nyc PR girls

Put Your Best Face Forward: LaseResults

Summer skincare has always been a bit tricky for me.  I’m always game to try new things when it comes to beauty (as seen here and here), but I haven’t landed on a product to commit to in my daily routine.  It can be incredibly overwhelming when you think of all the things we want these products to do – shrink pores, erase acne scars and dark spots, prevent signs of aging and, obviously, be loaded with SPF.  When we were offered the chance to try the new LaseResults skincare regimen from laser surgeon Dr. Bernstein, I immediately offered to be the guinea pig.

There has been a lot of talk about laser treatments these days – even our gym spas are offering laser hair removal for a “special price” – so I was interested to see what Dr. Bernstein had to offer in his collection. LaseResults puts the “power of light” within this morning and night topical routine, claiming to shrink pores and even skin tone without laser treatments (which can add up in cost…).  I was a little skeptical at first, having heard most of this from previous products, both in the drugstore and beauty counter.

I was impressed.  The key is using the whole LaseResults regimen – cleanser and AM SPF in the morning, and Focused Repair and Calm & Restore Serum at night.  There are no physical exfoliants or abrasion in any of the products (love that), but I felt a slight tingle to know it was working.  In two and a half weeks, I already saw that my  grey scars left from pubescent embarrassments had faded, and my skin was considerably more even.

These products kind of remind me of the bareMinerals phenomenon – remember when only one or two girls in high school used it, then word spread, and suddenly everyone in the sorority was using it?  Because it worked.  Same here.  Dr. Bernstein’s LaseResults skincare line is available now on LaseResults.com.

Are you ladies discovering any notable skincare or beauty lines for yourselves?  Will you try LaseResults?

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Tame your Summer Tresses

You hid your hair under a wool cap all winter, spring you were just happy to be free of hat hair all together and let your locks roam free with no restrictions. Now that summer is upon us (YAY!) and you are looking to tame your summer tresses in the heat while still looking every bit of posh as possible. Here are a few of my favorites hair styles for taming your locks and vamping up your summer look.

Beach Waves


Lauren Conrad has this look down! Lauren is the queen of the beach wave. After all, she did grow up on Laguna Beach and as a native Cali girl knows a thing or two about how to look good in the sun. If my hair could hold even the slightest hint of a curl I would rock this look all summer long. Regardless of what the dog days of summer have ahead, this look with keep you looking fabulous in all your summer glory.

Beachy Bob


Jennifer Anniston can do no wrong in my book, no wrong! I was shocked to see she had chopped her trademark tresses, but I’m this close to walking into the first salon I see with a copy of this image and following in her foot steps.  With the summer heat only starting to warm up, it can really weigh you and your hair down. An edgy bob is a sexy, stylish solve for beating the heat and always looking put together. The epitome of beach babe, Jennifer (we’re on a first name basis) even has a new fragrance out inspired my the aromas of the CA shore.

Think you can’t have any versatility with a shorter do, think again and go for a bed-head, sexy wave to amp up your style.

Not your average Ponytail


As much as I’d like to go for a drastic change in my look, I am very fond of my longer layers. However, staying cool with long hair in the summer can be a challenge and you can tire quite quickly of pulling your hair back with a bland elastic rubberband. Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere has a brilliant solve for beating the summer heat and still looking chic. She uses vintage scarves to pull back her glowing blonde locks, adding a unique personal style to the traditional ponytail.

What looks will your locks be rocking this summer?

images via Cupcakes and Cashmere, CandyMag and Celebrity Photographs

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nyc PR girls love The Beauty Department

Though I’ve been insanely busy, it is important in our field to keep up to speed with the hottest blogs. Luckily, I am in constant contact with two lovely PR girls who can keep me on my toes. A recently sent through a link to Lauren Conrad’s newest virtual venture, The Beauty Department, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
 
What makes this site different than the mounds of beauty blogs? For one, Lauren’s style has been covetable since her Laguna Beach days (um that cat eye, anyone?). Since then she’s paired up with experts Amy Nadine and Kristin Ess to give you simple, do-it-yourself tips for achieving effortless beauty right in your own home. Some of my favorite posts include their “Kitchen Beautician” series that provides instructions on making homemade masks and scrubs, and the pretty tutorial videos like the one below.
 
