Jolie in NYC

Three cheers for voyeurism

2005-10-31T14:04:00.000-05:00

DSCN1067.JPG
Originally uploaded by jolieblogger.

Few things are as boring as somebody else's vacation photos, but I'm just going to put these up anyway, and then slowly back away...

Don't worry, they're all supremely vanilla.

Check out my new blog!

2005-09-06T02:03:00.000-04:00

I'm moving off of Blogger and onto my own website. When I figure out how to do it, I'll redirect this page automatically. Until then (I was an English major, people! Work with me!), please update your bookmarks or click on http://www.jolienyc.com (don't worryÂI'm getting rid of that annoying bar on the bottom of the page soon!) or http://blog.nadinehaobsh.com. Hugs and kisses, BloggerÂit's been fun.

UPDATE: I've setup this page to automatically forward you to my new site http://blog.nadinehaobsh.com. If you don't get forwarded within 10 seconds please hit the site manually.

LaLa Land

2005-09-01T20:03:00.000-04:00

I'm in California for the next couple of days—insert OC theme song here—doing some tv stuff and pretending to work on my tan. (Ahh, the miracle of self-tanner.) I have some exciting changes to the blog in the works, which I'll debut next week. (Change is good, I swear! It's not you, it's me!) Have a great Labor Day weekend, and try not to cry that it's September already. Summer, I hardly knew ye.

My New York Times debut

2005-08-31T11:09:00.000-04:00

This just excites me beyond words—I had no idea about this until, oh, about two seconds ago.
Job Posting (NY Times)

Trouble in Paradise...again

2005-08-31T10:15:00.000-04:00

Are Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson fighting rumors even gossip-worthy anymore? They were only holding hands for the paparazzi at the VMA's, Jessica wasn't wearing her ring, Nick and Bam Margera had a silent and invisible pissing match, yada yada. Yawn. Call me when the divorce papers are finally public. Or when Jessica decides to start dressing like a human being again. You know, either.
Jess & Nick now do "The Newly-mads" (The Lowdown)

Page Six thinks Julia Stiles is fishy

2005-08-31T10:07:00.000-04:00

Page Six is inexplicably angry at my personal celebrity Julia Stiles today, calling her "haughty" for having an (I think healthy and refreshing!) attitude that, "(Gossip is) fun fodder for a cocktail party...it would be bad to be so obsessed and self-involved to think that people are actually paying that much attention to you from one little blurb on Page Six." I know Page Six doesn't take kindly to people bashing them, but this is hardly a Lohan-Duff style feud—unless maybe Julia stole Paula's boyfriend? Nah, probably not.
Wrap This, Julia! (Page Six)

The Big 2-0 (0,000)

2005-08-30T14:16:00.000-04:00

Can't believe I forgot to post this! I recently passed the 200,000 hit mark—thanks for all your support, guys!

Beauty Follow-up: Day vs. Night Moisturizers

2005-08-30T14:02:00.000-04:00

A. writes,

Hi Jolie,
Several of the companies who produce organic skincare (Dr. Hauschka, Jurliqie, the Organic Pharmacy) recommend *not* using creams at night (just cleanse and tone). I've always thought that, well, if they're actually recommending that you buy 50% less of their face cream, how can they be lying? And what is the probability that the other companies *are*? Anyhow, I was just thinking that if you've got skin that breaks out from most beauty products, then giving it a rest during the night might be a good idea? I'm just wondering what your take on this "no cream at night" thing is.

Hi A.,
Thanks for your email! Very, very interesting. I'm sure the companies aren't lying—and I'm a big fan of both Dr. Hauschka and Jurlique!—but I've found that, for me (with skin that starts molting if I don't moisturize it, gets tight when I tone it, but breaks out when my moisturizer is too heavy!), moisturizer is a must and toners simply don't work. In the past, I've tried forgoing moisturizing at night, but my skin feels very tight and quickly gets flaky; when I do moisturize with something light, my skin simply looks and feels better, and I welcome the opportunity to treat it with ingredients like glycolic and retinol that you don't normally find in day creams. The jury's still out on whether toners are necessary or not: some dermatologists recommend them, others think they're a total waste of money. I fall in the latter category, although I am occasionally a fan of the Kiehl's Blue Herbal Astringent in the summer. I think the key is finding the right regimen for you; there really is no one-size-fits-all program, and some complexions can be extremely tempermental and defy normal advice! In general, though, once you find the best formulas for your skin, you can't really go wrong with cleanser + moisturizer, day or night (with SPF during the day, of course!).

For Your Viewing Pleasure

2005-08-30T13:00:00.000-04:00

You just knew that those dastardly little fuggers would have oodles of vitriol to spew over Jessica Simpson's outfit at the VMAs—and they do, in spades. It's bad enough from the front; what those of you who missed the show can't see is the back, which features, um, a black bra and not much else. Classy.

(Image courtesy of Go Fug Yourself)

Marriage is good...except for when it's very bad (and between two WB stars)

2005-08-30T12:51:00.000-04:00

Believe it or not, I respect the sanctity of marriage. I think it's a beautiful thing between two people that should ideally last until, you know, death parts them, and all that. So does it make me a bad person for hoping that Sophia Bush will wise the hell up and divorce Chad Michael Murray's cheating ass already? He is disgusting and repulsive and is really much better suited for, say, Paris Hilton. Just a thought.
Notes From All Over (Scoop)

Because eating is for fat people

2005-08-30T12:38:00.000-04:00

Poor Teri Hatcher. Rachel Hunter's making public digs at her for glamorizing starvation, saying, "When women get too skinny, like Teri Hatcher, it shows on their faces and ages them." (So true.) What you don't seem to understand, Rachel, is that it's not Teri's fault. Sure, she looks like a twig that could be snapped in half by any toddler on the playground, and yeah, the bones protrude from her arms and legs, and no, she didn't look like that (in the slightest) when she was on Lois and Clark or in Tomorrow Never Dies. But Teri has no choice but to embrace an eating disorder. It's for the good of her art. America simply Would Not Accept a fortysomething actress who dared (dared!) to weigh a hair over 110. It's society's fault, really.
Weighty Issue (Page Six)

Britney gets protective of her mini-me

2005-08-29T11:57:00.000-04:00

So today we have news that Britney Spears went apeshit on the set of her sister Jamie-Lynn's show Zoey 101, chewing out Jamie-Lynn's costar Alexa Nikolas after she dared to get into a fight with Jamie-Lynn over something or another. How do you think that exchange went?

Britney: "Oh my God, I will, like, end you. D'you even, like, know who I am? I am Britney Spears, y'all. I am a pregnant goddess and you better watch out, or my man Kevin will come and cut ya! And he can too, ya know! He's a real man! He will whomp your white ass!"
Alexa: "But—"
Britney: "Do not interrupt me! You are, like, an evil little girl! How dare you fight with Jamie-Lynn! Do you know who she is? She is the sister of Britney Spears. Does that, like, mean nothing to you people?"
Alexa: "Yes, but—"
Britney: "Are you, like, freakin retarded? Don't you ever talk back to me or my sis, or you'll never work in this town again, ungrateful little beyotch. For reals."
Alexa: "(Sob) Okay."

High drama, y'all.
Britney Bawls Out Tiny Teen (Page Six)

A Few Thoughts on the MTV Video Music Awards

2005-08-29T01:09:00.000-04:00

1) I just wasted three and a half hours of my life. I will never get them back. This makes me feel bitter.
2) Gwen Stefani's boob job is in the Tara Reid-realm of "Where the hell did those things come from?" Why, Gwen? Why? When you were flat and proud of it, it was awesome. Now that you've bitten the dust, you fill out your dress and all, but do you really expect us not to notice that you suddenly have weird-looking, smushy cleavage? Hmph.
3) Apparently we Americans only listen to rap music, with the exception of Green Day and Kelly Clarkson. If you are an aspiring musican, but are not Green Day, Kelly Clarkson, or a rapper, just give up now and get a job at the mall, 'cause you ain't never getting played on MTV.
4) I am obsessed with The Killers. Still.
5) I am secretly obsessed with Kelly Clarkson. Still.
6) Somebody needs to feed Hilary Duff immediately and explain to her that, for better or worse, she is not Lindsay Lohan.
7) Jessica Simpson: WTF?? I'm sorry, was that outfit intentional? Did she mistakenly think she was attending the International Crack-Ho awards? Very disappointing, Jess. I don't know why, I don't know how, but Joe Simpson has failed you. And it hurts.

Beauty Question: Day vs. Night Moisturizers

2005-08-29T01:05:00.000-04:00

V. writes,

I can't wait to try some of the lotions and washes you recommended recently. My skin seems to be similar to yours: seriously sensitive, but I still manage to break out--not to mention dry out! I'm always confused as to whether I should be using different products at night. If my day lotion has SPF in it, I don't like to use it at night. Any recommendations? What should a nightly beauty routine consist of?

Hi V.!
The whole SPF/night cream thing is so confusing! Even though there's little, if any, difference between most moisturizers marketed for AM or for PM, I think it just doesn't feel right putting on "night cream" during the day, or SPF-infused moisturizer at night. Regardless, unless you have extra-sensitive skin that gets irritated by sunscreen, it's actually fine to use your day cream at night and vice versa. (So next time you go on a trip and forget a night moisturizer, don't freak out!) Night moisturizers are often slightly heavier and day moisturizers usually have sunscreen, but other than that, they're pretty much indistinguishable. That being said, there are so many excellent night products out there, why not pick one that's going to do something good for your skin? Some of my favorites: ROC Age Diminishing Moisturizing Night Cream, Kinerase, IS Clinical Active Serum, Philosophy Save Me and Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for Sensitive Skin. These products won't inflame breakout-prone skin, and (except for the ROC and Neutrogena, which are just great, non-oily moisturizers) will even help reduce breakouts, so you won't have to deal with that annoying "Okay, this cream has zapped my zits, but now I'm molting" experience common to so many acne-fighting moisturizers. As far as the general routine, keep it simple: a gentle cleanser followed by moisturizer—and that's it. (Toners are generally a crock of BS, unless you simply enjoy the squeaky-clean feeling. Then, by all means, tone away!)

It's not that I don't love you...

2005-08-25T00:13:00.000-04:00

...but I have to go up to Boston to help my brother move into school. I'll try to post while I'm out of town, but in all likelihood, I'll probably be off (read: without internet access!) these next few days. I promise to post upon my return, and also to answer all of the emails that have been piling up. Have a great (early) weekend!

Beauty Question= "Help Me Fight Blemishes!"

2005-08-24T12:48:00.000-04:00

J. writes,

Hi Jolie! (or Nadine, whichever you prefer:-) )
I need help! I'm a redhead with fair, freckled skin that's ridiculously sensitive. I'm kind of weird in that I actually do have the
ability to tan a little bit but I try to avoid that. In any case, my skin is really sensitive and I find myself breaking out all the time. I'm 24 years old and still in school so I avoid makeup, especially foundation, most of the time but I put on a tinted moisturizer for a job interview the other day and within 24 hours my skin had completely broken out. I thought I found a great face wash (I'm currently using Aveeno) but everytime I try something new, it works for a couple of weeks and then starts failing on me. Any suggestions? Thanks!

