Alex The Hungry Ghost

Howdy

2011-11-28T23:33:00.000-08:00

Hi, I wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten about you or the blog. I've entered graduate school and am usually pretty strapped for time, so I haven't been posting. Rather than serve up a bunch of old, half-written posts I've taken to Twitter, @AlexHungryGhost, where I can post more regularly. If there's a topic people are really interested in, or something you want to see more pictures of, I'll still post here, but I'll always tweet that I've posted to the blog. I hope this new structure will allow me to keep in better touch with you, and I hope to see you on Twitter.

Hello

2010-09-19T22:08:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I just wanted to write a quick post to let you know that I haven't abandoned the blog or anything; I just haven't had very much free time recently. I'm preparing for the GMAT, and it's really been consuming all my free time. I had hoped to be able to write at least little posts, but that doesn't seem to be happening, so If I don't post anything from now till mid October you will know why.

Also, I wanted to give you a heads up that Paul & Joe Beaute will be on sale on Beauty Story on Tuesday, 9/21 (I'm looking forward to this).

I hope you had a great weekend, and I'll do my best to stay in touch.

*The link in this post is a personal invitation link in case you would like to participate in the sale and aren't already a member of Beauty Story.

BECCA Fall 2010: Prairie Moon Collection

2010-08-22T04:12:00.001-07:00

Born under a new moon and windswept, grassy plains, the mysterious new collection from BECCA evokes the spirit of the wild-at-heart. Dusty rose cheeks and caramel lips are eclipsed by stormy eyes, darkened with tones of the moonlight prairie.

The Prairie Moon Collection

Prairie Moon Palette ($65)

Eye Colour Powder (Shimmer): Chenille - shimmering dark khaki green
Eye Colour Powder (Demi-Matt): Voile - creamy bone
Eye Colour Powder (Demi-Matt): Nappa - green/gray
Compact Eyeliner (Shimmer): Sagebrush - shimmering dark khaki green
Lip Glisser: Macchiato - caramel nude
Dual Ended professional brush

Eye Tint ($24)

Pewter - rich gray black

Sheer Tint Lip Colour ($24)

Oleysa - sheer deep nude

Beach Tint ($25)

Fig - rosy nude

Get the Look

Skin

Follow the Skin Perfecting Make-Up System for sheer, natural and flawless skin.

Cheeks

Swirl Beach Tint in Fig onto the apples of the cheeks with Small Polishing Brush #56. Blend toward the temples.

Eyes

Using Eye Colour Wash Brush #36, apply Eye Colour Powder in Voile from the Praire Moon Palette all over the eye, extending colour to just below the brow bone.
Using Eye Colour Powder Brush #10, swipe Eye Colour Powder in Chenille from the same palette over the eyelids beginning at the lash line and stopping at the crease.
Using Eye Colour Blender Brush #35, dust Eye Colour Powder in Nappa into the crease, blending so the colour fades softly from dark to light. (Add extra eye Colour Powder in Voile if needed to blend.)
Rim the top and bottom lash-line with Compact Eyeliner in Sagebrush for the ultimate smolder. (If darker eyes are desired, follow the steps above, but add Eye Tint in Pewter to the lids and lower lash line using Créme Eye Colour Brush #31 as the first step to applying eye colour.)
Coat top and bottom lashes with one lashing of Ultimate Mascara in Black.

Lips

Press Bleach Tint in Fig into the lips with the fingertips, then apply a coat of Sheer Tint Lip Colour in Olesya. Slick lips with Lip Gloss in Macchiato from the Prairie Moon Palette for a subtle gleam.

The Prairie Moon Collection is currently available from beccacosmetics.com.

source:BECCA

Ormonde Jayne Ta'if

2010-08-18T00:55:00.001-07:00

Image by Maryam from My Marrakesh

Ta'if is classified as a floriental (floral oriental), but it's not smokey or spicy like most orientals. Instead it has a soft warmth with a hint of cooking spices surrounding a bouquet of roses, and the dates give off a slightly honeyed sweetness. There is something about this that gives me the feeling of a dinner party with friends and family. But, that might just be the saffron playing off of my personal experience - one of the nicest meals I've ever eaten involved saffron rice prepared by a good friend of my sister-in-law.

