Exclusive Interview: Darais, Lancôme National Celebrity Artist

We at BrainyBeautys love the Halloween season- because we love beauty tricks and treats of course! (badum-bum!) And boy, do we have a slew of both to get your week off to a most glamorous start: Darais, Lancôme National Celebrity Artist, was gracious enough to answer some of our most pressing beauty questions.

Read on and take note on why Lancôme Artliner 24H is every woman’s new beauty bag essential, plus Darais’ top fall trends, biggest beauty pet peeves, fantastic beauty advice and more… Sweeter than candy and way better for you too!

BrainyBeautys: Why is Lancôme Artliner 24H a beauty bag essential?
DARAIS: Artliner 24H is a beauty bag essential because it's a no brainer! It can be used with or without eye shadow.  It won’t smudge or smear after a long day at work, while on a night out on the town, or even while you are at the gym.  It instantly gives you the eye definition everyone tries to achieve over and over again. It's so simple!

BrainyBeautys: What is one fall beauty trend you're most excited about and how do you incorporate Artliner 24H into it?
DARAIS: At fashion week it was a battle between graphic eyeliner and a smoky eye for fall. Graphic eyeliner won hands down with the launch of Artliner 24H. Its effortless application and vinyl edgy finish create a graphic eye that has created an exciting new trend on its own.  And not to mention all those smoky eye wearers are applying graphic liner on top of their smoky eye now to keep up!

BrainyBeautys: Who is one celeb that you feel always gets it right in the beauty department?
DARAIS: One of my favorite celebs I have had a pleasure to makeover a few times, and someone that I feel always gets it right, is Ashley Greene. She dares to go bold but in a way that is classic and effortless chic. Her skin is radiant even without makeup on. She always has the right amount of pop to her gorgeous eyes, and a lip that never overrides the rest of her look.

BrainyBeautys: What's your biggest beauty pet peeve?
DARAIS: My biggest beauty pet peeve is when someone has on the wrong foundation. Color is key and so is your undertone. It's sad when I can only see the wrong foundation and color jump to the neck or body.  It distracts from the true color of a woman's eyes and from how beautiful she truly is. Don't let your skin distract from your focus features.

BrainyBeautys: What is your "Brainy-est" beauty advice/tip/trick?
DARAIS: My brainy-est advice I give to thousands of women is based on your day, your career, your lifestyle. Decide in the morning if you are more of a speaker or a listener. If you speak a lot go more intense lips. It brings people's attention to what you have to say. If you listen, show it with your eyes done up. People won't be distracted away when they are focused in on your eyes. If you play up both it can be distracting and appear as overdone makeup... Especially to us guys!

We absolutely love DARAIS’ last answer so much- it is such a simple yet amazing tip that reminds us all that everyone can incorporate a make up look that stays true to their aesthetic and personality. And a few strokes of Lancôme Artliner 24H also helps! 

Lancôme’s NEW Artliner24H Precision Point Eyeliner is an ultra-long wear, laser-precise liquid liner available in 10 sophisticated cult colors defining eyes with a dramatic vinyl finish. The felt-tip applicator ensures the liner glides on flawlessly without tugging or skipping and delivers serious color. $30.

A Whitening Wonder!

Those who know me, know that I am kind of obsessed with my teeth. I would go to the dentist daily if I could (alas! if only!), I brush twice a day and floss every night (every night!) and I try to whiten at least twice a year to keep them lookin' snazzy.

Yes, you could say I'm a bit of a freak.

But I maintain my chompers because I've gone through some tough times with them. A childhood bicycle accident left me forever looking like Lloyd Christmas when god forbid my bonding comes off (which did happen at a co-ed 8th grade pool party. SO great for a 13 year old ego), and a backwards molar resulted in a few high school years as a brace face (as if I wasn't dorky enough!).

 Now I love me some Whitestrips, but the fact that they adhere SO firmly makes me nervous for an 8th grade pool party moment 2.0. Plus, they make my teeth super sensitive.

Enter the Super Booster Whitening Pen. It gives the best of both worlds without the worry, sensitivity and then some!

This revolutionary product comes in a portable, easy-to-use pen and contains a powerful whitening agent that dissolves difficult-to-remove stains without damaging tooth enamel.