J., I think you and I are secretly twins, since your description and issues sound exactly like me! (Yes, my hair is naturally reddish...I think...it's been so long!) My skin is especially sensitive and keeping breakouts at bay is a daily struggle, but I've finally found a regimen that works for me (and will work for you, too, I hope!). One of the only cleansers that consistently works for me is Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. I'm in love with it, and using it twice a day keeps my skin clear. (It has 2% salicylic acid, so you might need to alternate with another cleanser for a week or two. Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash is an excellent choice—although it doesn't fight acne, it's extremely gentle, doesn't leave any residue and even helps get rid of eye makeup.) I then follow with Purpose Dual-Treatment Moisture Lotion SPF 15 (dermatologists love this line because it's non-irritating), my beloved OC8 (to sop up oil) and, finally, Bare Escentuals makeup. (This is the point where you're thinking, "Why won't she shut up about Bare Escentuals?" And my response: Because it just really is that good.) It is the only foundation I've found that won't clog my pores, feels weightless—so doesn't leave you with that nasty "I have a face full of makeup" feeling—and completely covers redness and pigmentation. (It goes without saying: whatever foundation you choose, make sure it's oil-free!!) Give yourself about three weeks on the new regimen to let your skin get used to it and, of course, be religious about washing your face twice daily. I hope it works for you as well as it's worked for me!

The Money Boat

2005-08-24T12:43:00.000-04:00

Is this really necessary? The Lowdown reports that 2,000 fans have paid up to $5,000 for the chance to take an eight-day cruise with the stars of the Apprentice. Who are these people? And the Apprentice cast actually has stalkers?? Seriously? I am so confused right now.
'Apprentice' cruise has cast queasy (NY Daily News)

Ciao, it's George!

2005-08-24T12:32:00.000-04:00

I think this is the funniest thing I've heard all day. While talking about Brad What's-his-name and that chick he's dating, George Clooney confirms that a pair of Belgian tourists walked right through the gates of his impenetrable Lake Como compound by simply pressing the buzzer and calling out, "Ciao, it's George!" Why, naturally! Only in Italy. (Oh, yeah, and Brad and Angelina are very happy together. Isn't that nice.)
Clooney: Brangelina 'Very Content' (MSN)

Well, I never!

2005-08-24T12:24:00.000-04:00

I am absolutely shocked and appalled by the news that Victoria Gotti lied to the Daily News about having breast cancer (and being a lawyer...giggle). How could Victoria do something like that? Did her parents teach her nothing about morality and values? Oh, wait...
Victoria 'Cancer' Was Tall Tale (Page Six)

Happy Birthday to me, part deux

2005-08-23T22:57:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the birthday wishes, guys! I really appreciate it.

I lied earlier, however—I will be accepting gifts after all. No, really. Why are you laughing?

I love, love, love blogging and emailing and chatting with all of you, but it's getting slightly cost-prohibitive (as in, going to have to get an actual job soon and then will likely be forced to stop blogging...since we all know how well that combination worked last time!). It never even occured to me to ask for donations, but last night another blogger friend of mine slapped some sense into me and was like, "What are you waiting for? All the cool kids do it." Wait, you mean they don't all live off of their parents while freelancing and waiting on book deals and contemplating bartending at that nasty frat-bar (with great music!) around the corner? Eureka!

So, I figure it's worth a shot—if, like, 1% of you donate $10, it will be enough to keep Jolie going for months. Years, even! And by then, maybe I'll have finished my book and you'll all really like it and we can hold hands and run through fields of daisies singing songs together. And it will be magic. Doesn't that sound nice?

If you don't want to donate (see that pretty little button there, underneath my profile?), I still love you. But if you do—a penny! a nickel! a houseboat! anything!—me love you long time.

Update: Whoops, didn't mean to mandate $10 for everyone. I fixed it so that you can donate whatever you'd like, if you're so inclined.

Lessons Learned From MTV's The 10 Spot Last Night

2005-08-23T17:36:00.000-04:00

1) Extensions are really gross. Still. Doesn't matter if you're that sweet new girl ~~Barbie~~ Casey or cool untouchables Kristen and Taylor. You get extensions, it will look like a mop attacked your head.
2) Even bad boys have hearts. Did you not feel the pathos in that scene when Jason rued the effects of his actions on poor Jessica? The conflicting emotions flickering across his face: desire; pain; fear; frustration? He's not just a pretty face with valiantly-grown facial hair. He is So Much More. (He's also, like, twenty-four, by the way. My ass that kid is still in high school—unless maybe he's in the seven-year program. Quite possible.)
3) Triplets are much cattier than twins, and also usually not as cute. Sad fact of life.

Alias Spoiler alert!

2005-08-23T17:12:00.000-04:00

As readers of Watch With Kristin have known for weeks, Michael Vartan's character Vaughn is supposedly being killed off the new season of Alias. (For the three of you who actually care, but haven't already heard this widely-repeated rumor elsewhere: sorry!) Page Six reports that, just last week, Vaughn's death was filmed, and goes on to quote inside sources as saying that MV was fired. Kristin, meanwhile, has been reporting that Vartan left voluntarily (since, really, who would want to stick around to see your ex-girlfriend incubating a baby that, disgustingly, was spawned by Ben Affleck's penis? Shudder.) Whether or not he left of his own accord, one thing is certain: Jennifer Garner is the most improbable man-eating vixen in the history of Hollywood. But damn if her dimples aren't adorable! (Well, okay, two things.)
Rally for Doomed Alias' Star (Page Six)

Happy Birthday to Me!

2005-08-23T02:09:00.000-04:00

That's right, it's Jolie's birthday: the big 2-5. I'm ready for my quarter-life crisis now, please! In lieu of gifts, please send Wellbutrin or Paxil. (Just don't tell Tom. You know how he gets.)

Beauty Question: Daily Moisturizers

2005-08-23T01:57:00.000-04:00

A. writes,

Help! I don't have a lot of money to spend on a good daily facial moisturizer, and I'm never sure if what I'm using (currently Nivea Q10 Advanced Wrinkle Reducer Lotion with SPF 15) is the best out there. I don't want to fall in love with one that costs an arm and a leg. What do you recommend?

A., you're in luck! There are tons of inexpensive options at the drugstore that are just as good (if not better) than pricier face creams. The Nivea lotion you're using is stellar (I love Nivea products, and only wish that they had as many choices here in the US as they do over in Europe!) and its main ingredient, coenzyme Q10, is an energizing antioxidant that will help keep your skin looking radiant. If you want another choice, one of my absolute favorite moisturizers in the world (and the one that I currently use every morning over my IS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum) is Purpose Dual Treatment Moisture Lotion with SPF 15—dermatologists love it, it absorbs quickly (so it's great under makeup) and it's one of the only moisturizers that absolutely, positively never makes my skin break out. Other great options that rival anything you'll find at Bloomingdale's: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF 15, ROC Age Diminishing Daily Moisturizer (the Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Daily Moisturizer is amazing, too; it battles fine-lines) and Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum. You're just as likely to find any of these moisturizers in a beauty-insider's cabinet as you are to find the Crème de la Mers and the SK-IIs. And, of course, the price is right!

But, I mean, I could still be royal someday...right?

2005-08-23T01:08:00.000-04:00

Am I wrong to be mildly obsessed with Kate Middleton? It irritates me that this random little English girl (with no title, mind you. No title!) has managed to waltz along and snare ~~my future husband~~ Prince William, denying all of us perfectly sane, not-at-all-Princess-crazy gals from pretending that we, too, have a chance. Sure, Kate's pretty, I guess, but what does she have that I don't? (I mean, aside from the glossy hair and shiny eyes and banging body and perfectly preppy sartorial style. I'm obviously not talking about that.) Now comes news that Kate and William are reportedly moving in together, and worse, that the Palace sanctions this behavior! (That crazy Monarchy. I tell ya, in my day, none of this would have flown. Hooligans.) Well, if Kate and William do actually move in together, it's only a matter of time before he pops the question, so the royal-watchers say. (Yes, he is only 23. Yes, yes, I know.) And then poor Kate is destined to become the most hunted girl in the world. For that, I definitely do not envy her, prematurely-balding-yet-destined-to-be-the-future-King-so-he's-still-hot-boyfriend be damned.

Image courtesy of Hello
.

It is done

2005-08-23T00:53:00.000-04:00

A moment of silence, please, for the official dissolution of the once-golden marriage of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston: a judge today signed their papers, meaning that they're both finally single. (Not that being married—technically or otherwise—ever stopped Brad before, of course.) As I look back on that blustery January day when Rachel and Oh-My-God-He's-So-Hot split up, what really stands out is the pain. How could they have done this to us? They looked so happy in that wedding photo! They're too pretty to not make it work! Pot is supposed to make people happy! Don't they know that we need them? Sigh.

Oh, well. Should be fun to watch Angelina eat Brad alive. I bet he makes a tasty breakfast.
Brad, Jen's Divorce: Done Deal (E! Online)

Beauty Question: Bouncy Curls

2005-08-22T08:52:00.000-04:00

V. writes,

Hi Nadine,
I was wondering if you know of a product that can bring the bounce back into my curls? I get my hair double processed (highlights and color). I try not to do it often, and not because I like to show my dark roots, but because I don't want to go through the thinning hair thing. I have used deep conditioners, Kerastase, Neutrogena, Helene Curtis, cholesterol. The only thing that seems to sligthly work for me is Infusium, but it weighs my hair down. Know of anything that will hydrate and not weigh down?
Any suggestions will help.
Thanks.

Hi V.!
As a wavy/straight-haired gal, I'm only slightly familiar with curly hair issues, but I'll do my best to point you in the right direction! Have you tried any products by Ouidad? They're all specially designed for curly hair and help separate and define curls while adding moisture and banishing frizz. Check out Ouidad's Playcurl line, specifically designed for thinning hair that that needs some extra lift and bounce. Ouidad has a salon on 57th street in New York, and she has a reverence for curly hair and genuinely wants to help women love their curls. Also, I'm sure you're already familiar with it, but if not, definitely check out naturallycurly.com, where you'll find a wealth of information, including articles, tips and product suggestions. (It's always helpful to chat with like-minded—and tressed—girls.) Good luck!

I'm with the band

2005-08-22T00:48:00.000-04:00

After reading this article, and then spying this item in Gatecrasher, I decided it was time to stop being so lazy and to write about my encounter last weekend with Adrian Grenier and The Honey Brothers.

A., G., and I went to the Mercury Lounge to check out The Honey Brothers and see what all the hype was about. Of course, as Entourage fans, we basically just wanted to ogle Adrian and maybe get a chance to meet him—the music was, let's say, a secondary concern. So, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that the band is great, sort of The Beach Boys-meets-Phish-meets-The Beatles.

We rocked out, then had a few drinks at the bar, debating whether to head to Kush for the after-party. After a couple of Coronas, we decide that we will indeed go to Kush and make our way out into the street, wondering if we'll have any chance of getting in. Just then, we turn and Adrian and another band member are standing directly in front of us. G. being G., she introduces herself and starts chatting with them, and before we know it, we're heading to the after-party with the band. We all walk up to the club together, breeze in past the velvet ropes and then head into the VIP area, where we chat and drink champagne for three hours. At some point, A. looks over at me and says, "What the hell are we doing here?!" (Glamorous groupies we are not.) Regardless, it was a fun evening, and I don't think I'll be able to watch Entourage in the same light ever again.

Weekend Blind Item Fun!

2005-08-22T00:38:00.000-04:00

Gatecrasher gives us the following blind items:

Don't Shoot the Messenger

Which loose-lipped supermodel has been privately confirming rumors about a certain famous TV host's sexuality?

Which gal pal of a name-brand baseball player is said to be relaxing certain precautions in an effort to handcuff the hunk with a baby?

The second is probably Vanessa Minnillo and Derek Jeter, but I'm a little stumped by the first. I assume that the famous TV host is a closeted lesbian, but it could also be a man battling (on target) gay rumors, no? I only know of one famous female TV host that's often targeted as a lesbian...and I'm not even going there. As far as the supermodel: Janice Dickinson? Cindy Crawford? (Can't forget those Jenna Jameson whispers.) Or...who? I'm stumped—guess this weekend's birthday festivities put a few pop-culture brain cells to rest.

