Fridays with Felicia: An intimate look behind the curtain as I share my favorite style/ beauty discoveries and ThisThatBeauty shenanigans from previous week.

The highlight of my fashion and beauty filled week was the opportunity to attend the sneak peek event for the Target Harlem Grand Opening. The star studded press event occurred on July 20 and on July 25, Tarjay Harlem will officially open its doors. Yay Team Harlem! So spread the word New York – For style, design, and great value: take the 6 train to 116th street.

Naturally I represented and wore a strong red lip (Lipstick Queen Red Sinner) for the grand opening. I mean c’mon, it’s Target…their logo is red!

Since I haven’t done a good old fashioned Face of the Day post in forever, let me go on and break this down for you

• FACE: Cover FX Skin Prep Primer. Make Up For Ever HD Concealer #360. Lanccome TEINT IDOLE FRESH WEAR (shade Suede 2w).
• CHEEKS: Lancome Ageless Minérale Blush in Brilliant Berry
• EYES: It Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eye Brow Pencil. Kevyn Aucoin Volume Mascara
• LIPS: Lipstick Queen Red Sinner

Selita Ebanks walked the red carpet at the Target store opening. She added a bit of glamour to her nude Sir Alistair Rai dress with a gold braided necklace from the Melania™ Timepieces & Jewelry collection.The piece is available at QVC.com and retails for $39.00.

Selita was indeed a vision on the red carpet. I appreciate that she went high/low and combined her designer frock with a frugalista friendly accessory piece.

I too went the high/low route with simple black Christian Louboutin pumps, Fiona Paxton necklace,Mossimo v-neck pocket tee (From Target) and this Aqua brand gold/black metallic skirt from Bloomingdales. I snagged it on sale for about $18!

And you couldn’t tell me a thing as I hit my hottest contortionist model pose on the red carpet! Hilar!

Ok, next time I’ll leave the “posing” to the real models

While perusing the aisles (makeup aisles, of course) at the grand opening, I spotted one of my beauty faves. She was carefully inspecting her product line on the shelves — crossing t’s and dotting i’s! See if you recognize this iconic makeup artist and entrepreneur…

It’s Sonia Kashuk. Yep, THE Sonia Kashuk — the woman behind the popular exclusive target cosmetic line. We chatted for a spell and did a quick interview regarding her new eco-friendly beauty tools. More deets on the interview soon…

Here’s Sonia Kashuk’s new line of bamboo and cork brushes….

Culture and lifestyle maven, Bevy Smith was in attendance and I was lucky enough to snag a quick flick (and rub the hem of her DVF garment). If you’re not following @bevysmith on Twitter you’re missing out on a daily dose of invaluable “Bevy-isms”.

Speaking of Twitter, I finally met one of my Twitter faves in-person. Please meet @theelegantthrifter aka Stan Williams. His book, The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating With Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details (Clarkson Potter) shows you “not just what to look for, but also how to look at an object to identify a great piece.”

Also follow Stan’s blog at www.theelegantthrifter.com

Here I am with world-renowed chef Marcus Samuelsson. Check out his kitchen collection at Target! Five-percent of each product’s purchase price will go to The Fund for Public Schools in support of the library at PS 180: Hugo Newman. www.schools.nyc.gov/site/M180

While I certainly enjoyed the many wonderful humans I met in Harlem that evening, it was a four-legged friend that sent my heart sailing….

Most folks at the event took “one” picture with Bullseye the Target mascot. Yours truly could not resist requesting a second picture with Bullseye…this one with a kiss! MmmmmmmmmmMWAH Bullseye!

Definitely check out the Harlem Tarjay! What a wonderful win for the community. #TeamHarlem!

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Beauty360.com, the online shopping destination for CVS/pharmacy’s prestige beauty retailer Beauty 360, carries coveted skincare brands including Ahava, Bioelements, Borba, Canyon Ranch Skincare, Mario Badescu and many more.

