BioElixia helps you banish the dry-skin blues

BioElixia products contain natural ingredients that do the trick.

BioElixia products contain natural ingredients that do the trick.

Summer’s here, and thankfully my arms and legs are toned and tan. Exercise takes care of the toning and, living in LA, it’s easy to get color on my arms.

But a few weeks ago I made a dreadful self-diagnosis: I had severe Casperitis from the thighs down, Casper being the friendly white ghost. And some major dry skin – my calves and ankles were parched.

Some self-tanner was in order and it did the trick. Before I slather that on, I know (from botching the job in the past and ending up with random orange streaks) that it’s key to prime the area before using color.

My secret weapon this season was BioElixia BodyShaper Exfoliating Body Polish and Radiance Body Cleanser.

The polish uses microcrystals and a patented formula to prime the skin. Both products contain natural ingredients such as sweet almond, aloe vera, Vitamin E, fruit acid and Hyadisine.

Both are free of parabens, formaldehydes, sulphates, phthalates, paraffins, and artificial colors and dyes.

For me, it worked best to shave first, use the BioElixia duo and slather on loads of moisturizer. Sure enough, my fake tan was nearly flawless and Casper is back in the closet where he belongs.

The perfect excuse to preen is the wearin’ o’ the green

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, all! Need a little justification to treat yourself to some spring beauty products? Never fear, FNB is here. St. Pat’s comes but once a year and you deserve some brand-new gear. Here are a few ideas to get your green on this weekend.

Shiseido’s Luminizing Satin eye-color trios were inspired by Makeup Artistic Director Dick Page’s global travel. Shown here is Jungle.

Shiseido’s Luminizing Satin eye-color trios were inspired by Makeup Artistic Director Dick Page’s global travel. Shown here is Jungle.

 

Merle Norman’s Soft Touch waterproof eye pencil is smooth and creamy but stays put. You can use it to line or as a full-on shadow. A built-in smudger makes it easy to define and blend. Jaded is a subtle khaki green that you can wear every day, not just on March 17.

Merle Norman’s Soft Touch waterproof eye pencil is smooth and creamy but stays put. You can use it to line or as a full-on shadow. A built-in smudger makes it easy to define and blend. Forest is a classic green. Jaded is a subtle khaki green that you can wear every day, not just on March 17.

 

Malin + Goetz taps natural botanicals to create products for sensitive skin. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the company is holding a gift-box giveaway. Enter for a chance to win on their facebook/twitter pages: http://tinyurl.com/l56xfbq.

Malin + Goetz taps natural botanicals to create products for sensitive skin. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the company is holding a gift-box giveaway. Enter for a chance to win on their facebook/twitter pages: http://tinyurl.com/l56xfbq.

 

Looking for a fresh floral fragrance that’s also polished and sophisticated? Try Carven L’Eau de Toilette. This new and lighter version of Carven Le Parfum recently launched at Saks.

Looking for a fresh floral fragrance that’s also polished and sophisticated? Try Carven L’Eau de Toilette. This new and lighter version of Carven Le Parfum recently launched at Saks.

 

Dolce&Gabbana’s limited edition Emeraldo won’t be around for long. Stock up on this stunning shade while you can. The companion green lipstick, we’re told, flew off the shelves in a matter of hours. Not sure about green lips but, if you want to give it a go, St. Pat’s the ideal time. Experts agree: a bit of gold gloss makes green lipstick much more wearable.

Dolce & Gabbana’s limited edition Emeraldo won’t be around for long. Stock up on this stunning shade while you can. The companion green lipstick, we’re told, flew off the shelves in a matter of hours. Not sure about green lips but, if you want to give it a go, St. Pat’s the ideal time. Experts agree: a bit of gold gloss makes green lipstick much more wearable.

 

If you fancy a sparkly seafoam situation, Mermaid’s Dreams by Deborah Lippmann should do nicely. One snag: Glitter polish takes a long time to remove. A non-sparkle alternative is DL’s pretty pale green called Spring Buds, part of the Spring Reveries Collection 2014. (Limited edition)

If you fancy a sparkly seafoam situation, Mermaid’s Dreams by Deborah Lippmann should do nicely. One snag: Glitter polish takes a long time to remove. A non-sparkle alternative is DL’s pretty pale green called Spring Buds, part of the Spring Reveries Collection 2014. (Limited edition)

 

 Nothing sets off the peaches-and-cream complexion of an Irish lass like a classic red lipstick. Our pick: Scoundrel, new from Tory Burch.


Nothing sets off the peaches-and-cream complexion of an Irish lass like a classic red lipstick. Our pick: Scoundrel, new from Tory Burch.

Film Noir Blonde’s beauty picks for fall 2013

Guerlain's 2013 collection clearly channels film noir. Love the berry-colored lips and nails.

Guerlain’s 2013 collection clearly channels film noir. Love the berry-colored lips and nails.

Try pairing a half-moon manicure in this sumptuous shade with nude polish on the toenails.

Try pairing a half-moon manicure in this sumptuous shade with nude polish on the toenails.

