Beautylish beauty director, Ning Chao reveals her favorite product of the moment

Last night at the Beautylish 2011 spring trend preview event in New York City, I caught up with beauty director Ning Chao (left) to dish about the hottest beauty trends of the season -- the pastel smoky eye, bright lips and slicked back hair. Unfortunately, most of our interview got cut off, but I did manage to capture one awesome tidbit -- her favorite beauty product of the moment!

Want to know what it is? Check out the video below:

In keeping with the bright lip trend, her favorite product of the moment is Dolce & Gabbana Ultra Shine Lipgloss in #136 Secret, a gorgeous bright orange shade. The color looks super intense in the tube, but actually comes out really wearable, Chao said. I can attest that the color looked fabulous on her!

I'm officially inspired to ditch my neutral lipstick and experiment with some fun, bright lip shades this spring. If you plan on wearing bright lips this season, just remember that the key to pulling off this look is to keep the rest of your makeup neutral.

Have you ever tried Dolce & Gabbana lipgloss? What do you think about this shade? Will you be rocking bright lips this spring?

New York Fashion Week Fall 2011: Wine-stained lips and 70s glam rules the runways

New York Fashion Week is in full swing with designers showing their Fall 2011 collections and providing us beauty junkies with some hard core inspiration. At the Porter Grey presentation on Thursday, models wore wine stained lips and wavy hair with a deep side part.

Meanwhile, over at the Farah Angsana show on Friday the look was all about 70s glamour, featuring smoky eyes, red lips, beehive updos and sleek bobs. I guess it's time to re-think the old rule that a statement eye and lip shouldn't be worn together.

Photos courtesy: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

What do think of these two looks? I'm inspired to duplicate the Porter Grey look right now! And the ultra glam look Farah Angsana would be perfect for a special Valentines Day date.

Nail of the Day: Essie Sexy Divide

Today's nail of the day is Essie's Sexy Divide, a rich amethyst hue with a hint of shimmer. I wore this polish on New Year's Eve and it added the perfect, fun pop of color to my look. I almost didn't get the chance to wear this polish, though . . .

See, on the afternoon of New Year's Eve the nail salon in my neighborhood was so, so packed! After seeing approximately every single woman in New York City crowded into the salon, I walked out discouraged, nails un-done, and cursing myself for waiting until the last minute.

Even worse, I stopped by the beauty supply store (figuring I'd just buy a purple polish and do my own mani) but it looked like a tornado had passed through the polish section, leaving only the ugliest shades behind. 

As a last ditch effort, I called a different nail salon nearby and -- miraculously -- they were able to squeeze me in! Fortunately, the nail salon carried this pretty purple color, and the look I was envisioning finally came together. Crisis averted.

A champagne toast

Dancing the night away.

Do you ever wear purple nail polish? What do you think of this color? Was it worth the stress I went through?

Trend to try now: Burgundy lipstick

Burgundy lip colors have been spotted all over the runways and on stylish celebrities such as Lauren Conrad, Charleze Theron and Mischa Barton. Burgundy is a great alternative to a traditional red lip and will give you a unique, French-fashionista-meets-grunge-rocker look. When paired with neutral eyes and cheeks, a burgundy lip looks effortlessly chic and sophisticated.

When rocking a burgundy lip:

• Keep the rest of you makeup minimal and let your lips be the star of the show! If you wear a bold lip with bright blush and eyeshadow, you may end up looking clownish. 
• Apply your lipstick before you put on eye makeup and blush. That way you'll be able to build your makeup look around the lipstick and you won't accidentally overdo it with blush and eyeshadow.

For Christmas I was lucky enough to receive Ben Nye lipstick in "Passion Flower," a deep reddish brown hue with a gold sheen. I typically wear lighter lip colors but I find this shade very flattering.

Here are some other great burgundy hues:

1. Nars lipstick in "Viridiana" - $24
2. L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick in "Pure Burgundy" - $5

3. Shiseido perfect rouge tender sheer lipstick in "RS628 Natural Wine" - $25

What do you think of these burgundy shades? Do you ever wear daring lip colors like these?

Nail of the day - OPI The Color to Watch

Hey, beauties! I hope everyone is having a great holiday season and got lots of presents! I got a ton of beauty loot that I'll be blogging about over the next couple weeks. 

This gorgeous iridescent dark lavender nail polish called "The Color to Watch" was gifted to me by my brother's incredibly stylish girlfriend Erin. It comes from OPI's Fall 2010 Swiss collection along with another polish that was recently featured here on Prettied Up called "Lucerne-Tainly Look Marvelous." Check it out (please don't mind my short nails and shoddy painting job).

Although I usually associate lavender tones with summer and springtime, this color comes out kind of dark with three or four coats so it's perfect for any season. Every time I look down at my nails this pretty purple just makes me happy! 

Do you love this color as much as I do?

Five festive New Year's Eve makeup looks

Whether you're going to a casual house party or out to a fancy restaurant, here are five great makeup looks that will help you ring in the New Year gorgeously!

What are you doing for New Year's Eve? Will you try out any of these makeup looks? Which one is your favorite? I am going to try the Boho Chic look!

Beauty inspiration: braided hairstyles

With the holidays coming up, most of us will be going to parties to catch up with friends and family. This holiday season, consider trying a cute braided hairstyle! There are so many different braided styles out there. Some can add a cool, bohemian feeling to your look, while others are totally sophisticated. Check out the photos below for some inspiration.

