April is Earth Month, and beauty brands are getting into the giving spirit. Bond No. 9 has created a special floral scent for the occasion called I Love New York For Earth Day ($105), and a portion of the proceeds will go back to help fund the city's parks and preservation efforts. Find out other ways you can get involved this month with just a trip to your local beauty counter.
Looking to bust a beauty world record? You're in luck. On April 22, Aveda will attempt to set a world record for the most money raised for a charity by haircuts in a 24-hour period. In order to complete this massive undertaking, Aveda is hosting a global cut-a-thon in its salons worldwide in the hopes to raise $5 million for local clean-water charities.
Getting in on the action and helping Aveda nab its world record title is simple. Just visit its events page and look for an Earth Month Cut-A-Thon near you. All of the proceeds from each haircut will go toward a local charity that's dedicated to clean water. Record setting, haircuts, and charity . . . what else could you ask for?
Aveda has struck the ideal balance in face powder amazingness with its Inner Light mineral loose powder ($28). An oldie but goodie, this light-as-air powder gives a decent amount of coverage but in an impressively sheer way. And because it's so feather-soft, this finely milled makeup won't settle into fine lines or clump by day's end. Instead, it lends a subtly luminous, semimatte finish.
A small portion on a large brush is all you need to quell shine and set makeup, but it's also easy to build upon if you want additional coverage. No need to worry about ashiness or orange tones either: this baby's translucent. What's not to love about this powerful powder?
When you get Aveda stylist Kevin Ryan in a room, it's always a fun-filled time. And the feel backstage at Tibi reflected that playful mood. Stylists were abuzz creating low-slung ponytails that captured "a cool, independent girl having a 5 p.m. moment," as Ryan put it. Who ever said fashion had to be so serious? See how it all went down behind the scenes now, and learn how you can get a runway-worthy ponytail in just a few easy steps.
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You know that amazing moment when you pull off a sweater and your hair looks perfectly disheveled immediately thereafter? That's just the effect hairstylist Kevin Ryan (for Aveda) wanted to capture when creating the lifted, slightly mussed coiffures at Richard Chai Love.
To create the play on texture, particularly at the crown, Ryan began by spritzing the brand's Volumizing Tonic on models' hair. After blow-drying, he applied Brilliant Humectant to slick back the sides and added Control Granules for extra texture. Then, right before they hit the runway, Ryan switched around models' hair parts to create what he calls a "jump up on the front." The result was pretty hair with a little "strange volume" — sans the static cling, of course. See shots of the lived-in hair up close and learn more about the androgynous makeup and nail looks now.
If you're always at a loss to explain what you want to stylists, Aveda has just debuted a new app that's a great resource for styling and color. The app, My Aveda Style (free), has everything from Fashion Week backstage styling videos to a hair lookbook that allows you to show your stylist what you like. Instructions for getting the looks are included, as well, so if you go to an Aveda salon regularly, it definitely facilitates good communication with your stylist. And even if your salon isn't Aveda, it's pretty informative and helpful. Plus, the backstage Fashion Week videos are the perfect way to get a taste of designer hairstyling's glamour (and craziness).
Shopping centers and malls can be stressful to navigate, but add the layer of the holiday rush to that, and it does not a sane woman make. Luckily, we have Aveda to save the day — and our sanity. From Black Friday until Sunday, stop in to any of the company's eco-friendly experience centers (locations) and receive a complimentary stress-relieving treatment. Get a free cup of tea and then choose from a scalp and shoulder ritual, a neck and shoulder ritual, a hand ritual, makeup finishing touch, or hairstyling ritual. There are also plenty of gorgeous holiday gifts to check out. Holiday shopping can be nerve-frazzling, but there's a reason Aveda begins with ahh.
One theme we've seen a lot of this Spring 2012 Fashion Week is the balance of masculinity and femininity (see: the androgynous looks at Altuzarra and the sleek, braid-bun updos at Rachel Roy), and now we have Preen doing its own take on the gender-bender phenomenon. Of the '40s-style rolled updos seen on the runway, Paul Hanlon for Aveda explained, "It's a futuristic chignon; a bit Blade Runner, as well." And while the texture was slick and polished for a severe effect, Hanlon made sure the style also featured a modern, not-too-perfect edge, without being overly shellacked.
To create the look, he began by prepping the hair with the brand's Volumizing Tonic, blowing it dry with a round brush. Hair was then twisted back one side at a time, and ends were tucked and pinned within the style. Cool (er, hot) tip: to make sleek styles such as this smoother where needed, spray the area with hair spray (Hanlon used Air Control), and lightly brush the barrel of the curling iron over any wispiness to tame it down.
Photo courtesy of Aveda
Aveda is bringing back its annual limited-edition Light the Way soy wax candle ($12), available now in honor of Earth Month. In addition to smelling amazing (from a combination of certified organic lavender, lavandin, and clary sage), the soy wax burns completely clean. The scent has stress-relieving aromatherapy properties — but the best mental benefit comes from the fact that 100 percent of your purchase will support Global Greengrants Funds, who provides small grants for community-based, water-related projects all over the world. Doesn't doing good smell great?
When you care enough to gift the very best, sometimes going back to the basics is all it takes. From shampoo and conditioner to the always appreciated makeup brush set, here are five gift options that any beauty aficionado in your life will love.
