From drugstores to department stores there are so many beauty products out there it can make you dizzy. The 2008 Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) Beauty Awards, which honor the best of today's products, is an uncomplicated way to narrow down some of the bulk. The winners are voted on by CEW’s 4,000+ members, which are all women in the cosmetics industry. As a side note, hats off to Olay, who had 3 winners this year.

Some of the personal favorites of Indulge are highlighted and the full list of winners is below. As an added bonus, CVS.com is offering some of these products at 20% off through Friday, July 4.

Favorites of Indulge:

Covergirl LashBlast Mascara:
LashBlast is a very close second in my book to Supernova Mascara by Fresh, and if you've used Supernova you know that is quite an honor. LashBlast hardly clumps, gives great depth to eyelashes and its orange container is easy to grip and simple to find in a massive make-up bag.

Olay Thermal Pedicure
This product actually heats up on the foot, and has a slightly grainy texture to polish feet. My feet felt really soft and looked even and moisturized when I was done testing this product.

Bare Escentuals RareMinerals Blemish Treatment
This concealer covers pretty well and clears blemishes at the same time. It comes with a special application brush too.

Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol Silver Factory
Stay tuned for Indulge’s review of Bond No. 9 scents

Full list of winners:

Bath and Body

Body Treatment
Mass: Olay Thermal Pedicure
Prestige: Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins The Way of the Bath Matcha Tea Body Scrub

Scented Bath and Body
Mass: Johnsons Softoil Melt Away Stress Massaging Moisturizer
Prestige: Tom Ford Beauty Black Orchid Finishing Oil Spray

Facial Skincare

Acne Treatment
Bare Escentuals RareMinerals Blemish Therapy

Anti-Aging
Mass: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream
Prestige: Shiseido Bio-Performance Intensive Skin Corrective Program

Cleanser and Scrub
Mass: Dove SkinVitalizer (right)
Prestige: philosophy the microdelivery micro-massage exfoliating wash

Eye Treatment
Mass: Olay Regenerist Eye Derma-Pod Anti-Aging Triple Response System
Prestige: Estee Lauder Future Perfect Anti-Wrinkle Radiance Eye Creme

Moisturizer
Mass: L’Oreal Paris Revitalift UV Daily Moisturizing Cream with Mexoryl SX
Prestige: Estee Lauder Hydra Bright Skin-Tone Perfecting Moisturizer

Hair Care and Coloring Product

Mass: Garnier Fructis Style Sleek and Shine Anti-Humidity Hairspray
Prestige: Frederic Fekkai Coiff Controle Ironless Straightening Balm

Makeup

Eye Product
Mass: CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara
Prestige: Dior Show Blackout Mascara

Face Product
Mass: Almay Smart Shade Blush and Bronzer
Prestige: Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Extreme Ultra Firming Makeup SPF 15

Lip Product
Mass: L’Oreal Paris Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour
Prestige: YSL Beaute Lip Twins

Men’s Skincare

Grooming
Clinique Skin Supplies for Men M Cover

Scent

Men’s Scent
Bond No. 9 New York Andy Warhol Silver Factory

Women’s Scent
Daisy Marc Jacobs

Sun

Mass: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 70
Prestige: Estee Lauder Multi-Protection Sun Towelettes for Body SPF 15



Previous post: Make-up application made easy

Labels: 2008 Cosmetic Executive Women, celebrity haircuts, CEW awards, eyelash extensions, FitFlops, indulge, Indulgence, LashBlast Mascara, Sally Hershberger, salon, SkinVitalizer, spa

She started with one product: cheek gloss. Between that and the commitment to making the application of make-up easier for women, Rosie Jane Johnston (right) has expanded her extremely successful line of Rosie Jane Cosmetics - which are popular across the world.

Today she tells Indulge how she got her start, what celebs she likes to work with and how women can gain confidence to apply cosmetics beautifully.

Indulge: How did you get your start in the industry?
Rosie Jane: I finished makeup school and had just moved to London. I was working part time in a video shop, a photographer walked in talking about how he was going to be shooting Kylie Minogue next week and I asked him if he needed a makeup artist. Everything started from there.