Braided updos:

Come with me into Wonderland

I'm feeling like a rock star after getting a much needed haircut tonight! I'll show you my new 'do soon (it's not much different; just all cleaned up) but for now, I wanted to share some photos I snapped of the awesome hair salon I go to called Michael Angelo's Wonderland Beauty Parlor. It's located in New York City's West Village at 418 w. 13th st. If you're in need of a salon in NYC, I highly recommend Wonderland. I get my hair cut by Annastasia, and have always walked out of the salon feeling like a million bucks. 

Enjoy the photos!

How fabulous is this sign?

 An gorgeous chandelier hangs over the front desk. Also, check out the lollipops!

 I would kill for one of these in my bedroom. 

 The lobby of Wonderland Beauty Parlor. There are a million cool things to see.

 A random green rollerskate, for example. 

An etched hand mirror.

 Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

 Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

 A stuffed cheetah guards the front door.

 The guardcat

 I want this sculpture!

The bathroom ceiling 

Label.m dry shampoo. Everyone at the salon was raving about it!

The Lipstick Portraits, a series of photos by Wonderland owner, Michael Angelo to raise awareness and support for the Somaly Mam Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on fighting sexual slavery. 

The photos feature women such as Susan Sarandon and Dita Von Teese wearing red lipstick in honor of the girls and women who are forced to wear it while being sold as slaves in brothels.

100 percent of the sales of these limited edition prints, catalogues and t-shirts benefit Somaly Mam Foundation. For more information visit The Lipstick Portraits Facebook page.  

Have a great night, pretties! 

Spotted: beauty inspiration in the NYC subway

Beauty inspiration can strike anywhere, at any time. Today I spotted the most amazing, vibrant makeup looks in the oddest of places -- amidst the dirty tile walls and concrete floors of the New York City subway. Take a look: 

I got so excited when I saw these stunning Maybelline ads, which lit up the otherwise drab subway station with life and color. The last one is my absolute favorite. With Halloween coming up, it would be a perfect makeup look for anyone dressing up in a "Candyland" or fairy costume. 

After seeing these ads, I'm ready to make a beeline for the drugstore to check out the Maybelline section! 

Michelle Williams transforms into Marilyn Monroe for new role

With her trademark red lips and blonde hair, Marilyn Monroe is the epitome of beauty and glamour. Years ago, I collected photos of her and hung them up all over my walls. These days, I still have a few framed Marilyn photos on display in my apartment. For me, just looking at photos of her leads to serious beauty inspiration. Quite simply, she is my favorite beauty icon of all time.

That's why I'm so excited for the upcoming film, My Week with Marilyn, starring Michelle Williams. According to People.com, Williams, 30, is portraying the infamous blonde "during a week she spent in England when she escaped from Hollywood hangers-on and the pressures of her career." The movie is set to come out in 2012.

In promos for the movie, Williams has been completely transformed into Monroe. 

Photo by Lorenzo Angius
Photo courtesy People.com

The actress has been rocking the look off-screen as well. At the the BFI London Film Festival premiere of her new movie Blue Valentine, Williams was spotted with her new platinum blonde hair. (P.S. I love her dress in the photo below).

Photo courtesy People.com

So many people have tried the Marilyn look over the years. What do you think of Williams' transformation?

Vintage beauty inspiration

Happy Friday! In honor of the weekend I have a special source of beauty inspiration to share...

Here's a photo of my maternal grandmother Ruth Peterson, wearing a hat she made herself. Growing up, I always looked at photos of my grandmother when she was younger and admired her beauty. Her skin was porcelain and flawless and in this photo it almost looks like she wasn't wearing any makeup at all! Most of all, I love that she had the confidence to wear such statement-making hat!

Anyway, have a great weekend! xoxo

Four festive (and easy) hairstyle ideas for your next tailgate

Football season is upon us and that means many of you will be heading out to root for your favorite teams. When going to the big game or a viewing party, us fashion-minded ladies usually pick out the perfect outfit, but taking a few extra minutes to whip up a cute new hairstyle can really add to your look! To make it a little bit easier for you, I've compiled some of my favorite hairstyles for game day. 

1. Wow the crowd with a half-up style topped off with an adorable ribbon or barrette. This is the most ambitious of all four styles, and could take some work to pull off. To achieve this look, I suggest curling your hair using my curling technique then pulling back the top layers into a half-ponytail. You may or may not want to leave a few pieces down in the front, like the cheerleader in the photo. Finish off the look with some hairspray and a cute ribbon or barrette in your team's colors. 

2. Try the hottest hairstyle of the moment: the side braid. This style has been gaining popularity over the last year and it would be perfect for a game. To prep your hair for this style, part it on the side or down the middle, then work some mousse from the roots to the ends. Gather your hair over one shoulder and braid, then secure it with a thin elastic that is the same color as your hair. It should be noted that this style may not work on those with layered hair, as some of the pieces may fall out. 

3. For a cute and quirky look with tons of personality try a bohemian-style headband. You're sure to be the coolest looking girl at the game with this hippie-inspired style. Tons of stores carry woven or elastic boho headbands in a variety of colors and styles nowadays. Keep in mind that the boho headband generally looks best on those who have long hair and no bangs. The model in the photo is wearing her hair stick straight but boho headbands also look great with loose, bedhead-y waves. 

4. The easiest hairstyle of all is the hat-and-braid combination. If your friends are rushing you out the door to get to the game or you're not sure what to do with your hair, try this foolproof style! Part your hair down the middle and loosely braid each side then secure with a thin elastic that is the same color as your hair. Top it off with your team's hat, and you're all set.  

Are you planning to go to a football game this year? If so, how do you plan to style your hair?