Beauty Solutions: Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

I don't know about you, but my end-of-summer agenda includes logging as many days in the sun as possible... even if that means rigging up some sort of outdoor office situation. And now I've discovered another way to multi-task and save money! In an attempt to achieve beachy, straight-from-the salon highlights, I mixed together a half cup of lemon juice with three tablespoons of vodka and sprayed it liberally throughout my hair. The end result: subtle blond highlights that will keep me out of the salon chair for at least another two months! The sticky mixture tends to dry your hair into a stringy mess, so I would not advise trying this in front of anyone worthy of a great impression. But it's a perfect for an afternoon with your friends on the beach, in the backyard, on the roof....the possibilities are endless!

But a word to the wise: make sure to wash your hands and arms really well before heading out into the sun. Any lingering lemon juice can bleach your skin, leaving unwanted white spots on your skin. And of course, don't forget that suncreen! See our: "Choosing The Right Sunscreen" post. Now get out there and enjoy the last dog days of summer!

"Fashion Foremost Is Inspiration"

Erin

Polish Your Holiday Wardrobe With These Holiday Lacquers

One of my favorite things about the holidays (besides gift giving of course) is all the celebrating! And every celebration demands the perfect holiday look—right down to our nail polish. China Glaze professional nail lacquers come in many festive colors and I soon realized that holiday nails can go beyond the traditional poinsettia red color. I got to test out a few and fell in love with this season’s options. Now let me spread some holiday cheer as I give you the low down on China Glaze’s seasonal lacquers.

“Drastic” is the perfect holiday red that will complement any party outfit. Two coats gave me a deep red that is dark enough without losing its cheery brightness. Applying this polish was so surprisingly easy and it went on more evenly than most Essie polishes I have tried. The formula is also packed with hardeners so you don’t have to worry about your nails becoming brittle.

Green is the next obvious choice for this holiday season and I am so excited to see this color on nails. “Outta Bounds” is great color to add a unique, personal twist to any look. But let the nail polish be the boldest holiday color or else you might look more like an ornament than a trendy partygoer. I’m also a big fan of China Glaze’s brushes. They are loaded with substantial bristles that provide great coverage and allow the nail polish to go on smoothly without any bubbles or blemishes.

Warm chocolate brown is anything but boring. “IX” is a rich, dark brown that is a softer alternative to black but still keeps the overall look edgy and on-trend. It’s an unexpected color that reminds me of hot chocolate…and chocolate chip cookies….maybe even wood for the fire! After one coat, I was amazed at the opaque coverage and two coats yielded perfection. Dark colors are sometimes hard to apply without smudging into cuticles, but China Glaze’s formula isn’t runny but is thick enough to give you more control as you apply.

“White Out” looks just like the bottle of correction fluid that its name implies. One coat left my nails still sheer, but two coats gave me an opaque, snow-white color. Perfect for capturing the essence of a first snow fall but cut nails on the shorter side to keep this look more subtle than sloppy.

If you want to let your outfit do all the talking this year, then China Glaze has your nails covered with “Inner Beauty,” a light pink that makes me think of The Nutcracker’s graceful ballerinas. The sheer formula allows you to vary the intensity of the color. One coat gives barely-there coverage while two will give a pretty pink that won’t distract from any show-stopping outfits.

They retail at $5.99. You can find more nail polishes from China Glaze at Sally Beauty.

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

Erin Simpson

product reviews

Give Your Nails The Minx Experience

If you are looking for a new and unexpected way to make a statement, how about an unconventional, eye-popping design for your finger nails? Minx nails are a one-of-a-kind nail art experience that are customized to fit your nails in a way that acrylics can never achieve and are chip-resistant, unlike any polish. Fashionwithfifi.com received a complimentary Minx manicure and learned all about this amazing new trend in the nail industry.

The “Minx experience”, explains TracyLee, nail stylist and trendsetter at Damone Roberts New York, is a heat-activated film that is cut and molded to perfectly fit around the contours of your nail. The film is made of heat-activated polymers, which TracyLee holds under a heat lamp before pressing to each fingernail. “Minx acts like a shrink wrap,” says TracyLee, “And the vinyl-like material won’t chip like a regular polish.”

