If You Have Hair, The Wet Brush is a Must Have


For years, I have used an oversized wide-tooth comb to detangle my notoriously impossible to detangle post-shampoo hair. The amount of hair that would get caught in the teeth was somewhat alarming. But I chalked it up to the fact that I only wash my hair once a week - so maybe the hair loss really wasn't all that CONTINUE READING

Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream Review


You know how awesome BB creams are for your face? Well, the geniuses at Jergens have harnessed the power of BB and infused it into a lotion for your body. Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream promises flawless-looking skin with 5 visible benefits in just 5 days.  But does it deliver? Watch the video to find out...   Disclosure: This post was CONTINUE READING

Laura Mercier Sale at Gilt.com


As a huge fan of Laura Mercier (I swear by the foundation primer and tinted moisturizer), I was so excited to see that Gilt.com has a nice assortment of beauty products currently on sale. There's everything from sophisticated nail polish colors and soft mineral blush to lip glaze palettes and pencil sets to create an alluring smoky eye. Oh, and CONTINUE READING

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Cover April Issue of Vogue


Welp, folks, it looks like Kanye finally wore Anna Wintour down and got his baby mama a coveted Vogue cover. So the rumors were true. There was buzz a few months back that Kim would cover the fashion bible, but then everyone assumed it would be a foreign Vogue - given Anna's alleged aversion to all things Kardashian. I CONTINUE READING

10 Beauty Products to Get You Through the Flu


Hey Guys! As you all know the weather lately has been terrible and most of us have been getting all kinds of horrible colds and the flu, as a result. This is very personal for me because I work in retail and it seems like I get one disease after the other with all of my customers constantly sneezing CONTINUE READING

Get Up to 30% Off at Shopbop: 3 Days Only


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Philadelphia Phocus

Salon Rouge: Blown Away By My Blowout

Posted on June 10, 2010 by daneen in Hair, Hair Styling, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Phocus, Salon | Leave a comment

When it comes to beauty, few things make me happier than a professional blowout. I always feel my prettiest after someone tugs on my tresses with a round brush and blasts them with hot air. Why? Well, because I can get away with wearing my glasses, no makeup, jeans and a t-shirt – and still look totally fabulous. That’s the beauty of a blowout.

Salon Rouge: Blown Away By My Blowout
So when Salon Rouge invited me to get my hair did over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, you know I immediately RSVP’d with a resounding “YES!!!!”

While Salon Rouge isn’t exactly in my neighborhood (it’s located in Cherry Hill, NJ), I had such a wonderful experience that I would gladly cross state lines and pay the $3 bridge toll again for such sleek and chic hair.

First, hairstylist Heather shampooed me using Bumble and bumble Tonic Shampoo, which has Tea Tree Oil and Peppermint extracts to soothe my itchy/dry scalp, balance oil, stimulate circulation. I loved the tingle! Then she shampooed again with Bumble and bumble Alojoba Shampoo – a lightweight, moisture-rich smoothie that combines Aloe Vera Gel, Jojoba Seed Oil, Cucumber and Chamomile for soft, shiny hair. She followed up the shampoo with the Alojoba Conditioner, which also smoothes and softens.
Salon Rouge: Blown Away By My Blowout

Once the conditioner was rinsed out, Heather sprayed Bumble and bumble Tonic Lotion at the roots and all over to detangle and prepare my hair for styling; this leave-in conditioner is a must-have for those with dry, coarse, porous or colored hair. While my hair was still damp, Heather squeezed a couple drops of Bumble and bumble Defrizz into her hands and distributed throughout my hands. She explained that Defrizz is the perfect prep product before a blowout because it protects against frizz, acts as a barrier to humidity and leaves hair silky and flyaway-free – but she warns not to get overzealous because a little goes a long way.

spoiled+pretty+blowout+at+salon+rouge Salon Rouge: Blown Away By My Blowout

Then Heather gave me a blowout that blew me away. It took almost no time at all, and she has a very gentle technique. My bangs were almost past my nose, so I asked her to shorten and thicken them up – and she trimmed them to perfection. Seriously, I can’t remember the last time I was so happy with my bangs. Finally, she sprayed my hair with Bb.Shine before flat ironing to protect and add a polished finish.

If you’re in the Greater Philadelphia/South Jersey area, I highly recommend you pay Salon Rouge a visit…and tell Heather that Spoiled Pretty says “hi.”

Salon Rouge
Cross County Plaza
2110 East Route 70
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
856.424.3611

Follow Salon Rouge on Twitter!