Bond No. 9's latest New York City swoon: Perfumista Avenue.

Bond No. 9’s latest New York City swoon: Perfumista Avenue.

Designer Tory Burch said her mother's vanity table inspired her new fragrance and beauty collection.

Designer Tory Burch said her mother’s vanity table inspired her new fragrance and beauty collection.

Phylia de M, a hair restorer/thickener, is receiving rave reviews.

Phylia de M, a hair restorer/thickener, is receiving rave reviews.

Kate Winslet for Lancome is inspiration for any femme fatale.

Kate Winslet for Lancome is inspiration for any femme fatale.

Add a pop of bright color to emphasize your eyes with Lancome's Art Liner 24H.

Add a pop of bright color to emphasize your eyes with Lancome’s Art Liner 24H.

After a five-year hiatus, Jo Malone is back with Jo Loves. Gift-buying dilemma now over.

After a five-year hiatus, fragrance guru and former florist’s apprentice Jo Malone is back with Jo Loves. Gift-buying dilemma now over.

Dior first introduced Dior #9 in 1953. This classic red was recently relaunched as #999.

Christian Dior first introduced Dior #9 lipstick in 1953. This classic red was recently relaunched as #999.

Dior's New Look photographed for Vogue.

Dior’s New Look photographed by Serge Balkin for Vogue.

Chanel's gorgeous Cast a Spell collection is new this fall.

Chanel’s gorgeous Cast a Spell collection is new this fall.

When Marilyn Monroe was asked what she wore to bed, her answer was Chanel No. 5.

When reporters asked Marilyn Monroe what she wore to bed, her answer was Chanel No. 5.

Looking forward to a spritz of Estée Lauder's Modern Muse and, I hope, a surge of creativity. ;)

Looking forward to a spritz of Estée Lauder’s Modern Muse.

Since the '90s, Lorraine Massey has been helping those with hard-to-tame tresses embrace their inner curl. But her products are new to Space NK in Brentwood. Cheers, Lorraine!

Since the ’90s, Lorraine Massey has been helping those with hard-to-tame tresses embrace their inner curl. But her products are new to Space NK in Brentwood. Cheers, Lorraine!

The nice girls at Space NK in Brentwood recommended Life Daily Fix Foot Cream to heal my dry cracked heels. Perfect for a post-yoga slather. Take that, Warrior 3 and Reverse Half Moon!

The nice girls at Space NK in Brentwood recommended Life Daily Fix Foot Cream to heal my dry and cracked heels. Perfect for a post-yoga slather. Take that, Warrior 3 and Reverse Half Moon!

Lipstick Queen founder Poppy King says she had vintage Hollywood in mind when she created her Velvet Rope lipstick collection. Shown here is Star System, a nude with A-list oomph.

Lipstick Queen founder Poppy King says she had vintage Hollywood in mind when she created her Velvet Rope lipstick collection. Shown here is Star System, a nude with A-list oomph.

Laura Mercier's Dark Spell Collection looks truly divine.

Laura Mercier’s Dark Spell Collection looks truly divine.

Film noir gifts for the holidays: Makeup and fragrance

Bulletproof notes include tea, woods and cedar.

With socializing and chic travel in full swing, you may be looking for a few new additions to your makeup bag or stand-out presents for your beauty-addict chums. Here are my suggestions.

Tailor-made for wicked women is Tokyo Milk’s Femme Fatale collection, eight new fragrances with names like Crushed, Excess, Arsenic and, my favorite, Bulletproof. Fragrance notes too are uncommon: smoked tea, coconut milk, crushed cedar and ebony woods define Bulletproof, for instance. And the design is divine!

A three-piece Femme Fatale set runs $65 and includes 2 ounces of eau de parfum, 3.4 ounces of shea-butter hand cream and one .70 ounce lip elixir/balm. You can also buy items individually. (The photo shows two versions of the hand cream.)

No-fuss drama by Hourglass.

Dior plays the blues.

Hourglass Film Noir Lash Lacquer, $28. Take your look up a notch for nighttime by creating high-drama eyes. Like gloss for the lashes, this Vitamin E-enriched lacquer can be worn alone or over mascara to add a little (or a lot of) shine. “The results are stunning, almost cinematic,” says Hourglass CEO and founder Carisa Janes.

OK, so frosty blue became a hideous icon of the ’70s. But midnight blue has always given inky black a run for its money. Look at the gorgeous color in Dior Blue Tie Essentials and you’ll see why. The gleaming chunky container also houses a square of pretty pink lip color. Regularly $70, this is selling online for $40, but is going fast! Try Bloomingdale’s.

Metallics, martinis. Life's good.

Lancome's lovely set.

Pressed for time? Add instant glitz with a quick metallic dusting on your brow bones and cheekbones with Bobbi Brown’s Martini Shimmer Brick, $40. Also makes a festive gift for a friend.

Hypnôse Drama mascara is the star of this four-piece set from Lancôme, selling at Nordstrom for $29.50 ($68 value). That said, the amazing eye-makeup remover very nearly steals the show and I’m so excited to find it in a travel size! The set includes:

Hypnôse Drama mascara in Excessive Black
– Travel-size Cils Booster XL mascara base
Le Crayon khol eyeliner in Black Ebony
– Travel-size Bi-Facil Double-Action eye-makeup remover (1.7 ounces).

