Et voila!  You asked for my Vi Peel photos, and here they are.  On the left is the “before” photo, taken six weeks ago.  On the right is the “after” photo, taken this afternoon.  I’m wearing mascara and a little eye shadow in today’s picture, but am not wearing any other makeup; both photos are WYSIWYG.  For a larger, in-your-face (or, rather, in-my-face) version, check out this link. 

Now that I’ve had a chance to compare the side-by-side shots, the difference is actually pretty remarkable and leads me to say that I would enthusiastically recommend the Vi Peel to those with pigmentation problems.  (My doctors at Profiles Beverly Hills performed mine.)  And, by the way, if the scary “Nadine without her makeup!” photo on the left isn’t the world’s greatest advertisement for Bare Minerals foundation (I told you all I had ruddy, messy skin!), I don’t know what the hell is.

Finally, visit my new Jolie page on You Tube for two laughable videos I took of myself the day and night following my Vi Peel with my new Flip camera.  Seriously.  No making fun.  (Um, and maybe you shouldn’t look at the videos while you’re eating.  Day two of the peel is absolutely disgusting.)  Loving my Flip, however!  I’ll start uploading some fun how-to videos for your enjoyment.

xo, J!

I’ll be radio-silent tomorrow since I (and all of my anti-frizz products) am flying to Miami as Nivea’s guest to attend the Shay Todd fashion show.  Never fear, my dears, as I promise to bring back some swag for you in the form of a product giveaway!  The whole trip is bound to wreck havoc on my skin–I’ll be in Miami for, literally, 15 hours, with barely even enough daylight time to visit the beach or dip in the pool–and part of me is like, “Um…why did I agree to fly across the country for drinks and a party?”  Sigh.  I can never turn down a free cocktail.

Last night, I attended an LA Film Festival screening of American Teen, the Breakfast Club-like documentary that everybody was raving about at Sundance.  Not only was it one of the best movies I’ve seen in the last year (second only, perhaps, to There Will Be Blood in terms of movies I loved so much I wanted to eat them) but I predict that the cast are all going to be huge stars.  My amigo Eli Gonda produced it, so I scored an invite to the pre-party on the Paramount lot.  As I walked up, I spotted a blond Adonis…a guy so gorgeous that I thought, “He must be a model.  An actor.  A greek God.”  Close enough: his name is Mitch Reinholt, and he was literally the prettiest man I have ever seen in person.  Ever.  (He’s photogenic enough, but in the flesh, I’m talking Brad Pitt handsome.  I cannot overstate this!)  The star of the movie, meanwhile, is Hannah Bailey, an intelligent, vulnerable, ambitious gem of a human being (she’s like The Hills‘  anti-matter) who will rocket into a major, well-deserved career if there is any justice in this world.  By the end of the movie, the entire crowd was cheering and clapping, so invested were we in the compelling lives of these kids.  (The story of “geeky”–yet adorable–Jake Tusing is particularly touching.)

After the screening, everybody headed to Delancey for the after-party, and I made my way for about five seconds before having (annoyingly, and unexpectedly) to leave.  It was Mitch’s 21st birthday, too.  Sigh. Oh, well.

Mitch Reinholt and Hannah Bailey.  Young love gone awry…sob!

Thanks to Beauty’s Spot for tagging me.  Sure, it’s pointless a time suck…but, um, isn’t that the point of the interwebs in the first place?  (I’m tagging Spoiled Pretty, Temptalia, All Lacquered Up and All About the Pretty.)

1. What were you doing ten years ago?
I was graduating from Cate School, flying back from Santa Barbara to Atlanta for my friends’ high school graduation, and (finally!) embarking on my first relationship (albeit briefly).

2. What are five things on your to-do list today?
a) Blog.  Blog.  Blog some more
b) Go see Kung Fu Panda
c) Finish chapter 3 of my next book
d) Download the new Fratellis album (thanks to D. for iTunes gifting it to me!)
e) Grocery shop for my little brother

3. Snacks you enjoy?
Hard-boiled eggs, ginger-based concoctions from the gym juice bar, chunks of frozen papaya or mango, anything with vodka (hey, if it has a twist, I count it as a snack!), popcorn and Sour Patch Kids at the movies

4. Places you’ve lived:
In chronological order: New York City; Paterson, New Jersey; Atlanta, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Baghdad, Iraq; Greenville, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Las Vegas, Nevada; San Diego, California; Plano, Texas; Alpharetta, Georgia; Carpinteria, California; New York City; Paris, France; Palm Beach, Florida; London, England; Haslemere, England; Midhurst, England; West Hollywood, California.  Phew!

