On "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills," we all loved Lauren Conrad because she was someone we could relate to -- she didn't always get the guy (the adorable Stephen), she was a true friend (never the backstabbing type like, ahem, others) and although there was always drama, she stayed true to herself. At a recent event for Mark Cosmetics, the younger-skewing branch of the Avon empire, L.C. showed us that though she's all grown up, she's still as down to earth and compassionate as she was before her life became a reality show.
Conrad recently became a spokesperson for Mark and is focusing her efforts towards building the charity arm of the company. "I am grateful to the show because it provided me with the platform to do other things that I really enjoy like joining with Mark to support a good cause," said Conrad.
The bubbly blond flew from Los Angeles to New York City, (the day after her 24th birthday) to launch a new Mark accessory to benefit M.Powerment by Mark; the philanthropic initiative dedicated to breaking the cycle of dating abuse and partner violence.
The "Have a Heart" bracelet, ($12) is the second accessory in the line, joining the "Have a Heart" necklace ($22). The goldtone bracelet features a heart on one side and the M.powerment by Mark emblem (a floral design) on the other. It matches the necklace, which comes in both silver and gold.
For each piece of jewelry, 100% of the net proceeds are donated to help raise funds and awareness of the cause; since the organization began in September 2008, $400,000 dollars have been raised and awarded to organizations that are devoted to domestic violence issues.
The event, held at the Crosby Hotel in Soho, featured Dylan's Candy Bar, fruity flavored champagne, Mark beauty products and lots of pink. Lauren spoke about her support for the cause and responded to some of our burning beauty questions.
To get the perfect cat-eye Lauren said, "I do it sitting in the bathroom sink, literally right in front of the mirror. I use Mark Cosmetics On the Edge Hook Up Liquid Eyeliner. You have to practice, practice, practice. I've messed up a lot."
We asked Lauren how her beauty and fashion has changed since her teen years on Laguna Beach. Lauren laughed and said, "I'd like to say it's improved a little. I think I keep up with the trends pretty well. I went through a period of time where I used a lot of bleach. I've learned that less is more."
As not-so-secret fans of L.C., it's refreshing to see that after growing up in the reality TV spotlight, she's managed to stay fairly grounded, and stands up for what she believes in -- she definitely took a different path than her plastic surgery obsessed frenemy, Heidi Pratt.
~www.stylelist.com
