SICKA THAN AVERAGE

Bitten By Demitasse Jewelry's The Vampire Chronicles Collection

 

 
 

Love bites — whether it's in the Def Leppard, love begs-love-pleads way or in the more literal, blood-sucking capacity. And, based on the seemingly endless lines of anxious moviegoers gathered outside theaters last night for the opening of The Twilight Saga: The Eclipse, it's the latter form of goth romanticism that's enticing the masses.

In the spirit of the current vampire mania, Demitasse Jewelry designer Rachael White created the Vampire Chronicles collection, which features pieces alluding to sorcerer mythology. There's the Demivamp necklace (pictured at top and, again, third from top), which boasts a 30" cable chain in either vintage brass, gunmetal-y silver, or rose gold shades, which features a hollow metal ring pendant with fang details along the lower arch (so that, if you set the ring atop a table, you'll get a clear view of the spiked incisors) and a bullet tip charm dangling inside the center. For a more stylish take on this concept, Modern Day Elviras can choose the Beaded Demifangs necklace (pictured second from top), which trades in the cable chain in favor of faceted, midnight blue, glass rosary beads. The coolest part: you can string one of these around your neck and then loop the ring over one of your fingers to strike a sinister seductress pose.

If the fang motifs are a bit too morbid or creepy for you, check out the Demibullets, which boast 30" chains with hollowpoint bullet pendants measuring 3" in length. Pick your vessel and vamp it up!

Just remember: no real-life biting allowed!

Demitasse Demivamp necklace, $45; Beaded Demifangs necklace, $98; and Demibullets necklace, $55. Available at DemitasseJewelry.com

One Step Closer To PYT Status With Prtty Peaushun

 

When my 6-year-old first saw me holding an 8 fl. oz. pouch of Prtty Peaushun Skin Tight Body Lotion, he gasped, "Is that a really big Capri Sun?" I chuckled at both the astuteness of his comment and the awe in his tone — apparently, a super-sized Capri Sun would be worthy of that level of excitement. But most of all, I laughed because, moments earlier, I had been pondering how much the lightweight, flexible, foil-like pouch, with its tiny plastic dispenser and removable, screw-on cap, reminded me of the packaging for O.N.E. Water. Fortunately, I knew better than to take a sip! The unusual approach to packaging is just one of the ways in which Prtty Peaushun pushes the envelope — dubbed "anti-packaging," it represents a way to minimize our carbon footprint.

But let's get to the crucial component: the "juice" inside this pouch. Developed by celebrity makeup artist Bethany Karlyn, Prtty Peaushun is a new frontier in the realm of body makeup, featuring skin-firming botanical ingredient, as well as light-reflecting particles that give your skin a shimmery finish. The paraben-free, 100% vegan formula features: moisturizing and soothing avocado oil and avocado butter, which promote collagen and elastin production making skin appear more supple and smooth; pomelo (a citrus fruit native to South Asian) and grapefruit wax, both of which help to temporarily diminish the appearance of stretch marks, wrinkles and cellulite; calendula flower, which has soothing, anti-inflammatory properties; green tea extract, which boasts antioxidant properties, protecting the skin from free radicals and which also contains skin tightening caffeine; jojoba oil, which softens and hydrates; rosemary extract, which improves circulation and stimulates cell renewal; collagen-boosting allantoin; and anti-inflammatory arnica.

When you squeeze the Prtty Peaushaun pouch onto your palm, you'll notice a dab of cream with a honey mustard-like consistency atop a slightly watery pool. When you rub the substance between your palms and apply onto your legs, arms, stomach, bust, and derriere, you'll notice that it feels like a mix between a feathery light moisturizer and a grease-free body oil, at once smoothing your skin and giving it a seductive sheen. Though it does have a tint to it (Prtty Peaushun is available in Plain, Light, Medium, Dark and Deep), it's rather sheer – not at all like a body foundation, body bronzer, or most body shimmers, all of which coat your skin with an artificial color. Here, it's the tiny light-reflecting particles that do the work, working alongside your natural skin tone to create the desired optical illusion of a firmer, more toned silhouette.

One of my main concerns when using Prtty Peaushun was whether it would have an atificial tint that would run and smear at the slightest hint of moisture (an hey, sweat is an inevitability in the summer time!) and wind up staining my clothing. And fortunately, I have yet to encounter this problem, which is why Prtty Peaushun has become my go-to lotion for days when I want to show off my stems and need them to look their best. The emollient, tightening ingredients will be absorbed by your skin so, if you sweat, it won't have any consequence in terms of your skin's firm appearance or smooth texture.  And, since Prtty Peaushun's shimmery finish isn't the byproduct of artificial dyes, sweating won't result in any streaking, staining or smearing — which is probably why Queen Latifah covered her body in it before hitting the stage at the 2010 BET Awards.