Indulge: What would you tell a woman who feels like she is hopeless at applying makeup?
Rosie Jane: Not to give up. A lot of brands make it pretty confusing when it comes to choosing products and then applying them. Try starting with some basics…mascara, cream blush, and lip gloss. As your confidence builds, start adding some more products…eyeliner, eye shadow, etc.

Indulge: Is there an easy way for women who wear glasses to apply eye makeup? Rosie Jane: Try doing it with a dual hand mirror. One side magnified the other normal. You can hold the mirror as close as you need to. Do one eye at a time if need be. Also try going for products that are goof proof, like the Rosie Jane Eye Define. You can practically be blind and still make this liner work for you.

Indulge: Who is your favorite celebrity to work with?
Probably Poppy Montgomery (left) because she's my sister so we always have a lot of fun together.

Indulge: Tell us about the new Eye Define that just came out?
Eyeliner is the hardest cosmetics product to master. Realizing that the most common eyeliner is black, I wanted to add a natural and unique spin on the typical black eyeliner. 'Night' is a slightly shimmery smokey black, so the line it creates is not as harsh. It’s a more natural finish and with the angled tip, it is so easy to use and get a really defined look.

Indulge: What are some tricks for women to look polished but not overdone?
Rosie Jane: When it comes to makeup, to me less is always more. Women should just be defining what they have. Always keep it simple. Normally a good coat of mascara, pink cheek, and flushed lip is all you need to look pulled together and radiant.

Indulge: What is the biggest makeup mistake women make?
Rosie Jane: Not wearing mascara even when they have naturally dark lashes. Or getting all dressed up and only putting lipstick on, with no other makeup. Makeup is just as important to your overall look as the outfit you choose to wear.

Indulge: How can women use makeup to look younger?
Rosie Jane: Keep your lip color light; just try using a natural lip liner and a tinted gloss. Dark colored lipsticks tend to make women look older. Don't wear too much and just keep it simple.

Indulge: Do you have any secret application tips to share with us?
Rosie Jane: Try using a white iridescent eye shadow just in the inner corner of your eyes. It gives an instant pick me up and looks stunning.

Indulge: Anything you would like to add?
Rosie Jane: Just remember makeup is all about layering. Start with less and build from there.


Previous post: A review of 'Tummy Tuck' jeans

Labels: celebrity haircuts, famous haircuts, indulge, Indulgence, Kylie Minogue, Make-up application tips, polished, Poppy Montgomery, Rosie-Jane Cosemetics, Sally Hershberger, salon, Skin, spa

By guest contributor Dee Murray

I have nightmares about it. If I were a drinker, I swear I’d throw back a few before I attempted it … There’s just no denying, buying jeans bites.

Low rise, high rise, boot cut, straight leg, skinny leg, wide leg … 34 waist, 36 long or just straight size 12 … it’s just too much for a fashion-loving woman to bare. Especially if said fashion lover has 6 kids, can’t find time to exercise AND works full time (not to mention travels for business constantly).

Let’s face it. We’re different. We’re not pine-board straight tweens; we’re not perfect-body teens. And we’re most definitely not those bare-midriff model types. We’re real women who need a little help here and there, but just want to feel great about who we are, what we’re wearing and how we look in it.

So nightmares, Be Gone (Zap). After reading about the hype, then seeking them out in a local store, I am now hooked on NYDJ brand jeans.

I actually didn’t believe it because I’d purchased many pair of jeans in the past claiming they were ‘butt lifting’ or ‘tummy tucking’ … but they just didn’t work. So, would these get the job done? We’ll see …

Trying on NYDJs is kind of fun. To get the proper tummy tuck effect, I had to go down two sizes from my normal jean size – which in itself is a great feeling. The jeans felt supportive, but I could still move and they weren’t restrictive.

Not Your Daughter’s Jeans have special stitching inside the pockets helping hold in the ‘fat folds’ and help achieve a smooth fit. They are comfortable (don’t feel like you’re wearing a girdle), they breath and they look great.

