Balenciaga’s just released their first fragrance in twelve years, Balenciaga Paris.

The scent, which is powdery, light, and perfect for someone who doesn’t want to smell like they’re wearing perfume, launches at Bergdorf Goodman on the 15th.

We expect Charlotte Gainsbourg’s Steven Meisel-shot campaign to pop up everywhere this spring, but for now, you can watch Nicolas Ghesquière talk about his process. The bottle, which will remain the same when they roll out new scents, is inspired by the classic Balenciaga silhouette. Ghesquière imagines a woman setting it down amongst her things to create an Irving Penn-like still life and he chose Charlotte for her “oddity…and bizarre beauty.”

At last night’s Olsenboye launch, I couldn’t stop staring at Ashley Olsen’s darkened eyebrows.

Black eyebrows against blonde hair is a more striking, and a more creative contrast than dark roots - but I’m not sure it’d translate to a non-Olsen.

I wanted to ask Ashley, but then I wondered if I was supposed to notice them. Is it like a smoky eye, where there’s obviously makeup and it’s natural and nice to say, “Oh wow, what a great smoky eye,” or, “That’s the perfect red lipstick.” Or is it supposed to look natural, “My, what nice eyebrows you have.”

The only eyebrow gossip I’ve heard (if there is such a thing) revolves around last season’s nude look at Givenchy.

So I asked Eva Chen, Teen Vogue’s beauty director, what she thinks.

For years, I searched apothecaries, departments stores and Sephoras the world over in hopes of finding my signature scent.

It started with CK One in middle school. (Which I’ve been secretly considering returning to, if only in jest.) High school belonged to Prescriptives Flirt, which—along with the entire Prescriptives brand—was eventually discontinued.

My college and first few years of employment were dedicated to Marc Jacobs, a gardenia scent I still love. Unfortunately, so did a demanding boss, which means the fragrance also conjures feelings brought on by extreme micromanagement.

Since then, I’ve kind of given up on the whole idea of a signature scent. I like Stella McCartney and Prada Infusion D’ Iris, both of which I occasionally wear. I’ve also become a big fan of Jo Malone’s stable of colognes, particularly orange blossom. Yet none have left me devoted.

But I may be getting closer. And this time, with very little effort.

A month ago, I went to Bumble and bumble and asked for pink hair.

There was Proenza, but there was also Giles. And if I couldn’t have a dino bag, I was at least going to have Dree’s pink hair.

I didn’t want a whole head of pink, but a few cotton candy colors woven through the ends. I walked out with perfectly ombre hair a la Rachel Bilson, but the ends just barely glowed pink, and only in the right light. Since I was heading to the Middle East for a month I knew I’d come back blonder, which meant waiting until January to seriously tackle the color question.

Makeup can baffle even the obsessed beauty followers.

Finding the perfect lipstick or eyeshadow is like finding the holy grail of beauty - which would make MAC’s online chat feature like the god of cosmetics.

On maccosmetics.com you can instant message with a professional MAC makeup artist. Earlier today I chatted with MAC makeup artist Jara, who in under a half an hour answered all my makeup questions. She gave detailed answers on how to apply eyeshadow, and loads of lipstick options. All I had to do was provide my hair color, eye color and skin tone.

How did I know that I could trust this online resource? Because I already owned two of the products and wear them regularly. Fate? Maybe, but the MAC artists probably are that good. (Plus, you get a mascara sample and free shipping on your next online order.)

Click through to see a transcript of my chat with Jara.

I’m not the type to shy away from a red lip. My favorite colors are Bobbi Brown Brick Red, Revlon Penelope’s Red and Mac Russian Red. However, I don’t wear a bold mouth daily—most of the time you’ll find me in old-fashioned lip balm or Stila lip glaze.

Yet lately, I’ve been more and more attracted to rich, matte lipsticks like Stila lip color in Miranda and Lipstick Queen’s Pink Sinner, a pale—yet 90% opaque pink—color.

I’m determined to fully convert to matte lipsticks this spring. It feel right, especially since my wardrobe is 90% black and this’ll help me brighten up. My first purchase will be Clinique’s High Impact lip color in Peach Pop.

Anyone with me?

If you are sticking with lip gloss, Fashionista suggests Clark’s Botanicals Ultra Rich Lip Tint. Its first ingredient is shea butter and it doesn’t have petroleum, which some say can actually make your lips dryer.

We were a little surprised to see that high-end Japanese brand Shiseido is making a play for mineral makeup guru Bare Escentuals. It’s going to buy the American company for $1.7 billion.

Why were we taken aback? Well, you know, Shiseido is a bit lofty, while Bare Escentuals does infomercials. On the surface, this seems like an odd pairing. Shiseido also owns Nars, Carita skincare and Beauté Prestige International (including fragrances from Jean Paul Gaultier and Narciso Rodriguez). Those brands fit a profile that mass market Bare Escentuals does not.

