Cult of Pretty

Happy Friday!  Last day to enter my $63 summer lip gloss wardrobe GIVEAWAY from Armour with gloss48, the new cult beauty flash sale site :)

Click to enter over —> here.

This contest + post is brought to you by gloss48; all editorial content my own; image via Elle Italia

Well, it’s that special time of year when I reveal my legs and people run screaming.  That zombie shade of pale certainly does nothing for me, and thus before I went to Austin last month for Texas Style Council, I picked up a card in my lobby left by a mysterious stranger promising a natural glow.

Her name is Laura. She lives on the 7th floor. She lives downstairs from me.  And yes, I had totally seen her before … but I had no idea she was a PROFESSIONAL AIRBRUSH TANNING EXPERT. (She’s also a pro makeup artist and blogger - see it all at Lo & Co.).

If you’ve never done airbrush tanning because you were terrified of turning orange, rethink everything.  This is not the booth where you walk in, hit the Oompa Loompa button and pray.  This is bespoke, custom-mixed, hand-applied glow-giving tanning.

The spray is misted on by hand in the comfort of Laura’s super-chill space, and develops over about 8 hours.  You’re instantly tan, but the surface color washes away when you shower and you’re left with color that lasts about a week. (You can extend it with Jergens Natural Glow-type products). You can strip down or bring a cheap bikini you don’t care about, or undies, if you want natural-looking tanlines.

I’ve done airbrush tanning before so I knew it was amazing, but Laura’s application was especially flawless and I loved that we decided to go light.  It looked very natural, especially my face.  A perfectly tanned face??  So transformative!  Bonus: Laura only uses organic tanner.

Normally the service is $80 (which is very reasonable for NYC), but if you mention Cult of Pretty it’s only $60.  If you have an event or whatnot, don’t buy a new dress - get a tan.  Trust.

Also, if you come be in touch and I’ll come down and say HI!

Does this: Flawless, bespoke, organic airbrush tanning in NYC
Is this: Laura Nadeau of Lo & Co.
Get this: Contact Laura here for an appointment - located in lower Manhattan right by the N, R, 1, and 5 trains
Price: $60 if you mention Cult of Pretty

Image: via

Can we just be there now, on this beach, with those cat eye glasses, and that beachy hair?

Ok we can’t, at least I can’t, but I have a really good beach hair product for you.  It’s handmade, all-natural, and smells beyond the beyond.  If you’ve been looking for a natural alternative to the cult classic Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray, may I suggest:

Cold Spring Apothecary is based in Hudson, New York, and they craft a huge array of skin and haircare products, as well as fragrances and home cleaning goods, by hand and with natural ingredients (organic and locally-sourced when possible).  I’ll share a few other goodies from the line in the future, but this beach spray is my one true love right now.

This stuff creates all the messy, chunky volume and take-me-away beach smell vibes with none of the drying effects - and also no Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde (I’m not making that up). Dead sea salts plus coconut, jojoba, lavender, orange peel and ginger oils = awesome.

I’m not all about natural products, but when I find a good one it really does make me happy. Surf’s up … on my head. P.S. It’s really really good for making that messy, tousled braid look on the left.

Does this: All natural and great-smelling beachy waves spray
Is this: Cold Spring Apothecary All Natural Citrus and Ginger Sea Salt Spray
Get this: Above
Price: $23

Image: Zimmerman/Sun Productions

Ugh, what the hizz happened, it’s WINTER you guys. We missed the exit for Fall like 10 degrees ago.

Anyway, let’s pretend for a minute that this isn’t happening.  Please find visual aid above and olfactory aid below:

I really have a thing for coconut-scented anything-for-my-body.  I’m constantly plotting a way to move to Hawaii and spend my days slathered in coconut body oil on the beach, so I guess I try to recreate the feeling in my cold NY apartment.

La Licious is a cult brand of all-natural bath and body products, with sulfate-free formulations that all feel quite different from what’s out there.  The Coconut Cream Whipped Body Soap (non-foaming) is like slathering icing on your body, between the amazing scent and the rich skin-feel.  If you only try one item, this is the one to get because I’ve never felt a body cleanser like it.

If you’re not a coco-nut (harhar), they have a wide array of alternative vacations in a bottle including Tahitian Flower, Lily Mango and Peppermint. 

Does this: All-natural, sulfate free vacations in a bath & body bottle
Is this: La Liscious Coconut Cream Collection
Get this: Above
Price: From about $18.00 (8 oz body wash)

Image via; product via the brand

I’m on vacation this week so I’ve invited some of my blogging favorites to share their beauty favorites. Today’s post is by Anna from Designed By Ann.  She’s Greek so she knows what’s she talking about.

