Hair Heaven: 26th Annual North American Hairstyling Awards in Vegas

Posted on July 28, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

“Welcome to hair heaven!”
Sounds like my kinda place!
That’s what I heard as soon as I stepped into the Mandalay Bay Ballroom to host the red carpet for the 26th annual North American Hairstyling Awards in Las Vegas.

And, hair heaven it was.

It was a dream come true to be asked by NAHA to be the official host of their red carpet pre-show, but it was a true INSPIRATION to meet all of the talented nominees and visionaries.

Brad Goreski shined when he hosted inside, but I had the chance to catch up with him before on the red carpet.

The evening’s host, Brad Goreski and me on the carpet.

It was also good to catch up with my buddy – and hair royalty – Eden Sassoon.

Dawn McCoy, Mandalay Bay, NAHA 2015, NAHA,@ Princess_Paige1, Eden Sassoon, Brad Goreski, hair awards, beauty, red carpet hosting, hosting, tv host, emcee

And, I loved getting to meet Miss America herself, Kira Kazantsev – what a beauty inside and out!

There she is, Miss America…no, not me. That’s me with Miss America 2015, Kira Kazantsev.

There were 3000 attendees this year, but the real spotlight was on the nominees and winners.

The paparazzi on fleek. Yep. I just said on fleek.

This was the first year that there was a Nails category, and I had so much fun – and a little envy – checking out the talons on all of the nominees. Here I am with nominee, @Princess_Paige1.

A little nail envy: I thought I had long, beautiful nails until I saw the Nail nominees on the red carpet.

And here they are…THE WINNERS OF THE 26TH ANNUAL NORTH AMERICAN HAIRSTYLING AWARDS!!

AVANT GARDE: Erika Fung of NC Salon

CONTEMPORARY CLASSIC: Robert Grimes of RLG Salon

EDITORIAL STYLIST OF THE YEAR: Lisa Yamasaki of J’s Hair Studio and Academy

HAIRCOLOR: Marlo Steenman of Hair By Marlo

HAIRSTYLIST OF THE YEAR: Robert Grimes of RLG Salon

MAKEUP ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Katelyn Simkins of Matthew Morris Salon

MASTER HAIRSTYLIST OF THE YEAR: Vivienne Mackinder of HairDesignerTV

MEN’S HAIRSTYLIST OF THE YEAR: Paul Pereira of Mathew Guido

NAIL PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR: Reiko Omae of JINsoon Beauty LLC

NEWCOMER STYLIST OF THE YEAR: Lizz Kopta

SALON DESIGN: Hairroin Salon NYC

SALON TEAM: Local B

STUDENT HAIRSTYLIST OF THE YEAR: Dustin Villa of Aveda Institute Tucson

TEXTURE: Lauren Moser of Hair Lab Detroit

And there was pleeeeeenty of celebrating at the BangStyle after party!

Trying to be street cool – and obviously, not succeeding at it. At least the party was a blast!

Widning down an epic night in Vegas

My heartfelt congratulations to all of you winners – and nominees! I can’t wait to get back to hair heaven next year!!

xoxo,
Dawn

I’M LOVING…Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturizer Aloe Soothe – Spray & Go!

Posted on July 16, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

Vegas.

Fun on the heart, heavy on the wallet, and HELL on the skin.

I had such a ball hosting the red carpet for the North American Hairstylists Awards at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas this past Sunday in the aforementioned Las Vegas.

Hosting the 26th Annual North American Hairstyling Awards at the Mandalay Bay

But my skin? Well, it didn’t have such a ball.

The morning after the big award show, my skin was ashy, dry and just sad looking.

Truth talk.

But, I was slated to wear a breezy short summer romper that day that would show off my legs and arms.
So, what’s a parched girl to do?

Well, lucky for me, I packed my Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturizer Aloe Soothe ($6.49) in my bag and took it with me to the convention center for my brand meetings at Cosmoprof.

Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturizer Aloe Soothe to the rescue in the desert!

I stepped outside and sprayed it on, and I was good to go in under 10 seconds. Best of all, you can hold the bottle any which direction, and with its 360-degree continuous spray technology, you’re covered. It’s the perfect moisturizer for the busy girl like me on the go. I mean, you literally just Spray and Go! Yep. It’s really that easy!

Spray and go! Instant hydration – without the mess – for dry desert days

So, how’s it work? Its unique fast to apply, quick to dry formula heals dry skin in seconds, and all without staining or sticking to your clothes. Plus, it’s good for us senstive-skinned sirens, which isn’t always easy to come by.

