Alene Dawson

Los Angeles, CA USA
Contact

Professional Experience

Alene Dawson is a Los Angeles Times contributor who writes for an array of A-list magazines and outlets. Her stories “Gen X is balanced and happy” and “What is beauty and who has it?” for CNN.com earned over 11,000 and 3,800 recommendations respectively. Whether she’s reporting on the Brazilian Blowout scandal, writing cover stories on how Gen X women look fantastic or celebrating the fun of vibrant hair color - she's counted on to deliver smart, popular and information-driven stories. The Times has 4,356,555 total readers and her stories run in many Tribune outlets. She covers beauty, lifestyle, luxury travel, women’s health, trends, dating & relationships and entertainment including celebrity interviews. She also writes fiction, essays and has delved into TV. In an ever-increasing global environment, her curiosity about the world and belief that everyone has an interesting story to tell matters. She's passionate, unique, dependable, and happy contributing to the team.

Expertise

Reporter
9 Years
Writer
9 Years
Other, Specify
7 Years

Specialty

Lifestyle
9 Years
Beauty
9 Years
Other, Specify
9 Years

Industries


Magazine - Large Consumer/National magazines
9 Years
Newspaper - National
9 Years

Total Media Industry Experience

10 Years

Media Client List (# assignments last 2 yrs)

The Hollywood Reporter (10+), The Los Angeles Times (10+), Variety (10+), THR Luxury Travel Quarterly (6-10), Elle.com (6-10), Essence (3-5), Town & Country (3-5), Marie Claire (3-5), CNN (3-5), Elite Traveler (1-2), Glamour Magazine (1-2), In Style (1-2), OC Register (10+)

Corporate Client List (# assignments last 2 yrs)

Random House:Fodor's LA & California Travel Guides (3-5)

Other Work History

ODVD: Staff Writer

Technical Skills

Final Cut

Foreign Language Skills

Decent French. Some German.

Unions

Aftra, SAG, Actors Equity

Computer Skills

(Word, Exel, etc.)

Equipment

Laptop, digital camera, cell phone, scanner, audio recorder.

References

Upon request.

Awards

NYU/Tisch School of The Arts Award For OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT

