If you are both over the age of 16 AND a size 12 or up, Torrid wants you to come and try out for their next national model search!
Winners are awarded an all expense paid luxury trip to Los Angeles, California, where they will walk the runway in a blow-out fashion event, as well as appear as the new face of Torrid.com.
All you need to do is grab an entry form at your local Torrid store or online at Torrid.com, and submit it along with a photo.
Hurry, because the search ends tomorrow, Sunday, July 19! Good luck!
Are You the Next Torrid Girl?
Ouidad's Shine Glaze Serum Gives Beautiful Frizz Free Waves
Keep those gorgeous bouncy beach waves healthy and frizz free by trying Ouidad's Shine Glaze Serum with crystal silicone. This shine enhancing formula doesn't build up on your hair and washes out easily so that there is no build-up to dull your locks.
To use, Ouidad suggests using two or three drops in your palm on damp or dry hair and comb through. Use for for longer and or curlier hair. Try using with a leave-in conditioner for thinner hair or with gel for thicker hair.
Shine Glaze Serum retails for $24 and is available at Ouidad.com or at any certified Ouidad salon.
Lush Releases New Sugar Body Scrubs
In case you needed another reason to love Lush as much as I do, they have decided to give you one. Lush announces an addition to their line up with two different exfoliating sugar scrubs.
Like many of Lush's other products, these don't come with a bunch of packaging. If you've ever been in a Lush store, you know you can pick up their bath bombs and soap bars and use their paper bags to keep them in. It's very environmentally friendly.
The all-natural ingredients of the bath bombs includes sugar, sodium bicarbonate, and cream of tartar. According to Helen Ambrosen, LUSH Product Creator & Co-Founder, “One of the most important things to do is to keep your skin gently stimulated and maintain a healthy circulation. By doing this you’ll encourage the elimination of toxins, ensure a healthy turnover of cells and stimulate muscle tone.” Rub one of our two new sugar scrubs all over wet skin and feel them work their sugary magic, leaving you with bright, smooth and healthy glowing skin.
The first option, Sugar Scrub, includes both fresh fennel and fennel oil, which acts as a tonic for the skin. Lavender helps soothe the skin and ginger warms up the skin. This is a vegan product, and retails for $4.95.
Sugar Babe, the other new scrub, has a hard sugar outside but a soft center of hydrating coconut oil and beeswax absolute moisturizes and soothes the skin. Scented with ylang-ylang and mimosa absolute, it also retails for $4.95.
You can find the new Lush offerings at any of the 103 Lush stores in the US or online at LushUSA.
We don't have a Lush store here in Virginia Beach, but the next time I'm in Washington DC or New York, I'll be stocking up on these.
Nordstrom Beauty Exclusives - Available on July 17
A complete list of the Beauty Exclusives at Nordstrom, available on July 17. I've already made my shopping list, how about you?
See more of my Nordstrom Beauty Exclusives 09 list at ThisNext.
Girlie Nails by Fing'rs Gives the Budding Beauty Junkie Practice
My daughter loves nothing more than to go with me and get her nails and toes done. Thank goodness my nail tech loves her and indulges her with whatever she wants, or else I'd have some problems. But one thing I've obviously never let her do (she's 6!) is put on acrylic nails. This is as problematic to her as my refusal to pierce her ears, so imagine how thrilled she was to get her hands on Girlie Nails!
These are similar to the Lee Press On Nails that we played with in the 80s. The concept is absolutely the same, the only difference being is that these are for girls, and are sized accordingly. Some of these little nails were so tiny, I had a hard time keeping ahold of them! However, they were super easy to press on, and my daughter just thought they were marvelous. I'm sure I felt that way about my Lee Press Ons, too.
However, if you're looking for longevity, you aren't going to find it. They are cute and fun, but like the Lee Nails of yore, they don't stay on worth a darn. Especially on a six year old who loves to go to the beach. I'm told that they also "stick to your hair," and "they fall off sometimes."
That doesn't mean that we won't be buying them again, though. Oh, no. I'm sure we will go through many packs of these before the tween years are done. And to think that I'm only just beginning. Fun. No, really. Super fun.
Girlie Nails are available at mass retailers, drug chains, and discount stores nationwide. I found mine at Rite-Aid and Walgreens. Visit the website at Girlie Nails to see some of the cute styles, including the ones above that actually change color in the sun, which was a huge deal in our house.
Estee Lauder Releases Another Addition to the Private Collection: Jasmine White Moss
More than anything, I think this bottle is a work of art on it's own, to say nothing of the fragrance inside. The cap is embellished with natural semi-precious gems including White Jade, dark and light Lapis, Sodalite, Black Agate, Mother of Pearl and Blue Lace Agate stones. The stones selected for each cap are different, making each piece unique. I find the thought of a uniquely designed bottle to be extremely appealing.
