Tour of Beauty

A few weeks ago when I was visiting Los Angeles, I had the pleasure of getting a full-face makeover by makeup artist Leesa Dang at Senna Cosmetics in Beverly Hills. The studio is in a posh location and it's set up with lots of mirrors and chairs, so right from the start my expectations were set high. I had no doubts that I'd walk out looking like anything less than a glamorous and red carpet-ready Hollywood star.

The first step was applying a cleanser, moisturizer and a magical, velvety, silicone-based Silky Primer ($36) that virtually evaporates once it touches skin. It made my face feel smooth and look incredibly supple. (If you're looking for a primer, I recommend it based on the incredible texture alone).

Next came the smooth and extremely sheer base, which provides coverage similar to a tinted moisturizer. However, when I looked in the mirror, I was sadly shocked by how pale and lifeless my skin appeared. Leesa eased my fears by explaining that Senna foundations are made from minerals and would only meld into my skin and soften as the night went on.

Finally came the dramatic mix of petal pink and navy eye shadow, deep navy eyeliner, two coats of rich black mascara, and a medium pink lipstick and gloss. At first I thought the cool tones were a bit heavy, but after a little more blending, it looked beautiful. My face looked even and the smoky eye paired with the pink lip was every bit as sexy as I'd hoped. For more about my thoughts on Senna's foundation, my new everyday lip color obsession, and to find out what celebrities wear this brand, read more

Last summer I was lucky enough to head to the south of France for a quick family reunion. What I thought was going to be a ridiculously hectic trip filled with touring and catching up with relatives, actually turned out to be quite pleasant and even a little bit relaxing. I found a few moments to sneak away to the beach and was even surprised with a special stop at the Thalazur Thallasothèrapie & Spa in Antibes (courtesy of my cousin).

These Thalazur spas are apparently all over Europe, and they resemble more of a clinic than anything else. In fact, the experience is focused on healing and therapy as opposed to the common pampering and indulgent American spa setting.

Another difference was that the appointments were much shorter. They offer increments of 20-30 minutes and, get ready for this — the locker rooms are co-ed. Imagine my surprise when I was caught in my birthday suit by a much (much) older man. I realize that the French aren't shy — they sunbathe topless for heaven's sake — but I felt prudish when I recoiled and sought some privacy.

To read about my treatments, read more

Most women aren't familiar with Kryolan, but if you talk with makeup artists, it's a completely different story. The German company creates highly pigmented stage and theater makeup — think of the fake scars and wounds of The Shield or CSI. In addition, Kryolan manufactures consumer cosmetics at reasonable prices, both for their own line and for some bigger brands I can't mention. Recently, I took a tour of the San Francisco facilities to see how makeup is really made. Watch the video to check it out!

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the Vaishaly Clinic in London and having a Signature Vashaily Facial with the lovely and petite "superfacialist" Vaishaly Patel. For 60 blissfull minutes, I lay in her all-white sanctuary covered in three layers of towels and blankets while she poked, prodded and polished my skin. What made this facial different than any other I've experienced is that there was no steam involved, and instead of a using a gritty exfoliator or sticky gommage, she opted for microdermabrasion.

It was the kind where little crystals floated atop a small tube and simultaneously worked to slough off and suck away not only the top layer of dead skin on my face, but the layer below that which had been hanging out on my face all summer (giving me dull-looking skin no matter how many times I exfoliated). That little hoover sure was powerful—I opened my eyes and peeked so I could check out what was going down that tube, and it was more dead skin that I could have possibly imagined. Sorry, is that TMI?

Next she washed off the lingering crystals and applied a night cream before treating me to a deep finger facial massage. This petite little lady sure has a lot of power in her hands! I've learned that this is her secret and crucial component to great skin. Massage stimulates circulation and lymphatic drainage, and it helps products penetrate into the deeper layers of your skin.

Lastly, she applied a mask followed by a wonderful smelling day cream containing SPF 15. I took home a couple of products, so after I try them out for a little while, I'll report back to with what worked and possibly even what didn't —stay tuned! For a complete list of Vaishaly products and where to buy them, read more