 It is incredibly easy and efficient to use too! You just:
1) Dry off teeth
2) Twist the bottom to dispense product on to the brush (sort of like a lip gloss)
3) Paint a thin coat onto desired teeth
4) Smile wide for 60 seconds (to allow product to adhere)
5) Ta-dah! Done!

It's recommended to rinse off after a few hours, but I found that drinking water was enough to suffice.

More awesome aspects: It doesn't leave teeth sensitive with repeated use like other whitening products, there's no funky tasting goo left over on teeth afterwards (gross!) and you can pretty much whiten anywhere since it's so quick and easy!

La-la-la-loooooooovvvve this product! I definitely noticed a brighter and whiter smile after my two week stint. And um, I might still use it a few times a week for maintenance. What?! I can't help it!

Check out how white my pearly whites are now too:

Extreme close-up whoaaaaahhh!!

Super Booster Whitening Pen retails for $79. Visit whiteninglightning.com to purchase and to check out Whitening Lightning's complete selection of whitening products.

Crazy for Krigler

One of the many fantastic perks of being a beauty blogger is that sometimes you get to try out awesomely lush and pricey cosmetics. 

And one of the many brutal aspects of being a beauty blogger is that sometimes you get to try out awesomely lush and pricey cosmetics!

Which explains why I am now hopelessly addicted to Krigler's legendary perfumes that retail for $175 for 1.7oz., and $255 for 3.4oz. I MEAN COME ON! 

The joke is totally on me, because I always proclaim what a scent snob I am and how it's a futile search for a new personal scent because nothing meets my standards. Well, apparently my standards can in fact be met. For $175!

And the situation grows worse- I don't just love one of the three scents I was given to test out. I love them all. Even the patchouli one! Especially the patchouli one! And I normally loathe patchouli! What wicked scent sorcery is this?! 

Lovely Patchouli 55, Subtle Orchid 10 and Lieber Gustav 14 are all uniquely incredible and definitely demonstrate the Krigler ethos "to complement, not overpower the wearer." Each is meticulously crafted to evoke a dynamic spirit and story. For example, Lieber Gustav 14 conjures the wild and lavish world of 1910's Berlin, and a love letter between a young woman and her fiance. 

With more than 15 other perfume options to choose from, it's worth it to select a few samples (Priced $15 and under each) to figure out what chords strike your olfactory fancy. 

But if you end up like me, wild about every one but unable to justify the steep price tag of a full bottle... Well, don't say I didn't warn you!

Krigler perfumes, candles, soaps and skin and body care products can be found at their New York City boutique in The Shops at the Plaza, 1 West 58th Street, and online at krigler.com

Powerful Winter Lotion Potion

Jergens New Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer is fling-flanging fantastic!

You know, dear readers, how picky I am when it comes to lotions— searching, searching, searching for that great smelling, affordable, hydrating holy grail— and Jergens New Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer is QUITE the contender!

It goes on smoothly, absorbs quickly with no sort of greasy feeling and my skin felt soft and hydrated all day. Furthermore, since I started using it, I have seen a noticeable improvement in my usually dry, flaky winter skin. Yes indeed, my "Black Winter Tights Test" results were much improved since I began daily use. 

Beyond its sensational skin softening abilities, my favorite aspect is its wonderfully fresh scent. It’s not too flowery or too citrus-y … just clean and fresh, and lingers on the skin without being overpowering. 

Also, get this— after all my raving about it to my husband, he tried it too and even noticed a difference! Jergens will definitely be our new daily lotion stand-by. Consider us converted!

The Jergens New Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer described above was provided to this author free of charge. The product can be found at drugstores nationwide. 

Feeling Frieda

For too many years to count I have sadly been involved in BHB- Bad Hair Behavior. 

That's right. I straightened. I colored. I curled. I even crimped. Not to mention using the blow dryer on high in order to speed up the primping process. And I did all this without any sort of hair protector. The damage is currently evident in my split ends and daily frizz. Even with a great hair cut, if I don't change my ways, this damaging cycle will continue. Which is why I am so excited to have found the John Frieda Frizz-Ease Original Formula Hair Serum. 

Frizz-Ease is beloved across the beauty industry board and was even voted Allure Magazine's 2011 Reader's Choice Award. The accolades are well deserved. Dispensing one pump of this fine concoction throughout the lower ends of my battered soaking wet tresses truly brought it back to life. My hair felt soft, looked shiny and those wretched split ends weren't so noticeable. I can only imagine the wonders it shall do once I get a necessary upcoming trim!