However, after further research, we think Shiseido is making the right choice. Here’s why:

Bare Escentuals is a cash cow and it can get even fatter. The company’s sales reached $556 million in 2008, but 85% of those sales were in the US. With Shiseido’s deep infrastructure in Asia, Bare Escentuals is bound to blow up there as well.

It really was the first big mineral makeup player. While we personally prefer liquid makeup over mineral, it’s obviously become a big part of the average American woman’s beauty routine, and Bare Essential is recognized as the pioneer. Shiseido can now incorporate Bare’s technology into its own line.

Shiseido needs to up its US profile. Sure, those of us who work in fashion and beauty know what Shiseido is, but does the random 55-year-old housewife whose favorite beauty brand is Clinique? Probably not. While it definitely shouldn’t go down market, being known as, say, “the Chanel Beauté of Japan” by a broad US audience would definitely be a good thing. Right now, just 8% of Shiseido’s sales are generated in the US.

Rumor has it Christopher Kane’s working on a fragrance.

Unless it’s a collaboration with Dover Street Market or Six Scents, we’re not sure why.

When the decision’s made to expand the brand into mass markets (Topshop doesn’t count) we’d expect shoes or bags at the start, and then perfume.

But if there really is a scent, what will it smell like?

A gingham clad Lolita rolling through the grass? Gorillas swinging from trees? Or will influence from Versus carry over to brew a sweaty, up-all-night, 80s-inspired smell?

And more importantly, who will land the campaign?

From Alexander Wang to Miu Miu, we’ve been obsessing about the latest incarnations of the super long braid since September.

Karlie Kloss’ S/S ad for Hermès left Kate and me just a tad breathless when we first saw it. The only thing better than a gloriously pretty braid is one with an Hermès scarf woven into it. (The warm ocean setting sure doesn’t hurt either.)

Blake Lively, please take note. This would look fantastic on you as opposed to that tight, high Emmy nightmare we’re still trying to forget.

Of course, any scarf will do but one thing is certain you will be seeing lots of this look on the two of us as soon as our hair gets a bit longer. What about you?

Natalie Portman graces the cover of Elle UK’s February issue. I love Natalie — over the past few years I have found myself completely taken with her elfin beauty and her down-to-earth charm.

This morning Fashion Gone Rogue posted images of the full editorial, so I took a look. While the styling leaves something to be desired (feminine, but nothing exciting), the beauty is entirely fulfilling.

The hair is tousled, the brow is dark and the eye is wet. We’ve seen this dewy eye thing done before, and the end result often makes the model look sick and flu-ish. But something about this particular one just looks so perfect.

I think it’s the dark shadow underneath this eye balm that sets it apart. The effect is austere while somehow still soft. It’s dark, but utterly feminine. It’s like the perfect winter statement eye.

I don’t know about you guys, but the holiday party circuit is already taking a serious toll on my face…and we’ve still got a ways to go.

To say my eyes have been puffy lately would probably be a massive understatement. Enter this new little beauty gem from Kiehl’s (and yes, it was given to me.)

Now, beauty companies have been coming up with under eye treatments forever, so the concept isn’t exactly novel. But that doesn’t mean that none of them work. This just launched Facial Fuel Eye De-Puffer happens to be one of those.

There’s actually caffeine in it which deflates your bags and it’s super cool to the touch which if nothing else is a little pick me up/refresher. Plus it’s pocket-sized so you can throw it in your bag (big or small) and put it on throughout the day.

Party on.

Beyoncé’s launching a fragrance.

Like many of you we thought, wait, hasn’t she already done this? But, no. No, she has not. She just posed for others’ ads, like Tommy Hilfiger.

But come February, you can smell like B, courtesy of her “Heat.” Honestly, this makes so much more sense than the House of Dereon. And we’re fairly surprised that it’s taken this long for someone to launch this project—so many lesser stars have tried their hands at the perfume game to varying results.

The singer partnered with the very smart beauty choice, Coty, and put the judgment on her people telling WWD: “I was on tour for a year, and I have meet-and-greets with fans. I’ve never in my life gotten so many compliments [about the fragrance].”

Enough said and well played. We’ve seen what Jennifer Lopez can do with a fragrance business. And considering Beyoncé is way more relevant and talented, we don’t doubt this one will do insanely well.

Though we still take issue with the name. Just sayin’.

If you’re a beauty junkie with an interest in public relations and a desire to be backstage at NYFW in February, then we’ve got a job for you.

RED PR is a boutique firm in Soho that reps a bunch of cool beauty brands. One of their biggest clients is nail polish company CND whose team of manicurists do the nails for almost every major show during Fashion Week. Part of your job would be assisting backstage, along with drafting pitch letters and press releases and a few administrative tasks.

They’re looking for someone to start in January and work through May, for at least 20 hours a week. It’s unpaid but they will throw in an unlimited MetroCard for your commute, which is better than nothing!

If you’re interested, email Rachel@RED-PR.com with your resume and cover letter.

Jennifer Lopez is on the January cover of Allure. And while we could really care less about her workout regime or that silly “Louboutins” song, we were struck by this beauty shot from inside the magazine.