The final verdict? With micro-droplets of uber-hydrating Vaseline Jelly to heal dryness, my skin was glowing and soft in seconds, with no grease in sight.

Now, that’s a winning bet.

Dawn Do? Spray on Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturizer Aloe Soothe, right after your nighttime bath on towel-dried skin for deeper absorption. And, during the day, spray on your moisturizer and then rub in your favorite luminous bronzer for an instant glowing hue.

xoxo,
Dawn

Striiikes & Strong Brows with Kristie Streicher

Posted on July 9, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

I’ve always been scared of a strong brow. I’m not sure why exactly, but I always equate a strong brow with strong women, like Anjelica Huston, and until recently, I feared being strong, as girls sometimes do. I wanted to be delicate. Light. A wisp of a thing. A pixie. Guess what? At 5’9″, I am none of these things. True confession.

So, in the last few years, I’ve grown up – and embraced who I am, and part of that is embracing the fact that I am indeed a strong woman. And, likewise, I’ve embraced strong brows, as well. But strong brows? Well, they need to be shaped and maintained by a strong aesthetician.

Enter the Wonder Woman of strong brows, Kristie Streicher.

Yup.That’s Kristie. And yup, she’s THAT killing in person. A gorgeous girl who’s destined to gorgify your brows. p.s. And noooo, you don’t have to go purple like she did here…but the beauty is that you could!

Kristie’s studio, Striiike, has become the go-to celebrity brow beauty bar, in Beverly Hills.

Hair clipped back and ready for better brows.

I stopped by recently and was not prepared for how much of a difference she would make, by simply tweezing and tinting my brows into her signature “feathered brow.”

Meow. In the chair with Kristie and the cutest kitty cat mirror that you ever did see.

I walked out, feeling a little like Linda Evangelista, circa 1992…and I mean that in the BEST way.

Kristie is gentle, fast and you’re transformed in mere minutes.

Before…and After Kristie.

While it’s not the cheapest option (shaping ranges from $100-$200), I would argue that it’s the single best thing you can do to improve your beauty routine.

Look! Even with my eyes closed, my glamour is on point with those Kristie-shaped brows!

When your brows are full, shaped and strong, you’ll find your other features complement one another more, and you’ll even find that you don’t have a need for as much makeup as usual.

More brow means less makeup.

Plus, did I mention how much fun she is? She had me laughing and feeling more confident, all in our 30-minute sesh…and there wasn’t even wine involved!!

This girl? Good times. Gorgeous brows. What more could you want?

So, if you’re looking to give good face, look no further than Kristie. It’s a glamour gamechanger for sure.

*Sidenote? I went last in April and am JUST going back for my follow-up visit this week. It’s July, y’all. That’s how good she is.

FUN FACT: The one brow product Kristie swears by? Mary Kay Brow Gel ($10). She says it’s a must-have to keep brows in line. And since she recommended it to me back in April, I’ve been swearing by it, too. Plus, as a Dallas girl, I loooove me my Mary Kay!

Who knew? The must-have brow product? None other than Mary Kay brow gel. So says brow expert, Kristie Streicher.

xoxo,
Dawn

The Malibu Minimalist: The Launch of Lilah B

Posted on May 27, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

I LOVE a good launch party.

Host, personality & writer, Dawn McCoy, attends the lilah b. launch event at Ron Robinson Flagship on May 19, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.

And I got just that at Ron Robinson in Santa Monica last week, with the launch of Lilah B.

Got an arm-in-arm tour with Mr. Ron Robinson, himself.

With Lilah B , I get simple yet sophisticated makeup, and my skin just looks pretty and polished.

The Malibu Minimalist…with milkmaid braid. Thanks, Lilah B!

I call it “The Malibu Minimalist” look. Details about this new line launch later today on the blog!

Pictured here on me: Lilah B Lip & Cheek Divine Duo in b.sassy ($46) & Lilah B Flawless Foundation in b.natural ($48) Makeup by: @EricPolito

xoxo,
BF

A Few Of My Favorite Things This Grammys Week

Posted on February 3, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

A few of my favorite things this golden Grammys week?

A few of my favorite things this Grammys week

My new Lulu And Georgia lavender rug, my Madison by Shoe Dazzle Livia sparkly ballet flats ($49.95), KB Shimmer Nail Polish in Men Are From Mars-ala ($8.75), and Pixi Beauty Glow Mist, Tinted Brilliance Balm in Lucent Glow ($7) and Fairy Dusts in Olive Gold & Silver Glow ($10 each).

