How To Style Your Bangs To The Side

In the February issue of Allure, a reader asks, “I want to wear my bangs to the side. How do I style them?”

Garren, the owner of the Garren New York salon at the Sherry-Netherland Hotel in NYC shares some words of wisdom. He writes:

Looser, softer bangs are in right now, and getting that effect is all in how you dry them. Part your hair when it’s damp, apply a conditioning spray (or a styling spray with very light hold), and sweep bangs to the side. Then let them air-dry almost fully; they’ll take direction better than if you started blow-drying when they were soaking wet. Use a large, round brush to pull the bangs down and to the side as you finish them with the blow-dryer – never pull forward; you’ll end up with a big bump. If you need to get ready quickly, blow-dry your hair most of the way, then sweep your bangs over and tuck them behind your ear so the effect will still be soft and natural.

Garren's advice isn't so helpful to brown girls like me (let my relaxed hair air-dry? neva eva). But for other hair types, he probably knows what he's talking about – so I thought I’d share.

How To Style Your Bangs To The Side

In the February issue of Allure, a reader asks, “I want to wear my bangs to the side. How do I style them?”

Garren, the owner of the Garren New York salon at the Sherry-Netherland Hotel in NYC shares some words of wisdom. He writes:

Looser, softer bangs are in right now, and getting that effect is all in how you dry them. Part your hair when it’s damp, apply a conditioning spray (or a styling spray with very light hold), and sweep bangs to the side. Then let them air-dry almost fully; they’ll take direction better than if you started blow-drying when they were soaking wet. Use a large, round brush to pull the bangs down and to the side as you finish them with the blow-dryer – never pull forward; you’ll end up with a big bump. If you need to get ready quickly, blow-dry your hair most of the way, then sweep your bangs over and tuck them behind your ear so the effect will still be soft and natural.

Garren's advice isn't so helpful to brown girls like me (let my relaxed hair air-dry? neva eva). But for other hair types, he probably knows what he's talking about – so I thought I’d share.

WWD: Beauty In The Blogosphere

Today’s issue of Womens Wear Daily includes a discerning look at beauty blogs and their growing influence in the industry.

Though I wish Spoiled Pretty could have been mentioned in the article, I am beyond thrilled for my blogging comrades who were referenced (All About The Pretty, Beauty Addict, Beauty Blogging Junkie, Beauty Snob, BellaSugar, Blogdorf Goodman, Makeup and Beauty Blog, Makeup Bag, Shake Your Beauty, and Temptalia).

Here are some excerpts:

A new breed of beauty writers is building the sort of influence that's gaining the attention of major brands: bloggers.

Scores of blogs largely dedicated to opinions and reviews of beauty products have proliferated in the past several years. And as the quality and quantity of blogs increases, beauty companies' traditional marketing strategies are having to adapt.

Linda Wells, editor in chief of Allure, said she believes beauty brands have started to take blogs seriously over the past few years because blogs are “starting to have an effect on product sales. Companies are more excited about being mentioned [on blogs], so we’re seeing more of the industry reaching out to bloggers,” she said.

To read the article in its entirety, click on the image (above, left).

WWD: Beauty In The Blogosphere

Today’s issue of Womens Wear Daily includes a discerning look at beauty blogs and their growing influence in the industry.

Though I wish Spoiled Pretty could have been mentioned in the article, I am beyond thrilled for my blogging comrades who were referenced (All About The Pretty, Beauty Addict, Beauty Blogging Junkie, Beauty Snob, BellaSugar, Blogdorf Goodman, Makeup and Beauty Blog, Makeup Bag, Shake Your Beauty, and Temptalia).

Here are some excerpts:

A new breed of beauty writers is building the sort of influence that's gaining the attention of major brands: bloggers.

Scores of blogs largely dedicated to opinions and reviews of beauty products have proliferated in the past several years. And as the quality and quantity of blogs increases, beauty companies' traditional marketing strategies are having to adapt.