Perhaps the best part of the whole experience is the designs. Minx nails are only available in bold colors, like metallic gold and silver, or wild designs, like cheetah print, plaid, or black and white skulls. I picked a metallic gold, knowing this would be a great, but very bold, look for the holiday season!

The heat-activated polymers in each Minx design are environmentally friendly, with no harsh chemicals added, so we can all breathe a little easier knowing that our daring beauty risk is completely safe. They can also help increase the health of your nail itself because the process does not include any buffers or primers, like with acrylics. TracyLee shapes, cleans, and dehydrates each nail before applying the film, saying that the protective film actually makes her clients’ nail stronger as they start to grow out.

Since the vinyl-material is heat-activated, it only makes sense that a quick zap of heat is all it takes to fix any edges that might start to curl up post-manicure. TracyLee says that once every other day or so, you will need to use a hair dryer to reactivate the films and press down on the tips of your nails to keep the edges from curling. By doing this, she says, each minx manicure can last anywhere from five days to three weeks.

TracyLee, who has spent the past year specializing in Minx manicures, is no stranger to the nail industry. After receiving her manicuring license in 1989, she opened up her own salon in New Jersey at the age of 22, which she then owned for 13 years. She has always enjoyed experimenting with new techniques and designs, she says, and she is always looking for the next great nail trend.

Working for Damone Roberts New York has brought TracyLee much success in her nail art career. Her clients include celebrities, such as singer Anjulie. She has manicured models for numerous photo shoots, including Lucky Magazine.

Now, after recently meeting with Minx nail executives in Los Angeles, TracyLee says she wants to work with educating people about the nail industry. “So many people have come to accept bad manicures as a normal occurrence,” she says. But there is no reason for shoddy manicures or pedicures and TracyLee wants all people to experience healthy and professional nail treatments.

TracyLee’s clients range in both age and income level. “I get everyone from the high school girl to the CFO,” she says. When her clients first started experimenting with Minx designs, she says the metallic colors were the most popular. Now, she says, many people mix and match designs on their nails, using the crazy combinations to make a unique, personal statement.

To remove the nails, all that is needed, again, is a hair dryer. No harsh nail polish remover or messy polish everywhere, thankfully! Just use the hair dryer to loosen the edges of the minx material and, starting at the cuticle, not the tip, gently peel off each nail. But you can also head back to Damone Roberts New York, located at 574 5^th Ave, where TracyLee gives her Minx clients a complimentary post-minx experience manicure. Now that is a complete service, if you ask me!

TracyLee warned me that I would get stares and comments from complete strangers wondering about my nails—and she was right! As soon as I left the salon and hopped on the subway, one girl couldn’t stop asking me about my nails. When I told her where she could get her own manicure, she excitedly thanked me for sharing my Minx experience.

If you want to try Minx nails for yourself, a manicure from TracyLee at Damone Roberts New York is $55 and a pedicure is $75. Visit Minx Nails to check out the complete line of designs.

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

Eventz Spotlightz Erin Simpson

Fashion For A Cause

At last night's Fashion for Action, a charitable event that auctioned off pricey designer duds and an enviable selection of show tickets, the atmosphere had a twinge of subdued excitement despite the loud music and steady stream of champagne. Fashion With Fifi was in attendence, of course, and we loved the event's beautiful venue, the Rubin Museum of Art, at 150 West 17th Street.

Dressed to the nines in four-inch heels and impeccably tailored suits, attendees perused merchandise from designers such as Balenciaga, Burberry, Christian Dior, Dolce and Gabbana, Dian von Furstenburg, and Yves Saint Laurent, and more, which were all donated for the benefit's silent auction. Tickets for the benefit started at $100 and designer items were sold at 50 to 70 percent off their retail prices, making it a steal that many could not resist!

In addition to a mouth-watering selection of gorgeous bags and staggering stilletos, the event also auctioned off tickets to shows during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Spring 2010, Broadway's "Bye, Bye Birdie", as well as a trip to the "Essence Music Festival 2010" complete with a three-night stay in New Orleans.