Associations

Society of Professional Journalists Los Angeles Press Club

Showcase

General

We offer a primer on parabens: what they are, what health and safety professionals say about them and which beauty products are made without them. By Alene Dawson
Societal and technological shifts have resulted in a number of innovations in the all-important skin primer. Also, an interview with Iman.
The empire of fashion royal Marc Jacobs has expanded into the realm of makeup. His new venture, Marc Jacobs Beauty, which launched exclusively at Sephora in August, is a color collection that surprises and seduces wearers to mix up their routine with a fresh but wearable palette.
So right when we've barely figured out what a BB Cream is (and let's be real here, you're still not 100 percent sure), here comes CC and even DD creams (!).
Chicago in the summer is a beach town-a crazy thought to the uninitiated who only know the Windy City by its famously cold winters. But when the weather heats up, Chicagoans take off to the water to take advantage of the city's natural beauty and show up in force for city-sponsored activities.
As July 4 approaches, it's "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" we should be thinking about, not "life, liberty and ouch! My sunburn really hurts!" Plastic surgeon Justin Piasecki, M.D., who founded the Skin Cancer Center in Gig Harbor, Wash., shares tips on post-sun skin care.
"Zou bisou bisou!" On 'Mad Men' Don Draper's wife, Megan, knows how to embellish her 1960s regalia with not just a sky-high architectural bouffant but with inky cat-eye eyeliner, reminiscent of Sophia Loren or Brigitte Bardot.
Now Target (like tonier retailer Nordstrom) also offers a Beauty Concierge service. Target started the program in Orange County and Los Angeles in May and we went to check it out.
Can beauty be defined by age, gender, color, body shape or size? Who gets to decide? By Alene Dawson
Bye, bye, side braid. Farewell, hair feather. Right now the cool kids are carried away with vibrant color.
A Laguna Hills business uses technology to create a customized foundation tone for each client.
Neil Blumenthal and three friends from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia founded the hip eyewear company Warby Parker with the idea that large companies keep eyeglass prices artificially high.
Some of Hollywood's top designers, architects and builders share what it takes to construct a thriving business with high-end clients.
It's not just the usual suspects - Rita Ora, Megan Hilty, Christina Aguilera - rocking platinum hair. This year we've seen a blond Beyonce on those Pepsi billboards around town and even perennial brunet Anne Hathaway wearing an icy hue.
Brown tones aren’t the only — or maybe even the best — choice for eyes, lips and cheeks. Beauty pros share their tips for those with auburn and strawberry tresses. By Alene Dawson
Bold, glamorous makeup and loose, sexy hair. The Seductive style of bombshell Pamela Anderson is back in vogue. By Alene Dawson
What to bring along on a road trip or plane travel to make sure you look as good away as you do at home.
True beauty comes from healthy habits, says Dr. Howard Murad of the namesake skin care line. "To me health and beauty are synonymous. When you're healthy, you're going to be more beautiful," he says.
Are you the crafty, 4-H blue ribbon-winning type? Have confidence that your cooking and cocktail-making skills can translate into whipping up an organic skin care tonic? Or do you simply crave beauty products that aren’t crazy expensive or carcinogenic? By Alene Dawson
Obagi Skin Health Institute, founded by Dr. Zein Obagi and headquartered in Beverly Hills, opened in Laguna Beach last month. It's the third location and first in Orange County.
The alcohol, sugar and even cream in some drinks can be the nightmare after Christmas for your skin. By Alene Dawson
Wading through your list of friends and family to create the perfect wedding day party can be a daunting task. Here, some advice to help you avoid the pitfalls.
Hot off a month that incorporates the rush of spring 2014 fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris, here's a look at the beauty trends you may be wearing next year.
This year, we may have lost the queen of glamorous bathing beauties, competitive swimmer turned "aquamusical" movie star Esther Williams, but her spirit lives on with the mega-talented, super-gorgeous, wowza-athletic synchronized swimming performance group Aqualillies.
With all eyes on the UK this summer as Kate Middleton and Prince William welcomed their baby son into the world, a good deal of the planet opted-in on the fanfare, including a wealth of British beauty brands.
There's something about fall - with its back-to-school, new-start feeling - that compels many of us to revisit our plans to diet, and sometimes those plans involve fads.
The Stanley Kubrick exhibition on view at LACMA through June 30th is a feast of collaborative efforts including screenwriting, directing, cinematography, art direction, and costume design.
Add glamour to your camping and voilà! - glamping. It's the go-to solution for fashionistas, beauty aficionados or basically anyone who craves sleeping under the stars, but with a few (or several) extra creature comforts.