Today thru July 25 shop Beauty360.com for 20% off all your suncare and skincare purchases! By entering coupon code GLOW at checkout you will also receive free shipping when you spend $49 or more. Click on this link for additional details and products: http://tinyurl.com/337cyau

You may follow Beauty360 at www.twitter.com/beauty360 for beauty tips and news, event details and upcoming promotions.

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Here’s one for my brides — NYC Smile Design announces a cosmetic dental makeover contest for one lucky bride –to-be to win a FREE dental makeover worth up to $30,000. NYC Smile Design’s “Extreme Bridal Makeover” is a contest based in the metropolitan area. Women who are getting married are encouraged to share their stories for a chance to win a makeover worth $30,000.

In order to enter, the contestant must submit a story about why she is unhappy with her smile along with a picture. Dr. Ramin Tabib and Dr. Mello of NYC Smile Design will choose the person with the most compelling story to win the makeover and they will then work their magic to create the perfect smile for the big day.

In order to enter for a chance to win, you must first become a fan of NYC Smile Design’s Facebook page. Visit NYC Smile Design’s Facebook page for details to enter and for daily updates about the contest follow NYC Smile Design on Twitter.

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Visit Youngblood at the Plaza Hotel to get your ultimate mineral makeover. Through July 24, join the artists behind Youngblood to learn about flawless foundation application. For purchases over $150 you will receive an organza bag filled with a full size lip gloss, deluxe Primer sample, deluxe Hi-Def powder sample and a Kabuki brush.

Youngblood offers a comprehensive collection of natural-looking makeup. Visit the Plaza Hotel’s beauty level and learn more!

WHO: The Plaza Beauty

WHAT: Youngblood Cosmetics

WHEN: Now through Saturday, July 24th, 2010

WHERE: The Plaza Beauty One West 58th Street, Concourse Level NY, NY 10019 212.223.4694

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On July 26 one of my favorite makeup brands will debut on ShopNBC. (See previous BECCA posts here, here, here, and here)

BECCA Cosmetics will premiere on the network this Monday, July 26^th at 11am and 7pm ET. The line is a fave of mine because its complexion range satisfies from Nicole Kidman to Alek Wek. The line features natural looking cosmetics that focus on a flawless and fresh finish, while benefiting the skin with anti-oxidant vitamins and high levels of broad spectrum sunscreen.

Of the launch on ShopNBC, BECCA founder, Rebecca Morrice Williams, has this to say: “We’re thrilled to be launching BECCA on ShopNBC. Offering women the opportunity to create flawless, natural looking skin is what the BECCA line pivots around. We’ve chosen many special, best-selling products for the face, eyes, lips and cheeks, and are very excited to introduce them to the ShopNBC audience”.

Tune in and learn more about BECCA!

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Last, but certainly not least, here’s a deal from Stila that I just had to share…..

• Do you need makeup? (of course you do. LOL)
• Do you have $10?
• Ok, buy this!

Stila just launched limited edition Stila Girl Travel Palettes! The first of the series is Road to Radiance Across the USA inspired by Kylie’s road trip across the US!

The frugalista friendly palette includes:

Four Eye Shadows:
- Snow Bunny (shimmery champagne)
- Southern Belle (mauve)
- Valley Girl (pink)
- City Chick (alloy)

Convertible Color:
- Hibiscus (I lurrrrve Stila Convertible color cheek colors. “Fuchsia” is one of my faves)

Each palette is ONLY $10, a $65 VALUE! Collect all Five (check back next month for the new palette!)

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Have a great weekend everyone…I hope to do some crabbing down the shore! Nom nom!

xo,

Felicia

I am starting a new column on ThisThatBeauty, lets call her “Fridays with Felicia“.

Do you know why I started ThisThatBeauty nearly two years ago? Well the stock response has always been that I had this intense urge to purge the style/beauty ramblings and insights taking up residence in my head. This response, while still holds true, is only half of the story. In addition to the need to purge the beauty babble that lives within, I started ThisThatBeauty to share and connect on a personal level. Sharing my passion for style/beauty has always been an integral part of writing for TTB. It was core to the TTB brand when MommaTTB and I were the only ones reading…and it remains core to TTB today as the site gets over 8,000 daily pageviews.