Co-chaired by designer Derek Lam and Olivia Palermo, from MTV's The City, and sponsored by Essence Magazine, the four-day event is raising funds for Housing Works, a service organization that helps homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS. Last night's benefit kicked off a three-day public sample sale, going on now at the Chelsea Thrift Shop, located at 143 West 17th St. The sample sale is free and open to anyone who wants their retail dollars to be spent on a worthy cause.

As the official on-line sponser, Gilt Groupe was one of the biggest contributors to the event, providing hundreds of retail items for the sample sale as well as the special window installations at the Chelsea Thrift Shop. Be sure to stop by before Sunday to get your hands on drastically reduced designer merchandise and help contribute to a great, local cause!

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

Erin Simpson

Zippers: Functional and Fashionable

Seven years ago, when Kate Cusack noticed a long zipper holding the edges of an old slip cover together, she instantly became inspired by the multi-functional piece of material.

“I thought of it not as a zipper but as a faceted piece of metal,” she says.

After experimenting with the malleable material, Cusack delved into the realm of jewelry design, creating what she calls “wearable art.” Her first collection in 2002 was a line of zipper pins. Cusack hand sews the zippers into large, brightly colored flowers, available with both gold and silver hardware.

The visually intriguing pieces are a refreshingly unique interpretation of a material we all use on a daily basis. “I like to find typical materials that I can use in unusual ways,” she says.

Cusack first started giving her pins away as gifts and then, in 2003, she began selling them after teaming up with Marissa Alperin, an old high school friend who owns a studio in Brooklyn Heights. Alperin, also a jewelry designer, features delicate precious and semi-precious earrings, necklaces and rings. Cusack brought her chunky, eclectic zipper jewelry to be showcased alongside Alperin’s. From there, Cusack says the popularity of her designs was “very organic.”

When Alperin’s shop was featured in New York Magazine’s, Cusack’s jewelry also received a spotlight in their “Best Bets” column. With this exposure, Cusack then moved her wares to the Fellisimo Design House, located at 10 West 56^th St., where they were featured in an exhibit entitled “Made in Brooklyn.”

The success of her pin collection soon led Cusack to start creating new designs. She has now expanded her collection to include necklaces and bracelets, with her retail prices reflecting the complexity of each design. Zipper pins retail for $85, bracelets retail from $120 to $300, and necklaces retail from $300 to $1,200.

The intricate designs are both eye-catching and beautiful. “I like the contrast between the soft material and the hard material,” she says. Cusack plays with shapes and loves the “aha” moment when customers realize they are made of zippers.

Customers can find Cusack’s pins and select bracelets in her online shop, while her necklaces are sold in galleries such as Julie: Artisans’ Gallery in NYC and the Snyderman-Works Gallery in Philadelphia. To see Cusack’s whole zipper collection, check out her website.

With zippers being such a huge trend in the fashion industry right now, Cusack says she likes to think she started the whole craze. Each of her designs is original and Cusack says it can be very tricky when a lot of other designs from mainstream companies and designers start to look similar to hers.

“Even though the zipper trend is out there, I think it brings a lot more attention to me.” And that attention is growing to global proportions with Fergie being spotted in Melbourne just recently wearing one of Cusack’s necklaces.

Her work has been featured in a number of magazines, including Cosmopolitan, InStyle, and WWD. Italian Vogue also borrowed some of her zipper pieces for a photo shoot.

But jewelry is not Cusack’s only design success. After receiving her MFA from the Yale school of Drama in 2006, she worked extensively with theater design, creating costumes for a number of plays and projects. She was also commissioned by Tiffany & Company’s 5^th Avenue flagship store to create five elaborate “Marie-Antoinette style” wigs for the 2002 Mother’s Day window display. The stunning headdresses were all made out of household plastic wrap, keeping true to Cusack’s design aesthetic.

Although Cusack continues exploring all areas of artistic design and creativity, she devotes most of her focus to her zipper collection, saying that she enjoys this endeavor the most.

In addition to remaining creative and happy while creating new and interesting designs, Cusack says she would also love have Lady Gaga wear one of pieces. “That would make a big splash!”

