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

Lately I’ve been keeping up with the Joneses. No, not my highfalutin luxury car driving neighbors…oh no, not those Joneses…These Joneses:

I am referring to JONES magazine, the “insider’s shopping guide for women who know better.” As a woman who obviously knows better, I quickly replied “YES” to JONES magazine’s invitation to visit their NYC digs and learn more about the publication.

JONES magazine caters to fashion enthusiasts like moi, who share a penchant for what’s next! The shopping and lifestyle publication strives to be a resource for multicultural women who crave luxury, glamour, and trends.

JONESMAG.com (an incredibly robust web presence that’s managed by the Glamazon we all love to stalk – Jessica Andrews) offers a daily dose of fashion, beauty, shopping, events and travel advice.

Here is the delightful and beautiful Editor-in-Chief Tracey Ferguson as she walks a very lucky group of bloggers through the Fall preview of JONES

And here’s yours truly participating in the discussion…I’m likely talking up a storm about a recent beauty discovery.

For the complete scoop on the blogger mixer at JONES mag and exclusive pics of your favorite bloggers  in attendance, CLICK HERE

PS: Shouts to my Twitter boo @The GorgeousBlog — I bumped into her in the hall as I was leaving the JONES mag event…

With Fashion’s Night Out just ’round the corner, I want to share with you some of the spectacular events going on all around this great city of ours. Get ready for  complimentary make-up applications galore, stick straight blow outs, and lots of raffles and contests…Oh my!

Who: Thierry Mugler – Where: Sake Fifth Avenue

Thierry Mugler invites you to Saks Fifth Avenue in NYC during Fashion’s Night Out on September 10^th from 6-11pm to view the famous Motorcycle Bustier as worn by Beyoncé for her I AM.Sasha Fierce album.  This legendary couture piece was first shown in the designer’s Prêt-á-Porter Spring/Summer 1992 Collection, worn by model Niki Taylor.  The same year, it appeared in George Michael’s iconic fashion-centric, supermodel-filled, music video for his hit song “Too Funky.”  In 2008 the Motorcycle Bustier was selected for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute’s “Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy” exhibit in New York.  It was here that Beyoncé fell in love with the piece and Thierry Mugler. Come see this true couture display of fashion and music history while receiving a special sample of Thierry Mugler’s legendary ANGEL fragrance.  Drops of gourmand scented heaven will be dispensed from a special sculpture designed by artist Ron Arad exclusively for Thierry Mugler. The sculpture is Arad’s interpretation of Mugler’s innovative Source concept which allows you to refill your precious ANGEL star bottle without discarding, and have a more minimal environmental impact.

For all the latest news and updates follow Thierry Mugler:

Twitter: @Thierry_Mugler

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ThierryMugler

Who: Warren-Tricomi Salon – Where: The Plaza Hotel

Join the Warren-Tricomi Salon at The Plaza Hotel for complimentary hair styles and updo’s to start your Friday night off from 6-8pm. While you are at The Plaza, you can also view the CFDA Incubator Project designs throughout the Shops. Musician, Corinne Bailey Rae, will be performing an intimate concert at The Plaza’s Palm Court. Following the concert, Joel Warren, Edward Tricomi, Douglas Hannant and Frederick Anderson, co-hosted with the CFDA and Shops at the Plaza, invite you to an after party in the Terrace Room from 9 – 11pm to celebrate this night of Fashion.

Who: Votre Vu – Where: Votre Vu’s customized Airstream in the Meatpacking
District

Visit the VuBAR, Votre Vu’s customized Airstream, in the Meatpacking District on Fashion’s Night Out! After testing Vu’s French-made, botanically based skin care with a Party Primer beauty regimen, have your photograph taken on the VuBAR’s red carpet and download them for free online. To finish off your VIP Vu experience, sample refreshing Votre Vu SnapDragon from an ice luge, enjoy custom Votre Vu pastries from an on-site pastry chef and much, much more!

