Rev your engines to get Motor-Eyes!

If you're pretty much over all the various oscillating and vibrating mascaras then you can join our club. There are so many that we were starting to think companies should just make mascara vibrators so we can all get on with our lives. We were over this whole trend until we tried out Prescriptives Motor-Eyes Mascara. It stays vibrating from the moment that it's untwisted to the second you put it away.

We don't know what magical formulation their using, but it totally works. I'm not sure if it's the vibrations, the brush, the pigment, or the combination of everything, but my lashes were lifted, seperated, and sexed up. Maybe not that sexed up, afterall I was just going to work, but whatever they stayed looking good all day.

Apparently the technology includes a Smooth Volume Complex with non-stick polymers that allow the formula to roll onto lashes clump free. The micro-ColorSpeed pigment wraps around each lash to make it appear thicker. Then a special crystal-clear film former seals in the color and makes the lashes appear bolder and more defined. Along with the vibrations a light gel-polymer base helps lift and curl the lashes. Lastly, lash conditioners give them a soft look, unlike other mascaras that leave that hard lash look.

Whatever your occasion work or play Motor-Eyes Mascara will help you rev your pretty engine.

Prescriptives Motor-Eyes Mascara $32 available online

MopShots Party!

How to celebrate the launch of a fabulous website that lets you rate other styles, find hair inspiration, and aid in getting yourself hairapy? Simple, just like we do for everything else in LA - throw a party. An evening soiree in honor of MopShots was held at top salon, Warren-Tricomi and beverages were provided by Rose's Mojito cocktails with sushi from Bond St.

The crowd mixed and mingled while stylists gave mini hair consultations to guests. Couldn't make it? I snapped a few photos for you.
I highly recommend going to MopShots to get hair inspiration for your next do. Especially because browsing through those tacky hair magazines or copying a celebrity is so dated. It's way to cooler to see how real people wear their hair.

MopShots.com

New products from celeb fave Neil George!

LA celebrity hair haunt Neil George Salon is introducing three new products this spring. The Indian Gooseberry Treatment Oil is perfect with colored, damaged, and/or frizzy hair. I adore how shiny and silky my hair becomes after rubbing some of this in. My naturally curly hair is tamed, smooth and shiny after a touch of this powerful product. And as the Indian Gooseberry is one of the world's most powerful antioxidant, this treatment oil will give your hair some added health.

Got the post-hair wash tangles? Their new Detangle Nourishment Spray will let you comb through your mop with ease, and it also great for damaged, dry, and color-treated hair. I love using this pre-blow dry as it's infused with botanicals like jojoba and calendula to condition and protect my hair from the heat. Plus it has an added UV protectant.

And my newest hair do must have is their Volumizing Spray. It's the perfect way to amp up a blah ponytail. InStyle.com gives it props for how it will help you get the perfect side bun, and went to none other than a stylist at Neil George for tips:

To get the look, "Spritz volumizing spray from roots to ends on wet hair," says stylist Alessandra Saman of Beverly Hills's Neil George Salon. "Use a boar bristle round brush to blow-dry the hair. When dry, part your hair and pull it back into a low ponytail off to one side. Wrap the ponytail into a bun, secure with hair pins and finish with hairspray."

Oooh! Can't wait to try this style out!! His products are available at Beauty.com, Space NK (in the Bloomingdale's in Century City), or you can just pop on by the salon itself!

Neil George Salon, 9320 Civic Center Drive, Beverly Hills; (310) 275-2808.

A new way to lady-scape

Have you see this commercial?



The BF and I who both usually fade out during ads, actually paused to watch this one since the the trimmed topiary effects were pretty cool. Then when I realized at the end that they were actually selling a bikini trimmer I was very impressed. It's a nice, subtle bush reference that gets past the censors in a clever way. Way to go Admen!

And to be honest, I'm always on the hunt for a convenient way to clean up what they euphemistically call the "bikini line" that won't cause me any pain or mishaps. So I'm totally running out to get a Schick Quattro for Women Trim Style and give it a go.

