Coquette

Saks SF: Fall Beauty Trends

Saks SF invited me last week to a special Best of Beauty event to showcase their Nymph Glow Skin, Goddess Glances and Phenombré Lips fall trends.

SK-II prepped my skin and you already know my love for SK-II (previous post here - go see Minarto for the best results. It was great to see that from regular use of their mask and Facial Treatment Essence (aka holy water), in just eight months my skin has improved dramatically to 94%! (It was 84% before.) It can be hard to see your skin upclose on a computer, but let me tell you it's worth it.

I love trying new things and new brands and couldn't believe that I had never tried Giorgio Armani Beauty. Alison who runs the counter was literally amazing. To be honest, I get a little freaked out when a new person does my eye makeup, especially someone not Asian. She created a look that worked perfectly for the day but really dramatically brought my eyes out. I typically do not wear eyeliner under my eyes but I was so happy with the way she lined inside my eye lid – top and bottom. The look made my eyelashes richer and fuller. I am going to try to perfect the technique she taught me. (Wish me luck!)

Alison used the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Quad Palette ($59) in Mirage and used an eye pencil in a soft bronze color in my inner eye lids which really brought out my eyes. She also taught me the importance of blending to get a natural look that is part of the whole Armani beauty look (and quite frankly, my look as well). While applying foundation and concealor, she used two brushes that I have to go back and get: Designer Foundation Brush ($51) and the Blender Blush ($49).

I am going to go back soon to find out more from Alison about the skin care line from Giorgio Armani Beauty which is developed by Dr. Peter Lorenz from the Stanford School of Medicine. Some good stuff for the skin!

Lastly for my lips, I took a visit to Dolce & Gabbana Beauty to try the new look of Phenombré Lips. The makeup artist uses two complementary colors to create a subtle ombre lip. The contract can be inside the inner lip or on the outer. She gave me a bright coral look to match my floral top. I chose to have the lighter color in the middle and it was such a cool technique. I especially loved the whole makeup area with it's light up mirrors and beautiful photos of Scarlet Johansson that surrounded the area.

If you ever need a pick me up, go to Saks in Union Square SF and go around the beauty counters. It's a great way to learn new techniques to update your look for fall. Definitely go see Alison at Giorgio Armani Beauty!

Right now through Sunday, October 6th get this gift with purchase – a fall tote filled with beauty samples with every $100 purchase. Choose from a navy, cognac or white tote. The bag includes samples from Tom Ford Beauty, Dior, Carven, Elie Saab, Kiehl's, Lancome, Molton Brown, and more.

Coach New York Stories: Q&A with Models Karlie Kloss and Liu Wen

Coach just launched their Fall/Winter 2013 campaign with their theme "Coach New York Stories". The theme features models Karlie Kloss and Liu Wen in a refreshing personal take on each model's life in the Big Apple. (For the world of Coach men, there's model Will Chalker.)

I'm particularly excited to see the rise of Chinese model Liu Wen in a top American campaign (She's also one of the Estee Lauder gals.) To see an Asian model with such natural beauty in a big campaign such as this, is a wonderful reflection of our diverse culture in the U.S. Not many big fashion brands do this, so thanks Coach!

Follow #CoachNewYorkStories to find out more.

Watch the videos below for a Friday + weekend treat:

Q&A with Karlie Kloss

1. What do you love the most about New York?
One of the greatest things about living here is that you never know what the day holds…or where it will take you.

2. What is your favorite place in New York?
The West Village is home to all of my favorite things. It feels like this little town in the heart of this huge city. There are so many great things to love. It is incredible how many people come together here, yet we all share the same backyard.

3. How does it feel to be part of Coach’s Fall/Winter 2013 ad campaign?
Growing up in St. Louis, everyone knew the name Coach – the iconic New York brand. And now that I call New York my home, I have a special connection to this brand that I grew up with. It’s so wonderful to be part of all of this.

4. How would you describe your style?
It’s the little things that can mean the most. This is my style – things that are simple, timeless, genuine.

