November Beauty Buzz

The FDA recently proposed a label overhaul for all sunscreens (which will be finalized at the end of November) that will require the display of more information, including a UVA protection measurement system (SPF measures only UVB protection) of one to four stars. A product’s UVA rating would be based on its ability to reduce the amount of UVA radiation that passes through it and its ability to prevent tanning. Labels will also include a “drug facts” box and even a “warning” box bearing this straight-shooting statement: “UV exposure from the sun increases the risk of skin cancer, premature aging and other skin damage.” Don’t expect these changes to happen overnight, though—once the new rules are executed, companies have a year to repackage.

After the success of her single-dose skincare kits last year, Lisa Hoffman has taken on fragrance. Each of the three scents in her Variations Fragrance Collection—French Clary Sage, Tuscan Fig and Tunisian Neroli—comes in a set of four versions, each jiggered in a unique way to be suitable for a certain time of day. For example, the fig note dominates Tuscan Fig’s Daytime version, while the Bedtime version is more powdery. Hoffman does allow for rule breaking: “There are some days when you don’t want to get out of bed,” says Hoffman. “So just wear the Bedtime fragrance all day long.”

At Bergdorf Goodman, New York.

As the popularity of lash extensions continues, Miami plastic surgeon and hair-transplant expert Jeffrey Epstein is offering a longer-term solution. Epstein, who opened the Women’s Center for Hair Loss in 2004, had been doing eyebrow transplants for several years before realizing he could apply a similar technique to lashes. “The hairs are inserted into the lid at the crease area, then exit at the lash line,” explains Epstein, who’s done 12 of the procedures to date. “I originally only did these for women who’d lost all or most of their eyelashes, but now that the results are so nice, I perform them for cosmetic purposes.” Recovery time is usually less than a week, but since these hairs grow like regular scalp hair, frequent trims are required, not to mention serious dedication to the lash curler. “We usually take it from the back of the scalp, where hair has its best curl, but, yes, patients still have to curl them every day,” says Epstein about the $4,000 procedure. “It’s a commitment.”

The mud bath has shed its old-lady image thanks to Spa Solage’s Mud Bar in Calistoga, California. Customized geothermal water and mud treatments are whipped up to target each guest’s needs, whether it’s the mint-infused Mud Mojito used to tackle jet lag or the Lavender Mudtini that de-stresses. Its signature treatment, the Mudslide, involves a series of mud applications followed by a soak in a spring-fed tub—although all treatments come with access to the destination spa’s coed and gender-specific hot and cold plunge pools. For those who don’t want to get muddy, Solage has collaborated with L.A. facialist Kate Somerville; her signature treatments are performed by aestheticians she personally trained.

For a few years now, the representation of short-haired models has been limited to Alek Wek, Jacquetta Wheeler and Agyness Deyn. But attendees of the New York spring 2008 shows needed both hands to count the number of beauties sporting cropped cuts, including Cecilia Mendez, Anja Rubik and Freja Beha Erichsen. “I wanted to cut it for a year and a half,” says Denmark native Erichsen, who went short a few months back. “I cut it myself, then I had a local guy clean it up. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Long hair is such a pain.”