The top is a regular Schick Quattro, the kind I usually use, and the other side a battery-powered electric razor for the "down there" area. It has three different settings for length so that you can go totally bare, or simply trim and groom to your preference. While other ladies and Howard Stern may disagree, I like to draw the line at having my girl parts look prepubescent, so this adjustable quality suits me just fine. And it's waterproof, so I can use it in the shower, very nice.

It's only $13 at drugstore.com.

Kiehl's conditions me free

Is your hair full of dirty secrets from last night? Clean it out with Kiehl's newest release an Amino Acid Conditioner. This conditioner was made to partner with their Amino Acid Shampoo. This new couple is going strong and they work amazing together or apart.

I have been using the conditioner for the past week and have noticed that my mane is easier to brush and groom after using the conditioner. The soothing jojoba and coconut oils prevent detangling and make your hair smooth and shiny. You know that sexy look like when a model whisks her hair all over for that perfect shot with a gianormous fan blowing air on her gorgeous locks. Now replace the model with yourself and huge fan with your blowdryer and voila! - that's how the conditioner makes me feel.

I highly recommend this product, especially if you're a huge Kiehl's fan. Oh, and lets not forget those imporant Amino Acids they are known to moisturize by enhancing the hair's water retention. Also, the product is safe for all hair types, even colored and chemically treated hair.

Now go on and give your hair a clean start.

Kiehl's 100 N. Robertson Los Angeles, 90048

Have lash envy?

So let's talk about lashes for a bit, now. We've been all about the falsies (ahem, we're even giving away some!!) but there are a whole slew of products that have recently come out that claim to make your real lashes longer and fuller, the most popular of which is RapidLash. Well, it's popular to me because while RapidLash will set me back $50, that's a way more affordable price in comparison to another lash grower (cough...Latisse...cough, cough) that costs a whopping $120! For that much money, it should come with a lap dance!

Back to RapidLash, this serum, when applied nightly, promised to provide longer, fuller lashes and brows in just 30 days. Perfect for those ladies who are a bit too into plucking their eyebrows (I'm talking to you Taya from Rock of Love Bus!). It delivers essential proteins, vitamins and other moisturizing and rejuvenating ingredients to replenish the structure of lashes, while adding shine and elasticity.

Application of RapidLash is easy with it's long thin brush. I haven't made it through my month-long trial yet, but from what I've read, tons of other ladies out there have gotten great results when they did their RapidLash test. Melisse Gelula, the editor in chief over at SpaFinder Lifestyle (you can believe she's tried everything) loved RapidLash and even had to stop using it after two months because her lashes where getting too long!

See some more before and after pics here:

Want to have your own before and after shot? Get a bottle here.

Giving my hair some Central American love

Last night, the very first thing the BF said when he came through the door was: "What did you do to make the whole house smell so good?" The nutty, earthy smell was actually emanating from my hair, courtesy of Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment. It begins as a paste that you rub into an oil and then massage through your locks. While at first it smells like an old coat of your grandpa's, after a spell I found the scent incredibly intoxicating, like I just burned some wonderfully relaxing incense.

Oh yes, and the stuff is good for your hair too! If you're unfamiliar with the origins of Ojon, it's a quite a tale. Oil from the Ojon tree, which only grows in the rain forest of the Mosquitia region of Central America, has been used for centuries by the area's Miskito Indians as a was to beautify their skin and hair. In their native language, the Mosquitia are called "Tawira," which translates to "the people of beautiful hair."Find out more about how Ojon is harvested here.

The oil is used to strengthen, condition, and pretty much make your hair shiny and gorgeous. I've only used it once, and already find my hair to be softer and less brittle. I've read after a few more treatments, it'll be even strong, more manageable and healthier. And as it makes my apartment smell wonderful, well, I can't wait use it again!

Get it at Sephora.

Color-treated Pretties must read this!

We're sorry to say that color-treated hair tends to lose its intensity with every shampoo. If you paid a Pretty penny for the color this is some tough news to take! Color-treated hair definitely needs extra special TLC to keep it healthy, shiny, and Pretty. René Furterer is the go-to guru for expertise on using powerful natural ingredients to infuse both hair and scalp with nutrients to keep tresses lovely. Using the Okara extract to restructure hair and the Hamamelis extract for its natural-pigment setting action, his Color-Treated hair program is hands down the best way to keep your hair healthy after it's had some salon coloring action.