Yep. Those are makin’ me shine.

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: What are a few of your favorite things right now?

Primping with…Molly Sims: Going Big with The Everyday Supermodel

Posted on January 29, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

Years ago, I met a mother when I worked at Woo Skincare & Cosmetics in Nashville. This woman was gorgeous and funny and looked a little familiar to me and just raved about her daughter. That mother’s daughter? The everyday supermodel herself, Molly Sims.

The beautiful Molly Sims whose tips in her new book, The Everyday Supermodel, are as golden as her locks *Photo by Jeff Vespa/Contour by Getty Images

So when I had the chance to chat with Molly (now a mom herself) at the launch of her new book The Everyday Supermodel — I had to share this story. The very things I saw in Molly’s mom that cemented that memory in my mind are the same things that make Molly the beautiful (inside and out), fun, smart, hilarious, and generous woman that she is today. While I had the chance, I got Molly to spill her favorite spots, products, advice, tips from her book, and the food she won’t touch with a 10-foot pole.

With the unsinkable Molly Sims

Since we just chatted about your mama, let’s start with this. What is the best advice she ever gave you?
Dare to be different. Don’t be afraid of change and mix things [up] and always try different things.

As a native southern girl who now calls Los Angeles home, what are some of your favorite spots in LA right now?
I love Sweet Lady Jane because I love my cake, I love those brownies, and I love their salted chocolate chip cookies. I love Gjelina in Venice. It’s great! And I’m dying to try Connie and Ted’s and Maude and The Nice Guy. I’m taking a bunch of girls to The Nice Guy tomorrow. And I love Drybar! I wish I could have invented it. You feel better about yourself after spending $40. And I love their Triple Sec dry shampoo because it’s more than a dry shampoo.

Speaking of beauty products, what are Molly’s makeup musts?
Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge cream blush in Pale Pink and Milk Chocolate — don’t ask me why, but it works. Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer, the new white one, mixed with a little Wonder Glow from Charlotte Tilbury.

I love Charlotte Tilbury!
I love her! I love her Magic Cream. Also, NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Santa Monica Blvd (a white eyeliner for the inner rim), Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Raven — the best stay-on lipcolor ever, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette — the highlighter is amazing. Almond Oil, I live by! I love Laura Mercier pressed translucent powder, Jouer Cosmetics Crème Eyeshadow in Cashmere on the eye and I love doing lipsticks on the eyes to make it dewy. Love the Crystal pink really light shimmer powder from MAC that you can only dab a little bit on and I love the Tom Ford Eye Quad in Golden Mink.

Catching up with Molly at Drybar with Georgetown Cupcakes

What are a few of your favorite tips from your new book?
1. You will drink more water if you use a straw.
2. Pack your necklaces safely for travel by looping the necklaces through a straw to prevent tangling.
3. Layer clothing and jewelry.
4. Invest in core wardrobe pieces.
5. One day a week, eat plant-based.
6. Get dressed up even if you have nowhere to go. Look good to feel good.
7. Be the best you you can be. Challenge yourself. Respect yourself. Go big or go home!

Tell us your theme song. Don’t be shy.
(singing) R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

What do you want your kids to be when they’re grown up?
I want my kids to be empathetic. It can be innate, but I want my children to be empathetic. I know it sounds weird, but I want my kids to have compassion and empathy and know how lucky they are.

What’s a food that you absolutely can’t live without?
Biscuits! Chicken and dumplins’. I’m very southern – I’ve never met a bread basket I didn’t like, but I mean, I can’t.

What’s the food you won’t touch?
Lamb.

And your cocktail of choice?
Margarita.

I hear you. You’ve gotta try Mi Cocina in Dallas. Best margaritas on this here planet. What do you look like on a mundane Monday with no events to attend?
Hair pulled back in a ballerina bun with a boyfriend jacket, a tank, a pair of jeans, and flats.

What would you like your kids to say about you when they grow up?
That I was a great mom and that they love me. And they still call me!

If you could go back in time and give advice to 13-year-old you, what would you tell her?
Go big or go home.

Sounds like Molly’s mantra if you ask me. And one that’s served her pretty darned well. Kids, take note.

P.S. My favorite takeaway from meeting Molly? She was mindful enough to blow on the Sharpie marker message of every single autograph she did, making sure it was dry and it didn’t smudge. You can’t teach that kind of thoughtfulness, folks.

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: Which of Molly’s tips will you be trying?