5. What is your favorite bag from the Fall/Winter 2013 collection?
During the day, I love to carry the Borough Bag, while the Urbane Crossbody Bag has been my go-to for evenings out in the city.

6. What is your favorite lifestyle piece from the Fall/Winter 2013 collection?
The cape is going to be the perfect fall accessory for me - instant drama and foolproof warmth.

Shop Karlie's Lookbook on Coach.com.

1. What do you think makes New York so iconic?
When I was growing up, New York was the one place I always wanted to discover. I would watch the King Kong movie and imagine myself standing at the top of the Empire State Building overseeing this great city. Since then, I became a model and started traveling to New York on a regular basis; I discovered the city was everything and more!

2. What is your favorite place in New York?
The best part about the city is all the contrasts. Each of its many neighborhoods and boroughs have great personality: uptown, downtown, the upper east side, the upper west side, Chelsea, the West Village, the city, the beach…I can’t possibly choose one favorite place because the city in its entirety is what I enjoy.

3. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I have found so many great places in New York. There’s my favorite tea shop on the Lower East Side. I also love that there is a museum for everything – my favorite ones to visit are the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And there is nowhere else like Coney Island – it is like being in a fairytale.

4. How does it feel to be part of Coach’s Fall/Winter 2013 ad campaign?
I am so excited to be working with Coach, an iconic American brand that offers not only amazing leather products but also great style! Coach embodies the effortless New York City style that I have come to love and adopt.

5. How would you describe your style?
I like to think of it as a little feminine with a touch of tomboy.

6. What is your favorite bag from the Fall/Winter 2013 collection?
I am currently obsessing over the Mini Borough Bag in Oxblood. I’ve been wearing it all over New York.

7. What is your favorite lifestyle piece from the Fall/Winter 2013 collection?
The Leather Tunic is a great staple for any wardrobe.

Shop Liu's Lookbook on Coach.com.

Note: Q&A and photos courtesy of Coach.

Clarins Gift With Purpose + FEED

The Clarins Gift With Purpose benefiting FEED will be available exclusively at Clarins counters at Macy’s nationwide and also online at macys.com from now through September 29th.

Receive an exclusive FEED 10 cosmetics pouch filled with 6 Clarins beauty items (you get to choose your favorite night cream!) when you purchase $75 worth of Clarins beauty/skincare. In return, Clarins will donate 10 nutritious school meals to FEED who works with the World Food Programme to provide school meals to children in countries with significant hunger and starvation issues.

This is a great way to stock up on your beauty needs and help this fantastic cause to end child hunger.

Shop for Clarins on macys.com.

Claire Courtin-Clarins and Lauren Bush were featured on the cover of Septemeber's Town & Country magazine about their Clarins + FEED collaboration. Read the Town & Country article "Earth Angels" for more.

Phillip Lim for Target Mini Satchel Giveaway!

Hello my lovelies! I spent the bulk of last Saturday night online trying to shop for the Phillip Lim for Target collection. Thanks to Twitter and the #philliplimfortarget hashtag, I didn't feel alone and actually had a few laughs. That's what social media is all about right?

I decided to share the love and add a couple more of the highly coveted mini satchels into my cart as a giveaway for you gals. Why? Because I I know how the bags in this collection sold out so fast and a lot of you were disappointed you couldn't snag one, even after waking up early and waiting in line on the launch day at Target. These bags are not only super cute, the quality so far is great for something that's not real leather.

Bag Details:
Shell Material: Polyurethane
Liner Material: Cotton
Closure Style: Zip Closure
Compartment details: Interior zip pocket
Handle Type: Shoulder Strap
Dimensions: 7.5 " H x 4.5 " W x 7.38 " D
Care and Cleaning: Wipe Clean

So without further ado, I present you the Phillip Lim for Target Mini Satchel Giveaway! I am giving away two mini-satchels, one in black and one in gold.

How to Enter:


1. Leave a comment to this post below telling me why you want to win the Phillip Lim for Target Mini Satchel and what color is your first choice.

