Beyonce Paints L'Oreal Red

In May of 2009 I met Beyonce backstage at the Greensboro, North Carolina stop of her 'I Am Sasha Fierce' tour. Surprisingly, it was a major moment in my life.

See, Beyonce and I are the same age. In meeting her, it was obvious that she was living inside her passion, using every talent she had been given and not apologizing for any of it. I saw with my own eyes that she is 1) an angel and 2) embracing and being just exactly who she is at all times. So when she reps L'Oreal I believe her. For reals. Her new commercial for L’Oréal Paris’ latest Infallible Stars Never Fail Lipcolour Compact has just hit the airwaves. (You must check out Beyonce Red)

Funny thing is, no matter how beautiful she is on screen or in film, in person she is absolutely ethereal. For today, we'll settle for the film footage. Enjoy!

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Calling it! Metallic Bag Trend With Michael Kors and Carlos Falchi

L'Oreal gave me this divine Carlos Falchi Shopping Tote back in September and though I was originally lackluster about its bluster I have grown to A-dore it! Not only is the cheery floral lining divine but the internal organization and magnetic closure are sturdy and well designed. I also happened to catch Tia Williams sporting it and was instantly in love. Check out more of the dreamy vision that is Carlos Falchi hand bags.

Now Michael Kors and Lucky Magazine have teamed up on this equally shinny, also divine bag. Though I have no personal experience with the bag, it's beauty is stunning. I'm feeling a trend coming on....

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Banner Day in Beauty: L'Oreal Bare Natural Mineral-Enriched Eyeliner

Girls, it was a banner day in beauty here at the SPOT. First we finally tried out this lovely new earth-friendly eyeliner from L'Oreal, then we got the most lovely sponsor for a beauty event we are planning, and then at dinner my eyeliner actually turned heads. Kid you not.

L'Oreal's new Bare Naturale Eyeliner is super easy to apply, precise, and gentle on the most sensitive eyelids (mine puff up at the slightest mention of chemicals.) It didn't smudge on this the hottest southern summer day, and came off easily with my lovely Tammy Fender Cleanser-turned-eye-makeup-remover.

All three shades (Onyx, Slate, & Cocoa) are preservative, talc and fragrance free. These easily wielded wands are also made of 100% natural Gmelina wood. I've scoured the Internet and this pencil is sold out everywhere. Run to your local drugstore girls, run!

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Joyeux Anniversaire L'Oreal!

Today is L’Oréal Paris’ 100th Anniversary! In honor of this major milestone they are celebrating all month long with fabulous deals!

The products will be available at your local drugstores and you can enter the anniversary sweepstakes online at www.lorealparisusa.com. For the sweepstakes, L’Oréal Paris is giving away prizes for 100 days including a grand prize of a makeover in Paris!!

True Match Super-Blendable makeup collection $5.99 (reg. $13.95) EverPure haircare collection $5.99 (reg. $6.99) Revitalift skincare collection $9.99 (reg. $19.99) Voluminous Volume Building Mascara $4.99 (reg. $7.95) Colour Riche Lipcolour $4.99 (reg. $8.50) Excellence Haircolor $5.99 (reg. $8.99)

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J'Adore L'Oreal EverPure: Go Ahead Say it En France

Sounds better in French, no? Still in English or French L'Oreal's EverPure, a completely sulfate-free color care system that frees your hair from harsh sulfates is, universally, to die for. This coming from a woman who only let organics touch her hair for three whole years. I've been testing EverPure Moisture Rich Shampoo and Conditioner for a month now and I honestly LOVE them EverPure has seen me through my most dramatic haircut in years, completely revitalized my scalp, and calmed my skin which is usually completely irritated from a Sulfate allergy. Also at a six to seven dollar price point this highly concentrated formula goes a long way in lean times. As if that'as not enough to stock your CVS tote with, because L'Oreal removed sulfates, surfactants and salts that can strip and dull your hair you may notice (as I did) a slightly richer color emerging, even in untreated hair. This may be due in part to EverPure's unique UVA and UVB filters which help protect hair from UV rays. Available February 2009 at www.lorealparis.com and chain drug, food and mass market retailers nationwide for suggested retail prices of $6.99 and $8.99 for individual products.