"Okara-whuh?" you ask. A popular part of vegetarian cuisine, Okara is part of the Soy bean. In addition to protein, its extract contains coating sugars and energizing mineral salts. Amino acids found in the Okara extract act as buffers as they have the capacity to reduce high variation in pH levels as well as protect your scalp from irritation that coloring chemicals may cause.

And may we emphasize again that you should ALWAYS adhere to a sulfate ban on hair products if you have color-treated hair? These products are all wonderfully free of sulfates, parabens, and petro-chemicals. Hooray!

Get it at Sephora.
And just to show that Okara can do your body good, here are some gorgeous Okara waffles with chocolate via the CP Waffle Show. Hells yeah!

Hair on a budget with John Frieda

This morning I was all about the inexpensive makeup, and this afternoon, I'm all about the inexpensive hair products thanks to John Frieda. I saw a commercial for their brand-spanking new Root Awakening line last night and fell in love with the fact that each product is under $7! How's that for Not in this Economy living?? Designed to purify and nourish your roots and scalp, the shampoo, conditioner and detangling spray are all formulated with natural Eucalyptus. So that's why koalas have such nice hair!

And if you're a color-treated Pretty like me, you're probably putting off your next salon color (err...or my next purchase of box color). Luckily John Frieda's Luminous Color Glaze is there to pump up my color between dyeing. For under $10 a bottle, it leaves your hair with a just-walked-out-of-the-salon shine and a glossy finish. This is second-fave type of glaze (doughnuts will always come in first).

Prive gets you interview ready

Looking for work? You're not alone as the unemployment rate in LA is the highest it's been in 15 years. On top of finding the perfect "I'm a serious business woman" outfit, getting a great haircut is another way to boost your confidence for those daunting job interviews.

Enter Privé Salon and their fabulous Interview Prep promo. The $95 package includes a haircut, blowout and your choice of an eyebrow shaping or a manicure so that you'll have perfect nails when you proudly hand over your fabulous resume.

As an added bonus, Privé will also give you a helping hand in the job search. Those who book the interview package will receive career placement assistance through LA job searching agencies. "We decided to run this promotion as we feel that a large portion of our clientele have been directly affected by the recession," explains Privé owner Laurent Dufourg. "So many women are looking for jobs for the first time in years and that extra bit of confidence can go a long way."

So why not take a moment from scouring Craig's List and give them a call?

Privé; 7373 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles; (323) 931-5559.

Source

Perfect pores that won't leave you poor

With all of us being in a 'not in this economy' kind of mood, and wanting to save that dollar without letting our appearances dry up, comes a new solution. Introducing Lifebooker, the preeminent marketplace where spas and salons advertise discounted appointments. The site, which is free for clients, allows you to browse through uniquely good deals and book appointments instantly online. In order to ensure users get the best Lifebooker has to offer, they’ve made it possible to filter or sort services by appointment availability, discount amount, total price, by neighborhood, duration of service, individual service rating. You can also book for multiple guests at once.

Say for example 50% off the post Oliver Ifergan Atelier in Beverly Hills?

This way your pores can be Pretty, your locks full of luster, and best of all you'll save yourself more than just a Pretty penny.

Get brows done the Indian way

If the awesomeness of Slumdog Millionaire and the beauty of Freida Pinto is bringing out some India-love, try applying it to your beauty routine with the art of eyebrow threading. I was introduced to it after admiring the brows of an Indian friend (hi Simran!) and have never looked back.

It's more efficient than plucking because instead of using tweezers to remove one hair at a time, threading pulls out hairs by rows. (You also aren't left with any small, bloody marks that plucking sometimes gives you.) Waxing also pulls up skin along with the hairs which would cause irritation, not to mention waxing hurts. Skilled threaders can quickly, accurately, and pretty painlessly shape your brows -- there's no better way to Pretty up your face than to get those brows sculpted.