Who: The Plaza Beauty – Where: The Plaza Hotel (New York City)

The Plaza Beauty will offer complimentary mini-facials, hand treatments and makeup touch ups to get you ready for your Friday night out! Meet the creators of top beauty companies such as Alison Raffaele and Kimiko and receive insider tips on how to create the perfect look for fall! Enter to win a custom-made hair accessory from Lucia Tristao Hair Designs and look out for exclusive offers that night from Miriam Mirani and Diego Della Palma. Afterwards, show off your new look at a concert performed by Grammy nominated EMI artist Corinne Bailey Rae hosted in The Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel

Who: Pur Minerals – Where: Duane Reade The Look Boutique (Soho) (233 Lafayette St. New York, NY)

Join celebrity makeup artist to the stars, Jackie Gomez, for complimentary makeup touch ups from 6:00pm – 8:00pm with Pur Minerals. Gifts with purchase will also be available throughout the night from 6pm-11pm.

Who: Completely Bare – Where: Completely Bare (25 Bond Street, b/w Lafayette & Bowery New York, NY)

CONNECT THE Dots
This Fashion’s Night Out, participate in a scavenger hunt-themed styling contest in multiple Soho New York-based locations called “Dots SPOTS.” Follow the clues and choose your favorite Dots pieces to create your own personalized look!

Meet back at Completely Bare and get a free Richie Rich vatoo, enjoy refreshments and have your photos taken on the pink carpet. Celebrity stylist Mia Morgan and fashion legend Richie Rich will co-host and judge your personalized looks! Winning looks will have a day of beauty and styling with Mia Morgan, a new Dots wardrobe and a trip for two to a tropical location! Proceeds will benefit the Family Justice Center, which helps victims of domestic violence put their lives back together.

Follow @Dotsfashions @completelybare @kingcollective on FaceBook and Twitter for more details.

The FNO list of retailers, designers, fashion and beauty brands is still growing! See below for a list of newly registered participants and visit www.fashionsnightout.com for more information.

• A Little Wicked
• A Man and a Woman
• ADAM
• ALDO (new locations
• AllSaints Spitalfields
• Andrew Yang & The Kouklitas at Barneys New York
• Alton Lane
• Ann Taylor
• Atelier Minyon
• Bara Boux
• Barbie
• Beyond 7
• Bio
• Black Fleece by Brooks Brothers
• Bottega Veneta
• Bump Brooklyn
• Callalilai Atlantic
• China Doll
• Chloe
• Chouchounette
• Crate + Barre
• Derek Lam
• Diptyque Bleeker street
• Donna Distefano Ltd.
• Dots (location change)
• Downtown Doghouse
• Eponymy
• Ernest & Olivia
• Fisch for the Hip
• Flight Club
• Flourish Accessories
• Forever 21
• GANT Rugger
• Generra
• Genuine Motorworks
• George Esquivel at Fratelli Rossetti Store
• Hayden-Harnett
• Helianthus
• Helmut Lang
• Henri Bendel
• In God We Trust
• In&Out Different Beauty
• Indique Hair International, Georgia’s, Polish Bar Brooklyn
• Intermix
• IRIS
• Journelle
• Kenneth Cole
• Kingdom
• Kotur at Saks Fifth Avenue
• La Petite Coquette
• Lauren Merkin
• Legacy
• Lululemon Athletica
• Lululemon Athletica Brooklyn Showroom
• Lululemon Athletica Lincoln Square
• Lululemon Athletica Soho
• Malawi
• Meatpacking District Initiative
• Meg
• Michael Angelo’s Wonderland Beauty Parlor
• Modo Eyewear
• Movado
• Nasty Pig
• Naturalizer
• Nexus
• Nigel Barker at Lord and Taylor
• Ochre
• Only Hearts
• Original Penguin
• Per-fekt Beauty at Henri Bendel
• Petit Boudoir
• Pink Slip at Grand Central Terminal
• PomPom
• POP Lounge/Burger (Ninth ave store)
• Prabal Gurang at Saks Fifth Avenue
• Prabal Gurung at The Shops at the Plaza
• Rapha Cycle Club
• Rizzoli Bookstore
• Rony Tennenbaum 1964
• SACHIN + BABI for ANKASA
• Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired by Camrindy
• Singer22
• Sphatika
• Staley Wise Gallery
• Stella McCartney
• Steven Alan
• Subversive Jewelry at the Shops at the Plaza
• Sugar Cookies
• Tadashi Shoji at Bloomingdales
• Teen Vogue and ASOS.com
• The Brownstone
• The Parlour Brooklyn
• The Sao Store
• The Touring Company
• The Track and Field Store
• The VIllage Scandal
• Thomas Pink
• Trunckshow
• Trunckshow at Tea and Things of That Kind
• Union Square / Grand Central Pop Up
• Vagabondnyc.com
• Victorinox Swiss Army
• Votre vu
• Wendy Mink Jewelry
• Yael Sonia
• Yigal Azrouel

Fashion’s Night Out 2010 PSA from Fashion’s Night Out on Vimeo.

