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beauty

Beauty, Hair

Amena Khan Becomes the First Model to Rock a Hijab In a Major Hair Ad

via L’Oréal Paris UK.

Update: Mere days after beauty blogger Amena Khan  was announced as L’Oréal’s first hijab-wearing hair model, she has backed out of the campaign in light of a Twitter backlash. Khan made the announcement on Twitter and Instagram stating that the decision was made after tweets from 2014 in which she criticized Isreal came to light. Though she has since deleted the tweets, she decided to step down as she didn’t want to detract “from the positive and inclusive sentiment that [the L’Oréal campaign] set out to deliver.”

The brand delivered a statement Monday, saying, “We have recently been made aware of a series of tweets posted in 2014 by Amena Khan, who was featured in a UK advertising campaign. We appreciate that Amena has since apologised for the content of these tweets and the offence they have caused. L’Oréal Paris is committed to tolerance and respect towards all people.  We agree with her decision to step down from the campaign.”

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January 19, 2018 by
Beauty, Makeup

Gal Gadot Chooses to “Live Boldly” As The New Face of Revlon

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via Women’s Wear Daily.

After saving the world and breaking a slew of box office records last year, Gal Gadot has set out to #LiveBoldly as the face of Revlon’s new campaign.

Announcing the partnership via Instagram on Tuesday, the Wonder Woman star is encouraging everyone to embrace their own version of beauty and become their own superheroes in the campaign that’s slated to roll out this month, marking another signpost in the cultural shift taking place in Hollywood and the beauty aisle. “Anything that makes you feel more confident, more beautiful and better about yourself has to do with [feminism],” she said during an interview about the new partnership.

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January 10, 2018 by
Personal Musings

I’M BA-ACK!

A post shared by Val’s Vanity (@valsvanity) on

Did you miss me?

Aww, I missed you too! I promise I wasn’t too far away….just on a different platform. But with the New Year and the many changes that come with it, I wanted to share a few of the resolutions I’m planning on keeping for 2018, the first being: getting back to sharing beauty secrets and fangirling about my faves from the big screen to the store shelves right here.

Want to know what else I’m hoping to achieve during 2018? Check them out under the cut!

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January 3, 2018 by
Personal Musings

Girl, Where Are You?

A photo posted by Val’s Vanity (@valsvanity) on

Right here! Over here! ??

Sorry, kittens. I didn’t mean to ghost you guys! But it is for a good reason. I’ve received another amazing opportunity to share my love of beauty with even more people. The only snag? Trying to balance the hours between work and play again.

This isn’t the end — far from it. I’ve still got more beauty secrets to share, news to freak out about, and muses to inspire your next look. You’ll just have to stay tuned on Snapchat to see what comes next. But if you’re still willing to come along for the ride, it’s sure to be filled with more crazy twists, turns, and lipstick smears.

July 20, 2016 by
Beauty, Entertainment

Gina Rodriguez Partners with Clinique to Inspire & Empower

via People.com

via People.com

Gina Rodriguez’s strands are set to stun thanks to John Frieda, but the star’s newest beauty campaign is looking inward to empower others.

The Jane the Virgin actress joins five other inspirational women as part of Clinique’s new Difference Maker campaign, which is aimed at inspiring confidence and empowering women to create change that affects their lives and their communities. The group also supports charities that focus on women’s healthcare and education through the brand’s Clinique Difference Initiative, continuing the conversation with the hashtag #DifferenceMaker. Rodriguez looked to her Chicago roots to help the youth turn education into empowerment by partnering with the brand for a special video.

In it, Rodriguez describes the scope of her upbringing in a “gang-infested” neighborhood with limited means of breaking the cycle of “can’t and won’t.” She notes that she had the “unfair” advantage of her family, who appear alongside her in the clip, pushed her to pursue her dreams, even with the many racial, economic, and social challenges she faced to break into the industry—all by giving her the ticket to success: education. “It pains me because I feel really lucky and thank God I had giants around me to stop that view of life, otherwise my life wouldn’t look as beautiful as it is today. I don’t want to be the only one living that though, ” she explains in the powerful video. And her parents are right! My mom taught me the same lesson from an early age, and it’s helped push me to where I am today and keep striving for tomorrow.

