DC Beauty Tour Photo Album

Girls, I'm back in North Carolina and my 7 year old sister is with me so I don't have much time to talk. Here are some pictures from the DC Beauty Tour to tide you over until I can write again. (How does A Mom in Red High Heels do this?!!)

Spa Patio at The Red Door at the Willard. Amazing
Ted Gibson & Gibson Girl, Anne Hathaway

Phyto Hair Care at Ted Gibson.

The Willard Hotel Lobby

Me, Stylin' & Profilin', and Yummy 411 - these girls know their beauty.

Lindsay Ebbin, National Makeup Artist for The Red Door Spas gives GouldyLox Reviews a seriously fab touch-up!

Enough said.

Me & Bliss

View from the W Hotel

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The After Shot: A Ted Gibson Salon Hair Cut.

Me (yesterday) after the best haircut ever. One day later, and (as per my usual Sunday routine) my hair is piled high atop my head. Last Sunday however it was an unimaginable maze of knots, curls and dead ends. Today it is a dainty, sprightly knot befitting a pre-pubescent (read: pre-frizz) school girl. Why the change? Neven at Ted Gibson's DC Hela Spa location is a miracle worker and my new hair boyfriend. Despite living fours hours south in Chapel Hill, NC I intend to be fully committed and see him at least every two months. Neven is pictured below working his magic on @silverlips, the brains behind Silver Lips Beauty.

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Check Out the DC Beauty Tour's Hot Ride

Girls, yesterday I went on the most fabulous beauty tour . Having participated in beauty tours of LA and New York I decided (due to the recent openings of Ted Gibson Salon, Hela Spa, Bliss Spa, The Red Door at the Willard, Juara's invasion of Celadon Spa, and the ultra hip new offerings at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown) that it was time to get my DC beauty girls together with my favorite brands and make a day of it.

The first hurdle was transportation. These are some of the most coveted bloggers in the country and they are used to being spoiled. Despite my well intentioned efforts to throw them all in my step-mom's SUV I knew that wouldn't fly. So I started with the connoisseurs of perfection, The Ritz-Carlton. After finding out they preferred US Sedan, I knew we had to have them.

I couldn't have been happier. If Yasser, our driver wasn't a well trained, professional attentive luxury car driver, I could have easily mistaken him for a stalker. Despite our getting lost in product and primping and getting off schedule several times. Yasser always knew where we were and would roll up at the exact moment we exited DC's most fabulous beauty haunts. The ride itself was hot. Part limo, part van, with flat screen TV and leather seats we had the paparazzi stalkin' - or at least several heads turning. Anytime your are staying at the Ritz's ultra hip Georgetown location or simply need to go anywhere in the DC area in style, US Sedan is the way to go. For reals. Tell Yasser I sent you!

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Ted Gibson Salon at Hela Spa in Chevy Chase: Don't You Ever Get to Thinkin' He's Replaceable

For the past two weeks my hair has felt like a bad rash. My new job has me more tethered to North Carolina than I'm used to and so, to accommodate the 9 to 5 (or 10:30 depending on the day) life, I've had to abandon my previous hair boyfriends in LA and New York. The results have been much less than satisfactory.

But Ted Gibson, being the patron saint of hair (I say this sincerely as I earnestly believe he was put on earth to help materialize his motto - "Beauty is Individual" - as ultimate truth as well as a chic statement) was two steps a head of me. By opening his DC Salon at The Collection in Chevy Chase he has once again saved my hair and subsequently my self image.

The thing about people like Ted, who are blessed enough to be fulfilling their divine purpose, is that they attract equally talented, beautiful (kind-hearted) people like Neven. Neven began working at Ted's DC outpost before it even opened. Imported from Croatia on the basis that his talent is irreplaceable by an American citizen Neven is a heavenly combination of Gianni Versace and the statue of David. The Ted Gibson Salon at Hela Spa opened on Inauguration day weekend. With in a few hours a Croatian news crew had stumbled upon Neven and the headlines in Croatia were fairly equally weighted - Obama at the White House and Neven at Ted Gibson. Between Croatia's priorities and it's beaches, I'm seriously considering a move or at least an extended vacation.

Neven is a bit of a hair genius and I now have lovelier longer layers than ever before. (Pictures to follow tomorrow.) I realized while watching him artfully shape a style out my tangled brown mop (utilizing nothing more than an expert pair of scissors and massive reserve of natural talent) that no matter how thick your hair is, a master stylist will never need to use thinning sheers. Neven simply cut around the weight in such a way that the hair can move and live on its own volition. Like Michelangelo set the image of David free from that marble slab, so too Neven reveals beauty from whatever medium is lucky enough to find herself in his chair. If feeling like an iconic work of art (which mind you is the only thing that walks out of any Ted Gibson Salon) isn't reason enough for you to part with $150, consider what price you would pay to receive the best scalp massage ever from irreplaceable Croatian talent. Tell Neven I sent you!

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Product Rave: L'Oreal Paris Infallible Never Fail Plumping Gloss

Remember back in May of '08 when I fell in love with L'Oreal's launch of the infallible lip gloss? (I know I'm so 2000 and eight) Well I know we all thought it was impossible but L'Oreal has gone and improved on this long lasting lip gem by adding a little bee-sting. Sure it tingles a bit but it also eliminates that nasty Muppet mouth. By the way whoever is mixing pigments over there at L'Oreal, I love you. No one makes a pink and red from the same line that look perfect on me except, well, you. XO to you dear VP Makeup Artist. Check out my friend Marta (pictured below) from TalkingMakeup.com sporting this fab new plumping gloss from L'Oreal!

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Molton Brown Launches Limited Edition Facial Oils

Luxury British skincare has taught me one critical piece of information. Facial oils are not an item of desire but rather one of necessity. Part aromatherapy, part nectar of the Gods that can deduct decades from your crows feet, a uniquely-packaged highly-potent facial oil is as indispensable as mascara. You heard me. "as mascara!"

Who better to cultivate exotic spices for such facial oils than luxury British brand Molton Brown? This week they introduce a standout line of limited edition facial oils. Already used in the Molton Brown spas, these oils are now available for $58, for a limited time, to consumers at all emporia locations as well as at moltonbrown.com.

Packaged in lavishly decorated glass vessels, each container bursts with potent essential oils. The three different formulas, Tunesian Neroli, Somolian Myrrh and Hungarian Wild Carrot, are designed to be used in place of a moisturizer- they are easily absorbed into the skin to regenerate and repair throughout the night. They can also be integrated into any skincare routine to suit different skin types to rebalance and moisturize. Simply warm a few drops between palms, inhale the aroma and sweep across the face, neck and décolletage. Enjoy!

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The September Issue! (or The Origins of Anna's Eternal Pout)

Girls, will you tune in to see the world's unhappiest looking francophile curating the world's best fashion and torturing well-meaning sophomoric interns? I was at work so I missed the live premier coverage tonight via facebook but Anna's pout has me pondering: Does fashion in New York make people miserable? Now seriously, LA Fashion Week is full of talented dedicated artists: makeup, set design, fashion, hair, pickup and so forth - all artists, happy to be there and happy you are there. No matter who you are. New York fashion week is more: who do you know? why are you here? You won't make it to next season. Yawn.

I think this pervasive snobbery is where Anna's pout comes from. Though she may not be this way herself, she is (perhaps by happenstance) at the epicenter of rudeness. Can't be a fun place. Even if you have access to the last orangina at Conde Nast and everything Thakoon creates.

Whether you're a fan of Anna's pout or not, be sure to check out the FB premiere coverage with guests from the film like director R.J. Cutler, legendary Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, Grace Coddington, Andre Leon Talley, Sienna Miller, and Thakoon Panichgul, and with notables like Renee Zellweger, Sean Combs, Carey Mulligan also making appearances.

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Done Out in Deco: A South Beach Shade of Purple by OPI

Girls! I'm getting a million compliments on my newest shade of purple. After claiming OPI's "Parlez-Vous OPI?" as my most favorite ever (very French, very sophisticated, too catching) I tired of it a bit after seeing it on everyone else's toes.

Alas I decided to go for OPI's brighter shade of purple, Done Out in Deco (less breathy sophistication, more Easter egg obvious) and the results are fab. A bit more fun. A bit less grey in the undertone.

Try in on yourself or any other bit of ingeniousness from their South Beach collection with OPI.com's lacquer simulator.

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