Beauty Question: Complexion Luminizers

2005-08-19T14:00:00.000-04:00

C. writes,

I would LOVE it if you would write something about luminizers (if that's the right name for them). It's obvious that every model/celebrity in every magazine is wearing it, yet the accompanying text will inevitably only mention a blush color--are they trying to perepetuate the illusion that celebrites actually just naturally sparkle and glow? I want to know what is really on Naomi Watt's cheeks!

Very astute observation, C.! Yes, most celebrities have liberal amounts of luminizing powder, gel or cream applied just so to make their already blessed complexions look magical, like they've been kissed by fairies or something. (Obviously impossible, unless Colin Farrell counts. I have heard rumors.) Anyhow, there are several great products you can use for the same effect, and some of them are dirt cheap—no Hamptons home required for a gazillion-dollar glow, I swear. Try Wet 'n' Wild Mega Glow Face Illuminator, which is under $3 and works just as well as pricier luminizers. Dab it in the inner corners of your eye, under your eyebrows on the browbone, and on the apples of your cheeks, blending slightly. Just be careful not to get it near your nose or in the area between your eyebrows—both are high-shine zones, and you might end up looking like an oil slick. If you're more of a powder-lover, try Bare Escentuals Clear Radiance ($18 and worth every penny). I've spoken at length about my love for this product, which makes your skin look healthy and glowy. (Apply a very small amount with a brush in a C-shape around your eyes and up to your temples.) Voilà! Now you'll be Beyoncé-on-the-cover-of-Dangerously-in-Love's twin.

Jessica Alba's charmed life

2005-08-19T12:53:00.000-04:00

Jessica Alba is a pretty little girl, but she certainly doesn't have very much to say. Among the fascinating tidbits in an interview she gives the current Newsweek: "You have to be really, really smart if you're going to go on a date with me," (like, are we talking Mensa here? What's the deal?) and "I can't wait for Barack Obama to run for something. Cause I am voting." (Glad we cleared that up.) Jessica clams up when the interviewer asks about the Tom Cruise rumors and starts giving clipped answers ("No." "That's so weird." "That's silly."). Bless his heart—Tom has that effect on people, doesn't he?
"Life is Good" (Newsweek)

Drugs are bad

2005-08-19T12:43:00.000-04:00

A friendly reminder, courtesy of those cuddly lovebugs Eminem and Natasha Lyonne: just say no!
Eminem in rehab with pill problem (NY Daily News)
Natasha Lyonne in Hospital, Diseased but De-Drugged (Gawker)

Beauty Question: Facials

2005-08-18T15:15:00.000-04:00

A. writes,

Hi Jolie (or Nadine),
I was wondering if you could recommend any good facialists or spas for me to try out. I've always envied girls with really tight, flawless, glowing skin and I think it's time for me to experience the kind of happiness that can only come from perfect skin as well. I can't go anywhere too too expensive, nor can I bear the thought of being in a room full of UES women. I'd love to hear back from you.

A.,
I've never really been into facials—I'm much more of a massage lover—probably because I dread the extractions. I have to tell you, though, the most amazing facial I ever had in my life was at the Sally Hershberger Face Place. It's not cheap, unfortunately (I just called, and it's $120 for about an hour and twenty minutes, and $170 if you include reflexology), but it was the most relaxing, pain-free, blissful thing you could imagine. I recommend going just once, as a treat, and getting the facial plus reflexology—it was so fantastic that I forgot about the extractions and actually fell asleep. Better yet, my face wasn't red afterward, and for me (I'm literally pink for 20 minutes after I wash my face), that's really saying something!

Another great option is Ella Bache, one of the best places in the city. Their standard Hydrating or Radiance facials aren't exactly cheap (both are $110), but they have a half-hour mini-facial for $50, and also offer an hour-long "Spa Saver" facial for $50 if you book it that day. And, of course, there's always Bliss (try the new 49th street location, in the W hotel; $100 for the 70 minute Basic Bliss Facial)—not the most zen atmosphere, but as long as you arrive on time, they'll get the job done!

Jessica Simpson takes over the world

2005-08-18T12:08:00.000-04:00

WWD reports that Jessica Simpson has inked a $15 million fashion and accessories deal to expand the Jessica Simpson empire. Not too shabby, Jess! But lest we forget, may I remind you that two short years ago, Jessica Simpson was a B-list celebrity at best, viewed as a third-rate Christina Aguilera and probably best known for being a preacher's daughter and having massive boobs (well, okay, she's still known for that, but whatever.) My, how our girl has grown! Congrats, Jess! (Sincerely.) Now if only you could smother those pesky divorce rumors...

I will repeat it over and over until I am blue in the face—Joe Simpson is a genius.

Sour Grapes

2005-08-18T11:45:00.000-04:00

Looks like Gwen Stefani won't be attending next week's MTV Music Awards, hosted by ~~pick a damn name already!~~ Diddy, even though she holds the most nominations. Gwennie is pissed-off that MTV didn't invite her to perform and so, like any good sport, she's digging her heels in and pouting in the corner. One of my best friends met Gwen Stefani in SoCal years ago, after the release of their first album (the one with "Trapped in a Box", before Tragic Kingdom), and she was so rude and diva to him that he's harbored disgust and hatred for her ever since. I don't know the specifics of what Gwen said or did (he just sniffed that she was "beyond rude" and "incredibly stuck-up", even though she wasn't yet famous), but hey, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt—everybody has bad days once in a while, right?

Side note: No Doubt briefly dethroned Pearl Jam as my favorite band in 1996 (this is massive people), but don't worry—Pearl Jam quickly regained their place and have been my darlings ever since. (Eddie Vedder, I remain gutted by the recent revelation that you have a child!) And damn it, I still don't have tickets to their Philadelphia show. Need to get on this. Uh, wait, what was I saying? Gwen Stefani has no class, or something? Eh.
No MTV Gig? Gwen Won't Accept It (NY Daily News)

Paris does Disney

2005-08-18T11:27:00.000-04:00

Page Six is claiming that Paris Hilton recently donned a fake wig and prosthetic nose to take her little brothers to Disneyland, so as to avoid screaming fans. Am I the only one who finds this implausible? First of all, everybody knows Paris Hilton doesn't have any fans! (Wait, unless you count the Japanese—was this Disneyland Tokyo?) Secondly, if Paris was really in "regular gal" disguise, then she wouldn't be able to walk to the head of any of the lines—and you know our darling diva wouldn't be having any of that.
Prosthetic Paris (NY Post)

Beauty Question: Thinning Hair

2005-08-17T19:47:00.000-04:00

I get tons of emails everyday asking for help with beauty dilemmas, so I've decided that I'm going to occasionally post them, in the event that anybody else has similar problems!

S. writes me,

I'm writing you to ask for some hair care advice. I've been dying my hair about six times a year since I was fourteen. I'm twenty eight now. Mathematically that spells disaster for my hair. It's still long...unlike you I don't have the brevity to cut it, though in honesty it really just needs to be chopped to my chin. The ends are fried, split and horribly thin. Worse and far more embarrassing is that it has begun falling out. A lot. Long platinum blond strands continue to fall out everywhere and my hairbrush looks worse than the one that girl holds out in the Garnier Fructis commercial. It's sad. I need a product that will regrow hair. It used to be thick and lovely and now I find myself parting it certain ways to hide ultra-thin areas. I'm turning into The Donald and I'm not even thirty yet. Can you recommend something?
Thanks. S

S,
Honestly, the first step is to get a haircut to remove all of the dead ends. I had a similar dilemma last summer: my hair was several inches past my shoulders and I was obsessed with keeping it long. But after it got fried—thanks random hairstylist, wherever you are!—there wasn't much I could do to salvage it and I was forced to chop it all off. If you are bound and determined to keep your long hair, however, there are definitely some products you could try: namely those by Nioxin and by JF Lazartigue, both of which have cult products designed to help with regrowth that many women swear by. (Try Stimulactine by Lazartigue or Bionutrient Actives Treatment by Nioxin). I also love Appearex vitamins, available at CVS.)

Put hair color plans on hold until you've gotten rid of all the dead bits, and try not to curl it, blow-dry it, or straighten it—air-drying will be your hair's new best friend! Go in for small trims regularly—about every six weeks—to get rid of the dead ends as frequently as you can. It will probably take the better part of a year, but eventually your hair will grow in and recover and the fried hair will be replaced by new, healthy hair. Good luck!

Nepotism+Talent=International Bestseller

2005-08-17T19:26:00.000-04:00

A friend passed me Nick McDonell's book Twelve to read a couple of years ago; I finished it that night, then promptly had blood-soaked nightmares. I haven't touched the book since, and whenever I see it on my bookshelves (huh, just occured to me that I should probably return it to my friend!) it kind of makes me feel dirty and creeps me out. While I didn't like the book very much—violence and gore are not my things at all—I did admire the writer, and I was particularly impressed that he'd written it at such a young age: at the time, he was 17. I read a lot of press about him, but somehow it escaped me, until now, that he's Terry McDonell's son. And suddenly the fact that he was able to get it published before he could vote—brilliantly explosive writing or no—makes a lot more sense.
The Charmed Life of 21-Year-Old Bestselling Author Nick McDonell (NY Magazine)

But with their powers combined...

2005-08-17T19:11:00.000-04:00

So, Jude Law has a small...uh...you know? Well, what do you expect, people? Nobody's perfect. (Not even our little "Can't keep his little in his pants" Judy.) That's okay. My favorite gossip tidbit comes via Perez Hilton, who claims that those darling Notebook-ers Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams are dating. Love, love, love it. (And that MTV kiss? Scorching.) As vintage Jolie readers will remember, I had a run-in with Ryan in the East Village a couple of months ago that ended in drunken yelling and quizzical looks. Ahh, memories.

What's wrong with real beauty?

2005-08-17T13:06:00.000-04:00

You've surely noticed those Dove advertisements all over town and in magazines featuring "real" women (read: not models) in their underwear. I was fortunate enough to go on a press trip last year (one of the famous "private jet" trips) when Dove unveiled their Campaign for Real Beauty. Clever corporate marketing or not, it's a powerful message and all of the editors were moved by the campaign. After the presentations were finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the room; who can't relate to not feeling skinny, sexy or pretty enough? That's why I'm surprised and kind of annoyed by some of the reactions I've heard to the ads: making fun of the big thighs, bemoaning the lack of blonds, wondering who would actually find those women pretty. I guess we've become so celebrity obsessed—and seduced by airbrushing—that we think if it doesn't look like Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson or Gisele Bundchen, it can't possibly be sexy.

This month's Glamour magazine has an interesting article with Aisha Tyler called "I don't want to be perfect!" where Aisha agrees to be photographed, then to have photos of the "real" Aisha and the airbrushed Aisha placed side-by-side. Real Aisha is pretty, but airbrushed Aisha is glowy, taut, sleek and perfect. Of course, she doesn't actually exist—but she sure is gorgeous, huh?

I think the problem with all of these ads and messages is that you have to be in the right mood and mindframe to accept them. If you're at the gym working up a sweat on the elliptical and come across the Nike ads celebrating big butts and scraped knees and strong legs, you might think "Hell, yeah! I'm strong like that! Hear me roar!" and kick up the speed. But if you're on your way to a club, primped, powdered, lipglossed, coiffed and dolled up to look as sexy as possible, you might pass by one of the Dove billboards and think "Thank God I'm skinnier than those women," and feel really pleased with yourself. (I'm guilty on that front, I'll admit it.) I guess the challenge is to get to a place where everybody sees celebrities as too skinny (because, let's be real, 95% of them are walking eating disorders) and can appreciate real women (what does that term even mean anymore?) in all of their, uh, real woman-ness.