Whether your inner goddess is sun-kissed, all-out bronzed, moonlit or quietly luminous - summer is the season to ditch the matte cosmetics and flaunt a healthy, dewy complexion.
Want cheaper glasses that look fashionable without paying $500? Read our eyewear package with interviews and stories on Warby Parker (home of the $95 glasses) co-founder Neil Blumenthal; SEE Eyewear CEO Richard Golden and tips for glasses for your face shape.
You had a fantastic time this summer, but your skin may have paid a price for it. We chat with dermatologist Dr. Karyn Grossman, whose TV appearances include "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Good Morning America" and "The Today Show," about what it takes to rehab skin back to fabulous for fall.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a terrific opportunity to support institutions dedicated to finding a cure and/or making the lives of those who suffer with breast cancer and their loved ones easier.
In Southern California going to a salon for highlights, all-over hair color or even just to cover your gray can be pricy. But the good news is that technological advances and relatively new brands, such as eSalon, are at the forefront of personalized, do-it-yourself products that make it easier and
Grammy-award winning Janelle Monáe is known for her fierce style replete with dapper tuxedos (what she's called her "uniform"); angelic face haloed by a naturally textured, chic updo; and music that explodes with uplifting, radical self-acceptance and creativity...
Mascaras for a dramatic look. Story and slideshow.
New advances in apps and computer software make it simple for everyday people to improve their looks by retouching their photos - but can you take it too far?
Luxury Travel, Wedding, Honeymoon, Romance, Lifestyle, Relationship, Spa
Businesses are transforming into mind, body and soul temples of wellness to meet the demands of people increasingly eschewing traditional houses of worship and pursuing alternative paths to spiritual connection.
Frizzy and fine? Curly and color-treated? How to care for hybrid hair.
Nail polishes are cleaning up their act. Once punch-drunk on carcinogenic ingredients like formaldehyde, nail polish formulas have sobered up, and a range of companies from haute global brands like Chanel to niche up-and-comers like California's own NCLA are offering cleaner alternatives.
Partying until daybreak, flying the red eye, cramming all night for an exam - these are just a few reasons for skimping on beauty sleep...But there are ways to minimize the pain. Or at the very least, to fake it by looking fabulous through the magic of makeup or by having a restorative treatment...
A generation once labeled "slackers," detached and melancholic has grown up to find out that reality doesn't bite as much as it seemed when they were younger. The generation born between 1961 and 1981 is "active, balanced and happy," report says.
Your photo-happy friends may be capturing posed group shots and crazy candids at New Year's Eve parties this weekend, but sometimes you just don't want to be photographed...Anna Post, the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post has some suggestions tailored to specific events and situations:
Lindsey Vonn, Nastia Liukin and Kristi Yamaguchi show us how to look good when the action heats up.
People of multiple ethnicities know that their manes can be easily mangled. But salons and hair-care products are improving.
Winter and dry skin don't have to go hand in hand. Here are ways to fight the dryness and irritation from cold weather, heated rooms, illness and hot desert winds.
Changing things up for fall? Find your style and be confident in it. Interviews with Miss Teen USA Logan West and others.
Full-color guide * Make your trip to Los Angeles unforgettable with illustrated features, 34 maps, and 223 color photos.Discerning Fodor's Choice picks for hotels, restaurants, sights, and more* Opinions from destination experts * Fodor's Los Angeles-based writers reveal their favorite local haunts.
Cover Story: Much has been made this year about the behemoth baby boom generation reaching retirement age. But another significant milestone is slipping past a bit more quietly yet with noticeable impact...
Fodor's California-based writers reveal their favorite local haunts * Full-color guide * Make your trip to California unforgettable with illustrated features, 92 maps, and 393 color photos * Top experiences & attractions * Lodging comparison charts * Easy-to-read color regional maps. Explore the San Franciso Bay Area, Southern California, Yosemite National Park, and beyond * Discerning Fodor's Choice picks for hotels, restaurants, sights, and more... Opinions from destination experts *
"The winter doldrums are the perfect time to plan your spring awakening. Alene Dawson counts us off." Marie Claire March 2012 issue starting on page 300.
For lips this holiday season, go with bold bordeaux or red lipstick. For eyes, pump up the volume with mascara or false lashes.
Mega-beauty websites serve their purpose, but specialty sites can be a treat. By Alene Dawson
Hairstylist Sally Hershberger and makeup artists Victor Cembellin and Taylor Babaian offer tips. By Alene Dawson