My New Glasses: Kate Spade Liesel Frames

Posted on April 5, 2010 by daneen in Eyeglasses, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Phocus | Leave a comment
My New Glasses: Kate Spade Liesel Frames

After a million years of wearing cheap eyeglasses (you know…that 2 pair for $99 deal you get with an eye exam?), I decided to invest some more pesos in my peepers. A few weeks ago, I visited Eyeglasses Etc. in Flourtown, PA – where the Spoiled Pretty family are regulars. My mom brought me along to pick up a new pair of prescription sunglasses, and looking at their selection of fab frames made my discount frames seem, well, bargain basement. So I asked Harriet, the owner, to pick out some styles to flatter my face (she’s like an expert eyeglass matchmaker).

My New Glasses: Kate Spade Liesel FramesAll of her choices were right-on, but this pair of Kate Spade Liesel frames are my perfect match; I’m one of those people who believes that leopard print makes everything better.

I am so pleased with my choice, and the price (my insurance covered a good chunk of the bill). If you’re in the Philadelphia area and are visually challenged, I encourage you to pop by Eyeglasses Etc. and tell them Spoiled Pretty sent you.

HopeCuts: Haircuts For A Cure

Posted on October 29, 2009 by daneen in Charity, Event, Haircut, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Phocus | Leave a comment

Hope+Cuts+Color HopeCuts: Haircuts For A CureOn Sunday, November 8, 2009, stylists at over 25 Greater Philadelphia salons will open their doors from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. to offer their premiere services at drastically reduced rates.

Proceeds will benefit breast cancer, pediatric cancer and HIV/AIDS research at City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute. Not only will the salons offer great prices on haircuts, but other services such as manicures and make up applications will be available at special HopeCuts rates.

HopeCuts began in 1993 when one salon in Philadelphia decided to open for business on a Sunday afternoon and donate their profits for the day to City of Hope. Today, HopeCuts events are held in salons in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and beyond.

Participating HopeCuts Salon in the Philadelphia Region:

Affinity Hair Salon, Philadelphia (215-467-9908)
Art + Science Salon and Spa, Philadelphia (215-482-2242)
Blessings Beauty Salon, Inc., Philadelphia (215-474-0499)
Bounce and Behaving Hair Studio, Philadelphia (215-472-5060)
Bubbles Salon, Philadelphia (215-568-2787)
Chroma Hair Gallery, Philadelphia (215-627-6337)
D. Tails and D. Sign, Philadelphia (215-735-2950)
Deluxe Hair Salon, Philadelphia (215-732-3602)
Diana’s Hair Gallery, Philadelphia (215-224-9100)
Eight Buck Cuts, Philadelphia (267-566-7267)
Elegant Salon, Philadelphia (215-533-6833)
Filomena’s Hair Studio, Eagleville (610-631-5774)
Hairstrands, Inc., Philadelphia (215-879-8339)
International Hair Textures, Philadelphia (215-745-2075)
LA Hair Design, Philadelphia (215-551-7710)
Lakshmi Hair Studio, Philadelphia (215-923-2272)
Liquid Hair Salon, Philadelphia (215-564-6410)
Luna Salon, Philadelphia (215-546-5862)
Meek Salon, Inc., Philadelphia (215-339-1950)
Michele Ann Beauty Salon, Philadelphia (215-335-4680)
Noelsy Art in Beauty, Bala Cynwyd (610-667-8777)
Phoenix Salon & Spa, Philadelphia (267-514-8000)
Pierre & Carlo, Glen Mills (610-558-4911)
Ramona’s Touch of Essence Hair Design Salon, Philadelphia (215-473-8850)
Salon Hairsay, Philadelphia (215-676-6506)
Salon Lepink Champu, Philadelphia (215-482-7465)
Salon Vendi Amo, Secane (610-623-0500)
Salon Xqlusives, Philadelphia (215-769-0200)

MAC Studio Talk Master Makeup Class Recap!

Posted on October 19, 2009 by daneen in Event, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Phocus, Spoiled Pretty family | Leave a comment

MAC Studio Talk Master Makeup Class Recap!On Saturday, I attended the master makeup class I told y’all about. Mama Spoiled Pretty and I headed to Bloomingdale’s at the Willow Grove Mall to participate in Studio Talk, “the easiest, most intuitive and entertaining way to discover key makeup applications used by MAC artists.”