Linda Wells, editor in chief of Allure, said she believes beauty brands have started to take blogs seriously over the past few years because blogs are “starting to have an effect on product sales. Companies are more excited about being mentioned [on blogs], so we’re seeing more of the industry reaching out to bloggers,” she said.

To read the article in its entirety, click on the image (above, left).

VIG (Very Important Gloss)

A few weeks ago, I blogged about mood-changing lip glosses and recommended purchasing Too Faced Mood Swing over Smashbox O-Gloss; my reasoning was that they were essentially the same product and Mood Swing costs less. Well, I take it back. I take it all back.

Yesterday, I received a tube of O-Gloss in the mail (courtesy of Allure Experts) – and I am deeply in love with this gloss. The moment the clear gel hit my lips, it morphed into the most flattering shade of pink...I was very impressed. Rich in antioxidants and botanicals, this non-tacky gloss moisturizes with avocado oil.

O-Gloss has already become a staple in my makeup bag.

Available at Smahbox.com and Sephora.

VIG (Very Important Gloss)

A few weeks ago, I blogged about mood-changing lip glosses and recommended purchasing Too Faced Mood Swing over Smashbox O-Gloss; my reasoning was that they were essentially the same product and Mood Swing costs less. Well, I take it back. I take it all back.

Yesterday, I received a tube of O-Gloss in the mail (courtesy of Allure Experts) – and I am deeply in love with this gloss. The moment the clear gel hit my lips, it morphed into the most flattering shade of pink...I was very impressed. Rich in antioxidants and botanicals, this non-tacky gloss moisturizes with avocado oil.

O-Gloss has already become a staple in my makeup bag.

Available at Smahbox.com and Sephora.

The Wait Is Over: Calvin Klein Beauty at Sephora.com

Calvin Klein’s new beauty line is now available at Sephora.com. These color cosmetics for the face, eyes, lips, and nails are priced between $10 and $32.

From the looks of the Calvin Klein Beauty page on Sephora, I wasn’t the only one anxiously awaiting its arrival. Many colors are already listed as “temporarily out of stock” – which could mean Sephora is still waiting on shipments, or some over-enthusiastic beauty junkies are giving their credit cards a workout.

Unluckily for me, the Delicious Luxury Crème Lipstick in Fusion (I fell in love with this bold fuchsia/red shade after seeing it in January’s Allure magazine) is nowhere to be found on the website.* This alluring hue (see, left) is simply stunning - so I'm determined to hunt it down. You know what they say about nothing good coming easy.

*If you happen to locate a tube of Fusion, please email me. I'm serious.

The Wait Is Over: Calvin Klein Beauty at Sephora.com

Calvin Klein’s new beauty line is now available at Sephora.com. These color cosmetics for the face, eyes, lips, and nails are priced between $10 and $32.

From the looks of the Calvin Klein Beauty page on Sephora, I wasn’t the only one anxiously awaiting its arrival. Many colors are already listed as “temporarily out of stock” – which could mean Sephora is still waiting on shipments, or some over-enthusiastic beauty junkies are giving their credit cards a workout.

Unluckily for me, the Delicious Luxury Crème Lipstick in Fusion (I fell in love with this bold fuchsia/red shade after seeing it in January’s Allure magazine) is nowhere to be found on the website.* This alluring hue (see, left) is simply stunning - so I'm determined to hunt it down. You know what they say about nothing good coming easy.

*If you happen to locate a tube of Fusion, please email me. I'm serious.

Rihanna Inspired By Charlize, Not Posh

Don’t lump Rihanna in with the all those celebs knocking off the 'Pob' (Victoria Beckham’s ubiquitous hairstyle).

In the January issue of Allure, the R&B star reveals that her edgy 'do was actually inspired by Charlize Theron’s haircut in the action film Aeon Flux. Without getting permission from her record label, she “asked hairstylist Ursula Stephen to chop off her hair and dye it raven black in her L.A. hotel room.”