5. What are 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire?
a) Donate a third of my annual income to charity
b) Pay off my debt and my little brother’s debt
c) Buy cars for myself and my brother
d) Invest in property in Los Angeles, New York City, England and Panama; (live in LA, rent out the rest)
e) Set up a trust for my heirs

6. People you want to know more about?
My perennial obsessions: Elizabeth I, Ernest Hemingway, Eddie Vedder.  Also, I am kind of curious to meet my future children!  And, I have to admit, I would love to spend just one hour with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes to see what goes down.  They fascinate me.

I just had something called a Vi Peel, and my face feels like it’s on fire and is going to fall off.  Good times!  It uses exfoliating phenol acids, vitamin C and Retin-A to slough off the top layer of skin in 3 -5 days, and is supposed to be good for all complexions, including African-American skin (which typically can’t tolerate peels without hyperpigmentation).  The actual peel only took about five minutes, and I’ve been instructed to use the Post-Peel Towelettes tonight and tomorrow night to help accelerate peeling, and then to expect the oh-so-sexy snake action to begin on Friday.  According to the literature, the peel will get rid of acne and acne scarring, brighten skin and increase collagen production…but right now all I can focus on is the fact that my skin looks like a tomato, smells like formaldehyde, and feels like it’s been sunburned and then scratched.  (Note to self: Eyes on the prize, J.)

I’m heading up to Santa Barbara in a few minutes for the first of my two 10-year high school reunions (hey, two schools equals twice the parties!).  Cate School, the second high school I went to, was small and private, so I don’t really expect any Romy and Michelle-worthy hijinx, but it should be a fun, relaxed weekend.  (Now, high school reunion number 2, in Atlanta in August, has all the makings of a complete fiasco.  Can’t wait.)  I’ll post photos when I return!  xo, J.

Women’s Wear Daily attended the Total Beauty blogging conference in Manhattan Beach last month and writer Rachel Brown’s piece on beauty bloggers’ evolving influence appears today.  Special thanks to Anne Fritz from Jet Set Girls for alerting me to the article!  (I should really get a WWD subscription, huh?  But, but…$99 per year?  In this day and age??  Eh.)

From left: Kirsten Lamberton from Beauty Riot, Jolie, Anne Fritz of Jet Set Girls, Tia Williams of Shake Your Beauty and Annie Tomlin of Bella Sugar.  I have girl crushes on all of them

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. — Beauty bloggers, once snubbed and now coveted by many of the beauty companies they adore, are on a bumpy evolutionary trek from detached commentators to industry insiders.

“They are like the QVC of this time,” said Don Ressler, co-chief executive officer of Intelligent Beauty, owner of Redpoint Cosmetics and iQ Derma. “They have been really involved in the [beauty] space. They have really shown they have a voice.”

At the Total Beauty Blogging Summit held partially at Intelligent Beauty’s headquarters here from May 16 to 18, the advantages and disadvantages of bloggers’ rising power were etched out. On the plus side for bloggers, much of the beauty apparatus is taking them seriously as formidable links to consumers, and a support system of bloggers and online networks has blossomed to foster their success.

On the downside, increasing competition has made it difficult for individual beauty bloggers to stand out. Bloggers complain about pesky publicists expecting coverage, and burgeoning media awareness has led to a perception that they’re swag addicts with trigger fingers for positive reviews.

Dangling on the precipice between fringe and mainstream is certainly a tricky place to be. Many beauty bloggers are making an effort to keep beauty companies at a distance since traditional media, they said, often gets too chummy with beauty firms. (more…)

Apparently my Bare Escentuals TV spots have begun airing, but I have yet to see one.  If any of you spot Jolie on TV, let me know what channel and when so I can tune in and cringe at my frizzy hair and overly-shrill enthusiasm.  (”BEST…MAKEUP…EVER!!”)  Plus, more seriously, my mom won’t stop harassing me to give her the pertinent info…and you don’t mess with Mama Jolie!