Pucker Up! Make Your Pout-a-Porter Beauty Mark

Diva.

Viva Glam.

Flair.

Wicked.

An image may be worth a thousand words, but a sassy little product name can be just as enticing.

Admit it, you've probably purchased a little cosmetic pick me up in part because you liked the name. Guilty as charged.

Now Lancome is giving all you PYTs the chance to make your beauty mark. Chris Benz is the latest fashion provocateur to partner with the company on an as-yet-unnamed shade for their Pout-a-Porter series--past collaborators include Peter Som, Thakoon, and Behnaz Sarafpour.

Lancome is letting you name the shade, which is inspired by his Spring 2010, as long as it's incredibly creative and awesome. Naturally.

You can post your suggestions to Benz's fan page on Facebook. Anyone can post, and the winner gets a $500 Lancôme gift certificate, bragging rights, and of course, a supply of the lipsticks, which tend to sell out in a heartbeat.

I'm off to the Lancome beauty counter. Uh, strictly for research purposes, of course.

Deadline is July 12, at 5PM EST. Good luck!

Smooches, XOXO.

Leanne Marshall's Collection Finally Arrives At Bluefly!

Remember Leanne Marshall?

Hop in your DeLorean and flashback to a time not so long ago before Project Runway was almost sued off the air to the series' most recent winner.

Surely after that very messy lawsuit, Christian Siriano's whirlwind success, and Kenley Collins' projectile-cat case, you have room in the corner of your brain to remember the quiet bespectacled brunette who described her design theory as "Holly Go-Lightly attends a Salvador Dali exhibit?"

Finally, after months and months of waiting, and a change in the show's network to boot, her collection for Bluefly has hit online shelves. The nine-piece collection features softly draped and sophisticated pieces in oceanic blues and corals. Each piece is made from eco-friendly materials, with prices ranging from a bit under $100 for delicately ruffled tops to almost $1,000 for an elegant empire gown.









But despite her bold style statement, there's a definite "deja vu all over again" kind of feeling when you look at the pieces, no?

The vintage-y meets architectural origami aesthetic was fresh and new just a short season or two ago, but style waits for no man. Or woman. Now, ruffles and folds and pleats have been turning up everywhere from the Oscar red carpet to your neighborhood Ann Taylor Loft.

Honestly, she had to sew practically every day on PR and produce a collection for the finale, couldn't she have sewn faster or something?

Love the the look of Leanne's line but not the price tag? Make it work! Check out these Leanne-inspired looks for less:



1. Moonlighting ruffle skirt, Mod Cloth, $39.99

2. Ruffle tank, Gap, $9.99

3. Soft petal dress, Forever 21, $36

4. One-button jacket, Bluefly, $82

5. Warehouse Concertina pleat dress, ASOS, $85.50

Project Runway fans, what do you think of Leanne's Bluefly collection? Worth the wait or should it be auf'd from shelves?

Urban Decay Complexion Primer: Put Your Best Face Forward -- FREE!

"Hi, my name is Paige and I'm a makeup junkie."

Seriously, I'm surprised Candy Finnigan hasn't staged an intervention to get me to deal with my obsession.

If it's new, improved, revolutionary, patent-pending, made from rare, possibly extinct ingredients, yes, please, I'll take two. And if it comes in a really cute package? Fuggedaboutit. Do you take Visa or MasterCard?

And yet I was a late adopter of the whole primer craze. I pooh-pooed and rolled my eyes, dismissing it as a cosmetics conspiracy to pry every last nickel and dime from my wallet for a completely unnecessary step in my beauty routine. Kind of like the eyelash curler. There's not much I won't do for beauty but using a medieval device to get flirty lashes? Pass.

But I ate my words after trying Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light from Smashbox which builds a smooth, pore perfect foundation for your makeup. It's the makeup equivalent of a Wonderbra for your face; it's you, but better. Total genie in a bottle. It's the next best thing you can do for your face beside cleansing and moisturizing.

As much as I love it though, I'm SUPER psyched to get my hands on Urban Decay's Complexion Primer. If you love their eyelid primer, imagine what this product can do with this one for your whole face! Sure, Smashbox is good but what if this is better?! It could be THE ONE, like the elusive pair of perfect jeans.

Sephora Beauty Insiders (aka card-carrying beauty addicts!) can try it FREE before anyone else. Just use code URBANLAB at checkout when you purchase online from Sephora. Not an insider? It's easy to get behind the beauty velvet rope. Click here to sign up.

Addiction definitely has its rewards!

Happy Chic 4th of July!

"Holiday! Celebrate! If we took a holiday . . ."

Madonna on the iPod, sunny skies, fireworks and BBQs on the beach. Ahhhhh, long weekend here I come!

In celebration of the nation's birthday, show your patriotic pride in super cute red, white and fabulous looks that won't cost you a whole lotta Benjamins.



Have a safe and happy holiday!

Clutch Moves

Believing that "your jewelry should be priority number one when choosing your outfit," designer Amrita Singh combines her passion for bling with that other all-important accessory--handbags.

Case in point: Her Indian-inspired sari clutch has a glam goa jewel that adds a dramatic je ne sais quoi to any look from a pair of pegged jeans or classic LBD.

You might be stressing out about what to wear to so-and-so's wedding or wondering why suddenly every dress you see is strapless just when you're looking halter for a formal event, but when it comes to what to carry, it's in the bag.

