My Blowout Is The Bomb Y'all!

Peep my super sleek blowout, courtesy of Emma H at Cutler Salon in NYC. Isn't it amazin'? I'm glowing!

I was waltzing around the city that day thinkin' I was too cute. You couldn't tell me nothin'.

Emma tamed my tresses with a T3 hairdryer and flat iron, and polished it off with a little of Redken's Sleek Obedience Anti-Frizz Solid Serum - a pomade that she recommended I invest in.

Another reason to love Emma? She talked me out of cutting my bangs, suggesting that I simply switch my part from the left to the right side. And she was right. I don't know what kind of optical illusion it creates, but my hair looks 10 times more flattering, and it actually makes my face look thinner. And isn't that the ultimate goal?

If I lived in New York, I would definitely be scheduling bi-weekly visits with Emma. In fact, I think I might just make an appointment for September when I return. Can't be looking a hot mess at Fashion Week.

Oh, and did I mention that Emma does Rachael Ray's hair?

Cutler Salon
47 W. 57th Street (between Park & Lexington)
New York, NY 10012

News Flash: There Are Beauty Deals To Be Had at TJ Maxx

Just in case you've been living under a rock, there are some amazing beauty deals to be had at TJ Maxx. And just in case you don't believe me, I took some pics with my CrackBerry - to show you how much money you can save simply by doing a little digging...

T3 Overnight Dryer, $48
(originally $130)

Hairdo Salon Clip-In Hair from Jessica Simpson and Ken Paves, $19.99
(originally $90-95)

Jessica Simpson Fancy Eau de Parfum, $19.99
(originally $35)


Philip B Drop Dead Straightening Baume, $5.99
(originally $24)

NARS Skin Essential Oil-Infused Therapy Soak, $19.99
(originally $75)


Korres Vanilla Cinnamon Showergel, $3.99
(originally $13)


Bliss Tried + True Blue Kit, $7.99
(originally $20)


Freeze 24-7 Ice Shield Facial Cleanser with Sunscreen SPF 15, $16.99
(originally $48)


Bliss Clog-Dissolving Cleansing Milk, $14.99
(originally $28)

Click here to find a TJ Maxx near you. Happy shopping!

Coming Soon: Orlando Pita Renew Dry Conditioner for T3!!!

Backstage at the Fashion Week Barbie show, Orlando Pita styled exaggerated ponytails, bloated bouffants and larger-than-life buns using T3 Plump and T3 Control sprays. To add shine and glossiness, Pita spritzed the models’ manes with his latest creation, T3 Renew Dry Conditioner.

Dry conditioner?!? Yeah, that’s what I thought. As soon as I left the backstage area, I set out on a reconnaissance mission to learn more about this mystifying new mist. At the CEW Product Demonstration, I ran into my T3 contact, who supplied me with the top secret deets. Here’s what I learned:

T3 Renew Dry Conditioner is a waterless, lightweight dry conditioner (the first of its kind) with a non-greasy formulation that breathes life into parched, lackluster locks - instantly restoring moisture, shine and softness. The product features Quaternium, known in the skincare world for its long-lasting, penetrating conditioning power - alongside nourishing botanicals such as chamomile, ginger and rosemary extract. Powerful blend is rich in antioxidants, Vitamins E and B6 to nourish, soften, protect hair while enhancing highlights and restoring shine.

Unlike traditional conditioning formulas, Renew doesn’t weigh hair down or leave hair oily like shine sprays. A natural wheat protein ensures the instant conditioner is lightweight, not heavy or greasy, and diffuses easily throughout the hair without a trace. Renew can be used as an instant pick-me-up for dry, damaged hair - or as a nourishing, overnight conditioning treatment.

It is the perfect complement to any dry shampoo, like T3 Refresh Volumizing Dry Shampoo. To apply, shake well and hold the can 6-8 inches from your head. Spray the aerosol all over dry hair and brush through.

T3 Orlando Pita Renew Dry Conditioner ($25) will launch in March and will be exclusively sold in Sephora stores and on sephora.com.

