Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!!! by divadebbi 

Having been diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age, forever changed me and in someone way, provided some advantages; one of them being a very clear picture of our mortal time on this earth. 

Life is short, so love well, have fun, be kind, find joy, say I'm sorry when you are wrong, follow your passions, mind your health, treasure your friendships and try to live without regrets.

Fini.

With all my heart, I wish you a Happy, Healthy New Year. Make it great one!!!

xox,

DD

Oh My!!! Dior Nudeskin BB Cream

Diorskin Nude BB Cream
$44

Oh, what an incredible product this is!

I have written before about my equally beauty obsessed cousin Karyn. When ever we get together, we can't wait to share our best finds.

Her skin was looking particularly flawless and she told me she was using Diorskin Airflash Spray Foundation.  

Yes, it was messy and finding the right shade was a tricky bit of business, but she thought it was worth the toil.

Naturally, I had to hightail it to Sephora the next day to check it out.  I did have trouble finding a good match, so I moved on to Nudeskin BB Cream. There are only 4 shades and I am perfect 03 Medium.  The only gripes I could find about this amazing product were written by the frustrated few whose skin tones were not a good match.  They have also recently added Nudeskin Tan BB Cream,  available in two shades, which I did not see at Sephora, but will probably be fantastic for fake baking purposes in the summer.

Why is this my new DivaDebbi Holy Grail face makeup?

The Wizard is in: Beautiful Skin CAN Be Yours

MPXE Elite Laser-
An incredible multi-tasker that builds collagen,
 zaps spider veins, broken capillaries and age spots

The New York Times recently ran in article in their Thursday Skin Deep column about the trend towards going back to home grown skincare, reminiscent of the kinds of stuff our grandmother's used to use, (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/21/fashion/New-beauty-lines-including-family-secrets-gain-popularity.html?_r=0)

No thanks...I like my skincare regimens to be cutting edge with a bit of zhush to increase its efficacy like retinol, glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid etc...

I recently invited a group of my friends for an evening of information about the latest in non-invasive beauty at The New York Group for Plastic Surgery, (http://divadebbi.blogspot.com/2013/12/girls-night-out-new-york-group-for.html). Non-invasive beauty is not the arena for bargain hunting, IMO.

We had the opportunity to tour the newly opened Spa Nouvelle at their Tarrytown N.Y. office.  Spa Nouvelle offers the latest in laser, microdermabrasion and chemical peels with Ashlea Hoess, a passionate expert, certified in Advanced Aesthetics on staff, to guide you towards attaining youthful beautiful skin.

I think it's the perfect adjunct to the fabulous work they are already doing with other minimally invasive treatments like Botox, Restalyne, Sculptra and non-invasive treatments like Ultherapy.

In addition to anti-aging techniques, Ashlea is also an expert at improving and treating tone, firmness, visible capillaries, melasma, rosacea and stage l-lV acne patients.

On a separate visit, when Ashlea told me that she could zap the pesky broken capillaries around my nose and they would be gone instantly I was ecstatic. She did and they were.  Spectacular!!!

For Lisa

For Lisa by divadebbi 

Oscar de la Renta strapless dress / Dsquared2 leather shoes / Tom Ford black purse / Kimberly McDonald diamond earrings / Kevyn Aucoin makeup brush / Lollia fragrance /



I created this set for my amazing friend and mentor on Polyvore Lisa Purkey.  I reached out to Lisa when I first joined Polyvore and she took me under her wing and taught me the ropes.

Her sets are beloved and in a little over one year, she has already amassed nearly 30,000 followers!   She also asked me to co-moderate her contest group, aptly named Poly Divas, where we take turns running contests among the other obsessed creators.

We met in NYC in June at the Polyvore meet up that was sponsored for us...Suffice to say, it was love at first sight!  I look forward to spending time with her again in either NY or Atlanta this spring.

I know there are many who think social media sites divide our time and attention, but I'm here to tell you, they can also spark true friendships among those who share similar passions.

