Drinking and Dreaming

Linked In

2013-05-20T07:32:00.000-04:00

Some of my favorite links this week:

A very interesting take on MET Ball fashion, apparently I wasn't the only one who thought the red carpet fell flat.

Yep. I want to do this. Let's see Paul Allen's card.

When I'm off my diet (you know....25 years from now), I am making this perfectly delicious cobbler. It looks heavenly.

Chrissy Teigen has one of my favorite food blogs, a hilarious Instagram and one very handsome fiance. Last week, she tweeted about one of the 'Teen Moms' (and her unnecessary place in our culture) and got a shocking amount of backlash. Well...here is her rebuttal.

Didn't your Mom tell you to kill people with kindness? Yeah, I have a few people I'd like to send this pie to...

I have a lot of weddings this summer and this is the perfect dress. Dammit, I love Tibi.

Good Intentions

2013-05-19T20:18:00.003-04:00

Image courtesy of Hip Hip Gin Gin.

The Signs Are Everywhere

2013-05-19T17:14:00.001-04:00

My girlfriends and I talk about relationships and dating a lot. All of my best friends are in long-term, serious relationships and some of them seem to think it's sooo fabulous that I'm single in Manhattan. I will be the first to say that fabulous definitely isn't the right word for it. It's....interesting. To say the least. Am I open to a relationship? Absolutely. But I'm definitely not one of those "I'm no one unless someone loves me" sort of girls so I refuse to settle down or get serious with someone unless it's the right person. Dating is great...and it's awful. It's full of love, it's full of heartbreak and like anything, it has it's highs and lows.

That being said, I've found that a lot of girls around me seem to fall into that dangerous zone of dating someone who isn't right for them just because it's easier than not dating anyone at all. "But we've already been together so long" or "all of the good ones are already taken" is just nonsense and it's a really bad way to look at your love life and those you allow very personal access to it. If deep down, you know this person isn't right for you, you aren't being fair to yourself or to them. While I understand that I'm obviously nowhere near a relationship guru, below are some of my tips to let you know if you're dating the wrong person.

You or your partner are cheating:

Cheating is never a good sign and it's officially time to get out if it's happening to you - it's the ultimate form of disrespect and something I have no tolerance for. If you are the cheater, you need to end the relationship immediately. You don't respect the other person in your life and it shows that you're looking to other people to get what you need.

If being with your partner leaves you drained or depressed:

The person you're dating should make you feel great about yourself and generally be a fantastic person to be around. Someone who insults, doubts or exhausts you is not someone you need to spend time with.

If your sex life is lacking sparks:

There is nothing like sexual chemistry. You need sparks. Now don't get me wrong, not every sexual encounter needs to be a recreated porn scene, but if your sexual connection is flat in the first couple of months of a relationship, chances are it won't get much hotter.

If you have never been introduced to their friends and family:

Obviously in the beginning, there's a natural grace period before this person introduces you to the important people in their life. BUT months down the road, if this person is strategically trying to keep you at bay, they may not look at you with any kind of permanence.

If you have differing views about marriage:

If you're looking to eventually get married and have a family, dating someone who wants to live like Clooney doesn't really make sense. A lot of people think they can change someone's mind but, friends, you can't change anyone.

Daydreaming with Andrea Cardinali

2013-05-16T20:31:00.002-04:00

Today's Daydreaming feature is a chance for me to introduce you to one of my favorite people, Andrea Cardinali. She has become a very good friend of mine through Jen, Jaclene and the girls from Westchester. And yes - it seems like when it comes to my NYC friend circle, all roads lead back to that damn town.

Andrea worked in commodities and finance for the past seven years, but thankfully she's seen the light and is now spending her time finding ways to use her artistic talents over those boring mathematical ones. Well...that and she is just entirely too hot to spend her days down on Broad Street in a pantsuit. Andrea is also one of the biggest reasons that I spend a lot of my weekends running through the mud, carrying sandbags and crawling under assorted atrocities in the woods. She's amazing...read below and you'll see why.

5 places you want to visit in your lifetime:

Sardinia

Mykonos

Cape Town

Madrid

Paris

Four photos of how you envision your life in 5 years:

Go-To Drink:
Champagne. That's not current though...that's always.

Something I've been daydreaming about lately:
The future...the past...pretty much anything happy that comes to mind.