There is something very feminine about this fragrance, but it's not girly, matronly, or pretentious in anyway. It's almost as if Ormonde Jayne took all the finest qualities of women and put them in a bottle. The Ta'if woman strikes me as self possessed, lively, and strong in a life-well-lived kind of way.

When I first opened Ta'if I was not expecting something so pretty. I thought it would be spicier and more exotic, but I really have been thrilled with what I've found. This might be the nicest fragrance in terms of blending and quality that I've ever tried. Ta'if is very smooth, almost creamy, with none of the alcoholic sharpness that accompanies most perfumes. It also has incredible longevity. The smallest amount seems to last, without fading, till you wash it off. Perhaps Ta'if is best for special occasions and evening, but it has a serenity to it that I think makes it okay for day wear too.

Top: Pink pepper, saffron and dates
Heart: Rose oil, freesia, orange flower absolute
and jasmine
Base: Broom amd amber

Rock & Republic Sale @ Beauty Story

2010-08-03T00:20:00.000-07:00

Later today Beauty Story is having a sale on Rock & Republic Cosmetics. There have been a few Rock & Republic sales that I haven't talked about, but I'm personally looking forward to this one.

This is why...
I found this image a while back on Gorgeous Glam, and I believe it's from Harper's Bazaar Spain. I'm completely in love with the makeup so I've been hunting down products to recreate the look, and I think that Rock & Republic's Immoral blush would be perfect. It's really bright and scary looking in the pan, but I think it would look great applied with a light hand.

This is my first Rock & Republic item, so I hope I can find what I'm looking for and that the quality is as good as everyone says. I also hear that they make great eyeshadows so I may check those out too.

In case you would like to do a little Rock & Republic shopping of your own, Beauty Story has given me another code to pass on to you guys. For $10 OFF tomorrow’s Rock & Republic Cosmetics sale use code: BTYROCKS10

Again, Beauty Story is affiliated with Editors Closet, so if you've already got an Editor's Closet account your log-in information should also work for Beauty Story. But, in case you're new and would like an invitation to join Beauty Story click here.

*The above links are personal invitation links and every time someone I refer makes their first purchase I get a $10 credit.

To Buy or Not to Buy: Beauty Blender

2010-08-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing fabulous things about the Beauty Blender for a while now and my question for you is weather or not you think I should purchase one. I'm pretty willing to accept that the Beauty Blender applies makeup very well, however, I'm unsure about the notion of using a reusable sponge to apply my makeup. I've always been told that makeup should be applied with a brush or your fingers because sponges are breeding grounds for bacteria, and I really don't want to spend $20 on a potential hazard, but I really do want to see this flawless finish I've heard so much about.

I know there's a special cleanser you can buy to clean your Beauty Blender, but I had a look at the ingredients and it looks like any gentle detergent cleanser. Also, I've heard that the Beauty Blender should be replaced every three months (I imaging this is for sanitation reasons). For any of you who might already own this, how do you clean it, can it be cleaned thoroughly in a reasonable amount of time, do you replace yours as frequently as you replace your mascara?

Rants, raves, thoughts, let me know.

Nouba Sale @ Beauty Story

2010-07-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

Beginning tomorrow at 10 AM EST Nouba will be on sale at Beauty Story (Editor's Closet's new site devoted to beauty products). Nouba is an Italian brand of mineral makeup that I've had an interest in for a while now, but unfortunately I've never gotten to try anything because it's a brand that's hard to come by in the United States. Nouba is best known for their baked powder blushes and bronzers, and for their pigmented makeup in general. It's a brand that actually reminds me a lot of Nars - they even have similar rubberized packaging.

As a bonus Beauty Story is also offering a $10 discount code for shoppers of the Nouba sale - just enter the code NOUBA10 at checkout.

If you've already got an Editor's Closet account, your log-in information should also work for Beauty Story. But, in case you're new to this whole thing and would like an invitation to join Beauty Story click here.

*The above links are invitation links and every time someone I refer makes their first purchase I get a $10 credit.