Obsession of the month

2005-08-16T00:32:00.000-04:00

Yes, yes, I know—I'm obsessed with many things: Bare Escentuals, Laguna Beach, the state of Nick and Jessica's marriage. I am a simple girl. But one category of products stands out above all others for me: intensive hair conditioners. I've been dying my hair since I was fourteen (blonde! red! brunette! weird dishwater-color! back to blonde!) and my poor locks are beyond fried. Because my hair is also exceedingly frizz-prone, I can't do that whole "wash 'n' wear" thing, which means I have made very, very good friends with my blow-dryer. So the only way I can keep my hair from calling it quits and falling out (which, yes, it actually did last summer, hence my current very short 'do—trying to grow the hair back, people!) is by conditioning it into oblivion. A few of my favorites:

Kerastase Olèo-Relax: Not only does this have an amazing floral scent, but it helps reduce frizz and keeps hair sleek.
Fresh Meadowfoam Cream Treatment Conditioner: Has a great, thick consistency that leaves hair shiny and extra soft.
Bio-Ionic Super-Hydrator: My favorite hairdryer is by Bio-Ionic (the ions are supposed to make your hair smoother and softer) and when I use this conditioner, then follow with my blowdryer, my hair looks as polished and flat as when I go to the salon.
Frederic Fekkai Protein Rx Reparative Treatment Mask: Contains protein to help strengthen damaged and colored hair, and has a really nice, vanilla-y smell.
Terax Crema: A classic—detangles in a snap, helps reduce static and fly-aways, and leaves hair beyond silky. It doesn't smell as amazing as some other conditioners, but I suppose you can't win 'em all.

Look ma, I'm on Gothamist!

2005-08-16T00:25:00.000-04:00

I suppose it's very meta to link to an interview that talks about and links to this very site, but I was thrilled to participate in one of Gothamist's famous interviews and so I'm posting it here anyway. I currently have a killer cold, so I apologize for the infrequency of my posts over the last few days. I'm hoping to be back up and running at full-speed by Wednesday!
Nadine Haobsh: beauty journalist and "Jolie in NYC" blogger (Gothamist)

Stop the madness

2005-08-15T12:16:00.000-04:00

There is a very serious epidemic ravaging Hollywood. It strikes indiscriminately: old or young, rich or poor, famous or not-really-famous-but-still-more-well-known-than-you. It can appear pretty, or it can be exposed for the tangled mess it really is. It is the epidemic of hair extensions, and it has got to stop.

Jessica? Paris? Britney? (You, too, Jessica Alba!) We know that's not your real hair. You chopped off all your hair last month, remember? I know that Hollywood is very special and full of magical things, but I'm pretty sure miracle hair growth products—like, say, fifteen inches in three weeks—aren't among them. We can see your real hair peeking out near your collarbone. It's weird and, frankly, it's kind of gross. I speak as a survivor—yes, I was among your kind once. Many moons ago, I walked into the salon with shoulder-length locks and emerged four hours later sporting glossy, beautiful tresses that reached the middle of my back. I thought I was a rock star. My friends thought I needed professional help.

Only now, when I see the weaves in all of their "No way is that her real hair" glory, do I realize the error of my ways. Remove them! Free yourselves! Let your naturally short hair shine through! Or at least try to make it a little less obvious. It's hard to idolize you when you have a shaggy—yet oh-so-beautiful-and-stylized!—mop on your head.

Luuuuuuucy!

2005-08-12T15:38:00.000-04:00

The whole dead-actors-endorsing-vacuum-cleaners-thing totally freaks me out, but I am a nut for anything involving classic old-time celebrities, particularly my personal hero Lucille Ball. I went through a brief phase (if eight years counts as brief) where I watched I Love Lucy twice a day, and bought everything Lucy related (biographies, postcards, coffee-table books, VHS-copies of The Mambo Kings) that I could get my grubby little hands on. I still worship Lucy, but haven't watched the show in years, sadly. You know, so I can watch quality tv—like crappy reality shows.
Lucy Still Loved (E! Online)

Pale is hip, right?

2005-08-11T22:45:00.000-04:00

I'm an avid fan of self-tanner...but for some reason I'm currently whiter than a polar bear. Normally, I'm okay with being tan. Nicole Kidman looks like Caspar, and she's beautiful, right? (Of course, I am no Nicole Kidman. Hmph.) Maybe it's 'cause I'm lazy, maybe it's 'cause...well, I'm lazy...but I haven't been able to bring myself to do the whole regimen—shave, exfoliate, moisturize and self-tan—in weeks. I can do three out of four at any given time, but the whole routine is just overwhelming. What do you want from me? It's August. (My birthday month! Um, not that I'm hinting you should send me gifts or anything.)

When I do occasionally self-tan—usually in months like November or February, when only people who live in California or vacation in St. Barths have actual color—I stick with tried and true favorites: Lancome Flash Bronzer Self-Tanner for Legs (an old boss swears by it, to use all over your body) and L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Gel in Medium/Deep (dries instantly, develops into the perfect, streak-free, you've-obviously-been-at-the-beach-color). Love.

I've heard whisperings that Origins, Philosophy and Fake Bake have excellent self-tanners, too. Maybe someday, eventually, in the future, I will finally get around to trying them. For now, I'm just pretending I don't care that there's a very bright glare reflecting off of my arms and legs.

Giving Melanie Griffith a run for her money

2005-08-11T17:18:00.000-04:00

I spent fifteen minutes rummaging through one of my enormous bins o' product this morning, looking for a particular lip gloss I like, when I came across a brand-new, never used City Lips lip plumping treatment. City Lips contains Maxi-Lip, a formula made up of peptides that claims to restore collagen to the lips, making them fuller with repeated use. I've heard people rave about it, but have always been skeptical of lip plumping claims: some lip plumpers do seem to work temporarily, but leave you with that "Oh my god, a scorpion just bit my lip" feeling. (Not really a fan of that.) So, in the name of completely-unscientific-and-not-at-all-controlled research, I'm going to use City Lips everyday for a month to see if I can actually see a difference. And because I really am that much of a geek, I took a before picture of my "normal" lips this morning (see giant scary photo below), and plan to compare it to an after photo of my mutant lips (dare to dream!) in a month.

Giant scary photo. Enjoy.

If Jake Gyllenhaal's sexuality is still under debate, it must be time for the Awful Truth!

2005-08-11T13:41:00.000-04:00

Ted Casablanca just won't stop taunting us with tales of Hollywood's latest "gay when he feels like it" heartthrob, Toothy Tile. Defamer's been saying for weeks that it's Jake Gyllenhaal (see here, too), and while I've been resisting, today's column does certainly seem to edge us in that direction...
(Two) Bad-Boy Blind Vices (E! Online)

Women who—how 'bout that!—like each other

2005-08-11T13:01:00.000-04:00

Now, this is refreshing: an article about women who admire, respect and adore each other, rather than displaying the usual clichéd outpouring of jealousy, cattiness and bitchiness. It's great to see women building each other up rather than trying to tear each other down. And, hey, if you get somebody else to swap clothes and makeup with, all the better.
She's So Cool, So Smart, So Beautiful: Must Be a Girl Crush (NY Times)

My eyebrow dilemma

2005-08-11T12:50:00.000-04:00

I have a serious problem with my eyebrows. No matter how much I try to grow them out into some sort of normal shape, they're always weirdly skimpy in the middle, with crazy, straggly little hairs at the ends. I've always been lazy about my brows and never really cared much about grooming them (luckily, the hairs are very light, so I can go months without plucking or waxing them), but when I see myself in pictures now, my eyebrows always look ridiculously out of proportion to my face. I've tried filling them in with pencils, powder, and/or wax (been using a Prescriptives powder for years that matches my natural color pretty closely), but I'm so used to not having any eyebrows that when I "apply them", I automatically feel like Groucho Marx. Sigh. So not the desired effect.

The Realest of the Real

2005-08-11T12:32:00.000-04:00

Despite a piping hot movie career, Rosario Dawson is still real. (She was in Kids, you know. It was, like, the epitome of real.) She lives the in "tenement" building she grew up in, and proves she's the same ol' gal, not a soulless movie star, by not paying her $100/month rent like any regular Jane. The building is designated as low-income housing, but Rosario's mom, Isabel, defends her daughter by saying, "Wherever Rosario decides to live — especially the building she grew up in as a little girl — she has that right." Low-income housing be damned! Isabel then tries to promote her own career, denying any success has come from Rosario and saying, "I am the chicken and she is the egg." Mama Dawson sounds like one classy lady.
Tenants Ticked off at Rosario (Page Six)

I'm OK, You're OK

2005-08-11T11:58:00.000-04:00

So, I finally caved and bought the new OK magazine featuring Jessica Simpson on the cover. I'm a fan of British gossip rags like OK and Hello, but mainly because I love all the royalty tidbits (Queen Elizabeth french kisses her corgis! Prince Harry is a raging stoner! Who the hell is Kate Middleton?), plus the scoop on randoms like Jade, Lady Victoria and Jordan. But, I'll admit, even though I really, really wanted to like it, I was bored to tears by the US edition of OK. Does America really need another kiss-ass celebrity magazine? Don't get me wrong, I'll still buy the next issue...but I won't like it. No, siree.

As for OK's ravishing cover girl, Jessica Simpson, she was sold to OK by her Simp Daddy for $200,000. Jessica will appear on six more OK covers and host the magazine's launch party at trés chic Cornelia Day Spa—no word if she'll perform like a circus monkey while Joe blows a whistle by her side.
OK Gets Jessica Simpson Cheap (Page Six)

Friendly Matt

2005-08-11T11:50:00.000-04:00

Matt LeBlanc confesses to this week's National Enquirer (has Joey really plunged his career that low?) that he once almost cheated on his wife with a stripper. The stripper was, like, really aggressive and poor Matt didn't want to be in the strip club in the first place—I'm sure his friends forced him there against his will, since Matt loves his wife and baby, of course—but, well, you know how it is when you get drunk and some naked girl is waving her breasts in your face. Good times, Matt, good times.
Matt's Close Call With Stripper (Page Six)

Fishbowl love!

2005-08-05T14:20:00.000-04:00

I have to send a special thank you to the lovely ladies over at FishbowlNY, who have been overwhelmingly gracious and witty during this whole mess. Their recaps of my mini-scandale have been high points during otherwise bizarre and occasionally difficult days:
Not to Sound Too Corny, But Sometimes Beauty Comes from Within
...and my personal favorite...
Wither Jolie? Beauty, it seems, is fleeting.

That's all the navel-gazing for today - taking a much needed break and heading to the beach. To all of you who've defended me (and pointed out that I'm just one girl who was blogging for fun, not some crazy machine trying to take down an industry), I send a very hearty thanks. Enjoy the weekend!

Guilty Pleasures

2005-08-04T19:01:00.000-04:00

While I can certainly admire intricately-plotted books, nuanced films and edgy music, sometimes you just want to consume the cultural equivalent of Twinkie. On a grey, boring day, what could be better than a dishy novel or cheesy chick-flick? My latest guilty pleasure (and believe me, I have plenty of them) is the show Instant Star on The N. If you don't know what The N is, it's probably because you're over the age of fifteen. But since I do a lot of babysitting, I was exposed to The N (its marquee show is Degrassi: The Next Generation, a spinoff of the 80's classic) last year, and have been hooked ever since. Instant Star is about Jude, a Kelly Clarkson-meets-Avril Lavigne-ish singer who wins an American Idol-like competition and gets everything she's ever dreamed of—but discovers that fame and fortune have a price. Last night, I found out that my new friend G.—an indie film producer who actually has, like, real taste—is similarly hooked. And suddenly I didn't feel so bad about myself.
Instant Star (The N)

The magazine world is going crazy!

