Nuance Salma Hayek

When Birchbox offered a limited-edition box of Nuance beauty products to their subscribers, I jumped at the chance to receive a sampling of Salma Hayek’s makeup and skincare line. Since the Birchbox team informed me that I was not guaranteed to snag a Nuance collection box, I didn’t expect to see one in my mailbox.

What a wonderful surprise to learn that I was one of lucky few to land a free collection box, in addition to my regular monthly Birchbox. Last week I  received a pretty box with floral pink sketching, filled with five deluxe samples from the Nuance beauty line. The items included body cream, a facial cream, shampoo and conditioner and a eye cream/liner, which are favorites among Hayek’s beauty devotees.

Inspired by her grandmother’s beauty recipes, Hayek created the line of gentle skincare products for the everyday woman. My favorite is the AM/PM Anti-Aging Super Cream, which has tepezcohuite to provide a lovely antioxidant -rich moisturizer. I loved that Hayek searched for new ingredients to preserve her family’s traditions. The collection from Birchbox has something for every step of my beauty routine. Nuance Salma Hayek is available exclusively at CVS/pharmacy stores nationwide.

Nuance Collection Box:
My Secret Super Moisturizing Body Cream
Mamey Fruit Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner
Lights, Camera, Action Eye Trio
AM/PM Anti-Aging Super Cream

With all of the devastation that occurred  in Oklahoma, there’s an overwhelming feeling to help out those who were affected by the recent tornadoes. Gorjana & Griffin, a socially conscious lifestyle company, wants to help make a difference too. The Gorjana & Griffin Charitable Foundation is partnering with Feeding America, and today you can contribute to the cause for rebuilding efforts in Oklahoma.

Shop Gorjana & Griffin for beautiful leather accessories, such as wrap bracelets and cross-body handbags and 10 percent of the proceeds will be donated to Feeding America to provide food to those who are temporarily displaced after losing their homes.

You might remember me talking about the beauty subscription service Birchbox last month. For the April edition, the creative team at Birchbox teamed up with Women’s Health for a great collection of wellness  and beauty products. I liked that the items were chosen as the products to compliment my skincare routine. My Birchbox was filled with simple ways for me to improve my overall look.

Lucky for me, one of my favorite brands Kiehl’s was included in my selection. Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate is packed with vitamin C, which is really good for my skin. Kiehl’s has an amazing skincare line, so I was glad to try out the serum as well. I also enjoyed the sample of Nexxus Youth Renewal shine-boosting serum and a full-size of Simple Revitalizing Eye Roller. The coolness of the cucumber extract felt very soothing on my eyes.

For awhile it seemed as if every cosmetic line was making a BB Cream. I usually use Dr. Jart with a SPF. This month, Birchbox introduced me to Supergoop! The CC Cream is the latest craze and Supergoop! made a product that provides corrective coverage as well as a SPF 35. Even better, it protects my fair skin against UVA and UVB exposure.

As a bonus, Birchbox subscribers were offered a free year’s subscription to the essential wellness magazine, Women’s Health. Want to try Birchbox for yourself? Click here for a personal invitation and enjoy the perks of a beauty service tailored to your lifestyle.

We have a winner! It was a close vote at the end, but more on that later. First, let’s recap the latest designs from the Final Three before they headed to the Lincoln Center.

Three days before the big Finale, the designers were given $500 each and a quick trip to Mode followed. Patricia worked with her assistant Layana and struggled to make her collection more cohesive.

When Patricia looked back on her experience on Project Runway, she felt that she had evolved as a designer. She wanted to created a common thread throughout her collection and her favorite piece, a pair of leather pants were a challenge to finish in a polished manner.

Michelle realized that the judges wanted to see more color in her clothing line, so she added more yellow and red tones. I absolutely loved her girl-gone-hunting with the wolves collection. She balanced the fierceness very nicely with lovely softer pieces.

She  also collaborated really well with Amanda who was proud to be a part of the design process. It was smart of Michelle to take the judges’ comments as consideration but remained consistent with her own vision. She might tone down some of the accessories, she teased. Why was her model walking around with a compass, anyway?

Stanley hoped to build a more youthful look in his collection. Tim warned him of avoiding the dreaded vintage lady look. He worked desperately to overhaul several dresses and constructed the dresses while he fitted the clothing on his models. To create a youthful presentation, he changed the makeup choices for his models. However, the time got away from him quickly and he left too much at the last minute in the workroom.