Nars Fall 2010: Gorgeous Kaleidoscope

2010-07-09T23:39:00.000-07:00

As I'm sure everyone's already heard, Nars chose to work with Daphne Guinness for his fall collection and he's even named an eyeshadow after her - Daphne, a bold, vivid purple.

Creating the Look

Daphne's skin was first primed with the relatively new Skin Smoothing Face Prep, then Siberia Sheer Matte Foundation was applied as a base, followed by a dusting of Snow Loose Powder. To contour the cheeks, Douceur Blush was applied and blended out with the Yachiyo Brush.

To create futuristic meets Old Hollywood eyes, a layer of Smudge-Proof Eyeshadow Base was applied, followed by a wash of Daphne Single Eyeshadow. Using the Wide Contour Brush, the color and intensity were built up along the outer eye. For brightness on the inner eye, Mangrove Single Eyeshadow was applied and the top and bottom lashes were lightly lined with Nuits Blanches Eyeliner Stylo. Brows were defined with the Ipanema Eyebrow Pencil and the look was finished off with two coats of Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara on both the upper and lower lashes.

Finally Daphne's lips were stained with Rouge Basque Lipstick and Scandal Lip Gloss was layered on for shine and fullness.

The Collection

Single Eyeshadows ($23.00)

Daphne – rich, royal purple
Mangrove – vibrant chartreuse
Coconut Grove – coconut brown

Soft Touch Shadow Pencil ($24.00)

Palladium - shimmery teal

Duo Eyeshadows ($32.00)

Tzarine – platinum gold and bold, steel gray
Rajasthan – glazed almond and cool charcoal

Blush ($26.00)

Douceur – soft pink brown

Satin Finish Lipstick ($24.00)

Rouge Basque – quintessential red from the Basque region of France

Lip Gloss ($24.00)

Strawberry Fields – bright pink strawberry

Nail Polish ($16.00)

UPDATE: Zulu's release has been pushed back to October 2010.

Zulu - deep forest green jelly (re-release)

For years I've heard raves about Nars Zulu, so I plan to pick that up simply because I want to try it for myself, and I don't think I have a blush like Douceur so that's on my wishlist too. I've also been eyeing Rajasthan and Daphne, but I don't wear eyeshadow often (really ever) and I already own Make Up For Ever 92, which looks very similar to Karen's swatch of Daphne over at the Makeup and Beauty Blog, so I'm really not sure where I stand on those. What do you think, care to fuel or squash any lemmings?

The whole collection will be available on Nars.com starting July 15th, but you'll have to wait till August if you want to purchase it in stores. Is anything catching your eye, are you even ready for fall collections? It feels like summer's just getting going, but I do want that polish.

source: iswii.net

Boscia Enlivening Amino-AG Eye Treatment Review

2010-06-30T19:36:00.001-07:00

I'm not much of an eye cream girl and I generally subscribe to the idea that the skin under your eyes is not fundamentally different from the skin on the rest of your face so it doesn't really need a separate moisturizer. However, I tried a sample of this for a week and liked it so much that I decided to purchase a full bottle. I've been using this for about two months now, so I feel like it's time for a review.

This has a gel texture that I think everyone but the most extreme skin types would be happy with. It also comes in an opaque, pump-top container so it's hygienic and the ingredients will maintain their stability.

I noticed right away that this did an excelent job of hydrating my eye area, making my skin look smoother and more plump. Since I've been using this my dark circles also seem less prominate. I'm not sure if this is actually eliminating my dark circles (which I find doubtful since my circles are caused by allergies) or if there are just fewer shadows under my eyes to emphasis them because this plumps up the area a bit - Either way I like the results.

I've also been using this all over my face during the day, underneath my sunscreen, for it's light-weight moisturizing and antioxidant benefits. A raisin sized pump is all I need to cover my entire face, so using it as a serum/moisturizer really hasn't depleted my supply - after two months of use I still have about 60% left.

