer ($20). I think that depends on the eye shadow you use, but I will tell you that this eye shadow primer works!

This gentle, lightweight, oil-free, fragrance-free, and paraben-free formula keeps your eye shadow "picture-perfect from daytime to prime time." Prime time is any time I leave the house! Created by celebrity makeup artist Carol Shaw to be used behind the scenes on photo shoots and the red carpet, this nice eye shadow primer glides on easily for crease-resistant, silky-smooth color that lasts.

As you may remember, I've been on a mission to test primers of all types. I received this LORAC primer with the Little Black Palette. LORAC says to apply this primer with your finger(s), which makes application fast and easy. It takes only a tiny dab of product to cover the lid from lash line to brow. No fussing required to apply this one quickly.

How does it work? Courtesy of LORAC, here's how and why.

• BentoneGel adds silkiness to your eyelids
• NetTrioctanoin is emollient and moisturizing
• White Beeswax is a conditioning agent
• TimironSilk Red helps provide a silky glow
• TalcBC provides a powdery after-feel and finish and serves as an anti-caking agent
• Micropoly520 is a film former and line filler
• Anti-crease formula, correction of imperfections and discoloration, and easy to spread and apply

I found almost all of this to be true. It's pink-nude in color, but when applied it adds just a hint of coverage to the eyelid area. I have some redness above my crease, and this primer blurs it, but doesn't completely cover it. The finish is semi-transparent. So, if I want to have a totally even base, I just apply a flesh-toned shadow over it.

It does feel silky and emollient. I like that. Even more impressive, though, is its effectiveness at increasing the longevity of my eye shadow. I first tried it with various powder shadows (expensive and inexpensive), and it performed like a champ. Then I tried it with my favorite Dior cream shadow and got the same results. Then I got evil and decided to test it with the NARS cream shadows, the ultimate test in my book. They are slippery on my eyelids, and without a primer, the color migrates to the crease. LORAC's primer passed the NARS test! The cream shadows stayed in place all day.

For its effectiveness, ease of use, and silky feel, LORAC's Behind The Scenes Eye Shadow Primer gets a definite thumbs up!

You can purchase LORAC Behind The Scenes Eye Shadow Primer at LORAC's Web site and Sephora. I think you'll like it.

Photo courtesy of LORAC

A Glowing Bobbi Brown Makeover at Nordstrom

How's this for gorgeous? Yesterday, at the invitation of Diron Carr, Manager of the Bobbi Brown counter at Nordstrom at Tysons Corner Center, I took this darling young lady, Alexandra, in for a Pretty Powerful makeover. We wanted to show you how you can achieve the same results with a little help from the experts at Bobbi's counters nationwide. I also wanted to show some items from Bobbi Brown's new Beach Club collection "in action."

I asked Alexandra to arrive without makeup so that Diron would have a clean slate to start. OK, so I'll acknowledge that she doesn't need makeup (that comes with her age and looking this good), but what a difference Bobbi's makeup made! Alexandra went from pretty to polished!

Here's some background. Alexandra's senior prom is this weekend, so she had been using self-tanner (all the rage to be tan when you're young, I guess). Diron had to experiment to find shades that worked with her "altered" coloring, while still leaving her with makeup that she can use every day. Before I get started on the products he used, I want you to know that he is an absolute delight - in addition to being a pro. I can see why customers enjoy sitting in his chair while he works. Of course, we attracted an audience, as passersby stopped to watch the glamorous transformation. Not sure, but I think we might have even sold a Beach Club Cream Shadow!

Here are the products that took Alexandra from pretty to polished.

After Alexandra described her skin type as "not oily," Diron prepped her skin with Soothing Face Tonic, an alcohol-free toner that softens, tones, and refines skin gently and without tightening or irritation. It's infused with cucumber extract and natural lavender to instantly soothe and calm. Alexandra thought it smelled great. He then applied Protective Face Lotion SPF 15 and a little Hydrating Eye Cream.

To prep the canvas, so to speak, Diron used the following products and shades on Alexandra's face and around her eyes.

Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation SPF 15 in Honey (#5)
Corrector in Bisque
Creamy Concealer Kit in Warm Natural under the eyes and to even her skin tone in a few spots

The Creamy Concealer Kit was perfect for Alexandra, with its concealer on top and Sheer Finish Loose Powder on the bottom level to set not only the Corrector, but also the Creamy Concealer.

Then we moved on to color! Diron was a perfectionist, holding up testers to Alexandra's face to select the colors he used.

Bronzing Powder in Golden Light
Sheer Color Cheek Tint in Sheer Pink
Creamy Lip Color in Pink Ballet
Lip Liner in Cocoa
Lip Gloss in Bright Pink
A top-off at the end of the session with Crystal Lip Gloss

The next step? Alexandra's beautiful blue eyes.

Powder Eye Shadow in Cement to fill in her eyebrows (he added some Flint so she would look camera-ready)
Powder Eye Shadow in Ivory under the brows
Long-Wear Cream Eye Shadow in Sandy Gold as a base color on her eyelids
The gorgeous Beach Club shade Moonstone Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow on her eyelids (shown at right)
Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Cobalt Ink to line her upper lids (both over and under the top lashes) - this dark blue really worked beautifully with the Moonstone shadow - and her eyes
Extreme Party Mascara (black, of course)

It was after he had applied Moonstone that we finally gave Alexandra a mirror. She was looking so gorgeous, we had to let her see. She was stopping traffic anyhow.

The finishing touch? A light application of the new Beach Shimmer Brick on all the highlights of her face. Did she need it? No, she already looked polished, but I have to admit it was just the right finishing touch.

We had so much fun! After all, what teenager doesn't love makeup? Alexandra's mom and I had a blast too. Diron was the perfect host and artist. He was assisted by Sarah Lavache, a Bobbi Brown representative who started by watching, but jumped in to help with color selection and the now-famous technique of applying eyeliner from underneath the lashes.

Here's a photo of Diron and Alexandra after our session. I'd say she looked Pretty Powerful!

Whether you want a five-minute makeover or a full makeup lesson, the Bobbi Brown counters are ready to help you! You can always stop by, but it helps to make an appointment so they can make sure someone is available to spend some quality time with you.

My thanks to our model Alexandra, who is about to graduate and head off to college. You'll see her on television someday when her dream of being a television anchor is fulfilled!

A very special thanks to Diron Carr, Bobbi Brown Manager at Nordstrom Tysons Corner. Friends, if you live anywhere around Washington, D.C., you have to go meet this charming and talented man!

Product photos courtesy of Bobbi Brown

Bobbi Brown Downtown Beauty Special on QVC May 20

Tomorrow, May 20, 2010, Bobbi Brown's Downtown Beauty collection will be featured as Today's Special Value (TSV) on QVC's National Makeover Day (a 24-hour special event dedicated to makeovers and beauty). Bobbi will be working to raise awareness for Dress for Success Worldwide, a cause she has generously supported in the past.

The Bobbi Brown Downtown Beauty special value set includes a five-color eye shadow palette, complete with mirror and dual ended brush, a Caviar long-wear gel eyeliner, an ultra-fine liner brush, a five-well lip palette, Popsicle sheer lip gloss, and a Washed Rose shimmering blush. Right now, the set sells for $102 at QVC. On Thursday, though, the price will drop to $84.96!

Three of the shades in this collection, Metallic Heather Lilac, Peony, and Popsicle, are exclusive to QVC until May 1, 2011. Do you remember Popsicle? It blew right out of the stores! It's exciting that it will be included in the QVC special.

You may be able to pre-order this set. I succeeded by calling Customer Service. Try this link if you want to order online.

Tomorrow, if you don't have QVC available on your television, browse QVC.com for National Makeover Day! To order, you can call customer service at (800) 345-1515 or shop at QVC.com.

Update 5/25: My Downtown Beauty set arrived today. I LOVE it!

Photo courtesy of QVC