And if you're thinking "Not in this Economy" think again. LA Pretties can make a 10 minute stop to Vinita's Beauty & Threading and get their brows done for only $8.99. No appointment necessary and with locations in Westwood, Beverly Hills, Cerritos and Tustin it's easy to find a place nearby. Loves it!

Vinita's Beauty & Threading; 328 N. La Cienega, Beverly Hills.

How Franco gets Pretty

After the Golden Globes showcased the scruffier side of our favorite leading men, the Oscars were a bit more clean shaven and dressed up. We found out how sexy actor, James Franco got Pretty with help from Hamadi. To achieve James' hot hairstyle Jamal Hamadi blew out his curly hair. Then he applied Hamadi Shea Hair Cream to his palms and ran it through James' luscious locks to get the desired texture and style.

Hamadi made Franco's hot hair style for The Independent Spirit Awards, as well as, the Ocsars. (Notice the difference in facial hair-Oscar was clean shaven all the way). Apparently, Hamadi makes an excellent St. Patrick's Day gift too! Get it online.
left Franco image.
right Franco image.

Get Kate's Oscar hair

Last night it was all about the wonderful Kate Winslet. Yeah, sure, she won the big one. But she also had some crazy awesome hair going on; even the LA Times noticed and devoted a whole article to it. The genius behind the do was Renato Campora who was inspired by Grace Kelly: "I wanted the hair to be sleek, classy and modern and for the style to fit the neckline of the dress and create a little volume around her face.” We think he nailed it:

To get the look he started on wet hair and worked in Fekkai's All Day Density Styling Whip. He then blew out the hair with a round brush to get some volume underneath before using a 1-inch curling iron to make her retro waves. After letting the hair sit for 20 minutes (Kate probably spent the time practicing her touching speech) he brushed Fekkai's Coiff Magnifique Ultra-Light Finishing Creme through her hair, rolled it underneath and pinned it with long bobby pins and then sprayed it with an unnamed sheer hairspray. (Our guess is that he used everyone's favorite: Elnett.)

Info and top image via LA Times.

Love your hair? Show it off on MopShots!

So you're all ready to get a perfect haircut, but (eek!) where should you go? Well check out a new site from the same we're-here-to-make-your-life-easier folks over at CitySearch called MopShots. Pretty ladies proud of their new dos (or stylists who want to show off their work) have uploaded their pics and given kudos to the salon and the stylist who worked their magic.

It's a totally great resource when you're on the hunt for a new cut and want to know what's hot. Plus, it's a great way to find your undiscovered local hair genius. The site also includes reviews of submissions by MopShots Dictators, experts on style and trends. We especially their Style Finders tool: answer a few questions about what your hair is like and what kind of style you're on the hunt for and viola, the perfect looks are found. It's a great way to weed through all the looks and find a cut that's perfect for you.

For example, I'm quite a fan of Lauren P.'s hair. It has that certain Zoey Dechanel thing that I'm always looking for. (And I can only see the top of it, but I think it's safe to assume Lauren's outfit is pretty cute too!) So I can go to the source, Amanda at Arroyo Studio in NYC, and say "get me the Lauren!"

Or maybe I'm looking for a local place to get a great bob like Natasha's? The best thing to do is head straight to Kristopher at the Beverly Hills Vidal Sassoon.

I'm kind of bummed that there aren't very many LA salons featured, so get cracking. Upload some shots and let's get some more LA Pretties on that site!

Found: my fave leave-in conditioner

My naturally curly hair definitely needs some special care when I first get out of the shower. Before I even think about running a comb through it, I have to put in something (anything!) to make it possible. I've tried tons of different leave-in conditioners, and one of the best I've found is Hamadi Shea Leave In.

As we mentioned before in our past review of their Shea Pomade, Hamadi products are made with 100% organic ingredients, completely biodegradable, contain no perfumes or colors, and are "only tested on actresses, never on animals." The Shea Leave In includes lemongrass, verbena, ylang ylang and lavender. But the star of this show is shea butter.