Wishing Lisa, her family, my Poly Pals and my dear readers, friends and family and Happy, healthy, joyous 2014.

xox,
DD

Wanting...

Wanting... by divadebbi featuring a sheath dress

Sheath dress, $1,105 / Christian Louboutin high heel ankle booties / Edie Parker gold metallic handbag / Irene Neuwirth earrings / Chanel lipstick / Mascara / Hampton Sun fragrance / Pier 1 Imports floral decor / Pier 1 Imports floral decor

Review: Dr. Brandt DNA Transforming Pearl Serum

Dr. Brandt DNA Transforming Pearl Serum
$150 (Gulp)

Every now and then, I can't resist buying some insanely priced anti-aging potion, in sheer hope that it will truly be the fountain of youth on tap. The cleverly named DNA Transforming Pearl Serum is and acronym for "Do Not Age"--big props to the marketing gurus who hatched this little ditty.

DNA Transforming Pearl Serum has been on my radar. It is supposedly a daily do for none other than Madonna and it won a More Magazine Award for a favorite of the many products a group of lucky readers got to test drive.

When I saw that Dr. Brandt was running a 40% off Black Friday sale after Thanksgiving + free shipping, I caved.  Here is how the product is described on Sephora's website:

The Ski Bunny

The Ski Bunny by divadebbi featured in kim kardashian style

Vintage sweater / Hunter red coat / EA7 Emporio Armani fleece lined pants, $425 / Tecnica platform wedge shoes / Gucci logo sunglasses, $195 / Waterproof ski glove / Dorothy Perkins gray hat

Wishing You Joy

Wishing You Joy by divadebbi 

To all my dear readers and friends,
If you are celebrating Christmas today, I wish you a day of laughter, peace and joy. Life is too short.  Embrace every day.  Be kind.

xox,
DD

Holiday Joy

Holiday Joy by divadebbi featuring INC International Concepts

Valentino dress / Christian Louboutin black pumps, $645 / Valentino leather purse, $2,750 / Smashbox eyeliner / Christian Dior beauty product / INC International Concepts home decor

Beautiful Barbarela: Affordable Statement Necklaces

Beautiful Barbarella by divadebbi 

Matthew Williamson empire waist a line dress / Giuseppe Zanotti open toe booties / Giuseppe Zanotti leather handbag / Necklace / Gucci fragrance / 


One of the nicest things about my Polyvore obsession, is all of the fantastic women I have gotten to "know" over the last year.  Their talents are abundant and so are their hearts.

It's particularly fun, when as a result of the their work on Polyvore, they have the opportunity to launch new career directions.

Such is the case with my friend Barberela from Bulgaria (click on her name to see her beautiful sets). This past year she launched an on line jewelry website, Barbarela Jewerly. I couldn't be happier for her! 

When you create a Polyvore set, you get to choose every element of the design.  When I was looking for something to embellish, this already ambitious Matthew Williamson dress, I was excited to find Barbarela Jewelry available to include.

Statement necklaces are definitely having a moment...there is nothing that will zshush a tee shirt or simple sheath faster:

Above are two stunners, the top from Lanvin and the bottom from J.Crew.  The only caveat is that they can range from hundreds to thousands...a lot of faux bling for the buck, and a trend du jour to boot.

Compare that to Barbarela's beautiful necklaces above, which range from $30-$50 and everything ships for free.

I also am crazy about her embellished leather braided bracelets that are in the $15-$20 range:

So next time you are looking for a lot of looking for the latest looks in fantastically priced fashion jewelry, please consider visiting Barbarela Jewelry.

I'm all about Girl Power and I love nothing more than to see my friends achieve their dreams...

xox,
DD

Holiday Cheer

Holiday Cheer by divadebbi featuring gold bangles

Bob Mackie brown fringe dress / Sergio Rossi sandals / Aurélie Bidermann gold bangle

Grande Lash MD: Week 4 Update

About a month ago, I blogged about the spectacular results my friend Suzanne has had with Grande Lash MD, three months into using it.