Plus, this larger-than-it-appears clutch has plenty of room to stash your cash, lipstick, cell phone and credit cards. It's 11" in length when unrolled and 3.75" when rolled and looks much more expensive than it's $24 price tag (was $75).

It's just the thing to satisfy a modern girl's love for looking fabulously original.

Available for a limited time only at the HauteLook.com sample sale, going on now.

So Shady . . .

What's summer without the perf pair of SPF-blocking shades?

Unfortch, I am to sunglasses what Kryptonite is to Superman--a total destructive force.

And the more expensive they are, the faster they seem to get lost, broken or just simply disappear into the Bermuda-triangle like depths of my tote bag.

The first time I was able to spring for a designer label, I got a fab pair of Gucci sun blockers. I felt like I had arrived the moment I put them on, that exclusive double GG snobbishly letting everyone know I was a woman of means. Well, not really but they didn't have to know that did they? They lasted about a month before the teeny tiny, impossible-to- find-once-it-falls-out screw came loose.

I tried again through the years with D&G, Kate Spade, Dior and a few other bold-face brands with the same result. From then on I ditched the luxe lines for cheap chic versions. Some of my favorites have been from street vendors for less than $10 a pop. It's impossible to damage them! I have dropped them, stepped on them, left them on the dash in 90 degree heat, I even sat on a pair once! Nary a scratch.

Right now, I'm madly in love with the over-sized retro round style celebs like Nicole Richie and Jennifer Lopez have been sporting. Very "no pictures, please!" I've been wearing a Mossimo pair that I picked up at the bullseye emporium for about $12.99 that is very similar to their Jackie-O look, but I literally squealed out loud when I came across these beauts from Fred Flare.



Fittingly, they're called the "Nicole" and retail for just $11 (avail in black and turquoise). I'll be practicing my paparazzi pose until they arrive.

Faith21: Plus-size Stylish Steals!

File this under refreshing: The fashion industry has finally realized that style isn't reserved for size-0 bobbleheads. Stores like Lane Bryant offer cute clothes, but if there are more than three plus-size women at one wedding, chances are at least two of them will be wearing the same dress.

Enter Faith21, Forever 21's new line for girls in sizes XL, 1X, and 2X.

Happily, there are no frumpy, slumpy mumus, though the leggings really could have been left on the cutting room floor. The collection is very spring/summer-y and the design aesthetic follows Forever 21’s trendy take on everything from runway knockoffs to jersey basics. Only the number printed on the label sets them apart from Forever21's regular line.

The looks tend to read a little young, as is to be expected, but there are a few pieces that can easily be incorporated into your wardrobe regardless of the taunting numbers on your birth certificate or the season.


The ruffle-front dress ($22.80), pinched trim dress ($22.80) and the front pocket pleat dress ($24.80) are fabulous shapes that will look good on just about anyone. Bonus: The neutral color palette means they can be accessorized to the hilt. You can get tons of mileage out of these pieces with a few pretty pieces, easily going from the glare of fluorescent office lights to blinking neon club signs. They're also totally wear-able for a weekend shopping trip or caz lunch with your gaggle of gal pals.


Work may be boring but who says you have to dress like it! For the 9am -5pm grind, throw on a blazer (#10, torrid.com, $19.99 and #15, oldnavy.com, $32.50) or cardigan and slip on a pair of heels, like the go-with-everything "Persia" peep-toe slings (#11, Forever21, $29.80).

The bold animal-print tote (#8, amazon.com, $23.95) is stylish and large enough to schlep work papers, your cellphone and the breakfast of champions, a bottle of diet Pepsi. Add gold accents like the dramatic oval stone ring (#4, ardenb.com, $18) and rope drop earrings (#19, charlotterusse.com, $6.50) for a bit of professional polish and you'll be climbing the corporate ladder in effortlessly chic style.

After hours ditch the cover-up, rock a side pony, put on some sexy, arch-reveling metallic heels (#1, bakersshoes.com, $29.99) and show your personality with fun and flirty details. Pile on an armful of pretty in pink bangles (#9, charlotterusse.com, $4) and show "girls just wanna have fun" with a tres fab flower ring, (#13, forever21.com, $3.80). Oh, and don't forget a pair of glittery earrings that sway to the thumping beat. Grab a cute clutch and dance the night away!

Leave the sweats at home for your weekend shopping trip. Put the white cardigan (#2, oldnavy.com, $32.50) on over the ruffle-front dress and the striped metallic belt over it (#17, charlotterusse.com, $10.99). Sling the bubblegum pink hobo bag over your arm (#14, charlotterusse.com, $19.99), add a pair of ballet flats or gladiator sandals and you're good to go!

When temps start to get a bit nippy, winterize your Faith21 looks with a crisp, white blouse underneath, add some texturized tights and swap your strappy heels for a pair of booties or tall boots.

Really, the looks you can create with just one of these dresses and a little tzujzing are endless. Not bad for less than $30.

Other items shown:

• #3 - Pleated metal purse, charlotterusse.com, $28.99
• #5 - Marbelized circle bracelet, charlotterusse.com, $4.00
• #6 - Teardrop earrings, aldo.com, $10.00
• #7 - Double-latch belt, forever21, $8.80
• #12 - Metal cuff, forever21.com, $6.80
• #15 - Turquoise stone necklace, charlotterusse.com $19.99
• #17 - Striped metallic belt, charlotterusse.com, $10.99
• #18 - Jersey cardigan, oldnavy.com, $12.99
• #20 - Croco faux tote, forever21.com, $34.80

Have you worn any of Faith21's fashions? What did you think?