What more can I say? Prtty Peaushun is just one more way to feel like a pretty young thang.

Prtty Peaushun Skin Tight Body Lotion, $36. Available at B-Glowing.com. Visit PrttyPeaushun.com for more information and a full list of retailers.

Miyeon's Lee Little M Jewelry Has Major Mojo

 

   

   

New York City-based Korean artist Miyeon Lee's oil paintings feel like minimalist explorations of color — vibrant and enticing yet free of pretense and excess ornamentation. Similarly, the pieces in her jewelry line, Little M, manage to make powerful statements using the simplest of materials like: silk and grosgrain ribbons, knit braid trim, rayon twist cord, metallic scroll trim, shoelace-like strips, and more. By intertwining these materials and juxtaposing various colors and textures, Lee created the illusion of movement, of strands writhing and undulating against the skin.

Though many of her pieces, such as the untitled piece pictured at top, feature Carnival-ready hues, there's also a disarming innocence to them (check out the Rainbow Trail bracelet pictured second from top). In a way, they recall a simpler time when we were wide-eyed little girls who swapped handmade friendship bracelets and wove ribbons into our hair. Featuring an assortment of ribbon and fabric trims and 14k gold filled chains and plated parts, the Little M pieces are currently available at Artware Editions.

The necklace pictured at top feels like a jewelry piñata — just as festive and full of surprises. It effortlessly fuses together zig-zagging, Rasta-colored trim with nautical-favored, blue-and-white cord, as well as vibrant fuchsia and electric blue cord, shoelace-like white ribbon, bits of gold fringe tassel, and more. 

Common threads have never looked quite as uncommon.

Little M Untitled 2010 Necklace, $230, and Little M Rainbow Bracelets, $125 each. Available at Artware Editions in NYC. Call 212.463.7490 for more details.

Jenny Holzer "Protect Me From What I Want" KedsWhitney Kicks

 

 

 

Ohio-born artist Jenny Holzer has been instrumental in redefining the concept of public art — over the years, she has experimented with xenon light projections and electronic LED signs to superimpose powerful and often subversive phrases onto buildings, bridges, walls, benches, plaques, and more. Some of the phrases are romantic musings, others pose questions about the human existence and the role of divinity therein, while others  tackle such complex subjects as male-female dynamics, governmental corruption, human rights violations suffered at the hands of US soldiers, and capitalist greed. For example, while a 1996 light projection exhibit in Florence involved making romantic phrases like "I Smell you On My Skin" and "You Are My Own" appear on riverbank walls, her 1983 "Survival Series" featured more militant, feminist phrases like "Men Don't Protect You Anymore" (a phrase which was later reproduced on condoms).

Words, then, are Holzer's passion, but it's how and where she chooses to display these aphorisms and phrases that makes them all the more compelling.

Building on the notion of fashion as wearable art, Keds has teamed up with Jenny Holzer to create a limited-edition collection of sneakers featuring perhaps Holzer's most famous phrase:  "Protect Me From What I Want." The KedsWhitney sneakers were designed using the basic Champion silhouette and are available as black, white or gray low-tops and as black or white hi-tops. Each sneaker features the phrase "Protect Me From What I Want" (or a few words from that phrase) running across its perimeter, from one side to the next, in big capital letters. And, in keeping with the abstract nature of Holzer's work, the manner in which these words were printed makes them look as if they'd been projected onto the shoes using beams of light.

Available starting July 8th, the KedsWhitney sneakers will benefit the Whitney Museum of American Art and are the first in a series of initiatives whereby Keds and the Whitney will be joining forces to support the arts throughout the months of July and August.

KedsWhitney Champions, $70 each; KedsWhitney Champion Hi-Tops, $75 each. Available starting July 8th at Bloomingdale's stores, Bloomingdales.com and Keds.com

Soy Delicious Moisturizing Candles Light My Fire

 

Since I'm a bit of a Clumsy Cathy (and I have the burn marks, black-and-blues, and scars to prove it), I was a bit nervous to try the new Soy Delicious candles since the process involved dipping my fingers into newly melted soy and then applying this liquid onto my skin. So, after giving myself a little "what's the worst that could happen?" pep talk, I finally went a step beyond watching the flame of my Soy Delicious Tahitian Orchid candle swaying in the air. When the soy had melted and a nice little liquid pool had formed along the top of the candle's surface, I blew out the flame, waiting a good five seconds for the black smoke fumes to dissipate, and then dipped my index finger into that little pool of liquefied wax. In reality, there was no reason for my apprehension — the liquid is about as warm as a cup of tea that's been sitting out for a few minutes, so it won't burn at all. And, once your fingers are covered in the molten soy, well, that's when the fun begins.