A natural fat extracted from the fruit of the West African shea trea, shea butter is in some of my most beloved skin care products like L'Occitane Ultra Rich Body Cream. Hamadi takes the great moisturizing powers of shea and applies it to smooth out and add control to frizzy, curly hair. After use, not only can a run a comb through my hair, I also have more control, softer waves and virtually no fly aways. I also find that my hair is more apt to straighten during my post-shower blow dry when I use it, a definite plus.

It's hard to believe that I found a leave-on that's this effective, but gives (when used lightly, a little goes a long way) no leftover stickiness and heaviness. This is the first thing I reach for after washing my hair.

Get it online or at Wilshire Beauty (5401 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles)

"A very courteous Japanese man began touching me" - My hairway to heaven experience

Recently, my Partner in Pretty and I visited the magic that is the Gavert Atelier Hair Salon and Nagomi Hair Spa. This recently renovated joint venture is literally hair heaven. Your hair and head experience the finest service and pampering.

Upon entering we were greeted by the friendly staff and given robes to change into. This made me extra comfy for the Anma Shiatsu head massage that was awaiting me upstairs. But first it became clear that my long hair needed a quick trim. Sadly, I've been neglecting my locks and then ends were dry. I entrusted my tresses to Mika, the salon's Style Director. This Japanese beauty is an expert in the art of the dry cutting. I've never had a dry cut before and was eager to experience it from such a reputable professional. She assured me that she was going to keep the length and just trim my hair to liven up my current do. After brushing it out she went to work. The dry cut was absolutely phenomenal and doesn't take as long as a wet cut. Mika informed me that with a dry cut the stylist and customer are able to control the end result of the hair's length accurately. When cutting it wet, many times hair ends up shorter than expected or wanted. This cut is perfect for hair of all lengths, but especially long hair. I couldn't have been happier. The cut kept my length and livened up my sad hair. Now I was ready for some shiatsu action!

The fresh addition of Gavert Atelier's Nagomi Hair Spa's Anma Shiatsu head massage technique has made the hair destination even more desirable. Located above the actual salon, the mmassage area has two large separate beds. The head of each one moves down into a sink where shampoo and hot deep conditioning occur. I was so excited to experience this and wasn't sure what to expect. Upon entering the room, I was instructed to remove my shoes and sit on a chair. A very courteous Japanese man began touching me. I liked it. He was applying shiatsu pressure to my head awaking my nervous system. He used gentle but firm pressure gliding from the scalp. Because 70% of the nervous system is in the head, a relaxing scalp massage activates neural pathways to the brain, stimulating unused brain cells, and awakening cellular intelligence. All that from a massage? It gets better, this causes the release of tension in the micro muscles surrounding each hair follicle, restoring pliability to the scalp, and causing relaxation throughout the body.

If this wasn't enough I was instructed to get up from my chair and move onto the large bed-like seat. My masseuse lowered me down and gently placed my head into the hair sink. This is where things really heated up. He wet my hair and continued the massage. I wasn't exactly sure what was going on during this period, but again, I liked it. My hair went through several washes due to shampoo and conditioning. My favorite part was the warm deep conditioning treatment that went on; it had an incredibly exotic scent. My head was continuously massaged during this whole period and occasionally hot towels were wrapped around it. The treatment keep going like it was never going to end (I didn't want it to either). Steam was also coming from the sink which put me into deeper relaxation. And alas towards the end, each of my arms and experienced a warm massage and hot towel treatment.

After my hairway to heaven experience was completed, my wet relaxed head and I went downstairs to dry off. I was happily greeted by my new hair BF, Mika. She and her assistant promptly began blow drying my hair. With two dryers going at once on my long locks, I felt like a star. Considering having having long hair can be a pain to work with, I was so excited to see my hair after it had been cut, pampered, and styled. I looked HOT and everyone else thought so too!

The staff did an amazing job and they make everyone feel special, not just obnoxious celeb clients. Everyone was so friendly and genuine (something that's rare in LA); I want to be friends with them all and buy them a round of cocktails!