Currently listening to:
Justin Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience. No judging.

Currently reading:
Divergent by Veronica Roth.

Current favorite quote:

Oh Etta...

2013-05-12T12:51:00.001-04:00

J. Crew's Etta Pumps are my obsession of the moment. J. Crew has been the love of my life for the past couple of seasons, and these pumps are just complete standouts. Either covered in sequins, tweed, leopard calf hair, snakeskin or with a bright cap toe - they are delicious and I want to start collecting many, many pairs. Fabulous shoes like these never go out of style.

The chunky heel is sleek, yet substantial and they are fabulous (and comfortable enough) to perfectly transition from day to night. Something about that chunky heel gives them a touch of old school glamour that I just can't get enough of. For your pair (or pairs), swing by J. Crew and give Jenna and Mickey a little more of your money...

Channeling My Inner Ina

2013-05-11T10:55:00.003-04:00

It's not a secret that I love to cook. On a rainy Saturday like today, there isn't much better than digging through a cookbook, spending $200 at Whole Foods (I'm convinced you can't get out of there for under $100), and spending a relaxing evening drinking wine, listening to music and cooking. Lately spending quiet nights in with people I really enjoy are a lot more fun than spending loud nights out with obnoxious strangers at bars. Yes friends...I'm getting old.

Speaking of digging through cookbooks, I have a pretty extensive collection and the four below need to become permanent members of the family. Something has happened in the past couple of years and cookbooks are receiving the same attention as art books - they are absolutely gorgeous now. The photography, the font, the stories are all really well done and very visual.

To pick up the beauties above:

It's All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow

Foolproof by Ina Garten (I'm obsessed with the Barefoot Contessa)

The Sprouted Kitchen by Sara Forte

Plenty by London's Ottolenghi

Wino Forever

2013-05-06T22:11:00.002-04:00

Goddammit these photos are good. Like...really good. Wow. Hats off to Interview Magazine and even more of a high five to British photographer, Craig McDean. Not only is the macabre spread amazing, but the interview is really interesting. In the magazine, she talks about the industry and making movies in the digital age: "I mean, this is what I miss: being an actress, you'd hear that a movie was being made with Robert DeNiro or Al Pacino or one of those guys, and then you'd wait a year and then you'd wait in line at the theater. You wouldn't know anything. You'd maybe know the tagline, or maybe you'd get some inside information from friends, but you didn't really know. I don't really understand the Internet, but now you can't keep anything a secret."

It might be worth picking up an Interview this month...

Linked In

2013-05-05T15:03:00.000-04:00

I spend the majority of my weekdays and a big chunk of my weekend mornings online. Whether I'm looking at various news or fashion sites to cover my magazines or I'm scrolling through random blogs for D&D inspiration, I've found some gorgeous things on the interwebs. That being said, I have decided that I'm going to start sharing some of my favorite links with you. If you know of anything fun or new, send it my way. I love discovering a good blog, a smart feature or a gorgeous site. So...enjoy below.

If you feel like looking at something pretty... This is my new go-to site for fashion inspiration.

I've never made clams, but they couldn't be too hard and this recipe looks delicious.

Who is your celebrity crush? Everyone has one (or two) and I think it says a lot about your taste and/or type. Celebs are gorgeous and, let's be honest, most people won't ever meet their sexy stranger - it's all fantasy. Just your physical ideal. Mine? Peyton Manning, Jason Sudeikis or Bradley Cooper. Or all of them.

I've been paying off all of my credit cards - I don't have many and my balances aren't crazy - and I'm close to having zero credit card debt which is the nicest feeling. Feels very grown up, responsible and definitely better than buying an amazing bag or a fantastic dinner. It's also great for your credit score. Even if you just pay more than the minimum -- anything extra is really good to do. And I think that once you completely pay off your credit cards, you deserve a reward. An Isabel Marant reward maybe?

As an avid Instagram/Facebooker, The Atlantic's piece on the perfect empty vessel is so interesting. Facebook - what it is, how far reaching it is - is just phenomenal.

I love entertaining and I really love having parties in the summer. I desperately need a rooftop or big terrace to properly throw down and use some of these adorable ideas.

Maybe I'm biased because it came from one of my mags, but the last two paragraphs in this interview with Julie Delpy are incredible. When she says that the more you have your own life and your own self, the more attractive you are to the opposite sex...well that pretty much says it all.