To get the Good Girl Gone Bad look, pick up the following Cover Girl products (Rihanna is the company spokesperson):

*Cover Girl LineExact Liquid Liner in Very Black
*Cover Girl Eye Enhancers in Tapestry Taupe
*Cover Girl TruBlend Naturally Luminous Blush in Pure Romance Cover Girl
*Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers Lipgloss in Berry Splash

Rihanna Inspired By Charlize, Not Posh

Don’t lump Rihanna in with the all those celebs knocking off the 'Pob' (Victoria Beckham’s ubiquitous hairstyle).

In the January issue of Allure, the R&B star reveals that her edgy 'do was actually inspired by Charlize Theron’s haircut in the action film Aeon Flux. Without getting permission from her record label, she “asked hairstylist Ursula Stephen to chop off her hair and dye it raven black in her L.A. hotel room.”

To get the Good Girl Gone Bad look, pick up the following Cover Girl products (Rihanna is the company spokesperson):

*Cover Girl LineExact Liquid Liner in Very Black
*Cover Girl Eye Enhancers in Tapestry Taupe
*Cover Girl TruBlend Naturally Luminous Blush in Pure Romance Cover Girl
*Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers Lipgloss in Berry Splash

Doing It Well

Jennifer Lopez, and her rumored unborn twins, have been very busy lately. To promote her sixth studio album, Brave, Lopez has appeared on Good Morning America, The Late Show with David Letterman – and most recently, Dancing With The Stars.

But Jenny from the block isn’t satisfied with conquering the radio and small screen. She’s also on newsstands now – showing off her pregnancy glow on the November issue of Allure.

For Lopez's Allure cover look - dramatic false eyelashes, dewy skin, and glossy nude lips - her longtime makeup artist Scott Barnes drew inspiration from 1960s model Marisa Berenson. "I understand Jennifer's face so well I could do it in the dark. I have," he says. "She's my muse beyond a shadow of a doubt."

Recreating JLo’s makeup is as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Fill out the upper and lower lashlines with clusters of false lashes; they give a more natural effect than full lashes. Swipe a stroke of black liquid liner along both lids to camouflage the falsies. Brush black mascara on the top and bottom lashes.

2. Fill in the lips with a pale, nude pencil.

3. Add a layer of shimmery, clear lip gloss. Makeup artist Scott Barnes always uses his fingertips to apply the maximum amount.

To learn how to replicate the best beauty looks from the pages of Allure, go to Allure.com.

Doing It Well

Jennifer Lopez, and her rumored unborn twins, have been very busy lately. To promote her sixth studio album, Brave, Lopez has appeared on Good Morning America, The Late Show with David Letterman – and most recently, Dancing With The Stars.

But Jenny from the block isn’t satisfied with conquering the radio and small screen. She’s also on newsstands now – showing off her pregnancy glow on the November issue of Allure.

For Lopez's Allure cover look - dramatic false eyelashes, dewy skin, and glossy nude lips - her longtime makeup artist Scott Barnes drew inspiration from 1960s model Marisa Berenson. "I understand Jennifer's face so well I could do it in the dark. I have," he says. "She's my muse beyond a shadow of a doubt."

Recreating JLo’s makeup is as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Fill out the upper and lower lashlines with clusters of false lashes; they give a more natural effect than full lashes. Swipe a stroke of black liquid liner along both lids to camouflage the falsies. Brush black mascara on the top and bottom lashes.

2. Fill in the lips with a pale, nude pencil.

3. Add a layer of shimmery, clear lip gloss. Makeup artist Scott Barnes always uses his fingertips to apply the maximum amount.

To learn how to replicate the best beauty looks from the pages of Allure, go to Allure.com.

Straight Talk: Beware the Brazilian

An article in the October 2007 issue of Allure shocked me to the core. According to the magazine, a new Brazilian hair straightening treatment could be a health hazard. But it hasn’t stopped women from jumping on this beauty bandwagon, or hairstylists from performing the procedure.

The treatment, referred to as escova progressiva in Brazil, promises shiny, voluminous, straight hair – even on colored or damaged hair – for two to three months. Brands in the United States include the Brazilian Keratin Treatment, and the Brazilian Blowout. The procedure, which costs between $150 and $600, is on the menu at salons – large and small – across the country.