Gavert Atelier; 9666 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills. (310) 858-7898.

xx,
Amy

I think I'm turning Japanese

Yesterday I mentioned how it was incredibly important to me to protect my perfect hair because I just had it done at the wonderful Gavert Atelier. If you've never been, then you really are missing out on some Pretty Pampering.

The salon has a strong Japanese influence that you can see not only in its interior aesthetic, but in how you're treated like an honored guest from the moment you arrive, when they offer you specialty teas from Mariage Freres (the "haute-couture" of tea), until you leave with beautiful hair and an Omamori, a Japanese amulet and symbol of good fortune.

Recently renovated to make the salon space more open airy, they've also added in a second-level "hairway to heaven" aka, Nagomi Hair Spa. My Partner in Pretty was lucky enough to experience it first hand, and she'll give the rundown herself.

Meanwhile, I was introduced to Color Director Kazumi Morton, the superhero of hair color. A native of Japan, Morton has worked at Gavert Atelier since it opened in 1998 and also specializes in extensions and thermal straightening. By offering dimensional color and natural-looking highlights, Morton offers simply fabulous color.

And while getting a color treatment at other salons can be so time consuming (and boring!) that I tended to think of it as a chore, at Gavert, they really know how keep you happy while you're waiting for your color to process. You're given a massage chair to relax in, and then they park you in front of a oversized flat-screen TV which plays the girl-version of ESPN: edited footage of fashion shows that shows all the new runway looks - something I'd be happy to watch for hours. And as if that's not enough, an expert shiatsu masseuse who know his way around a tired foot comes by and has his way with you. I mean, does it really get any better than this?

Oh, yes it does, because then I meet Style Director Mika Fowler: dry-cutting superstar and all around cool chick.

With cutting, styling, and thermal straightening as her specialties, I really wanted to take Mika home with me so that she can do blow dry my hair every morning. I didn't know my bangs could look that perfect.

Also a native from Japan, Mika and Kazumi frequently travel back and forth so that they can bring back the latest in fashion and style from their uber-hip homeland. But even though everyone at Gavert Atelier is in the know on high style, the one thing that they're all missing is attitude.

I'm so coming here with my mom the next time she comes to LA for a visit!

xx,
Nicole

Gavert Atelier; 9666 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills. (310) 858-7898.

Protect your hair with Tassi

Last Friday I got the best blow out of my life from Mika at Gavert Atelier (more on that later). And all weekend I was freaking out trying to protect my absolutely perfect hair - especially the bangs! - when I washed my face. So I'm so glad I now have a Tassi.



So simple, yet so useful. You'll totally fall in love with this at your first use. Unlike a headband, clip, or (gasp!) putting your head back in a ponytail, the Tassi won't flatten, bend or otherwise muss up your do.


Get it online or at Kristy's Beauty Supply locations in Beverly Center and Century City malls.

xx
Nicole

The rainforest will save my hair

Since my hair just had all sorts of nasty chemicals in it to turn it Zoey Dechanel brown (Fekkai Salon Color 4W Lara to be exact), my hair needed some delicate TLC. Luckily I just learned about Rahua, an organic and natural hair product line made with ingredients from the Amazon Rainforest and I'm loving their shampoo and conditioner which both work to strengthen delicate and color-treated hair.

For hundreds of years, women from the Quechua-Shuar tribe have been foraging the Rahua nut for their long, healthy and strong hair. Both gentle formulas are free of of chemical preservatives, not to mention nasty sulfates that I especially need to avoid to sustain my lovely new, shiny color. Key ingredients of both products include Rahua Elixer which instantly repairs damages hair and speeds hair growth - long, flowing locks, here I come! - and Palo Santo, a centuries old calming ingredient from aged "holy wood" traditionally used in Shaman ceremonies. It is this ingredient that gives the products their amazing aroma that is so calming I feel as if I'm in a spa simply when washing my hair.

The line was created by Anna Ayers and her Ecuadorian husband Fabian Lliguin who puts his knwledge of indigenious ingredients from the Amazon to good use in their NYC salon Cocoon. Luckily I don't have to leave my beloved LA to have Rahua - it's available online at AmazonBeautySecret.com.