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Bella Interview: Nadine Haobsh, The Conclusion

BellaSugar — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:30:53 -0700

Welcome to the final part of my interview with Nadine Haobsh, the beauty blogger whose book Beauty Confidential just hit bookstores. We've already chatted about the growth of beauty blogs and the secrets of magazine editors. Now we're talking about the best drugstore products and that ever-controversial injection, Botox. Read on:

Are there any drugstore brands that you think do things well?
Yes! I am in love with anything and everything Neutrogena and actively choose their skincare products over things you can find at Saks and Barneys. The only cleanser I love in the world more than Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash is the Shu Uemura High Performance Cleansing Wash, and that's mostly because it's just fun to use. I will probably be using Oil-Free Acne Wash for the next three decades. I have some new Armani, Lancome, Avon, Kiehl's and Origins sitting unused in my cabinet right now because I can't give up my Neutrogena. Olay Regenerist is the best anti-aging product you can find without heading to your dermatologist, and that includes the $300 creams you'll find at Neiman Marcus. Oh, and Clean & Clear Persagel and Oil-Absorbing Sheets are worth their weight in gold; better than anything ten times the price.

For Nadine's opinion on Botox, and on whether caring about beauty is shallow, read more

What's your take on Botox?
I am a fan of Botox, and have no problem with it! Botox for all! I know it's very PC to bash cosmetic enhancements, but I think if you have healthy self-esteem and only a few things you would objectively look better with fixing, why *not* address them? I've had Botox; I inherited a frown-line between my eyebrows from my mother that's been there since my early twenties, and I finally went to the dermatologist for an injection this summer. It took two seconds, didn't hurt, and made a world of difference in my appearance. Why is a reasonable amount of Botox different from getting your hair highlighted? Neither is natural, but both can be done in a moderate, understated way that genuinely makes you look better! I think we as a culture are way too judgmental about others' beauty choices. If it makes you happy, hey, it's your face!

What do you say to people who are concerned that we're trying to achieve perfection with cosmetic procedures?
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of face-lifts and mirror-obsession later. If you realize in your twenties that, yes, someday you will age, you can start taking proactive steps now. That means sunscreen everyday, antioxidants and retinol, a gentle eye cream, and if necessary, Botox to stop lines from becoming deeper later.

I say, again, we are all way too concered with what our neighbor, that pretty girl down the street and celebrity X are doing. We all have our own genes, our own imperfections and our own beautiful features, and comparing yourself to somebody else or trying to acheive some false societal standard of what's "beautiful" will only result in heartache. All you can do is make the most of what you have, and love yourself. Being assembly-line, Playboy-approved "beautiful" is uninteresting, because it's not unique.

And making the most of what you have can include wearing makeup, exercising, highlighting your hair, or getting injections. I'm not advocating living a crunchy-granola life of no makeup, grey hair and organic everything. But don't bring in a picture of a celebrity to a doctor and say, "I want to look like her!" You look like you...so let's figure out a way to learn tips, tricks and find products to be the best version of you.

Some people will say that being interested in makeup, beauty, hair and so forth is shallow. (Obviously, I'm not "some people.") How do you respond?
I say that beauty is not rocket science. It's not disease prevention. It's not counterterrorism. But it's an aspect of life that makes our days more pleasant, puts a spring in your step and helps bring a little harmony to the world. We all have two realities: the very harsh fact that we live in a difficult and scary time. If you spend too much time examining that, your entire outlook can quickly turn dark. And no, in that context, beauty doesn't matter a whit. The other reality is more prosaic; your day-to-day existence: going to work, interacting with your friends and lovers, buying food at the grocery store, having a job interview. In that still-very-real social context, impressions matter, and people are visually influenced by your surroundings. If you're heading to a job interview, it absolutely matters how you look!

And none of the pleasant things in life really "matter": art, music, wine, film, sports, who cares? But a world where Sufjan Stevens doesn't exist, there is no pinot noir, I've never seen The Sound of Music, Red Sox fans have never experienced a World Series win, and we can't walk out of a salon rocking a brand new sex-kitten haircut and highlights? I don't want to live in that world. If enjoying those things is shallow, I'm shallow.

Photo: George Bogart

Bella Interview: More with Nadine Haobsh

BellaSugar — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 07:00:46 -0700

Yesterday, I shared part of my interview with Nadine Haobsh, whose book Beauty Confidential is out this week. In the first part, we talked about the growth of beauty blogging, and today's installment covers products that are worth their price-and which ones are a waste. Here we go...

Can you tell us three products that are absolutely worth the money, and three that aren't?
Not worth the money: Creme de la Mer, Chanel nail polish, any cleanser over $10. Completely worth the money: Solano or Chi hair tools (flatirons or blowdryers), Bare Escentuals mineral foundation, any fragrance from Bond no. 9 (I am obsessed with Chinatown!) Nail polish, no matter how expensive or cheap, will be on your nails three days at best. Why spend $40 when you can spend $4? It's just not worth it. And you can't skimp on your hair; an expensive cut, expensive tools and moderately priced products will truly make a difference.