An eco-friendly alternative to harmful paraffin wax candles, the Soy Delicious candles are made using 100% pure soy and their lead-free cotton wicks also minimize the potential for harmful air pollutants. Each of their candles contains high concentration of fragrance oils and scent offerings range from Island Mango to Orange Groves, Lemongrass, Gardenia, Dulce de Leche, Tahitian Orchid, and more.

What initially drew me to this line, however, was the company's clever name: in Spanish, the word "soy" means "am," so that "Soy Delicious" translates into "Am Delicious." Cute, right? Fortunately, the name was more than window dressing. It was a sign of the up-and-coming company's promise.

To get a feel for the Soy Delicious candles, I checked out two of their scents: Tahitian Orchid and Orange Grove. Now, here's what's fascinating: the candles don't emit a particularly strong scent when lit. If you're used to candles that fill the room with a biting fragrance, you may initially be disappointed. But I would argue that the benefits of these candles lie in their moisturizing properties — and, in that capacity, they're pretty stellar. When you scoop the liquefied oil out of the candle container and rub it in between your hands, that's when you'll really become acquainted with its scent. The Tahitian Orchid is a lovely, crisp scent that's floral but a bit woody and green. The molten soy will initially feel like oil against your skin, and you can rub it on any body parts that need a healthy infusion of moisture. You're encouraged to rub this oil onto cuticles, hands, feet, elbows, knees, and any rough or dry patches. I absolutely love applying it to my feet, especially along the heel area, which tend to get dry and cracked in the summertime.

At first, your skin will feel greasy, but as the liquid soy sinks into the skin and works its magic, you'll feel it getting softer and smoother thanks to the proteins, vitamin E , and isoflavones in the soy, which condition the skin, protect it from free radicals, and help to even pigmentation. I even applied it all over my arms (from wrist to shoulder) — and, while I initially felt a bit sticky and uncomfortable, after a few hours, my skin felt remarkably soft and replenished. That being said, because it does feel balmy initially, I wouldn't suggest applying to larger sections of skin (like legs or arms) unless you've got some great air conditioning in your house — otherwise, you'll get that sweaty, sticky feeling like you're walking through a humid hell. In the warmer months, I'd advise using the liquefied soy to problem areas like cuticles, elbows, and feet.

Now here's a bit of advice: it's easy to get overzealous and scoop out both the liquid in the candle tin and the soft wax underneath it, but I'd advise you to leave the buttery wax alone since that will definitely prove too thick for comfort. Stick to the liquid and let it work its magic. One exception: if you've got a romantic date with a special someone, you can light these candles to create a sexy mood and then turn up the heat (figuratively speaking) by offering a massage using the warm liquefied soy. And in that scenario, anything goes!

Soy Delicious Candles, $34; Whipper Sugar Scrub, $24; and 2 oz. Travel Tins, $7 each. Available at Soy-Delicious.com

Summer Hair Must -- Kelly Van Gogh Wonderlust Hair Color Illuminating Tonic

 

Simplifying at-home hair color has been Kelly Van Gogh's life work — and since launching her eponymous company in 2008, Van Gogh has seduced DIY-minded beauty hounds with her popular Root Rehab Kit, which allows for quick root touch-ups, and her Heads Up! Couture Highlighting Kit, which enables customers to see their hair color lightening as the highlighting process unfolds (no peeking inside folded aluminum foil strips necessary). In addition to these hair color kits, Van Gogh released a shampoo and conditioner designed to address the needs of color-treated locks. And now,Van Gogh is rounding out her collection with the Wonderlust Hair Color Illuminating Tonic, which gives hair a lustrous finish.

Inside its spray bottle, the tonic appears to have a clear color with a slightly golden tint and, at the bottom, there's a coat of microscopic, glitter-like, silvery white mica particles. When you shake the bottle (which you're advised to do before use), the watery tonic develops an all-over opalescent shimmer. Needless to say, if you spritz the Wonderlust tonic on damp hair and brush your mane, the mica particles will be dispersed throughout your mane, giving it a lovely shine.

But the illuminating aspect is only half the reason behind Wonderlust's wondrousness.The Kelly Van Gogh Hair Illuminating Tonic also protects hair from harmful UV rays thanks to ingredients like caviar, which contains strengthening proteins, as well as Omega-3 fatty acid, amino acids, and vitamins A, C and D — all of which help to create a barrier against environmental damage. Keratin proteins, meanwhile, help to reduce frizz and condition hair. It also gets bonus points for featuring a lovely, extra feminine jasmine-and-rose scent.