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

Erin Simpson

Going Green Is More Than A Fashionable Trend

Going green has become quite the fad these days—and one that I hope is going to stick! Environmentally conscious consumer products are literally everywhere, making it easier than ever to green-proof your life. But one woman’s dedication to creating a recycled jewelry collection while leaving the smallest carbon footprint possible is unparalleled.

Meet Ann Skydell Harmon, owner and creator of Ann-Made jewelry, wearable art that is handcrafted out of recycled can tabs. Each recycled can tab is scrubbed clean and polished smooth by Ann’s own devoted husband, dubbed the “Tab King,” before they are used to make earrings, bracelets and pendants. The chunky, unusual pieces are each adorned with beads and natural gem stones for a look that blends man-made and natural materials.

The idea for the collection first came to her when she was an art instructor for emotionally disturbed children. Wanting to teach her students the importance of being environmentally conscious, Harmon introduced the recycled can tabs as an art project.

“The last thing on their minds was recycling. But this was a great way to teach creative problem solving, which these kids needed,” she says.

Harmon ended up creating bracelets out of the can tabs herself and handed them out to the other teachers as gifts. It was her co-workers’ enthusiasm that made her realize she had started something special. “The teachers couldn’t get enough,” she says.

That was two years ago. Now, Harmon’s business has grown exponentially, with her jewelry being sold in stores along the east coast and even as far as Chicago. She has also launched her own website where customers can order pieces from her collection. Harmon travels to about 35 art shows a year and says she is always fascinated by people’s reactions. “I come in contact with thousands of people and it is like a religious fervor,” she says.

But her dedication to the environment is just as impressive as her success. Harmon purchases her can tabs from a nonprofit group in New Jersey that collects tabs from local area schools and sells them to aluminum recyclers. She generously buys the tabs for more than double their retail value in an effort to help this struggling non-profit in their recycling efforts.

Harmon donates a portion of every sale to The Alliance for Climate Protection and its affiliate, The Climate Project. And, to take her endeavors one step further, Harmon even packages her jewelry with clean, reused cardboard and ships her products with left-over, unprinted newspaper—a trick her father taught her, she says. “He has that Depression era mentality.” Something we can all benefit from in today’s economy!

“I wanted to be as socially and environmentally conscious as possible with the company,” says Harmon.

Her company, which is based near her home on the New Jersey shore, is a family-run affair. Her two daughters provide website maintenance, assist at art shows, and help with non-artistic production while her husband helps with packaging. As her business has continued to grow, she has also brought on three assistants to help her family handle the overwhelming demand for her jewelry.

Ann-Made was awarded the Green America Seal of Approval this past June for its green efforts. Harmon’s business underwent a lengthy screening process by Green America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability. Being recognized for her commitment to social and environmental responsibility is something that Harmon is very proud of.

“All along the way this has been such a positive experience,” says Harmon.

To check out more of Harmon’s jewelry or learn more about her environmental efforts, visit Annmadeart.com.

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

Erin Simpson

FACE atelier Lets You Release Your Inner Beauty Maven

FACE atelier is a cosmetic company that strives to uphold the idea that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Instead of illustrating how women should look, they emphasize the importance of women finding their own cosmetic perfection. A quick visit to their website will not yield the typical photos of models demonstrating the makeup, but features the products themselves, allowing women to find the perfect shade for themselves.

I tried out three lip products by FACE atelier and want to share my findings with all of you.

I always have a slew of lip-glosses in my bag at any given moment and love when I can grab a gloss and get great coverage in one quick swipe. FACE atelier’s Lip Glaze is a smooth gloss that goes on so easily and stays put without being too sticky or messy. The color, ‘Flamingo’, was a bit too frosty for my taste, but there are many color choices to suit everyone’s tastes.

Lipsticks add a level of sophistication that lip glosses can’t quite achieve, and FACE atelier’s collection gives great coverage and come in a variety of colors and finishes, from plum to pink, matte to frost. I sampled ‘Candy Floss’ and found the light, frosted pink color washed out my pale complexion.

FACE atelier also makes ‘Lip Putty,’ a great product that can be used under your lipstick to smooth out fine lines that can become exaggerated by lip color. In addition, ‘Lip Putty’ is packed with vitamins and essential oils to add moisture and hydration to your lips, making this dual action product a wise investment. My lips felt smoother and softer and I’ll never apply lipstick without it again!