I’ve always been jealous of Lauren’s curls, and the girls make them effortless to achieve in this feature! How fabulous would these be on a date or client dinner?
 

 
What would you like to see from The Beauty Department?
 
video  via thebeautydepartment

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Protect Your Summer Skin

You’d assume being a native Floridian I could tan with the best of them, but put me under the sun for twenty minutes and I’m as red as a lobster. I’ve always been prone to burning, even after years in Florida I could never achieve that bronze glow. Therefore I take great care in keeping my skin protected with a quality sun block and prefer to fake a little bake over exposing my skin to harmful UV rays.

Just because my skin can’t stand the summer heat doesn’t mean I’m going to hang up my bikini.  I knew I’d be spending the majority of my Memorial Day weekend boating and beaching and I needed a sunscreen that could keep up.

Clarins Sunscreen with spray applicator is a lightweight spray that offers high protection and is waterproof.  I love the convenience of having a spray applicator and the lightweight formula leaves your skin feeling smooth and luxurious.  Clarins offers a full line of sun protection products, all of which I am eager to test out this summer because I’m not planning to pack away my bikini until Labor Day.

 

images via Clarins

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A PR Girl’s Mini-Vacation Must-Haves

Hopefully most of you are getting outdoors and enjoying this fabulous holiday weekend.  All three of us are in very different parts of the east coast – I am chilling upstate on the Finger Lakes, A is doing it Jersey Shore style, and MA is in Tampa getting some serious sun.  Though we’ve chosen unique destinations for our quick get-away, we all have one goal in mind: unwind for the wonderful summer ahead.

In PR, it is extremely easy to let the days run together and lose track of time – the charmingly chaotic lifestyle is what led us to the profession in the first place.  In the summer, it’s our chance to let loose and get a bit of our ground back.  Here are a couple items I’m keeping close at hand to be sure I make the most of this weekend.

  1. Rose Petal Mask, $55
  2. Sony Portable Speakers, $15
  3. Triple Oxygen Eye Mask, $54
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Beachy Keen: Memorial Day Weekend

After dreams of laying on the beach and walking on the boardwalk all winter long, my favorite weekend is almost here and its time to prepare for leaving the city. Whether you’re traveling down the shore like myself (yes, I’m from Jersey) or to the Hamptons, there a few items you don’t want to forget packing before the weekend arrives.

1. Longchamp Darshan Tote Bag, $198 *A weekend bag also for the beach
2. Banana Boat Deep Tanning Oil, $10
3. Essie Nail Polish, Braziliant, $8 *Time spent in the ocean = chipped nail polish
4. Lauren by Ralph Lauren Ombre Stripe Beach Towel, Sunrise, $30
5. Haviana’s Women’s Sandals, Tangerine, $18

The official kick-off to summer could not come any sooner.
What are your plans for the holiday weekend?

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Travel like a Savvy PR Girl

If you follow us on Twitter, some of you may know I’m in San Francisco for a training weekend with my new firm.  I have the pleasure of traveling a lot at my position (though I probably will be singing a different tune on my red-eye tonight), and I’m beginning to become one savvy traveler.  Here are a couple items every PR girl must have on her business (and pleasure) trips:

Dress Comfy Casual, but No PJ’s: I wish I had traveled in the days of dirty martinis and suits on airplanes.  Though not the most comfortable way to fly, it showed respect to your pilot and crew to clean up and behave maturely on flights.  Enter the days of swigging Yellowtail from the bottle and Adidas sweatsuits.  Now you’d be hard pressed to find a traveler who takes such care to fly outside of first class.  I, for one, love dressing up for the airport.  A good pair of jeans with a fun, cotton top and nice sweater do the trick just fine.  I also love a fedora and sunglasses at the airport (gives a bit of a mysterious, “where is she going?” attitude).

Bring a Scarf: My simple linen scarf from H&M has already saved me a few times this weekend.  From misty New York, to balmy JFK airport, to windy San Francisco, it’s good to have a layer that you can easily remove and stow in your handbag.

