Kitten Lounge

Trendy Thursdays ~ 6 Must Haves For Great Skin

Kimmie Smith — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EDT

I'm all about having amazing skin as you want to look your best! Whether I'm going to an event, doing an appearance, doing a segment, meeting with brands and my team or having date night - it's all about having great skin! With the warm weather that we've been enjoying (although I know that we still have some chilly weather ahead), it always makes me think about ensuring that the winter skin is definitely nothing but a memory before I enjoy warmer temperatures.

SHOE INSPIRATION

Earlier this week, I rocked a maxi as well as flip flops which was a first for this season here in NYC! It felt amazing and made me think that you always have to prep your skin as early as possible as the weather is unpredictable! I'm a flip flop girl and I began thinking of going through my collection of Colin Stuart flip flops which come in a number of colors and is available at Victoria's Secret. Before you rock shorter skirts and a number of footwear options, it's all about making sure your skin is ready and knowing what your go to's are to get your skin ready as well as to keep up with maintaining it!

GET THE BEAUTY LOOK

Roll over the images above to find out why I am such a fan of these items from Me Smooth, Waxelene, The Body Shop, Molton Brown, Bobbi Brown and my fave - Palmer's. A number of these items have been my go to for a number of years and there are some that are new to me but I think are vital to getting your skin ready for the season and to keep it looking great.

Trendy Thursdays ~ Winter's Must Have Bag

Kimmie Smith — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:47:27 EST

We know our Midwest friends have been dealing with the snowstorm and here in NYC, we have to remind ourselves that crystal blue skies and fabulous sunny days don't mean it's warm when it's in Feb! With that said, this bitter cold hasn't stopped me from still looking like I have been frolicking in the Miami sun (and I haven't been in ages and yet I'm still rocking sun kissed skin). It's all about me finding a skin routine that works for me which is adjusted based on weather, stresses I may be under, etc. My basic routine is very get up and go friendly but with weather like this, I need to give some extra love to my skin so that means while I drink more water, I lather on a lot more moisturizer to maintain that soft fresh skin! Those who know me know that I have a million cosmetic cases, one that allows me to travel on the go if I'm called and have less that 3 hours to pack and get to the airport, I have a winter kit and a spring kit. This means that my winter kit is my must have essentials for this season and I want to ensure that my skin looks great. My Marc by Marc Jacobs bag ensures that not only are they in this dragon scale nylon case but that everything I need is there.

For those that may suffer from skin that's flaky or extremely ashy, Topricin is a great moisturizer. It also doubles as a great pain reliever. Sometimes when you've been outside for long periods, you find that your skin may feel tight and achy so this is great to deal with both issues. Moving on to skincare for your face there are a number of items that I am obsessed with! If you've been in my beauty closet, you know that makeup wipes are my not so secret guilty pleasure. I have wipes that include cocoa butter, dead sea salt, etc - the options are astounding and only a few are on my short list of what I wouldn't use. These Noodle & Boo wipes are cute. If I'm lazy I wash my face off with this or I start with this, use my clarisonic and use another to wipe off whatever residue that may be left behind. They're refreshing and they are a must in any beauty kit no matter the season. For those that have sensitive skin and worry about cloths being too astringent for their skin, I do suggest using products that are geared towards babies/children as if it's perfect for their sensitive skin, you don't have to be concerned for yours!

Once you're skin is clean, an exfoliant is a must. I do this about 2 - 3 times a week in the winter as I want to keep my skin soft and ensure that irritants are not on my skin. I have some faves that are definitely great options. Fresh Rose Face Mask will keep your skin looking vibrant as well as I love the use of rose in a number of my beauty options. Make it decadent by using caviar with Balenciaga's scrub - caviar has been known for its amazing properties when it comes into contact with your skin and is perfect for a spa day. If I have had a super busy week where I had to do segments, shoots or appearances with a number of days in a row, I do like to clean my face with something a little more abrasive. Bobbi Brown's Buffing Grains for Face can be used with your fave cleanser or water in order to create that spa like exfoliating experience.

