Sephora's New Beauty Insider Program

I can't stroll by a Sephora without going in. I just can't do it. Perhaps there's a magnetic strip that physically reels me in, making me spend at least an hour experimenting with eyeshadow and lip gloss? As I was running errands yesterday, the magnetic strip pulled me in and while stocking up on some beauty essentials, a bright-eyed sales girl told me about a new program the company's launching, appropriately entitled the "Sephora Beauty Insider Program." Essentially, what this entails is a bevy of deluxe samples with every $100 purchase, a full-size gift from Bliss on your birthday and emails with personalized tips and recommendations from beauty experts. There's no fee and when you sign up, they'll give you a credit-card type of pass and a smaller one that you can attach to your key chain. That makes us here at Monkeybaby Beauty very happy.

Spending A Day In the Sun? Don't Forget to Put Your Hat On

There isn't anything I love more than receiving packages filled with goodies in the mail. Yesterday, I scored the jackpot when two boxes arrived. One was a new bottle of my beloved Replenix Cream and the other was a special gift from my mother, a new wide-brimmed hat for the summer. You see, I'm fanatical about protecting my skin from the sun. If I'm going to be running a lot of errands or am expecting to spend some time in direct sunlight, I'll always wear a hat. For years, I purchased hats from Sun Precautions, a company that prides themselves in creating clothing, hats and gloves with built-in broad spectrum SPF. Request a catalog from them; I was always pleased with the quality and resilience from every hat. However, this time we decided to try something new and invested in a summer hat from a company called Coolibar. Like Sun Precautions, every item from Coolibar has sun protection built in the fabric. The Physician Endorsed Diva Hat was purchased in black and so far I'm pleased with the feel of the thick, protective cotton fabric. The brim is huge, (which is always something I look for simply because that is exactly what you need to protect your skin) so it has that 1940s movie star feel to it. My favorite part of the hat is the subtle floral lining on the inside of the crown; it's a cute little accent. The hat is also crushable, so it's perfect for traveling and busy lifestyles.

Deep Cleansing Masques: A Necessity For Clear Skin

Summer's in full force and it's time for backyard barbecues, long weekend getaways to the beach and enjoying Sunday brunch with friends. As the temperature keeps rising, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep breakouts and oil production at bay. Every week (Thursdays to be exact!) I smooth a thin layer of Kiehl's Rare Earth Facial Cleansing Masque over my face, grab the latest Allure magazine and veg out for about twenty minutes. I can feel the kaolin and bentonite, the two oil-absorbing clays, tighten my pores and suck out all the week's debris. After the masque dries, gently remove it with warm water and discover how incredibly clean and bright your complexion feels and looks. Your skin will thank you!

The Flirty Fun of Fuschia

We here at Monkeybaby believe that beauty should be approached with a fun, fearless attitude. We bow down and surrender to such style mavens as Gwen Stefani, Dita von Teese, Madonna, Paloma Picasso and Isabella Blow (photographed here to the left; may she rest in peace)...pioneers who are unafraid to experiment with fashion and beauty. What better way to celebrate our philosophy than to sport a bright lip color you typically wouldn't dream of. While recently spotting a particularly chic woman rocking the brightest fuschia pout, I scurried up to her and asked what lipstick she was wearing. Nars Lipstick in Schiap was the response. The semi-matte formula is rich in it's shocking pink/berry pigment and contains vitamin E to soothe lips. Pair the lipstick with a sweep of black liquid eye liner and some false eyelashes to channel Sharon Tate and Barbara Parkins in "Valley of the Dolls."

Green Tea Goodness

I'm always in the market for a good moisturizer. Something lightweight, filled with skin defending antioxidants and won't force me to take out a second loan are the three requirements a moisturizer must possess before finding a comfortable (maybe a little cramped!) home in my bathroom cabinet. After reading several stellar dermatologist reviews, I had to try Replenix Cream. The moisturizer contains 90% green tea to protect your skin from free radical damage (think smoke, pollution and 14th St.). Along with a phospholipid complex deriving from soy to achieve skin smoothness and hyaluronic acid to trap in moisture and prevent dehydration, the cream is super light and will not clog pores. I just ordered my second bottle yesterday, and trust me, this is a rarity for a woman who has moisturizer commitment issues!

S is for Swisspers

Still using cotton balls to remove your makeup and apply toner? Pick up a package of Swisspers during your next Duane Reade visit to ensure a thorough cleansing effect without left over traces of lint or fiber on the skin. These durable cotton rounds were suggested to me by friend and aesthetician, Elizabeth S (who's not only given me some of the best skincare advice, she's referred me to some of the best Japanese restaurants in New York too!). When removing eye makeup, she suggested that I wet the Swissper first and then apply the remover to the pad. One of the best skin care tricks I know! Try wetting the round before removing or applying any product on the skin to achieve better, more efficient cleansing. This works for toner and astringent too! You'll also find that you won't use as much of your product. Apply about a pea size amount when using any skin care product, excluding your sunscreen.

