BeChicMag.com

ALISA VALDES-RODRIGUEZ TALKS TO BECHICMAG.COM

After Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez posted a blog titled “Trust me, I’m bisexual” on her site, we reached out to the best-selling author who’s best known for penning the Dirty Girls Social Club. Since we’re based out of Manhattan and she’s in New Mexico, we held our first ever interview via Skype! And we must say, it turned out pretty well. Our video conversation was even featured on Guanabee.com- what I like to call the “Gawker” of Latino media, gossip and pop culture.

The chick-lit novelist and mom spoke about finally admitting to herself and the rest of the world that she’s bisexual, why Jennifer Lopez will not be part of the “Dirty Girls” TV series and her latest book The Husband Habit. Alisa shared plenty with us so we chose not to shorten the video. See our interactive interview in its entirety below.

Murad’s Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask

This anti-oxidant rich treatment restores and revitalizes your skin. The fresh scent of pomegranate gives your pores an exhilarating tingle while you remain with your natural glow. Just one treatment a week leaves you with a vibrant, clear and smooth complexion. Oh, and a refreshing scent of pomegranate. Sounds Yummy!

Available at Sephora for $22.50

Xoxo Beauties,
SimplyBijoux

COVERING THE BASICS
Just as I promised my beauties. I’m here for your next dose of Beauty Me This! The toolbox is ready to be explored, but before we get a glimpse of it, let’s cover the basics of applying make-up so that it looks good and not cakey (eww).

The most important thing for beautiful glowing skin (drum roll please) is skincare!  It helps avoid build up, which can cause acne and troubled skin. So to maintain a silky fresh looking face you should practice the following routine which is utterly dependent on the type of skin you have: oily, normal/combination, dry, sensitive or sun-damaged. To figure out your skin type, take a look at this article on about.com. But first, check out the following Simple 4 Step Regimen:

1. Cleanse
2. Exfoliate
3. Moisturize
4. Apply Sunscreen (some moisturizers already have SPF)

Cleansing
Try to stay away from bar soaps as they tend to dry the skin. Buy a cleanser that accommodates your skin type and stick to it. Be patient and give products a couple of days.  There is such thing as over cleansing my beauties. So two times a day will do. Over cleansing can strip the skin of natural oils that help moisturize. Look at that!  There are some good oils after all.

Exfoliate
This can be done once a week preferably. Exfoliation of the skin removes the top layer of dead skin skills which happen to dull out your complexion.  Try not to sabotage your skin with giant grained scrubs; they are more likely to harm your skin than help it.

Moisturize
All skin types will benefit from applying moisturizer.  Pay attention to what your skin is telling you—it will not steer you wrong. If it is tight, add more cream than usual. If it’s not, apply a little less. Over moisturizing can cause clogged pores.

Sun Screen
Hmmm, who wants leathery wrinkled skin? Not I, and neither do you my Beauties! To help prevent premature aging invest in a good moisturizer that includes UVA and UVB protection from the sun’s harmful rays. If you are buying a lotion with sunblock, make sure to buy a separate night cream.  There are ingredients that are not to be worn 24/7 and will aggravate your pores.

So it’s that simple! In just four easy steps you can maintain healthy glowing skin. I dare you to try it.

Xoxo Beauties,
SimplyBijoux
Twitter Me @SimplyBijoux, or email me your questions at Beauty@BeChicMag.com

MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK ONLY DAYS AWAY!
Fashion Week hits New York City for the second time this year. We’re psyched to see what the designers have in store for Spring 2010! To find out who will be showing their collections at the Tents, take a sneak peek at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week schedule below. BeChicMag.com will be at some of the shows in Bryant Park, but we will also try to bring you the best of up and coming designers debuting their frocks throughout the boroughs.

Our coverage of Fashion Week begins with Fashion’s Night Out on September 10th! So stay tuned!

THE FACE BEHIND BIJOUX

So wouldn’t you like to know the brains behind the beauty chica who holds the key to the toolbox? Sure you do. Hi! My name is Delaila Catalino. For as long as I can remember I loved to experiment and try any new product. I would carry four lip glosses at a time- don’t judge me- a girl needs to have choices! For those who have or will begin to have an obsession for the glitz and glam of powders, foundations and mascaras galore, this is your dose of Beauty Me This.

You don’t have to be famous to look like a star. Hey, since when was it a sin to steal your favorite celebs’ glamorous looks and styles. Leave it to me to be your watch-eye. Bringing you the latest in beauty secrets, how-to’s and your guide to some of the best products that will give you a bang for your buck. Beauty Me This is your exclusive pass to the show room. There’s always something new and somebody’s gotta try it. My weakness is make-up. From hundreds of lip glosses to tons of eye shadows with the cutest names like Sugar Me Pink, I have it all. Soon you will too. I’ll show you how.

At the end I sign SimplyBijoux. Why? Well because “Bijou” is defined as a trinket; a jewel- and that I am. You, my beauties, are invited to become a dazzling gem yourself. I’m excited about our first look into the toolbox!

XoXo Beauties, Simply Bijoux
Tweet me @SimplyBijoux