Special Visit for Family & Friends

As a much-needed break, their families stopped at the workroom. Michelle’s husband surprised her and she became very emotional. Stanley’s mother calmed his nerves for a little while. Patricia’s kids laughed and danced with her, and she found her motivation again. Even Tim shared a special moment with the designers as they were reaching the final lap of their journey.

When everyone was packing their pieces for the runway show, Stanley realized how far behind he was and Michelle offered to help him. It was clear that being in the spotlight on his own was a very uncomfortable position for him.

The designers spent the early hours of the day unpacking and setting up their stations backstage at the Lincoln Center. As Heidi announced guest judge Michael Kors, Stanley used four dressers to sew his garments. His models weren’t even dressed as the final minutes rolled on. It looked like a complete disaster and even Tim was flabbergasted!

It was dream come true for the designers to show their collections at the Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. My favorite looks were from Michelle’s line. I could see her boldness and uniqueness in every piece. She was the lone female wolf who had lost her pack but she found her own voice in the process.

Patricia (Water Lily) dedicated her collection to the trees, as she hoped that we may all be as strong as the grounded trees. I could sense her pride as a Native American who presented a collection that spoke her unique voice. Her gorgeous colors and head dresses flowed on the runway, and the hand-made fabrics and even the holes she created on the pair of leather pants looked amazing.

Stanley’s urban opulence looked gorgeous and incredulously stayed in shape during the presentation. He had altered silhouettes and made the dresses more fitted to the models’ bodies. One of his challenges was the lack of preparation he needed to update his looks. For example, he didn’t have enough fabric to complete the desired floor length for the red gown, so the hem was about a tea length. His finale piece looked amazing but the length of the skirt was still unflattering.

And the Winner is!

I think the judges really appreciated Michelle’s play on shapes, even the chiffon tie scarves were scrutinized and discussed in great length. Yes, I want a bleeding heart sweater too!

Stanley’s girl who shopped looked more like ‘Betty White Dancing with the Stars’, said Michael. Stanley didn’t complete the embroidery on the gown’s top. He had outsourced the task and it was obvious that several of the pieces had been sewn very quickly and looked less polished than what the judges had come to expect from Stanley. He seemed to have a difficulty following the judges’ prior suggestions for a contemporary collection.

Patricia’s collection was the perfect combination of ideal shapes with artistic details, such as mica pieces, and her designs were always made from her soul. However, the judges didn’t agree that her clothing was wearable enough or suited a particular customer in the fashion marketplace.

The decision seemed to be between Michelle and Patricia, as both had amazing design aesthetics and were strong-minded women. Even though she didn’t win, Patricia felt that she taken chances and risks and, most importantly she had reclaimed her space as a designer.

Michelle was finally announced as the winner! She had worked hard for other people in the past and this had been the first time that she had worked very hard for herself. Congratulations to Michelle!

We’ve made it to the Final Four: Michelle, Patricia and Daniel. Each designer were given $10,000 to create a 12-piece collection for the fall season. They are sent home to start their masterpieces.

Tim started his home visits with Patricia’s childhood home in Taos, New Mexico. He was greeted with a delicious meal with her family, and was very impressed with her cultural influences in her designs, such as white and black horse hair for a cape, but he advised her not to take her aspirations too literally.

In Portland, Michelle was happy to spend time with her family again. It was nice to see that she seemed more relaxed, and I liked the dark tones in her wolf-inspired designs. Tim just warned her not to over-design her looks.

Daniel’s mix of inspirations- astronomy and his trip to Berlin and other influences were everywhere. At his design studio in Austin, he appeared like a mad man, with an uncontrollable mop of hair.

Stanley’s collection was reminiscent of the ’60′s. The dramatic line looked very expensive. In his West Hollywood, he and his partner sat down with Tim, and Stanley shared memories of his sister who passed away last year. (Interesting fact, Stanley auditioned three times before he was cast on the current season.)

One More Runway to Go

Back in NY, the designers showed their favorite three pieces to the judges, as part of a mini-collection of what they would show at the Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week.

Stanley’s black jumpsuit with a dark gold blouse was very beautiful and I really wanted it for my own closet. His showstopping piece was definitely the jacket, top and skirt with black rhinestones. I wanted the jacket too!

Patricia’s designs really represented her Native American culture. The cape made from horsehair was cool with its lightening storm pattern across it. Her blue sequined dress was amazing too!

My favorite pieces from Daniel, the tuxedo pants and crepe halter style gown were gorgeous and reminded me of a European chic girl! The stingray wasn’t much of a surprise from him, though.

I liked that Michelle created really unexpected styles for her lone wolf collection, especially a pair of jeans that had harness clip-on chaps. The messenger bag and the saddle bags were a little overdone. However, she knew how to mix a tough look with the softness of a sweater and a silky blouse.