Image courtesy of my Pinterest page.

Talk Derby to Me

2013-05-04T12:50:00.005-04:00

It's Derby Day, my loves! The Kentucky Derby stands for a lot of things - money, hats, horses - but not least among them is the unofficial beginning of seersucker season. Since the man behind heritage brand Haspel began cranking out the crinkly fabric in New Orleans a century ago, the lightweight style of chic Southerners has come to redefine how we look in the springtime.

So when you think Derby style, think below the Mason Dixon line. It is all about bright colors, bow ties, full skirts and hats, hats, hats. I'm not sure what you have planned for today's race but whether you're on Millionaire's Row or at a bar in the East Village, this is one sporting event where you better look damn good. Don't let me down.

Penny Lane

2013-05-03T07:41:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of Janessa Leone? I hadn't either...and now I can't stop thinking about her. Janessa's eponymous hat collection is based out of Los Angeles and I'm getting such a major 70's cool-girl vibe from these wide-brim, feather and leather accented hats that, again, I'm realizing that I was clearly born in the wrong era.

These lids are hot.

Her recent collection, Shadows, is inspired by all of the faceless women who are immortalized through the songs that we all love. Rhiannon, Layla, Cecilia, Josie, Sheena, Angie, Jolene... The list goes on and on and I love that it's these musical muses that inspired the seriously sexy hats below. The lookbook is so groupie-inspired that I'm really contemplating dropping everything, throwing on a vintage fur, buying a pack of cigarettes and embarking on a life as a rockstar girlfriend. At the very least, these hats would make me one hell of a Band Aid...

Images courtesy of Janessa Leone.

Favorite Line / Favorite Book

2013-04-28T21:56:00.003-04:00

Daydreaming with Abigail Jorgensen

2013-04-28T12:37:00.002-04:00

I met the lovely Abigail around the beginning of the year and not only was I excited to find another amazing Colorado transplant, but I instantly had a feeling that we'd become very good friends. I was right. She is the sweetest girl, always smiling, knows about the best parties and has the greatest bangs in the East Village.

Abigail does PR for Circolo, one of my favorite restaurants in the city, and is also working on some very cool projects this summer. She loves Twitter like I love Instagram (we both have an aggressive relationship with our social media) and for her daily musings and fabulous life updates you can find her at @aajorgensen. One of my favorite Ab factoids...she's obsessed with Christmas music. Like, listens-to-it-year-round levels of obsessed. How can you not love that?

5 places you want to visit in your lifetime:

Chiang Mai Thailand for the Lantern Festival

Finland to sleep in a glass igloo

Juliet's Wall in Verona, Italy

Rio de Janeiro for New Year's Eve

Paris Fashion Week

Four photos of how you envision yourself in 5 years:

Go-To Drink:

The Sisco Sour at Circolo because Salvo is a magic mixologist. If I'm being healthy, my go-to is the Daily Green at Juicy Lucy in the East Village.

Something I've been daydreaming about lately:

Romance + world domination + chillin with ASAP Rocky. Actually I've really been thinking about a romance with ASAP Rocky that leads to world domination.

Currently listening to:
Paris by Malcolm McLaren, everything by Angela McCluskey and of course, ASAP Rocky.

Currently reading:

iDisorder by Larry Rosen. As a #TwitterTweaker, I think it's important to learn how technology is affecting me subconsciously.

Current favorite quote:

This Little Piggy...

2013-04-27T10:26:00.000-04:00

It is no state secret that I love cheeseburgers - a perfectly cooked burger with an ice cold dirty martini is kind of like heaven on Earth. Some of my favorites are at DuMont Burger, Rare and Minetta Tavern but I am always on the hunt for a new spin on a cheeseburger...even if I have to make it myself. I was doing a little work last night and after scrolling through Redbook's site, I found a delicious burger recipe that is definitely different from the norm.

I love spicy, I love Romesco mayo and ground pork is a great lean option. The little treat below looks like the perfect springtime dinner and I can't wait to make it.

