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Lara Eurdolian, Pretty Connected Beauty Blog

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Fresh and Veuve Clicquot team up to create “Clicquot in the Snow Beauty Survival Kit”

Break out the bubbly, Veuve Clicquot has partnered with skincare brand, Fresh to create a limited-edition “Clicquot in the Snow Beauty Survival Kit.” Geared to keep snow bunnies hydrated, the beauty survival kit features Fresh’s most nourishing products (including the Citron de Vigne scent which was originally inspired by Veuve Clicuor champagne), the kit includes:

  • Citron de Vigne Eau de Parfum Rollerball is a purse-friendly fragrance perfect for travel and slope-side pick-me-ups with a Veuve Cliquot inspired sparkling citrus aroma.
  • Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 blends real sugar, a natural humectant, with meadowfoam and black currant seed oils to hydrate, soften, and protect your lips while you ski.
  • Soy Face Cleanser To-Go is an extra-gentle formula for all skin types that whisks away impurities after an active day outdoors without stripping the skin of essential moisture.
  • Crème Ancienne, the ultimate anti-aging face cream, is proven to provide long-lasting hydration that will stand up to high winds and low temperatures on the mountain.
  • Seaberry Restorative Body Cream To-Go is an ultra-nourishing, omega-rich treatment designed to calm and relieve irritation—making it ideal for post-ski pampering.
  • Brown Sugar Hand Cream provides up to six hours of supreme moisture for seriously dehydrated hands, so they stay silky soft and smooth underneath your gloves.

Housed in a chic, black cosmetic case that reads “Clicquot in the Snow” and adorned with snowflakes, the collection is affordably priced at $60 ($106 value). So lets face it, you don’t need to hit the slopes to appreciate the great assortment and value of the set.

MALIN+GOETZ and Strip: Ministry of Waxing bring you Ingrown Hair Cream

I’ve been a long time fan of NY based skincare brand, MALIN+GOETZ; far before meeting the two namesakes behind the brand many years ago. Their Detox Face Mask. and Lip Moisturizer. are staples in my bathroom–and don’t even get me started on their candles… Recently, the brand has collaborated with hair removal experts, Strip: Ministry of Waxing to create their new collaborative Ingrown Hair Cream.

Strip: Ministry of Waxing, which began in Singapore in 2002 is now is a global enterprise and expert in hair removal, has carried MALIN+GOETZ products since 2005 and now spans in 22 Strip locations internationally. They also received the Best of New York award in 2011 by New York Magazine.

And speaking of New York, if you haven’t been to the Strip location in Nolita, I highly recommend it! I recently went there to get my eyebrows threaded and test out their new Ingrown Hair Serum and it’s outstanding. Formulated with fatty acids of natural Vitamins B5 and E to promote skin repair; alongside

Tria Introduces Blue Light Acne System

Acne sufferers take note; Tria has recently introduced their latest at-home innovation, the Tria Skin Perfecting Blue Light. Created to target and eliminate the very source of acne bacteria, it is clinically proven to deliver clear skin with fewer, milder acne breakouts in less then 2 weeks.

Considering there have been minimal medical advancements in the world of acne since the 70’s, there was much excitement in the early 2000 with the advancements of laser and blue light technology used in dermatologist offices. And now, more affordable at-home systems to mimic similar results are available in the comfort of your home.

I don’t suffer from breakouts; sure, I have the occasional pimple here and there but nothing that warrants serious action. However, I’m no stranger to the emotional and physical trauma for those who do. My sister suffered from terrible acne in High School and regular breakouts as an adult. Accutane, Retin-A, Proactive and a variety of over-the-counter products later, she’s had moderate success over the years, but the trouble with many of these products the prescription based products are side-effects, excessive skin dryness, flaking/pealing and harsh reactions. Not to mention many of them are not preventative or feasible for sensitive skin. That said, blue light is one area she hasn’t explored and a treatment form

Fresh Start Beauty Products on a Budget

As we say goodbye to January and have completed our first month of 2012; I’ve been thinking a lot about many of the “new year, fresh start” type resolutions we make for ourselves: to look better, feel better, travel more, save money… Taking some of these goals into consideration, I’ve put together some of my favorite travel-friendly on-a-budget products all under $15 to help you on your way. 

