A peek at the must have #Beauty Brands that @beautypress #Spotlight Day put on my radar

Beauty Press Spotlight Day has quickly become one of my favorite Press Events to attend in New York City. They have helped me discover Beauty Brands that are completely new to me or new products from old favorites as well as one-to-one time directly with the brands, oftentimes with the Founders of the Brand which is certainly a rare treat.

On such a cold day, these signs of Spring were certainly a site for sore eyes!

So Backsplash shots aka 'Step and Repeats' are becoming the norm at most events, and despite the fact I have been blogging for a long time now, I have always been camera shy, but they got me coming in! LOL

Right: Ascending Butterfly - Rocking one of my favorite jackets from Wilson's Leather, that green color always cheers me up!

After the backsplash my first stop was something warm and Filicori Zecchini Coffee was just what the Doctor ordered! They warmed me up and perked me up!

They have a location on 46th and Madison so if you are in the area you should definitely stop by!

Ceci Cela Patisserie

We were super lucky that Ceci Cela Patisserie brought the French cafe experience directly from NYC's Nolita neighborhood right to us, as their sweet delights paired perfectly with our coffee.

Ceci Cela Patisserie Pastries Display at BeautyPress Spotlight Day February 2014 - All I can say is that everything tasted as good as it looks!

I normally get so wrapped up at events that I end up invariably having to skip the Beauty Treatments because the lines are long, so for once I opted to think about ME first for a change. And I signed up for a Blow Out with the lovely team at Blo Blow Dry Bar! I felt like a superstar afterwards:

A great blow out always makes my day so much brighter!

Blo is North America's Original Blow Dry Bar. They started in 2007 with one vital question 'Why isn't there a place for quick, affordable catwalk-quality blow outs?', they now have 39 locations across North America. My neighborhood doesn't have one and certainly needs one, hmm....Maybe I went for Beauty and will come out thinking about inquiring on my own Franchise!

Even Mama Butterfly got in on the fun and as you can tell she loved her Blow Out too!

I figured I'd keep the hair theme after my blow out and hit the Dear Clark booth:

Let's face it, how could I pass up a 'Hair Revival'?

Stylists Holly Dear and Kaycee Clark (Dear Clark, get it?) created this range of effective, natural based and locally sourced products to help bring stressed hair back to life. With ingredients from the deep heart of the Lone Star State and a signature scent crafted from pure and powerful essential oils and one that as a Latina I am quite familiar with:

One of the ingredients Dear Clark uses in their haircare products is Rose of Jericho, known as 'the Resurrection Flower'

One of their ingredients is Rose of Jericho, known as 'the Resurrection Flower', it survives years in West Texas desert yet regenerating instantly when water is present, as a haircare ingredient it delivers amazing hydration and anti-aging properties too!

Following right along with the Haircare theme I had to visit the team behind Design Essentials, because even though I blow it out, I have naturally wavy hair and I like to keep up with thelatest products for my hair type!

On their website you can purchase Hair Care Packages specifically based on your hair concerns which saves time and eliminates the guessing behind which products will work best for your hair needs.

I am a big fan of monthly box subscriptions that allow you to try out a variety of new products and figure out which work best for you before you commit to a full size, one of the fun takeaways from BeautyPress Spotlight Day this time around was the CurlKit box that contained a ton of goodies for curly and natural hair (mine included: III Sisters of Nature Spiral Pudding, U R Curly Still Control for edges (free of alcohol, parabens, sulfates, silicones, and Dyes and enriched with Abyssinian Oil), Hante Textures Tea Tree Conditioner with Peppermint Oil (Detangles, Hydrates and Stimulates Scalp), Honey Hair Mask Detangling Deep Conditioner, Hante Textures Hair & Skin Butter, An assortment of products from NothingButHairCare.com, Pooka Sandalwood Rose Body Oil, and Mixed Chicks Trial and Travel Pack)

Before switching out of Hair themed products I thought a cocktail just might be in order and decided I'd try "The Gojipolitan":

The Gojipolitan includes Fresh Goji Berries, FAIR Quinoa Vodka, FAIR Goji Liquer, Triple Sec and Fresh Lemon Juice, it is DELICIOUS!!!

I wish there was 'tastovision' so I could share one of these with you. I had no idea that a Quinoa Vodka would taste so good!