When you're done cleaning your skin, you need a great moisturizer, I tend to go with items that are infused with milk, sake or soy. Once again, Fresh is to the rescue with their Soy moisturizing cream which is another way to put much needed nutrients in it. Every morning for breakfast, you can find me eating hard boiled eggs, sliced avocados (both sprinkled with sea salt) and Pom Juice - I'm not someone who really likes the first meal of the day but I do love these items! Why? Because these items make my skin look great and they add a lot of nutrients. Sponge has an Avocado Oil that is great for the face. When I don't plan on going out for the day or it's at the end of the night I do like using this as it keeps the skin smooth. Another moisturizer that I suggest especially for those that have sensitive skin (note that I don't have sensitive skin; however, I feel that once again using these items are still great for your skin), use Aveeno's Eczema Active Naturals which contains oatmeal which is great for skin.

For me, the winter is all about protecting my skin the area under your eyes is thin and for me, when I'm outside in the cold, the weather makes me over tear and the water can actually attack that area! In college, I noticed that when I didn't treat this area (along with walking around without sunglasses in the weather) I would have aggravated skin that not only got slightly darker but would get a bit scaly - not cute! La Mer has a great Eye Balm Intense that I use on my face and I must say that when I'm home, I always add a little more to ensure that the area stays smooth and flake free! Another thin area involves the lips! This area without moisture gets tight and cracked - not cute! I'm obsessed with Jack Black which is known for its men's line but I love their balms which are great for men and women. My favorite is Black Tea - I love the scent, the coverage and that it has SPF (remember that even in the winter, you still need to continue having sun care within your routine regardless of the season, weather and your skin tone - it's a must for all)!

Trendy Thursdays ~ Beauty Hits the Red Carpet

Kimmie Smith — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:35:53 EST

A great color in your favorite accessory is also a nod towards a hue that could work with you in your makeup routine! With the Oscars taking place this weekend, there are bound to be a number of beauty looks that will be great takeaways. We'll be tweeting the looks of the runway on Sunday starting at 1:30pm EST and would love for you to share what you're looking forward to seeing, what you think will be trending or what you thought should have been added!

ACCESSORIES INSPIRATION

Personally, I'm loving Coral! This hue has quite a range as it can be a bold vibrant color as you would find in this Giuseppe Zanotti heels which is a vibrant pink with a slight red element in it all the way down to a hue that has more of a dust rose/dust blush in a toned down version of coral like these Steve Madden heels which are perfect to accent your fab pedi and ankles!

GET THE BEAUTY LOOK

With such a wide range and so many options (I don't even want to tell you how many lipglosses, shadows and blushes I have within this range of hues), there are a number of ways to bring this look into your face to warm up your skin and to create the sunkissed look that I love wearing when I am on TV segments or that you see your fave celebs rocking. With the nail polishes, if you're going to go coral it has to be bold and although Essie has a number of polishes within this hue that are just slightly different from one another but still having major impact, this one in Geranium is a fave without a doubt! This is perfect for the days of being out and about, hitting the beach and just a fun color in general.

The lips are an essential when I'm on air as I love to do a lip cocktail (mixing a number of shades together to get the perfect pout). Within lipglosses, I'm loving Glazed Lips in Sheer Deep Coral and I love the subtle nature of DuWop's Venom Gloss Coral Tree. For the ultimate in lip color, Yves Saint Laurent has the perfect stain in Extreme Coral. For a shade that's in the middle of vibrant and subtle hues, Tom Ford's True Coral is a great option as well. Line your lips or fill it in as a layer with Colorescience's lip pencil in Coral Life's a Peach.

It's all about the cheeks and having those amazing cheek bones with great blush. For subtle style mavens I suggest Bobbi Brown's Coral blush which has a bit of shimmer. For those who wish to go bolder, I suggest Revlon's Photo Ready Cream Blush in Coral Reef. As a side note, I use a number of corals on my cheeks so those with mid to darker skin tones shouldn't be afraid to have blush that fits in the dark pink to berry tones. In many cases, I actually mix is in with a bronze hued bronzer to tone it down so you have the hint of pink or coral hue coming out which makes your skin look illuminated!