L’Oréal Infallible gives a soft sheen and lasts several hours.

Chanel's coveted gloss.

Smoky eyes call for subtle lips and L’Oréal Infallible lip gloss, $12, does the trick. Designed to last for six hours, it’s also a lip plumper. For me, Infallible hasn’t quite lasted the full six hours but it’s easy to apply, feels good on, and comes in a bunch of cool colors. Shown here is Suede.

Chanel’s holiday 2011 collection is breathtaking! You’ll find there’s much to covet and, if struggling to decide, you can’t go wrong with Glossimer lip gloss in Sparkle D’Or, $28.50. On its own or over a red lipstick, Glossimer is sleek, smooth and vibrant.

Being good is so overrated.

Be red-carpet ready with Revlon's Silver Screen.

Want to inject more zest into your office holiday party? Mix it up a little with Good Girl Gone Bad nail polish by Deborah Lippmann, $16. Or choose from the new holiday shades, which are “dripping in glittery excess,” as noted on her company’s site. Gotta love that this time of year, no?

I also love Lippmann’s success: she started her own line of products in 1998 after her flair for nails and color caught on with celebrities and fashion houses (Versace, Valentino, Balenciaga, Donna Karan and Zac Posen).

A stunning red by Nails Inc.

Revlon Silver Screen polish, $6, is a versatile metallic that picks up tints of pewter, shiny gray and muted lavender depending on the light. I can’t find this shade on Revlon’s site, which I found plodding and cumbersome, so I would suggest buying it at your local drug store.

Need a gift for your mani-pedi buddy? Try Nails Inc. London polish in Charing Cross – an irresistible red that Santa’s elves must be scurrying to stock. Company founder Thea Green was honored in June with a MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for her outstanding contribution to the beauty industry. This polish is $19.50 at Sephora.

Precious Oud is a perfect holiday splurge.

Fracas evokes vintage charm.

Tuberose, jasmine, jonquil, lily of the valley, white iris and pink geranium – must be Fracas, the classic fragrance by Robert Piguet, a legendary French designer who mentored Hubert de Givenchy and Christian Dior among others. Said Dior: “Robert Piguet taught me the virtues of simplicity through which true elegance must come.”

Neiman Marcus is selling Fracas sets (3.4-ounce eau de parfum spray and a 6.5-ounce body lotion) for $120. It’s a super deal because that’s the usually the price for the eau de parfum alone.

Such a pretty bottle and an uncommonly sophisticated, slightly exotic, scent (spicy florals with vetiver, wood and patchouli): Precious Oud eau de parfum by Van Cleef & Arpels, $185, at Neiman Marcus.

Film Noir Blonde is born

Finally! Your go-to resource for all things noir – film reviews, must-haves for your makeup bag, fabulous fashion finds, advice, horoscopes, spots for swanky dining, red-carpet rumors, movie news and interviews. Oh, and anything else I feel like writing about.

All of this stylish sin is brought to you by the high priestess of decadence and lady in charge, Film Noir Blonde. 

Film Noir Blonde

I’ve long been in love with film noir – those sumptuous, cynical tales of the darker side of life, an American cinematic phenomenon that started in the 1940s and was greatly influenced by German Expressionism and French Poetic Realism. In these movies, strong women often call the shots, or have fun trying, and they’re always dressed to thrill. Some say film noir is a b&w genre that ended in 1958; others call it a style that transcends time. For others, like me, noir is a way of life. 😉

 The idea for the film reviews came to me after reading lots of film criticism about classic and neo noir. Mostly written by men, it often failed to give an interesting female perspective. So why not write about these terrific movies and offer fatale-centric reviews that are critically sound, but aren’t above gushing over a stunning gown, sassy ankle straps or a diamond brooch? (Admittedly, it took me about four years from thinking of the site to launching it, but then industriousness isn’t high on a vamp’s priority list, especially when shopping and champagne cocktails beckon.)

 My aim is to provide insightful, entertaining film commentary and expert advice to look and feel like a million bucks. FilmNoirBlonde is also a place to connect with tough guys and wily women – such a challenge because we ladies of ill repute can be hard to actually locate, what with traveling incognito, making quick getaways in 5-inch heels, vanishing like puffs of smoke, puffing smokes and seducing hapless chaps in dimly lit bars. I know, I know. Chances are, you don’t really sleep till noon, plan heists and pad your bank account with other people’s cash; you might even be a straight arrow with a 9-5 job. But a girl’s gotta dream, right?

 So, take a look at this site, see what you think and let me know if there is a film, book, band, stiletto, trench coat, purse, lipstick, perfume, restaurant, club, hotel or handsome stranger that warrants a review. And stop by often because  I’ll be hosting contests and giving stuff away. Go on, embrace your inner temptress. Because as Mae West once said, “When I’m good, I’m very good. But when I’m bad, I’m better.”