And it’s prompted her to talk to young people who still face those challenges and turn education into empowerment. “There’s a difference between my passion, which is acting, and my life’s purpose.My life’s purpose is to free someone from those invisible shackles because they are invisible; they are an illusion,” she points out. “What do you do? You go back, and you change it. I go and I talk to high school students, grammar school students, I go to universities and talk. We need people to say, ‘listen, I know what you’re going through, I know what you went through. I went through it too, and it sucks.’ Education is the only way to get out. It’s about confidence and self-worth. You can, and you will.”

And it doesn’t take a high-profile to shake up the systems of oppression and make positive changes for the future. “All of us are capable of being difference-makers,” she told the glossy. “All of us have that power. It’s the small stuff that makes the great amount of change. Our voices are so powerful, and I think that’s something we can start giving to our youth.”

Head over to People.com to check out the video clip but keep those tissues handy.

July 8, 2016 by
Beauty, Makeup

#OnMyVanity: Shiseido’s Rouge Rouge Kiss Lipstick

 

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I receive a slew of samples, and when I find something I like, I can’t wait to tell you all about it!

Before the bold blues, the nearly nudes, and the pretty pinks, there was red. The color of passion and action, it’s the hue that beauty buffs from across the globe for the last 5,000 years (you know, just using gemstones or, in some cases, crushed bugs to achieve the look)! It’s also one of the trickiest to coordinate with your complexion. But Shiseido is serving up a slew of solutions with its new Rouge Rouge Kiss line, a collection of 16 shades suited to your skin tone and mood.

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July 1, 2016 by
Beauty, Makeup

Oribe’s Going All Out with a Big Brand Expansion!

 

oribe-beauty-final

Oribe is making every beauty buff’s wish come true by expanding his brand far beyond hair by dipping a toe into hair tools and accessories, color cosmetics, skincare, body care, and even nails!

Yup, you heard that right. It’s a veritable takeover of the beauty counter, as the stylist’s line has long been beloved by red carpet regulars, industry insiders, and mane mavens for years will introduce 21 new SKUs across hair, skin, body, and makeup that is available for pre-order now and will hit shelves in July. The skincare range focuses on hydration and brightness with luxe ingredients like caviar lime, which gently exfoliates the skin for a luminous look, and gold to amplify skin’s natural luster. Its Youth-Restoring is formulated with Edelweiss Flower, Evening Primrose & Sweet Almond Oil to hydrate and revitalize skin to its deepest layer.

The color cosmetics are clearly not for the faint of heart or fans of the no-makeup makeup look. The brand boasts matching lipsticks and nail polishes in a series of red, nude, and violet shades that pump up the pigmentation to 11. Both are formulated to leave a lasting impression as the luxe lacquers use shade-lock technology that lays down opaque color and doesn’t chip while the lipsticks use White Lily and Myrrh Extract to keep pouts at their most plush.

Last, but certainly not least, bolstered his home base of hair with his own hair dryer that uses a ceramic grill, and ion technology to 6 speed and heat settings that make styling super easy. He also added his gilded touch to barrettes, ponytail holders, and hair sticks that speak more to the haute hair accessories that Jen Atkin sought to bring to her fans at a more affordable price point.

I kind of saw this coming after everyone, editors and beauty buffs alike, lost their mind when the brand bottled the signature scent of its stylers, releasing two fragrances back in 2014. The notes for the fine fragrances were inspired by Jennifer Lopez’s aroma that the super stylist caught a whiff of during the shoot for her On the 6 album, which was right around the outset of his line. The super stylist dipped his toe into another end of the beauty pool by releasing two fragrances (modeled after that signature scent) back in 2014, , making the new beauty buys a natural progression for the brand.

While the prices are a bit much to snap them up as everyday essentials, it wouldn’t be too much to ask for a piece or two from the collection for a birthday or during the holidays—you (or someone else) have to treat yourself sometimes!

Get up close and personal with all of the new options below.

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June 27, 2016 by
Beauty, Body

#ManiMonday: Butter London Links Up with Shoes of Prey

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Courtesy of Butter London

Butter London‘s looking to perfect your pedicure with the perfect partnership with none other than Shoes of Prey.