Ingredients:
There are antioxidants from the olive oil and tocopherol (vitamin E), jojoba oil can help blance oil production in irritated skin, there's a variety of emollients and humectants, and like all of Boscia's products it's preservative-free.
Initially I was a little worried about the inclusion of rosemary since I have fairly sensitive skin and super sensitive eyes, but so far it hasn't been a problem for me. It does give the product a little bit of an herbal scent, which I kind of like, but it's not strong and fades quickly.
*To investigate ingredients I use The Cosmetics Cop's Ingredient Dictionary

Boscia Enlivening Amino-AG Eye Treatment
Overall Score: 4.5/5
Price: $38
Summary: I haven't decided if I will repurchase this or not - $38 feels like a lot to pay for what is essentially a half oz. of gel moisturizer. That said though, I really do like the way my skin has responded to this and a half oz. goes really far.

*Product was purchased with my own moolah, and I'm not affiliated with any of the mentioned companies.

2010-06-23T03:20:00.000-07:00

Through the end of June Tatcha.com is offering 15% off and two sample packs of Tatcha aburatorigami papers (blotting papers) as a thank you to their customers. Use code: THANKYOU during checkout.

Tatcha papers are hand made in Japan of abaca leaves. Abaca leaves were used for centuries in the production of gold leaf in Imperial Japan because they were durable and protected the gold during hammering. During the process the leaves were pressed into very soft, absorbent, fine sheets and eventually geisha began using them as blotting papers to absorb oil and preserve their skin and makeup.

I've been using Tatcha's blotting papers for about six months and so far I've been really happy with them. I feel like they are more absorbant than other blotting papers I've used and they don't leave my face dry looking like powder can. These papers don't contain any powders and they are very good at not disturbing your makeup. Generally one sheet is enough for my whole face, but if I've been running around outside I might need two. I just used up my current pack otherwise I would have taken a picture of the sheets for you because they are very interesting looking - each sheet has little flakes of gold embedded in it (in reference to the products history). The gold stays embedded in the papers, it won't flake off onto your skin, and it makes them feel extra fancy.

A pack of 30 sheets is available for $12 and a three pack of 90 sheets is $30.

*I'm not affiliated with Tatcha in any way, I just like their product and wanted to pass their discount code along to you.

Carolina Herrera Inspired DIY Hairpiece

2010-04-27T22:18:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend I recieved an email about how to get the look of the metallic hairpieces used at the Carolina Herrera Spring 2010 RTW show (original post here). Since the pieces were custom made for the show the only way to duplicate the look is to create your own, but luckily that's not too hard.

This look is great for special events like weddings, prom, etc. It's really versatile since it can be styled in a variety of ways depending on the length of your hair, and it can be made in any color you like. I made my hairpiece from bronze beads since that's what was used at the Herrera show for dark haired girls.

Supplies

These are the supplies that I used for this prodject.

Headband comb (a headband with teeth) - $4 from target
Fire Line or another durable thread - $12
Beading needles - $4
Needle threader - not necessary but very helpful
Tape measure
Craft glue - optional
Metallic round beads - one package should be enough
Metallic bugle beads - the amount needed will depend on your hair length and the number of threads you want to make. I paid $10.5 for 240" (enough to make about 20 strands for my hair length)
Scissors (not pictured)

Prep

Before you can measure your thread you'll need to determine the length from the crown of your head to the ends of your hair. I have shoulder length hair that measured about 14" long. A measuring tape is good for this, or you can pluck out a hair and measure it with a ruler.

For my hairpiece I used three lengths of thread (14", 12", and 10"), the longest pieces were placed at the crown with pieces getting progressively shorter towards the sides, so the beads would blend in with my hair more easily.

At this point you can measure out and cut your thread. Each piece needs to be twice the length of a finished beaded strand plus 2-4 inches for knots and whatnot. For example, to create a 14" metallic strand measure out 30-32".

Assembly

Take one of your threads, fold it in half, and place the loop on top of the headband, pointing in the direction of the teeth.

Next wrap the ends of the thread under the headband, and as you bring them up slide them through the loop.

Pull the ends of the thread to secure them; it should look like this.

Next thread you needle and slide one round bead over both threads; this will help secure the thread a little and add a tidy look. After that you can begin adding bugle beads to each length of thread separately.