2005-08-04T13:09:00.000-04:00

On the heels of, well, everything that's been happening recently (new magazines being created every seven seconds, Meredith buying a bunch of titles from G&J, Jane Pratt stepping down, my own sort-of-fired-but-not-really drama) comes the news that AMI boss David Pecker is completely restructuring Shape magazine. Not only are the art and production departments getting shipped from California to New York, but the editor-in-chief Anne Russell has been fired, with more heads expected to roll soon.

Beauty blog mania

2005-08-04T12:52:00.000-04:00

For a funny site with great beauty tips, check out Tia Williams-Cabeza's blog Shake Your Beauty. I worked with Tia a few years ago, and she's chock-full of stories, advice and oh-so-fabulous product suggestions.

Drugstore vs. Department store

2005-08-04T11:59:00.000-04:00

It's the age old question: if it's expensive, is it better? While skincare technology is rapidly advancing, some of the best mass-market companies (like Proctor and Gamble, Johnson and Johnson and L'Oreal) are actually at the forefront of research and development innovations. That means you can pay $300 for a cream from Neiman Marcus or Saks, or can pay $15 for something just as good—or maybe even better—from Olay, Neutrogena, L'Oreal or ROC. Some of my favorite hair products, such as Garnier Fructis or Aussie, are only a few dollars, but for the most part, when it comes to shampoos, conditioners and stylers, I find that top-quality products (like Bumble, Phyto, Kerastase, Terax and Fekkai) really do make a difference with my hair's texture and manageability. And I can't skimp on my foundation, concealer, blush or eyeshadow: the expensive stuff simply looks better.

Flirting With Greatness?

2005-08-04T11:52:00.000-04:00

The Daily reports that beauty editors all over town are flipping for Napoleon Perdis, the Australian makeup artist with his own eponymous line of cosmetics. A slew of NP products were sent to me right before I left my last job, and I confess that I only briefly glanced at them, having mounds of other, more advertiser-friendly concealers and foundations to swim through. In the end, I included an attention-worthy Napoleon Perdis primer in the story I was working on, but I haven't tested any of his other products. And now I feel so out of the loop.
Napoleon Dynamite (Fashion Week Daily)

Ahh, young love

2005-08-04T11:37:00.000-04:00

When does an apology just not cut it?

1) When you're insincere
2) When you say you're sorry, but keep repeating your mistakes
3) When you're Jude Law and you've just tumbled with the nanny, cheating on your possibly pregnant fianceé—who may or may not have cheated on you with Sean Penn, but just didn't get caught

Too little, too late (NY Daily News)
Just Asking (NY Post)

The Mascara Question

2005-08-03T14:02:00.000-04:00

When it comes to mascara, women are fiercly protective, wearing their choices as a badge of pride. I'm a Lancome gal through and through, ranking Defincils and Flextencils mascara as two of my all-time favorites. While, in a pinch, I'll reach for Benefit Bad Gal lash and Prescriptives False Eyelashes, few other mascaras meet my standards: I need dramatic, long, thick, voluminous! Many of my friends can't stand Flextencils or False Eyelashes, however, instead preferring Maybelline Great Lash, that old standby classic. When I asked my friend F. what she liked about it, she said (and I quote!), "I like that it defines my lashes but doesn't make them look clumpy, like I have a ton of gross product on my eyelashes. I hate that clumpy, spidery look." Sold! Except, Great Lash does nothing for me—aside from providing a bit of color, it makes my already albino lashes look skimpy and anorexic.

So here's my question to you: what's your favorite mascara, and why? I'm genuinely curious.

The whispers become a deafening roar

2005-08-03T13:28:00.000-04:00

Cindy Adams is still insisting that she has heard from very reliable sources—are there any other kind?—that Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey are absolutely getting a divorce, and have already signed and sealed the papers. Jessica is the one who (supposedly, rumoredly, apparently) initiated the proceedings, no doubt because she finally realized what she was missing out on—fame, fortune and lotsa boys!—being tied up with what's-his-name. I mean, please, we all know who the star is in this relationship: ~~Joe~~ Jessica Simpson, of course!
Looks Like The Lady Started The Divorce (NY Post)

Score:
Nick and Jessica Breakup Watch: 1
Celebrity Marriages Enduring Temptation: 0

Blindish Item

2005-08-03T12:57:00.000-04:00

From today's Rush and Malloy...

What movie star is explaining away his nightclub make-out session with a woman who wasn't his girlfriend by insisting the other beauty is a lesbian? Really, it meant nothing - even if it felt good ...

With all the crazy kids out there, it could be anyone—but my money's on Mandy Moore (I love you, Mandy!) and Zack Braff, who was caught making out with a woman at Level V two weeks ago, then spotted hand in hand with Mandy a few days later.
Side Dish (NY Daily News)

Not that I have anything to hide, but...

2005-08-02T13:45:00.000-04:00

One of the questions I get asked most frequently is, "Can you recommend a good concealer?" Finding a good concealer borders on the impossible—it's either too cakey, or too thin, too goopy, or too dry. Many beauty editors rave about Laura Mercier Secret Concealer (for undereyes) and Secret Camouflage (for blemishes), but something about their consistencies doesn't do it for me: I find Secret Concealer too hard to blend, and Secret Camouflage too heavy. I often use my Bare Escentuals foundation to hide pigmentation and blemishes by dipping a concealer brush in it, but now that I'm doing the occasional TV segment (wow, that doesn't sound pretentious or anything), I need something more effective at hiding redness and dark circles.

Enter YSL Touche Eclat. If you're a beauty junkie, it won't surprise you that I've turned to Touche Eclat. In fact, you'll probably wonder, "Why the hell didn't you try it earlier?" It's a mystery to me, too, but for some reason I stubbornly resisted. You know how Tom Cruise keeps inexplicably laughing in the face of common sense and good taste, despite all evidence pointing to his carefully crafted public persona shattering to pieces and undoing years of hard work? It's kind of like that. I just thought, "It can't be that good." Oh, how young and foolish I was back then.

Once I finally caved and tried Touche Eclat, I realized what all the fuss was about: it's super light, blends like a dream, can be layered for a lot or a little coverage, and hides even the most stubborn redness. Plus, it has just the faintest hint of something (magic? stardust?) that gives you that perfect, "I'm not wearing any makeup and yes I really do just look this good naturally" radiance.

Team Aniston or Team Jolie?

2005-08-02T09:05:00.000-04:00

I'm just so confused right now. On the one hand, I've always been fascinated with sexy Angie Jolie. She's an Oscar-winning actress. She's a UN ambassador. She adopts orphaned children, for the love of God. She donates money to worthwhile causes, sure, but—more importantly—she also donates her time. But she's also broken up several relationships, and has that whole weird knives-and-tattoos-and-blood-vials thing going on. Hmm. Very interesting.

On the other hand, we have Jennifer Aniston. Sweet, sunny, down-to-earth, and everybody's favorite girl next door. Perhaps not quite as accomplished as Angelina (although she does have an Emmy! And a Golden Globe!), but lovable and wonderful nonetheless. She's so cute and vulnerable that you can't help but love her, bless her multimillion-dollar little heart.

I confess: After Brangelina broke, I was seduced by their bedroom eyes and perfectly coiffed hair. Those smiles! Those lips! A fusion of the two most genetically perfect people on earth! But now we have Jennifer on the cover of Vanity Fair, looking fetching and finally breaking her silence with quotes such as, "I'd be a robot if I said I didn't feel moments of anger, of hurt, of embarrassment," "I love Brad...I will love him for the rest of my life. He's a fantastic man," and, "Am I lonely? Yes. Am I upset? Yes. Do I have my days when I've thrown a little pity party for myself? Absolutely." The writer, Leslie Bennetts, reveals that fat tears slipped down Jen's cheeks when told that Angie might be pregnant with Brad's baby. You made Jennifer Aniston cry, you heartless, beautiful monsters!

Poor Jen. At least she looks great on the VF cover—take that, Brad! And, of course, she has eleventy-katrillion dollars. I'm sure she'll be fine.

But I still can't choose between them.
Jen Makes the Best of a Brad Situation (NY Daily News)
Jen Without Pitty (NY Post)

A Conscientious Objection to The Island

2005-08-01T19:29:00.000-04:00

My friend R.'s lengthy-yet-wonderful review of The Island as emailed to me. Well played, R. Well played.

I wasn't expecting it to be good. I knew Michael Bay produced it, so I was ready for some big plot holes and lots of explosions. Which, there were, in spades. For clarity, I have divided my issues with this movie into three areas:

Problem Area #1: The anti-science propaganda machine.

To be fair, this section is not about me being nitpicky because I'm going to be a scientist, saying "They used sodium perchoride when they should have used sodium perchlorate! Imbeciles!" No, no, I care not about such things. I also don't mind that the movie take an anti-cloning stance, even though I disagree. What bothered me is that instead of letting the basis of the movie speak for itself, every over-the-top nightmare cloning scenario was used to beat into your head that cloning is bad! Bad, I say!

For example, Clone A is created as a surrogate mother for her "sponsor" and believes that when she gives birth, she gets a free pass to the "Island". Ewan McGregor gets a peek at her giving birth, due to a series of totally unlikely events that involve him climbing a ladder that inexplicably leads him out of a tile in the middle of a laboratory hallway. After the baby is born, you would think that the smart thing to do, for both the sponsor and the cloning business, is to keep the clone alive, in case she is needed later. Well, you would be wrong. They decide to kill her immediately with some sort of evil green viscous goo that when injected IV, causes her to have a seizure and die a fairly violent and unnecessary death.

Michael Clark Duncan also wins a pass to the Island. He undergoes open heart surgery using a mean-looking bone saw and, what's this? The anesthesia wears off midway during the surgery! Fueled by the adrenaline rush of waking up in the middle of having your chest ripped open, MCD jumps off the table and runs down the hall, trailing all sorts of wires and tubes, with an open chest cavity. Ok, the adrenaline thing is possible. What gets me is that instead of getting him back with high tech tranq darts, they shoot him with some sort of weird grappling hooks that attach under his skin and pull him backward, and as he claws the tile floor screams, "I want to live! I don't want to die!!! Aarghhh!" Oh, come on. Grappling hooks?? This is apparently what happens when you clone people. Go figure.

Problem Area #2: The clones, who have zero knowledge of the outside world, have more common sense then everyone else in the movie put together.

This is where I really started to have serious problems with the movie. Ewan and Scarlett have lived in what is essentially an underground cave their whole lives, yet can elude a team of elite Marines for days. The owner of the cloning company has enough advanced technology that he can analyze Ewan's urine for nutrient imbalances as it hits the toilet, but never thinks that some sort of implanted tracking devices might be a good idea.

The leader of the aforementioned elite Marines is the worst possible person for the job of tracking the clones. The main requirement for this job is subtlety, which he presumably doesn't know the meaning of. He kills civilians in train stations, blows up buildings, sends armed helicopters after trucks on the highway...the list goes on. There is no media coverage of this rampage, and no one seems interested as to why this could be going on.

Merrick, the owner of the cloning company, also succumbs to this crazy over-reaction syndrome. Another clone besides Ewan starts asking questions, but instead of trying to manipulate him and win him over (seemingly a fairly easy task, as the clones are bred to be docile and trusting...Ewan was an anomaly), he decides to attack him with a giant syringe and throw $5 million down the drain. (the price of each clone). Not the best businessman, that Merrick.

