Melissa and I started discussing our favorite razors a few days ago and discovered that this is a product where we both definitely have our favorite and we're pretty passionate about it! I, for one, will not travel anywhere without my Gillette M3 Power Razor. I mean, it's not all pink and girly, but the battery inside of this razor makes it a force to be reckoned with. I was a little scared of turning it on when I was shaving anywhere other than my legs, but I quickly realized that I was no more likely to cut myself and the shave is much closer with the battery power turned on.

So what is your favorite razor? Is it a women's razor or did you steal it from your husband/boyfriend? (We won't tell!)

NEW YORK- Excitement is mounting everywhere as people are being scrubbed, washed and moisturized with the newest creation to the Pookie family; Pookamint™ body. Well-known for their scrumptious all natural lip balms, Pookie splashed into the cosmetic industry first with a lip balm, then a color balm followed more recently by lip and eye pencils, and now the Pookamint™ body line.

The bath and body line includes everything one could need to get their skin in perfect form for their “Pookie.” Offering a complete treatment, the line includes Pookamint™ Buffing Polish, Pookamint™ Body Wash, and Pookamint™ Body Lotion! The wonderful Pookamint™ Buffing Polish ($22 retail) is a great sugar scrub for the whole body made with rice oil and rosemary to exfoliate, smooth and refresh the skin. Lather the nourishing Pookamint™ Body Wash ($16 retail) onto skin and feel the cooling and cleaning sensation of the green tea and Dead Sea salt. And end the invigorating shower experience with a creamy and extremely moisturizing Pookamint™ Body Lotion ($16 retail) that will leave the skin silky smooth. The body lotion contains vitamin e, which provides a smooth layer of natural sun protection for your skin.

“The Pookamint™ bath and body line is something we have wanted to do for a while,” explains Gianine Rothschild, co-owner of Pookie™. “We take pride in offering all natural lip balms, and wanted to develop a product that would be soothing to the skin in a natural way, and keep the fun, fresh feel of the Pookie name. The Pookamint™ line really does that, and we are excited to see where Pookie goes from here.”

Scented after the staple lip balm Apookalips, the Pookamint body line has a cool minty-fresh scent that is refreshing in any shower and will awaken the skin. Like all Pookie products, the Pookamint Body Line is all-natural and is a refreshing combination of Spearmint, Vanilla, and Peppermint oils that will refresh and nourish the skin. Pookie products are not tested on animals, and all packaging is 100% recyclable. All Pookie products are sold online at www.pookiestore.com, as well as in a variety of beauty retailers on the Web, and select retailers nationwide. For more retail information, call 866-4-POOKIE.

(...but keeps it wearable)
Want to see how I went from this....to this?

Click below to find out!

Following up with my review today, I want to pass along these absolutely GORGEOUS looks from Shiseido for the season as well as their new Holiday Look. Click on the pictures below for more information about how to apply them yourselves (once you're on their site, click on the bar links on the top right - Base, Framing, Coloring, and Touch Up) or use these amazing looks as creative inspiration for your own makeup routine!

Tell us how you fight off dry air inside and cool wind outside. Some people swear by their mothers' ritual of applying vaseline all over; others have their own tried-and-true formulas for keeping their skin from turning into a pasty, parched problem. Tell us...what is YOUR sure-fire way to keep skin healthy and hydrated, especially when things turn cold?

I love almost everything about fall - the smells, the colors, the warm sweaters...and the lush new makeup. Here are some new products that I REALLY want to try.
Melissa

M·A·C Treasures: 3 Lip/Warm in the new Holiday/Luxuries collection.
What They Say: "A teal blue floral jacquard petite clutch detailed with tassels and faux croc trim, filled with a rich selection of two Lipsticks: Rich Reserve, a caramel with frost, Hug Me, a neutral pink and one Tinted Lipglass, C-Thru, a neutral beige with frost. Embellishing each case – the ornate floral motif found throughout M•A•C Holiday. To complete the set: a teal blue lacquer-stained, wood-handled 316SE Brush. Limited edition."
Retail Price: $30.00 (maccosmetics.com)


Laura Mercier Liquid Crystal Lip Glace
What They Say: "Smooth, luxurious color mimics the brilliance of quartz and opal crystals. Apply a sheer layer for subtle, shiny lips or build for a more intensely rich mouth."
Retail Price: $22.00 (saks.com and other department stores)