Sounds like a beauty breakthrough, right? Far from it, actually - as escova progressiva often contains high concentrations of formaldehyde, a carcinogen (cancer-causing chemical). Even scarier – most customers have no idea what straightening their curls really costs them.

Allure collected samples of some of the most popular treatments on the market, and sent them to an FDA-registered lab for testing. The tests revealed that the formaldehyde concentrations in the samples ranged from 3.4 to 22.1 percent – much higher than the .02 percent that is regarded to be safe by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel (CIR), a group of scientists who assess and set safety standards for cosmetics ingredients.

Most stylists using the treatment said they were taking recommended safety precautions, such as wearing latex gloves, using gas masks, and working under ventilation hoods. Unfortunately these safety measures do little to prevent harmful side effects. During the escova progressive treatment, the solution is painted onto the hair and, using a 450-degree flat iron, the hairdresser seals the formula onto the outer layer of the cuticle. In the process, noxious gases are released that are inhaled by both stylist and customer – and depending on the formaldehyde concentration, the fumes can seriously irritate the eyes and tissues in the nose and throat.

According to Allure, “rumor has it that the process was born when an embalmer in Brazil found that the formaldehyde he used on corpses also straightened their hair. The embalmer allegedly reasoned, ‘Why wouldn’t it work on the living?’ And with a hairstylist, he created a solution thought to have a formaldehyde percentage in the 20s.”

This past March, a 33-year old Brazilian woman died after using escova progressiva, which she applied herself and left on for the four days, the amount of time salons recommend. Experts suspect that when she finally washed it out, the toxic vapors were released and asphyxiated the otherwise healthy woman in the shower.

Many hairdressers claim that the protein keratin is the ingredient that straightens the hair. But an Allure source says “it’s doubtful that the keratin does anything other than provide a good marketing story.” She says, “that it’s really the formaldehyde that makes the treatment work.”

Despite all of these caveats, no health agency has deemed it illegal in the U.S., but that’s because no group approves beauty products before they come to market.

Bottom Line: Do women really want hair that’s to die for?

Straight Talk: Beware the Brazilian

An article in the October 2007 issue of Allure shocked me to the core. According to the magazine, a new Brazilian hair straightening treatment could be a health hazard. But it hasn’t stopped women from jumping on this beauty bandwagon, or hairstylists from performing the procedure.

The treatment, referred to as escova progressiva in Brazil, promises shiny, voluminous, straight hair – even on colored or damaged hair – for two to three months. Brands in the United States include the Brazilian Keratin Treatment, and the Brazilian Blowout. The procedure, which costs between $150 and $600, is on the menu at salons – large and small – across the country.

Sounds like a beauty breakthrough, right? Far from it, actually - as escova progressiva often contains high concentrations of formaldehyde, a carcinogen (cancer-causing chemical). Even scarier – most customers have no idea what straightening their curls really costs them.

Allure collected samples of some of the most popular treatments on the market, and sent them to an FDA-registered lab for testing. The tests revealed that the formaldehyde concentrations in the samples ranged from 3.4 to 22.1 percent – much higher than the .02 percent that is regarded to be safe by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel (CIR), a group of scientists who assess and set safety standards for cosmetics ingredients.

Most stylists using the treatment said they were taking recommended safety precautions, such as wearing latex gloves, using gas masks, and working under ventilation hoods. Unfortunately these safety measures do little to prevent harmful side effects. During the escova progressive treatment, the solution is painted onto the hair and, using a 450-degree flat iron, the hairdresser seals the formula onto the outer layer of the cuticle. In the process, noxious gases are released that are inhaled by both stylist and customer – and depending on the formaldehyde concentration, the fumes can seriously irritate the eyes and tissues in the nose and throat.

According to Allure, “rumor has it that the process was born when an embalmer in Brazil found that the formaldehyde he used on corpses also straightened their hair. The embalmer allegedly reasoned, ‘Why wouldn’t it work on the living?’ And with a hairstylist, he created a solution thought to have a formaldehyde percentage in the 20s.”