In this particular session, instructors Jesse (who has made up the fierce faces of Estelle and the Christina Aguilera as previous clients) and Jocelyn (who led my last Studio Talk class) taught us how to recreate this season’s hottest makeup trends. Jesse demonstrated an ‘on-trend eye’ look, with blue smoky shadow and a pale lip – while Jocelyn demonstrated an ‘on-trend lip’ look – complete with a geometric bronze eye and red glossy lip. Mama Spoiled Pretty and I opted for the latter, and we had fantastic results – if I do say so myself.

Here’s how it’s done:

1) Mist the face with Fix+, an aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi.
2) Apply moisturizer using 190 Foundation Brush.
3) Using the 190 Foundation Brush, apply Prep + Prime Skin to entire face; this product acts like double stick tape for your face, so foundation lasts longer than a hot minute.
4) Using a synthetic eye shadow brush like the 242 Shader Brush, apply Paint Pot in Painterly to the eye – from lashline to brow bone. Paint Pots are an excellent shadow, but also do double duty by preventing creasing and acting as a lid primer to prevent shadow slippage.
5) Apply brown eye shadow to lid, from lash line to crease, with the same brush from step 4; I used Mulch Eye Shadow (red-brown w/bronze pearl), which I later purchased. It’s that gorgeous.
6) Using the 219 Pencil Brush (another product I purchased post class), apply gold eye shadow to the lash line, starting at the inner corner and working your way half-way along the top and bottom lash line.
7) Line the eye – in short straight strokes – with Technakohl Liner in Graphblack (rich graphic black) along the entire top lash line.
8) Starting at the middle of the bottom lash line, line with Graphblack – and line outward.
9) Using the short stroke method, create a sideways V on the outer corner of the eye; so start at the outer corner, draw a few short strokes, horizontally – then continue the strokes upward and inward towards the crease of the eye.
10) Take the 219 Pencil Brush and blend the liner you applied in steps 7-9 and smudge them, softening the line.

11) Next, take a darker brown shadow (I used Embark Eye Shadow – an intense reddish brown) and, using the 219 Pencil Brush, apply in a sideways V to the outer corner of the eye – on top of where you created the sideways V with the Technakohl Liner.
12) Blend the entire eye using the 224 Tapered Blending Brush and circular motions – to avoid any harsh lines.
13) To create more depth, Jesse suggested I also apply a black shadow in the same manner as step 11 (I used Carbon – intense matte black). He was absolutely right, as it amped up the smokiness. Afterwards, use the 224 Tapered Blending Brush to blend again.
14) Next, apply foundation to the entire face, using the 190 Foundation Brush from steps 2 and 3. Make sure not to disturb your kick ass eye shadow.
15) Using the same brush, apply concealer directly underneath the eyes.
16) If your face is looking a little dry by this point (mine did), mist your face again with Fix+.
17) Using the 208 Angled Brow Brush, apply a shadow that is slightly darker than your brows to define them thicken them up. Mistakes are easily corrected with a Q-Tip.
18) Using the 129 Powder/Blush Brush, apply Mineralize SkinFinish in Cheeky Bronze (soft golden coral w/ bronze pearl) to cheekbones for a subtle glow that illuminates bone structure when it catches the light; it looks so amazing, I ended up buying this product. Jesse also recommended that you say “Bladow!” when applying it; saying this won’t make it look any better, but it’s hilariously fun.
19) Using the same brush, apply a light dusting of blush (I used Sincere Powder Blush, a muted beige/coral) to the apples of cheeks and blend outwards.
20) Line lips with Spice Lip Pencil (pink cinnamon stick) and fill them almost all the way in; leave the center of the bottom lip bare.
21) Using the 316 Lip Brush, apply Viva Glam VI Lipstick (terracotta-plum with pearl) to both lips.
22) Using the same brush, apply Viva Glam I Lipstick (intense brownish blue-red) to the center of lips – both top and bottom.
23) Using the 316 Lip Brush again, apply Dazzleglass in Love Alert (raspberry red with red pearl) to entire mouth.
24) Finish off the look by applying Prep + Prime Lash to lashes; and while it’s still wet, top lashes off with two coats of Zoom Lash Mascara in Zoomblack (rich black).

I’d like to give a shout out to Spoiled Pretty readers/Twitter followers who I had the pleasure of meeting at the event: Felicia, Stephanie, Jackie, Sandy and Libby. You ladies looked ab fab after the class, and I hope you all had a fabulously fun time like me and Mama Spoiled Pretty!