Tasting Notes:

"Clear very neutral aromas and flavors suggest cream, cake and minerals with a very soft, dryish light-to-medium body and exquisitely smooth custard, dried fruit, and limestone accented finish. A superbly silky, elegant, and delicious Vodka that is fantastic on it's own and will be perfect in cocktails"

Fair Spirits. Fair Trade. FAIR Quinoa Vodka is bottled in France.

Have you ever wanted Beauty Mark? How about one you can move and remove? The team at Beauty Mark showed off their temporary Beauty Marks, I'm thinking a Butterfly Beauty Mark should be created just for Ascending Butterfly!

Absolute New York/NickaK New York is a contemporary beauty brand founded in the heart of New York, and they were showing off their temporary Beauty Marks.

Clique by Roble was back again at BeautyPress Spotlight Day:

This time they brought along some wonderful Body Butters to go with their fragrance (which we covered before HERE). I am LOVING this Body Butter, it is super thick and a little goes a long way. The scent is sweet but not clawing and really lasts, you could wear it alone quite frankly or layer it by wearing the fragrance in conjunction. I love this Body Butter right after a hot shower when my skin is still slightly damp and warm, it helps the body butter spread easier and just sinks into the skin.

I'm an Argan Oil Fanatic, so I was super happy to meet the team at DermOrganic, who sent us home with a full size collection of their products including: Soapless Facial Cleanser with Moroccan Argan Extract (purifies, clarifies and moisturizes), Hand and Body Moisture Lotion, 100% Pure Argan Oil Organic Moisturizer for hair and skin, and a Facial Moisturizer also with Moroccan Argan Extract in a sheer formula that absorbs quickly.

I share their motto: Minimal Ingredients. Maximum Benefits. They are Vegan, and NO Animal Testing!

I would definitely love to try their haircare next!

For Wordless Wednesday I gave you guys a sneak peek at the brand I met next, Dolluxe:

Dolluxe includes several brands including Gothic Lolita Wigs, RockStar Wigs, and Cosplay Wigs.

We got to go home with the fun eyelashes that will help turn this butterfly into a living doll:

I'm thinking some of their RockStar Wigs would be adorable for Coachella this weekend!

And although I am pretty well blessed in the Melanin Department I got to meet the team behind Fake Bake and their products are definitely brilliant to help you keep that sun kissed glow year round!

And my pals tell me Fake Bake is the new pantyhose! Instead of wearing hosiery in the summer many of my pals use this instead.

The LASHEM Brand also showed off a wide variety of products, and sent us home with a cute kit that included their False Eyelashes, Instant Lash Extensions with RegenaLash (For Longer Lashes and Fuller Brows in just 4-6 weeks), Lipo Lotion Tummy Toning and Cellulite Smoothing System (Designed to Diminish Dimples and Tone Skin), and Liquid Eyeliner with Lash Enhancing Serum.

I would love to try their new Ultrasonic Beauty Massager that is to be used in conjunction with the Lipo Lotion to help speed up the results!

Don't you love when you are wearing a fragrance that makes total strangers approach you just to ask you what you are wearing? Prepare for the onslaught with one of my favorite discoveries at this BeautyPress Spotlight Day, Spadaro Luxury Fragrances.

I love all the scents, but our editors favorite was definitely Doux Amour! A rare blend of floral essences - Ylang Ylang, Casablanca Lily, Moroccan Jasmine, Patchouli, Rare Amber, Sandalwood and a sheer veil of Vanilla - it's just an absolutely beautiful fragrance! The founder, Kim Spadaro, whose mom encouraged her creativity while her travels inspired her fragrances, donates a portion of the proceeds of Spadaro Products to The Spadaro Foundation which was created as a tribute to Kim's Mom who passed away on 1/1/11.

My Take:

Beauty Press delivered a great mix of brands I know and trust and brands that were new to me in an environment that is always conducive to not only networking but getting in those questions and one-on-one time that I find truly invaluable. While I still very much have to attend tradeshows, I find that Spotlight Days feel less like 'work' and more like a discovery zone which I appreciate. There were some brands that showed support with gift bag inclusions that weren't in attendance including Adovia, Foreo, Niki Saint Pierre Botanical Cosmeceuticals, Seaflora and South Beach Skin Solutions, as I use these products I will give them their own day in the sun in an upcoming post so stay tuned!