While I do find they lose their tummy tuck ability to a certain extend by the end of the day, a quick wash and dry totally tightens them up again. The jeans wash up beautifully and don’t fade. I love wearing them with blouses/t-shirts that are a little more form-fitting because these jeans really do create a form-fitting line.

NYDJs come in all colors; all fits and even have fancy-pocket jeans with rhinestones. My person faves are the dark jeans, wide leg, but I also love the rhinestone pocket jeans. (NYDJ designers … if you’re reading this, I’d love some jeans with embroidery on the legs …).

Cashing in at about $100 makes NYDJs a little harder to come by for those of us on a budget, but I’ve found it’s pretty easy to pick them up at some discount closeout stores such as Nordstrom Rack or even eBay. But the full line is carried at high-end retailers such as Nordstrom.


Two versions of NYDJ




Previous Post: Luxury hand sanitizer

Labels: celebrity haircuts, ebay, famous haircuts, indulge, Indulgence, nails, nordstrom, polished, salon, Skin, spa, Treatments, tummy tuck jeans

I once thought a friend of mine was heavy drinker because he smelled of alcohol constantly. To my surprise I found out he actually did not drink at all, but did have another addiction: hand sanitizer. It left him with a constant scent of booze and left me turned off to hand sanitizer for years. So, when I heard of a 'luxury' sanitizer made with essential oils I gave it a whirl.

Frais hand sanitizer is made with ginger, grapefruit, basil, orange, lemon myrtle, tangerine, cardamom and niaouli. I thought the scent was a little strong at first, but toned down to a botanical aroma that reminded me of the interior of an Aveda store. The smell was clean, but rich and definitely did not have that alcohol-like smell I was used too.

Frais only uses high grade pure sugarcane alcohol and does not use animal ingredients or perform animal testing. They also partnered with the Just a Drop foundation which supports global water, sanitation and health projects.

So, say what you will about hand sanitizer (I know many either love it or hate it), but this one had grown on me and left my hands pretty soft.




Previous post: World's most expensive haircut

Labels: grooming, hair, hand sanitizer, luxury, nails, polished, polished salon, Skin, spa, Treatments

Could we price out a haircut per snip? Ask Beverley Lateo (right), who paid nearly $17,000 for a cut by Stuart Phillips in London. This got them both seated in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Indulge did the math on this haircut. Say you are 40 years old and you pay $50 for a haircut you will get every two months until you turn 100. Your total cost for your lifetime of haircuts is $18,000.

We reported this record-breaking haircut in our World-Class Indulgences article and the response was so big we decided to chat with Stuart Phillips ourselves.

Indulge: What made the haircut so expensive?

Stuart Phillips: Attention to detail is the most important part of why the haircut is so expensive. The client spends all day with me and is literally treated like royalty.

Indulge: How did you come up with a VIP service?

Stuart Phillips: As the salon is adorned with 23,000 Swarovski crystals, people generally flock outside to look and photograph it. We also regularly attract A-list Hollywood stars like David Hasselhoff, Jean Claude Van Dam and Kirsten Dunst and so I know the salon is fit for even a queen. I thought it would be good to create a team of people that could offer an amazing service with the salon being at the main venue.

Indulge: What does it entail?

Stuart Phillips: The £8,000 (around $16,000 U.S.*) package includes flights, transfers to and from London airports in a limousine, a champagne lunch or dinner, a VIP section of the salon booked out for a whole day, a master class on hair styling with Stuart Phillips and a basket of hair products (specific to each individual hair type).

The £20,000 (around $40,000* U.S.)package includes the same as above plus a personal shopper, transfers to and from the airport and back, 2 days accommodation at one of London’s finest hotels, a private chef and a special discounted rate of £28,000 (around $55,000* U.S.) if a friend comes along (normal price £40,000 (around $80,000* U.S. ))


Phillips, a rep from Guinness Book of World Record and Lateo.