Make sure you enter in your email address (won't be published). All entries must be in by October 7, 2013 at midnight PST. This giveaway is open to the U.S. only.

**Extra Optional Entries:


1. Follow @coquette on Twitter (Please leave your twitter handle in the comment to this post.)

2. Tweet about this contest. Click here to tweet automatically or copy and paste the following:

I just entered to win a #philliplimfortarget mini satchel from @coquette. Enter here:http://bit.ly/16r3oUu #giveaway

3. Like Coquette on Facebook.

4. Follow @coquettenatalie on Instagram. (Please leave your handle in the comment as well.)

5. Regram or take a screenshot of this giveaway photo in my Instagram and share it with your followers, making sure to include the hashtag: #coquettegiveaway so I can easily find your extra entry.

That's up to 5 extra entries you can get!

Details:
The giveaway ends on October 7, 2013 at midnight PST and is only open to U.S residents. I will choose the two winners from two random numbers picked from random.org. Winners will receive notification by email by October 8, 2013. Should both winners have the same color chosen, whoever responds back to me first will get their first color choice.

Good luck!

10/7/13: This giveaway is now closed! Thanks to everyone who entered! The winners will be announced soon.

10/9/13: Congrats to the winners! Posted here.

Disclaimer: This giveaway is not affiliated with Phillip Lim or Target. I paid personally for the bags.

Chanel Les Beiges: Gives You a Natural-looking Healthy Glow

The Chanel Les Beiges ($57.50) line of 7 shades of pressed powders to help you get a nice, healthy glow, along with added SPF 15. I have been curious about these powders for a few weeks now and have stopped by the Chanel counter a couple of times to check them out. It took an excellent SA at the Chanel counter at Bloomingdales to find the perfect shade for me for the look that I wanted. The trick with this powder is that you can go as light or as dark as you want depending if you just need general coverage or if you want to contour. I wanted a light warmth to my face, not necessarily like a bronzer (which I use already for my cheeks). My color is No. 30 and I can't rave how nice and light the powder feels on my face. I can instantly see a warm glow without any shimmer or sparkles on my face. I don't have any breakouts using this powder either after using it for 2 weeks now.

The Les Beiges powder compact comes with a fan like brush that is great to use for touch ups throughout the day if you need it. For the morning, I really like to use it with a small kabuki brush that I had left over from my Estee Lauder loose powder. It spreads the powder evenly across my face and really gives me the healthy, natural look that I go for each day.

I recommend to not buy this powder blindly online and for your first Chanel Les Beiges to visit a Chanel counter to explain to the SA what kind of glow you are looking for. She can try it on you and you can see how you like the look. Trust me, you will love it!

Watch Lisa Eldrige in the video above show you how to apply Chanel Les Beiges.

Trench Coats for Fall

One of the staples I am missing in my closet is the classic trench coat which I am planning to buy for fall. Even though the trench coat silhouette is such a classic style, I am more drawn to ones with unique details such as this Coach Colorblock Long Trench ($548) and the flouncy Banana Republic Flared Trench ($225, also in black). Look for ones with unique details or a pop of color that will keep you ahead of the fashion pack as well as protecting you from the elements.

Here are more stylish trench coats:

Banana Republic Plaid Trench ($225 at Banana Republic)

Guess Quilted Trench Coat ($158 at Bloomingdales)

Calvin Klein Asymmetric Zip Belted Trench (on sale for $152 until 9/22/13 at Bloomingdales)

DKNY Double Breasted Trench with Pleats (on sale for $165.20 at Bloomingdales)

Club Monaco Emma Trench Coat ($298 at Shopbop)

Gryphon Knit Sleeve Trench Coat (on sale for $268 at Shopbop)

Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream Trio

My hands are always getting dry these days so myHand and Nail Treatment Cream ($30 at clarinsusa.com) is never far. What I like the most about this lotion is how soft it feels immediately when I put it on my hands. There's no greasiness at all and I don't have to wait for it to dry as it absorbs into my skin immediately. It makes them instantly soft. I always wished I had a smaller version of this for my handbag and it seems my wish has been granted.