I immediately had to order it...I even signed up for Amazon Prime so I could get it faster!  I have now been using it for a little under a month and I am seeing great progress, with zero irritation or discoloration of my iris or lids.  Below are my lashes today with only one coat of Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara:

DivaDebbi 4 weeks in to using Grande Lash MD
with one coat of mascara

Happy Birthday Lidia!!!

Happy Birthday Lidia!!! by divadebbi featuring Sia

River Island black top, $13 / Mary Katrantzou short skirt / Givenchy black shoes / WGACA vintage purse / By Malene Birger statement necklace, $175 / Shiseido lips makeup / Max Factor makeup, $23 / Chloé rose perfume, $75 / Pier 1 Imports faux floral arrangement / Sia floral decor, $6.49

Heading South

Heading South by divadebbi featured in kim kardashian looks

Roberto Cavalli dress / Giuseppe Zanotti shoes / Edie Parker green purse / Kimberly McDonald diamond earrings / Mascara / Hampton Sun fragrance / Pier 1 Imports floral decor / Pier 1 Imports floral decor

Review: Conair Infiniti Pro Curl Secret

Conair Infiniti Curl Secret
$99.99

I have noticed advertisements for Conair Infiniti Pro Curl Secret, in several magazines recently.  It's an innovative, patent pending curl system that essentially sucks half inch sections of hair into an "automatic curl chamber" and then spits out the perfect curl.

As my dear friends Janice and Loren frequently remind me, "stick to blogging". They know first hand from the front lines, (after many failed attempts at teaching me Mah Jong), that there is a little chip missing from my brain that does not do spatial well.

Pro Curl Secret comes with several warnings about making sure, "the front of the chamber is facing the head".  I had visions of it getting lodged in my scalp and having to be hacked out with a machete.

It scared me to death, but naturally, did not stop me from accepting the opportunity to try one, when offered the chance to review it.

The first thing I did was bring Pro Curl Secret, still in the box, to a Pro, my stylist Lucas Magnum at Becker Salon in Greenwich. Like a 5 year old on Christmas morning, Lucas was ecstatic and couldn't wait to play with his new toy.

Lucas and Irmie, whose hair is normally flat ironed straight

Wear Now...Wear Later...

Wear Now...Wear Later... by divadebbi featuring blooming plants

Diane Von Furstenberg gray dress / Narciso Rodriguez colorblock jacket / Vince black coat / Sergio Rossi high heel ankle boots / Zara heel pump / Miu Miu genuine leather purse / Stella mccartney purse / Hermès enamel jewelry / Burberry bracelet jewelry / Rebecca Minkoff rhodium jewelry / MARC BY MARC JACOBS water resistant watch / Lancôme eye shadow brush / Tom ford lipstick / Shiny lip gloss / Givenchy flower perfume / INC International Concepts floral home decor / Crate and Barrel blooming plant / Pier 1 Imports branch centerpiece / Pier 1 Imports blooming plant

Benefit Ooh la Lift: La Lovely

Benefit Ooh La Lift
$22

Long before I started my blog DivaDebbi, I used to email blast my girlfriends with must have products, bring my latest finds to book club and try out new faves on my colleagues. Blogging, happily, just gave me a wider audience to share my passions with.

As a result, truly of both, I have been fielding texts, emails and phone calls from friends mid beauty aisle for years. Today my friend Linda Levy called from Ulta.
I had purchased my new favorite cleanser from Hada Labo for Linda and she wanted to both replace and it buy one for her BFF Lynn.  She also wanted to ask, "if there was anything else I can't live without".

"Yes.  Benefit's Gimme Brow, their brilliant new product that fills in sparse brows with tiny fibers". (http://divadebbi.blogspot.com/search?q=gimme+brow)

"Anything I can't live without?"