Once you've completed a strand, add a round bead to the end and make a little knot around it. You want to get this bead as close to the other beads as possible so you don't have any gapping. If you need to, use your needle to help you slide the knot towards the bugle beads. This part might take a little practice. Feel free to add a second knot once everything is in place just to make sure nothing will slide around. A dot of craft glue can also be added to the knot to prevent slipping.

Once everything is secured you'll still have a visible little tail of thread. Rather than cutting it off, it's better to hide it (in case anything becomes loose and needs to be knotted again). The best way to do this is to slide your needle through the last few bugle beads with the eye pointed towards the end of the strand. Thread the needle and pull it through the bugle beads (like you're threading them again). Now your knot and tail should be completely hidden.

Repeat the last three steps on the opposite length of thread and once you're done it should look like this.

Repeat the assembly process around the headband. For me it was easiest to work on one side of the headband then the other. I was able to keep my work symmetrical this way and it prevented me from getting mixed up about what length of thread I was supposed to be using.

Once you've added your desired number of strands you hairpiece should look somewhat like this; yours might be longer and/or fuller.

If any of the thread loops feel loose or are sliding around the headband now is the time to apply a small dot of craft glue to each one to hold them in place.

How To Wear It

Part your hair along the crown of your head. If your hair is very full part your hair closer to your hairline.

Insert the hairpiece so it lays along the part.

Smooth the front of your hair, the portion in front of the headband, over the headband and the beads. The beads should be slightly visible through your hair, so it looks like you have metallic strands of hair. From here you can complete your desire up-do.

The finished look!

Carolina Herrera DIY Hairpiece
Skill level: 1.5/5 (1 is easy, 5 is hard). The prep section is the hardest part.
Time: 4 hours maybe.

Notes: During the process of making this I learned a few things that might be helpful to you if you want to make your own.
1) Beads are heavy and have a way of sitting lower on your head than you might expect. To counter this concentrate your strands a little highter on the headband. For example, if you want most of your strands to sit near your temples attach them to the top of the headband and if you want them lower, near your ears, attach them to the temple area of the headband.
2) If you have very thick hair you'll probably need more strands if you want them to show up well. My hair is quite full and the beads have a way of dissapearing into it, so I think I might go back and add more beads later.

New Nars Stuff

2010-04-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

Nars Multiple Tint Tubes in Cadaqués, Beverly Hills, and Turks & Caicos.

In addition to their summer collection Nars will be releasing a collection of super bright Multiples, limited-edition Multiple Tint Tubes, on May 1st. The new Multiple Tints will be available in three colors Cadaqués (fuchsia), Beverly Hills (ultra-bright red), and Turks & Caicos (orange). Despite their super bright appearance I hear that these are in fact very sheer and wearable, like a cheek stain.

I like the bright colors, they shout buy me - love me, but the $38 price tag kind of says, you can do without me, so I'm not sure if I will fall prey to their siren song.

Nars Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatments

I also hear that Nars has some other new products to release May 1st, Nars' new Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base and their new Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatments ($25). As of yet I don't know a lot about these products but I think the Lip Treatments will be replacing Nars' previous lip balms, Rain and Sabrina, since those are no longer available on nars.com.

source, images: nars

Nars Summer 2010: Belle du Jour Collection

2010-04-09T16:22:00.000-07:00

Amber Valletta as Catherine Deneuve in Belle de Jour

The Belle du Jour Collection

Cream Eyeshadow Duo ($32.00)

Burn It Blue - iridescent blue / turquoise

Cream Eyeshadow ($22.00)

Cayenne - warm, dark brown

Cream Blush ($26.00)

Enchanted - tender peach

Multiple ($38.00)

Lamu - apricot bronze

Lipstick ($24.00)

Love Devotion - sheer guava

Lipgloss ($24.00)

Coup de Coeur - apple brandy

Nail Lacquer ($16.00)

Versailles - champagne gold

What do you think? Have you developed any lemmings yet? I think the collection is very pretty, in particular Enchanted and Burn It Blue have captured my attention, but I'm not really loving the campaign image. I wish that they'd modernized the look a little bit. To me it's too retro and they made Amber look a bit matronly.

source: urcosme.com

Becca Summer 2010: Bombora Collection

2010-04-09T00:50:00.000-07:00

For summer Becca's created a collection based around Australian surf culture, with retro shades of bright blue, peach, and gold. It's a much brighter collection than Becca usually presents and I'm a little bit thrilled about it. I don't normally wear bright makeup, but these seem very wearable and I like that they included cake liners rather than traditional eyeshadows, so they can be used wet or dry.