Philosophy Cinnamon Buns Body Souffle
What They Say: "New for the holidays, philosophy brings you the long-awaited companion to its best selling shower gel, cinnamon buns, with cinnamon buns body soufflé. This highly indulgent treat is designed to soothe and moisturize the body, giving you world-class, silky smooth skin from head to toe. This dreamy formula will nourish the driest of skin, leaving it smelling and feeling absolutely heavenly!"
Retail Price: $25.00 (nordstrom.com and other department stores)


Guerlain KissKiss Lipstick
What They Say: "Lipstick is like a girl's best friend, her accomplice in seduction. Both luxurious and beautifying, it's also an essential everyday accessory. An ultra modern jewel-like talisman that provides radiant color for lips. With a name so evocative of all that is fun-loving, sexy, and provocative, Kiss Kiss Lipstick is the perfect choice for every look imaginable. Housed in a polished gold lightweight metal case, it's the ultimate in modern luxury."
Retail Price: $26.00 (sephora.com and select department stores)


Laura Mercier Ambre Passion
What They Say: "An authentic reflection of the amber note, Ambre Passion radiates amber from the center and is surrounded by smaller sparkling notes of geranium, vanilla, tonka beans, labdanum, sandalwood, patchouli, musk and cedarwood."
Retail Price: $65.00 (nordstrom.com and other department stores)

Run, Don't Walk...
I am a ha-UGE fan of M·A·C products, and I'm thrilled to tell you that their holiday collection is availabe starting today. Rich, lush colors and fab, pretty packaging - are you as excited as I am? Go to maccosmetics.com to browse and shop or go HERE to find a store that sells M·A·C products near you. Happy Shopping!
Your DeLush Diva,
Melissa

NEW YORK - Oasis Day Spa invites you to enjoy Paris as often as you'd like. The New York City spa is exclusively introducing Ressource Minérale, a new body line of hydrotherapy treatments by Parisian luxury brand Payot. Ressource Minérale body therapy treatments emphasize the ideals of Harmony, to restore and soothe; Correction, to purify and cleanse; and Revival, to regenerate and invigorate.
Mineral crystals in the product awaken the body through original personalized treatments including sculpting massages, exfoliations, body wraps and water treatments. These mineral sources of semi-precious stones, balms, clays and aromatherapy oils transfer pulsating energy and achieve balance on a physical and spiritual level.

"After exhaustive research, we are pleased to have found the Ressource Minérale collection. We are excited about being the first spa in New York to launch this new hydrotherapy treatment and continue the tradition Oasis has established as supplier of some of the finest beauty products in the world," said Bruce Schoenberg, co-owner of Oasis Day Spa."

Established in 1927, Payot is a proven pioneer in the medical spa movement. Owned by Puig Prestige Beauty, maker of high-end fragrances and skin-care products for Carolina Herrera and Prada, Payot is a prominent luxury beauty brand.

"Payot is proud to partner with Oasis Day Spas. Together the brands will continue their venture to maintain leadership in body and soul rejuvenation," said Melanie Schmidt, Senior Vice President of Payot.

Oasis offers three new Ressource Minérale treatments in the forefront of hydrotherapy. These water-based treatments from ancient mineral hot springs are ideal for detoxification, reviving the skin and stress relief.

The new treatments being offered include:
* Citrus Crystal Scrub, a 30-minute treatment exfoliates the skin using orange and grapefruit crystals and fine-grain Canadian minerals. The skin is left astonishingly smooth and stimulated. This treatment is optimal for sensitive skin.
* Pink Clay Body Wrap, a 60-minute treatment, will soften, moisturize and nourish the body, allowing the skin to purify and remain smooth while stress is relieved from the body and mind.
* White Clay and Smithsonite Gemstone Body Wrap, a 60-minute treatment will exfoliate the body while leaving skin glowing with a revived, refreshed and energized feel. This wrap is also featured in a brand new sports package.

Oasis Day Spa is a full-service spa offering luxurious and soothing massages and rejuvenating therapies and treatments for the skin, hair and nails, as well as yoga and Pilates classes.
With a staff of the finest massage therapists and estheticians, Oasis Day Spas are conveniently located in Union Square, Park Avenue, the Affinia Dumont Hotel and the JetBlue terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport.

More information can be found at: http://www.oasisdayspanyc.com

When new colors arrive, the women working cosmetics counters are on the prowl for fresh "makeover meat". But hey, sometimes they do really good work, right? Well, now's your chance to tell us about your experience in THE CHAIR. Which product counter were you at? Did you schedule your appointment or were you just walking by? Did you really learn some great tips? Or did you walk away looking like BlushZilla?