MAC Studio Talk Master Makeup Class Recap!
Jesse and model

MAC Studio Talk Master Makeup Class Recap!
Jocelyn and model

MAC Studio Talk Master Makeup Class Recap!
Libby and Mama Spoiled Pretty

MAC Studio Talk Master Makeup Class Recap!
The finished product (I almost forgot to take an ‘after’ photo, so I snapped a few in the car)

MAC Studio Talk Master Makeup Class Recap!
Better view of the eyes

MAC Studio Talk Master Makeup Class Recap!
Another shot of the eyes – Bladow!

MAC Master Makeup Class on October 17 Is Filling Up!

Posted on October 8, 2009 by daneen in Event, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Phocus | Leave a comment

LOGO MAC Master Makeup Class on October 17 Is Filling Up!Earlier this week, I told you about the MAC Master Makeup Class scheduled for October 17th in suburban Philadelphia. Well, it looks like I’m not the only one super psyched to attend…because many of you have called in to reserve your spots.

If you’re interested, but still haven’t made up your mind – act fast, because spots are filling up. There are just a few seats left in the 4pm session (I’ll be there). The 11am class has a bit more room.

Click here for the deets and contact info.

See you there?

Attention Philly Gals: MAC Master Makeup Class on October 17!

Posted on October 4, 2009 by daneen in Event, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Phocus | Leave a comment

Attention Philly Gals: MAC Master Makeup Class on October 17!On Saturday, October 17th, MAC Bloomingdale’s at the Willow Grove Mall is having a special Studio Talk Seminar. MAC makeup artists will be teaching participants how to achieve four hot trends for fall.

It’s a intermediate to advanced level Makeup Master Class and will be held at Bloomingdale’s in a private location, where there will be refreshments. There will be MAC makeup and tools supplied for you to use, and there will be new tips and techniques for you to learn in a fun and creative atmosphere.

mac+master+class+work+station Attention Philly Gals: MAC Master Makeup Class on October 17!

I had the opportunity to attend one of these seminars in April, and it was the most fun I’ve ever had putting on makeup. I learned some amazing techniques that I now employ almost daily. Plus, I left the seminar looking like a million bucks.

Classes will be held at 11am & 4pm, and it is a $55 pre-pay in the form of a gift card – which you use afterward the seminar, toward the purchase of products (so the class is basically free).

I will be attending the 4pm seminar, so maybe I’ll see you there?

If you are interested in attending, call my girls at the MAC counter to reserve your seat. And be sure to tell them that Spoiled Pretty sent you.

Bloomingdale’s Willow Grove
2400 W. Moreland Road
Willow Grove, PA 19090
215.706.3569

Rescue Rittenhouse Spa: I Wanna Be Sedated

Posted on August 6, 2009 by daneen in Exfoliation, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Phocus | Leave a comment
rescue+rittenhouse+spa Rescue Rittenhouse Spa: I Wanna Be Sedated

Lately, it seems like I’ve been around the world and I I I, I can’t find my sanity. So I decided to visit Philadelphia’s famed Rescue Rittenhouse Spa for some R&R wrapped up in a little TLC. Rescue Rittenhouse has some amazing summer treatment specials* going on right now, so I opted for the Massage plus Sugar Scrub.

Since it was a two-fer, I assumed it was going to be a rushed rubdown with a smidgen of a scrub- a-dub tacked on to the end. Quite the contrary…it was a marathon massage session so relaxing that, at one point, I had to catch myself from drooling. Seriously, Massage Therapist Alycja will put you in a comatose state.

Everything about her technique was just perfect – from the pacing to the amount of pressure to the amount of massage oil to the temperature of the hot towels…it was Goldilocks’ dream come true. And I swear that when I closed my eyes, Alycja sprouted more fingers, because it was like her hands were everywhere at once.

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy the sugar scrub as much as I did because exfoliation isn’t usually a relaxing experience. But as she rubbed the grapefruit/lemongrass/peppermint-scented scrub over my body, I slipped into a deeper level of sedation. The sugar crystals sloughed away months of dead skin and I emerged from the treatment with a brand new epidermis. I can’t stop touching my skin because I can’t believe it’s mine. No exaggerating…it hasn’t been this soft and smooth since 1978.

*Rescue Rittenhouse Spa’s summer beauty specials ($100) are good through 8/31 and include:

1. Buff and Bronze and Designer Eyebrow Shaping
2. Massage and Salt or Sugar Scrub
3. Brazilian Bikini Wax and a Perfect 10 Manicure and Pedicure
4. Classic Rescue Facial and Designer Eyebrow Shaping

Visit rescuerittenhousespa.com for other spa services.

Rescue Rittenhouse Spa
255 South 17th Street
Second Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Spa Concierge: 215.772.2766



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