Like the three other fragrances in the Aerin Lauder Private Collection, this one has a bit of a backstory. Aerin Lauder, the Estée Lauder Senior Vice President and Creative Director visited the archives and found a previously started but never finished work by Estee Lauder herself. Called Formula #546AQ, it had languished in the archives for ages. Aerin took the rough formula, added modern technology and finished with a beautiful merging of jasmine and white moss. The fragrance celebrates the past and present, and is a first in the world of fragrance and Estee Lauder.
- The top notes include Mandarin, and Absolutes of Black Currant Bud (crisp and fruity,
- a new quality captured for the very first time with a new extraction technique), Galbanum and Bergamot.
- Middle notes are Jasmine Sambac Absolute selected by Aerin and subtly blended with the Ylang Ylang and Jasmin India Absolutes Estée herself had chosen, plus Violet, Orange Flower Absolute and Orris.
- And the base notes include Absolutes of Patchouli Heart, Vetiver and White Moss Mist (an
- Estée Lauder exclusive).
Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and Bergdorf Goodman beginning July 2009.
Selections and prices include: Parfum Spray, 1oz., $325.00. Eau de Parfum Spray, 1oz., $80.00. Eau de Parfum Spray, 2.5oz., $135.00. Body Creme, 6.7oz., $75.00. Perfume Solid Pendant (limited edition) $195.00
Lancome Boutique Hosts Jennifer Weiner Book Signing
The Lancome Boutique on the Upper West Side will be hosting an amazing event on Tuesday. Jennifer Weimer, author of such popular books as Good in Bed
and In Her Shoes
Not only can you sip champagne and taste cupcakes, if you purchase $75 worth of product (and I highly suggest the Declaring Indigo collection), you'll get a complimentary autographed copy!
“Best Friends Forever” Signing
The Lancôme Boutique
201 Columbus Avenue at 69th Street
Tuesday, July 14th
4 to 7 p.m.
RSVP: 212.362.4858
Ultimate Hair Removal Guide Pt. 3: Depilating Lotions
Depilatory creams are simply chemicals that transform hair at or slightly below the skin's surface into a gelatin-like mass which is then removed along with the chemical.
That's the semi-scientific explanation, anyway. Typically, these chemicals are in the form of a lotion which is applied and allowed to sit for about five to ten minutes before removal. It's important to remember that this isn't a permanent solution, and will require almost as much effort as shaving, since the hair isn't removed at the follicle as it is with tweezing or waxing.
If you suffer from ingrown hairs, especially in the bikini area, this method of hair removal might give you some relief. Part of the reason for this is that you don't have to use it as often as shaving. Also, when a razor is used to remove hair at the surface, it often regrows as a sharp point which is much more likely to curl in and become imbedded in another pore in the skin. With this method, the hair grows in with a blunt edge. Not that ingrown hairs are eliminated, but you may find you have significantly less.
The hardest part of using depilatory cream is the waiting. Application is as easy as putting lotion on, but sitting in one spot without messing up the application can be tricky. Removal is extremely easy.
I heard they smell. Is that true?
Yes, most of the lotions on the market do have a strong smell. This is due to the alkaline nature of the chemicals used. These chemicals are typically barium sulfide, sodium sulfide, calcium hydrosulfide and strontium hydrosulfide. Many products claim that they have a pleasant smell, but this is usually due to added perfumes.
Are they dangerous?
There have been reports of chemical skin burns and other problems with these lotions. However, following product directions closely will mostly prevent these kinds of problems. Formulations have been created for different areas of the body; for example, a formula created for the face will be much more gentle than a formula created for the bikini line. Both hair and skin are different in these areas.
How do I use them? Are they hard to use?
Typically, you apply the lotion as a thick paste on the skin and allow it to sit for seven minutes or so. Then you wipe away with a washcloth or tissue. Some products come with a remover, such as the Veet Rasera Bladeless Kit, which looks like a straight blade but will not cut the skin, only assist in removing the remaining hair.
So which ones do you recommend?
I can say honestly that most of these lotions are the same. There are different formulas for different needs, and some of the best ones I've found include:
- Veet Rasera Bladeless Kit for legs and larger areas. The "blade" really does help remove hair much easier than just a washcloth.
- Extra Strength Creme Hair Removal For Face by Sally Hansen is an excellent formula for facial hair.
- If you have a sensitive bikini area, Nair Sensitive Bikini Cream might be your best bet.
- For use in the shower, Nair Shower Power products look interesting, although I haven't tried them yet.
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