Angelina's Golden Globe Compact by L'Oreal

So you can't share the likes of Brad Pitt with her (he's a little pretentious anyhow, no?) but you can share the same L’Oreal Paris limited-edition compact in honor of the Golden Globes. L’Oreal commissioned Carelle, known for colored gemstone jewelry, to create a compact featuring lemon citrine and pale green quartz stones set in 18K yellow gold with diamond details. Each of the women nominated for best actress in a drama and in a comedy will receive one to commemorate her achievement. In addition to the compacts gifted to the likes of Angelina and Meryl (9 in total), one last compact will be auctioned off to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation at eBay.com during the Golden Globes show on January 11, 2009.

Beauty's Product RAVE: L'Oreal Skin Genesis Towelettes

L’Oréal Paris’ new Skin Genesis Micro-Smoothing Towelettes hint at the faint memory of my high school boyfriend's bathroom cabinet packed with plentiful supplies of OxyPads. These towelettes however have come a long way since, dare I say, 1998. A moderns lady's, makeup removing gift from Saint Nicolas, packed with BHA and promises of anti aging, tightening elves dancing on your epidermis as you sleep. In fact, I hate to admit it, but one night after the Clarisonic these ingenious little wipes managed to remove still more minerals from a tremendously greedy poor as it clutched my Laura Merciers. Also, I am as sick of talking about the condition of my back as you are sick of hearing about it but sufficed to say, there is no longer anything to talk about after only ONE WEEK with these little beauties. At $7.99 a package and a brave, if brief, attempt by L'Oreal to associate these towelettes with something "green," I can help myself. I love them!

Beauty's Product Rave: L'Oreal Visible Lift Line-Minimizing & Tone Enhancing Concealer Pen

Sleek design. Immediate effect. And aims to erase fine lines? A bit of a cumbersome name but the wand itself is in fact magical. Remember in the eighties when concealer was gloppy and resembled clown makeup when applied? Well ladies, concealers have come a long long way. This lip-gloss sized dispenser allows you to moderate product flow through the soft brush for easy application to under eye circles, fine lines, blemishes, and the ever-daunting hyper-pigmentation. Available in six different shades, it is best used under your minerals and is absolutely invisible. I can no longer live without mine on a daily basis.

Total Beauty Bit: L'Oreal Feria Blogger Parties!

TotalBeauty.com content:

Feria Colour Parties: Vote for Your Favorite, Sponsored by Feria

Feria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Colour

L'Oréal Paris has launched a new ultra-conditioning and extra shimmering version of its popular Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Colour with 3X highlights. More hydrating and conditioning than ever, new Féria transformed the hair of these Total Beauty bloggers and readers. Some dramatic and some subtle, the overall results left our testers' hair shimmery and soft. What do you think? Use our rating system to tell us who has the best hair color transformation. See photos

Breakfast with L'Oreal and Their Bare Naturale Line

Remember when I praised L'Oreal for their Bare Naturale Mascara? This morning I previewed more products from the Bare Naturale line and they look quite promising. L'Oreal introduced the most sought after online editors to the new line over breakfast. Yummy and snaps for the "naturale."

Beauty's Product: Back to School with L'Oreal

Top five pick lists are all the rage. L'Oreal is offering up their top five back to school items. If you are lucky enough to live near their sleek stunning outpost in the Beverly Center(pictured above), start the school year with style and purchase your items there. Alternately you can find them here.

Accentuate the Eyes:
L’Oréal Paris Bare Naturale Mascara—this extra gentle mascara is comprised of 86% natural-origin ingredients and is paraben free and fiber free. Hypoallergenic and opthamologist tested, it’s perfect for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. Bare Naturale Mascara delivers flawless, voluminous and clump-free and flake-free lashes with healthy-looking shine.

Express Your Mood: L’Oréal Paris HIP High Intensity Pigments Jelly Balms—offering a fun, lusciously playful way to inspire and create a beautiful lip look. The non-greasy, non-sticky balm is packaged in a distinct translucent round vial, making it easy to take your color anywhere so lips stay moisturized and healthy-looking.

Perfect Looking Brows: L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Professional—a revolutionary three-in-one tool that offers prestige-quality brow essentials: professional-grade tweezers, a powder pencil and a custom brush.

Long-Wearing Eyes: L’Oréal Paris Infallible Eyeliner—next generation of long-lasting eyeliner with comfortable, rich color that lasts up to 16 hours. Whether lining for subtle definition or creating a smokey and dramatic eye, Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner is perfectly adaptable.