Pork & Chorizo Burgers

Ingredients:

3 ounces dried spicy chorizo sausage, papery casing removed, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 pound lean ground pork

3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons finely minced shallot

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 brioche hamburger buns, split

8 scallions, trimmed to 4-inch lengths

4 slices Monterey Jack cheese

4 frisee lettuce leaves

Romesco Mayo Ingredients:

1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise

2 teaspoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3/4 teaspoons smoked paprika

3/4 teaspoons garlic paste or 1/2 teaspoon pressed fresh garlic

ground black pepper

Directions:

Romesco Mayo: stir ingredients in a small bowl until blended

Burgers: Pulse chorizo in a food processor until crumbly; transfer to a large bowl. Add pork, parsley, shallots, cumin and salt to chorizo. Mix gently but thoroughly (be careful not to overwork the mixture). Shape into four (1-inch thick) patties. Refrigerate burgers.

Prepare an outdoor grill with a medium-hot fire (or heat a stovetop grill pan over medium heat). Grill buns 1 to 2 minutes, until toasted.

Spray scallions with olive oil cooking spray; grill 4 to 5 minutes. Grill burgers 5 to 6 minutes per side, until cooked through. During the last 2 minutes of grilling, place cheese slices on top of patties and cook until cheese starts to melt.

To assemble, spread cut sides of buns with Romesco Mayo. Line bottom buns with lettuce. Top with burgers and grilled scallions.

Smart is Sexy

2013-04-24T23:08:00.001-04:00

While I'm a very big fan of starting your day with some worldly knowledge, I'm also the first person to understand that life definitely gets in the way. Enter The Skimm. Started by former NBC News staffers Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin, the daily newsletter brings you the most noteworthy information in a concise, personable (and funny) format.

The Skimm is now your secret weapon. There is so much information, so many outlets (both print and online) that it's just not possible to absorb it all. I also love that they cross subject lines and cover content ranging from the financial crisis in Cypress to Lululemon's see-through yoga pants. In a quick soundbite from their site, The Skimm is a daily newsletter that simplifies the headlines for the educated professional who knows that she needs to know more.

Sign up friends...I'm alarmingly well informed lately and I like it.

Hypercolor Spirits

2013-04-22T21:55:00.000-04:00

BCBG is like an old friend. I think I have more dresses, shoes, blouses and skirts by Max Azria than any other brand. And damn him for that, because at this point, I'm sure he owns a sailboat or a pet bengal tiger that I've helped finance.

I don't know what it is about BCBG, it's definitely not the most luxurious brand, sometimes it's a little too trendy, but I'm just obsessed and season after season our relationship gets even more co-dependent. I was on their site tonight drooling over their SS13 looks (embarrassingly half of what you see below is in my shopping bag as we speak) and fell in love all over again. The stripes, the luxe embroidery, the graphic stripes and the asymmetrical silhouettes are just perfectly my style. I need all of it...thank god for credit cards.

Take Me Away

2013-04-20T10:50:00.000-04:00

The past month has been incredibly busy, entirely too stressful and what I desperately need is a getaway. I need a beach, a new bikini, cold white wine and nothing to do but relax and get a tan. I've been putting together a potential trip to St. Lucia and dammit, I am going even if I end up taking myself.

The Viceroy Hotel's newest resort, Sugar Beach (formerly Jalousie Plantation), is just what the doctor ordered. The recent $100 million redo resulted in minimalist, tasteful villas with plunge pools, modern amenities (WiFi, flat-screen TVs, AC) as well as charming low-tech touches like ceiling fans and atmospheric mosquito netting canopies that are drawn each night.

Besides, I have no problem admitting that I am a huge fan of being treated a little like a princess and the fact that every villa has a private butler is pretty major. I spent a week at the Canouan Resort a few years ago and there's just something absurdly decadent about having a butler golf-cart you from your villa to the pristine, white sand beaches, spa treatments or 5-star restaurants on the property. I need a little TLC and Sugar Beach definitely fits the bill. I mean...look at the images below - what's not to like?

Stardust Memories

2013-04-19T21:55:00.001-04:00

I cannot wait for The Great Gatsby and have used literally every favor I have to snag invites to the premiere. I don't know about you but my anticipation for this movie is high. The film was shot in 3-D, Miuccia Prada designed the costumes and Jay-Z created the soundtrack. Beyond. I love how Baz Luhrmann revisits classics (Leo in Romeo + Juliet anyone?) and I can't wait to see him bring one of my favorite books to life. Baz and his team built this spectacular world that brings you back to a version of the 1920's - one that kind of contemporizes it and gives it a modern spin. It's the '20s as the characters might have experienced them and the film looks to be a perfectly immersive experience. I really hope that it's as good as I want it to be.