In Greece, yoghurt is perceived to be a good way to heal sunburn. Korres, a Greek natural cosmetics brand, used yoghurt (and it’s healing properties) to create an after sun cooling gel that both hydrates the body and heals sunburn.

First time I used the product was when it was given away as a sample with a magazine. I liked the way my skin felt after applying the cooling gel so I went on to buy it myself and use it as body lotion all summer long!

Korres After Sun Yoghurt Cooling Gel is more dense than a typical after sun body lotion and isn’t absorbed on the spot, but in this way it makes your skin cool off after spending hours in the sun!

It can be used both on face and body. Lately it also came to my attention that specifically for the face there is Yoghurt Instant Soothing Gel (which I haven’t tried because it is a Korres USA only product :( but I bet it’s good as well).

So, enjoy the sun and cool off with Korres Yoghurt After Sun Cooling Gel afterwards!

Does this: Cools off and hydrates skin after sun bathing; helps heals (moderate) sunburn.
Is this: Korres Yoghurt After-Sun Cooling Gel
Get this: Above
Price: $23.50

Image: Grazia Italy via

Well, it’s Friday, it’s summer, I’m in a good mood, and I found a box of goodies that contains not one but three of my cult favorite beauty products so you know what that means … GIVEAWAY TIME!

The Sephora Limited Edition In the Glow kit is valued at $110 and contains generously sized minis of the following:

- Tarte Smooth Operator™ Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum
- Clarins Delicious Self-Tanning Cream
- Kate Sommerville ExfoliKate [personal fave]
- Boscia Luminizing Black Mask [love this]
- Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation SPF 30
- Ole Henriksen Truth Serum
- Josie Maran Argan Oil [practically drink this - use it for everything]

TO ENTER:

1. Do ONE of the following…. reblog this post OR follow Cult of Pretty on Bloglovin’ OR follow Cult of Pretty on tumblr OR subscribe via email.

2. Leave a DISQUS comment below with what product you’ll be trying first if you win and which task you completed. If you’re reading this on tumblr, click through to the blog to comment. Do not comment in “Ask Me Anything.”

Contest ends next Friday July 29th, 2011 at 12am Eastern.  If you subscribe or follow to enter, you must be subscribed or following at the time of the drawing.  XO

Image via

Heading out to Jones Beach to see [what’s left of, rest in peace, etc.] The Dead.  Wishing I had the daisies to do this perfect hair!

Daniel Gurton for Vs. Magazine online, hair and makeup by Monica Gingold via.

When I see something that would make a great hostess gift I always wish someone would invite me to their beach house already I could be like Oprah’s buddy Colin Cowie, who has a closet in his pad that’s stocked with pre-wrapped candles and little gifts for those unexpected invitations [dahling].

Anyway, these are not rocks, they are soaps made with soya bean, sesame oil and other natural goodies.  They’re gentle enough for face and body.  And SO PRETTY for the fancy pants that invites you to their beach house this summer.

Does this: Beautiful gift; item you put in your guest loo and then burn with annoyance when someone actually touches it
Is this: Matahari Rock Soaps
Get this: Online at Tauk Montauk above
Price: $12.00 each

Images: Heather Marks by Enrique Badulescu for Velvet via; rocks via House Beautiful

Can I be honest? I always thought toner was stupid.  Why, when I’m going to wash my face anyway, do I need to add one more cotton ball to a landfill in the process of rubbing some alcohol-y thing on my face?

Well, I just woke up people.  It’s hot outside and toner is awesome - if it’s the right toner, applied in the right way.  Remember when you would just walk through a sprinkler on the way home from school like it was no thang?  I’ve been recreating that at my desk.  Read on.

I experienced Osmotics Skincare recently at Henri Bendel.  The founder, Francine Porter, is something of a cosmeceutical pioneer, and the line is based on clinically validated technologies. 

The product I fell in love with/cannot stop spraying all over myself is actually quite simple, though.  It’s the Balancing Tonic Facial Mist with sandalwood, lavender and aloe vera.  It hydrates, normalizes oil production, and is antibacterial i.e. for the second you get off the subway.  It smells utterly fresh, natural and relaxing with a tinge of this hippy-ish summer scent vibe that I cannot get enough of lately.

Does this: Refreshing, hydrating, oil-regulating toner spray that smells amazing
Is this: Osmotics Balancing Tonic Facial Mist
Get this: Above, at Henri Bendel, or look for it at Duane Reade Look Boutique locations
Price: $35.00

P.S. I also use the Eye Surgery Under Eye Rejuvenator, if you’re looking for an eye cream ($68).  It’s really light and it doesn’t irritate my eyes like so many eye products.

Image credit: Raychel Sonveeco. Product c/o Osmotics.