New York Fashion Week: I’m A Barbie Girl, In The Barbie World

I'm a blond little girl, in the fantasy world
Dress me up, make it tight, I'm your dolly
You're my doll, rock'n'roll, feel the glamour and pain,
Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky panky...
You can touch, you can play, if you say: "I'm always yours"

I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world
Life is plastic, it's fantastic!
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation

To commemorate her 50th birthday, Barbie partied like it’s 1959, 2009 and 2059. Yesterday, Barbie took Manhattan and staged the most anticipated fashion week show in forev. 50 celebrated designers showcased one-of-a-kind, adult-size creations inspired by the renowned fashion doll. The epic fashion event celebrated the past, present and future of fashion, with Barbie as the muse; she’s once, twice, three times a lady.

Backstage at Barbie, I spoke to Charlotte Tilbury, lead makeup artist for Stila. She told me that the looks were divided into three sections: Past Barbie, Present Barbie and Futuristic Barbie.

“Past is a 50’s dominatrix with pure red lips and really high-gloss pink-red gloss. A late 50’s black cat liquid eye with a little bit of contouring and shimmering white highlights. And a little bit of a filled in eyebrow,” she said.

“Barbie from the present is very Sharon Tate doll-looking; lots of lilacs and soft pinks, whites and dove grays - and beigy, pale pink glossy lips.”

“Futuristic Barbie looks like she’s wearing a Venetian mask or going to a Venetian ball. She’s got a butterfly be-dazzled eye with feathers, sequins, and electric blue glitter. Like a peacock butterfly with a beige Bardot gloss.”

Charlotte added, “Barbie was always my favorite game when I was younger. And being in fashion and making up models feels like you’re still playing Barbie. But today is so much fun. I get to live a little bit more of my fantasy.”

I asked Charlotte how these runway looks can be translated for real life, to which she replied:

“The present and the past are really great looks for real women. For the futuristic look, if you wanted to take the fabulous electric shimmery blue shadow with black eyeliner and did that with a beigy gloss lip, it would be a fantastic look also for real women.”

When asked why she thinks Barbie continues to be an icon, Charlotte answered, “She leggy, she’s got a waist, she’s got fabulous perky boobs, she’s got big blonde hair, huge big doe eyes, glossy lips and she never really speaks.”

For Past Barbie, Orlanda Pita (for T3) styled exaggerated ponytails and blunt bangs, reminiscent of vintage Barbie with the chevron striped swimsuit. He teased the models’ hair, a la Valley of the Dolls, for Present Barbie - using Plump and Control sprays. Futuristic Barbies sported larger-than-life buns, embellished with braided extensions.

CND was responsible for the dollicious manicures. As you can see in the photo below, all of the artifical nails have an elongated almond shape. CND lead nail technician, Amanda Fontanarrosa, gave me the skinny on the show's nail looks...and shared some pro secrets.

Past Barbie: Wildfire #111
Present Barbie - Hot Pop Pink #348
Futuristic Barbie: French manicure, evolving into a lucite tip

"If a model smudges a nail at the last minute backstage, I simply glide a tiny bit of acetone over the nail with the pad of my finger to smooth out the enamel," Amanda shared. "Wafting your hands or blowing on wet enamelk does NOT speed up drying time, instead it slows it down. That's why we use Solar Speed Spray to control the flow of oxygen over enamel, helping it to dry faster."

Stay tuned for the Stila face charts…

#NYFW

Photo Credits: Spoiled Pretty, IMG, Makeup Bag

T3 4 Less!!!

Season's greetings from Spokane, WA!

I'm in the Pacific Northwest visiting with the in-laws. I'd like to give a shout out to Steve, Laura, Matt, Maddy and baby Clara for being so warm and hospitable, and for making my first Christmas away from home so lovely.

So today, Mr. Spoiled Pretty and I braved the snow and ventured to River Park Square , a shopping center in the heart of downtown Spokane. Graham left me unattended in Nordstrom for about 10 minutes, then called me on my cell to say that he was finished his Christmas shopping. How do men do that? I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

Realizing that he'd have to humor me before I would willingly leave the mall, Graham accompanied me to Banana Republic and a few other shops - including Chatters, a salon and beauty retail store. I was drawn to the unfamiliar store by a very recognizable pink and white dispay...

