SNEAK PEAK BEHIND THE SCENES AT C-HEADS MAGAZINE SHOOT

STAY TUNED FOR THE EDITORIAL SHOTS!

MY BEAUTY PICKS OF THE WEEK!

Now that the holdiay season is approaching I'm obsessed with the new holiday makeup collections and trying new products. This week I'm in love with Nars. The Nars holiday collection is fun and playful and a little bit daring with a bold blue shadow. I also love the new Pure Matte lipstick formula Francois created for Marc Jacobs Spring 2011 show. My other new goto product is the Luminizing Black Mask by Boscia. It's great if you have oily skin and want to tighten, brighten and shrink pores and give the skin a luminous glow before a special occasion. This product is especially great for men. This products comes highly recommended by one of my male clients. He loves to use it once a week. It's like a mini 10 minute facial at home. I however wouldn't recommend this if you have a drier more sensitive skin.

Nars Pure Matte Lipstick and Holiday Collection www.NarsCosmetics.com
Boscia Luminizing Black Mask www.Sephora.com

FALL FASHION TRENDS: THE "IT" BAGS ANS SHOES OF THE SEASON!

This Fall it's all about luxurious leather handbags and ankle boots. I have picked my top 3 splurges in each category. I'm absolutely in love with the new Louis Vuitton Intrigue calf skin leather bag in rose. It's so classic and chic. I'm usually a big fan of black but I love this bag for a special occasion. My second favorite bag of the season is the Miss Sicily by Dolce and Gabbana. It's a great evening bag since it's smaller and more structured. It's all about animal prints and textures this season so this snakeskin bag is a fabulous way to make a little black dress something special. My third and final pick for the season is the Givenchy Antigona Duffle. This is a great carry all, over sized bag.It's great for a plane trip to Miami for a winter weekend away form the cold. I don't know about you but I'm very paranoid to check anything at the airport so if I can fit my wardrobe items in my carry on and have a purse large enough for my makeup, skincare and toiletry products I'm set!

Now let's talk shoes! I'm so in love with the ankle boot trend. They look amazing with leggings, skinny jeans, and dresses. They are such a great way to take a day look to a night look. I like to throw a pair in my bag for after work the city. It's a great way to make a quick change for a night on the town. My number one pick is, of course Christian Louboutin. They are definitely a show stopper. They were designed for Marchesa's Fall collection. My second pick are leopard print booties by Fendi. They take animal print to a whole new level with sequined embellished leopard print. My last pick are an amazing pair of open toe black python booties by Alexandre Birman exclusively for Saks.

If these "it" trends are going to break the bank Stay Tuned for "How to be Fabulous on a Budget"

Intrigue Louis Vuitton calfskin leather bag $2,440 www.louisvuitton.com
Miss Sicily Dolce and Gabbana snakeskin leather bag $2475 available at Nordstroms
Givenchy Antigona Duffle bag $2330 available at Barneys New York

Christian Louboutin Marale ankle boots for Marchesa Special Order
Fendi Vertigo leopard print Bootie $1,195 Barneys New York
Alexandre Birman python peep toe bootie $750 Saks Fifth Avenue

GLOSSY MAGAZINE ISSUE 7: FEATURE INTERVIEW LAQUAN SMITH

FOR THE BOYS!...SKINCARE FOR MEN

Ok boys! This is special edition just for you. I have put together my top ten favorite products for men.

#1 One of my favorite cleansers for male clients is Clean by ZIRH. This is great alpha hydroxy cleanser that works well to deep clean and exfoliate men's skin. It removes dirt and oil without drying the skin. It has a fresh citrus scent. It's also very reasonably priced at $20. My bff swears by it. I like to use it for shoots with male models so they can remove makeup at the end of the day.
www.ZIRH.com

#2 The second cleanser I love for men is for a man with more sensitive skin. Purifying Cleansing Gel by G.M. Collin is a soap free and alcohol free. It cleanses more gently than the ZIRH and is great to use before shaving. This cleanser is also reasonably priced at $23 www.GMCollin.com

#3 The most common issue I encounter with male clients is they don't want to look shiny. I have found a great product from Peter Thomas Roth that works great for men's skin to reduce pore size, absorbs excess oil and perspiration without drying out the skin. The Anti-Shine Mattifying Gel is another great bang for your buck at $35 and is available at Sephora.