Long-Lasting Lips: L’Oréal Paris Infallible Lipstick Compact—first-ever long-wear, transfer-proof, two-step lipcolour available in a rich, creamy stick for a quick and precise application. Contains ultra-comfortable Vitamin E–infused non-drying formula that lasts for hours and has a fragrance-free basecoat and light vanilla fragranced topcoat.

Beauty's Product: Snaps for L'Oreal Bare Naturale Mascara

In the infamous linguistic tongue of Elle Woods, snaps for L'Oreal. Just last week I voiced my dissatisfaction with toxin-laced cosmetics and today L'Oreal's latest effort to detox makeup arrives in my mailbox. Their Bare Naturale Mascara is a pared-down, mineral-enhanced, eco-conscious beauty's dream.While this specific product is not listed in the Cosmetic Safety Database (it is brand new for August 2008,) all other items from the L'Oreal Bare Naturale line receive top safety ratings of one, two, or three. This is big news from a company as big as L'Oreal.


Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Mascara is L’Oréal’s first mineral-enriched mascara made with 86% natural-origin ingredients including aloe, Vitamin E and jojoba oil that nourish and condition lashes. Fragrance, paraben, and fiber free this nifty little wand of mascara is designed for sensitive eyes. Let's go ahead and put our money where our snaps are and support L'Oreal's commendable effort. At $9.95 per tortoise shell enveloped stick, it's worth it.

L'Oreal Wants to Throw You a Party!

I need your help. L'Oreal has asked a handful of the most fabulous beauty blogs in the world to help launch their new Feria Hair Color line. I am so honored they chose me, however, none of my besties are willing to liven up their hair color. So I need five lucky Beauty's SPOT readers to party with.

Here is what's in it for you:

1) Two free sets of the new feria product

2) Party catered by L'Oreal at my place.

3) Free gifts from L'Oreal

Here is what I need from you:

1) Be willing to pose for before and after pictures (can be from behind if you don't want to be internet famous)

2) Attend said party at my place and take home free/makeup/hair color/gifts.

The party will take place in August at some time agreeable to all participants. Since this will be at my house (in Chapel Hill, North Carolina), I reserve the right to say you can't come if you creep me out.

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist - Day Three

Day one went well. Parts of day two went well. The parts that stuck, anyhow. See, I thought I was dry after standing around my apartment for thirty minutes, blogging and waiting for my newly applied coat of L'Oreal's Self Tanning Mist to dry. When I woke up the next morning and hesitantly looked in the mirror with one eye open I expected to look like an oompa-loompa. I was pleasantly surprised by my new bronze skin color. I was unpleasantly surprised that I also resembled a zebra or someone with a skin pigmentation disease. 3/4 of the backside of my arms and back were erased of self tanner while the top quarter was now nicely bronzed. I suppose I slept on my back and the tanner wasn't dry enough before I went to bed. I am happy to report however that I like the color even more today that I did on day two. The next time I have 45 minutes to stand around my apartment naked and not touch anything I will re-apply and report back. Seriously though I do recommend keep a can of this around for weekends when pooltime isn't an option or when you would like some extra coverage for your shy parts.

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist - Day One

I'm feeling very California at the moment. Paris Hilton just shuffled onto my ipod and I'm standing around my apartment naked waiting for my self-tanner to dry. I am a self-tanning virgin and I've been staring down bottles of L'Oreal Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Airbrush Self- Tanning Mist for weeks, hoping to some how suddenly become comfortable with the idea of possibly turning myself orange. The name is a mouthful but what L'Oreal is trying to say is that unlike other tanners this one sprays on just like the professional spray-on tans. It does in fact spray on perfectly. No clumping. Just a perfectly fine, evenly distributed mist. In fact it sprays just like hairspray (unfortunately it kind of smells like hair spray too).

What I love about this product so far is that it easily reaches those those places I'm not too keen on angling into full view of the sun to get an even tan. So my inner thighs and the part of my bum that isn't covered by my suit are finally getting the attention they deserve. Also the spray is easily focused to one specific area so it's useful for correcting tan lines from multiple bikinis. I'm supposed to apply it on the daily until my skin is the color I desire. I'll keep you posted on how the color turns out.