Each tube is $20.00 and is available on their website, www.faceatelier.com.

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

Erin Simpson

At-Home Manicure With Duri Nail Polishes Contest Winner Announced

The "At-Home Manicure With Duri Nail Polishes" contest ended yesterday. And, we'd like to give a special thanks to everyone who participated. To assure that everyone had a fair chance of winning, we pooled all entries using Random.org. With that said, let's announce the winner!

Congratulations to the following:
NikkiBelk

NikkiBelk said.. My nail polish would be called "Purple Rain". It would be a tribute to the 1980's movie staring Prince. With everyhting being so retro I think it would be a hit. The color consistency would be a midnight purple and blue matte. Can you say "DIVA"!

You've won a free set of 6 Duri Nail Polishes in Trophy Wife, Slum Dog Millionaire, Money Don't Make Me, Formula For Success, and Luxury Time and Million Dollar Baby to 1 lucky Fashion Circle follower. Valued at $30!. Please send your full name and mailing info to contest@fashionwithfifi.com to redeem your prize.



"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"
Suzanna

blip.tv Celebrates Online Media Content at Mocca Lounge

I think it is safe to say that most people’s lives have never been the same since the introduction of online media and video companies. Choosing between your favorite Thursday night sitcom or a cocktail hour with your friends is no longer an issue with the availability of movies and television shows on the internet. And now, blip.tv is a website that makes more than 48,000 independent web shows available to more than 22,000,000 viewers.

Last Wednesday evening, blip.tv co-founders Dina Kaplan and Mike Hudack (see them in the center of the above photo!) hosted a party at the trendy Mocca Lounge in NYC’s Tribeca neighborhood to celebrate the company’s cyber success. The event attracted blip.tv friends and industry insiders alike, including top executives, journalists and industry insiders from companies like MTV, NBC and IAC. (See me with blip.tv CEO Mike Hudack!)

These web gurus know how to celebrate, with complimentary Bulldog Gin cocktails and bottles of Peroni. Delicious Mediterranean-inspired hor d’oeuvres made their way around a room that buzzed with gossip about the latest and the greatest in the multi-media world.

The guest list included Richard Blakely from Gawker, Bob Buck, VP at Digg, Joe Ciarallo from Media Bistro, Andrea Chalupo from the Huffington Post/AOL, and Ask Melissa’s Jennifer Wright. Photographer Steven Ekerovich snapped these attendees as they grooved to tunes by DJ AK in the dimly lit hotspot.

blip.tv recognizes that there are tons of innovative and independent out there. The website is home to more than 2.4 million episodes of everything from sitcoms to dramas, news programs to how-to programs. blip.tv also hosts and syndicates shows to a number of notable online resources, including YouTube, iTunes, Facebook, Verizon and more.

After a fun-filled night spent in honor of the World Wide Web, party-goers took home goody bags stuffed with Popchips, Honest Tea, a Moosewood Restaurant frozen dinner entrée voucher, and a Mocca Lounge gift certificate.

blip.tv offers a unique way to find new and interesting shows while also bringing independent show creators onto the media radar.

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

Erin Simpson

Essie - Polishes That Never Fail To Impress

I have always been a huge fan of Essie nail polishes. You always know to expect high quality nail polishes in trendy innovative colors. That kind of product reliability is irresistible to me and has made me a loyal patron of these polishes. So when I got to try out an eclectic mix of new colors by the essie brand, needless to say, I was pretty excited!

First, I tried out an electric orange and a neon pink. When I first saw these brightly colored bottles, I was intrigued. And then, when I applied it and let my nails dry, I was shocked by the matte finish. It is so surprising and unexpected with such bold colors—in a good way!

‘Bright Tights’ is an amazing orange color that will add a pop of fun color where you least expect it. Since it has a matte finish, the color is a little more muted than it appears in the bottle. The consistency is a little bit thin, so I applied three thin coats to get a bright orange without any streaks. I absolutely loved how the matte finish looks when it dried!

