A few months ago I visited the P&G’s Digital Studio to explore some of our favorite mass brands including COVERGIRL, Pantene, Secret, Olay and more for their newest offerings and innovations. I’ve been playing with the products ever since and here’s what to expect and pay attention to in the drugstore aisle. Major highlight, Pantene being the first brand to develop an alcohol free hairspray!
For anyone that follows Zendaya on Instagram you may have just seen her big announcement as the new face of COVERGIRL! The American beauty has been rocking the red carpet broke the news mere hours ago over social sharing behind the scenes footage from her first ever COVERGIRL shoot (check it out HERE).
Unleash the light within or dare to discover your dark side with COVERGIRL’s Star Wars Limited Edition Collection. In honor of the upcoming new movie, Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, the brand’s global creative design director, makeup artist Pat McGrath, brought the Force to life, creating six looks inspired by the film: three inspired by the light side, three inspired by the dark side.
Katy Perry rocked the half time show in Jeremy Scott’s flaming two piece (and 3 other outfit changes in the course of the event) opposite her signature perfect cat-eye, and red lips from COVERGIRL. The look was created by makeup artist Jake Bailey (we love Jake!). Here’s how he created the look!
I started a tradition last year, where I do a recap post of all my big moments. And it’s something I suggest for everyone — well maybe not a post but at least to take some time to look back at the year you’ve had. It’s a great opportunity to relive some big moments and reflect. I’m always moving so fast that this is really my chance to look back and remember some of the great experiences I’ve had in 2014. So here we go…
Top 2014 Moments:
January – I rang in the new year in Africa (literally on the plane). My first trip there where I toured Uganda and Zanzibar (and got to be in a wedding wearing a traditional gown!).
February – An exciting month of hosting events starting with the launch of GrandCentralBeauty’s new serum with Orange is the New Black star, Jessica Pimental at Henri Bendel. As well as an Oscars party in Washington DC for the Four Seasons Hotel! I also met Joan Jett and Bill Cunningham during Fashion week, which just about made my life.
This is also the month where I got to take my little sister, Renee to her first concert to see Christina Perri thanks to MINKPINK.
March – I’m announced as Skype’s Global Beauty Ambassador! We have an exciting beauty series we’ll be launching soon! I also become an ambassador for Lavazza Coffee. I also have an amazing morning with Tim Gunn and my friends at P&G.
April – my first time to Coachella. A magical weekend of music, parties and fashion. My first time seeing so many amazing acts including Lana del Ray, Solange, Beck, Pharrell, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Diddy, Nelly, Gwen Stefani and so many more!
It’s also the month where I met Patricia Field, who I’m now honored to call my friend. And we’re going to be doing Coachella this year together!!!
I also attended the launch of Beauty Within Magazine with Gabby Reece (remember her? Talk about my old school sports hero).
May – I host the official launch party my charity Share Your Beauty. As a division of the non-profit, Family-to-Family, we collect unused beauty products from editors, bloggers, and beauty enthusiasts as well as brands who have excess products and donate them to homeless and women’s shelters in the NYC tri-state area. In less then a year since launching we have collected over 20,000 products!
I also look forward to heading to the White House Correspondents weekend every May and partying down with all my favorite celebrities. The highlight this year was President Fitz of Scandal.
June – My video campaign for L’Oreal goes live on StyleCaster! And I get to judge the ICMAD beauty awards! I also launch my second blog, In His Clothes!
July – I get to celebrate Patricia Field’s 2 year anniversary of her store with her and the opening of Birchbox’s first store on the same night.
August: I have a horse filled week! I head to the Hamptons to film an episode of the House of DVF at the Hamptons Classic. And then get invited to the Saratoga Races with America’s Best Racing.
I also get a private tour of the Jeff Koons exhibit at the Whitney after hours when it was technically closed!
September – The big moment where I had a 2 page feature for COVERGIRL in Cosmopolitan Magazine for the September issue! Now I’ve been in a lot of major magazine’s, but this was by far the most mind blowing and such an honor. If I could dream this big in high school, I would say it was a dream come true.
We also enjoyed another wonderful fashion week in NY, where I got to go backstage at Jeremy Scott for Miley Cyrus’s jewelry/art debut. I also had the pleasure of joining Caravan Stylist Studios to host an event for Save the Garment Center with the cast of Orange is the New Black.
October – I’m featured in an advertorial for L.A. COLORS in Life & Style and In Touch Weekly! I also get to go backstage at Hedwig, thanks to the shows makeup artist, Mike Potter and hang out in Neil Patrick Harris’ dressing room and play with the wigs!