In keeping with the core philosophy that established the TTB brand, I am introducing “Fridays with Felicia“, a regularly occurring column that features rave worthy highlights from the previous week. Its sort of like a re-cap of my week..including note-worthy beauty discoveries, style observations, events, etc.

A mention in “Fridays with Felicia” is indeed an honor…it means the brands and products that make the cut are truly worth your attention. Certainly the rest of ThisThatBeauty will remain chock full of beauty goodness, but “Fridays with Felicia” will give you a week by week peek into my world. Its my little way of toting you around with me and filling you in on the latest and greatest of the prior week.

So without further back-story, I give you the inaugural post for “Fridays with Felicia” (The inaugural post of “Fridays with Felicia” will recap the last few weeks of ThisThatBeauty happenings and favs…upcoming posts for “Fridays with Felicia” will be current and include only the prior week)

FRIDAYS WITH FELICIA

After much research, hemming, and hawing, I finally took the plunge and switched to Phytospecific Phytorelaxer – an egg and soy based formula that does not contain lye. I highly recommend the complete relaxer system for individuals with textured hair in search of a more polished look without going uber straight. Phytospecific Phytorelaxer incorporates a unique blend of ingredients designed to gently relax hair’s texture: Egg extract is used to relax and release the tension in hair’s texture. Shitake Mushroom Salt is incorporated to boost the efficacy of the egg extract. Soybean extract is used to restructure the hair shaft. Lastly wheat proteins strengthen and repair the condition of the hair.

Since converting to Phytospecific Phytorelaxer I have been a happy camper. I was initially concerned about converting from one relaxer system to another…but my worries were all in vain! If you’re considering the switch, perhaps a visit to Phyto Universe will help address your concerns. Ask for Ron…he’s the Phytospecific Phytorelaxer specialist on staff. He is extremely knowledgeable and really knows hair!

If you haven’t tried DailyMakeover‘s kick a$$ makeover application, you’re really missing out on something great. I recently attended a DailyMakeover sponsored event at DEX New York and was made over…the end result was casual-chic, fresh, modern, and embodied Spring. <===This is my makeup makeover!

What I love most about DailyMakeover’s app is that it is easy breezy to navigate. I am thoroughly impressed with the ga-zillion options to choose from to design a new look. I went from short bangs, to choppy, to blunt….it was such fun to experiment with various degrees of “bangs”. I highly recommend DailyMakeover’s online makeover application for anyone considering a new hair do. Its also great for experimenting with trendy new shades of makeup before committing to the actual purchase. Not sure orange cheeks or dark lips are for you, give DailyMakeover a whirl first!

Click here for the complete deets on my makeover…and check out the makeovers for beauty blogging bellas Eileen (MissWhoEverYouAre), Dina (Eye4Style), and Kristin (FashionStyleBeauty).

Speaking of makeovers/ makeup…I recently published an article for LVCMag.com. If you’re wondering how to make a dark lip wearable, check out my piece. I feature Three Custom Color Specialist’s latest launch, Noir — a “a seductive almost-black shade with hints of burgundy and plum”. Here’s my LVCMag.com article.

Confession time: I’m not sure if its the impact of the recession or pure laziness but I have pretty much done away with salon manicures. If it’s not a “press perk” at an event, forget about it. For some strange reason I actually prefer to spend my time at home tending to my own nails vs. dealing with the hassle of going to a nail salon, fighting for parking (I live in Jersey), waiting to get a mani, waiting for the polish to dry, and messing up my polish while fiddling around with my iPhone. I now prefer the comfort of home over the aforementioned salon experience…which is why I’m all giddy to fill you in on the latest from Sally Hansen (who, by the way, was a real person….yep, Sally Hansen [God rest her soul] began her nail empire over 50 years ago with a single product — Hard As Nails).