La Femme

La Femme by divadebbi featuring studded sandals

RED Valentino silk dress / B Brian Atwood studded sandals / Urban Expressions gold purse / Michael Kors post earrings / Mascara / Hampton Sun fragrance / Pier 1 Imports floral decor / Pier 1 Imports floral decor

Chic Chick Parisienne Style

Chic Chick Parisienne Style by divadebbi featuring floral home decor

Acne Studios linen tee / CYCLE long sleeve jacket / 7 For All Mankind destroyed jeans / Zara short black boots / Balenciaga black rucksack / Marni fox stole / HTC real leather studded belt, $345 / INC International Concepts floral home decor / Pier 1 Imports branch centerpiece

The $24 Lip Job: Bobbi Brown Shimmer Gloss

Bobbi Brown Rose Sugar Lip Gloss
$24

 

I adore my friends...and the closer we are, the more we don't hold back. Girlfriend creed is to be able to tell your friends what other people are saying, or at least suspecting. I have a posse that I'm relying on to tell me the second my sleeveless days are over.

I was enjoying a Holiday drink with my hilarious friend Monica Webster the other night in Greenwich.  One sip in, she said, "so, you got your lips done", wasting not a second.

"Uh, no, actually I didn't. They are all mine, but I am wearing a new old favorite,
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Lip Gloss."

I was surprised to see it offered as a Sephora Insider perk in Greenwich, since they are not a branch that carries Bobbi.  Naturally, I snagged one, particularly since the shade offered, Rose Sugar, was perfectly gorgeous. (The colors on the website look nothing like they do in person, so I strongly suggest seeing them in person).

I picked up a full size gloss at Blue Mercury today and even that was slightly lighter than my Sephora sample, which was perhaps a few years old.

Odd.

Golden Girl

Golden Girl by divadebbi featured in olivia palermo style

Oscar de la Renta ruched dress / Zandra rhode / Christian louboutin boots / Charlotte Olympia black handbag, $1,025 / Chanel jewelry / Chloé fragrance, $75 / Beauty product / Pier 1 Imports floral decor

Xmas Eve

Xmas Eve by divadebbi featuring floral decor

Marc Jacobs peter pan collar top, $2,385 / Michael Kors coat / Oscar de la Renta tan skirt, $740 / Diane Von Furstenberg open toe lace up booties / Salvatore Ferragamo taupe handbag / Burberry heart shaped jewelry / Burberry eyeshadow / Sia floral decor, $8.20 / Pier 1 Imports orchid arrangement / Color Wow Root Cover Up - Blonde, 3.1g

Girl's Best Friend

Girl's Best Friend by divadebbi featuring a crocodile purse

Proenza Schouler top, $975 / Plein Sud Jeanius short skirt, $520 / Burberry animal print sandals / Hermès crocodile purse / Burberry bracelet / Matthew Williamson bead necklace, $825 / Kamali Kulture cateye sunglasses / Ellis Faas lip makeup, $36 / Joya fragrance / Pier 1 Imports floral decor / Sia floral decor, $8.17 / Crate and Barrel floral decor

Beautiful Foundation- How to Choose?

Diva and the one and only Ty Barnes
Sephora, Greenwich Ct.

Well for starters, with the help of an expert.  The best foundations are getting pricey and making a mistake is not the same as blowing it at the drugstore. It takes a bit of leg work...

A few weeks ago I was with my dear friend actress Alison Wachtler, who was in NYC for some auditions.  We had a leisurely Birthday lunch at Bloomindales in White Plains and both bee lined for the Space NK Cosmetics Boutique.  

Alison Wachtler Braunstein

Space NK is chock full of delicious high end skincare, and a few choice cosmetic lines with By Terry featured front and center.  I picked up one of their gorgeous hyaluronic based lipsticks in Grand Cru. It drenches the lips with moisture, but imparts a lot of pigment. Truly lovely.

I also sampled Terrybly Densiless, their new serum foundation and took some home to try. It is absolutely luscious.