Trendy Thursdays: Kimmie's 5s ~ NYE Beauty

Kimmie Smith — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:00:00 EST

butter LONDON 3 Free Nail Lacquer - Union Jack Black $14 - Macy's

Tom Ford Private Blend Lipstick $48 - Nordstrom

Bobbi Brown Black Ruby Sparkle Eye Palette $45 - Macy's

Yves Saint Laurent 'Eyeliner Effet Faux Cils' Bold Felt Tip Eyeliner Pen $29 - Nordstrom

Eugenia Kim SEQUIN EARMUFF $225 - farfetch.com

Diptyque 'Do Son' shower gel $48 - farfetch.com

This weekend is New Year's Eve - can you believe it? What is it about this holiday that brings low stress and has the most fun possible? I think it's that you can be as glam as you want to be and no one questions it whether you're off to a big bash or doing something smaller - glam comes with the territory! In that vein, today's post was inspired by Eugenia Kim's super sassy earmuffs that make me think of fab shades and hues. In today's Kimmie's 5s, we explore some of my faves!

Start out the night with Diptyque's Do Son Shower Gel which has tuberose, berries and flowers in it. This is a great way to ensure that you're night will start off amazing since you'll be aromatically in the right direction. For a fabulous look, it's about the eyes. I'm loving Bobbi Brown Black Ruby Sparkle Eye Palette which gives you quite a few options for a smoky eye. Bring in some of the old Hollywood vibe with YSL's eyeliner. Lips look amazing with Tom Ford's beauty line and with a rich hue which is perfect for lipstick. Finally, rock fab dark nails with Butter London which has a fab black polish which looks amazing no matter where you spend this evening!

Swoonfest Saturdays ~ Shop Pink

Kimmie Smith — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 05:00:00 EDT

Kimmie's picture is courtesy of Philip Friedman/Studio D and within this spread (which will be included in detail in the month of Oct) is Elizabeth Grant, Chan Luu and Brulee.

During the month of October, we want you to fill your closets with goodies while supporting Breast Cancer Research. This shop will be available all month and will then be placed on the main page of Kitten Lounge. We will also let you know which items are limited editions, sold only during this month or are ongoing!

I have been a fan of Sugar Chic Couture for a number of years as they have something, everything and anything for your four legged love! Although I came very close to having one myself, I love staying in touch with what they have and no shock to me - they are the perfect place to visit to outfit your furry baby and to support the fight against Breast Cancer! Whether it's a cute tee or simply a dog charm, every little bit helps!

Lipgloss is everything! It adds a pep to your step, the amount of color you choose to rock and fab nutrients as well! Elizabeth Grant has an extensive skincare and makeup line that I talk about a lot on Kitten Lounge but I am loving this perfect hue that also has a little LED light and gold mirror which ensures that you're never in the dark when it comes to your looks. In addition, they are also supporting the fight against Breast Cancer with this purchase! During the month of Oct Light Up Your Lips so that by purchasing at this time, 20% of the proceeds will go to the cause.when you place Sweet Pink in your cart.

All of the items included in the above spread benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, if you want to see more items, make sure to check out their site to see others spreading the support fashionably. This grouping focuses on fun accessories which you can rock while also supporting the cause! I love that I was invited to the Accessories Council Pink Picks event #ACPinkPicks.

We'll kick off with one of my fave designers, Alex Woo (@Alex_Woo) who supports the cause through her participation in annual runs as well as financially supporting the cause. Alex's mom passed away due to Breast Cancer and hearing her story made everyone feel her passion. I adore her Pink Ribbon Chord bracelet which is fully adjustable and wears well throughout the year and can be stacked with a number of other fun pieces.