The only caveat: make sure to wash your hands after styling your hair as the mica particles are likely to stick onto your palms. Once your hair dries, however, you can feel free to do as many hair flips and twirls as your flirty heart desires.

Kelly Van Gogh Wonderlust Hair Color Illuminating Tonic, $30. Available at Space NK and SpaceNK.com, as well as KellyVanGogh.com

Bobbi Brown Beach Club Collection -- The Colors Of A Rising Sun

 

Summer makeup is a tricky realm to maneuver. Sure, it's the season of golden skin, so a great bronzer is essential, but even that feat can prove Herculean as we wonder whether to opt for a golden brown, rose copper or deep bronze shade; whether to invest in a high shimmer or baked, matte option; and whether to consider a powder or cream pigment. Eye shadow options are even trickier since, in the sweltering heat, most powder pigments tend to drip, drip, drip down to the floor and cream colors crease and run leaving your visage looking like the streaked pigments on Van Gogh's "Scream" painting. Fortunately, the new Bobbi Brown Beach Club collection makes navigating the summer beauty milieu smooth sailing.

The collection includes: a limited-edition Beach Shimmer Brick compact, featuring five bars of sunny colors in varying intensities which can be used individually or swept together to create a rosy gold glow; four new shades of Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow, ranging from an opalescent white to a shimmering pastel blue hue; and a new matte shade of Long-Wear Cream shadow, Shore, which is a subtle, flesh-toned hue.

Below, you'll find details on all the products in the collection, as well as swatches of some of the colors and photos of what they look like on!

METALLIC LONG-WEAR CREAM SHADOWS

 
In keeping with the current metallic craze, Bobbi Brown released four new shades of her Metallic Long-Last Cream Shadow s part of this collection: Surf, a pale Robin's Egg blue packed with shimmer; Opal, a practically sheer pale pink saturated with white and pink glitter particles; Moonstone, a pale, almost olive-like green with a vintage gold finish; and Pink Oyster, a light cherry blossom pink with a lustrous finish. Like all of BB's Metallic Long-Last Cream Shadows, these stay in place throughout the day and are remarkably crease-proof (which is beyond hard to find!).

Though it's probably the least intriguing of the new shades, I had the chance to check out the Opal  cream shadow and was a bit perplexed by it. The color is extremely sheer so that all you'll detect when you apply it is the sparkling pink and white glitter particles in the formula. If you're fair-to-medium on the skin tone spectrum, the color probably won't look quite right unless it's worn atop a more vibrant matte shade (it washed me out completely!). Then again, I'll admit I'm much fonder of brighter, more nuanced hues so I probably would've been way more satisfied with one of the other three shades. That being said, when the Opal color is worn along a vibrant matte cream shadow shade, it adds the necessary spunk and sparkle to your look.

Check out the Opal shade below (at top):

 

Here's the Opal shade again (below, right):

   

Here's what the Opal shade looks like on eyes (without any base color):

 

Bobbi Brown Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadows, $22 each. Available at BobbiBrownCosmetics.com

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LONG-WEAR CREAM SHADOW

 

Bobbi Brown just added a new matte cream eye shadow to her stable: Shore, a pale nude with yellow-ish brown tones. I absolutely love this cream shadow — it lasts all day long (even when it's 90-something degrees outside), won't crease or smear, and will add just a wash of color to lids. If I'm having a really laid-back day (maybe going to the beach or taking my little boy to the playground), it's the perfect eye makeup since it's understated but still livens up my face and removes any oily shine on my lids. And, if I want a more dramatic look, I can always use this as this color as the base, building upon it and layering on the desired color.

Check out what the Shore Long-Wear Cream Shadow looks like on skin (at bottom, below the Opal shade):

 

Here's what the Shore Long-Wear Cream Shadow looks like on eyes:

 

 

Bobbi Brown Shore Long-Wearing Cream Shadow,$22. Available at BobbiBrownCosmetics.com

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BEACH SHIMMER BRICK

 

The new Beach Shimmer Brick compact is a brickhouse! The compact features five strips of color that range from a pale champagne gold to a slightly more intense rose gold and work all the way up to a deep mauve bronze. The five shades can be worn individually (I love using them on lids to brighten up the face) or blended together and brushed on cheeks, forehead, decolletage, and more.