PS: Yes I am still rocking my extensions. Last weekend I took on the task of washing them and I think I did a pretty good job. I used (and highly recommend) Ovation’s complete line of hair care products for extensions.

Here are the products and here are my results…watch out now;)

This past weekend I re-up’d on my OPI Axiuum Soak-Off Gel Lacquer.  I have to tell you…prior to taking the plunge about a month ago, I was sooo apprehensive. My biggest fear was that I would end up with dry, brittle, weak nails. I researched Axiuum for months before deciding to get it done. I even talked with professional friends of mine like @LuxebyTracyLee, manicurist to the stars. Once TracyLee told me it was safe, I decided to give it a go…AND I AM NOT LOOKING BACK.

For my first time time I went with Russian Navy. The manicure lasted nearly three weeks without chipping. The color and intense shine stayed true.

My current OPI gel mani is Big Apple Red

OPI Axiuum Soak-Off Gel Lacquer is, as Martha would say, a good thing! I am addicted. In Kearny NJ near me, the mani runs $35….chump change for a perfect manicure that lasts nearly three weeks!

Have a lovely weekend…xoxo!

Felicia

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

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Lets kick off “Fridays with Felicia” with a good old fashioned giveaway. A few days ago I hopped up on my soap box and lectured on the goodness of sunscreen. So it is only fitting that I partner with Jane Iredale and offer you a chance to win Jane Iredale Lip Drink SPF 15.

With products like Lip Drink, Powder-Me SPF, Amazing Base, Dream Tint and PurePressed Powder, Jane Iredale makes sun protection simple and convenient. And kudos to the aforementioned products for earning the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Approval.

Winning Lip Drink is easy:

• You must be a follower of @ThisThatBeauty on Twitter
• You must be a US resident
• One entry per household
• Leave a comment that lists your twitter handle and let me know your favorite SPF product
• You have until June 24 to enter contest. Winner will be announced June 25.

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Fashion on Fulton Gala and Charity Event benefiting Brooklyn Community Housing and Services. The event was produced by the homey The Makeup Girl/ Lianne Farbes. Brooklyn Community Housing and Services is a 31-year old non-profit agency. Each year the organization provides housing for 700 formerly homeless men, women, and children. The event was held at Skylight One Hanson, a stunning architectural venue with 63-foot ceilings, 40-foot windows, and  marble decor….the perfect back drop for the evening!

I love that I regularly get to switch hats from makeup artist to journalist…this keeps things fresh and sexy. For Fashion on Fulton I go got wear my journalist hat and cover the backstage beauty. Lead Artist Victoria Stiles used Cover Girl products to create a look that is described as “dramatic black winged liner, lashes, and nude lips”.

You can always count on ThisThatBeauty for the exclusive deets. Here is the full product rundown:

Eyes:

• CoverGirl Perfect Blend Eyeliner in Black smudged along the top and bottom lashes
• CoverGirl Line Exact Defining Eyeliner in Black precisely applied to the top lid and swept outward
• Cover Girl Exact Eyelights Mascara in Black Pearl applied in multiple coats on top and bottom lashes

Lips:

• CoverGirl Continuous Color Lipstick in Sugar Almond
• CoverGirl Wetslicks Lipgloss in Honey Talks

While at Fashion On Fulton I met Jenn Fournier of Project Jenny, a blog about food, fashion, travel and …just read her blog!