Golden Globes Glam: The L’Oreal Paris Beauty Studio at the Beverly Wilshire

Posted on January 15, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

Between the year just getting started and me being a little under the weather, the first few weeks of January were slow. But they picked right up starting with the Golden Globes.

And to truly kick off award season in glittering, golden style, my fave L’Oreal Paris hosted their annual post-Golden Globes event this past Monday at the Pretty Woman-famous Beverly Wilshire.

Golden Girl. *Photo by Joyce Pan

Honestly, it ended up being one of the most magical nights of my life. Between being primped and pampered by the L’Oreal beauty team, chatting with Tom Bachik and Billy B, trying out the most delicious new products and tasting the most delicious cocktails and bites, it was my favorite kind of night…a FUN one!

Oh, L'oreal Paris - you always throw the BEST post- @goldenglobesparty...but this one at the Beverly Wilshire penthouse is the best one yet!! A night I'll always remember...

Such a delicious evening last Monday with L'Oreal Paris at theBeverly Wilshire. Can't wait to try all of their new products I went home with... *flowers by Floral Crush

Did you hear @JLo on the @GoldenGlobes say to Jeremy Renner “I’ve got the nails” when they were deciding who should open the envelope? Well, she sure does and it’s because of this guy. The man. The myth. The legend. Tom Bachik…and l’il ole me.

Tom Bachik!!

‘Tis the season for this reason…BEAUTY!!

The goods. Tons of new pretty products I can't wait to try!

Everything that glitters is not gold. Caught looking oh-so-serious in the penthouse of the Beverly Wilshire

The best surprise of all? As the valet brought my car around, I found a Sherrieblossom Icebox makeup organizer in the floorboard of the front seat, filled with L’Oreal makeup and skincare and haircare galore!

Look who crashed my photo! Even Miss Ellie is in awe of the oodles of L'Oreal hair & beauty goodies I got on Monday!! And a Sherrieblossom Icebox beauty organizer to boot! L'Oreal truly gives the best gifts. Thank you, L'Oreal!!

All of those gorgeous goodies are gonna leave this golden girl feelin’ pretty golden for a while now.

Gonna be feelin' golden all award season long...

Thanks so much for a beautiful night, L’Oreal!

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: What L’Oreal products are you most in love with?

Making Up With Meghan Trainor

Posted on January 14, 2015 by BeautyFrosting

Last night I had the total pleasure of attending Meghan Trainor’s album release party, as a guest of Clinique.

These are a few of my favorite things: music by Meghan, Meghan-inspired cookies, beauty and champagne.

The lady of the hour.

The lady of the hour...

Meghan’s album, “Title” launched yesterday and Epic Records and Clinique threw a party in grand form to celebrate both the album release and their partnership with Meghan.

Clinique and Meghan Trainor - How CUTE is this bag?

Clinique hosted a beauty bar upstairs, complete with their classic Chubby sticks in candy jars.

: One of Meghan’s favorite Clinique products? Why their classic Chubby Sticks, of course!

Clinique and Meghan Trainor: A Sweet Partnership

Better than candy...

And there were cocktails, small bites and the cutest little cookies, inspired by Meghan, you’ve ever seen.

Meghan-inspired cookies and cake pops

A beautiful night, indeed.

xoxo,

BF Asks: What’s your favorite Meghan Trainor song?

From Runway to Real World: Fall/Winter Trends To Try, According to the Experts at MAC

Posted on October 14, 2014 by BeautyFrosting

If you’re anything like me, you love learning about all of the latest fashion trends, come runway time. But when it comes to taking them off the runway and rocking them in the real world, things can get a little confusing.

That’s why I take my fall and winter beauty cues from the experts – in this case, my friends at MAC Cosmetics.

I attended a little fall & winter trend preview last month with M·A·C Director of Makeup Artistry Gregory Arlt and Senior Artists Cynthia Rivas, John Stapleton and Caroline Donnelly, and for the first time, rather than feeling intimidated, I feel inspired! These guys just get it. As they should! They are the makeup masterminds behind many of the big fashion houses. MAC has been part of runway shows in 4 cities, over 250 fashion shows and keyed 26 of the shows and keyed nails at 30 shows. Their goal in the real world is always to make the woman look like the most precious, radiant version of herself.

The fall & winter trends are all about natural skin, working with the colors in your skin tone and edgy color placement on lips and/or eyes. And I’m here to give you the rundown before the holiday party parade begins. Consider trying out one of these trends in lieu of your standard party makeup this year.