The Bombora Collection

Bombora Palette ($65)
The surf’s up this season with sheer, retro shades for eyes,
lips, and cheeks. Bright, beachy and right on trend,
the limited edition Bombora palette lends itself
to quick touch-ups for carefree sea-side beauty.

Lip Gloss: Mai Tai - sheer peach nude
Lip & Cheek Crème: Bougainvillea - peach/pink
Highlighting Crème: Mazu - sheer gold
Compact Eyeliner (with shimmer): Raffia - turquoise
Compact Eyeliner (with shimmer): Sunburst - glistening yellow/gold
Dual Ended professional brush

Sheer Tint Lip Colour ($24)

Leticia - Soft Guava Pink

Beach Tint ($25)

Pink Grapefruit - Soft Peachy Pink
Strawberry - Bright Berry Red

Get the Look

Skin

Follow the Skin Perfecting Makeup System for sheer, natural and flawless skin, beginning with Mineral SPF Primer.

Cheeks

Bring warmth to the face by swirling Lip & Cheek Crème in Bougainvillea from the Bombora Palette to the outer apples of the cheeks with Small Polishing Brush #56.
Cast illuminating light onto the face by dabbing Highlighting Crème in Mazu from the Bombora Palette along the cheekbones and temples.

Eyes

Using Multi Use Crème Brush #59, lightly apply a sheer layer of Highlighting Crème in Mazu from the Bombora Palette to the lids.
Blend Compact Eyeliner in Sunburst to the inner corners of the eyelids using fingertips or Eye Crème Brush #31.
Line the top and bottom lash-line with the black side of Line and Illuminate Pencil in Ibiza.
For a retro pop of colour, wet the liner brush included in the palette and draw a thin line of Compact Eyeliner in Raffia to the upper lash-line.
Coat top and bottom lashes with one lashing of Ultimate Mascara in Black.

Lips

Dab lips with Beach Tint in Pink Grapefruit, then apply a coat of Sheer Tint Lip Colour in Leticia.
Top with Lip Gloss in Mai Tai from the Bombora Palette.

The Bombora collection is already available in Australia and the UK, but I have yet to find it in the US - I am diligently looking though.

source: becca

Upcoming Sales

2010-04-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

The Outnet, Netaporter's lower priced sibling, is having a birthday event on April 16th and everything will be on sale for $1! You have to RSVP for the sale prior to April 11th and each person is only allowed to purchase one item, but it's all very cool in my opinion.

Sephora is having a 15% off sale for Beauty Insiders from April 12th through the 19th. To take advantage of the sale you can print this coupon and take it into a store or use code BI15 online. Registering to be a beauty insider is free and in addition to access to special sales you get rewards points redeemable for deluxe samples and an annual birthday gift.

Urban Decay is also having their friends and family event. From now through April 19th you can take 30% off your entire purchase at urbandecay.com with the promo code 1SFNF

There's not really anything from Urban Decay that I want at the moment, but I definitely plan to take advantage of The Outnet's birthday event and Sephora's sale. So far on my Sephora wishlist I have...

Are you planning any hauls?

*None of the above links are affiliate links and I'm not associated with any of the above sites in any way, other than I like to buy stuff.

Bobbi Brown Summer 2010: Beach Club

2010-04-05T13:49:00.000-07:00

I've seen a few images from Bobbi Brown's upcoming Summer collection, so I thought I should post them while my feelings about the collection are still fresh.

included in this collection is a new Shimmer Brick in Beach ($38), a shimmery, sandy bronze.

Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadows ($22)

Moonstone - shimmery moss green
Opal - shimmery white pearl
Surf - shimmery sky blue
Pink Oyster - shimmery pink

Long-Wear Cream Shadow ($22)

Shore - matte nude

I also understand there is a colorless lip treatment included in the collection, SPF 15 Shine Lip Treatment. Made from ingredients like Cocoa and Shea butter, Jojoba oil, Avocado oil, and Vitamin C it's intended to protect your lips from the sun and eliminate fine lines.

From the images the collection looks super cute, I'm particularly interested in Moonstone and the Beach Shimmer Brick. However, Shimmer Bricks always contain way more shimmer than I know what to do with and the Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadows have yet to seem truly easy to work with so I suspect this is a collection I'll have to see in person before I purchase anything.

source

Happy Easter Everybody

2010-04-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter , I hope your day is full of good weather and excessive sweets!

I'm Back and Shu Uemura is Leaving

2010-03-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

Hello again. I've been silent lately because I've been out of town for the last few weeks. Originally my plan was to continue posting from the laptop while I was away, but it turns out that Mr. Ghost needed it everyday, so I just ended up with a pile of half finished articles - I'll finish them up and post them soon though.

I don't know if everyone has heard yet, but Shu Uemura plans to exit the US. I personally am a little crushed by the news, but at least we will still be able to continue purchasing proudcts online at shuuemura.com.

L’Oréal USA said Monday that it will close all U.S. operations of Shu Uemura Cosmetics.

L’Oréal took a 35 percent stake in Shu Uemura in 2000, going on to acquire a controlling interest in November 2003. The brand’s current U.S. distribution was forged in 2004, although selected stockkeeping units entered the American market in 2003.

L'Oréal made the decision after experiencing a recent slump in profits. Shu Uemura reportedly does 80% of their business in Asia, so instead of continuing to promote the brand here L'Oréal intends to focus on some of the larger brands in their portfolio, which includes Giorgio Armani, Kiehl’s, Lancôme, Yves Saint Laurent, and a number of fragrance licenses. L'Oréal is still working with thier sales partners to determin an exit date but its rumored to come within the next few months.

The upside of all this - perhaps there will be massive sales at Sephora, similar to those for Becca and Cargo.

source: wwd

NYFW: Victoria Beckham Fall 2010

2010-02-20T14:27:00.000-08:00

Last week Victoria Beckham showed a very pretty collection. There were a lot of sheath dresses with draped and architectural bodices - very glamorous, very Victoria Beckham.

Lancôme created the makeup look for the show and it was equally gorgeous, though a little hard to notice behind the huge round shades.

Creating the Look
For the makeup, Francelle did a modern take on 1930’s Hollywood glamour (in keeping with Victoria’s “Dick Tracy” inspiration for the clothes) so she paired a metallic eye with a pale, nude lip. First, Francelle swept Color Design Eyeshadow in Optic on the entire lid to the brow bone and added Color Design Eyeshadow in Crème Lustré to the lower lid. Ombre Magnetique in Silver (coming this fall!) was used in the crease for a shiny, metallic finish. The new Hypnôse Drama Mascara coated the top lashes only. The skin was dusted with Ageless Minérale Powder in Translucent for a luminous complexion. Blush Subtil in Miel Glace was applied lightly to the cheekbones for an added touch of color. For the lips, Francelle first dotted them with concealer (a great trick for ensuring you get a super nude pout with staying power) then applied L’Absolu Rouge Lipstick in Rich Cashmere. The nails were short and groomed with just clear nail polish and the hair, by Didier Malige, was pulled back in messy version of a French twist.

Products Used

Lancôme Color Design Eyeshadow in Optic and Crème Lustré Lancôme
Lancôme Ombre Magnetique in Silver (NEW for Fall 2010)
Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Mascara in Excessive Black
Lancôme Ageless Minérale Perfecting and Setting Mineral Powder in Translucent
Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #1
Lancôme Blush Subtil in Miel Glace
Lancôme Effacernes Waterproof Concealer (used on the lips)
Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge Lipstick in Rich Cashmere

source: lancome, style.com

NYFW: 3.1 Phillip Lim Fall 2010

2010-02-18T22:36:00.000-08:00

The NARS look for 3.1 Phillip Lim.