Ready for the Runway

The judges thought that Patricia should have edited some of her looks, such as the hair swatches. Zac Posen appreciated that she had more, rather than less to choose from in her collection, and that she knew how to combine history, craft and originality.

Nina said that Stanley’s looks were cohesive but looked a little too dowdy, and he needed to wow the judges more. He was one of ‘snooze boys’ said Heidi when it came to presentation and design.

There was too much black and not enough drama in Daniel’s collection. Some of his ideas were not fresh at his point of the competition.

Finally, Michelle was chosen to show her full collection and was warned to be watchful of her styling options. Patricia was also elected to show her line at Fashion Week. It was down to the boys, and both of their mini-collections lacked a strong point of view. Sadly, only one was chosen. Stanley was given the last spot and Daniel was out.

Do you think that the judges made the right choice?

When we last saw the final five on Project Runway, Michelle paid a high price for apparently ignoring the specific directions of Nina Garcia for the Marie Claire Editorial Challenge. Heidi surprised the hip designer with “we were about to send you home, but  you will get another chance.” I felt Michelle’s bewilderment as she left the runway. I thought it was reassuring of Tim to remind her that the reason that she received another shot was because she is extremely talented.

Heidi gave the designers the biggest news yet! Everyone, except for Michelle, was going to visit Europe for some fashion inspiration. They weren’t prepared for her to remain on, so while the other designers received her travel plans, Michelle was staying put. She knew that she had to prove herself in NY after last week’s debacle.

In “Europe, Here We Come” each designer was sent to a different country, along with a sewing assistant, to a fashion capital. The location served not only as the inspiration but also the locale where to buy their textiles for the challenge. The designers were instructed to create a high-end runway look in a creative and spectacular fashion. With a budget of $1000, the possibilities seemed amazing.

Bon Voyage!

Layanna packed her bags and headed to Barcelona, Spain with Samantha as her assistant. Daniel was ready to visit Europe for the first time, and he was privileged to go to Berlin in Germany. It was also the first time in weeks that he was expected to work with Amanda. I’m thinking that the designers who we think are sent home are actually staying in the Atlas apartments in NY for the duration of the competition. Just saying!

Thank goodness Patricia did not get stuck with Richard again! She was thrilled to go to Paris with the dress design queen Kate. This time it was Stanley’s turn to manage Richard’s lack of focus. The guys traveled across the pond to London.

A one-day trip to a beautiful city in Europe was a crazy idea, but the designers were beyond excited to see as many sights as possible. Heidi took them soak it all in, buy their fabrics and then come back to NY for the design process, and that they did, with numerous photos and sketches.

In the streets of Paris, Patricia was impressed with a different kind of art- paper graffiti that was plastered onto the wall. I loved that she observed how the Parisian girls styled their entire look, including their makeup, even bringing a smoky eye-shadow to emphasize her model’s runway look.

Layanna was really drawn to the beauty of the architecture in Barcelona. Stanley liked Big Ben in London’s Palace of Westminster and Daniel gravitated towards the uniqueness of the city life in Berlin.

Back in NY, Michelle was left behind and the darkness of homesickness weighed heavily on her. Michelle was paired with Tu and they spent their time finding a fresh perspective of the beauty of the city’s old and new buildings sandwiched together.

After their whirlwind trip, everyone got to work immediately in the workroom. Even Michelle was in better spirits!

Who is Going to Fashion Week?

In the workroom, Layanna’s coat was more time-consuming than she expected. Luckily, she had Samantha to help her put together a blouse and pair of pants to complete her look. The flutter sleeves on the blouse were a little distracting but the coat looked amazing!

Stanley’s dress was very dark, in all black. He made a great choice though, on the caplet for added drama on the runway!

Patricia’s look showed the installation of the street art, especially  in the top’s multi-layers and the sleeves. Trash couture, said Zac Posen, but Nina referred to the design as “cotton candy gone wrong.”

Daniel’s white leather jacket was actually made of pleather that he found in a little fabric shop in Berlin. His design showed the sleek lines of the architecture. Nina liked that the jacket was edgy and captured the underground movement in Berlin. The dress was gorgeous too!

Nina called Michelle’s look “a comeback” and she loved the patent quilted leather on the top. Guest judge, music artist John Legend really liked Michelle’s cashmere skirt with an ombre effect. I loved the dark quilting too, and the lightness in the movement of the skirt was beautifully constructed.