Densiless is not just a foundation, but skincare as well, designed to target,"wrinkles and density with immediate and long term benefits, on the surface as well as deep down. Evens out skin tone and facial contours are firmer, adding youthful radiance to an ultra natural finish".

I haven't used it long enough to speak to the facial toning, but I can attest to the luminous finish of this smoothing powder foundation. I was beginning to think I couldn't possibly live without Densiless, as my generous sample dwindled.

Jennifer the Great!

Jennifer the Great! by divadebbi featured in olivia palermo style

Topshop sweatshirts hoody / Giambattista Valli woolen pants / Dsquared2 black pointy toe pumps / Hermès long necklace / Marni bow belt / Christian dior cosmetic, $42 / MAKE UP FOR EVER beauty product

DivaDebbi and Mary Kay

DivaDebbi  wearing Mary Kay Cosmetics
for a Conde Nast Holiday 2013 Promotion

My beauty life works in odd ways some times...I had never tried Mary Kay products, but I did take notice of a stand out ad campaign in December's Allure. The focus was Holiday makeup, created by makeup artist Mariela Bagnato and inspired by the fashionable Lindsay Calla, who is the featured muse in her blog Saucy Glossie.

The very next day, I received a reach out from Conde Nast (Allure's publisher) inquiring if I would be interested in receiving a complimentary box of products from Mary Kay.  

I would...

In return, I only had to promise to recreate the look of , The White-Hot Suit, which Lindsey interpreted as a, "sleek and sexy 1970's style; menswear-inspired but still feminine."

Can do...

The Mary Kay/Conde Nast goodie box I received

Products used to recreate the look

Nothing lights up my day like receiving a big box of beauty or skincare products.  This Mary Kay treasure trove surpassed my expectations; it was beautifully presented and loaded with full size products.

It turns out, I love a lot of them, particularly the eye products.  The quality of the mineral powder eye shadow is phenomenal and I cannot stop using Sweet Cream (lid) Chocolate Kiss (crease), my new fave Copper Glow (upper lid) and the perfect under brow highlighter Bleach Blonde, which is in a cream form, daily.

I'm a fan of lash primers--I like slapping on that first white coat with reckless abandon, making the second coat, Lash Love  mascara, a breeze to apply.

Nice...

Lady Like

Lady Like by divadebbi featuring woven handbags

Victoria Beckham spaghetti strap dress / Akris black coat / Manolo Blahnik high heel booties / Dolce Gabbana woven handbag / Valentino black bangle / Chloé fragrance, $75 / Beauty product / Pier 1 Imports floral decor

The Best of 2013- Jessica Alba

The Best of 2013- Jessica Alba by divadebbi

I created this set for a Polyvore contest, where they asked us to enter what we thought was the best Celeb Street Style look of 2013.

 

I chose this glorious ensemble worn by Jessica Alba during New York Fashion week this fall.  Of all the things I've observed, and there has been plenty, this is the one that stood out for me.

 

Jessica (and her stylist), nailed this to the tee, perfectly executing three trends in one look; pale pink paired with black, the mid calf skirt, and the cropped sweater.  I love the whole vibe, down to the delicate sandal, classic chignon, patent handle top bag and dark oversized Ray Ban sunglasses.

 

A true, modern day Holly Golightly. Flawless...

 

Win or lose, it's still my fave.

 

xox,

DD

 

 

 

Renee Zellweger: Then and Now

There has been an awful lot of buzz about Renee Zellweger lately. Tongues have been wagging and pundits are weighing in, including plastic surgeons (with heady disclaimers), about what exactly did Renee do?

Frankly, if someone had shown me the picture at right above on its own, I could not identify who it was...could you???