Wear Flats: Though I am one of those people who does not like to walk barefoot through security, it is a far better choice than holding up the line unlacing your boots or sneakers.  On a six hour flight like mine this weekend, flats are a much more comfortable option than sneakers or sandals.

Stow Hand Lotion, Chapstick, Water and Chocolate: When up in the air, especially for long periods of time, you’ll want these items desperately at hour two and a half.  When flying it’s easy to become dehydrated and dry, so be sure to keep these items at hand.  The chocolate is just for your sanity.

I’ll be sharing updates on what I learned during my training weekend in the coming days.  Stay tuned!

images via mc-pro.com and people.com

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The Makeup Show NYC

Yesterday, I got a chance to walk around The Makeup Show not only to discover new products, but to also get advice from makeup pros. One highlight from the show was listening to celebrity makeup artist Billy B speak about the good, the bad and the ugly of the beauty industry. While listening, I couldn’t help but notice how much the advice directed toward beauty professionals also applied to PR girls. Billy B says:

  • Success is not possible by yourself – have a team supporting you.
  • Don’t define your success based on others, define it on your own.
  • Luck is a factor to success, but also always keep a goal in mind.
  • Always be open to new opportunities.
  • Don’t forget you are in control of your destiny.
  • As learned from Lady GaGa, don’t be afraid to be different.


I also watched David Hernandez of Make Up For Ever give a tutorial on how to use its HD makeup. The standout product that I tested was the gifted Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner in #15 gunmetal gray. As a typical user of pencil liners, the new liquid Aqua Liner has a foam tip that makes it easy to apply plus it’s 100% waterproof (and sweat-proof, key for a hot summer in the city).

Thanks to The Makeup Show team for an awesome experience. Lookout for a show near you!

image via sephora.com

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The Makeup Show: Blogger Preview

For its sixth consecutive year, The Makeup Show is happening in New York City both today and tomorrow. Also making stops in Los Angeles, Chicago and Europe, The Makeup Show expects over 6,000 visitors  in NYC bringing together a network of artists and industry leaders with over 150 brands represented  to view the latest in products and participate in panel discussions.

Yesterday, makeup artist James Vincent (@jvincentmakeup) hosted a blogger preview for beauty aficionados to get a sneak peek of what they had in store for the event. Michael DeVillis (@MichaelDeVillis) of The Powder Group and Make Up For Ever – currently obsessed with its  foundation and concealer – Elessa Jade of PurseBuzz.com and Koren Zander of EnKore Makeup also discussed their background and the happenings of the show.

[ Michael DeVillis & James Vincent ]

Should you be a makeup professional in the New York City area, stop by The Metropolitan Pavillion today and tomorrow, 9 am to 5 pm on 123 West 18th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenue). You’ll connect with peers, get involved in workshops and learn more about the industry.

Lookout for a post tomorrow regarding some of the newest products we tried and recommend for PR girls this summer.  Are there any makeup products you’ve been dying to try?

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Primer Time

My introduction to makeup was by trial and error, heavy on the error. My first attempts at foundation were just that, heavy (or rather cakey). I look back at photos of myself from highschool and absolutely cringe, what on earth was I thinking? I thought I had mastered it all, and knew all the tricks of the trade until a few years ago I was introduced to the foundation primer.

What? You mean there is something else I need to put  on my face everyday? This was my initial thought, but after buying in, I was pleasantly surprised. I could notice the difference in the look of my foundation, and so could my friends. I was surprised to be receiving compliments on my makeup, when really the only thing I had done differently was use a primer. I have gone through a few different primers since that first introduction and always up for something new, just discovered Smashbox  Photo Finish Foundation Primer and I’m hooked.

Smashbox Photo Finish creates a perfect canvas for foundation and helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores for flawless skin with a velvety-smooth finish. This silky, lightweight blend of vitamins A and E, grape seed extract and green tea even pulls double duty on your mane.  To tame frizzies, smooth primer through wet or dry hair!

Look polished without having to revamp your entire beauty routine with Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer.

Images via Smashbox

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