The interior of Stuart Phillips salon



*Amounts vary based upon currency rates

Previous Post: Free Dermalogica skincare analysis and products

Labels: Beverley Lateo, hair, indulge, Indulgence, Kirsten Dunst, Most expensive haircut, polished, Relax, salon, Skin, spa, Stuart Phillips, Treatments

Huntington Beach- July 4-6 at the Pier Plaza

San Francisco - San Francisco Marathon (Pier 30/32) Aug. 1-2, Justin Herman Plaza Aug. 3 and 27, UC Berkeley Berkeley (Recreational Sports Facility and Downtown Berkeley "Welcome Week") Aug. 28-29, and Civic Center Aug 30-31.

Previous Post: Kate Hudson promotes eco-friendly hair products

Labels: dermalogica, grooming, indulge, Indulgence, polished, salon, Skin, spa, sun protection, Treatments

Labels: Conditioner, Davai Babaii, db4WildAid, grooming, hair, Hair products, Kate Hudson, salon, Shampoo, spa, WildAid

Anyone can wear a bold piece of jewelry, but simplicity is the key to elegance. The straightforward design behind these colorful 35-karat cocktail rings is one of the reasons they caught my eye.

At $1350, Darby Scott rings have an antique cushion cut stone set in white or yellow 18K gold. You can choose from stones ranging from black onyx to dark lime citrine to smoky quartz and more.

These rocks are big right now with celebrities, including Rachel Bilson, Hayden Panetierre, Eva Mendes and Queen Latifah, who all have them in different colors.







Previous Post: Hollywood Hairstylist Sally Hershberger talks to Indulge

Labels: celebrity jewelry, darby scott, eva mendes, grooming, indulge, Indulgence, queen latifah, rachel bilson, Relax, salon, spa, Treatments

Recently I was attending a party at the Beehive Lounge in Boston and noticed the bar had hooks for purses or briefcases underneath it. Have you seen those before? They are just in front of your legs, so if you’re sitting in a stool at the bar you can keep your bag safe and clean. It is a great way to keep your bag clean, safe from thieves and away from drippy drinks on the bar. I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want my Balenciaga bag coming in contact with a runaway rum and Coke.

Labels: Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett, christina aguilera, ecoli, grooming, indulge, Indulgence, Jessica Alba, paris Hilton, Purse cleanliness, Purse safety, Rachael Ray, Relax, rihanna, Treatments

Flip-flop-flip-flop-flip-flop … sounds like something you would hear at the beach, but not exactly a sound you hear when someone is exercising. That could change though as a new generation of flip-flops are here and they could get you shaped and toned with every step you take. FitFlops, a “flip-flop with the gym built in,” are shoes made with a multi-density mid-sole designed to challenge your muscles to give you greater exercise while you walk. Made for men or women, if you’re too busy for the gym, or just hate working out, this could be a solution for you.

FitFlops, released in May 2007, were created by a group that included Bliss spa-entrepreneur Marcia Kilgore, Senior Lecturing Biomechanist Dr. David Cook and several footwear engineer­ing technologists. The shoe had a waiting list of over 10,000 names making it the quickest selling new health and wellness shoe yet.

While FitFlops were designed to tone and shape your muscles, the company says they have also been reported to lessen chronic back pain, result in inch loss, speed healing of injured joints and relieve pain from plantar fasciitis, heel spurs and arthritis.

They have plenty of testimonials on their site, but soon I will tell you what I really think of them. See my photo below of me in my FitFlops ... I am to spend the next few months testing them out and you can look for my review to find out the following:

-How I think they feel
-How I think they look
-Have I noticed physical changes as far as toning and trimming of muscles (yes, I will take photos)
-How I think they feel to walk in for a long time
-How I think they feel to stand in for a long time

Have you tried these? Let me know what you think. Or, if you want to experiment with them as I am doing, send me email! We can track your progress too on Indulge.

FitFlops come in tons of trendy colors and styles (note the very cool sequins and fringe) and retail for $49.99. They even have a limited edition Auerlia style, which I think looks exactly like the gladiator sandals that are so hot this summer. For details on where they can be purchased, visit The FitFlops website.







Jacqui in her FitFlops.

And stay tuned for my review! I will keep you posted throughout the summer.


Previous post: Jennifer Garner promotes sun protection

Labels: exercise, Father's day gifts, FitFlops, fitness, grooming, indulge, Indulgence, Relax, Skin, spa, Treatments