Getaway Beauty with Elizabeth Arden

Memorial Day weekend = start of summer! For frequent getaways, you want to pack light but look fabulous!  Elizabeth Arden's expert Rebecca Restrepo gave great travel beauty tips at the Blog Meets Brand event I attended last week.

 I'm headed out to the Hamptons next week and a few more beach weekends around the country before fall.  I hope to get by with only one weekend bag (I just bought a Kate Spade one on sale!) This means I need to keep beauty products and liquids to a minimum.

The most practical way to do that is to carry multitasking products.  For the beach, I like moisturizers with a lot of sunscreen built in.

Restrepo also advised that solids always travel better than liquid.  She uses the company’s sponge-on cream makeup instead of something runnier.  Also, beware of being dehydrated when flying.  She cites Elizabeth Arden’s 8-Hour Cream Skin Protectant as something she uses on knees and elbows before landing.

I tried a few products from Elizabeth Arden myself to see how well they travel.   After a day in the sun, my skin feels tight and feels drained of moisture at night. CeramideCapsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum is perfect for travel.  Their tiny little pods with twist off openings make them easy to slip into a makeup bag pocket.  You only need to pack as many as you need for the trip.  It was very light and surprisingly not greasy when applied on my face.  It absorbed quickly (I hate the sticky moist feeling of most night products).  I woke up with my face feeling silky.  

In the summer I (mostly) ditch my darker lipsticks in favor of a rich lip gloss.  Elizabeth Arden's Beautiful Color Luminous Lip Gloss has a great palette that looks like translucent versions of my favorite fall colors. Also, it has a mirror attached to the case, meaning I have one less compact I need to carry.  Some lip glosses are drying after long use.  This particular one has extra mango and shea butter for extra moisture.

Elizabeth Arden is an original New York company.  Their signature Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant was actually developed in 1930 and still runs on the same formula today.  I like to rub this stuff around my cuticles when I have handled too many pieces of paper or worked too hard on my embroidery projects.  In a pinch, I might use a bit to tame my brows or tips of stray hair.

Are you ready to venture off on YOUR summer getaway?  Always, always always, remember to bring the sunscreen! 

Want more tips? Connect with Elizabeth Arden on Twitter, Facebook and Instragram!

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Elizabeth Arden via Single Edition Media.The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Elizabeth Arden.

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Parsons Fashion Design - Class of 2013 Part Two

When I was at Parsons, the joke was that our school colors were black and grey.  It DID seem to be the uniform of the fashion industry back in the late 90's.  However, some of the graduating fashion  class of Parsons School of Design proved that color is the way to go.

The first group on the runway was an adorable children's collection.  The designer mixed up the rpints and accessorized with huge flowers for a cheerful presentation.

The group here mixed dimensional appliques with different textures of patent leather and quilting.  It had the look of arts and crafts meets rebel punk.

These were some of my favorites.  Fitted, sporty looks mixed with pop culture icons worked into religious icons as motifs.  It would seem gimmicky if the silhouettes weren't so flattering.

Bravo class of 2013!

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Parsons Fashion Show - Part One

My alma mater, Parsons School of Design held its fashion show for the class of 2013 last night.  The evening honored Patrick Robinson and attracted other Parsons alumni like Proenza Schouler. The first batch of designers here were all about a technique.  They took high tech and classic treatments and created a mini collection around it.

Sharon Yumen Wang above was about making sculpture out of pleats.  He used wide, sharp pleats and wound them around the body in different ways to in a grey, black and white palette.

Francine Frolich incorporated digital printing and laser cutting.  She took architectural forms and used them as motif and almost like armor when worn on the body.  I'm not sure how comfortable they were to wear, but I can say I haven't seen this on a runway before.

 Connie de la Cruz from the Domincan Republic also used digital printing.  He then took the printed fabric and manipulated it with bold solid colors for an easy sportswear look.

This collection by Jasmine Plantin was all about thick, woolly embroidery contrasted with sheer, light fabric.  The dark, natural colors and the swirled patterns looked a lot like an elevation map to me.  While the silhouettes were very simple, the looks were very effective.  It's hard to make embroidery look masculine, but this group made it work.

Stay tuned for more graduate work!  Good luck to all of the designers!

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Smirnoff Sorbet Soiree

My NYC summer officially started when heat and humidity struck Tuesday night.  Luckily, I was fortunate enough to kick the season off with cool comfort courtesy of Smirnoff Sorbet.  My fellow Glam trendsetters and I were lucky enough to spend the evening chilling down with cocktails in the theme of my favorite flavors of pomegranate, citrus and mango. 

The much needed ladies night out included posh manicures and pedicures at TenOverTen lounge in Tribeca.  As I observed the room, hot and bright pinks were the clear favorite among the crowd.  I myself chose Chanel’s 541 Tentation to brighten up my night.  A tarot card reader was on hand to dish out your fortune and a massage therapist worked out the knots of a long day.  If you needed to glam yourself further, two make-up artists were ready to give you a makeover.

A sushi chef prepared healthy nibbles (delicious) while actual sorbet was offered by a cute server.  Alas, the Smirnoff did not make it into the actual dessert.  However, the icy treat did complement the libations perfectly. 

Relaxing with my Glam blogging sisters was like a broadcast of summer trends to come.  My girls were wearing stripes or bright colors.  They paired simple, warm weather shorts and flirty dresses with chunky statement necklaces and rings to upgrade their look.  Of course, enjoying a summer night with the perfect cocktail is never out of style. 

The deliciously light taste of sorbet now comes in a bottle.  Introducing Smirnoff Sorbet Light. PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.  Made With Smirnoff Vodka Infused With Natural Flavors. 30% Alc/Vol. ©2013 The Smirnoff" Co., Norwalk, CT.  Per 1.5oz serving: Calories 78, Carbohydrates 1.3g, Fat 0g, Protein 0g.

* 25% FEWER CALORIES THAN THE LEADING DESSERT-INSPIRED VODKA.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Smirnoff via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Smirnoff.

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Design Diet Coke's T-Shirt for Taylor Swift

Fashion designers, graphic designers and stylish soda fans... Diet Coke is announcing season 2 of its hunt for young designers to design their next t-shirt to be sold at Target.  The winner nets $10 000 in cash, sees their design in Target stores and travels to Nashville to meet music star Taylor Swift.

One of my favorite designers, Rebecca Minkoff is judging the finalists.  You can check their site for inspiration and investigate what past winners have done.

Hurry! You have 9 days to enter!  

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