Friday Favorites - Beauty Secrets

Secrets... we all have them and most are better left unsaid. But today we just had to share a few that are absolutely worth revealing!

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Sybil's Pick...

My beauty secret is the ANSR: Beam. It's two light therapies in one. 10 minutes , two times daily is the recommended usage time. The red light is for anti aging and the blue light is for clearing up skin. But is it safe? The ANSR: BEAM utilizes harmless LED (low-emitting diode) photolight, generating very little heat.

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Laura's Pick...

My favorite thing about MTV's The City? The shiny beautiful hair. I never thought it possible without a personal styling team at my beck and call. I was wrong. Three weeks ago I got my first Keratin treatment from Hyde Edwards salon and I've been in hair heaven ever since. Five minutes to blow dry and no frizz to be found.

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Leslie's Pick...

With middle of the night feedings and diaper changes I wake up to some seriously puffy eyes, but with a few quick dabs of my “miracle eye cream” those seem to vanish. I am loving YSL’s Temps Majeur Eye Cream and I have this little jar of goodness to thank for my well rested appearance.

SPECIAL Guest Stylist - Kim Levesque

Today we are excited to share some INTERNATIONAL beauty secrets from author Kim Levesque! Her book, Pampered in Paris: A Guide to the Best Spas, Salons and Beauty Boutiques just came out, and because she's a friend of The Style Collective, we're getting a sneak peek at her tips (lucky us!). She's even been highlighted in French Vogue, we're not worthy! Thanks Kim!

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The following is a list of must-haves from the French pharmacie. Best part... all of them are available online in the US so we too can look as gorgeous and effortless as our French sisters...

Cleanser: Bioderma Créaline H2O Sans Parfum My French friends call it one of their best kept secrets. It’s a gentle, micellar solution for sensitive skin, but good for all types. It can be bought sans parfum (fragrance-free) or parfumée (with fragrance).
Toner: Caudalie Eau de Beauté This toning spray was inspired by Queen Isabelle of Hungary’s “elixir of youth”. It’s made with grape extracts and essential oil of rosemary, orange blossom, and rose extracts which give it a light and lovely fragrance. Caudalie was the pioneer in the use of grape seed extracts in skin care. They have an amazing spa 30 minutes outside of Paris.

Moisturizer and Eye cream: Crème Fraîche de Beauté Suractivée and Nuxe Contour des Yeux Prodigieux Ah... Nuxe. My skin is dry and sensitive and these two products have worked wonders for me. If you are in Paris and have time, a visit to the Nuxe spa is a must! Anti-Cellulite: Weleda Huile de Massage Minceur Weleda’s Birch oil is a hit with Parisians. Its ingredients are entirely natural and include silver birch leaves, rosemary and holly. Body Lotion: Bioderma Atoderm Crème I needed a lotion that worked for me and my daughters (5, 2 and 6 months). We all have sensitive skin and Atoderm is the best. Post sun-burn or post-shave skin soother: Avène Eau Thermale This is good old French thermal (mineral) water in a preservative-free spray. My husband loves it after shaving. Dark circles: Yves Saint Laurent, Touche Éclat Which is the best French skincare product for dark circles? This is probably the question I get most often from friends. In my research and experience, I have to say that sleep, water (staying generously hydrated), and makeup work best! Touche Éclat is a concealer that works really well to minimize dark circles.

Friday Favorites - Summer Beauty

Aside from a hot bikini, the perfect tote, shades and sandals, we all need our go-to summer beauty products. Here are our top picks.

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Sybil's Pick...

I'm a teenager at heart and sometimes my skin also acts like I am 16 (especially during the hot months of summer). I discovered my favorite beauty fix at at the new Bliss Spa at the W Hollywood. The DDF Sulfur Therapeutic Mask is intense and clears me up within days.

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Laura's Pick...

I'm finally listening to what all my smart doctors have been telling me about staying out of the sun. But I cannot and will not forgo my summer tan! After testing dozens of self tanners (high end, low end you name it) I have zeroed in on the best of the best. Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer gives the most realistic tan because it builds slowly after one to two weeks of use. It comes in three shades and the best part is you can buy it at your local drugstore for under $10.

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Leslie's Pick...

