Braids and Carrie & Co. are Back!

Are you as excited as I am for the Sex and the City 2 movie ? I'm lucky enough to be sneaking a peek at a screening tonight, and even luckier, because last night I got the chance to attend the amazing Patricia Field's House of Field Eyewear, Swimwear and Beach Towels collection on the beautiful rooftop at 230 Fifth Avenue. The weather and tree-adorned setting were perfect for the funky bash, which was also Sex and the City themed! Naturally, I had to head backstage to check out the futuristic fishtail braids super stylist Rodney Cutler for Cutler/Redken was cooking up.

“The high fishtail braid is a fun evening looking and very wearable," says the pro. "We've seen so many buns up top and this is just taking it one step further."

Here's how you can rock the look:
*Prep hair with Redken align 12 protective straightening lotion and blow-dry with a medium brush.
*Next, gather into a high ponytail on the very top of the head, about three inches from the hair line and secure with an elastic.
*Wrap a small piece of hair around the elastic; secure with a bobby pin.
*Weave a fish-tail braid***down to the end of the hair; pin in upon itself right at the hairline.
*The look was finished with Redken vinyl glam 02 mega shine spray and Redken forceful 23 super strength finishing spray for extra strong hold.

***Create the perfect fishtail:

1) Split the hair to be braided into two equal sections

2) Pull a small strand of hair from the left section and add it to the right section

3) Then, pull a small strand of hair from the right section and add it to the left

4) That will create a small X

5) Repeat until all the hair is used

6) Secure with a clear plastic band

Photos: Charles Sykes for Redken
**Crystal Fenton

Best in Brows

I recently had the pleasure of meeting eyebrow and makeup expert Ramy, who I've been curious about for ages. Not only did the brow guru do an amazing job on my over-threaded arches, he was kind enough to share some of his must-have picks from his Ramy Beauty Therapy collection (see my blackberry-snapped pic above).

*Elixir Skin Conditioning Primer: It reduces redness, dryness and puffiness for smooth, super-soft skin.
*Perfect Brow Wand: The double-duty gel pen perfects your brows by pairing a brow filler on one end, with a highlighter on the opposite.
*Alive! Blush: This long-wearing blush brings your skin to life and can even be worn as a shadow.


Best of all, you can score FREE eyebrow shaping ($30 value) during the Ramy Eyebrow Bar Eyebrow Intervention Day on June 17th!!! If you're in the New York City area or plan to be that day, head to one of three Duane Reade LOOK boutiques to get your brows sculpted by a pro! Available locations include: Eighth Avenue, Between 16th & 17th Streets, 212-929-0650; 1350 Broadway at 35th Street, 212-695-6346; 51 West 51st Street at 6th Avenue, 212-582-8525.

**Crystal Fenton

Ali's Bachelorette Makeover!

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that I am a Reality TV addict...and I'm super excited for the new season of The Bachelorette with Ali Fedotowsky airing tonight on ABC. While perusing the internet this morning, I noticed Ali's hair looking incredible, so I headed straight to the source--the Gavert Atelier Salon--to get the scoop.

According the lovely folks over at the salon, Ali visited them not once, but twice (!), this past week! First, she headed over on Wednesday to receive a color treatment by Stuart Gavert along with a dry cut and style by Mika Fowler. Turns out, she was so pleased with her treatments, she opted to come back on Saturday to have Great Lengths extensions put in...she looks fabulous!

You can find the Gavert Atelier Salon in Beverly Hills, CA. Check out their website at gavertatelier.com or follow them on twitter @gavertatelier

**Crystal Fenton

Photos by Paul Andrew Dunker

Sweet Cream

Like a lot of people, I’m a sucker for good packaging, so it’s no surprise that Urban Rituelle’s Ginger Apple Butter Cream caught my eye; it comes in a pretty, ultra-girlie flowered box, complete with a ribbon handle. And in this case, you can totally judge a book by its cover—the butter cream inside is amazing too!

A mix of shea butter, jojoba and macadamia and avocado oils, it’s incredibly rich and moisturizing. But the best part is the scent—delicious green apple mixed with spicy ginger and sweet lily blossoms. It’s light, fresh and perfect for warm, sunny days!

Urban Rituelle Butter Cream retails for $20. To find out more, visit urbanrituelle.com.

-- Mackenzie Walton

Have a Skin-Safe Summer!

It may be raining in New York City this week, but summer’s still on the way! Prepare for tons of fun in the sun with the Grab-N-Go Skincare Kit from Smart Girls Who Surf.

Housed in an adorable, natural jute bag, the kit has everything you’ll need to keep your delicate skin and hair healthy: a 2-oz. bottle of Natural SPF 30+ sunscreen, a 2-oz. After Sun Soothing Lotion, a 2-oz. Care for Hair SPH 7 Sun Protector Leave-in Conditioner, two bars of natural glycerin Soap for Surfers (great for non-surfers too!), one SPF 15 sunscreen lip balm and a comb.

The water-resistant, travel-sized products are totally natural and chemical-free, so they’re a great eco-friendly choice. Even the bag is biodegradable! Plus, even though the kit is obviously beach-friendly, the products are must-haves anywhere, all year long. Pick one up for $24 at smartgirlswhosurf.com.

--Mackenzie Walton

Why Didn't I Think of That? Product Pick

How many times have you run across some amazing find that had you scratching your head, wondering why hadn't anyone thought of this before? This happens to me on a regular basis, and since I'm a sucker for both packaging and multi-tasking products, I knew I had to try the Shave Mate Diva 6 All-In-One immediately! This ingenious razor has SIX blades to ensure an even, smooth shave but best of all, it's already got shaving cream stored within the handle! This brilliant idea is perfect...and made my gym bag a little bit lighter! There's also a version for the guys in your life, the Titan(R). Visit shavemate.com to find out more.

**Crystal Fenton

Donate Hair, Help the Environment

As anyone with an oily scalp knows, hair is frustratingly good at trapping in the excess gunk. But right now, this is a major benefit to the environment

Woven into mats or stuffed into recycled nylons to create booms, donations of hair and fur clippings are being used to soak up excess oil from the recent Gulf Oil Spill. This method of cleaning up oil is safe, eco-friendly and startlingly effective. The video below shows a hair mat in action -- who knew something swept off the salon floor could be so helpful?



For more information on how to donate, visit matteroftrust.org. Let your salons and groomers know!

-- Mackenzie Walton