Get Glowin

Ms. New Beauty is a loyal girl. She sticks by her friends and family no matter what. She's even loyal to parking facilities, as she has a favorite parking lot at every mall she frequents. MNB has worn Joe's Jean's in the Honey fit almost exclusively since discovering them three years ago. She has not let another stylist in Boston touch her head since discovering and falling in love with her beloved Will. But most of all, Ms. New Beauty sticks by her beauty products. Once she finds a product she loves, she uses it, and it alone. For years, MNB has been using only one brand and shade of blush to give her a natural, flushed look. She's recommended it to everyone who has asked and carries it with her every time she leaves town. But, Ms. New Beauty is ashamed to admit, she's cheating. Yes, she's having an affair with another blush that gives that same beautiful flush. Ladies, meet Ms. New Beauty's lover.

Smashbox O-GLOW

This is the blush that is making me cheat on my baby. I feel so dirty, but I love it all the same. Smashbox O-GLOW has the same satiny smooth texture as the brand's famed Photo Finish Foundation Primer. It goes on smooth and feels heavenly on your cheeks. But the texture is not what makes this blush so special. It's the technology that goes into it.

O-GLOW is completely clear in the tube. The second it touches your skin, it reacts with your body's chemistry and matches the shade of your cheeks when you blush naturally. That means that this is one of the few products that is truly universally flattering because it adjusts itself to each different person. (Sidenote - The term "universally flattering" gets thrown around way too loosely nowadays and people often fail to account for women of color in using that term. I actually read a post where someone said that the new Lancome Proenza Pink will look good on everyone. Tell me what kind of fool I would look like wearing this.) Back to the point, you can be sure that O-GLOW will look good on you because it merely replicates your own natural flush. And, the color lasts for hours with no problem. Paired with clear mascara and a perfectly matched concealer, this product is perfect for those days when you look great and can still tell people "I'm not wearing makeup."

$26, available only at Sephora.


Get your glow on, and make them think you're born with it, but don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!

School Is Back In Session

Like most stylish women, Ms. New Beauty loves fashion week. She loves admiring the creativity and craftsmanship of the new collections, spotting the newest trends before they even reach trend status, and planning her wardrobe a full six months ahead. But, she also really loves seeing what the new take on beauty is going to be. Dedicated bloggers, who are lucky enough to get tent passes, keep MNB abreast of what's going on above the neck on the runway. And, fabulous makeup artists like Pat McGrath give her step by step tutorials on how to create the latest looks. Check out Pat's latest video below as she recreates the runway beauty trends. Life can't get any better.

Watch, and learn, just don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!

Single Sexy & Free

Television, magazines, radio, and just life will make you think that Valentine's Day is rough if you are currently unattached. Well, Ms. New Beauty believes that's all BS. V-Day is a time to show your love, and who's more deserving of all your love and affection than yourself??? Nobody, that's who. MNB is loving herself with all her heart right now. She never has more fun than during the times when she is completely head over heels, butt crazy in love with herself. And when's she loving herself, Ms. New Beauty loves to spend time with other women who love themselves just as much. So she's found the best products to feel beautiful and sexy night out with the girls.

Farouk Biosilk Silk Therapy

It's a universal truth that we are all attracted to things that glitter and sparkle. Diamonds aren't just a girl's best friend. Everybody loves them. Even if you didn't get a sparkly little bauble today, there's no reason that you still can't have something shiny and sparkling in your life. Make it your hair. Just a few drops of Biosilk will give your hair a 100 watt shine, the stuff that Pantene commercials are made of. Completely free of alcohol, Biosilk smoothes out your hair's cuticle, protects it from heat treatments and helps repair split ends. I have not been without a small bottle of this stuff since I graduated high school. And my hair is always so shiny that you can almost see yourself in it. Smooth in, and shine on.