The 4 major Fall/Winter trends, according to the Experts at MAC Cosmetics:

1) OFF COLOUR

OFF COLOUR look #1 at Max Mara

Inspired by: Freckles and skin tone, this trend is all about deconstructing colors found naturally in your skin tone and in nature.

How it looks: For shades, think burnt reds, coppers and bronzes; muds, mushrooms and mosses. The mood is all about 90s grunge – moody and sexy like Winona Ryder in 1994.

OFF COLOUR Look #2 - mushroom hue on the eyes

How to: Focus on playing up and bolding out the eye, lip or both. Instead of firm bristle brushes, try working with soft bristle brushes for a natural, diffused effect. For a soft look, apply with a fluffier, soft bristle brush. What you wanna do is play up the colors found in skin or nature, so that they blend in easily with the skin.

Trend Tip: Rather than a standard, firm lip brush, try applying lip color with a fluffy brush to get a “washed” effect.

2) STREAMLINED

The STREAMLINED look at Kenzo

Inspired by: Tomboys. A vibe that’s grungy yet sophisticated. This look is all about sharper, statement eyebrows. They’re sharper and the use of navy blue is

How it looks: Really reminds me of Hunger Games characters in The Capitol! Super colorful and charismatic, this look was featured on the Missoni runway.

How to: Concentrate on eyeliners and eyebrows and playing with eyeliner a bit.

Trend Tip: Try creating chunky lashes from the iris out to the outer corner of the eye, and then pinching the lashes together for a doe-eyed look. For liner, try disconnecting liner by lining top and bottom but leaving a break between the liner, or applying a super thick, colorful winged liner.

3) ON REFLECTION

The ON REFLECTION look at Desigual

Inspired by: The glow of liquid gold

How it looks: Luminescence and glow; matte skin is paired with shine; hints of reflection with a golden glow

How to: Start with really shiny, glossy skin. Vaseline is your friend! The easiest way to try this trend is to sport some glossy, metallic pigment on the eye, using gold or platinum shades. Gorgeous with wine lips! And don’t forget some glossy highlighter on the upper cheekbone!

Trend Tip: Rather than keeping brows precise and polished, try messing them up a little with some clear lip gloss. Fall trend forecast palette – great staying power, not creasing

4) UNPROCESSED

The Unprocessed look at Barbara Bui

Inspired by: Ali McGraw/preppy girls. Not natural or no makeup, but real makeup.

How it looks: Start with full, messy, exaggerated brows. Think rosy cheeks and lips and highlighter.

How to: Apply clear brow gel, a creamy gilded gold with a brown undertone on the eye and a super nude face with a flash of bold copper eyeliner.

Trend Tip: For a little sheen, apply lip balm on lips and apply the rest on nose, eyes and cheeks

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: Which trend are you most excited to try this fall/winter?

3 easy steps to Amp Up Your Style & win with TRESemmé for the VMAs

Posted on July 24, 2014 by BeautyFrosting

I just used these 3 products from TRESemmé to attempt to get some va-va-voom volume into my fine hair and, y’all, it worked. And all in under 15 minutes. Here’s how.

I was so excited about the level of volume I achieved, I cut off the last few words of the video which were, “And this my friends…is what happens.” Cue Olivia Newton-John’s “Magic” right now, folks.

Speaking of music, I’m no rockstar…at least not outside of my shower but TRESemmé sure can make me feel like one. Oh, you know that TRESemmé. She’s always got totally delightful, doable DIY hair tutorials and giveaways for all. And when the VMAs roll around, her spirit of sharing only doubles with rocking out the tutorials for all of us.

TRESemmé invites you to amp up your VMA style with one of her five looks that are red carpet-ready. Check out THESE 5 tutorials on how to achieve a pumped up pony, a super sleek look, rock ‘n roll waves, full blown volume and shine like a star. Watch the videos for a coupon for $1.75 off TRESemmé at Walmart.

Get $1.75 off TRESemmé products!

While watching the 2014 VMAs on August 24th post your VMA style and show how you amp up your style using the hashtag #ampupyourstyle for your chance to win TRESemmé samples.

Once you have your look, enter to win a chance to attend the 2015 VMAs for you and a friend! Enter by clicking here:
Tresemme VMA – Beauty Frosting

Rock it out.

xoxo,

BF Asks: Which look are you gonna try? My full blown volume, a pumped up pony, a super sleek look, rock ‘n roll waves or shine like a star?

*This is a sponsored post by Lunchbox Media. While products or compensation were provided, the words and opinions are all my own.