The collaboration includes six shades inspired by the shoe line’s fall array of lush fabric options paired with names of the shoe styles available for customization on the site. The colors include

“We feel the partnership is directly in tune with our brands’ mutual mission to inspire women to embrace their individual style, authentic selves and have some fun,” Butter London President, Sarina Godin shared in a press release. Jodie Fox, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Shoes of Prey shared the same sentiment, stating, “We’re so excited to give our customers the unique opportunity to add another dimension to their fall outfits by colour coordinating their shoes and manicures and pedicures with our curated trend colours for the season.”

Aside from the fact these chic shades are on trend to be a big sensation this fall, according to Pantone — earthy tones of taupe, dusty cedar, potter’s clay, and lush meadows will be everywhere in a variety of textures and finishes, customization (albeit on the fashion side this time) has become a big driver of the beauty market. It began appearing a few years ago in the form of palettes that allowed you to pick the shadow shades housed within from the likes of Buxom, Urban Decay, and more and have evolved to incorporate other parts of the beauty counter, like Cover FX and Dr. Dennis Gross offering skincare boosters that could be combined with your established skincare routine. And it shows no signs of slowing down, as custom complexion products may lead to higher profiles for companies who can customize nail shades to suit any swatch you serve up and more.

The collection will be available exclusively on Nordstrom beauty counters and online during the retailer’s annual Anniversary Sale where mani mavens can snap up the shades in a set for $39 as early as July 14th for those with early access. Those not part of Nordstrom’s inner circle won’t have to worry, as it will be ready for purchase for everyone else on the 22nd. Mark your calendars now, so you can avoid the mani madness later!

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June 27, 2016 by
Beauty, Makeup

What a Doll! Ariana Grande Teams Up with MAC Again

Courtesy of MAC Cosmetics

Courtesy of MAC Cosmetics

Ariana Grande’s indulging her inner moppet for her second stint with MAC.

The songstress shared a snap of herself on Thursday posing alongside the vibrant pink ad that features the star in full babydoll mode, complete with a giant pink bow, matching streaks of hair color, ruffled socks in platform Mary Janes and an array of doll furniture and fixtures.

The Viva Glam ambassador’s first foray for the MAC counter unleashed a dangerous woman in the form of a matte plum lipstick and sheer pink shimmer LipGlass. This time around, Grande’s “playing nice and charming” with a matte deep bubblegum lip color and a more neutral pink LipGlass that will hit shelves in September. As always, every penny of the proceeds will benefit the MAC AIDS Fund, which funds programs to assist those affected by HIV/AIDS.

Talk about sugar, spice, and everything nice!

June 16, 2016 by
Beauty, Body

Star Wars: The Fragrance Awakens

 

 

When it comes to Star Wars, there is no such thing as too much merch if 2015 was any indication. And the train shows no slowing down with a collection of fragrances hitting beauty counters in a galaxy far, far away (actually, it’s Europe).

German fragrance house Lifestyle Perfumes has just released a series of three scents inspired by the iconic film franchise with two scents for men, modeled after the light and dark side of the force, and one for women—all housed in bottles shaped like lightsabers! This seems to be fleshing out the blockbuster’s hold on the beauty counter, as it previously partnered with CoverGirl for a collection of makeup musts to celebrate the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Jedi is light and bright with fresh notes of mandarin, water lily, and amber while Empire is a spicier affair with notes of cardamom, clove, and patchouli. While specific notes aren’t listed for Amidala, judging by the image the brand shared on Instagram, it appears to be very sweet thanks to tangerine, chocolate, and vanilla in the image and housed in a bottle that matches the color scheme of her Elizabethan-inspired ensemble the Queen wore on her picnic with Anakin on Naboo. There’s a lot of citrus throughout the collection, according to io9. But given its release in June (prime citrus season) and the recent installment, the company could’ve focused their setting on the more lush planets in the galaxy like Endor, D’Qar, and the aforementioned Naboo.

Well if I had known about this sooner, I would’ve just snapped this up for my dad for Father’s Day! Unfortunately, the collection is only available in Europe with no word on if/when it will hit shelves stateside. Now’s the time to get in touch with your forum friends across the pond and see if they can ship you the cool cosmetic collectibles.

June 15, 2016 by