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SEARCHI took just ONE vacation day so far this summer and came back to the door of my home office to find a mountain of boxes waiting for me.
Although I've been in this business a long time and have been exposed to thousands of new professional products and tools over the years, I still get excited when I get to "play" with fresh offerings! So….this day was particularly exciting! I will break the new stuff into four categories:
Like a kid on Christmas morning, I went for the biggest box first! It held three very exciting and beautifully packaged IZUNAMI flat irons. The irons came in a WIDE STYLER, ONE INCH STYLER and a tiny, thin, SHORT STYLER (great for fringes and shorter hair). An appliance junkie, I plugged in and got busy. My daughter Margot, 18, saw me and got nervous. This would not have been the first time I "practiced" on her. She ran for the door. These irons boast tourmaline, ionic and ceramic plates. According to the press release, what sets these irons apart is their "unprecedented gliding ability" that reduces damage and promotes healthy hair. So far, so good. They look good, feel good…could be a hit! I loved the irons and will bring to the studio to test with the "pros"!
There were two boxes of cosmetics. The first (and largest) was from REPECHAGE. Although known best for its skin care, REPECHAGE has fantastic makeup. The newest offering is from the Treatment Makeup line. The seaweed based products are fragrance-free, non-comedogenic and filled with vitamins and minerals. In my box I found Perfect Skin Liquid Foundation, Natural Finish Pressed Powder (beautiful packaging!), Conditioning Mascara, Perfecting Concealer and Conditioning Lip Gloss. Supposedly, this line is going to "sustain my skin's youthfulness and vitality"! I've been "playing" with them all morning and can't wait to bring them to the studio for my make up artist to test on our models. However, I plan to steal them back just for me!
BODYOGRAPHYBlushes
Also designed to "youth-ify" me, the smaller box contained two very cool pressed powder blushes from BODYOGRAPHY. This line, great for professional make up artists, is concocted to prevent the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and crow's feet. "Calypso" and "Enchanted", the shades in my box, are truly beautiful. If you see me and don't see any wrinkles, you'll know why.
OPI had the smarts to send its latest shades for my next cover shoot. I am not the most adventurous when it comes to nail color (I just love fire engine reds), but Margot asked for them after the photo session. The fall shades range from the very pale slate "You Don't Know Jacques" to the very deep crimson "Louvre Me, Louvre Me Not". Seriously, how does OPI come up with these names? Someone is so clever! Anyway, bad news for Margot…each model wanted the bottle of her shade!
My new favorite shampoo, now in a back bar size, was waiting by my door. The MINARDI Hydrating Wash (for color treated hair) is the creamiest, yummiest shampoo I have ever used. My hair is always shiny, healthy and fresh after every shampoo. The whole MINARDI line of products, designed to care for color treated hair, is fantastic. This box was (and is) a real prize. This one is NOT going to the studio…it's going right to my shower!
The final box contained an assortment of a new product line from KEVIN.MURPHY. Kevin Murphy, the Australian stylist known for his celebrity clientele (Kylie Minogue, Cate Blancehtt, Naomi Watts, Selma Blair, etc.), has come up with some of the coolest packaging I have ever seen. It's very rectangular and upside down. The collection of shampoos, conditioners, treatments and styling aids is already in hundreds of salons throughout Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Hong Kong. Now being launched in the United States, the products benefit from lime from the West Indies and pink grapefruit, papaya, kelp, white camphor and bergamot mint from the Pacific Islands. Not only do they look fun and innovative, these products smell great!
Bottom line…a great day with my box cutter. I should go away more often!
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