The holidays are the season of sparkle. And that goes for beauty treatments as well as for Christmas trees. Spas and beauty companies are capitalizing on the allure of jewels and precious metals, hoping to harness radiance and a feeling of indulgence by adding gold, gemstones or diamonds to products.
As girls return to school, the pressure is on for them to look their best. Celebrity make-up artist Joanna Schlip offers tips on helping them do it right. By Alene Dawson
More than ever, stars and models are augmenting their natural hair with wigs, woven-in or clip-on extensions or hairpieces making it easier to achieve this season's hot hairstyles including fantasy shapes, bold color & celebrities (Lady Gaga,JLO,Carrie Underwood,Kim Kardashian...)with really big hair.
The trappings of the holiday season are all around us this time of year, in television commercials that portray wintry wonderlands, in Christmas carols that command "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow," in images of Santa in his ermine-trimmed suit and cap...By Alene Dawson
California Olympians swimmers Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin plus volleyball player Jennifer Kessy share their secrets for looking lovely even in humidity and sizzling summer sun.
I talk to a variety of experts about the topic of how we "brand" ourselves through hair and makeup choices, whether we realize it or not. By Alene Dawson
This is not your mother's five and dime ...
Five top airport lounges: Behind the velvet ropes of the top five airport lounges and laying over in style.
Incorporate design elements from this year's Governors Ball into your home.
For some people, a poor self-image can translate into an unhealthy relationship with beauty products. By Alene Dawson
No matter how old you are, the season still beckons your inner kid with play, adventure and freedom.Just don't let grown-up, self-conscious worries zap the fun.12-time Olympic medalist and California girl Natalie Coughlin shares tips on how to shake off hot-weather beauty fears and dive into summer.
Citrusy scents are said to boost spirits, rose and heliotrope scents to promote calm. Can you really put on a ‘happy’ fragrance and feel better? By Alene Dawson
Oregon researchers say that they have found dangerous formaldehyde in the hair-straightening treatment. The company says it contains only a trace amount and is safe. By Alene Dawson
...colors that range from techno neon-brights, aqua-inspired blues for eyes and an array of deep-heat, bronze-y collections that surprise with a march of purples and ooze sex appeal.
Think outside the tie and cuff links this Father's Day and instead consider alpha grooming gifts. Diana Schmidtke, go-to groomer extraordinaire to Hollywood's hunkiest and most gorgeous men, including George Clooney and Jon Hamm (somebody's gotta do it!) share tips.
Whereas a fanfare of fluttery fringe has been all the rage the last few years - think Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry with their diva/retro-glam, multilayered, false strip eyelashes - take a peek into fall 2013 and lashes are toned-down a notch.
Nestled between Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, you're not tempted to skulk through Circa's doors incognito, disguised in a big hat and sunglasses, like you might be if you were entering some shady pawn shop on the corner of Bad Luck & Broke.
If you are looking for a spiritual experience at a spa, think about what spirituality means to you.
We chat with Red Carpet experts and home-tip superstar Heloise about saving our favorite clothing items to wear again and quick-fix remedies to get us back into the party or to our dinner date looking and feeling great.
Using face oil can seem antithetical, especially if you have an oily complexion or were weaned since grade school to assault your skin with an alcohol-laden, three-step regimen that scoured your face of every last bit of sebum possible.
A fountain of youth at your fingertips? Experts look at new high-tech at-home beauty devices. By Alene Dawson
Products that will not only help you look terrific but protect you so you can have fun in the sun with confidence.
Manna Kadar, creator of Manna Cosmetics in Laguna Niguel, isn't just a beauty mogul in the making but also a beacon of calm amid the whirly-swirly chaos that is backstage at L.A. Fashion Week.
Amid the flurry of brunch reservations, flower deliveries and Hallmark cards, perfume has become a go-to Mother's Day gift. But if you're hunting at the department store for something other than her usual fragrance, the number of options is dizzying.
Glamour Magazine: Secrets of Friends Who've Been Through It All - Alene Dawson interviews with Grammy nominated Keri Hilson, olympic gold medal winner Allyson Felix, TV show "Bones" star Emily Deschanel and others. By Alene Dawson
Like it or not, plastic surgery is here to stay.
The maker of the popular Brazilian Blowout hair-smoothing treatment has agreed to begin warning consumers and hairstylists that its products contain potentially hazardous formaldehyde, but some consumer advocates say that doesn't go far enough.
Many salons offer - or even push - treatments such as callus removal, foot scrubs, wraps and massages. Here's what you should know before you say yes. By Alene Dawson