Layanna was harshly judged for an old-fashioned look that didn’t capture the colors or the passionate heritage of Barcelona. The coat made the model look much older, and the blouse might have worked if the sleeves weren’t so voluminous. And she is out!

Stanley and Daniel made it to the next step- the finale! Michelle turned the chances around and she moved on to the big show too. The big surprise for me was that Patricia made it through. Despite her struggles, some of the judges really liked the unexpectedness of her aesthetic and wanted to see a collection from her.

Next up: The Finale Part 1

Singer Alanis Morissette and actor Zachary Quinto have collaborated with Kiehl’s to create limited edition designs of the brand-favorite Ultra Facial Cream.

With the purchase of the Ultra Facial Cream, 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to Recycle Across America to help make recycling easier and more effective in schools across the U.S.

Working together to save the environment may seem like an impossible undertaking, but it’s the small things that really do make the difference, said Quinto, who will reprise his role as Spock in this summer’s movie Star Trek Into the Darkenss. His inspiration for the product design came from his experience in South America where he felt the most connected to the Earth.

You watch their experiences working with Kiehl’s in the video below, and you can purchase the limited edition designs at a Kiehl’s store and at Kiehl’s.com

As the current season of Project Runway is revving up for the big finale, I have to say that the Marie Claire Editorial challenge was one of my favorites so far.

I loved Nina Garcia’s super-clear directions for the assignment: no gowns, no red carpet looks and no T-shirt and pants combinations. Did our final five heed Nina’s words? Well, the Fashion Director for Marie Claire wasn’t messing’ around, which some of the designers learned the hard way. Here’s the recap for “Finally on My Own” and the return of Zac Posen on the judges’ panel.

For the challenge, the judges gave the designers the opportunity to work on their own. They were however, paired with former designers as their sewing helpers. “Your communication and management skills learned this season will serve you well today,” said Tim, “because you will need to direct the assistants for your designs.” Seemed like a harmless idea, right?

The Button Bag is Back!

The designers gathered at the Hearst Corporate Building to receive their instructions, and found some inspiration for their garments. The challenge was to create a fashion-forward editorial look for a celebrity fashion piece. The story would be featured in the May issue of Marie Claire, and the winning look would be worn by actress Jordana Brewster.

Back in the workroom, everyone’s reactions towards their assistants spoke volumes about their previous collaborations. Amanda, Samantha, Richard, Kate and Tu were matched up with the remaining designers, thanks to the “wretched” button bag.

Only Stanley was given the privilege to choose his helper, and selected Tu to help him create his design. The reigning winner chose wisely, but I was a little disappointed with his treatment of Tu, who was ready and willing to help with the sewing of three pieces for the look. Unfortunately, Stanley wasn’t gracious for his efforts and even criticized Tu for not being focused on his directions.

I really felt Patricia’s frustration when she was paired with Richard yet again. Her latest experience was just as troubled as their previous challenges. She didn’t trust that Richard understood her vision, so she changed her aesthetic several times, which only made their situation worse for wear.

Michelle and Amanda were matched together and their edgier styles were a good fit. Michelle wanted to make a bold statement with her really wide pants and a cool asymmetrical top, but she overlooked Nina’s directions in the process.

Queen Layanna and Kate worked together better than expected this time, and Daniel and Samantha were so compatible that Sam offered her assistance to a frayed Patricia.

You Get a Do or Die Moment

After the runway, Patricia almost broke down in tears, as she admitted that she struggled to work with Richard. The judges recognized their unfortunate pairing, and Patricia was saved by Heidi’s suggestion that the unflattering shape of the dress could be tweaked by a stylist’s magic.

Daniel ‘s lemon yellow shorts and another shoulder-detailed jacket were judged harshly as being too Easter-ready. In the end, Jordana doesn’t hate it and he was saved for another challenge.

Layanna was inspired by the unique architecture of the Hearst Building and created a bold statement with a leather “armor” top and a frothy skirt. Even though the cobalt color would photograph well, I agreed with the judges that it was a little bit too warrior-like for Jordana Brewster’s style.

Stanley was the winner and the Dallas star was ecstatic to wear his outfit. I really liked the shrunken jacket and I wanted it for myself. I could style with jeans, over a dress, etc. Stanley also had a cute tank top and culottes that were very flattering for Jordana’s figure. I can’t wait to see her in next month’s Marie Claire.

Michelle changed her course for the season because she basically ignored one of Nina’s very specific expectations for her design. I thought that the pants were pretty cool, but Nina gave her the boot because the outfit was not “special enough for the editorial.” Ouch. But wait…

You get a do or die moment, said the judges. So, that means that Michelle will get a second chance. To be continued!