I recently attended a press event for the launch of Sally Hansen’s latest innovations. Savvy Frugalistas, perk up! This bud’s for you!

Color Chrome Quick Pens offer the look of MINX without the $50+ price tag. These nifty little pens come in 8 different shades. So you’ve got your classic gold and silver, but you also have your choice of trend inspired shades like Green Chrome and Fuchsia Chrome. The fast dry formula and convenient pen-like applicator delivers a perfect mani in a flash! Get acquainted!

High Definition is not just for your foundation. At Sally Hansen, high def nails are all the rage! HD High Definition Nail Color is for the customer who craves color. The line is available in eight bold shades.

Another stroke of genius from the Sally Hansen camp is this — Complete Salon Manicure! Multitaskers, prepare for impact! This little gift from the lacquer Gods combines five steps in one: Base Coat, Strengthener, Growth Treatment, Color, Top Coat. Complete Salon Manicure totally takes your at home mani/pedi game to a whole new level!

Suddenly I’m feeling blue..no its not seasonal depression, its blue/black highlights. This bold move was inspired by Jeannie Mai of How Do I Look . After watching a recent episode I became obsessed with Jeannie’s rich black and purple locks.

While Jeannie’s highlights appear to be the result of lightening then added color, my highlights are clip in extensions. So I can alternate between purple, blue, and rich auburn as much as I like with out the commitment or maintenance of hair color.

Wella is getting in on the bold hair color trend. Colorist and beauty expert, Eva Scrivo has the recipe for the perfect match of natural color and dip-dyed tones. Eva created the bold tone palette for the Cynthia Rowley Fall ’10 runway, using Koleston Perfect Special Mix colors. They were such a hit, she has now started selling colored clip-in extensions customized at her salon.

Crazy hair color is not necessarily new. Ashley Olsen sported icy blue streaks in her blond hair last November. In Yohji Yamamoto’s autumn/winter 2010/11 show models rocked blue sprayed crowns and plaited turquoise streaks into long black locks. Katy Perry recently wore a vivid peacock blue glossy wig to the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. Is this trend for you?

Are you in need of a miracle worker? philosophy, the personal care brand best known for cult favorites like hope in a jar and purity, recently launched miracle worker miraculous anti-aging retinoid pads — a cutting edge retinoid based product that multi-tasks to dramatically diminish the appearance of wrinkles and skin discoloration. in clinical trials conducted by philosopy, after one week of using miracle worker miraculous anti-aging retinoid pads, participants saw improved smoothness and clarity. After four weeks, participants saw visible improvement of discoloration and dullness. Those of you following my ongoing Hyperpigmentation Series might want to further investigate miracle worker miraculous anti-aging retinoid pads. The powerful combination of high-performance retinoid and antioxidant Vitamin C help increase cell turnover and promote even skin-tone. While attending a press event for miracle worker miraculous anti-aging retinoid pads I learned that philosophy will launch a companion product in June — a super charged anti-aging concentrate. Deets soon!

While recently attending the Essence Magazine/Johnson’s Beauty Luncheon, I met the lovely Tia Dantzler (Johnson’s Beauty Consultant and Celebrity Makeup Artist). Aren’t we cuteness?

Kristin Booker of FashionStyleBeauty was in the house, too.

Aly Walansky and Lianne Farbes (smile Lianne:)) also attended the luncheon:

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Need more beauty in your life? The current Bergdorf Goodman beauty book promises to stimulate uncontrollable drooling. You’ve been warned!

Until next Friday….

xo, Felicia

Halle Berry recently appeared on NBC’s Nightly news rocking one hella gorg neck piece. The Fiona Paxton 42″ stunner known as “Sylvie” is hawt hawt hawt! While Halle sported the hand beaded metal patterned necklace in Dark Oxidized Silver, if Ms ThisThatBeauty had an extra $300 to drop I’d definitely be all over Sylvie in Gold.

Ready to drool? Check out the Fiona Paxton eye candy below: