Snap Out Of Sunday Sadness

Six things to lift you up during the darkest hour of the week. 1. Horoscope: Read them and see what's in store for you this month. Also my friend Sara sent me this version, so consult both to be double-ready. 2. Tinder Marriages: People are meeting on apps and getting married. So 2014 3. Emoji Nation: Ukrainian artist Nastya Nudnik incorporated emojis into  historical fine art. 4. James Franco tried to pick up a teenage girl on Instagram: "Maybe this is some kind of Continue Reading [...]

SK-II Launches Pop-up Shops In NYC And San Francisco

Clariiiiiice, I kid you not, this SK-II Facial Treatment Mask is so good, I'm rocking one currently on a flight to San Francisco and my seat mate is SCANDALIZED by my Hannibal boldness.Want to sample it before throwing down your dollies? You're in luck if you reside in either NYC or San Francisco because the skincare line, is opening Pop Up Studios in for a limited time, April 4th through May 23rd, 2014. Cate Blanchett is a fan of the pitera-infused lotions and potions which yield radiance Continue Reading [...]

Lupita Nyong’o Is Lancome’s New Face

Lancôme's latest face is the gorgeous Lupita Nyong’o! It was only a matter of time before this talented beauty struck a major beauty deal and Lancôme is a perfect fit. The Academy Award winner is a recent graduate from the Yale School of Drama, and boasts an eclectic artistic repertoire, having performed on stage as well as having directed the award-winning feature-length documentary, In My Genes, about the reality of living with albinism in Kenya.  "I am truly honored to join the Maison Continue Reading [...]

Rouge18 Is Eight Years Old

Rouge18 (née Beauty Blogging Junkie) turns 8 today! Longtime readers know I started this blog from my cubicle at PricewaterhouseCoopers (it's finally been long enough that I actually had to check whether to capitalize that "W") in a pretty low time in my life. I then spent four years writing this blog in the middle of the night and attending multiple beauty events after work while working in a series of financial gigs, dodging multiple lay-offs until I finally was offered a full-time beauty Continue Reading [...]

Fictionary: Inspiraling

Fictionary is a column showcasing beauty-related words that don’t exist, but should. As anyone with curly hair knows, it's a never-ending journey. You learn tricks and different ways of styling your locks all the time. At age 33, for instance, I learned that combing out my hair post-shower yields curls that are much less defined than if I leave my hair a feral MESS. Talk about counterintuitive. One thing I've known from way back is that John Frieda's products work really well on my curls; Continue Reading [...]

Throwback Thursday: My Initiation Into The Cult Of Lancôme

Welcome to a new series on R18 called Throwback Thursday, clearly, a nod to the Instagram sensation. In it, I'll share my first forays into certain brands I've been loving since the '90s (and some are even the '80s). The first to be featured? Lancôme, with which I've had a long and involved relationship since '96 (cue Jay-Z). 1996 was when I got my hands on my first high-end nail polish; at the time Chanel's Starry Night was all the rage. It was a navy blue with silver sparkles and it was DIVINE. Continue Reading [...]

Fictitious Fragrance Fans: The Ladies Of 'How I Met Your Mother'

R18ers, did we see this week's finale of How I Met Your Mother? *SPOILERS ahead if you didn't see the show!*   I was happy with it overall; I've never found the Barney/Robin relationship to be all that believable long-term (though it's not for lack of chemistry). I was team Robin/Ted all the way and despite his tendency for pretension and over-romanticism, I've had a monster-sized crush on Ted Evelyn Mosby for nine long years. So to me, the ending was IT. Except for one thing: Ted Continue Reading [...]

I Like It On Top

Manis go from good to great with these finishing touches. The Shift Me: Makes your polish lighter and brighter and gives it a pop. The Matte Velvet : As the name suggests, this turns any of your polishes matte, eliminating the need to decide what finish you want when you buy a color. Seche Vite: Let's be real, this is the only top coat that matters. Maybelline Color Show Street Art: 5 shades of splatter-paint-Pollock polish that you can mix and match to your hearts Continue Reading [...]

Video: March Beauty Product Favorites

GUYS, sorry for the DELAY; I'm getting this one on juuuuuust under the wire. I was doing my civic duty today (of the jury variety, obv). Without further ado, my March faves.     Pantene Dry Shampoo ($8) Weleda Oat Replenishing Treatment ($13) Greg Lauren For Barney's New York perfume ($195) Hard Candy Ombre Lipstick ($4) Dr. Dennis Gross Clinical Boosters ($58) And now, I want to hear from YOU. What are you loving this month? Continue Reading [...]

Want A $10 Blow-Out? That Was A Rhetorical Q.

Obv, so get involved with Aveda's Global Cut-A-Thon for Clean Water on Monday April 7th. Salons across the globe will be participating in a Global Cut-A-Thon and Beyond to raise funds for clean water projects around the world. Aveda stylists will volunteer their time to offer haircuts and other beauty services in return for a donation to Earth Month. In NYC, from 11am to 8pm at the Aveda Institute on 233 Spring Street, services include: Student Haircuts: $20 Professional Stylists: $40 Master Continue Reading [...]