November – I was so honored to be invited by Alive Magazine to sit front row at St. Louis Fashion Week.
November: A month in Australia, visiting Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne and Sydney.
While I was there, I was featured on Century 21’s website (so flattered!) and on my good friend, Patricia Field’s blog where she wrote “I live for creativity. Creative people inspire me, entertain me, and teach me. Hopefully it’s a two way street, and I offer them something in return.” Obviously, she’s one of the most inspiring women I’ve ever met and this quote means so much since it’s exactly how I live my life and she’s such a role model for me.
December: What a month… I spent the first half still in Australia, a week in LA with a 2-day camping trip at Joshua Tree (which I’ve always wanted to do). And in major news! I was on an episode of the House of DVF!
The there’s the perfect close, spending NYE in Times Square with the official ball drop sponsors, COVERGIRL and Cosmopolitan!!
I’m so excited for what’s the come in 2015, thank you all for reading and being apart of my adventures.
xoLara
Happy New Years my loves! I hope you all had a wonderful New Years Eve! James and I spent the evening with COVERGIRL and Cosmopolitan Magazine in Times Square at the Hard Rock Cafe.
In over a decade in NYC the closest I got to the ball drop is on my television screen. I could never understand the draw of waiting all day in the freezing cold (I mean what do you do if you need to pee?). And after last night all I can say is that I get it.
It’s for that perfect moment when the ball drops, the confetti goes up and suddenly you’re in a snow globe with a million of your closest friends with the intoxicating scent of joy in the air. Then there’s the musical performances, which included Taylor Swift, Idina Menzel, American Authors, O.A.R., Magic! and Florida Georgia Line — all of which are broadcasted on screens all over Times Square (in case you can’t see the stage) with stellar acoustics that resonates the streets.
As the official co-sponsor the 2015 Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration, COVERGIRL and Cosmopolitan planned quite the celebration. I venture it’s like planning a wedding for an estimated one million guests in attendance and 1 billion-plus at home viewers.
At the Hard Rock Cafe, the bottles of Moet were flowing and guests enjoyed a decadent New Years experience. With a private outdoor space gated off, guests could go in and out as many times as they’d like without the crowds. And after the ball dropped performers O.A.R and American Authors joined us inside and performed their top hits.
It was an incredibly special evening and a beautiful way to start the new year. A big thank you to COVERGIRL and Cosmo for making this all possible.
Happy New Years everyone!!!
In my 13years in NYC I have never watched the ball drop live from Times Square! This year that all changes.
Cosmopolitan Magazine is partnering with COVERGIRL to co-sponsor the 2015 Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration with special guest Kat Graham. Get ready as they are turn up the volume and paint Times Square red HOT! And celebrate the launch of COVERGIRL’s new Colorlicious Lipstick in what’s sure to be the most #colorfulcountdown Times Square has ever seen.
The lineup was just announced and musical performances will include Taylor Swift, Idina Menzel, American Authors, O.A.R., Magic! and Florida Georgia Line. See the full line up at timessquarenyc.org and join me live from Times Square with Cosmo and COVERGIRL where I’ll be live tweeting and instagramming from @prettyconnected.
Every day on Instagram, 55 million photos are uploaded, 86.4 million comments are posted and 691.2 million users like photos in their feeds — crazy right? So it’s no wonder our innovative friends at COVERGIRL unveiled Katy Perry’s television commercial for the #instaGLAM collection on their instagram channel first before the ad campaign hit news stands and television screens — you’ve all seen it right? The #instaGLAM collection features COVERGIRL’s Ready, Set Gorgeous Foundation , Ready, Set Gorgeous Pressed Powder, Ready, Set Gorgeous Concealer, Colorlicious Lip Gloss, XL Nail Gel and Bombshell Curveacous Mascara (both Katy and my favorite from the collection!).
What trends can you expect to see walking down the runway this season? As the official start to awards season, celebrity hairstylist Kylee Heath and celebrity makeup artist Amy Nadine put together a red carpet forecast for P&G’s #RedCarpetGlam People’s Choice
Happy Monday everyone! What a night with the VMA’s being in NYC last night. For this weeks #StyleMonday it seemed only appropriate to post last night/this AM’s outfit live from the red carpet of In Touch Weekly’s Icons and Idols VMA after party. I had the privilege of partnering with COVERGIRL as their red carpet corespondent for the event — celebrity interview highlights coming up soon, but first, the outfit, the hair, and of course the makeup (and nails!).
It’s the VMA’s so I was channeling my inner glam rocker (hence the hair), but instead of the conventional black on black, I went with more of a feminine white on white. From the moment I saw this Leila Shams beaded skirt