It kind of reminded us of this Anja shoot mixed with bathing beauties from a 1940s movie. But what really stood out was the opaque pink makeup on her lids, in a good way.

I love that her longtime makeup artist, Scott Barnes, used what looks to be a cream shadow all the way from crease to corner. The effect is soft but it’s definitely not subtle, like so many popular shimmery pink shades.

My question is, can this work on fair skin that doesn’t have that bronze glow like J. Lo’s so known for? I actually think it might work if you found the right shade. But then again I might just end up looking like I have some sort of eye infection.

Would you try it?

Are you as excited for Christmas break as we are? And yes, no matter how old we get we still call it “break” even when it’s not the month-long treat we remember from college.

As much as we love buying gifts for our friends and family, we’re not gonna lie and say we don’t love presents of all sizes and shapes.

We know you do too and that you probably wouldn’t turn down a huge basket of high-end beauty products if someone wanted to send them you’re way, right?

Well the people at Peter Thomas Roth want to do just that. Starting today and going through Thursday, they’ll pick one Fashionista reader to win a basket of $1000 of their products. Seriously, that’s a ton of good stuff.

And all you have to do to enter is sign up to become a fan of Peter Thomas Roth’s Facebook page and write this on their wall: “Fashionista rocks my socks” which makes us giggle—and things always get just a little goofy just before break.

Yesterday, Chanel cured our winter blues by sending over a bag full of goodies, but we had trouble getting past the nail polish.

They sent three shades: Vendetta’s a deep dark purple, Gondola’s a glitter red that’s half-Dorothy and half-Christmas and Trapeze is our new favorite thing.

The color looks pinkish grey in the bottle but turns sandy on the nails. It’s kind of quiet, slightly shimmery and almost nude, which, given my tendency to chip away at my nail polish as soon as it’s dry, is great.

If you’re all for being polished during the holidays, but can’t handle the reds and blacks, you might want to splurge on a bottle of Trapeze before the party season’s over. (And if you, like me, will be spending the holidays in the sun, it’ll look even better with a tan.)

It’s kind of surprising that Bottega Veneta hasn’t done a fragrance before and I actually thought I remembered one. Obviously, I made that up.

That’s all about to change now that they’ve partnered with Coty to create their first perfume. And Tomas Maier is pretty jazzed about it: “I’ve always loved fragrance and have very definite ideas about what I want to do.”

Coty Prestige is definitely the obvious choice, as they also just did Balenciaga’s latest scent. Plus, they always do massive business with every design house they work with.

Does the world need another designer fragrance? No, probably not. Will it sell? You betcha. Between this and the accessories money, we’re not worried about Bottega one little bit.

Now if only the price of the fragrance actually included a bag…

In the beauty world, this is definitely a huge coup.

Lancôme has just signed Julia Roberts as a “global ambassadress.”

No matter what you think of her movies of late, there is no doubt about the bankability of Ms. Roberts. And we are well aware of how desperately every cosmetics brand on the planet has pursued her for many, many years. We can never be sure how many foreign campaigns she’s done, but kudos to Lancôme for finally getting her to go domestic.

According to WWD, her role is not yet defined. But international president Yousef Nabi says, “Her exceptional talent, her radiance and her strong commitments perfectly echo Lancôme’s values. We are convinced she will embody the brand in the most sublime way possible.”

No disagreement here. Julia represents all sorts of classy beauty and so does Lancôme (at least to me, and I don’t think I’m alone).

Last night, on my way out of Paris, I was detained at customs.

The officer took my Eddie Borgo bracelet, wrapped it around his knuckles and made punching motions at me to demonstrate its violent possibilities. I cried and pleaded in both French and English until they finally agreed I could exit security with my bracelet, find the post office at Charles De Gaulle and ship it back to New York.

At this point, only magazines and copious amounts of chocolate could bring me down from my temper tantrum so I piled Jalouse, L’Officiel, Numero etc. into my arms, but it was the free magazine, Aéroport de Paris, that I read first.

I’ve scanned the article after the jump, but they went behind the scenes with Jacques Polge, Chanel’s nose since 1978, to check out the house’s west Paris lab and discuss his perfume-making process. Whether they’re launching a new fragrance or not, Polge travels the world annually, based on the seasons, to find new scents, to discover if the jasmine’s better in Egypt or India, to research how scents age and learn about other perfumes.

You know when you get a new haircut like Posh did recently (which for the record we like very much) and you have to figure out a whole new styling system. Unless of course you are Mrs. Beckham in which case you can just get it professionally styled whenever you please.

But for the rest of us, it’s kind of a conundrum. And products on the market haven’t really helped much either. For generations haircare has been developed to target hair type. Straight, curly, oily, what-have you. But the new HerCut line eschews all conventional wisdom and treats your cut.

According to the company, the key to maintaining a just-came from the salon style is by identifying—and treating—your cut. There are essentially five basics—bob, long layers, blunt, shag and pixie—each with individual needs. So they created some patented catalyst enhancers to meet the aforementioned concerns and impart a good hair day, every day.