That being said, I have something very important to show you and that is Carey Mulligan in Vogue channeling all of her Daisy Buchanan mystique. Shot by Mario Testino, with fashion credits from Miu Miu, Chanel Haute Couture, Oscar de la Renta and Nina Ricci, the photos are stunning. Daisy is by far my favorite literary character - she just walks through life like she's acting in a movie about herself, constantly on show, performing all the time and completely uncomfortable in her own skin. It's incredible.

Images courtesy of Vogue.

Pray for Boston

2013-04-15T22:03:00.000-04:00

I spent the end of the 2012 and the beginning of this year in Boston almost every other weekend. I wasn't expecting to fall so in love with a city, especially one that, as a New Yorker, I'm basically expected to look down my nose at. Downtown Boston is just gorgeous. Copley Square, Newbury Street, Trinity Church, the swan boats, the drunk college kids and the sexy firemen with the Marky Mark accents...I love it. All of it.

As you all know, today some spineless prick tried to blow up a little chunk of Boston. On Patriot's Day. The irony is just shocking because, let's be honest, this piece of shit is the exact opposite of a patriot.

The Boston Marathon is America's iconic race, the oldest marathon in the country and, if you are a runner, it's the most important. If you ran the New York Marathon, while it's no small feat, chances are you got lucky in a race lottery. If you ran Boston, you had to qualify by running pretty damn fast and with some real consistency.

There's something particularly devastating about an attack on a marathon because the athletes with the ability to complete one, accomplish something almost superhuman. Not many people can run 26 miles at a decent clip without literally falling down on the ground. That being said, an attack on a marathon is also very ordinary. You run it on the same streets that everyone drives on and crosses in the morning on their way to work. An attack on a marathon is, in some ways, more devastating than an attack on a stadium; you're hitting something special but also something very quotidian. Boston is a very tough, very sturdy city but come on...these attacks are just getting out of hand.

Kiss your loved ones tonight, my dear readers. It's a jungle out there.

Power Clashing

2013-04-14T23:04:00.000-04:00

The birds are chirping, the sun is shining and I had cocktails on a rooftop today dammit...spring is finally here. Now I know that it's a little scary - and it can get screwy in a hurry - but I love that mixing up prints is officially a thing now. The images below have completely inspired me to buy more stripes, some bright florals and really amp it up this season. It's 2013, there's just no reason to hold back anymore. And, do I spy with my pretty brown eye a Chanel tennis racket below? Yeah, I'd sign up for tennis lessons just to have a reason to use that thing on a regular reason.

Images courtesy of Harper's BAZAAR.

Words to Live By

2013-04-14T08:20:00.001-04:00

Beautiful and Damned

2013-04-11T10:19:00.001-04:00

I just picked up Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald and I am so excited to tear into it. As it's such a rainy Thursday, I really wish I was tucked under my down comforter with this book, a hot cup of coffee and nothing else to do today... But I digress. I have such a weird obsession with Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald's relationship and I'm not really sure where it started. I love how much they loved each other and, being the hopeless romantic that I am, just sigh everytime I read the quote above. It's incredible. They were both very complicated and there were nuances to their marriage that I am sure people will never know about, but regardless of how batshit crazy they seemed (and probably were), they were such an incredible team.

I think that anyone vaguely familiar with the 1920's has heard the indulgent and decadent stories about the two of them - Zelda receiving guests while in the bath, Zelda and Scott riding on top of taxis in Paris and passing out together (sometimes in public) after getting absolutely hammered at parties. They were the golden couple of the golden age and so famous that every exploit of their whirlwind was printed in the newspaper. Sadly, as they grew older, their party life took a toll on them as Scott became a confirmed alcoholic and Zelda began her descent into schizophrenia. At the end of the Jazz Age, Scott wrote, "Sometimes I don't know if Zelda and I are real or whether we are characters in one of my novels."

Caradise

2013-04-07T15:40:00.000-04:00

I'm definitely not model obsessed but I just adore Cara Delevingne...and she's literally about to take over the world. At the ripe age of 20, this gorgeous British girl starred in campaigns for Burberry and Chanel, walked in big-time runways for Marc Jacobs and Oscar de la Renta and is Victoria's Secret's newest Angel. Not bad for someone who can't even legally drink in the US.