This past March, a 33-year old Brazilian woman died after using escova progressiva, which she applied herself and left on for the four days, the amount of time salons recommend. Experts suspect that when she finally washed it out, the toxic vapors were released and asphyxiated the otherwise healthy woman in the shower.

Many hairdressers claim that the protein keratin is the ingredient that straightens the hair. But an Allure source says “it’s doubtful that the keratin does anything other than provide a good marketing story.” She says, “that it’s really the formaldehyde that makes the treatment work.”

Despite all of these caveats, no health agency has deemed it illegal in the U.S., but that’s because no group approves beauty products before they come to market.

Bottom Line: Do women really want hair that’s to die for?

Mix and Match Skincare?

The “Ask Allure” column in October 2007’s issue poses a very common beauty query. Patricia Wexler, an expert in the field of dermatology and creator of the Wexler MD line of products, provides some answers…

Q: Should I use an entire skin-care line, or is it okay to mix and match? –Mary, Stanford, CA

Wexler’s Response: "Skin-care systems prevent overlap and over use of beneficial but potentially irritating ingredients. For example, if you are using a cleanser with salicylic acid, a toner with glycolic acid and a cream with a retinoid, you run the risk of overdoing it and irritating or drying out your skin. This doesn’t mean that you can’t mix and match; you just have to make sure the products you’re using are compatible. It’s a good idea to ask your dermatologist to evaluate your morning and evening regimes to see if the products work well in combination."

Got a question for Allure’s panel of experts? Submit your question here.

Mix and Match Skincare?

The “Ask Allure” column in October 2007’s issue poses a very common beauty query. Patricia Wexler, an expert in the field of dermatology and creator of the Wexler MD line of products, provides some answers…

Q: Should I use an entire skin-care line, or is it okay to mix and match? –Mary, Stanford, CA

Wexler’s Response: "Skin-care systems prevent overlap and over use of beneficial but potentially irritating ingredients. For example, if you are using a cleanser with salicylic acid, a toner with glycolic acid and a cream with a retinoid, you run the risk of overdoing it and irritating or drying out your skin. This doesn’t mean that you can’t mix and match; you just have to make sure the products you’re using are compatible. It’s a good idea to ask your dermatologist to evaluate your morning and evening regimes to see if the products work well in combination."

Got a question for Allure’s panel of experts? Submit your question here.

Alluring, No?

If you like to try free products, share your opinion, and be on the inside track, join the Allure Experts Panel now!

Get exclusive access to:

Allure’s Pretty Points: Earn points for free beauty products

Allure Beauty Buzz Forum: Talk to other experts to share secrets and tips

The Insiders’ Club: Try new beauty products before they hit shelves

Click here to sign up today!

Alluring, No?

If you like to try free products, share your opinion, and be on the inside track, join the Allure Experts Panel now!

Get exclusive access to:

Allure’s Pretty Points: Earn points for free beauty products

Allure Beauty Buzz Forum: Talk to other experts to share secrets and tips

The Insiders’ Club: Try new beauty products before they hit shelves

Click here to sign up today!

Simply The Best

You could spend months, and thousands of dollars, searching for the ultimate beauty products. But Allure Magazine did the work for you.

This past spring, Allure collected nearly 2,000 lipsticks, body scrubs, mascaras, skin serums, defrizzers, and more to bring you Allure's twelfth Best of Beauty issue. In the end, 218 assiduously tested products won the Allure stamp of approval.

To discover the beauty buys that perform better, last longer and make us look better, skip the newsstand and click here.

Simply The Best

You could spend months, and thousands of dollars, searching for the ultimate beauty products. But Allure Magazine did the work for you.

This past spring, Allure collected nearly 2,000 lipsticks, body scrubs, mascaras, skin serums, defrizzers, and more to bring you Allure's twelfth Best of Beauty issue. In the end, 218 assiduously tested products won the Allure stamp of approval.

To discover the beauty buys that perform better, last longer and make us look better, skip the newsstand and click here.