Butterflies which brand resonates most with you? Which one would you most like to try? Let them know you saw them featured on Ascending Butterfly so we can hopefully come back with something fun for YOU too!

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FTC Disclosure: I am a member of the Beauty Press Network. This is NOT a compensated post, it is an event recap. This is NOT a sponsored post and all opinions are 100% my own!  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Highlights from January 2013 @beautypress Spotlight Day!

 

 

The fourth edition of the beautypress Spotlight Day, a press-only beauty product showcase featuring niche and specialty brands brought over 120 media guests to connect with 11 exhibiting vendors, which is double the amount of participants since the premier event three years ago!

 

Much like the last BeautyPress Spotlight Day that I covered (you can read that recap HERE), this one introduced me to quite a few brands that were entirely new to me, and that's one of the things that excite me most about the event.

 

Hibiscus Champagne Cocktail

 

 

Journalists, bloggers, and beauty enthusiasts gathered at the stylish Midtown Loft and Terrace to discover new product offerings from niche and specialty brands. In addition to new product finds, guests also received a posture evaluation from the Wellness Center of NY, while sipping on artful tea creations by Le Palais des Thes, a French brand of premium tea that offers all-natural signature flavors and snacking on healthy chocolate treats from Antidote, a new brand of health-inspired raw chocolate with bold and unique flavor combinations.

 

And now for the brands featured at Spotlight Day in alphabetical order:

 

 

 

BABOR: The BABOR brand is a luxury skincare and cosmetics brand. Combining state-of-the-art scientific knowledge with natural formulations, each line is created with unique ingredients yielded from the most exceptional environments across the globe including volcanoes, arctic berry fields, orchards, and oceanic fissures. Not only are the products highly effective, but they are also extremely compatible with the skin. At BABOR Cosmetics, clients are taken on a seduction of the senses within each product.

 

BABOR is the leading, professionally sold and recommended skin care system in Continental Europe and recognized as one of the most trusted brands in the industry today.

 

 

Bio-Logical: Bio-Logical is a Paris-based organic skincare line which brings a fresh perspective to the natural beauty category by providing effective, fun, and easy products to modern consumers looking to embrace more natural beauty routines. The brand fills a void in the natural/organic skincare category by offering affordable, French-manufactured, certified organic skincare solutions based on ancient botanically-derived remedies presented in trendy, high-quality eco-sensitive packaging. The cruelty-free product line is “Tested on Frenchies, not on Animals!” ™

 

 

Dossage Fragrances: Dossage Fragrances collaborated with the finest luxury fragrance house to develop distinct scents with complimentary notes. The only mandate we insisted on was for a fragrance to be worn by the client in a subtle way. This is luxury. We believe you should wear the scent, the scent should not overtake your presence only enhance it. Our other specification was inspiration from world travel.

 

The fragrances all compliment each other and there is a little bit of each scent in all of us!

 

The balance of scent and the addition of a mood enhancement agent is present in all of our fragrances. Not only are your senses heightened ……your spirits are lifted as well.

Pictured above is Dossage Fragrances CEO Tara Durkan, the fragrance, the story behind it and the Dossage crew made a huge impression on me, and I am going to re-visit them for a more detailed review post, my standouts were Dossage 8 for him and her! I know scent is very much subjective and what one person likes another may or may not, and if you notice, I don't do a ton of collaborations when it comes to fragrances, I'm incredibly picky and they are just something that have no grey for me, I either like it or I don't. I LOVE these, so you will see more posted about this brand for sure!

 

 

HairMax: Lexington International is the manufacturer and developer of advanced laser phototherapy devices for home use. Since its founding in 2000, Lexington International’s mission has been to provide the most advanced hair loss treatments and hair care products. The company’s premiere product, the HairMax LaserComb, is the first and only laser phototherapy medical device FDA Cleared for home-use to treat hair loss and stimulate hair growth in men and women suffering certain class of hereditary hair loss. Sold in in over 165 countries worldwide, Lexington Int., has helped hundreds of thousands of individuals treat their hair loss and promote hair growth. (And if any of you are like me, and think that these are 'hot' to the touch or would burn your scalp, I just want you to know it's NOT hot, you feel no heat when you touch it, and it will not burn your hair or scalp.