Smashbox's O-GLOW Is In This Week's Favorite New Product Alert!

For years, I was a die-hard Benetint fan (still love it!) but am now currently consumed with Smashbox's latest prodigy, O-GlOW. This innovative, rosy pink cheek color comes out of the tube clear, but the second you apply it to your skin, your cheeks will have a youthful glow. O-GLOW is for all skin types and has something called Goji Berry-C Complex to work with your personal skin chemistry to turn cheeks the exact color you blush. Smooth a tiny bit over your cheeks to instantly perk up your complexion. It's also a great summer alternative for the gal' who desires to look more like a character plucked from a Charlotte Bronte novel rather than your average bronzed and baked beach babe. It has a sheer, satiny finish as well.. making the complexion-enhancer almost impossible to overuse.

A Little Luxury Fit For A Queen

I'm a sucker for luxurious, divine packaging and that's why I love Guerlain. The classic French company, that has been established since 1828, has reeled me and my pocket book in with their new range of face powders, called Les Violettes Matte Touch Powder. The sheer powder is softly scented with violet and comes attached with a mirror and washable sponge that makes for easy on-the-go touch-ups. It's the haute couture of face powders!

What's a Primer, You Ask?

One of the latest beauty trends is applying a primer before your foundation. Let me tell you girls, your makeup will last longer and look fresh all day if primer is used. Essentially, primer evens out the skin tone, stops shine and oil production in their tracks, provides a base that allows foundation to go on smoother and can even soften and "fill in" fine lines and wrinkles. I recently got a sample of Laura Geller’s Spackle and was thrilled with the results. The gel/cream formulation is oil-free and is packed with botanicals to provide a perfect canvas for foundation. I also tried a sample of LORAC’s new aquaPrime Oil-Free Makeup Primer (thanks to fellow makeup junkie and friend Sheila O.) and wasn’t as pleased with the results. My foundation didn’t “glide” on or look as smooth as it did with Spackle.

Bed of Roses

While strolling around Brooklyn one afternoon, feeling particularly down and uninspired by the bitter cold, I ventured into a small beauty shop that has a wide selection of fragrances. While playing with the lotions and potions and sniffing little vials of oils, I came across a scent called Kimono Rose, made by a small company named Thymes. It was love at first scent! Don’t worry, you won’t smell like your great grandmother Ethel because Kimono Rose takes a young, modern twist on the classic scent. With a blend of sweet Clementine, peony and vanilla you’ll be in a sweet bliss all day, even when you’re standing in the line at Trader Joe’s!

The Mother of all Mascaras

Lancôme mascaras are the cream of the crop, as far as I’m concerned. I’ve always been a fan of the classic Definicils, but I’m currently loving their new Hypnose mascara. It makes my lashes so long and lush, my mother thought I was wearing false eyelashes!! Apply the mascara after curling your lashes with Shu Umuera’s eyelash curler (the one and only curler) for sexy, come-hither eyes. And to thoroughly remove all eye makeup during my end-of-the-day cleansing ritual, (I always look forward to this after a long day at work and school) I swear by Kiehl's Supremely Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. This creamy lotion is packed with Apricot Kernel Oil, Cucumber extracts and antioxidants to remove all traces of mascara, while soothing the delicate eye area. A must have for sensitive skin!

Your One Summer Essential

We’ve heard this a million times over: apply sunscreen every single day, even when it’s cloudy out. It’s a proven fact that the sun is the culprit for 90% of all wrinkles on the face. Now, I’ve spent years and years finding a sunscreen that doesn’t feel like Crisco and think I’ve succeeded with Neutrogena’s Ultra-Sheer, Dry Touch Sunblock SPF 30. The formulation is delightfully lightweight and feels like lotion on the skin. Not to mention, the wonder cream works well under makeup too…it’s also Rose Mc Gowan’s favorite!! Another fantastic SPF product is Olay Complete SPF 30 in their sensitive skin version--it’s also very light and won’t irritate the skin. I’ve heard from several dermatologists (with perfect, lineless complexions!) that this is their favorite sun block! With sunscreen (and a lot of other beauty products, for that matter), you don’t need to spend more for better quality. Look for a formula that has broad spectrum, UVA and UVB protection, and one that is non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores.

Perfecting the Brow

One of my worst nightmares is to have unruly, messy brows…it’s probably one of my biggest beauty pet peeves too (the biggest is black lip liner with a frosted lipstick…yuck!) Thankfully our friends at Benefit created Speed Brow, a fast-drying gel that fills in and sets brows instantly. You can pick up a clear or one of their tinted versions and feel like you just stepped out of your appointment with Anastasia herself!