To find out a dirty little secret about beauty editors, read more

What are some mistakes you see a lot of women make with their makeup routine?
There are several! Women are often afraid of makeup and so apply next to nothing, which makes their features look blah and completely defeats the entire point. Most women have trouble with the eyes, especially, and don't know how to apply eye shadow, eye liner or mascara. As far as foundation goes, less *is* more (you don't need to glop it on like a mask), but most women don't realize that the right foundation will make a world of difference in how young, glowy and fresh your skin appears. Finally, makeup should be fun, and women don't play with it enough. There are easy ways to apply colored eyeshadows and tinted mascaras that won't make you look '80s or like a thirteen-year-old, but inject a shot of life into your looks and bring out your eyes.

And any beauty-editor secrets you can share? Ones that haven't run-or will probably never run-in magazines?
Beauty editors never wash their hair, haven't paid for a salon, spa or treatment service since they were "civilians", and recommend drugstore products in magazines, but wouldn't be caught dead using them (with one or two notable exceptions) on themselves. They tend to be a lot less democratic-even the service book ones-than they appear in magazines.

So why do they recommend drugstore products? Because of advertiser pressure, or because they want to have affordable options?
Both. If it were up to them, most editors would recommend expensive, esoteric, beautiful and foreign products exclusively. There is absolutely a culture of "Our advertiser this month is X; we have to find three of their products that aren't terrible to put in the magazine." There is a certain cachet in working for a magazine like W, because you know you will never have to recommend or test another drugstore product again (at least, that's the mindset.)

Still want more? Good. Come back tomorrow for the conclusion of our talk!

Bella Interview: Nadine Haobsh, Author of Beauty Confidential

BellaSugar — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:00:17 -0700

If you've been reading blogs for a few years, you've probably heard of Nadine Haobsh. A former beauty staffer at Lucky and Ladies' Home Journal, she anonymously wrote the blog Jolie in NYC. A few posts about the perks that beauty editors enjoy (Marc Jacobs wallets, plane tickets, spa vacations, and so on) didn't go over so well in the industry, and when her identity became known, Seventeen rescinded a job offer.

But that's all in the past. This week, Haobsh releases her first book, Beauty Confidential. It's a breezy, easy-to-read guide to makeup, hair and skin care-complete with honest opinions about which products are worth the cash, and which are a waste of time and money. Nadine and I chatted over the weekend; here's the first part of our interview.

How do you think readers perceive beauty bloggers as opposed to beauty editors for magazines? Is there any difference?
Absolutely. I think that readers think (and rightly so) that you can trust beauty bloggers a bit more. There's less of an agenda, it's direct blogger-to-reader contact, and you're going to hear a tell-it-like-it-is review of products and trends. There's always going to be a certain amount of spin, no matter whether you're reading on a blog or in a magazine, but in general I find blogs to be so much more honest in their coverage

For Nadine's thoughts on whether magazine editors worry about the growth of blogs, read more

Do you think magazine editors worry about that?
They should. Getting into bed with advertisers is always tricky; many bloggers advertise on their site, but it has nothing to do with what brands they write about. That's definitely not the case with magazines.

What are you most proud of regarding the book?
I'm proud that I've created something so damn cute and helpful, to be honest! It's fun, it's easy-to-read, it's full of tips and product suggestions, and it's not like any other beauty book out there, because it's so personal and gossipy. All of my friends who have read it say it feels like I'm sitting in their living room, giving them beauty dirt for two hours! And that makes me really happy.

And what was the biggest challenge in writing it?
The biggest challenge was simply creating the concept: How do I put all these tips and tricks to paper without rehashing what's already been said a million times?

So how did you address that?
That's when I realized that my strength is that I'm *not* a makeup artist and I'm *not* a hairstylist. I'm a normal, young girl who simply happens to know more about beauty than the average bear because of my editorial background. I'm my own guinea pig, so I've had more mishaps than most! As a result, though, I know which products work, which ones don't, what to spend your money on, and all of the "behind the scenes" secrets that editors at magazines can't relay!

For more of my interview with Nadine, including some great dish on which products she thinks are overrated, come back tomorrow!

Photo: George Bogart

What Should Beauty Editors Do With Swag?

BellaSugar — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 06:06:36 -0800

Wowza. I always knew that magazine editors got swag, but wait until you hear about this one. Fashion Week Daily reports that beauty editors received a very generous holiday gift: a Chanel 2.55 bag. Very nice indeed. In her new book, Nadine Haobsh talks about the immense perks of beauty editors - free trips, bags, jewelry, and the like - and I have to admit, some of the swag is really over the top.

This tangentially reminds me of a year-old story in which an Allure editor was fired for asking for beauty samples from companies, then selling them on eBay before they were on the market. Ruh-roh.

So I've got to ask you: Are you surprised by the extent of the goodies that magazine editors get? Do you think it's appropriate, or is it just another perk of the job? And what do you think they should do with the stuff?

Source

The Best of Bella, 11/4

BellaSugar — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 07:17:25 -0800

If you haven't done so yet, take the BellaSugar reader survey!

Two fun How-Tos: Jennifer Aniston and Janjay Sherman.
Join the 100+ people dishing on oddball beauty confessions.
Check out some must-have products for November.
What a treat! I got custom-blended foundation and took some photos for you.
Meet Nadine Haobsh, a beauty expert with a new book.
Oh my! Is Fergie bringing the crimped-hair look back?
Mmm, new Chanel holiday collection. (Insert Homer Simpson donut sound here.)
How well does a prescription acne cream work? Find out for yourself.

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