Spritzing on a celeb perfume won't give you Taylor's violet eyes, J.Lo's figure or Mariah Carey's high note, but curiosity lures many to the department store counter.
Beauty and grooming items to get you from here to there. By Alene Dawson
Beauty rut? Not for the Spice Girls, whose distinct looks have evolved over the years with style and grace. Yours can too. In the run-up to the London Olympics' closing ceremonies, rumors have swirled that the Spice Girls will reunite for a special performance...
Experts offer a few tricks to get the luminous look celebs love. It starts with a healthful lifestyle. By Alene Dawson
"A Fresh Face for Spring" by Alene Dawson for the Los Angeles Times - Carmindy of "What Not to Wear" shares makeup secrets. One: Forget Being stuck in high school.
Beauties: Summer is not the time for coiffed hair. And fortunately, this season's romantic and natural styles keep us looking gorgeous with less effort so we can concentrate on enjoying life.
At heart Shawn Tavakoli is an entrepreneur. That his business is beauty is hereditary.
Four Women Writers on the Lasting Influence of Marilyn Monroe.
On March 18, denizens of the Southern California art, design and architecture scene gathered at the Tesla store in Santa Monica to celebrate the expansion of KCRW's radio show "DnA: Design and Architecture," and to hear Elon Musk, founder-CEO of Tesla and Space X.
Fad diets may help you shed pounds fast but could affect your skin. Dermatologists weigh in. By Alene Dawson
Store makeup counters harbor bacteria that can lead to infection. But if you test products properly, you can remain safe. By Alene Dawson
From snorkeling in Belize to island-hopping in Greece, here are five itineraries to inspire your most memorable getaway. By Alene Dawson
So you know those really skinny, high-arched eyebrows - the kind we've seen on Pamela Anderson, adult film industry performers and on women who, bewilderingly, shave off their eyebrows only to redraw them back on again in mismatched colored pencil? Well, don't do that anymore ...
With a coastline rivaling the most beautiful in the world, weather typically less humid than many other big American cities and a wealth of tourists attractions, Los Angeles and its immediate surroundings make for the perfect summertime getaway.
Just as fashion tricks, like wearing black or pinstripes, make you look slimmer, the right hairstyle can also make your face seem thinner, says star coiffeur Oscar Blandi. By Alene Dawson
It's an incredible narrative befitting a new arrival in Tinseltown: From humble beginnings growing up in a tiny Italian village as the grandson of a barber and son of a hairdresser, Rossano Ferretti at age 15 leaves home on a quest to conquer the world of hairstyling in the mid 1970s.
Striped tee? Check. Black ballet flats? Of course. A makeup bag stocked with products to complete sleek Parisian look? You're not finished packing for Paris till you snag these five musts.
It's the time of year to clean out the old, refresh and start anew. The season of second chances ... and we're just talking about your closets. Lisa Adams, the science major turned high-end celebrity closet guru and star of HGTV's "Million Dollar Closets" shares spring cleaning tips.
Hairstylist Kim Kimble, star of We TV's "L.A. Hair," has dolled up celebrities including Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Shakira, Mary J. Blige and Kerry Washington. We asked Kimble, whose show has been renewed for 2014, to tell us about the hottest hairs trends this fall.
Regulatory agencies such as the FDA and FTC and consumer websites are calling out companies for unsupported claims and doctored photos. Skepticism is in order.
You know it's tough out there when fashion and beauty executives think that even a model's body isn't good enough to sell clothes or that a celebrity's natural face isn't up to par, even with makeup.
Earth Day is a good reminder to explore beauty products that use certified organic ingredients, or that donate a portion of sales to eco-conscious charities.
This spring, makeup has a sweet tooth.
Venerable soap "All My Children" is entering the final countdown to the end of its 41-year run on network TV, with only days to go until its Sept. 23 finale. In January, "One Life to Live" will also exit the airwaves...
Hair chalking: Vibrant color you rub on and go. Soft pastel chalks from the art store are all you need for temporary hair color - but it's messy. Some salons are offering the service.
Although Generation X may feel a lot of pressure to look good, there are also more tools available than there used to be. "Women today just have so many things at their fingertips to be able to use to look young. The most prevalent is hair color," says Allure magazine Editor in Chief Linda Wells. "I mean, you have injections and surgery and everything else, but hair color makes the biggest difference."
Do your beauty products still have life in them, or is it time to toss them and try the new formulations? Experts from Giorgio Armani Beauty, Elizabeth Arden and other A-listers share tips.
Erica Kane, as brought to life by actress Susan Lucci on "All My Children" is the epitome of the soap opera diva divine...