‘Pink Parka’ is a neon pink polish whose matte finish makes it so interesting to look at! In the bottle, it looks like a shiny, Barbie-pink polish, but when it dries, the matte finish adds a whole new level of sophistication. The formula was a bit thin and took a bit of concentration in order to eliminate streaks and get an even, consistent finish. I applied three thin coats of this color as well and just adored the results!

‘Mink Muffs’ reminds me more of an exfoliating mud mask than an exotic fur. The rich, dark brown color is a nice alternative to the usual blacks, purples, and blues. Just two coats gave me a perfectly smooth, opaque finish that looks very professional. I personally love mixing black with brown accents, so I can see this color being the perfect accent to your favorite little black dress.

‘Chinchilly’ might perhaps be my newest obsession of the season. I have been craving a gray nail polish that strikes the impossible balance between too dark and too light. And I found exactly that with ‘Chinchilly’! I love that the color has a slight green tint to it, making it a little more interesting than the more traditional gray polishes. After two coats, I got a beautiful opaque gray that is so reminiscent of preppy Catholic school uniforms.

'Midnight Cami’ is the inkiest of navy blues that I have ever come across! I could have stopped with one coat, that’s how dark the polish is! The polish applied really well and I even found the thicker consistency easier to apply and avoid my cuticles. However, you will definitely need to use a base coat because the polish stained both my nails and cuticles an unsightly blue when I removed it. Other than that, this color is a great alternative to black polish!

essie nail polishes are available in a plethora of colors, which you can examine at your leisure here. Each bottle is $8.00 and is available either online or in select salons as listed on their site. Product Review

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

Product Reviewz Erin Simpson

Reality Check: Project Runway Season 6, Episode 12

Bryant Park became a reality for three designers on Project Runway last night. But, for two, it was the bittersweet end of their short-lived, reality show lives.

Tim Gunn took the designers to The J. Paul Getty Museum where they were invited to use the center as inspiration for their last design. To get the creative juices flowing, Gunn also brought out the models to serve as muses while the designers were perusing the Getty Center. From the striking architecture to the beautiful interiors and inspirational paintings, there was something for each of the designers to focus their designs on.

This was the final challenge for the five remaining designers and as the gravity of the situation set in, the tension in the studio could be cut with a knife.

Carol Hannah found a luxurious French bed from 1775 and designed a gold evening gown that the judges thought was beautifully executed but not reminiscent of the inspiration. While they all agreed that it was perhaps the most show-stopping piece on the runway, they also warned her that was playing it a bit safe.

Gordana fixated on a painting by Monet and created a dress that symbolized not only her simplistic and sophisticated design aesthetic but also her strong spirituality. As her model walked down the runway, she remarked that this was the best dress she felt she had ever made. The judges all agreed that her piece closely resembled the painting with the flowy, gorgeously draped material, but wondered if her performance would be strong enough to carry her all the way to Bryant Park.

Irina also spotted a painting, but she was interested in replicating the gauzy, sheer material that was draped over two voluptuous women. Her flowy number was beautifully crafted but she definitely missed the mark with the accessories. Her delicate dress was overshadowed by clunky shoes, heavy bangles, large earrings and a distracting headband. Once the accessories were removed, the judges all agreed the dress looked much simpler.

Christopher is the last man standing in this challenge and he knows he is the wildcard. He has always stayed true to his own visions, even at the dismay of the judges. At the Getty Center, he spotted a rocky water fountain and focused on the algae at the water’s edge, creating a dress in a slate blue-gray color. The judges felt he had chosen the wrong fabric for the dress and wondered if his lack of experience was becoming a hindrance.

Althea tried to recreate the architecture of the museum into the structure of her skirt but found that her material was much more difficult to manage than she had anticipated. Heidi Klum said she was disappointed with her and surprised to see such a messy design.

Luckily for Althea, her strong body of work was enough to save her and send her to Bryant Park along with Irina and Carol Hannah, whose designs stood out above the rest. Although Klum admitted that this was the hardest challenge to decide, the judges decided to send Christopher and Gordana home.

Next week is sure to bring a fresh dose of design drama as the designers get to make their own collections and head across the country to Bryant Park. Be sure to tune in next week to see how these three women will fair in the Big Apple!

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

Erin Simpson