» Alexis Johnson + Kathryn Romeyn: Co-Founders, Beauty Bender

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Alexis Johnson + Kathryn Romeyn: Co-Founders, Beauty Bender

10 Questions for 2 Primp Pros

ELAINE SAYS: I love finding great, new beauty products but as we all know, they're expensive! This is definitely an area in which it pays off to have a trusted resource and for me, Alexis Johnson and Kathryn Romeyn of BEAUTY BENDER have become just that....they are on top of their game! So of course, when they ASKED ME TO CONTRIBUTE A LIST OF MY OWN FAVORITES to their site, I not only grabbed by iPad but invited them to do the same. Below, the tables have been turned on 2 of my favorite "Primp Pros" as they reveal their own personal product list for us. Alexis got the first 5 and Kathryn the second....Get ready to bookmark!

ALEXIS ON...

Her Morning Make-Up + Skincare Routine I've recently switched up my facial products and am loving the new combo. I wash my wash with either Proactiv or NEUTROGENA'S new Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser foaming Formula, then I swipe on RENEE ROULEAU'S ELDERBERRY TONER, which hydrates and infuses skin with essential antioxidants. I follow that up with LaFace skincare's EFFACE Line Erasure Concentrate (I'm slightly addicted and I swear it's working) and their BEAUX YEUX Beautiful Eyes Concentrate Intensive. My skin has been dry lately, so Renee Rouleau's anti-aging HAWAIIAN NOURISHING CREAM brings my skin back to life and finally I finish up with ELTA MD's SPF 45. -Alexis
Her Hair Cuts + Color My friend and miracle worker, CHASE KUSERO at Prive Salon [7373 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles-Mid-City West], has been cutting my hair for years, and I won't let anyone else get near me with a pair of scissors. I walk out of there with "perfect hair" every time. As for color, I stopped coloring my hair a year ago, but when I was regularly doing balayage, FABRICE HENSENNS at Cristophe Salon (348 North Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills) was my go-to. He specializes in beach blondes—he's a surfer himself—and the color always came out exactly how I wanted it, plus it grew out incredibly naturally. -Alexis
Her Go-To Lipstick LIPSTICK QUEEN makes my favorite formulas. Owner Poppy King is a doll who is truly my lipstick-wearing goddess. Her new Liptropolis trio, available at Space.NK [inside Bloomingdale's 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Century City], is inspired by New York City, and the three colors are all you need for summer. I rotate heavily between Upper East, a peachy nude, and Central Park a more richly pigmented orange-y red. I use Soho, a bright red, more sparingly because it delivers megawatt color, but it's my favorite accessory for a night out. -Alexis
Her Signature Scent I've been using STELLA BY STELLA MCCARTNEY daily since it came out—almost a decade ago! -Alexis
Her Secret To Staying Young + Beautiful Secret to staying young and beautiful: Monthly facials from Andrea at PALISADES DERMATOLOGY [970 Monument St. # 114, Pacific Palisades (310) 454-5915]... and Botox. -Alexis

KATHRYN ON...

Her Overnight Skin Ritual There are nights when all I can bring myself to do is swipe a potent cranberry ARCONA TRIAD PAD (from 425 Broadway Street Santa Monica, CA 90401) over my face and eyes before crashing. But more often I wash my face with my CLARISONIC MIA which I couldn't live without and IOMA's MOISTURIZING CLEANSING MILK—or if I'm breaking out, Clarisonic's ACNE DAILY CLARIFYING CLEANSER. I then swipe around one of the SOLUTION PADS by Arcona, which help resurface and repair sun damage while I sleep, before applying LE MIEUX RX COMPLEX SERUM (that I get from a fantastic Santa Monica esthetician Sara Turbeville), PETER THOMAS ROTH LASER-FREE REGENERATOR MOISTURIZING GEL-CREAM and IOMA GENEROUS EYE CONTOUR CREAM. It sounds like a lot but I wake up feeling refreshed and hydrated! -Kathryn
Her Hair Habits I rotate shampoos and conditioners all the time. Currently I'm between Number 4 and Voce's Hydrating Collection, the latter of which I get from Warren-Tricomi (8327 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood). My hair is always dry, so I have to deep-condition regularly with either VOCE'S HAIR MASK or NUMBER 4's RECONSTRUCTING MASQUE. After showering, I'm pretty lazy—a few spritzes of Number 4 SUPER COMB PREP & PROTECT or UNITE 7 SECONDS CONDITION leave-in detangler and I let it air-dry. -Kathryn
Her Favorite Eyes I've gotten to a point where my brow routine takes longer than the actual eye makeup! I smudge KELLEY BAKER'S chunky highlighter pencil right under my brows, which really opens up my eyes and gives a little lift, before adding some brow powder and brushing them up with her clear brow gel. The rest is quick, just a little black kohl pencil (by MAC or Chantecaille) and two coats of GIORGIO ARMANI Eyes to Kill Mascara in Steel Black. -Kathryn
Her Favorite Nail Color of the Moment A hard question in the summertime! At this very moment I'm loving bright orangey-reds like DIOR'S Psychedelic Orange, MAC in Oriole Orange and ESSIE Ole Caliente. -Kathryn
Her "Never Without" Products Forever and always, my $1.50 COCOCARE Cocoa Butter Lip Balm, but of late I'm also pretty obsessed with DIOR HYDRA LIFE BB Creme SPF 30 PA+++. It's so light and moisturizing, but it covers my flaws and makes my skin look luminous with so little effort it's ridiculous! -Kathryn