Women who—how ’bout that!—like each other

Thursday, August 11th, 2005

Now, this is refreshing: an article about women who admire, respect and adore each other, rather than displaying the usual clichéd outpouring of jealousy, cattiness and bitchiness. It’s great to see women building each other up rather than trying to tear each other down. And, hey, if you get somebody else to swap clothes and makeup with, all the better.She’s So Cool, So Smart, So Beautiful: Must Be a Girl Crush (NY Times)

Stop the madness

Monday, August 15th, 2005

There is a very serious epidemic ravaging Hollywood. It strikes indiscriminately: old or young, rich or poor, famous or not-really-famous-but-still-more-well-known-than-you. It can appear pretty, or it can be exposed for the tangled mess it really is. It is the epidemic of hair extensions, and it has got to stop.Jessica? Paris? Britney? (You, too, Jessica Alba!) We know that’s not your real hair. You chopped off all your hair last month, remember? I know that Hollywood is very special and full of magical things, but I’m pretty sure miracle hair growth products—like, say, fifteen inches in three weeks—aren’t among them. We can see your real hair peeking out near your collarbone. It’s weird and, frankly, it’s kind of gross. I speak as a survivor—yes, I was among your kind once. Many moons ago, I walked into the salon with shoulder-length locks and emerged four hours later sporting glossy, beautiful tresses that reached the middle of my back. I thought I was a rock star. My friends thought I needed professional help.Only now, when I see the weaves in all of their “No way is that her real hair” glory, do I realize the error of my ways. Remove them! Free yourselves! Let your naturally short hair shine through! Or at least try to make it a little less obvious. It’s hard to idolize you when you have a shaggy—yet oh-so-beautiful-and-stylized!—mop on your head.

Look ma, I’m on Gothamist!

Tuesday, August 16th, 2005

I suppose it’s very meta to link to an interview that talks about and links to this very site, but I was thrilled to participate in one of Gothamist’s famous interviews and so I’m posting it here anyway. I currently have a killer cold, so I apologize for the infrequency of my posts over the last few days. I’m hoping to be back up and running at full-speed by Wednesday!Nadine Haobsh: beauty journalist and “Jolie in NYC” blogger (Gothamist)

Obsession of the month

Tuesday, August 16th, 2005

Yes, yes, I know—I’m obsessed with many things: Bare Escentuals, Laguna Beach, the state of Nick and Jessica’s marriage. I am a simple girl. But one category of products stands out above all others for me: intensive hair conditioners. I’ve been dying my hair since I was fourteen (blonde! red! brunette! weird dishwater-color! back to blonde!) and my poor locks are beyond fried. Because my hair is also exceedingly frizz-prone, I can’t do that whole “wash ‘n’ wear” thing, which means I have made very, very good friends with my blow-dryer. So the only way I can keep my hair from calling it quits and falling out (which, yes, it actually did last summer, hence my current very short ‘do—trying to grow the hair back, people!) is by conditioning it into oblivion. A few of my favorites:Kerastase Olèo-Relax: Not only does this have an amazing floral scent, but it helps reduce frizz and keeps hair sleek.Fresh Meadowfoam Cream Treatment Conditioner: Has a great, thick consistency that leaves hair shiny and extra soft.Bio-Ionic Super-Hydrator: My favorite hairdryer is by Bio-Ionic (the ions are supposed to make your hair smoother and softer) and when I use this conditioner, then follow with my blowdryer, my hair looks as polished and flat as when I go to the salon.Frederic Fekkai Protein Rx Reparative Treatment Mask: Contains protein to help strengthen damaged and colored hair, and has a really nice, vanilla-y smell.Terax Crema: A classic—detangles in a snap, helps reduce static and fly-aways, and leaves hair beyond silky. It doesn’t smell as amazing as some other conditioners, but I suppose you can’t win ‘em all.

What’s wrong with real beauty?

Wednesday, August 17th, 2005

You’ve surely noticed those Dove advertisements all over town and in magazines featuring “real” women (read: not models) in their underwear. I was fortunate enough to go on a press trip last year (one of the famous “private jet” trips) when Dove unveiled their Campaign for Real Beauty. Clever corporate marketing or not, it’s a powerful message and all of the editors were moved by the campaign. After the presentations were finished, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room; who can’t relate to not feeling skinny, sexy or pretty enough? That’s why I’m surprised and kind of annoyed by some of the reactions I’ve heard to the ads: making fun of the big thighs, bemoaning the lack of blonds, wondering who would actually find thosewomen pretty. I guess we’ve become so celebrity obsessed—and seduced by airbrushing—that we think if it doesn’t look like Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson or Gisele Bundchen, it can’t possibly be sexy.This month’s Glamour magazine has an interesting article with Aisha Tyler called “I don’t want to be perfect!” where Aisha agrees to be photographed, then to have photos of the “real” Aisha and the airbrushed Aisha placed side-by-side. Real Aisha is pretty, but airbrushed Aisha is glowy, taut, sleek and perfect. Of course, she doesn’t actually exist—but she sure is gorgeous, huh?I think the problem with all of these ads and messages is that you have to be in the right mood and mindframe to accept them. If you’re at the gym working up a sweat on the elliptical and come across the Nike ads celebrating big butts and scraped knees and strong legs, you might think “Hell, yeah! I’m strong like that! Hear me roar!” and kick up the speed. But if you’re on your way to a club, primped, powdered, lipglossed, coiffed and dolled up to look as sexy as possible, you might pass by one of the Dove billboards and think “Thank God I’m skinnier than those women,” and feel really pleased with yourself. (I’m guilty on that front, I’ll admit it.) I guess the challenge is to get to a place where everybody sees celebrities as too skinny (because, let’s be real, 95% of them are walking eating disorders) and can appreciate real women (what does that term even mean anymore?) in all of their, uh, real woman-ness.

Beauty Question: Thinning Hair

Wednesday, August 17th, 2005

I get tons of emails everyday asking for help with beauty dilemmas, so I’ve decided that I’m going to occasionally post them, in the event that anybody else has similar problems!S. writes me, 

I’m writing you to ask for some hair care advice. I’ve been dying my hair about six times a year since I was fourteen. I’m twenty eight now. Mathematically that spells disaster for my hair. It’s still long…unlike you I don’t have the brevity to cut it, though in honesty it really just needs to be chopped to my chin. The ends are fried, split and horribly thin. Worse and far more embarrassing is that it has begun falling out. A lot. Long platinum blond strands continue to fall out everywhere and my hairbrush looks worse than the one that girl holds out in the Garnier Fructis commercial. It’s sad. I need a product that will regrow hair. It used to be thick and lovely and now I find myself parting it certain ways to hide ultra-thin areas. I’m turning into The Donald and I’m not even thirty yet. Can you recommend something?Thanks. S 

S,Honestly, the first step is to get a haircut to remove all of the dead ends. I had a similar dilemma last summer: my hair was several inches past my shoulders and I was obsessed with keeping it long. But after it got fried—thanks random hairstylist, wherever you are!—there wasn’t much I could do to salvage it and I was forced to chop it all off. If you are bound and determined to keep your long hair, however, there are definitely some products you could try: namely those by Nioxin and by JF Lazartigue, both of which have cult products designed to help with regrowth that many women swear by. (Try Stimulactine by Lazartigue or Bionutrient Actives Treatment by Nioxin). I also love Appearex vitamins, available at CVS.)Put hair color plans on hold until you’ve gotten rid of all the dead bits, and try not to curl it, blow-dry it, or straighten it—air-drying will be your hair’s new best friend! Go in for small trims regularly—about every six weeks—to get rid of the dead ends as frequently as you can. It will probably take the better part of a year, but eventually your hair will grow in and recover and the fried hair will be replaced by new, healthy hair. Good luck!

I’m with the band

Monday, August 22nd, 2005

After reading this article, and then spying this item in Gatecrasher, I decided it was time to stop being so lazy and to write about my encounter last weekend with Adrian Grenier and The Honey Brothers.A., G., and I went to the Mercury Lounge to check out The Honey Brothers and see what all the hype was about. Of course, as Entourage fans, we basically just wanted to ogle Adrian and maybe get a chance to meet him—the music was, let’s say, a secondary concern. So, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that the band is great, sort of The Beach Boys-meets-Phish-meets-The Beatles.We rocked out, then had a few drinks at the bar, debating whether to head to Kush for the after-party. After a couple of Coronas, we decide that we will indeed go to Kush and make our way out into the street, wondering if we’ll have any chance of getting in. Just then, we turn and Adrian and another band member are standing directly in front of us. G. being G., she introduces herself and starts chatting with them, and before we know it, we’re heading to the after-party with the band. We all walk up to the club together, breeze in past the velvet ropes and then head into the VIP area, where we chat and drink champagne for three hours. At some point, A. looks over at me and says, “What the hell are we doing here?!” (Glamorous groupies we are not.) Regardless, it was a fun evening, and I don’t think I’ll be able to watch Entourage in the same light ever again.

Beauty Question: Bouncy Curls

Monday, August 22nd, 2005

V. writes,

Hi Nadine,I was wondering if you know of a product that can bring the bounce back into my curls? I get my hair double processed (highlights and color). I try not to do it often, and not because I like to show my dark roots, but because I don’t want to go through the thinning hair thing. I have used deep conditioners, Kerastase, Neutrogena, Helene Curtis, cholesterol. The only thing that seems to sligthly work for me is Infusium, but it weighs my hair down. Know of anything that will hydrate and not weigh down?Any suggestions will help.Thanks. 

Hi V.!As a wavy/straight-haired gal, I’m only slightly familiar with curly hair issues, but I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction! Have you tried any products by Ouidad? They’re all specially designed for curly hair and help separate and define curls while adding moisture and banishing frizz. Check out Ouidad’s Playcurl line, specifically designed for thinning hair that that needs some extra lift and bounce. Ouidad has a salon on 57th street in New York, and she has a reverence for curly hair and genuinely wants to help women love their curls. Also, I’m sure you’re already familiar with it, but if not, definitely check out naturallycurly.com, where you’ll find a wealth of information, including articles, tips and product suggestions. (It’s always helpful to chat with like-minded—and tressed—girls.) Good luck!