Girls,
Tammy Fender is taking skin care up a notch or ten. Her perspicacious perspective on beauty and skincare is informed by twenty years of aesthetic expertise and passionate research. If you don't frequent Southern Florida, please (I beg you) acquaint yourself with her organic skincare line. The
Lavender & Fo-ti Formula No. c-129 cleansing milk is the best cleanser I have ever, ever encountered. In fact now that my bottle is mostly empty I have re-filled it with water and use the diluted solution as a powerful organic makeup remover. Without further ado, here is the legendary Tammy Fender.
What is your first memory of beauty products?
My memories of beauty products begin with my grandmother and her love for crèmes and oils. To this day, I continue to embrace applying my oils and crèmes as a sacred moment, beginning and ending each day.
At what age did you start wearing makeup?
I can’t recall a specific age, but I love wearing make-up for evening and special occasions. I think the key is finding a balance between your natural radiance and the way makeup can highlight your best features….for me it is a little mascara and lipstick.
If you could apply only one product for the next month what would it be?
My quintessential Serum is an all-in-one for me because it offers pure protection and nutrition in its most concentrated form, feeding the cells with vital energy and nutrients while it moisturizers, replenishes and restores – I use it several times a day as a serum, moisturizer (face, hands, elbows), applied to my lips, around my eyes and to the ends of my hair for health and shine.
If you could give one product to all women in the world what would it be?As I would want for myself, I would share the Quintessential Serum, a best-selling cult favorite.
If you could ban one harmful ingredient from all beauty products what would it be?Petrochemicals
What is your favorite skincare ingredient?
Bulgarian Rose…it is considered one of the most valuable essences of all, requiring more than 7,000 petals to produce a single drop, and has been recognized by the earliest healers for its curative and beautifying attributes. Having the highest frequency of all the essential oils on the planet, Bulgarian Rose is the most powerful cell rejuvenator, bringing balance, harmony, health and beauty.
What is the last product you created?
My newest product creation is the first in my Professional Treatment Series, the Skin Tone Lightening System. This 2-part system utilizes potent botanical brighteners and powerful natural ingredients to treat and correct hyper-pigmented and uneven complexions. This system is the first of its kind drawing on botanically based ingredients to provide professional caliber results at home.
Who is the business woman you most admire?I admire Alice Waters as a pioneer in the organic food movement and her passion for sharing the purest, healthiest and happiest way of life through consuming the living energy of the earth. Her work is simply an expression of her truest being.
Whose beauty do you most admire?
I see beauty in all beings; being open and receptive to all forms of beauty allows me to honor, embrace and learn from the beauty I see in each person.
What was your best Spa experience?
My best experience was the day I came to my spa on my birthday (as a client!) and felt the nurturing and healing experience of holistic treatments from my dearest friends. The energy and happiness was all encompassing.
Besides your own, what is your favorite brand?
I love brands that offer hand-made products because you can really feel the art of their creation and the love and energy that comes through such products.
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Posted on
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Audrey has little to do with this post but in looking for an image that represents the phrase which Julie Andrews made famous, Audrey is in fact the visual equivalent of "Practcally Perfect in Every Way", no? So here we go....
The word has gotten out at work that I am in fact a beauty blogger. Yesterday in the middle of what I considered a fairly important meeting (with no previous mention of beauty or spas or organics or travel) my superior paused and asked, "But really, do brands pay you for positive reviews?" Girlfriend, ain't no way I'm going to spend my free time writing lies about a product I don't care about. I could be sleeping, exercising, dating, going to see any one of the movies that have come out in the last, say, 2 years, but instead I'm obsessing over beauty and bringing you the best of what it has to offer. In honor of the ultimate in beauty blogging, this week I bring you "Practically Perfect in Every Way".
Visit Beauty's SPOT Product page daily for one select product each day which I promise to be practically perfect in every way. Enjoy!
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Posted on
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
My first internship after college graduation was at the U.N. Kofi Anan was in fact one of the more humble creatures I've ever encountered but that's another story for another blog. Kofi's wife however completely qualifies for beauty blog banter. She is an incredibly smart, lanky, blond, Swede who gave all the interns manicures at Bendels in support of her pet project, UNIFEM. Since that day I have always known that the ancient secrets of beauty are housed deep within the inner sanctum of Bendel's. On July 8th some of the most ingenious men in hair care will also be housed there. The last time I was at Warren Tricomi I met Lauren Conrad and had the best haircut of my life. I highly recommend attending this event.
From 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on July 8 Joel Warren and Edward Tricomi will be at Bendels to kick off a week of
Warren-Tricomi specials within the hallowed halls of this legendary 5th Ave entrepot. Also up for grabs is a day of beauty (worth $1,200) with this follicularly proficient duo.