#4 One of the most important ways to prevent aging is to make sure the skin is hydrated and moisturized. I find that a lot of men skip this step because of the concern about being shiny. The key is to use a moisturizer that is specifically designed for men. Women tend to need more moisture because they tend to have drier more delicate skin and smaller pores. Men by nature have larger pores and oilier skin especially on the face because of facial hair. I have found a great moisturizers that men love! The Oil Control Daily Hydrator by Lab Series is an oil-free option that hydrates without clogging pores. It's priced at $27 www.LabSeries.com

#5 Another huge concern for male clients is ingrown hairs and breakouts from shaving. A fellow skin male skin therapist swears by the Art of Shaving shaving system. The system combines a pre-shave oil, with a shave cream applied with a brush and an after shave balm. They have sets specifically for sensitive skin and ingrown hair as well as unscented and hypoallergenic products. The products can be a bit pricey but the best bet is to purchase a travel kit or starter kit which includes a razor Priced at $150 www.TheArtofShaving.com

#6 It doesn't matter if your a woman or a man every one's biggest concern is breakouts! Since men don't wear makeup it is very important to treat blemishes and heal them as quickly as possible. My favorite go to product for both men and women is Mario Badescu Drying Lotion for that occasional blemish that pops up right before that special date. It can dry out and heal up a whitehead over night. It's also a great bargain priced at $17 www.MarioBadescu.com

#7 The next concern men are having is fine lines and wrinkles. They are looking for a treatment that doesn't involve a procedure or any fancy step by step process. I found a great product with a botox like effect that works great around the eyes and on expression lines. This is professional product available from PCA Skin. The Exlinea Peptide Smoothing Serum is an amazing product that has ingredients that relax facial muscles and have an instant lifting effect. This product is available through skin care professionals like myself. Contact me for details ginanicora@ginanicora.com

#8 Since men don't wear lipstick or lip gloss it's important to still have nice lips. Hello who wants to kiss a guy with dry lips. I found a great cheap manly lip balm for $2.50 It's petroleum free with SPF 15. It's great for outdoor sports and has a minty fresh flavor. It's available at Eastern Mountain Sports www.EMS.com

#9 When men come to me for facials they also mention breakout on their back, chest and arms. It's not only important to use a good cleanser on the face but for the body too. Men sweat more than woman and especially when they are weight training testosterone levels are increased which can lead to breakouts on the body. I highly recommed using the Acne Body Wash by Murad during the summer and anytime "bacne" flares up. It's priced at $39.50

#10 My final product recommendation: hair car by American Crew. I LOVE the Molding Clay and the Pomade. The molding clay is great for short styles. It keeps hair in place without being too sticky or greasy. I've actually used it myself for a slick pulled back look. The pomade is great for taming curly hair without being crunchy. They also have a full line of shampoo and condtioners. They now even have a hair recovery system for men who are dealing with hair loss. Visit www. American Crew.com for the complete line!

MORE NAIL TRENDS FOR FALL

This Fall nails have become one of the greatest accessories. There is a trend for everyone, from classic to rocker chic. I personally love the deep plum colors on short neatly manicured nails, but if you like something different and fun then the reverse french might be for you. This is a fun trend using two colors instead of the classic white tip french. The trend also uses the half moon shape at the nail bed with two different colors.

I always opt for the more classic look so the reverse french is a little too much for me. The other trend that I am loving is the matte nail colors and neutral colors like the Chanel Kaki Collection. The colors remind me of leaves falling in Central Park and are great for a Fall day look.

NAILS NAILS NAILS...THE LATEST TRENDS FOR FALL!

This fall it's all about the color purple, "purple is the new black" Purple is being seen everywhere from eyes, to lips to dresses to accessories and yes nails too. My two new faves are from Chanel and YSL. The new color Paradoxal is a fun purple metallic that is fun for a day look with skinny jeans, riding boots and a leather jacket. My other favorite color Belle de Nuit by YSL is a beautiful plum that is amazing for evening with a little black dress.

If you love sparkle and fun colors than you'll love the new metallic polishes from Zoya. This is another hot trend for fall. Now I can't talk about nails or Zoya without mentioning the amazing Jackie Saulsbery. Jackie is a celebrity manicurist who works with celebrities like Queen Latifah and her work has been seen in Elle and Bazaar. She is part of the Zoya design team. She works backstage at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. I had the pleasure of working with her for The Anita Kaufaman foundation for The Purple Event. Jackie rocks!!

Stay Tuned for more Fall Nail Trends.....