I'm in love with the photos below from Style.com - those eyes, those brows... Insane. I can't wait to see what comes next for Cara because she just trademarked her name with the International Property Office in December. The newly acquired branding rights mean that from now on, she's the only one who can use her name which gives her power over a range of products including perfumes and handbags, etc. This is actually one celeb brand I could get behind because I can't imagine her cranking out anything too mass or cheesy...

Images courtesy of Style.com.

Daydreaming with Jenna Salomone

2013-04-05T21:27:00.001-04:00

My lovely friend Jenna Salomone came into my life through the Westchester army (aka Jaclene, Jen and Andrea) and I couldn't be happier. She is just the sweetest, loveliest person you'll ever meet and she manages to always have a huge smile on her face and some positive thing to say. In a world where there are about seven of these people, you almost want to keep her in a bubble and away from the mean jerks strolling the streets of NYC.

Jenna got a chemical engineering degree from Manhattan College but spends her days as a yoga instructor and a professional traveler. I love that. What I don't love is the travel envy I get every time I see her Instagram...

5 places you want to visit in your lifetime:

Indonesia.

Australia.

South Africa.

Spain.

England.

Four photos of how you envision yourself in 5 years:

Go-To Drink:
Club Soda

Something I've been daydreaming about lately:

I've been daydreaming about the year to come. I've decided to take a semi break from the real world and for the first time NOT have a set plan for an entire year. I have been daydreaming about all of the places that I want to go and the things I want to do during my year of freedom as I try to figure out what a happy life looks for me.

Currently listening to:
Sweet nothing.

Currently reading:
Buddha by Deepak Chopra.

Current favorite quote:
"Pain that has not yet come is avoidable."
-Yoga Sutra

Gallery Walls

2013-03-30T14:38:00.002-04:00

I love finding and framing quirky, whimsical prints. Currently, the wall above my bed is a curated mash-up of mismatched frames, personal photos and cool pieces of art stretched on canvas. I really love that look and am always on Etsy or Pinterest hunting down new stuff. The only trouble is that in a small apartment, I'm officially running out of available wall space.

Having a gallery wall in your home adds so much visual interest to the space. I love looking at other people's collections of art or vacation pictures -- it is like an actual glimpse into their history and taste. A random arrangement is so easy to create, you just have to forgo any obsession with perfection or symmetry, and play with it a bit. Mix in the larger prints with smaller photos and try to start with one (or two) focal points and expand from there.

Some great inspirations below:

You can find some great new prints here, and here and then again right here.

Images courtesy of Honestly WTF, Lonny Mag, Pinterest and Apartment Therapy.

The Un-Powder

2013-03-29T08:20:00.001-04:00

We don't talk much about beauty here on D&D. I'm big into fabulous clothes, gorgeous interiors, fun parties and great recipes but when it comes to makeup and beauty products, I'm more of a mascara and chapstick kinda girl. I like quality over quantity and a makeup bag consisting of Chanel foundation, Rodin lip balm and a good mascara just makes more sense than a bag of random, new products that I'll only use once. But every now and then something comes along that is way too cool to ignore. We're shine-proofing today, friends.

Using face powder always seemed so dated to me and when applied wrong, it just masks your healthy, glowing skin... Or so I thought. I found an article last night on RMS Beauty Founder, Rose-Marie Swift, who set out to redefine face powder with her appropriately named "Un-Powder" formula. The superfine white dust, which she sources from Japan, is made from 100 percent silica and matches easily with any skin tone. What's left isn't a caked-on, over-powdered face but dewy skin, minus the shine.

She's not the only one introducing these formulas for spring. NARS' Light Reflecting Setting Powder harnesses the same Photochromic technology used in transitional sunglass lenses - meaning it will automatically adjust to the intensity of sunlight or even flash photography to counteract chalkiness. I love when technology is used to make you pretty.

Rounding out this new category is Clarins' Multi Eclat Mineral Loose Powder which uses soft-focus pigments to deliver a radiant finish. It also smells faintly of mimosa flower and cucumber and, come on, who doesn't like that?

Images courtesy of Vogue, NARS and Clarins.