Problem Area #3: Events occur that are simply beyond any rational person's ability to suspend their disbelief.

This is sort of a catch-all category, as it includes random tidbits like:

1. Scarlett and Ewan drive a motorcycle through a building, then proceed to fall 70 stories (this is specifically mentioned) and are both fine. No, wait, I take that back...Ewan suffers a sexy cut to his forehead. I believe this was one of the times I actually laughed out loud in the theater.

2. Scarlett and Ewan are hiding on the back of a truck which is hauling giant pipes of some sort. The Marine Team of Incompetence is after them with armed helicopters and ground vehicles. Ewan unclips one strap, and the several ton pipes start flying off the truck and taking out the Marines. Even stranger, the truck driver DOES NOT STOP DRIVING OR EVEN SLOW DOWN.

I could go on, but I'll spare you. Only watch this movie if you are feeling particularly masochistic or are at least sort of drunk.

Would you judge me if I said I still wanted to see it?

Say It Ain't So, CNN!

2005-08-01T19:18:00.000-04:00

In case you're watching CNN...oh, right about now...I'm not going to be on Anderson Cooper tonight after all. They're airing a very hard-hitting and depressing segment with Anderson from Niger, and think—rightly so—that starving children+bloggers=a very weird combination. So, check me out Tuesday around 7:40 am on CNN American Morning, instead. And tomorrow night, maybe Anderson will finally show me the love.

Wish Me Luck

2005-08-01T13:31:00.000-04:00

In just a few hours, I'm heading over to the CNN studios for an appearance tonight at 7pm on the Anderson Cooper show. Keep your fingers crossed that Jolie doesn't make an utter fool of herself. And if you feel like waking up really early tomorrow, I'll be on CNN American Morning. Funny that CNN is giving me so much love—they were my very first internship ever, way back in the day. (You know, like, seven years ago.)

She was married to Humphrey Bogart, you know

2005-08-01T11:47:00.000-04:00

Lauren Bacall knows how to hit 'em where it hurts. After bristling at journalists last year who fawned over Nicole Kidman, saying, "She's not a legend. She's a beginner. What is this 'legend'?", Lauren turns her steely gaze on Tom Cruise. She calls his recent behavior "inappropriate and vulgar" and goes in for the kill by declaring, "The word 'great' stands for something. When you talk about a great actor, you're not talking about Tom Cruise." (Oh, no you didn't!) I almost feel sorry for Tom, but then I remember that he has a bajillion dollars, very comfy blinders on, and a gorgeous little trained monkey, so I'm sure he'll bounce back fine. Can't argue with Lauren Bacall, though—living legend, and all.
Bacall rips into 'vulgar' Tom Cruise (NY Daily News)

Breaking news: Nick thinks Jessica is pretty!

2005-08-01T11:42:00.000-04:00

You all remember that story about how, a few months back, Nick Lachey slipped his phone number to the friend of a reporter for the New York Daily News—while the reporter was right there—yes? Poor Nick ran into the reporter a few days ago, and immediately began talking about how hot his ~~ex-wife~~ wife is. I'm sure that wasn't awkward at all.
Nick makes nice (NY Daily News)

Oh, John Casablancas, you big ol' teddy bear, you!

2005-08-01T11:29:00.000-04:00

The John Casablancas and Naomi Campbell love fest continues. John insists that he didn't apologize to Naomi for calling her "unbearable" in an interview, and sends her a nasty email dissing her yet again: "I don't grovel...and I feel quite comfortable with my contradictory feelings about you: A+ as a person; D- for behavior with your bookers." John does have a point, although I don't know if I'd go so far as using the words "Naomi Campbell", "person" and "A+" in the same sentence. Bold move, John. Bold move. Think maybe they can just hug it out?
Mogul Can't Bear Naomi (Page Six)

The Blind Leading the Blind

2005-08-01T11:26:00.000-04:00

Page Six has some toughie blind items today. I'd spend more than 15 seconds trying to come up with the answers, but, frankly, if it's not about Lindsay Lohan or Jessica Simpson, I don't care as much.

WHICH Hollywood honcho married to the president of a star's production company is in rehab for drug abuse? Sadly, word is he won't have his job when he gets out . . . WHICH chic South Beach hotel employs a handsome masseur who is famous for delivering "happy endings" to female clients? The hotel either doesn't know or doesn't care — but more than a few wives of high-profile guests have been singing his praises . . . WHICH heads of talent agencies are looking to cash out? They've been quietly asking around for buyers for their agencies, much to their employees' ignorance. Seems they're sick of standing on the sidelines, working like dogs to make a mere $5 million a year.

Just Asking (Page Six)

Serpentine Styles

2005-07-30T22:51:00.000-04:00

The Sunday Styles section of The Times has a little piece on...well...I'm not sure really. Is it about assistant tell-all books? The world travels of Kate White, editor in chief of Cosmo? Her fascination with snakes? For a one-page article, it sure takes an awfully long time to get to the "wink-wink" point. I did manage to glean one interesting tidbit, however: the new novel by Lauren Weisberger—she of The Devil Wears Prada infamy—will be called Everyone Worth Knowing. Should be interesting to see what happens with that...
The Stylist Did It (NY Times)

Chillin' with Myrna Blyth

2005-07-29T20:05:00.000-04:00

A few people have emailed asking me to post The New York Sun piece that ran yesterday. (The Sun, lovely paper that it is, is one of those unfortunate cases where a registration is required to access online articles. Bad move, guys! The internet is supposed to be free.) And for those of you unaware of this very interesting tidbit, the woman who interviewed me, Myrna Blyth, was the editor-in-chief of Ladies' Home Journal for many, many years...

BY MYRNA BLYTH
July 27, 2005

Secrets of The Beauty Industry Exposed!
Publishing

Women's magazines, and those who run them, take themselves very seriously. And, as Nadine Haobsh has discovered, can sometimes have absolutely no sense of humor.

Last week, Ms. Haobsh was an obscure associate beauty editor at Ladies' Home Journal, a magazine I once edited, pleased with the opportunity to write the monthly makeover page. The pert 24-year-old Barnard graduate had just accepted a job offer to be beauty editor at Seventeen. But she had also been producing, for the last few months, a witty anonymous blog she called Jolie in NYC.

The site became a must-read for others who toiled in the beauty departments of women's magazines and the beauty publicists who entertain these editors and their assistants at lavish press events. Then, last week, a mass e-mail from a publicist disclosed that Ms. Haobsh was Jolie in NYC. Ms. Haobsh, who had already accepted the job offer at Seventeen, gave two weeks notice to the Journal. Her bosses told her to clean out her desk that day.

"When I told the person at Seventeen who offered me the new job about the blog and what had happened, she said, 'Wow, that's cool.'" But Hearst, Seventeen's parent company, did not feel the same way. Hearst's human resources department rescinded the offer.

So just what was it that bothered the powers that be so much? "The blog, at first, was mostly celebrity gossip. My opinion about Tom and Katie, stuff like that. I did it in the evening and only during lunch hour at work. And I would e-mail it to friends and they would e-mail to friends," Ms. Haobsh told me. "Really, I only did a few postings about the beauty industry. I really love the beauty industry." Still, the inside dish about that cat-eat-cat world made the blog take off, garnering up to 50,000 hits a day.

On her blog, Ms. Haobsh said she was just telling some truths that insiders all know but are rarely publicly revealed. For example, about the many gifts from beauty companies her boss receives daily, she wrote: "[She] regularly gets Marc Jacobs wallets and coats, plane ticket vouchers, iPods, overnight stays at the Mandarin Oriental, yearlong gym memberships and, of course, all the free highlights and haircuts your poor, dyed, straightened and styled hair can stand."

She also lectured beauty publicists and dissed her editorial colleagues for being too cheap to spend a dollar at a sale of deeply discounted beauty products, even when the money went to charity. "I didn't name names and I was just writing what everyone knows," she said. "But I realize now I should have told my bosses about the blog. That was my mistake."

To keep up her spirits, Jolie in NYC has kept right on blogging and this week revealed yet another dirty little secret: Beauty editors rarely wear makeup. As she notes: "Fashion editors wear clothes, do they not? Chefs eat. I can only assume that music writers do actually listen to music. And yet, beauty editors soldier on, eye shadow and foundation free." So true.

Personally, I'm hoping Ms. Haobsh will get gutsy enough to reveal the deepest, darkest secret of all: that the makeup that the model is wearing for a cover picture is rarely the makeup that is credited in the magazine. Makeup artists use whatever they want, usually little-known brands that do not have advertising budgets, then the beauty editor gives credit to the magazine's biggest advertisers.

But maybe she won't get the chance. "I may never work in the beauty industry again," she said. "And that makes me sad." But her spirits should be lightened by the publicity she has garnered this week. She has meetings with four top literary agents, including agents from ICM and William Morris. "I have been working on a novel. I already have about 150 pages," she said. And, yes, the heroine is a young woman who comes to New York to work in the beauty industry.

In the past, being exposed as a blogger has turned out to be a good career move. Last year another magazine staffer, Jill Sieracki, an editorial assistant at Good Housekeeping, sent in a rant complaining about her boss to Mediabistro.com. A brief excerpt: "I'm half your age, make a third of your salary, and after babysitting you for over a year, could do your job and still have time for a manicure." She was promptly fired by Hearst and worried she would never work again. But she soon got a job as an associate editor at Playgirl, moved up quickly to managing editor, and, a couple of months ago, became editor in chief. Her first issue as editor in chief of Playgirl is on the newsstands right now.

I'd like to announce...

2005-07-29T18:20:00.000-04:00

...that Jolie has just topped 100,000 hits!

Six Degress of Lipgloss

2005-07-29T17:50:00.000-04:00

Since Kim Van-Dang announced a few days ago that she's leaving InStyle to begin her own consulting firm—too...much...movement!—I think it's high time for a recap of the beauty musical chairs (in no particular order, since I really don't feel like being that clever):

Kerry Diamond left Harper's Bazaar for Lancome...Alexandra Parnass left Shop ETC for Harper's Bazaar...Amy Keller left Allure for Shop ETC...Jolene Edgar left Oprah for Allure...Jenny Bailly left Allure for Oprah...Natasha Singer left W for The New York Times...Charlotte Rudge left Nylon to freelance...Tia Williams left Teen People to work on her next book...Lori Bergamotto left Lucky to live la vita bella, then went to Teen People...Jodi Buffalo left Shape for Real Simple...Robin Immerman left Seventeen for Shape...Nadine Haobsh (that's me!) left Ladies' Home Journal for Seventeen—except that didn't quite work out...and that's as far as my confused brain can take it. I can't even imagine how mixed up the poor PR people must be.

Atoosa-mania!

2005-07-29T17:26:00.000-04:00

My maybe-in-another-lifetime-woulda-been-boss has been all over the internet this week due to rumors that she's leaving Seventeen magazine for Jane. Now, I have no insider scoop on this—yes, I know, 'tis hard to believe that Atoosa's not leaving messages on my voicemail updating me on the whole deal—but I am very intrigued to see what happens. As Jossip and Fashion Week Daily, among others, have been reporting, Atoosa would be perfect for Jane. Not only are they both all about the readers, but they each created magazines as fetuses, too. It's a natural progression.

Fall TV Scoop

2005-07-29T12:11:00.000-04:00

My favorite TV maven, Kristin from E! Online, is giving me a heart attack this morning. While talking about Alias, she lets slip that "A main, integral character" who we will be "devestated" over is "leaving by choice, despite whatever salacious spin these mags may put on this person's exit." Hmm, I wonder who that could be? Damn you, Jennifer Garner, you dimpled man-eater!