Thale Blanc (@ThaleBlanc) is a relatively new line that debuted during our event that evening. When I tell you that her pouches which are meant to house your phone, cash and small items while you're out and about is the softest thing ever - is an understatement. I also loved that while we were there and because the designer was listening to various stories and passions - she popped back up after her piece had been presented and decided to donate $50 of the proceeds from each purchase to this cause - definitely check her website out for more details but this is such a fab travel must!

From traveling we talk about making your music go with you as well. I fell in love with Chic Buds (@ChicBuds) which is a keychain speaker that connects to your laptops, phones and tablets! I love the idea that you get phenomenal sound and you don't have to have a lot of room to take it with you. All the chords you need come with this as well.

I've always been a lingerie girl, I think you need to find pieces that speak to you whether it's for a night in or you have your own viewing taking place with your significant other! In my travels (since I'm always heading to a factory to create a new line, doing a TV segment or scouting), I love the idea of being able to slip into something fabulous that allows me to have some down time and if there is a phenomenal robe that goes with it - true luxury has been obtained! Brulee is a favorite of mine as they know how to keep it simple, luxe and decadent which is all you need. Of course, they're being included as they have chosen to donate 25% of all sales proceeds from the Boudoir Cami & Short in Blush (retail value $124.00 & $86.00) sold online at Brulee.net to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Donation will go into effect October 1st, 2011 and end October 31st, 2011. This is a great way to add some dreamy elegance to another segment of your wardrobe while also supporting a network of those work to ensure that Breast Cancer is a thing of the past.

Our spread above focuses on beauty items that are participating this year in supporting the research and funding of breast cancer; moreover, you can find out more by visiting BCRF's Facebook Page or @BCRFWorldPink. You can't talk about BCRF, supporting brands and amazing products without starting off with Estee Lauder (@EsteeLauder) - especially since Evelyn Lauder is the Founder and Chairman of BCRF. Although there were a number of goodies from this brand, I was super excited about La Mer's Lip Balm which I enjoyed its mintiness last night! It's available on their site starting in Oct and at specialty stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's and Saks. Our Canadian Kittens can enjoy getting it exclusively at Holt Renfrew. Available at $45, $10 will be donated from each purchase.

Elizabeth Hurley Pink Ribbon Collection is $24 with 20% of the purchase price going to the cause. This was available starting on Aug 1st and will continue through to the end of the year at Estee Lauder counters, their website or until supplies last! I love that you receive Pure Color Crystal Lipstick in Lavish Pink as well as this fab accessory bag which is super cute.

Finally, Bobbi Brown offers a limited edition set in her Bellini High Shimmier Lip Gloss and Pink Lip Color. This is the perfect shade of pink and will be available from Oct 1st through the end of the year at theur counters, website or until supplies last. Available for $44, they are donating $10 to the cause. There are a number of beauty products that are supporting this cause so make sure that you check out BCRF.

When I appeared on HSN in late August, I rocked a number of fab jewelry pieces while I was co-hosting for my spokeswork with Sebago. One of the pieces was Chan Luu who has a number of bracelets that I am a huge fan of. Although I wore won of their wrap bracelets, I also rocked one of their pink Swarovski pieces which has been a staple in my collection!

Chan of Chan Luu actually designed the above collection in partnership with Breast Cancer.org for their Global Breast Cancer Preventative Initiative as apart of Think Pink. Live Green. In turn, 50% of the proceeds will go to this cause!

I love this fab shade from Shiseido in Shimmering Rouge Lipstick in Iron Maiden (RS308)! But even more then this hue that is perfect for the fall season, I love that Shiseido is donating $5 to Breast Cancer Awareness during the month of Oct which will go to Cancer and Careers (part of CEW) as they have done over the past 5 years!

Scoop NYC is an amazing store that always has a number of looks from fab designers. They too are joining the support by providing 30% of the proceeds of a number of amazing product to the BCRF! Stock up on goodies for a notable cause and help women who will love your help!