Ms. Zellweger always had a atypical Hollywood look, which I found charming... mostly. There were definitely some Red Carpet appearances, however, where she appeared chipmunk cheeked, from over zealous injections of fillers, (see yesterday's blog for my take on tweaking the right way: http://divadebbi.blogspot.com/2013/12/girls-night-out-new-york-group-for.html)

Her squinty eyes, were well, Renee's.  Highly identifiable, but certainly not an impediment to her successful film career, with hits like Jerry McGuire and The Bridget Jones Diaries, that delighted fans.

What would make her want to change her look so drastically?  There are even rumors that she is "obsessed" with Jennifer Lawrence and one can't exactly deny the resemblance:

Renee (44) and Jennifer (23)

Here's what I think Renee has had done:

Girls Night Out: The New York Group for Plastic Surgery

Beautiful friends Izabella and Christine

I have a  wonderful, long standing relationship with the doctors and practitioners at The New York Group for Plastic Surgery.  Dr. Andrew Salzberg is a personal hero of mine.  He compassionately and brilliantly did my breast reconstruction nearly 14 years ago, when I opted to do a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy, (think Angie),  and yes, I was way ahead of the curve.

When it came time to address my anti-aging concerns, it never occurred to me to go elsewhere. Though I think plenty of women don't fess up to all their tweaks, Botox, Restalyne, Sculptra, peels and lasers are as much a part of beauty maintenance these days as facials, highlights and root touch ups.

Lately, I have noticed a discouraging trend; Botox parties, Dentists doing injectibles, Groupon, Amazon and Living Social offering cut rate deals on anti-aging treatments and a new entry Zendy Beauty, modeled like Priceline, where you name your price and see if any of the doctors in their network will accept it.

I think it's begging for trouble.  After all, we wear our faces everyday, this is not an area you want to bargain hunt.

Truly, your very best bet for excellent, natural results is to select your practitioners based on their experience and friends who have had great results.

Accordingly, I gathered a group of 15 friends for an event at the NY Group for Plastic Surgery in Tarrytown, N.Y., where they had the opportunity to meet Dr. Salzberg, Dr. Aydin, Physician's Assistant Tami Healy and Ashlea Hoess. Nicely, there was champagne, munchies and goodie bags for all and their cheerful staff on hand to make sure everyone was comfortable and attended to.

Readers often email me for help and information. I also wanted my friends to have the benefit of hearing about all the latest in anti-aging advances too. As a jumping off point, I put together a list of questions to ask the experts and the Girls chimed in with their own as well.


Here were some of the questions asked and answered by their team of experts:

Tami Healy P.A. Expert injector, Ultherapy, Surgical Assistant

For Lidia

For Lidia by divadebbi 

Lela Rose petite cocktail dress, $740 / Lanvin outerwear / Christian Louboutin sandals / Edie Parker black and gold clutch / Raxevsky leopard bracelet, $19 / Face makeup / Chloé fragrance, $75 / 

One of the nicest things about my Polyvore obsession, is that I have gotten to know fantastic women, from all over the world.  

I "met" the incredibly talented Lidia Solymosi long before I actually saw her. Lidia is one of the most popular creators on Polyvore.  Her eye is impeccable and whether she is creating fashion or art sets, they often, literally, take my breath away. We connected because we liked each other's style and communicated through messages in Poly.

In June, Polyvore sponsored a meet up in NYC.  Lidia flew in from Canada and it was amazing to finally get together.  Knowing my style to a tee, she bought me the lovely Valentino leopard scarf I'm wearing in the set above.

Lidia recently made this charming set for me, so I created this for her.  I think of her often and especially when I wear this pretty scarf.

I'm thankful for Polyvore, because it  allows me to be creative, stay ahead of the fashion curve and sharpen my eye to style my clients.  It also has been the catalyst for creating new friendships.

My mother recently spent a week with us as she recuperated from cataract surgery.  She is convinced that  because of technology, people are going to lose the art of communicating. I can see her point...she saw my family tethered to our iphones and ipads, but on the flip side, if it wasn't for technology, I never would have gotten to know Lidia.

The world is a changing...and I am not the least bit nostalgic for my answering machine.

xox,
DD