1. TRESemme FRESH START Dry Shampoo – Dry shampoo has been all the rage for the past year and with good reason! It’s an easy way to revive your hair in between washes or when you’re leaving the gym and don’t have time to shower. And TRESemme has created an entire line of FRESH START aerosol dry Shampoos based on hair type and need! There is a Volumizing, Strengthening, Smoothing, and even a Moisturizing Waterless Foam version designed to absorb excess oil and remove odor without needing a drop of water. And best part is they are priced under $6 and come in two sizes, 5.7oz and 2oz; which is perfect for travel, and compact enough to fit in your make-up case or gym bag.

2. John Frieda Full Repair Touch-Up Flyaway Tamer (0.5 fl oz/$9.99) – This product is genius! Packaged within a mascara bottle, it contains a crystal clear polish formulated with Inca Inchi Oil that weightlessly takes down flyaways without being sticky. It’s great for on-the-go touch-ups and is safe for color-treated and chemically-treated hair. Just brush the mascara wand against those flyaways and watch them settle.

3. Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer with SPF30 (2.5 fl oz/$14.99) – Just because it’s winter does not mean you can stop wearing an SPF! This moisturizer is lightweight, hydrating and protects against sun exposure, free-radicals and environmental toxins (which NYC is full of!). It goes on smoothly, absorbs quickly and is very hydrating. Plus it can be worn under your makeup without making it flake.

4. Clean & Clear Limited Edition Hello Kitty Oil Absorbing Sheets ($4.99/50 sheets) – launching in February, Clean & Clear is teaming up with Hello Kitty to bring you this oh-so-adorable limited edition version

2012 SAG Awards Hairstyles: Create the look of Emma Stone, Zoe Saldana, Michelle Williams, Kyra Sedgwick and Busy Phillips

Last night at the Screen Actors Guild Awards,  Wella Professionals rocked the red carpet; styling (and in some cases coloring) the locks of some of our favorite “it” girls including Emma Stone, Zoe Saldana, Michelle Williams, Kyra Sedgwick and Busy Phillips.

Looking to recreate these looks at home? Here’s how:

Emma Stone

Styled by Mara Roszak for Wella Professionals

“Emma’s dress was my inspiration. I wanted to create a smooth, polished up-do with a bit of a modern 50’s feel.” – Says Mara Roszak of the hairstyle she created for Emma Stone at tonight’s Screen Actors Guild Awards®.

Step-by-Step Styling

1. Part the hair to the side then apply Wella Professionals Velvet Amplifier to wet hair and blow dry smooth

2. Add a pump of Wella Professionals Mirror Polish to hands and apply lightly to hair, starting at the ends, to smooth out any fly aways

3. Tease the crown of the hair to add a little height and pull into a mid-height ponytail

4. Twist the ponytail and then wrap into a bun and secure with bobby pins

5. Spray all over with Wella Professionals Stay Firm hairspray

Zoe Saldana

Styled by Mara Roszak for Wella Professionals

“Zoe’s dress was so inspiring. I wanted to create a “not too perfect” up-do by adding texture and movement to the hair, while keeping it modern and fresh.” – Says Mara Roszak of the hairstyle she created for Zoe Saldana at tonight’s Screen Actors Guild Awards®.