Not only is it important to shop to support a cause, but when you're able to learn about your body and find the best bra and your size to boot - then you understand a bit of why I am such a fan of Natori! Simply download their new Bra App and a $1 from this will go to support breast cancer research! This is such a great tie into Breast Cancer Awareness and prevention with long lasting effects for everyone!

Trendy Thursdays ~ Accessories Council Pink Picks BCRF I

Kimmie Smith — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 07:00:00 EDT

With NYFW firmly behind me, I started out the week at Marchon Eyewear Showroom for yet another fun Accessories Council Tweet Up. This one focused on items that give back to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and also highlighted a number of gifts that are apart of this year's Shop Pink 2011. This was a fun way to get our hands on a number of products that were in accessories as well as in beauty categories. Some of these items are ongoing products that are available while others are limited editions. I wanted to share with you some of my faves within beauty and tomorrow, you will see some of my fave accessories that were included! It was a fun and impassioned evening as many brands told their personal stories as well as Myra Biblowit, President of BCRF chatted with us to kick off the night and popped in throughout to share additional information. You can follow conversations from that night by searching #ACPinkPicks. As someone who had been diagnosed at a young age to possible have breast cancer (thankfully, I took a second and third opinion to find that this was not the case), we have always on Kitten Lounge and all my projects, supported this effort in any way possible. Starting on October 1st and running throughout that month, we will have our Pink Shop to connect you to brands that are mobilizing on this important effort that should be supported year around. You can see who is added to this by searching #KLShopPink

You can find out more about those participating this year by visiting their site or following them on BCRF's Facebook Page or @BCRFWorldPink. You can't talk about BCRF, supporting brands and amazing products without starting off with Estee Lauder (@EsteeLauder) - especially since Evelyn Lauder is the Founder and Chairman of BCRF. Although there were a number of goodies from this brand, I was super excited about La Mer's Lip Balm which I enjoyed its mintiness last night! It's available on their site starting in Oct and at specialty stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's and Saks. Our Canadian Kittens can enjoy getting it exclusively at Holt Renfrew. Available at $45, $10 will be donated from each purchase.

Loved Accessories Council Pink Picks BCRF I, then you must check out Accessories Council Pink Picks BCRF II which focuses on accessories.

Treasure Tuesdays ~ Mintbox Access

Kimmie Smith — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 07:00:00 EDT

I'm so happy to introduce you to Mintbox which will have tons of goodies that I'll be able to share with you! To get the inside track on fab deals from some of my favorite brands such as NARS, All Saints, Sephora, Bobbi Brown and so much more! We'll share fab news here but you can also sign up to hear about fabulous finds on Mintbox as well!

Trendy Thursdays ~ Fab You Made Easy

Kimmie Smith — Thu, 19 May 2011 12:20:50 EDT

M·A·C 'Studio Fix' Fluid Foundation SPF 15 $26 - Nordstrom

Armani Beauty Eyes To Kill Eyeshadow - 6: Khaki Pulse $32 - Barneys New York

Bobbi Brown Nectar Shimmer Brick $38 - Barneys New York

Laura Geller Dream Creams Lip Palette W/retractable Lip Brush $23 - Ulta

Bobbi Brown Makeup Wedges $8 - Bergdorf Goodman

Most people know that I don't spend a million hours putting on a pretty face. It's all about quick items that give my face the perfect glow. Of course my eyelinerfrom Urban Decay 24/7 is essential to enhance your face. I'm a huge lover of Studio Fix M.A.C. Cosmetics which is N9 and makes my face look perfect without looking like my face has a lot of makeup on. Whether I opt for the liquid version or the powder both are amazing and make my face look phenomenal. I love Armani's Beauty Eyes in eyeshadow five the perfect shimmer for sunkissed looks. Lips pop with Laura Geller's Lip Palette. Who doesn't love the rosy hues that make your lips have the perfect pluckable look. Of course, the most important part is shimmer which can be applied over the cheeks as well as other key areas on the face which looks phenom in Bobbi Brown's shades of pinks.