Farouk is technically a salon product, but I have never bought it from there. In almost any drug store or Target, you can find it in the "Salon Products" section of the haircare aisle. $12.49, available at drugstore.com

Urban Decay Cocktail Collection Flavored Body Powder

Add just the slightest hint of shimmer to the skin you're showing with this big fluffy brush filled with sparkling powder. Swipe this across your decollete, down your arms, and right in between your cleavage to give yourself a little oomph. And, because no night out with the girls is complete without gossiping over the appropriate libations, these powders come in delicious cocktail flavored scents. The Pina Colada is a white shimmer powder perfect for very fair complexions. Mai Tai is golden and looks great on women of color and those with warm undertones. And the Cosmopolitan is a pretty pink that works well on women with medium complexions and cool undertones.

$30, available at Sephora.

Shu Uemura Flare Eyelashes

I know it's supposed to be a night out with the girls. But that doesn't mean you can't get all dolled up just for yourself. Try full on movie star glam eyes tonight. Line upper and lower lashes with black eyeliner and smudge. And, don't forget to complete the look with false eyelashes. Glue three or four of these individual false lashes along the outer corner of your lash line. Just this subtle touch will give you the fullness of falsies but still keep your lashes looking naturally full and lush. Perfect for batting your eyes demurely and giving just the hint that you might be interested.

$15, available at shuuemura-usa.com

Fresh Rose Face Mask

Don't wait for a man to send you flowers. Pull a Cher Horowitz and send them to yourself. Or use this luxurious face mask to clean and tighten your skin. Packed with crushed rose petals, this mask smells amazing and leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth. Use this after your night out to get the makeup and public grime off your face. Plus the tightening agents will make sure that you wake up looking fresh and fabulous, just in case you and the girls knock back one too many.

$55, available at fresh.com

Be your own true love, but keep it fabulous for a single girls' night out, just don't forget Ms. New Beauty told you!

In The Mood For Love

February is one of Ms. New Beauty's favorite month's. Only in February does she get to celebrated her anniversary, her birthday, the history of her people, and love all at once. She's already celebrated the first three, but unfortunately, she'll be on her own with the last one. That's right, MNB will be all alone on Valentine's Day. Such is the life of a woman in a long distance relationship. But, she will be alright. Instead of wallowing in her loneliness at home, she's going on a date with some of the loves of her life - her girlfriends. They're going to eat fattening desserts, watching girly movies, and celebrate one of the greatest loves of all, true friendship. But for you ladies that will be celebrating the day of love with a significant other, MNB has found some of the best Valentine's date perfect products.

100% Pure Chocolate Mocha Body Scrub

What Valentine's beauty post could be complete without a mention of chocolate? Not this one. Soften up your body and eliminate any dry patches (dead skin is so not sexy) before the big day with this decadent body scrub. This rich scrub is made with Belgian dark chocolate, a rich source of antioxidants, cocoa butter and moisturizing grapeseed oil. A touch of Hawaiian Kona coffee increases circulation and caffeine is known to tighten any "loose" spots. Soften up and get sexy for your man. And enjoy this chocolate guilt-free because it will not end up on your hips in the morning.

$18, available at Bath & Body Works.

Kitty Lixx Lava Lotion Body Candle Massage Oil

Most adult product lines offer very few items that wouldn't embarass you in front of your mother if you accidentally forgot to put them away. But, Kitty Lixx has struck gold in this ingenious candle. It's perfect for a romantic evening at home. Burn the candle for great mood lighting and to scent your room. And, then blow out the flame and use the melted wax as a massage oil. Be forewarned, just a little of the melted wax goes a long way so use sparingly. Don't ask me how I now.

This candle comes in three scents, Vanilla, Strawberry and Jasmine, for $17.99. Available at KittyLixx.com. (Note - the Kitty Lixx website is probaby not safe for work)

Lush Joy of Jelly Shower Jelly

Lush is one of the most innovative cosmetic companies around. And, I have been head over heels in love with their shower jellies since I first stepped foot into their store. These jellies are all natural and made by hand. The Joy of Jelly is their sexiest scent, combining notes of musky jasmine, ylang ylang, rose, and tiger lilly. But the best part isn't the scent, it's how you use it. Instead of just squeezing onto a loofah (how boring), you rub a hunk of the jelly all over your body to produce a fragrant and luscious lather. This will make for tons of fun in a shower for two. Get your man dirty and then clean him up. And let him return the favor.

$5.45 for a 3.5 oz hunk of jelly, available at Lush.com.