Step-by-Step Styling

1. Apply Wella Professionals Extra Volume Mousse to wet hair and rough dry

2. Then, using a 3/4″ barrel curling iron, add waves to the hair by rotating the direction of the curl

3. Once the whole head was waved, spray Wella Professionals Ocean Spritz on the hair to break up the wave and add texture

4. Loosely pull the hair back into a low pony  and secured it with an elastic

5. Then split the pony into two sections and braid them both, then wrap the braids into a bun and secure with bobby pins

6. Once the hair is up, apply a dab of  Wella Professionals Bold Move styling paste to fingertips and define a few pieces around the face

7. Spray all over with Wella Professionals Stay Firm finishing spray

Michelle Williams

Styled by Chris McMillan for Wella Professionals

1. Wash the hair using Wella Professionals Enrich Shampoo and Conditioner, which is super moisturizing without sacrificing volume, no matter your hair style or length

2. Finger-dry hair with Wella Professionals Extra Volume Mousse on fingertips, guiding the hair into a deep side part

3. Apply Chris’ favorite product, Wella Professionals Shimmer Delight shine serum, liberally to fingertips and brush through for maximum shine

Kyra Sedgwick

Haircolor by Aura Friedman for Wella Professionals

To add color and softness to Kyra’s cheeks and bone structure, Aura painted on her highlights for a soft look and brightening the ends all over. Then, she applied a gold-toned gloss for extra shine and warmth.

Styled by Chris McMillan for Wella Professionals

1. Liberally apply Wella Professionals Extra Volume Mousse to wet hair before blowing out for maximum volume

2. Spritz Wella Professionals Thermal Image to dried hair, especially focusing on the ends, to protect the hair from damage caused by heat styling

3. Separate the hair in different sized sections, curling the hair with a 1” barrel curling iron

4. Then, brush out the curls and blow dry the hair again using a round boar-bristle brush to keep the curls from looking too manufactured

Busy Phillips

Styled by Chris McMillan for Wella Professionals

1. To recreate Busy’s slightly imperfect bohemian braid, apply Wella Professionals Natural Volume Mousse before blowing out the hair

2. Brush the hair out once dry for extra fullness

3. Pull a 1 ½ inch section of hair from just above the arch of your brow, loosely braiding hair across the forehead while pulling small pieces into the braid, secure with an elastic

4. Liberally spray the hair with Wella Professionals Dynamic Fix 45 Second Crafting Spray to tame all flyaway’s, and to maintain a long lasting, natural looking hold

Avon Celebrates ANEW 20th Birthday with Paulina Porizkova and Alfonso Ribeiro

Look who I got a picture with!

Who knew it took going back to the 90’s to attend easily the hippest party of 2012 yet! Okay provided, it’s barely February so that doesn’t say as much as it should, but Avon spared no detail in their recent 1992 themed party in celebration of the 20th birthday of their prestige anti-aging line, ANEW. Hosted by supermodel and ANEW spokesperson, Paulina Porizkova who announced to the audience, “I have nothing in this face for except what God gave me and Avon put on it”. Quite an accolade to the brand considering at 46, she’s flawless..

Avon packed the Thom Bar with 90’s memorabilia including slap bracelets, Fun-Dip, Warheads, fanny-packs, a photo booth, and tunes that made you want to jump-jump (no literally they played ­­­Kris Kros), along with other hits from the decade.  And speaking of the 90’s, just after Paulina gave a speech to the audience and the brand introduced ANEW’s two latest products; Genics Eye Treatment and Clinical Resurfacing Expert; they announced a surprise guest… On came Tome Jones’ It’s not unusual and out came Alonso Ribeiro (aka Carlton Banks from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air!) doing his iconic Carlton dance.

It was perfect. And naturally, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for a photo-opp with him.

Thank you for a very fun evening Avon!

