I was invited to the CEW (that’s Cosmetic Executive Women) Beauty Insiders Choice Awards this past Friday at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. The awards recognize the most innovative beauty products of the year…and I was almost as honored to be invited to witness the event as I am sure the winners were to receive this high honor (and a beautiful, Lalique crystal statuette).
It was a beautiful day, but warm. What to wear? Obviously, if you are going to the Waldorf Astoria and you’re going to be meeting hundreds, maybe thousands of women and men in the beauty biz, you’ve got to look nice.
But…I’m a primarily a writer, and the mainstay of my wardrobe is just stay-at-home clothes. Worse, I have a pinched nerve in one of my feet, which means even if I could afford Manolos, thay’d have to stay pristine in their boxes…I can only wear sneakers (uggh!) or low-heeled shoes, or I can walk without pain for weeks, afterwards.
I went for writer/artistic instead of trying to compete with buttery blonde/slim/prada/etc. I worse an authentic, short kimono jacket from Japan over black pants and a red camisole..plus several strands of cherry amber. I think I looked ok, as long as you didn’t check my feet (upon which I compromised and wore beautiful but masuline looking low-heeled lace up Celine shoes).
Since I write about makeup, I think I did ok in that department.
Armed with confidence and curiousity, I headed out to the Waldorf.
Once there, I spent the next 15 minutes trying to find the right ballroom and the right elevator to tak me to it (the Waldorf is large, with specific wings for the ballrooms). Upstairs, I was directed to a cocktail hour where I was one of the first people. I never drink before Noon, let alone at a function where I don’t know anyone and I don’t want to be remembered as drunk. So I got a Perrier, and tried to talk to a few people.
Before I knew it, the cocktail hour room was so crowded that you couldn’t even see the bar, let alone get a drink at it. I talked to a few people who didn’t seem all that excited to meet me, but I DID meet RAMY (the hunk behind RAMY cosmetics) who was gracious enough to take a few minutes to chat. (his Ramy Bath-a-rama Portable Bubble Bath was up for an award–alas, it didn’t win).
…note: I just had a computer crash and I lost about another third of this post, but I’ll try to recreate it as fast as I can since I have to go to a trade show (FAME/Beauty Accessories, etc).
Ok, where was I?
I hate crowds, so I wandered into the ballroom looking for my table, which, predictably, was so far to the side you couldn’t even see the stage unless you looked at the big screens around the room and were at the front part of the table. So I sat down and looked idly through the goodie bag, which was filled to the brim with cosmetics (just what a beauty writer/editor needs–more cosmetics). Anyway, the table filled, and to my happy surprise, I had other folks at the table that I “knew” from the internet and that ‘knew” me, but not in person. One was Lesley Scott from Fashiontribes.com She’s made me a monthly podcast regular guest, so it was great for us to be able to eyeball each other. We had a chance to shake hands, chat, and get to know one another –just delightful! I met another woman who works for fashiontribes and beautynewsLA…also a charming and intelligent woman.
Mario Cantone, “Charlotte’s” flamboyant friend on Sex & the City was the MC, and he did a great job, considering that it’s pretty difficult to make jokes about makeup. THe speeches were short, the food, edible (chicken over couscous and a lemon tart), and here are the winners (not in any order):
Dr. Dennis Gross (for MD Skincare)
Olay Total Effects Anti-Aging Blemish Moisturizer
Kiehl’s Line-Reducing Concentrate
Sonia Kashuk Beauty for Target Repair Vitamin-Enriched Serum
Demalogica Daily Resurfacer
Dove Cool Moisture Cleanser
Shiseido Benefiance Retinol Treatment Eye Mask
RoC Retinol Correxcion Eye Cream
FusionBeauty Inc. LipFusion
Burt’s Bees Honey Lip Balm
Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Plantidote Face Cream
Eucerin Redness RElief Lotion SPF 15
Lancome Resurface-C Microdermabrasion
Olay Regenerist Thermal Skin Polisher
Shiseido Cosmetics Hydro-Powder Eye Shadow
Maybelline New York Intense XX: Volume + Length Mascara
Shiseido Cosmetics Accentuating Color Stick
M.A.C. Cosmetics Select Moisurecover
Chanel Ultra Wear Lip Color
L’Oreal Paris Endlesss Kissable Shinewear & Sephora Lip Gloss Pencil & Sonia Kashuk Beauty for Target Lip Glossing/No Feather Pencil
The Art of Shaving Ingrown Hair Night Cream
Kiehl’s “Ultimate Man” Body Scrub Sponge
Frederick Fekkai Overnight Hair Repair
Clairol N ‘n Easy Root Touch-up
Avon Anew Clinical Lift & Tuck
Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer
L’Occitane en Provence Vanilla SHimmer Bath
Dove Cool Moisture Body Wash
Barielle Ultra Spped Dry Manicure Extender
Neutrogena Instant Nail Enhancer
Clarins UV Plus Protective Day screen SPF 40
Neutrogena MicroMist Tanning SUnless Spray
Ralph Lauren Fragrances Polo Black Ralph Lauren
Lancaster Group UV Lovely Sarah Jessica Parker
There you have it! Congrats to all the winners. Thanks to CEW for allowing me to attend, and report on the Insider Choice Beauty Awards for 2006!
ALISON