Even when you blend the colors together, you can choose whether to swirl your brush along the top of the compact, which features lighter shades, or gravitate towards the lower extremity for a deeper tint. That way, you can choose between a nice flush or a deeper tan. The amount of shimmer, meanwhile, manages to add a sultry sparkle without ever venturing into over-the-top, rave-ready territory.

Here is another photo of the strips in the Beach Shimmer Brick, swatched one by one:

 

Want to see what the shades look like blended? Check out these photos:

 

   

Lastly, here are some photos of me wearing the Beach Shimmer Brick color on my cheeks and all over my face, as well as the Shore Long-Wear Cream Shadow on my lids:

   

 

Bobbi Brown Beach Shimmer Brick, $38. Available at BobbiBrownCosmetics.com

New Summer 2010 FLUD "The Exhange" Watches -- Time For A Trade In!

 

   

 

 

With affordable price points and bold yet sleek, urban-flavored designs, FLUD Watches brings technique, finesse, and major flavor to the wristwatch game. Among my favorite styles is "The Exchange," which features an oversize round case with a textured pattern and an off-center dial, as well as an enamel bezel.

For Summer 2010, FLUD expanded the colorways in which The Exchange is available. My favorite is the  Mondrian-esque plaid watch (pictured at top), which features yellow, red, and light blue stripes against a navy blue backdrop, a crisp red dial against a plaid patterned face, and a crisp navy blue enamel bezel. Other options include the Green/Red Exchange (pictured fourth from top), which features a nylon strap with black, forest green and blood red stripes reminiscent of old-school Gucci sneakers. This particular watch features a green off-center dial and a red face with sunbeam-like details, as well as a black enamel bezel.

If you want to steer clear of patterns, check out some of the solid color options, such as the Teal/Black (pictured second from top) or the White/Blue (pictured third from top), which have a frosty, so-cool-they're-ice-cold vibe.

FLUD "The Exchange" watch, $90. Available at FLUDwatches.com

Center Spot Kicks -- PUMA World Cup-Inspired Tekkies

 

 

   

Sure, basketball fans were buzzing about the Celtics and Lakers during the NBA Finals, but this year, their chatter seemed to be barely a whisper when compared to the exuberant, riotous screams of soccer fans across the nation, all of whom have been tuning in to watch the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. In celebration of the strikers, sweepers and goalies making their countries proud on the field, PUMA has placed a limited-edition collection of Tekkies in play.

The unisex, low-top PUMA Tekkies feature canvas uppers with frayed, worn-looking edges along the ankle collar and tongue. The Tekkies are available in seven styles, each corresponding to one of the following national soccer teams: Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Germany, Brazil, Italy and South Africa.  Each laid-back sneaker, then, features colors that reference one of these countries' soccer uniforms or national flags. The PUMA Germany Tekkies, for example, feature black canvas uppers with diagonal red and yellow stripes that extend to the tongue area and look as if they were painted on with a brush. The Brazil Tekkies, meanwhile, feature green uppers with the flag's iconic yellow rhombus and star-studded blue center sphere.

PUMA Tekkies, $45 each. Available through July 11th exclusively at the PUMA City NY store located in New York City's South Street Seaport. For more details, visit PUMAcity.com

Sink Your Teeth Into Mighty Fine's Hello Kitty Vampires Vs. Werewolves Tees

 

   

With The Twilight Saga: Eclipse opening on June 30th and Season 3 of True Blood returning to HBO, the fascination with macabre blood-sucking creatures continues. And, of course, the sassy Hello Kitty is getting in on the fang-tastic fun. The new Mighty Fine Hello Kitty "Vampires vs. Werewolves" collection consists of two adorable T-shirt styles: first, a scoopneck number featuring Hello Kitty decked out in a Count Dracula-worthy ensemble (replete with a cape with an upright collar) and featuring the words "I Love Boys Who Sparkle" in thin, gothic letters; and second, a V-neck style featuring Hello Kitty in a light brown, werewolf-inspired outfit with feline ears and a long bushy tail, the words "I Love Werewolves" running across the top.

Aside from Hello Kitty's inherent cuteness what makes these tees so cheeky and sassy are the thoughtful details: the way HK's red bow peeks out in both ensembles, the glittery finish added to the vampire motif; the paw print along the front of her werewolf costume and the two stars along the front of the vampire outfit; and the treatment given to some words' fonts, such as the Twilight-inspired, starry effect given to the word "Sparkle" in the vampire tee and the heart-shaped "o" in the word "Love" in the werewolf tee.

In keeping with the "things that go bump in the night" theme, both screen printed tees are available only in black.

Mighty Fine Hello Kitty "Vampire" Tee, $22, and Hello Kitty "Werewolf" tee, $26. Available at WeLoveFine.com