BeChicMag.com

One of the toughest parts about relocating is finding a new entourage to help you look good. Back at home, I had two go-to hair stylists. I got my chic haircuts from whom I consider the best hair-cutter ever! And that’s Nelson from Lotus, a swanky but laid back salon on Prince Street. Or when I needed an emergency wash and dry, my cousin Cristal always had my back. Now I’m in a new city and have no one I trust to handle me. There are some women who can do their own hair, nails and eyebrows. Unfortunately, I’m not one of them.

Before leaving for Central New York, I realized I had to stack up in basic beauty products. After all, I was moving to a chic-challenged city. So I asked my crafty cousin to show me where I can get the best supplies for cheap. We walked to a beauty supply store on Clinton Street in the Lower East Side. She showed me a collection of hair driers. I took my time selecting mine, especially since I haven’t straightened my own hair in over four years. She also suggested which velcro rollers will add volume to my hair. Thanks to her I got the Turbo 1500! This baby is so powerful there’s an over-sized disclaimer on the box that reads “Not For the Home. Professional Use Only.” I haven’t caused a blackout so far. Until I find a new talented group of folks to make me look pretty, I’ll stick to my own blow drier and tweezers.

The Turbo 1500 runs for $60 in beauty stores.
Nelson is by appointment only. Haircuts start at $80.
Lotus*. 7 Prince Street. 212.219.3293
You can also check out his Web site @ ChairCut.com.
*And if you want a super-chic hairdo, ask for Kelly! *mercedes sanchez

After plotting what I would wear to a friend’s birthday which always turns out to be a semi-college reunion, I decided it was about time I try the red lipstick craze that took over the pages of almost every beauty and fashion magazine last fall. Since I was wearing a red high-waisted, body hugging, knee-length skirt from Amercian Apparel I figured a touch of red lipstick would be all the make-up I’ll need (after my bronzer of course). Yet, I didn’t know where to start!

I consulted with Rita- a Sephora employee- and explained how I didn’t know where to start with my search for the perfect red lipstick. We tried an actual stick which didn’t quite work out for my complexion, so Rita suggested I try a lip pencil from NARS instead. And what a difference! The crayola-like tool was smooth and easy to apply. Over the “Forbidden Red” I added a touch of MAC lip gloss which made my lips pop even more in a room with over a 100 people.

Many commented on the red lips. So if you want to be noticed with good taste, I recommend going for the red hue when the trend is out which lessens the chances of running into another woman with similar lips. *mercedes sanchez

My mother discouraged applying mascara on a everyday basis. “It will make your eyelashes fall off,” she continues to say today. And after countless mornings of waking up to racoon eyes, I wondered if I was the only woman who had trouble removing the black gunk.

No cleanser wipe was strong enough to remove the mascara so I had to practice an annoying daily ritual: Grab five Q-tips, sink them into my liquid make-up remover and swab the residue away. And if you’re one of the many women who doesn’t take off her eye make-up before going to bed, you know that getting rid of eye make-up in the morning deducts five valuable minutes! After years of undergoing the same time-consuming method, I decided to abandon mascara all together and occasionally glamourize my eyes with fake and disposable eye lashes.

“Lashes are my best friend,” says celebrity make-up artist Jackie Gomez. “Adding eyelashes makes all the difference in the world; it makes the eyes bigger and brighter.” And when you want them off, you just pull them off.

Fake eye lashes range in cost and can be found in your local pharmacy or designer make-up store. “You can find a great pair of lashes that cost $2.00 or $14.00,” says Gomez. “But the glue is key! I recommend the Duo glue or any one that is water resistant in black. I love the Ardell, Elite and MAC lashes.”

I should mention that while holiday shopping I came across a powerful pack of make-up removal wipes by FACE. The soft facial cleansing cloth is saturated with FACE Fluid Makeup Remover and instantly gets rid off all make-up including mascara! *mercedes sanchez

With only 33 days left until the new year, chic girls everywhere are getting ready to update their look for 2008. And there’s a must-go-to beauty workshop by celebrity make-up artist Jackie Gomez on December 6th where she’ll give expert tips on applying make-up for the holidays and the new year.

“This fall was all about the bold reds, passionate plums, golds and blacks and any color that has hues of nature,” says Gomez. “But for the Chrismas Holiday I recommend women to go for the sophisticated smokey eyes, creamy lips with a hint of a berry color and glowing skin.”

And you can take her word for it. The 25-year old New York City-bred Latina of Colombian and Mexican descent is an artist to the stars like Dominican diva Zoe Saldana and the bootylicious Beyonce Knowles. “The most exciting time for me is that second when I look at the outfit, shoes and accessories. I picture my client with a smokey or cat eye look and then I decide what would be best for her,” says Gomez.

On December 6th Jackie will host a beauty workshop at Manhattan’s Flight Club where she’ll teach us city girls how to get the look of the season all while making make-up fun.

QUICK Q&A WITH JACKIE GOMEZ:

Be Chic Mag: What will be the look for Spring 2008?
Jackie Gomez: Spring will be all about the eyeliner and full eyebrows. Think of Marilyn Monroe for inspiration, but for a little twist put on a pink lipstick instead of red.

BCM: What’s one mistake women do when applying make-up?
Jackie Gomez: They use the wrong colors for their skin, or they don’t use the products correctly.

BCM: What are the top two items you can’t leave your house without?
JG: My blush/bronzer duo from Nars and my grapefruit gloss by the Balm.

Don’t miss Jackie’s Beauty Workshop on December 6th. Flight Club. 120 Nassau Street, between Beekman and Ann. $50. RSVP by E-mailing Jackie here. *ms

By SHELIKA BAEZ

Going Au naturale is a thing of the past thanks to the second most popular non-invasive procedure of Laser Hair Removal. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 1.5 million women in the U.S are permanently reducing their fuzzy upper lips and shadowed underarms in a matter of minutes.

The laser hair removal technology is an almost painless procedure that involves a laser beam zapping the hair follicles beneath the skin to shrink and prevent from re-growth. The procedure involves no down time, and can be done without anyone noticing.

With the procedure being offered at the new breed of spas, medical spas are becoming the new social hotspot. Spas like Blue Medi in Sherman Oaks, California and Sutera Spa in Miami are performing the procedures every half hour to both women and men alike. Fabien Azoulay, owner of Broadway Spas in New York City has cashed in on the craze. Read the rest of this entry »