Special Edition Haitian Relief Minx

I've done several stories on the uber successful Minx, Inc. I'm happy to report they have teamed up with Carlo Valtran, a successful Haitian painter to release the Haitian Relief Minx line which is available now to nailcare professionals through July 2010 on the Minx website. The Port-au-Prince native is renown for his paintings depicting Haiti's hardships through social commentary scenes. He beautifully portrays Haiti's natural habitat, showcasing wildlife, foliage and birds in bright and vibrant colors. The line of three designs are an original piece by Valtran, “Small Birds in Foliage.”



$4.00 from each Minx set purchased will be donated to Food for the Poor and $1.00 will be donated to Valtran.



Valtran, a widower was affected by the quake as his children attend a school that was destroyed and chances are they will be unable to attend school for the remainder of the schoolyear. He continues to live in Port-Au-Prince where he supports his seven children along with his ailing parents and in-laws. If you'd like to make a monetary donation click here for a link to the Minx website.

Photos Via: Minx

H&M Launches New Organic Skincare Line in March

This March the street-chic global retailer H&M (Hennes & Mauritz) will launch a line of skincare products certified with organic ingredients. All of the products in the seven piece collection have been certified by Ecocert (Ecocert is Europe’s biggest certification body for organic and natural cosmetics)and are available in either raspberry and melon or lavender and mint fragrance combinations with recyclable packaging. The shower gel ($4.95), body scrub ($4.95), body lotion ($4.95), hand cream ($4.95), lip balm ($4.95), toiletry bag ($7.95) and make-up bag ($4.95) are all affordable and moderately priced.

Make-up Bag


Toiletry Bag


According to H&M's official press release:

Nature gives us the best ingredients, which is why it makes so much sense to work with organic and natural ingredients in this new range of everyday essentials from H&M. Shower gel contains the juice of organic apples, while organic apple juice and apricot seeds are key ingredients in the body scrub. Organic apple juice and oils from sunflower seeds make up an essential part of the body lotion, while the hand cream has organic apple juice and oils from organic almond seeds. The lip-balm has the key organic ingredients of jojoba and beeswax, and all of the products are scented with natural perfumes derived from essential oils, sold in recyclable packaging.

“It felt like a natural step, since we’ve worked with organic cotton garments for a few seasons now. There’s also a strong demand from our customers for organics, and I hope they will be as excited as I am about the new products,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s head of design.

Photos Via: H&M

Sarah Jessica Parker's New Fragrance: SJP NYC

Not only is Sarah Jessica Parker a fashion icon and movie star but this renaissance woman is set to launch her sixth scent with Coty Prestige, SJP NYC. Her other fragrances Lovely, Covet, Dawn, Twilight and Endless have been successful and I'm sure this one will follow suit. The SATC-inspired SJP NYC is deliciously yummy with top notes of white osmanthus,Italian mandarin, wild red strawberries, mimosa and red rose damascenia, honeysuckle, vanilla absolute, rum flavor and a base of creamy musk. Perfect for the budding socialite on-the-go, SJP NYC will be released in Macy's February 2010. In May, with the highly-anticipated release of the second 'Sex and the City' movie, the fragrance will be featured in an additional 1,500 department and specialty stores in the U.S. and in 16 countries. A cuff bracelet with solid perfume will debut in May. The fragrance collection includes eau de toilette in three sizes and body lotion, priced between $25-$49.



Parker is wearing a stunning Oscar de la Renta dress in the advertising campaign which was styled by Elle creative director Joe Zee. The colorful packaging was designed with Carrie Bradshaw’s famously over-stuffed designer closet in mind.

Photos Via: www.mimifroufrou.com

Crazy Busy Beautiful

Hands down one of my top five favorite make-up artists, Carmindy of TLC's hit show "What Not to Wear" is releasing a new book, "CRAZY BUSY BEAUTIFUL: BEAUTY SECRETS FOR GETTING GORGEOUS FAST." This book is highly anticipated after her bestselling book, "The 5-Minute Face." It retails for $12.99 and hits stands March 30th. The book is chalked filled with beauty secrets, over 600 do-it-yourself beauty tips, and advice on how to look flawless despite your hectic and chaotic life.

Photo via: http://www.harpercollins.com

Best Brows in Town

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Well, in that case your eyebrows should be the perfect pair of complementary window dressings. Brows are uniquely different; when having your brows professional waxed or threaded and even if your a do-it-yourself kinda girl please keep in mind the overall shape of your face. McDonald's arches belong at the fast food chain, not on your face! Remember ladies, over tweezing is a no no, put the tweezers and razors down and consult a professional for the best results.

These celebrities hands down have the best brows in town! I'm certainly a fan of a thicker, arched brow.

Kim Kardashian


Photo Via: http://kimkardashian.celebuzz.com/

Meagan Good


Photo Via: www.starpulse.com

Megan Fox

Photo Via: www.gossipcheck.com

CosmeticSuite101.com offers the following tips for the perfect brows:
5 STEPS TO THE PERFECT EYEBROW SHAPE
1. Trim your eyebrows. This will make a big difference in helping you look younger. Once eyebrows reach a certain length they start losing pigments at the ends. I love using a mustache trimmer set I purchased at a department store. It comes with a little comb and perfect point scissors. Comb your eyebrows up, trim any excess that goes beyond the natural hair line. Comb your eyebrows down, and do the same. It may seem like a lot at first but trust me, you will love the outcome.