In happier news, Veronica Mars is on tonight on CBS at 8pm. They're showing two episodes back-to-back (including the pilot), so if you haven't yet sampled the pleasures of LoVe, watch it, tivo it—whatever you have to do. Trust me: this show is fantastic.
Watch With Kristin (E!Online)

My Current Top Ten

2005-07-28T19:44:00.000-04:00

The products I'm obsessing over at the moment:

1) J.F. Lazartigue Deep Cleaning Shampoo With Fruit Acids: excellent for "clogged scalps" (who knew there was such a thing?) like mine, plus smells good in a grandmotherly way
2) IS Clinical Active Serum and Pro-Heal Serum: Pro-Heal for day (full of next-big-thing antioxidants like olive-leaf extract); Active (with all-important glycolic acid) for night
3) Regis Olive Oil Hair Masque: I have an intensive conditioner obsession, and not only does this stuff leave my hair silky, but it smells fantastic and slightly fruity
4) Patricia Wexler M.D. Exfoliating Glycolic Peel System: So we've already established that I love things with glycolic acid, and these pads just seem better than a lot of the other, similar versions. My skin doesn't get too red from using them, but feels super-soft and looks clear the next day
5) Bare Escentuals foundation and Clear Radiance: Do I even need to go there? I'm obsessed. Get on it
6) OC 8: Ditto. This stuff zaps up oil all-day long; it's amazing
7) Clean and Clear Invisible Shine Control Powder: I borrowed this stuff from my roommate to use when doing TV appearances. (Cue pretentious laughter.) In conjunction with the OC8, it makes my skin a force to be reckoned with—for use only on special occasions. (I'm still waiting for my roommate to notice it's gone. Once she does, I will sadly be forced to buy my own.)
8) Appearex vitamins: They claim to make your hair and nails grow, and after taking these for about three months, I've never gone in for so many trims and manicures in my life. My hairguy (the incomparable Ted Gibson) even demanded to know what I was using so he could recommend it to other clients
9) NARS Orgasm: Still the best blush around
10) Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder: If you are lazy in the slightest, this stuff—which makes it possible to go a few days between shampoos—will change your life

People magazine loves me!

2005-07-28T19:39:00.000-04:00

So much so that they've stuffed my article (that's right, kids! People!) way back on page 107 of the latest issue. (This would be the "Jude Law Can't Keep It In His Pants" issue. Stupid pretty boy.) Um, so, the back of the magazine is where the cool kids go, right? For the really important stories, like bloggers who sort of got fired but not really? Yeah, that's what I thought, too.

Vive la Solano

2005-07-28T18:51:00.000-04:00

Like Scarlett Johansson's sex life, hair trends are confusing to keep up with: It's all about straight! Cool people wear it wavy! Volume, volume, volume! Everybody has a weave! It's exhausting. Since I have wavy, slightly damaged hair that turns frizzy if I even look at water, I naturally want it as straight as possible, no matter what Allure says is hot.

My favorite tool—one of the items I might actually cry over if it were taken away from me—is the Solano Sapphire straightener. It's a little pricey (somewhere around $150, I believe) but transforms even coarse, unruly straw into hair that's sleek and silky. The Solano came through yesterday during the two-minute monsoon, leaving my hair stick straight (with the help of a little Phytodefrisant and Fekkai Glossing Cream) well into the evening, despite all the style-killing moisture in the air. Beware if you have severly damaged or processed hair, though—I learned the hard way last summer that hair that's highlighted into oblivion doesn't like being scorched. So not pretty.

Silicone+hormones=fun!

2005-07-28T18:24:00.000-04:00

Can somebody please explain to me what is going on with Britney Spears' breasts? Are they planning on giving birth, too?

Image courtesy of People

Jessica Simpson is completely plastic fabulous!

2005-07-28T16:29:00.000-04:00

The latest issue of In Touch features Jessica Simpson on the cover, promising to get to the bottom of the plastic surgery rumors that have been surrounding her for quite a while. The accompaning article is actually pretty good, featuring tons of those grainy, super-close, side-by-side shots that you can't help but love. But every single photo—some of which, pretty conclusively in my mind, show that she is absolutely made of wax—features a little blurb of text underneath quoting some plastic surgeon who says, essentially, "Well, she may have, or she may not have. You know, maybe. Then again, maybe not." What I find strange is that not once in the entire piece is there a mention of the fact that, right around the release of her album Irresistible—which is precisely when Jessica went from okay to hot—Jessica's formerly squinty eyes suddenly grew round as saucers. Unless she is surprised all the time, I think there's a little more to these rumors than meets the (lifted) eye.

Picture courtesy of Amazon

Picture courtesy of Good Plastic Surgery

Back to Business

2005-07-28T12:26:00.000-04:00

Okay, it's been a fantastic ride and I'm still catching my breath (and working on the book, of course!), but I'm going to recommence posting on my beloved celebrities—incorporating Nick and Jessica Breakup Watch? Anybody?—in addition to continuing my beauty commentary. Luckily, a friend downloaded all of Jolie in NYC 1.0 before I was strongarmed into taking it down, so I'll be putting up all of those old posts very soon, too. Jolie lives!

So professional, I can't even handle it

2005-07-27T20:26:00.000-04:00

In case you're simply dying to check out my headshots, I have a real website now: nadinehaobsh.com. Holla for (semi) legitimacy!

Page Six, You're Making Me Blush!

2005-07-27T10:26:00.000-04:00

I woke up this morning to find myself on Page Six again—very surreal. I guess I can let the cat out of the bag: I signed with the William Morris Agency, and will be finally (finally!) working to turn the beauty book I've been plugging away at into a reality. As you can imagine, our little Jolie is tickled pink. This morning also marked my reemergence back into the world of previewing beauty products. Benefit (one of my favorites—currently obsessed with their lipgloss The Gloss, in corsage) has readded me to their mailing list, so I awoke to find a smattering of new products from them. Can't wait to try, and I'll get back to you with my reviews asap!
Comeback Trail (Page Six)

And if you feel like reading an interview I gave a couple of days ago, it's available in today's New York Sun: Secrets of the Beauty Industry Exposed! (Sounds salacious, doesn't it?)

Swag Happy

2005-07-25T23:19:00.000-04:00

One of the most unexpected things about the past couple of days has been all of the support I've received from people within the beauty community. Far from shunning me as a pariah, I've received countless emails from editors and publicists, letting me know that they're behind me, that they love the blog, that they know I'll land on my feet and—most importantly—that they're there with tons of products should my beauty closet run dry! Thanks, guys—your kind words mean more to me than you'll ever know.

Luckily, as far as beauty products go, I'm not in danger of running out anytime soon. My bedroom looks like a strange cross between the beauty level at Henri Bendel, a beach party, and a hurricane. I've spoken in the past about the various swag and tie-ins editors receive with new products, and the summer months mean loads-upon-loads of beach paraphernalia: colorful beach towels, Rafe straw bags, LL Bean totes, Malia Mills flip flops, Juice Couture terry cloth robes, and cowboy hats. Since I only had a few hours to pack up my desk upon leaving my job, I was forced to stuff everything haphazardly into bags—and trust me, a beauty editor has a lot of bags. My place in New York is the size of an average city apartment (read: I can almost touch both walls by standing in the middle of my bedroom and extending my arms), and so my poor room is now stuffed to the brim with all the bizarre beach goodies, plus several extra bags containing all of my beauty products I'd stored at work. A quick glance at the "hair products" bag reveals that I will be using up all of my excess shampoo until about 2007.

Believe it or not, I'll miss the beauty products more than the swag. Free purses and gift certificates to chic restaurants are always welcome, but I got into this industry because of my adoration for beauty—nothing makes me happier than a new jar of Bare Escentuals (Fair 1.2, if you're reading, Leslie!) or a preview sniff of the latest Calvin Klein fragrance. Going forward, I'll be working like a busy little bee on my book—I had some great meetings with agents today and I'm very excited about it all—but I also want to continue writing about beauty on this blog, and perhaps parlay my expertise into other projects. The outpouring of love for the blog has been overwhelming but gratifying, and I've realized that there's a niche for honest and straightforward dishing on products. Let's talk.

A Friend (of a Friend) in Need

2005-07-25T21:23:00.000-04:00

You've undoubtedly heard about Shari Kurzrok, the publicist who needs a new liver. My friend at Ogilvy, who actually works for Shari, asked me to put this up, just in case any of you are in the dark.

LOCAL PR AGENCIES ASK FOR HELP TO SAVE LIFE OF COLLEAGUE IN DIRE NEED OF COMPLETE LIVER TRANSPLANT

31-Year-Old Shari Kurzrok Will Die Unless She Receives Complete Liver Within Days

NEW YORK (July 20, 2005) – Shari Kurzrok is two months away from her wedding. The 31-year-old PR executive recently spearheaded the American Red Cross’ largest-ever blood donor campaign. Today, she is fighting for her life. Her doctors say she will not live if she doesn’t receive a complete liver transplant within days, and her colleagues in the PR industry are urgently mobilizing to help her.

“I just pray that what Shari has loved to do for a living comes back to help her,” says her fiancée Robby Schnall, 35, a marketing executive at Cole Haan. Their wedding is planned for October 15 at Woodbury Jewish Center in Long Island.

Shari’s sudden illness has taken her family, friends and doctors by surprise. She was admitted to New York University Medical Center last weekend, and within 24 hours she was told she needed a liver transplant to save her life. Her illness is still unexplained.

Kym White, managing director of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, says the news has shaken Shari’s colleagues and friends, as well as the extended communications industry. All are quickly rallying to spread the word through PR and advertising in order to draw attention to Shari’s plight. “Shari is a phenomenal friend and colleague, and it is hard to imagine that someone who only recently led the largest-ever blood donor initiative for the American Red Cross with such energy and enthusiasm, is now in vital need of a liver donation.”

Shari led the 345-city Save-a-Life-Tour, which featured two convoys that traveled across the country to raise awareness about the importance of regular blood donation and to attract new donors including a younger and more ethnically diverse demographic. The campaign collected more than 3.2 million pints of blood and registered more than 38,000 new potential donors. Kamenna Lee, Director, Sales & Marketing for the American Red Cross, said, "Shari poured her heart, soul and life into one of our largest initiatives and truly helped save lives."

Now Shari’s family and friends hope that just one person can help save Shari’s life. Shari is a native of Great Neck, Long Island, and the daughter of Gloria and Mort Kurzrok. Her father says, “This is a race against time. We want to draw attention not only to Shari’s cause, but also to the urgent, ongoing need that challenge families like us every day.”

Potential donors must be Type A or Type O blood. A directed donation is when a donor family opts to donate an organ directly to a specific individual. Donor families often make the decision to donate organs during times of grief and shock; however, organ donation is a chance for something positive to come out of a tragedy. Anyone wanting to help Shari with a complete liver transplant referral should call: 877-223-3386 or email: liverforalife@yahoo.com

For more information go to http://helpshari.typepad.com/

True Beauty Comes From Within...Unless You Apply It With a Brush

2005-07-25T00:11:00.000-04:00

One of the oddest things about working in beauty is that many editors don't wear makeup. I've commented on this before, yet the answer to this mystery remains elusive. Fashion editors wear clothes, do they not? Chefs eat. I can only assume that music writers do actually listen to music. And yet, beauty editors soldier on, eyeshadow and foundation-free. If pressed, some makeup-phobes will admit to slapping on a coat of mascara in the morning, and maybe a tiny bit of colorless lipgloss. But blush? Eyeliner? Powder? No, no, no!