If you're in the Spokane area, stop by Chatters for some amazing deals on T3:

* T3 PRO Dryer and 360° Plump Heat Seeking Liquid Hair Plumper for $82 (retail value $147)
* T3 PRO Styler for $82 (retail value $119)
* T3 PRO Diffuser for $12 (retail value $20)

If you're nowhere near Spokane or prefer to shop in your jammies, don't fret. Get these fab deals online.

My Plea To T3

I heart my hair dryer. There’s really nothing I would change about my T3 Featherweight Dryer. Add to it? That’s another story.

For as long as I can remember, I have been using a pik attachment in tandem with my hair dryer. The two rows of teeth glide through hair and detangle, while the dryer is doing its job. Most importantly, the pik eliminates the need for the round or vent brush that many use when drying their hair. And it straightens like you wouldn’t believe, even at the roots.

Some dryers come with pik attachments and some don’t. But for the ones that don’t, you can usually find a universal pik attachment at a beauty supply store. But with my magical T3, the universal pik attachments don’t fit. Plus there’s a warning that if you damage the dryer by trying to channel MacGyver (I’m paraphrasing, obviously), the warranty is null and void.

Currently, three of T3’s four dryers come with a Tourmaline concentrator nozzle. And the only T3 attachment that is available for purchase is their Bespoke Diffuser II. So I’m resorting to begging.

T3, please create a pik attachment for your dryers! You could call it the Spoiled Pretty Pik. Doesn’t that have a nice ring to it?

Three Cheers For T3!!!

After reading countless rave reviews, I jumped on the T3 bandwagon. And let me tell you – I’m gonna ride it ‘til the wheels fall off.

T3 Bespoke Labs Featherweight Dryer is what ‘good hair’ dreams are made of. Every time I use it, I fall deeper and deeper in love with this hair dryer. How do I love T3? Let me count the ways:

*1800 watt, 2-speed/heat settings plus cool shot
*Tourmaline technology and infrared heat reduces static electricity
*Negative ions add moisture and sheen
*Eliminates the frizzy, “blow dried” look
*Seals hair cuticle – resulting in sleek, glossy hair
*Evaporates water in the hair faster, cutting drying time by up to 60%
*Super lightweight (13 ounces)
*Quieter than traditional hair dryers
*Chic bejeweled handle

With my old hair dryer, I would mix 2 or 3 different leave-in conditioners/hair creams in my hands, slather it on - then spend 20 minutes blowing it dry. Mind you, it only takes 10-15 minutes to dry my hair completely, but I had to dry in shifts because my arm and shoulder would start to give out. Once I was “finished,” I would apply a serum to make the cuticle lay down, then spend another few minutes sealing in the shine with another blast from the dryer. And after all that, my hair still looked puffy and parched.

Before T3 came into my life, blow drying was an exercise in endurance. Now, I actually look forward to drying my hair, because the end result is healthy looking hair – not wrecked and ravaged like before. Plus, I find myself applying less hair products because I just don’t need them anymore.

I am such a T3 convert that when I went to see Erik, my hairdresser, a few weeks ago, I took along my Featherweight. You heard me right. And guess what? Erik fell in love too. He used the T3 Featherweight in conjunction with 360 Plump (a weightless, non-sticky hair plumper created by T3 and Orlando Pita) – and nothing else. After Erik was finished styling my hair, he was absolutely blown away (there I go again) by how thick, bouncy, and naturally lustrous my hair looked.

The only downside to this dryer is its $200 price tag. But trust me – and I’m not exaggerating – it’s a steal considering the time and hassle it will save you. Plus, it’s kinder and gentler on your hair than the dryer sitting in the cabinet underneath your sink; and if you care about your hair, sooner or later, you’ll need to start taking care of it – or you won’t have any left.

Bottom line: a T3 hair dryer is a solid beauty investment, with rich dividends.