Beauty Therapy: L'Oreal Coral Blaze # 411

I mentioned yesterday that this has not been the best week. The good news for me however is that I have never met a problem a beauty product or treatment couldn't ameliorate. I am not going to pretend that L'Oreal's Coral Blaze (#411) is going to appease the feelings I am currently walking through. But I guarantee it is going to make the walking better, reminding me that aesthetic pleasure can allow for a mirthful flight of the senses at any time. (and really that's why I passionately love the beauty and spa industry anyhow).

I lost a dear friend this week. The kind who always makes you smile. He was one of those rare straight men who loved labels and product. On Saturday I was hurriedly rushing to primp for dinner, go buy pies from the market, and haul my little, low-emissions vehicle out to the country for a steak and seafood feast. I hate to be late but for some reason, unknown to me at the time, I had insisted on painting my own nails. I have not done this since I was 10. (Manicurists are professional. I have am not.) But I had been dying to test the new L'Oreal Coral Blaze from their flagship store at the Beverly Center in LA. (I can not find it anywhere else, hence the picture and lack of links.) The second I spotted it I thought "That's it! That is the coral I have been searching for". I have regretted every single mani-pedi where I chose coral in the last 6 years because something about the color was always a bit off. But this season with all of the popping new neon polishes I thought coral may have finally found its compliment. And it has. This is the best coral I have ever seen. Who knew all coral needed was 80's brightness to make it purely perfect in every way?

When I arrived at dinner proudly bearing not one but two pies and the hippest nails this side of the Mississippi I got the bad news. I somehow managed to not fumble the pie but the rest of the night was lost on me. Kismet, however, had not completely lost me . This polish is so perfect, bright, and cheery, that inspite of myself, every time I have looked down this week in a vain attempt to keep it together, my nails have made me smile in pure happiness. This polish is honestly not like any other color I have ever seen. No matter what I am going through in life, I am so thankful that as a beauty product junkie aesthetic pleasure can infuse my whole body with elementary joy at any time.

Product Rave: L'Oreal Paris Infallible Lip Gloss

I love anything that makes my lips feel yummy. Lip balm, lip stick, lip plumper, lip gloss. But I am not the type to run to the bathroom often enough to keep up with it. Generally if I walk through the door of my office in the morning with insanely bright red lips they will be nude colored with in the hour. Bananas, granola bars, and the very occasional decaf coffee all seem to obliterate the color in a matter of minutes. What I love about the infallible gloss though is that the pigment stays. The yummy, gooey gloss is still no match for my breakfast and decaf but no matter what I pass over my lips, hours later the pigment is still there which I love.

I am currently loving the infallible lip gloss in color number 125 - Bloom. The L'Oreal site recommends the infallible never fail lip colour compact for customers who love the lip gloss. The compact was in fact voted Allure's Best Long Wearing Lipstick last fall. Lucky for you there is just such a compact (in Apricot) in the swag bag that is up for grabs!

L'Oreal Carbon Black Voluminous Mascara

Until Friday whenever my girlfriends asked for my best tips about how to choose a mascara I would say, "Pick the cheapest one, it's the best way to save beauty money because they are all more alike than different." I take back every one of those misguided words. I picked up L'Oreal's Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara on Friday and my eyes have never, ever looked this good. Somehow the rich deep black that is as they say, "black-er than black" makes my eyes sparkle and my lashes stretch like a reaching ballerina awaiting her prince. I used to find that mascaras this black created a dark, ill-defined, raccoon like eye but this pigment is so well defined it has the opposite effect of opening and lightening the entire look. More good news, the best mascara I have ever tried is around $7.

Total Beauty Dishes on the LA Beauty Tour: L'Oreal, Anastasia, Nelson J Salon

It will take me a few weeks to report on all of the products, events, seminars, and celeb stylists here at the Total Beauty Bloggers Summit. Fortunately, the Total Beauty editors have the scoop posted already. By the way, the editorial team at Total Beauty is in fact totally beautiful. Dish with them and check out their blog for more on this amazing trip!

Kristen, beauty editor at Total Beauty, talks with Tammy from A Mom in Red High Heels at the first L'Oreal store ever launched in the United States. Opened at the Beverly Center in 2004, it houses the world's only True Light Pod (patent pending) which has the technology to replicate any lighting environment you may encounter. Going to the darkest club in LA? Chances are they have the club's lighting sequence on file so you can replicate it in the pod, apply your makeup, and head out from there!

(Yes that is Penelope's Cruz's picture behind me in the background.)