You owe it to yourself to look good
May '04
By Alexandra Marshall


The magic formula, according to Yves Saint Laurent's just-revamped La Lacque nail polish: two coats, four days, no chips. In reality, it's more like one chip, but that may have something to do with the furniture repair we've been doing all weekend. Seriously, this is one of the toughest fast-drying, super-shine polishes we've ever used. Of the 24 sheer colors, opalescent Mauve Reflections is officially the shade of summer.

Though BD has always been proud of our independent spirit, we're officially joining the lemming-like rush to hump the leg of SK-II, Japan's best-selling luxury skincare brand, now on these shores. The sake-brewing yeast that's the secret of the line's cell-renewing benefits wouldn't have anything to do with it, and obviously the culty sounding "ritual" (you're supposed to breathe deeply as you slap on the goods) didn't either. No, it's that the stuff works—most noticeably the Eye Treatment Film, which de-puffs, de-lines, de-everythings.

They always said zits and wrinkles were mutually exclusive, but if BD's world were held up as evidence, yet again, they are wrong. Why it's taken the world so long to cook up an anti-aging cream for combination skin is a topic for another time, we're just happy it's here, thanks to the frou-frou French brand Darphin. ArovitA Antiaging Fluid is a light-feeling little gel cream with witch hazel, papaya, olive and peony extracts to keep pores clear while it keeps the crow's feet under control.


It's getting hotter out there, so do the entire subway a favor and please change your perfume. One we're currently loving for being femme-y and floral but not cloying is L'Instant de Guerlain Eau de Parfum, a new scent from the world's oldest fragrance house. There's a little bit of vanilla, a little bit of mandarin, but the main note is white flowers, specifically magnolia. Fret not: as of yet there is no gift-with-purchase plan that includes Tom Cruise delivering shrill self-help lectures or a plague of frogs.
 


Study fashion at Parsons The New School for Design in NYC


  It's been since September that our feet have seen the light of day and, exemplars of personal grooming that we are, well, let's just say there hadn't been a new pedicure since lights out. So we were most happy to learn of Rescue Beauty Lounge's Oxygen Nail Therapy, which we sampled at Rescue's mod new Gansevoort Street location. Of course a simple pedicure at Rescue is treat enough—including an AHA callous peel, paraffin, a collagen mask and loads of moisturizer. But add to that the most thorough buffing you've ever experienced in your life (with Karin Herzog oxygen cream to remove the yellowing) and you won't mind keeping the polish off for the required ten days following. Who knew it was so easy to be a twinkle-toes the natural way?
 

Study fashion at Parsons The New School for Design in NYC



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