Share your makeover experience with us!

You've seen it in every fashion magazine: models with dark, smoky eyes, defined and dramatic. I don't usually wear a lot of dark eye make-up. I've got pale, pale skin and blonde hair, so using so much black and gray on my eyes, I really thought I would look like a ghoul. But I found no shortage of photos in magazines where the subject was fair like I am, so I thought, hey, if they can do it, so can I.

I was getting ready for a concert. I had on a tiny little black top, skinny jeans and 4-inch heels, and thought, "this outfit was made for the smoky eye look." And I started experimenting.

(Tip #1: Don't experiment with this look when you actually are planning to be somewhere at a specific time. The third time you get out the eye makeup remover, panic will set in and your makeup application skills may suffer.)

Starting with a clean face, I applied moisturizer and eye cream and followed with concealer, foundation, and bronzer. InStyle magazine recommends starting with a base of moisturizer with some light powder pressed in as a base around the eyes to hold the eyeshadow in place. You're going to be wearing an awful lot of dark eyeshadow and you don't want it all over your face.

Next, I applied white eyeshadow (Revlon ColorStay 12 Hour Eye Shadow in Pure Pearl) over my whole eyelid, all the away up to my eyebrows. This gives your eyebrows a lift and really brightens up the whole eye area.I followed with the lighter pink and plum shades from the Sterling Rose eyeshadow quad (pictured right), also Revlon ColorStay. This is all pretty normal for me; I wear this look to work all the time.

After the lighter shades were applied, I started applying some gray eyeshadow in about a 1/4-inch line above my top eyelash line. I blended it in more around the inner corners of my eyes, but left the line wider and darker at the outer corners of my eyes.

(Tip #2: No matter how dark and smoky the undereyes look in a photo, don't try to emulate it using shadow, especially if you are as pale as I am. You will look like a ghoul. Trust me.)

I then applied my Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner all the way around my eyes from corner to corner. You want the line to be pretty thin and well-defined so that your eyes really pop. After the gel liner, I decided I wanted something even more Jet Black, so I applied a second outline with my Blinc Kiss Me Eyeliner.

(Tip #3: Patience is the key here. Your eyes are the focal point of your face tonight and it's easy to pick out mistakes if your line is smudgy or wobbly.)

The final step is mascara, and you need something ultra-dramatic. I used Urban Decay's Skyscraper mascara over top of the Maybelline XXL mascara's lash primer for extra volume. Curling your lashes is an absolute must.

(Tip #4: Apply your dramatic mascara to the top lashes only. On the bottom lashes, use a lash tint if your lashes are blond or leave the mascara off entirely. Mascara on both the top and bottom lashes when you're wearing that much other eye makeup will not make you look sexy and mysterious, but rather more like Tammy Faye Baker.)

All of the tips I've offered to you are the result of major tactical errors when I was trying out this look. I found it easy to be too heavy-handed, which lead to multiple uses of my eye make-up remover. And still, at the end, I thought I looked less like I belonged in a magazine and more like I belonged in Kiss Army. It seemed like a bit much at first, but it grew on me every time I looked in the mirror. Which was something like every 5 seconds.

When my friend came by to accompany me to the concert, my look was met with rave reviews, so I decided to give this trend a full field trial, first at an upscale martini bar, then at the late-night concert. The smoky eyes were at home in both places; even at the small bar where the concert was held I didn't feel out of place.

You want to know the best part about the whole thing? As my mascara went under my eyes a little and my eyeliner smudged, it didn't mess up the look at all, in fact it may have added to the smoky look as the night progressed. Thr picture on the right was taken near the end of the night, after I'd worn my make-up for nearly 8 hours!

I was doubtful, but I think this is a look that you can pull off even if you are as pale as I am. A little patience and a little experimentation, and this may be a trend you can pull out of your bag to accessorize all of your Saturday night outfits.

Revlon ColorStay Eyeshadow:

When those big thick fall fashion magazines start coming in the mail, I know my credit cards will be coming out in full force! Here's just a sampling of the products that I think look intriguing this season:

Listed on Glamour's list of top products that beauty editor's horde, this terracotta bronzing powder is just starting to get major press. It was created in 1984 and now sells at a rate of one very 30 seconds. Bronzer is a great way to get a nice glow in your skin when the days are short.