Makeup meltdown is the worst so to avoid that I skip the liquid foundations and go right for a mineral based powder. I've tried a lot, and most of them make me too shiny, but in a little organic store in San Francisco I met and fell in love with ZuZu Luxe Dual Powder Foundation. The coverage is great, it stays on all day and it's really inexpensive. I am fair complected and I can wear both D-7 and D-10. My local Whole Foods carries it so check there if you want to see the product in person. TIP: after applying use an atomizer with water (Evian has a good one) to set it.

Guest Stylist - Lisa Boylan

Our resident beauty expert is back and this time it's all about the eyes. Get use to seeing Lisa's gorgeous face because she'll be contributing to The Style Collective twice a month. Welcome aboard Lisa!

Lisa Boylan

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Eyes! The window to your soul. As a make-up artist, I have spent more time educating people about shadow colors, than anything else. Most of us want a very natural look... yet, natural does not mean wearing only shades of brown. I am a huge fan of putting blues or greens on the lid... regardless of eye color, so that's what we will do here.


1. Start out with a dusting of a neutral shade to absorb oil on the lids. I like...

Bobbi Brown's White, Bone or Banana

2. Next, apply your color. Sweep color from lash line to just above your crease while adding a light swoosh underneath your lower lashes (makes the eyes 'pop'). Some of my favorites are...

Chanel Ombre Essentielle Shadow in Bambou

Chanel Ombre Essentielle Shadow in Lagoon

3. Next, add a liner (pencil or powder – your choice). Using the Laura Mercier flat-brush, wet shadow and place liner close to lashes on upper lid (almost 'in' the lashes) and push-n-wiggle your color on, making the outer-eye the thickest part of your line. I like...

Bobbi Brown's Ivy Shadow/Liner

Laura Mercier's Caviar Eye Liner

4. For underneath the eye, very lightly take a medium shade and place a hint of color under the middle area, blending outward (this goes over your light color you had under there). I like...

Nars Thunderball

5. Lastly place a bright bit of color in the lower inner-rim of the eye. I like...

Nars Parrot Cay or Kitty pencil liner

6. Brows - always gently fill brows in with a powder, taking care to use a color that does not have a lot of red in it.


7. Mascara - Apply more to the upper lashes and a light sweep to the lower ones. Lancome is probably the leader in mascara with their plethora of choices. However, if you want to try something different, go for...

Fresh's Supernova Mascara

Dior's Diorshow Black-out for added drama.

Beauty Arsenal

After unloading tons of time and money over the years on the latest and greatest beauty products, I’ve finally zeroed in on my top ten. Yes I’m a product whore, but at the end of the day I just want something that is easy to use (read: fits into my 5 minute makeup regimen) and provides great results. These products are tried and true in my book.

Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Black- I’ve tried them all and this one definitely delivers on all fronts – length, curl, and volume.

Bare Minerals ID Powder Foundation – The best non-makeup ever. Provides just enough coverage and is actually ‘good’ for your skin because of all the friendly little minerals (plus SPF) it contains.

Kerastase Crème Oleo-Curl – Wash and wear is my thing and a dollop of this on towel-dried hair is all you need to create easy frizz-free waves.

YSL Long Lasting Eye Pencil in Mercury – A great alternative to black eyeliner. You can still rock the smoky but the shimmery grey takes it down a notch.

Shikai Gardenia Hand & Body – Smells yummy and it’s a hell of a good moisturizer. Plus it’s organic!

Tracie Martyn Enzyme Exfoliant – You haven’t had a facial until you’ve experienced a TM resculpting treatment. Sadly, she only performs her works of magic in NYC. The next best thing is her Enzyme Exfoliant. This super duper scrub really does leave you all glowy and tightened in all the right places. Love.

Mason Pearson Hairbrush – Yes it’s ridiculously expensive but I swear that this brush will make your hair look and feel just like the Pantene girl’s.

Chanel Glossimer in Spark – Pricey but this is the prettiest gloss I’ve found and it looks amazing on everyone. I have a few of these stockpiled in case they ever discontinue the color.

IS Clinical SPF 25 Treatment Sunscreen – With ingredients like aloe leaf juice, olive leaf extract, and vitamin E, this sunscreen not only provides coverage but it also smoothes fine lines and reduces redness.

YSL Touche Eclat – They call this highlighter ‘8 Hours of Sleep in a Pen’ and it’s no lie. It’s is easy to use and contains a magic formula that literally banishes shadows. I don’t leave home without it.