Enjoy!
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Posted on
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
I initially came to know the one-part human, two-parts goddess Anastasia Soare as Oprah's eyebrow guru. Now I patronize her Nordstrom Brow Studios whenever the eyebrow spas intersect with my travel plans in an effort to compare technician quality and training (all superb and trained by Ms. A.) In May of 2008 I fell in love with her Beverly Hills outpost while
watching the legend herself sculpt Bella Sugar's eyebrows. Now, on the eve of her skincare line launch (created after a year of research in her native Romania) Anastasia lets us into her beauty empire with an exclusive interview and a preview of her new line.
Going to the apothecary pharmacy with my mother in Romania so she could buy her favorite face cream which was mixed fresh for her on the spot. If I close my eyes I can remember the scent of the place in an instant.
At what age did you start wearing makeup?
16. I remember we were wearing a latex eye liner back then. I am sure the ingredients were not the safest but the look we were going for was Cleopatra and of course these days Amy Winehouse wears the same look. This liner was liquid and you applied it in a thick band around your eyes and it dried in latex and you could peal it off later. It would stay on 12 hours or more.
If you could apply only one product for the next month what would it be?My Line Erasing Serum: it gives the skin and instant dewy glow and it reduces discoloration and redness. It’s like a youthful spring in a bottle.
If you could give one product to all women in the world what would it be?
My brow kit. The most common mistake I see women make is over-tweezing their brows. With the 5 products inside including stencils they can all achieve perfect brows at home.
If you could ban one harmful ingredient from all beauty products what would it be?
This isn’t an ingredient but I love animals so so much. I wish that absolutely all animal testing could be banned worldwide not just from cosmetics but also pharmaceuticals etc.
What is your favorite skincare ingredient?Glycolic Acid. It really refines and smoothes my skin.
What is the last product you created?Line Erasing Serum - it’s amazing.
Who is the business woman you most admire?Oprah Winfrey, whenever I complain that I work too much, I just think of her schedule and quickly change my mind. She is a nonstop work horse who is truly interested in improving the way people live. I think the huge fame and money were never her ambition. They happened along the way and really her #1 priority was to grow with her fans. That’s what makes her my hero.
Whose beauty do you most admire?
Every single woman that works for it. It takes a lot to be a woman these. There are so many expectations to remain young and gorgeous forever. Hats off to all of us who start with beauty in the a.m. and end with it before bed.
What was your best Spa experience?The Spa at Esperanza in Cabo San Lucas. Just stepping inside that place starts to tranquilize my senses. Aside from that it is such a gorgeous masterpiece dedicated to relaxation and rejuvenation that I insist on going four times a year.
Besides your own, what is your favorite brand?
I really like MAC. I have been a long time fan of their eye shadows even before I had my own line and I know I can find everything I need there.
Wise words from woman wealthy with beauty and aesthetic talent. We can't wait to reap the benefits of her Romanian skincare research trip. Many thanks to Anastasia for taking the time be with us and to her team for working with us to provide the product preview below. Here is a bit of what's to come. More details here.
Working with a team of experts and scientists, Anastasia developed Balkan Botanical™ Infusion, a blend of rare plant and herb extracts found only in the rich soil of Romania. This unique and exclusive blend has the power to soften, soothe and restore the skin’s natural radiance. Balkan Botanical™ Infusion is a key ingredient in Anastasia’s new skin care products.
The Line launch includes:
Line Erasing Serum: a lightweight blend of natural hydrators, Instalift™ Goji, and Anastasia’s exclusive Balkan Botanical™ Infusion. This serum improves the appearance of skin and helps reduce signs of aging.
Blue Lotus Mist: a perfect fusion of Balkan Botanical™ Infusion, hydrating water, and a soothing serum of flower extracts from South Africa, to help revive complexions and provide skin with an instant burst of radiance.
Neroli Night Crème: contains a complex of fruit and flower oils, combined with Balkan Botanical™ Infusion in a moisture rich, non-greasy formula.
Nourishing Eye Crème: an ultra-rich mix of essential oils and antioxidants, along with Balkan Botanical™ Infusion. Promotes smoother, firmer and hydrated skin for a more youthful appearance.
Hydrating Oil: features Jojoba, Borage, Black Currant & Meadowfoam Seed Oil which work together to provide ultimate hydration. Loveage, an aromatic oil, revives one’s spirit while our exclusive Balkan Botanical™ Infusion softens. Vital for thirsty, fatigued skin.
Sheer Moisture Crème: a hydrating and ultra-light SPF 30 day creme that works for all skin types. This truly innovative fragrance-free formula softens the skin and provides protection against UVA/UVB rays and free radicals that can cause signs of aging. Enjoy!
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Posted on
Monday, June 29, 2009