What do they have that I do not? Flawless, even-toned, creamy-yet-naturally-golden skin? Probably. Perfectly rosy lips and cheeks? Perhaps. Eyes blessed with enough natural shadow and definition that skipping the liner doesn't result in a look best described as "hospital refugee"? Most definitely. And yet, I still don't really get it. Why strive for just okay, when with a little creative shadowing and NARS Orgasm you can become fabulous? I love my morning mirror time; it's when I get to decide how I'll present myself to the world that day. (Glam? Punk? Schoolgirl? I usually just pick "Well-Rested", but at least makeup gives me the option to be glam, or punk, or schoolgirl.) It's like art, minus the pretention!

I'm no Tammy-Faye, but I do like making the most of what I have. And anything that helps conceal my albino eyelashes and rudolph nose is alright with me.

New Beginnings

2005-07-23T00:04:00.000-04:00

It would be an understatement to say that this was the weirdest week of my life. On Tuesday morning, I had a job I loved, a nice salary and was living in blissful oblivion. Flash forward to today, and I've given interviews to the New York Post, Fox 5 News and CNN (are you kidding me??), have a very, very big interview set for tomorrow (until it actually happens, my lips are zipped), have meetings this coming week with multiple book agents and—oh, yeah, that—am quickly approaching the poverty mark. 24/7 ramen: can't wait!

I've been running on adrenaline, since sleep and food have been hard to come by these last couple of days. More than once I caught my reflection in the window facing my computer table—responding to emails as furiously as I could while cradling my landline phone on my left shoulder and listening to the cell phone earpiece in my right ear—and thought, "You look like such a pretentious fool right now." But while the iron is hot, I'm a-strikin', baby.

Now...bed. Maybe tomorrow I'll finally have time to eat, too.

Jolie Unmasked

2005-07-22T22:16:00.000-04:00

As you may have read in a little paper called the New York Post, I've been outed: my name is Nadine Haobsh, and I was a beauty editor for one of the most popular magazines in the country. I say "was" because there is a predictable end to this story: I came clean to my bosses about my blog—which very, very unfortunately coincided with a job offer from another top magazine—and gave my two weeks notice, which was declined. As luck would have it, once the Post story broke, my new magazine decided to rescind the offer. And that's the end of that chapter.

It's been a tough couple of days, mostly because I let down a lot of people who I care about and respect. To all you would-be bloggers out there: even if you truly are "just being funny" or "don't really mean it", think before you write. And definitely don't write about your industry: things will absolutely be taken out of context or interpreted incorrectly, and that's just not fun for anybody.

What's next for me? I have some exciting projects on the horizon, and am looking forward to figuring out what's best for me and what the future holds. Because I've been inundated with requests to renew the site—you love your Jolie, you really love her!—I've uploaded some of the beauty posts I was able to find on the internet. I'm sure there are more out there, but I'm looking forward right now, not back.

More to come soon—stay beautiful!

Hey Jude, Don't make it bad worse

2005-07-18T23:43:00.000-04:00

Jude, Jude, Jude. It's taken me all day to collect my thoughts about what you did to poor Sienna. The nanny? I thought you were smarter than that. Surely you've learned that shagging nannies only results in tears and career-dampening book deals. You live in England, the capital of tearful nanny-shagging career-dampening book deals, for the love of Jesus! And did you learn nothing from your role as Alfie? Cheating is bad. People get hurt. You're really pretty. Oh, wait, that's not what I meant...I must have been blinded by the lethal one-two punch of your golden tan and pearly whites. And your Adonis-like body. And those baby blues, deep enough to swim in—oh, uh, I mean, don't cheat on your fiancée anymore or we'll stop seeing your movies. Probably. Well, maybe.

Sephora, Mon Amour

2005-07-18T04:16:00.000-04:00

Sephora has opened their new Union Square location, finally wising up to the fact that lazy 14th street shoppers like myself don't want to walk all the way over to Fifth Avenue just to touch up their eyeliner before a big date. (Those avenue blocks—they're killers.) I spent half an hour browsing the new store today, playing with the makeup, spritzing on the perfume (my new must-haves: Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil and Lanvin Eclat d'Arpege) and sizing up the skincare lines (currently reinfatuated with Lancome. And what has become of Darphin, an old favorite?). The wonderful thing about Sephora for somebody like me is the rare opportunity to see an entire line laid out—no press releases, no selective mailings from PR people, but simply row after row of blushes and gloss, moisturizers and cleansers. It also makes me realize that, no matter how much time I devote to it, I will never be able to try all of the beauty products in the world. I find this exciting: there will always be new products and new innovations. And, alas, my bathroom cabinets will never be tidy.

Haven't I always said all celebrities are crazy?

2005-07-17T23:32:00.000-04:00

New York magazine agrees with me, since this week's cover article is entitled: "Celebrity Psychos: The Summer They All Went Mad." However, if you're thinking, "Sounds like fun! Let's crack this bad boy open!", you'd be dead wrong. After about 2,000 words of sentences like,

"Then it seems the craziness might be happening because the increase in watching is the very thing creating the craziness. Then it seems that the beginning, middle, and end of the celebrity life story is finding a way to get people to keep watching and loving the star forever, so at a time when they are more watched and more loved than at any other point in history, they should not be going so crazy.",

I was ready to poke out my own eyes. Rest assured that the article gets much, much more boring before Vanessa Grigoriadis sputters to a close. Was this piece even edited?
Celebrity Psychos (New York)

Editors: Are We the Enemy?

2005-07-15T01:34:00.000-04:00

I had a very eye-opening conversation tonight with one of my best beauty publicist friends where she let loose on the evil temperments of various beauty editors. We can be a really mean bunch! A few days ago, I posted some friendly tips for beauty publicists to live by, and I was surprised at the outpouring of emotion I received explaining what a demanding industry it is. My various PR internships in college opened my eyes to its choppy waters, but the things I learned tonight—the slave-driver directors, the meticulously kept lists of all product called in, the berating for tentative placements lost—made me vow to 1) answer my phone at least five times a day...well, at least three times a day...rather than letting it automatically go to voicemail, 2) call back PR people if I hear that slightly hysterical edge in their voice suggesting that their boss will flog them senseless if I don't let them know the status of a story immediately, and 3) never again call in product for pretend stories that don't actually exist because I really just want to give that new perfume to my mom. (I've been living and dying by this last rule for the past week, and I'm amazed at how generous PR people can be when I'm—gasp!—honest.)

Man, I would not trade jobs with you publicists for the world. Snaps.

Nick and Jessica No More?

2005-07-14T21:24:00.000-04:00

A gossipy email is making the rounds saying that Johnny Knoxville and Jessica Simpson are planning on going public with their torrid affair in a PR flurry orchestrated by Joe Simpson. Quoth the email, "Jessica Simpson and Johnny Knoxville are going public. Johnny is leaving his wife, Simpson is filing for divorce - they are shopping the exclusive story to the weeklies under Joe Simpson's direction. My PR instinct tells me the news will break in next week's weeklies to fuel some fire before the July 28th Dukes premiere." Hate to be the crazy kid humming in the corner with her fingers in her ears—since nobody thinks the mega-brand that is "Nick and Jessica" is a bigger sham than me—but I don't think this is true. Why does Johnny need a divorce? He's married and has a child, and that still hasn't stopped him from getting busy with Jessica, Kate Moss, Bridget Hall, and many others. Ditto for Jess, who rakes in big bucks with the whole ditzy housewife thing, but still gets to have her cake eaten, too. Unless...wait. You mean...because Johnny and Jessica might actually be in love? That's just gross.

Where's my Gawker blog, Nick?

2005-07-14T16:05:00.000-04:00

Gridskipper's own Chris Mohney (known to readers of this blog as the guy who I erroneously declared had been forced to stop blogging on Gawkerist) writes a thrilling article for Mediabistro describing his single-minded pursuit of blogger nirvana: working for Gawker Media. Not only did Chris refuse (refuse!) to take no for an answer from Nick Denton, but he toiled away for years in relative obscurity before finally—oh, wait, no, he didn't. He got hired at Gridskipper three weeks after he started Gawkerist. Lucky bastard.
Do Not Try This At Home: One Man's Harrowing (and Slightly Ironic) Attempt to Get a Media Gig (Mediabistro)

How to be Fabulous

2005-07-14T15:18:00.000-04:00

Wondering how to break into fashion or media and live a life of glamour? Easy as pie!

1) Be insanely connected, discreetly wealthy, or pretty-in-a-Ralph Lauren-kind-of-way—and always super slim. If possible, live in East Hampton or date Jerry Seinfeld.
2) Use your connections, money or looks to get an internship fetching coffee for a "name."
3) Work your skinny little ass off for five years. Annihilate any bitches who stand in your way.
4) Give earnest and faintly amusing quotes to media gossip sheet.

Congrats—you're officially fabulous!
What Was Your First Internship? (The Daily)
Internships, Part 2 (The Daily)

Slutty Scarlett's at it again

2005-07-14T14:20:00.000-04:00

Because Scarlett Johansson apparently feels her breasts are a gift that must be shared with the world, she tried to convince Michael Bay, the director of her forthcoming movie, The Island, to let her free them from the confines of her "cheap" bra during a love scene. Michael shot her down, explaining that the movie's PG-13, and then adding, "Plus, everybody in Hollywood's seen them anyway." (You know that's totally what he was thinking.)
Johansson: Nudity yes, bra no (CNN)

The Cult of Jergens Natural Glow

2005-07-14T03:45:00.000-04:00

Many of my friends have asked for my help in securing bottles of the coveted self-tanner/moisturizer Jergens Natural Glow, but even my powers only extend so far (i.e. what little I get, I am keeping for myself.) Gutted that it's sold out seemingly everywhere? Check out Olay Quench Radiance Reviver Body Lotion or Clarins Radiance Plus Self-Tanning Body Lotion. Like Jergens, both moisturize your body while giving only a hint of color. Hey, I sound just like a press release! (Confession: haven't actually purchased a beauty product—razors, deodorant, toothpaste, nothing—from the drugstore in years, instead relying on my trusty beauty closet, so not entirely sure if the Clarins is yet available or if the Olay is sold out, too.) I think the Olay actually smells better than the Jergens and the Clarins fades better, with less splotchiness—should you be a lazy bastard like myself who can barely run a brush through her locks daily, let alone consistently moisturize to avoid that fifth-day molting-on-the-tummy look. (What, is that just me?)

Pink is the New Black

2005-07-13T21:20:00.000-04:00

Today, in a fit of whimsy, it struck me: everything I own is pink. I have a pink Marc Jacobs wallet, three pink purses, three pairs of pink shoes, a pink dress, two pink skirts, a pink Lacoste shirt, endless pink tank tops, a pink iPod...you get the point. Why is this at all noteworthy? Because nearly every single one of these things was given to me. (Dude, I don't buy pink.) In fact, I actually hate pink. But I love getting free things, and I long ago abandoned any pretense of being too cool to wear gifted swag. This is probably because gifted stuff=I don't have to go shopping=a happy Jolie.

The real problem with having all of this stuff you received as gifts is that everybody else has it, too. Try holding on to your pride when you walk into an event to find seven other girls sporting the exact same purse. Most beauty editors adhere to an unbreakable rule: do not wear or carry to an event anything you have been gifted. (Sage advice, but easier said than done, since half the time I end up forgetting it was a gift.) My only salvation: a Very Expensive Bag that I bought years ago as a "Happy Graduation to Me" present. I pull it out on event days, wear it with pride, and silently smirk at the other poor girls who accidentally brought the gift bag. I hope that doesn't make me an asshole.