Healing Garden zzzTherapy Pillow Spray

Before you lay yourself down to "sleep," make your bed more welcoming with this pillow spray. Spray in the air above your bed and let the light scent of vanilla bean, chamomile, and orange blossom fall into your linens. Don't let the name fool you, this scent is perfect for creating a very awake sensual mood in your bedroom. And, this is just one product from a great line. The Healing Garden is one of the best drugstore brands available. Their body splashes and sprays are strong enough to last all day and use fragrance notes that smell just as good as expensive perfumes.

$6.99, available at drug stores.

This post has been for those couple perfect products. But single New Beauties need not worry, a special Valentine's Day post just for the unattached is forthcoming.

Share the love ladies, and look fabulous while doing it, but don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!

Lemme Upgrade You

Ms. New Beauty is essentially, as the last word of the title suggests, a beauty blog. MNB generally keeps her subject matter focused on beauty products and cosmetics, although she does take an occasional foray into fashion and lifestyle topics with a few personal anecdotes to pepper the discussion. Well, today, MNB is veering far off her normal course with a purely celeb focused post. She normally tries to tie such diversions to her main beauty purpose, but today she really just can't. Trying to give a makeup tip would really just take away from the wonder that is the incredible upgrade two women have experienced. Sure, MNB could pick out a nice nude lip color for her readers, but she doesn't even want you to focus on the makeup. She wants you to look at the whole looks, the style transformations of these two beautiful women. How they have gone from looking haggard and well, just rough, to looking truly fabulous lately. Both deserving of a hearty round of applause, this post gives us two new additions to the MNB New Beauties category.

Whitney Houston

I have just two words for Miss Whitney - Welcome Back!!!!!


Eve

As a hometown Philly girl, I've always felt like E-v-e has been sleeping on so much potential. I think someone has finally tapped her on her shoulder and told her that she can look really good without doing too much. And, even though I have not and will never be a fan of the "ta-ta tattoo," even the paw prints don't bother me so much here. In a funny way, something about them actually works. Well done Eve.

Let these two be proof that there is a New Beauty inside all of us, upgrade yourself if the feeling strikes, and don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!

24K

Ms. New Beauty is finally getting a chance to recover from a ridiculously busy week. Last week, after returning from a much needed vacation, MNB couldn't even unpack her bags before she was busy planning her birthday party. Since she was turning 24, MNB decided that a gold "24K" theme was only appropriate for such a fete. The invite was done and she encouraged all her guests to wear gold to the party. The only problem? She couldn't find a smashing gold outfit to wear herself. Spending hours scouring malls, outlets, and the best online sites, MNB had come up empty handed, with only one day left before the party. She had no other choice but to head to Boston's premiere destination for chic boutiques and cool stores - Newbury Street. Under normal circumstances, shopping on Newbury is nothing but pleasant. But when the temperature drops to 20 degrees, with a windchill of negative 200, outdoor shopping is on MNB's list of "favorite things to do" right behind cleaning the toilet and having a root canal without anesthesia. But, in the name of fashion, she sucked it up and pounded the pavement in search of the ensemble for her birthday bash.

Popping in and out of boutiques and chain stores for almost an hour, MNB had come up with very little. She bought a sequined top that really wasn't her style as a backup. It was her safety shirt in case she didn't find anything better. Convinced that gold sequins were the best she was going to find, MNB was already figuring out how to make the top acceptable for her party when she realized that she was right across the street from Betsey Johnson, the boutique, not the woman. Knowing that BJ always makes the cutest little party dresses, MNB headed inside with a glimmer of hope that she would find a party perfect dress. And she did! Sitting on the last rack, all the way in the back of the store, was the most perfectly draped, expertly ruched, gold party dress that MNB has ever seen. A quick trip to the dressing room revealed that the dress hit Ms. New Beauty in all the right spots. She pulled out her plastic, grabbed her bags, and headed down the street on cloud 9, elated that she found a dress for her party. MNB was taking long Seabiscuit strides down the street with her smile beaming. The whole street knew that Ms. New Beauty was a Crest Kid. And as with any great fashion moment, a great beauty find was right behind.

Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve

Here's a quick personal confession - I lotion my hands, almost compulsively. I have to, I have no choice. Ever since winter descended upon this city almost overnight, bringing with it bitterly cold and desert dry air, my hands have been ridiculously dry. The Dove hand cream that works wonders in normal conditions is no match for this harsh winter. I've tried a bunch of different hand creams lately, but they all seem to be plagued with one of two problems. They are either (1) too watery and my hands get ashy again within minutes or (2) too greasy and make opening door knobs far too much of a challenge. But, Kiehl's Ultimate Hand Salve has become my salvation and rescued me from my dry skin misery.

This thick hand cream moisturizes and protects my hands all day without the slightest trace of greasiness. Designed to give "glove-like" protection for those doing heavy industrial work, this cream is more than capable of keeping my little fingers from being ashy during my daily activities, like typing on my laptop or digging in my purse for my cell phone. My hands have never been softer and there is no ash in sight.

$12.50 for a small tube, available at Kiehls.com and where ever Kiehl's products are sold.

Keep those hands moisturized, and stop for great beauty detours on your fashion journeys, just don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!


P.S. - And, just in case you want to see the dress that I spent so much time looking for, here it is. I was having a great time in this shot!

Beach & Body Works

Ms. New Beauty is finally back from her much needed vacation. She spent the past week in Dominican Republic laying on the beach and playing in the ocean with her boyfriend. She was so relaxed she could barely drag herself from her chaise to grab pina coladas from the beach bar, but somehow she managed. Just before leaving for her vacation, Ms. New Beauty rediscovered the wonders of an American shopping mall staple - Bath & Body Works. Having sworn off the store years ago because of all of those sickeningly sweet smelling lotions and shower gels, MNB has gotten her beauty fixes from so many other places that she had completely forgotten about B&BW. Desperate for a good sunscreen, MNB just happened to pop into the store before her trip to discover what the rest of the world has apparently known for a while, Bath & Body Works has gotten a serious upgrade. A "Beyonce singing about Cartier Tie Clips" worthy upgrade. Both before and after her trip, MNB was surprised by the quality and level of products being offered at Bath & Body Works and is profiling two of her most satisfying recent purchases in this post.

Peter Thomas Roth Oil Free Sunblock SPF 30

I know I've blogged, lectured, ranted and raved about the importance of sunscreen before. I have had a few favorite sunscreens for years, so I haven't really been trying any new ones. But, two days before our trip, I was looking for a spray sunscreen for my body and came across this one.

Peter Thomas Roth Oil Free SPF 30 is the lightest sunscreen lotion that I've ever used on my face. Despite claiming to be oil free, a lot of other sunscreens still leave my face looking greasier than a bucket of the Colonel's Extra Crispy. But this one is so light. I slathered it all over my face, neck, and decollete (and eventually my whole body) during our whole trip and I never once got greasy. It kept my skin protected and my forehead shine free. Now, I did still get darker after all those hours on the beach under the Dominican sun, but I'm not complaining because a sista was pasty before she left. I've read that any change in skin color, i.e. getting a tan, is a sign of sun damage, but I'm not quite sure if that holds true even when using sunscreen and reapplying religiously. But, that is a question for The Beauty Brains.

This is not listed on the B&BW website but is available in stores and at other retailers for $26.

Breathe Delight Deep Nourishment Body Cream

It was so warm and balmy in DR that I barely needed any lotion for the whole trip. Just a quick dollop on my hands and feet did the trick and my skin never felt dry. I was in for quite a rude awakening as soon as we got back. I stepped off the plane in Atlanta and the dry air hit me like a slug to the chest. My whole body instantly felt itchy and dry, which caused as "ashaphobe" like me to almost have a mental breakdown.

While we were waiting for our connecting flight, I dashed off to the B&BW in Terminal B and bought a big jar of this heavenly body cream. Breathe Delight Deep Nourishment Body Cream is nice and thick, just what my dry skin needed. As soon as I finished paying for it, I went straight to the ladies room and slathered this cream all over my legs, back, shoulders, and arms. I felt instanly refreshed.

Available at Bath & Body Works for $16.50.


Stay protected and hydrated ladies, find treasures sitting in a mall near you, just don't forget that Ms. New Beauty told you!