Longines Unveils new Boutique at Tourneau Timemachine

Earlier this week, Details Magazine hosted the exclusive unveiling of Swiss watchmaker brand, Longines new boutique within Torneau TimeMachine in NYC. As most of you prestige watch connoisseurs know, Torneau TimeMachine’s Flagship on Madison Avenue is a 2 floor mecca of some of the world’s finest watches. And while Longines has been no stranger to the store, it’s new shop-in-shop boutique now houses a wider assortment of mens and women’s watches. Considering tennis superstars couple Andre Agassi and Steffi Graff have enjoyed a long time partnership with the brand (and serve as official ambassadors), it came as no surprise, Steffi Graf joined the brand for the official ribbon cutting ceremony. Unfortunately, I got there too late to meet my child-hood tennis hero, however I did get to peak inside the elegant boutique, and get a tour of the watches.

Want to see what you missed? Enjoy a virtual tour with Longines and Steffi Graf HERE

Check out my balls…

I'm very proud of my balls!

As most of you know I’m a big ping-pong fan. In addition to the great exercise it offers, it’s possibly one of the most enjoyable social sports to do while having a beer and catching up with a friend. I usually go to SPiN New York for all of my booze-and-playing whims, however last week, my best friend Mike introduced me to new ping-pong/art gallery space in Williamsburg, when having his birthday party at Pips.  It’s a very non-intimidating, down-to-earth table tennis club that houses 3 tables and offers a very chill environment to hang out in and play. Plus they have beer…

Check out my custom balls!

It was there that I was introduced to the Egg-Bot ($195)! Mike bought it to create the ultimate birthday party favor… custom ping-pong balls! Naturally, I wanted two–one that said my name, “Lara” and the other my blog, “Pretty Connected”. The machine hooks up to your computer to and works to decorates any spherical or egg-shaped object ranging from the size of a ping-pong ball to that of a small grapefruit. We’re talking golf balls, ornaments, eggs, light bulbs, mini-pumpkins… So for all you DIY make-your-own eggs at Easter or Christmas ornaments the Egg-bot could be an investment. In fact if I was a elementary art school teacher, I’d probably be regularly breaking this out for kids crafts. Lets face it, the Egg-bot is the coolest!!!

I for one am in love with my balls… now all I want to do is play with them!

Tips to keep your nails healthy and strong

It’s winter and weather we like it or not these tough conditions take quite a toll on our hair, skin and nails. While I plan on posting some regular content on counteract some of these dryness symptoms, Nail Beauty Expert Katie Saxton of Custom Nail Solutions shared some great tips with me on how to keep your nails strengthened and conditioned during these cold months.

DIET RIGHT: 

  • Take in calcium, iron, protein, and vitamins A, B, C and D and your nails will gradually grow stronger and healthier.
  • Eat the right foods. Try fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, milk and plenty of fruits and vegetables. These are also great foods to keep you healthy overall!
  • Take in a lot of biotin.

CONSISTENT NAIL MAINTENANCE:

  • Scheduling regular manicures is crucial during the winter months if you want healthy nails. You can schedule in-salon manicures, or do them at home. Both work as long as you are doing them consistently.
  • File, buff and massage the nails.

Timberland Keeps it Warm at Sundance

Official Sundance Film Festival 2012 Timberland Jacket

Once upon a time I was a Sundance Film Festival volunteer–as in one of those people that goes to Park City for 2-weeks just to walks you to your seat or give you to directions to the next venue in exchange for an all access pass! That of course was pre-blog, pre-press passes for bloggers and all that jazz I now take for granted. It was in 2005; I was in my early-20s and thought I had died and gone to heaven to be in the presence of  Gwyneth Paltrow, John Malkovich, Jennifer Aniston, Justin Timberlake and just about every celebrity you could ever imagine. Kenneth Cole was the sponsor that year, although the jacket they gave out for the crews, filmakers and celebs were—meh (I don’t think I’ve worn mine since). This year (and for the past 3 seasons), Timberland has been the official  Footwear and Outerwear Sponsor and all I can say is that I’m jealous. The women’s jacket this year is so hot!!

Additionally, they are using their Sundance presence to do a little good and elevate their Fade to Green platform. Fade to Green was designed to serve as a reminder that, like Timberland, film goes beyond commerce to celebrate innovation,