 

 

LASHEM: The LASHEM brand was developed to help the everyday woman keep her youthful glow. It is a reflection of a healthy and natural lifestyle to accommodate everyone from the working woman to the stay at home mom. The brand combines natural ingredients for the highest quality formulations made possible. The LASHEM brand is dedicated to promoting natural beauty in a world full of unrealistic expectations. LASHEM offers anti-aging products that are natural and made in the United States. The LASHEM natural product line consists of mascara, anti aging creams, and eyelash booster. (Because they use natural ingredients, these will not tint your eyelids!)

 

 

Merlot Skin Care: Merlot Skin Care is a natural grape seed-based brand that utilizes antioxidants to fight free radicals, the particles that routinely damage our skin. Merlot is a privately-held, family-run brand committed to innovative skin care products. Founded in 2001, Merlot Skin Care products are available at Walgreens, Drugstore.com, and on their website as well!

 

 

NaiLuv: NaiLuv is all about nail love! Born out of a passion to create and offer the best and the latest in nail fashion and technology, NaiLuv is committed to providing quality, safe and fashionable nail products. Every NaiLuv product is made with love. Each formulation undergoes a rigorous product development process that involves several studies and extensive market research. NaiLuv provides customers with the finest and most practical choices in nail care and technology.

 

 

Paul Brown: This global brand features an extensive line of professional hair care products and six successful salons and day spas throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Master hairstylist, educator and businessman Paul Brown launched his hair care system in the late 1980s to provide hair care solutions for all types of hair, in all cultures. Incorporating natural Hawaiian plant and sea essences, this system includes high quality shampoos, conditioners, other hairstyling products and appliances. Brown is credited for introducing the thermal straightening system and one of the first flat irons to the U.S. Paul Brown Hawaii products and services are now offered worldwide, while being sold exclusively in professional salons and spas.

Much like Dossage's CEO, Paul was so enthusiastic and so open that I would like to feature them separately from this recap, so stay tuned, I wanted to make sure you put not only the beauty products, but the flat iron on your hair radar!

 

 

 

 

Skin Laser and Surgery Specialists of NY and NJ: David J. Goldberg, M.D. is recognized nationally and internationally for his innovative work with skin lasers, cosmetic dermatology and facial rejuvenation techniques. A board-certified dermatologist who has been in practice since 1985, he has treated patients and taught doctors throughout the world in the use of these cutting-edge technologies. Under his direction, Skin Laser and Surgery Specialists of New York and New Jersey has been a pioneer in making skin laser and cosmetic dermatology technologies available to the public.

 

 

Tilth Beauty: Based on three decades of experience, research, and development, Tilth Beauty is a natural-based, high-performance skincare line. Each product has been painstakingly crafted with a unique and potent blend of botanical and industry-proven ingredients without ANY potentially harmful elements commonly found in most skincare products. The result is beautiful, vibrant, radiant, youthful and healthy skin.

 

No other skincare product on the market comes close to what Tilth Beauty does. We do not use any parabens, phthalates, sulfates, petroleum -based products, silicones, synthetic fragrances or GMO’s, animal/dairy derived products, or artificial colors.

 

 

HBA Global: HBA Global Expo and Conference, is the most important product development source from concept to market–for the cosmetics, personal care, skin care, fragrance and wellness industries and features a comprehensive educational program and exhibits floor with attendees coming from the top prestige, mass and emerging beauty and personal care brands worldwide.

 

 

The Wellness Center of NY: The Wellness Center of NY provides services and solutions for individuals who seek to improve their health. Meet Dr. Fishel and learn how to improve physical beauty through good posture, happiness, tension relief and overall well being. The Wellness Center Of New York is located in midtown Manhattan providing Natural health care including Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, Nutrition and Alternative Medicine. Dr. Craig Fishel, Chiropracter and Wellness Educator, Founder and Director of the Wellness Center of New York in Manhattan is board certified and a member of the New York Chiropractic College Alumni Association. Education is Dr. Fishel's passion. Pain relief is one of the great side effects of his care, but the true benefit is general well-being, medical knowledge, and a sense of community.

Have you tried a 'new to you' beauty product for the New Year butterfly? If so, please share!
 

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received to share my event recap about the Beauty Press Spotlight Day. Gift Bags were distributed and the products enclosed were reviewed by our editors so we could share our feedback and honest opinions. All opinions are 100% my own.