2. Take an eyeliner pencil and place it vertically against your nose. It should run from the side of the nose, mid-mouth, and by the tear duct of the eye. This is where your eyebrow should start; any hair that is visible beyond the pencil should be tweezed.

3. Next place the pencil diagonally where it should hit the middle of the mouth, nostril, and outside the iris of the eye. This is wear your arch is. Tweeze a gradually line from the arch to the start of the eyebrow. Remember, GRADUAL, nothing harsh.

4. To determine the end of the eyebrow, place the pencil diagonally across to the opposite corners of the mouth, nostril, and outside corner of the eye. Any hair that goes past should be tweezed.

5. Place your pencil horizontal from the start of the eyebrow to the end of the eyebrow. The pencil should create a perfect straight line.
For those of you, who prefer a wax or threading over a pair of tweezers

Read more at Suite101: Eyebrow Shape: Shaping eyebrows for the perfect eyebrow shape. http://cosmetics.suite101.com/article.cfm/eyebrow_shape#ixzz0fjIAYJbW


Main Image Via: darkenedsky06669.blogspot.com/.../eyebrows.html

Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper New Faces of MAC's VIVA GLAM

Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper have joined the long list of celebrities like RuPaul, Eve, Lil' Kim and Fergie who have teamed up with MAC Cosmetics and the MAC AIDS Fund. The music superstars signed on as the Spring 2010 faces of the VIVA GLAM Campaign. The collection, "From Our Lips" will begin it's advertising campaign February 25th and hits stores nationwide March 18th.

According to MAC's website:
"Established in 1994 to support men, women and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS globally, VIVA GLAM I, II, III, IV, V and VI, were launched as continuous shades and have achieved tremendous success over the years. Spring 2010 sees two new VIVA GLAM shades introduced as limited life for 12 months on counter. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the sensational Cyndi Lauper and the electric Lady Gaga!

Both women have their own lipsticks: Viva Glam Gaga and Viva Glam Cyndi. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the collection will go to the MAC AIDS Fund. The MAC AIDS Fund has invested more than $150 million to organizations in more than 67 countries.

VIVA Glam Gaga



VIVA Glam Cyndi





Photos via: MAC

The Beauty Behind the Game

Not my conventional "beauty" story, I choose to highlight Sunday's Superbowl XLIV not only because it was such a deserving win for the post-Katrina New Orleans Saints but because my very good friend Usama Young plays for the Saints!!! Wooooo Hoooooooo! Opppppsss, I meant Whoooooooooo Datttttttttttttt!!!?!!!




The "beauty behind the game" as I define it was the sheer blood, sweat and tears left on the field by the Saints. Realizing a defeat would be no cakewalk, they suited up and gave it their all in an impressive 31-to-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Not to mention that impressive 74-yard interception return touchdown by Tracy Porter that sealed the deal! In a game that I cunningly describe as "nail biting" (Yes, I chipped my OPI polish) the Saints delivered a victory that not only New Orleans longed for, but the nation.




You all may remember Young during last year's NFL SuperBowl Ad. The commercial featured Young and his father reminiscing about life as a high school student when he worked at the Redskins Fed-Ex field stadium and dreamed of one day playing professional football. Well the dream has come full circle and now to his accolades he can add SuperBowl Champion at the ripe old age of twenty-four.

Click here for a link to Usama's TV commercial aired during last year's Superbowl.


"Im beautiful. I was voted as a Superbowl Hottie," said Young as he joked about his nomination by Essence.com. The ultimate "beauty" in this story is the Saints' tale of triumph and redemption. The ultimate underdog finished first for once. Well deserved Saints, well deserved!

Who Dat said Dey' Gon' Beat Dem' Saints???? Who Dat? Who Dat?

I leave you with images of some of the "beautiful" men on the Saints team. Enjoy!

Saints basking in the glory in the locker room after the game


Darren Sharper


Reggie Bush and the Colts



Photos Courtesy: Usama Young
Photos Via: www.gettyimages.com

Celebrity Makeup Artist Roxanna Floyd Passes

The beauty industry is mourning the untimely loss of celebrated 49-year-old makeup artist Roxanna Floyd. Floyd began her career as a celebrity makeup artist for Yoko Ono and has worked with Hollywood's elite throughout her impressive career.

Throughout the span of her career she has painted the faces of Alicia Keys, Queen Latifah, Angela Bassett, Lauren Hill, Halle Berry and Whitney Houston. Whitney Houston even commissioned Floyd for her comeback-album world tour. Her work has been featured in InStyle, Essence, Ebony, Essence and Redbook.

Highly respected and renowned in the beauty industry, Floyd lent her artistic talents to numerous movies, TV shows, and photo shoots. Details have not been released surrounding the cause of her death althought it is known she passed away in her sleep at her home in Brooklyn. Floyd is survived by her husband, Rick E. Ramos and her mother, Alberta “Bertha” Floyd.

Photos Via: www.bet.com