During the week I was on set with the masterful Danessa Myricks. She contours a face like nobody’s business! Check out her work below…then go cop her contour video, The Art of Contouring. Her techniques are life changing. #truestory

For all of my West Coat followers, Kérastase is hosting their 2nd Annual OUR TREAT EVENT on June 23rd. Nearly 250 participating Kérastase Consultant salons will open their doors and offer COMPLIMENTARY KERASTASE TREATMENT RITUALS AND BLOW OUTS – valued at $100! Additionally, Kérastase has also partnered with Locks of Love and will encourage guests who receive treatments to donate $10 to the cause.

Check out participating salons in your area and print your invitation at: http://www.kerastase-usa.com/_en/_us/conso/specialoffers/our-treat.aspx

I came across two great Friends and Family promos to share with you.  First up: Save 20% off at www.caudalie-usa.com. Enter code SUMMERSALE all in caps.Also: Today through Friday, June 25^th, Lancôme is offering an exclusive Friends & Family deal at Lancôme boutiques. Bring a copy of this invitation to any Lancôme boutique and receive 20% off all your Lancôme favorites. Want to know ThisThatBeauty’s favorites?…click here and scroll down to Lancome!

For my manicure du jour, I was in the mood for a rich pastel and decided to go with  OPI A Grape Fit. We like?

If you find yourself in the mood for rich pastels, may I also suggest the yumminess that is essence cosmetics’ essence surfer babe nail polish collection? These new bright and colorful nail polishes create a relaxed summer style. Starting in July, the Surfer Babe collection will be available through the remainder of the summer at Ulta stores. Check  Ulta.com for locations. Oh, and did I mention the price tag?…$1.99! Such a no-brainer – buy them all!

Happy Friday boo boos

Until next week!

xo,

Felicia

Though I have yet to take in the cinematic experience that is Alice in Wonderland, I can not help but covet the many Alice in Wonderland themed makeup collections currently in stores. That’s just like a beauty blogger…I haven’t seen the movie but I’m all over the makeup it inspires!

OPI, Paul & Joe, and Urban Decay have all teamed up with powerhouse Disney to introduce limited-edition beauty collections to coincide with Tim Burton’s wild fantasy adventure, Alice in Wonderland.

In honor of Alice in Wonderland, OPI has introduced four new lacquer shades inspired by the film characters, including: Thanks So Muchness, a vivid cherry red; Absolutely Alice, a dark turquoise with blue glitter; Mad As A Hatter, an aubergine with multicoloured glitter; and Off With Her Red, a hot, fire-engine red.

Paul & Joe creator Sophie Albou has created a limited-edition Alice in Wonderland collection featuring two beautifully designed compact tins: Fantasy and Daydream.

The pastel packaging incorporates illustrations of Alice, the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat. Each tin includes blotting paper (with mirror), a refill pack and a lip treatment. The Fantasy Lip Treatment comes in Sweet Milky Pink and the Daydream Lip Treatment arrives in Sheer Orange.

This month, edgy cosmetic brand Urban Decay has released a limited-edition Disney Alice in Wonderland-inspired Book of Shadows.

The book opens up to reveal a pop-up scene of Alice and her journey through the Mushroom Forest. The box drawer slides open to reveal 16 bestselling eye shadows, as well as two travel sizes of 24/7 Eye Pencils and one Eyeshadow Primer Potion. There is also a mirror resting on the background. The book-like packaging is decorated with black patterns and copper foil deco with tea-cup details. Shades names include: Drink Me, Eat Me; Midnight Tea Party; Wonderland; Mushroom; Alice; White Rabbit and Mad Hatter.

Hong Kong, the Spring/Summer 2010 collection from OPI, showcases 12 new shades. The collection ranges from vivid hues of cobalt blues, coral oranges and berry tones to more subtle shades of glittered gold, lavender and pearl pinks.

View the complete collection:

• Dim Sum Plum: berry
• Jade Is The New Black: green
• A Good Man-Darin Is Hard to Find: red-orange
• Suzi Says Fung Shui: cobalt blue
• Bling Dynasty: gold with shimmer
• Pearl Of Wisdom: pearl
• Red My Fortune Cookie: rich red
• Panda Monium: dusty pink
• Lucky Lucky Lavender: purple-pink
• Hot & Spicy: coral
• Meet Me On The Star Ferry: violet
• Chop-Sticking To My Story: warm caramel

Hong Kong debuts in February 2010. Are you factoring this collection into your beauty budget?