Now you can pick up the Hand and Nail Treatment Cream Trio (was $45, now is $25 at clarinsusa.com). I just noticed that it is marked down so I am not sure how long this will last. Stock up for winter ladies!

Estee Lauder's New Fragrance: Modern Muse

Estee Lauder's Modern Muse is their brand new fragrance that is here to inspire you. While attending the Estee Lauder Beauty Lab last month, I was able to get more background on this simply heavenly-smelling perfume. First off, around 50 women attending the labs received a small bottle sample of Modern Muse to try. I spritzed it on my wrist and trust me, could not stop smelling my wrist all afternoon. With a room full of women spraying on perfume, you would think one person would be sneezing or protesting the smell. This was not the case. In fact, the room smelled sweeter.

Modern Muse was created by Master Perfumer Harry Frémont who has spent 30+ years creating perfumes.(He is one of 9 top perfumers in the world.) Inspired by his garden, he created a scent that has a dual impression – sparking jasmine (blend of jasmine samba with citrus fruits) and sleek woods (2 patchouli essences, Madagascar vanilla, rich wood, soft musk). Make sure you try this on your skin because the perfume works with your body PH, you will either smell flowery or woodsy. For me, I get the more flowery jasmine scent taking over.

The perfume has already won the "Best New Fragrance" for the Best of Beauty Awards for 2013. I love the bottle and blush pink packaging.

Buy Modern Muse eau de parfum ($58 1oz, $78 1.7 oz, $98 3.4oz) at esteelauder.com.

The ad campaign features model Arizona Muse. (It's a pretty fun coincidence that her last name is Muse!) She's wearing a one-of-a-kind dress designed for Estee Lauder in her signature navy and features eight bows. Adding the ninth bow on the bottle, represents the nine original muses who inspired art and beauty in ancient Greek mythology.

Disclaimer: Sample product was provided by Estee Lauder for this review.

Amy Butler Cameo Paper Goods

Amy Butler is famous for her fabric prints and now you can get her beautiful prints in paper form with her new line of Cameo paper goods from Chronicle Books. The sticky notes set is on my kitchen counter and it's something I use everyday. It is perfect for grocery or to do lists. The sticky notes come in assorted sizes which are perfect to jot something cute in my daughter's lunch box. (She loves the butterfly one.)

Give yourself a little pretty paper update with this elegant and inspiring Amy Butler Cameo paper collection.

Cameo Stationery Set ($13.45)
Amy Butler Cameo Sticky Notes ($11.65)
Amy Butler Cameo Eco-Journal ($9.86)

Disclaimer: Paper goods were provided by Chronicle Books for this review.

Book Review: All Things Paper by Ann Martin

All Things Paper: 20 Unique Projects from Leading Paper Crafters, Artists, and Designers
by Ann Martin
published by Tuttle

Paper crafter extraordinaire, Ann Martin has a new book out All Things Paper: 20 Unique Projects from Leading Paper Crafters, Artists, and Designers. Let me be the first to tell you this is not your typical paper craft book. In addition to projects on making beautiful cards, you'll how to turn paper into home decor, fashion accessories, and jewelry. I met Ann many years ago through her blog of the same name, All Things Paper and was so impressed by her work, asked her to contribute her paper projects to the CRAFT site. She has an amazing attention to detail and artistry, especially with her quilling techniques. This book is well-curated by Ann, who has gathered up an amazing variety of pretty projects by top crafters and artists.

Here are a few of my favorite projects:

Quilled Key Pendant by Ann Martin

Paper ornament by another one of my favorite crafters, Patricia Zapata of A Little Hut

Sticky Notes Notepad Holder by Stefani Tadio

Candle Luminaries by Kristen Magee

Pick up a copy of All Things Paper ($11.83) on Amazon and visit Ann Martin on her blog or follow her on Twitter.