Who:  Reem Acra, the worldly go-to designer of fantasy wedding dresses and dazzling evening gowns.

When: Sunday, February 15th, 2009 at the Reem Acra showroom

Face:  MAC Key Artist Polly Osmond creates a monotone face by only adding color to the eyes and lips.  A taupe powder shadow is dusted on the eyelids and then brushed along the lower lash line.  The taupe-outlined eyes are soft and demure.

Osmond then paints the lips a subtle pink and leaves the rest of the face bare.  The outcome is a youthful and innocent look.

Hair:  Acra requested “sophistication” so Laurent Philippon of Bumble and Bumble delivered it in the form of a clean side chignon.  After misting Bumble and Bumble’s Styling Lotion throughout the models’ hair, Philiano creates a dramatic part by starting from the outer corner of one eye and pulls the slicked hair into a ponytail on the opposite side of the face.

The ponytail is then twisted into a tight hold, spun into a bun and then fanned out to create the oval shape.  The result is a smooth, clean and red carpet worthy style.

Spotted Backstage:  Reem Acra, Acra’s adorable white dog, Decleor Hydra Floral Deeply Hydrating Eye Contour Gel-Cream

Who:  VPL by Victoria Bartlett

When: Saturday, February 14th, 2009 at Focus Studios

Face:  MAC Cosmetics’ Melissa Gibson described the makeup for VPL as “sexy, sweaty”.  The MAC team was able to echo the Picasso-esque and near-nude themes of the line on the faces of the models with the eyes as the focal point of the look.

Two MAC cream eye shadows, Root and Dust, were blended to create the dark beige on the top eyelid.  Then artists topped the smudged shadow blend with Instant Gold Lustreglass (for lips) to give the eyelids a wet sheen.  The rest of the face was translucent, if not bare.

Hair:  Neil Moodie of Bumble and Bumble was responsible for creating the “pure” look for hair.  Moody readied the hair with Bumble and Bumble Prep Spray then used a medium round brush to blow-dry it so that it was long and flowy.

At the crown, he parted the hair at the middle but created a diagonal part and gave the style a natural height.  The finished look resembled a refined version of the hairstyle Eve had when she met Adam in the Garden of Eden.

Spotted Backstage:  Intraceuticals Oxygen Facial System machine, the Clarisonic wand, novels in foreign languages, Aquaphor and Wet Ones.

Who: The beautiful creations of Lebanon-based designer Georges Chakra have been worn by some of Hollywood’s sexiest bodies.

The Collection: Chakra’s Fall/Winter 2009 Ready-to-Wear collection can be summed up in a few words: modern, liquid, posh and exquisite. My eyes were glued to every one of Chakra’s forty piece collection as they glided down the runway.

If the mélange of futuristic fabrics, ombre taffeta and sparkling crystals is just for his ready to wear collection, I can see why his custom-made gowns are a mainstay at red carpet events.

Face: Gregory Arlt of MAC Cosmetics brought back the mid-90’s with a soft and pretty look. Instead of emphasizing one key feature, color was evenly distributed throughout the face. The result was a balanced, hydrated and radiant look.

The eyes were “smoky light” by using a mauve gray hue instead of the usual black. The chic eyebrows were groomed and defined. The kissable lips were shaded a color Arlt called “vintage rose” using MAC Cremesheen Glass in Boy Bait.

Hair: Amy Farid of Bumble and Bumble contributed a modern update of the classic chignon to the overall look. The look is created by pulling the hair towards the left and sweeping it under to create an asymmetrical bun. Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray is used to provide texture as well as to make the hair more hairpin-friendly.

Spotted Backstage: Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt, Starbucks coffee and Maybelline Great Last mascara.

{image source, The Daily Cookie}

Who:  Nicole Miller, an American designer known for her classic, wearable and modern designs.

The Collection:  Dark and short pieces with playful geometric patterns and vivid bursts of red, silver, blue and purple

Face: James Kaliardos, the show’s lead makeup artist, created a beautiful nymph-like look with a fresh face, dusty pink lips and hypnotic eyes.  Kaliardos created smoky, sultry eyes with a surprising blend of matte blue eye shadows in lieu of the usual suspects – black and dark gray.

Hair:  Bumble and Bumble’s editorial stylist Rolando Beauchamp topped off each model with perfectly straight, healthy-looking, shiny hair with a severe part right down the middle.  The simple style complimented the bright eyes and architectural structure of the ready-to-wear pieces.

Spotted Backstage: MAC makeup, Smart Water, ‘craft sandwiches, hair extensions, CND manicurists and Nicole Miller.

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Welcome to Day 7 of our 12 Days of Christmas Sweepstakes!

Today’s highlighted gifts are two festive boxes from Bumble and bumble, each offering a trio of best-selling Bb products along with colorful hair accessories great for holiday styling.

Creme de Coco Box with Creme de Coco Shampoo and Conditioner takes advantage of coconut oil in its purest form to condition and restore moisture. A 2 oz. tube of Brilliantine adds extra sheen and definition to your locks.

This set also includes a pinwheel of 30 limited edition bobby pins in a variety of hues designed exclusively for Bumble and bumble by artist Piet Houtenbos.

If coconut doesn’t tickle your fancy, we’re also giving away a Gentle Box featuring Gentle Shampoo and Super Rich Conditioner to add moisture back into your dry and chemically-treated tresses.   Bb Styling Lotion offers control and additional conditioning for all you style addicts.

With this holiday box, you’ll also get 30 limited edition hair elastics neatly organized on a pinwheel.

To win one of these two oh-so-good-for-your-hair holiday gift sets ($50 US each) from Bumble and bumble, all you have to do is fill out the entry form below from now through December 17th at 11:55pm PST.  Good luck!

Love contests? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email for more opportunities to WIN beauty products from your favorite brands!