Product Review: Carol’s Daughter Monoi Collection

Carol's Daughter, Monoi Haicare Collection, Repairing Sulfate-Free Shampoo- $18, Repairing Conditioner-$20, Repairing Hair Mask-$29, http://www.carolsdaughter.com

 

There are three things a woman should never scrimp on when it comes to her beauty regimen; skincare, foundation and hair care. Hair care products don’t have to cost an arm and a leg to be considered quality but they do need to have top notch formulations and quality ingredients which often results in a higher price point. Carol’s Daughter’s latest hair care launch is the Monoi Collection and it’s definitely worth every penny. I was fortunate enough to receive samples of the new collection to try out. The collection includes the Repairing Sulfate-Free Shampoo, the Repairing Conditioner and the Repairing Hair Mask. For this review, I only used the Shampoo and Conditioner.

Let me start off by stating how delicious the fragrance is. It reminds me of a tropical flower mixed with a hint of sweet vanilla. It’s very soothing and definitely makes the entire wash and conditioning experience luxurious. The beauty of the Monoi Collection is that is features Monoi Oil which is a native oil to the Tahitian Islands. This highly emollient, botanical ingredient repairs and prevents hair from damage such as split ends, breakage and dryness.

Beauty News: MAC Taps Beauty Bloggers for New Limited-Edition Collection

MAC Cosmetics - http://www.maccosmetics.com

MAC is known for being an innovator, risk-taker and a leader in the world of cosmetics and beauty. They are at the top of their game when it comes to launching state-of-the-art products that are known to disappear within days of hitting the counters. Imagine how cool it would be to help create a limited-edition collection for MAC? Well, ten lucky beauty bloggers got to experience that dream firsthand earlier this month. MAC picked eighty beauty bloggers and then whittled it down to ten finalists who they flew to Canada to tour the labs where the cosmetics are created. The ten lucky bloggers then got the chance to pick out the lip glosses and eye shadows for the collection as well as name the products. There is no word on what the theme or colors of the collection are but as soon as they hit stores, we’re sure they’ll sell out!

The Collections: The Vessel. by Lois FW11

Lois Samuels’ fall 2011 collection for The Vessel. by Lois was presented as a exhibition of black and white photographs of Samuels herself modeling each of the looks (Samuels is a former model, and was featured in the CK ads during the 90′s). Entitled “7 Days of Winter”, the collection of dresses, short suits and one-piece jumpers has a strong uniform quality, primarily due to Samuels’ strict tailoring and simple silhouettes. In Samuels’ hands, classic, menswear-inspired pieces look fresh, and she has managed to produce a collection that  a woman can actually imagine buying in total, something that seems logical, but is rare in reality. These are looks that make sense in a modern woman’s closet, but has sacrificed nothing in terms of “the new” that we expect from fashion. The most intriguing piece is a one-piece long-sleeved pant look that recalls the early days of American sportswear as done by Claire McCardell and Bonnie Cashin.

Photos: Joanna Totolici

Beauty News: Dior Preps for Summer with Electric Tropics Collection

Dior, Electric Tropics Collection Summer 2011, http://www.dior.com

Summer season is one of the best times for beauty. Colors are bright, bold and sensual while formulations and finishes are infused with shimmer and luminosity. The focus is on creating a glossier, shinier version of yourself with the aid of a little bronzer, glimmering eye shadows and micro-flecked lip glosses. Dior’s new summer collection Electric Tropics hits all of the high notes of summer makeup with perfection. From gorgeous shadow palettes to luscious glosses that shine and sparkle, this collection is a sophisticated take on classic summer beauty.

Parisian Chic

Definitely on the must-read list for the upcoming lazy days of summer…We love Ines’ easy, modern classic style and wonder why she didn’t do this book sooner. One tip we expect to see in the book: take off one accessory/piece of jewelry before leaving the house- you will never see an over-accessorized Parisan woman.

Beauty News: Ellie Saab’s First Fragrance Set to Launch in July

Ellie Saab

“One finds in it a trace of childhood. There are always smells that hang onto memory such as orange blossoms, or the jasmine that grew around the house. I am a Mediterranean. While creating this perfume I thought a lot about my childhood memories. I like the naïve aspect of things.”

Ellie Saab is a household name in the world of couture. He has designed some of the industry’s most exquisite dresses and his beautiful collections have been worn by some of the world’s most beautiful women. One of his runway creations found its way into Halle Berry’s life when she nabbed her first Academy Award. With the world at his fingertips, Ellie Saab has taken the next big step in building his empire and creating an international brand with the launch of his first fragrance. He teamed up with Beauty Prestige International (BPI), a world renowned fragrance company who helped create top-selling fragrances for Narcisco Rodriguez, Jean Paul Gaultier and Issey Miyake. No word on the name of the fragrance but definitely expect his first fragrance launch to be decadent, feminine and very exotic.

The Industry: Edward Enninful to W Magazine

 

The latest news in the musical chairs game happening at W Magazine is that Edward Enninful will be replacing Alex White as Fashion and Style Director at W. Enninful, who previously served as a Contributor Editor at Vogue, is a Ghanian-born stylist/fashion editor who styled the “The Black Allure” story in the now infamous all-black issue of Vogue Italia. Of course, this is all great, but we remain amazed that Enninful was named Fashion Director at i.D magazine at the age of 18 (what were you doing when you were 18?). We are also huge fans of Alex White’s work and will miss seeing her stories in W, but are excited to see what she will do next.

The Market: Sophie Theallet for Nine West

 

To be honest, we have to admit that we have grown weary of fashion “collaborations”, but still can’t seem to look away when they pop up on our radar. To introduce their new Shoelaborations project, Nine West has tapped Sophie Theallet to produce the first collection. Theallet, a French-born designer, used this small collection to tell her story of coming from Paris to New York City in order to realize her dreams as a designer. The line includes jewelry and bags as well as shoes and will be available in May. Next up for the Shoelaborations? British designer Gilles Deacon… Go to www.ninewest.com for more information.

The Market: Bernardo Sandals

Remember the photo of Jackie O. in Capri? That little sandal that she is wearing in that iconic image is a Bernardo. The shoe line, started in 1947,  made sandals that were packed into the suitcases of the chicest women in the world during the 60′s and 70′s. Bernardo has relaunched their collection for SS11, and we are loving both the classic flat sandals as well as some of the new higher-heel styles. Take a look at the whole collection at www.bernardofootwear.com.

Bernardo "Faith" Sandal, $165

Bernardo "Madison" Sandal, $149

Bernardo “Marvel” Sandal, $149

Bernardo “Farfalla” Leather Sandal, $239

The Collections: Ann-Sofie Back Atelje FW11

Everything about Ann-Sofie Back’s Atelje Fall 2011 presentation read reduction. From the severely edited 14 looks to the seriously pared-down aesthetic of the pieces in the collection. Taking cars as an inspiration, the Swedish designer injected metallic touches in the form of a no-nonsense pantsuit and knife pleats and acute angles on dresses that recall the shine and precision that draw the eye to most automobiles. Viewed as a whole, this collection offers up the type of clothes for women who dress for no one else but themselves- not other women and certainly not for men, who would be confronted with a specific type of sexuality that would most likely only attract the most artistically and sartorially evolved of men. The collection can be seen to fall in line with the current minimalist mood, but that is only part of the story- there is a razor-sharp edge to Back’s form of minimalism that takes it beyond the simplicity of ”less is more”.

Photos: Style.com