Inspiration: Disco-punk. “This is a youthful, rebellious look that exudes a strong sense of confidence. Energy radiates within the girls through their makeup with eyes that have a bit of a rock and roll feel,” said designer Phillip Lim whose inspiration stemmed from an image of Blondie’s Debbie Harry.

Look: “This look has many layers,” said NARS lead artist Lisa Butler. “The eyes are punchy and edgy while the skin was kept healthy and glowing. The lips are a soft, sheer pink for the elegant punk-rock princess style that Phillip was looking for.”

Get the Look

Face:

Riviera Multiple
Douceur Blush (NEW for Fall 2010); try Lovejoy or Madly Blush for a similar effect
Luxor Multiple

Eyes:

Abyssinia Single Eyeshadow
Nymphea Single Eyeshadow
Coconut Grove Single Eyeshadow (NEW for Fall 2010); try Bali Single Eyeshadow for a similar effect
London Eyeliner Pencil

Lips:

Bangkok Pure Matte Lipstick (NEW for Fall 2010); try Sex Machine Velvet Matte Lip Pencil for a similar effect.

source: nars

NYFW: Michael Kors Fall 2010

2010-02-17T22:26:00.000-08:00

The first thing I did today was watch the Michael Kors show online. As always the clothes were fabulous. I seriously love Michael Kors and how his clothes always seem to fit into my perception of a real lifestyle. I also really loved the makeup. During a week of pale, powdered faces and neo-grunge Kors' models still had their signature healthy, glowing, outdoorsy complexions.

Creator of the look was Dick Page for Shiseido. He gave the models glowing complexions as if they had spent the day outside - "Michael's iconic idea of American beauty." "He talked a lot about girls in convertibles and that kind of fresh face," said Page. "But it's not like a regular pretty -- it's a little windburned."

Creating the Look

Page began by prepping the models' skin with Shiseido Dual Balancing Foundation. Then, he added a blend of Luminizing Satin Face Colors in High Beam White and Soft Beam Gold to the tops of the cheekbones and the eyelids. to complete the cheeks each model received a sweep of customized blush - for many he used a blend of Luminizing Satin Face Color in Tea Rose and Shell.

To define the eyes Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trio was applied over the luminizer. Again each model received a color customized for her skin tone, but the Opera palette, a deep charcoal that will be released in September, was frequently used with the dark gray shadow concentrated on the outer corner of the eye. The top lashes were coated with a layer of Black Perfect Mascara Defining Volume.

To finish the look Shiseido Perfect Rouge lipstick in Caramel was applied with a brush.

source: wwd, style.com

NYFW: Marc Jacobs Fall 2010

2010-02-17T11:38:00.000-08:00

Inspiration: “I was inspired by the film La Vie des Autres. I wanted the models to have a dirty look as if the hair and makeup had been slept in,” said designer Marc Jacobs, who specifically requested Barbarella lipstick to be used on the models’ lips.

Look: “This look is what you’d see on a girl from the East Village or St. Germain des Pres-an existentialist with a modern twist,” said NARS Cosmetics Founder and Creative Director François Nars whose application technique included using his fingers to achieve the faded effect. “These girls are sexy and cool. Their makeup looks dirty and worn out as if it has been on all night but still translates beautifully on the runway.”

Creating the Look

Face:

Sheer Glow Foundation
Enchanted Blush (NEW for Summer 2010); try Gina Blush for a similar look

Eyes:

D. Gorgeous Single Eyeshadow (NEW for Spring 2010)
Black Moon Eyeliner Pencil
Nuits Blanches Eyeliner Stylo
Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara

Lips:

Barbarella Lipstick

source: nars

New York Fashion Week: Thakoon Fall 2010

2010-02-16T15:40:00.000-08:00

As I'm sure you all know Fashion Week is currently under way in New York. I've been mum about it until now because not a lot has been capturing my attention, but the makeup at Thakoon made me take notice.

Thakoon's inspiration for the show was a collection of dance costumes created by Jean Paul Gaultier for Chopinot's Le Défilé. "I was inspired by the costumes used in this show and wanted to create a collection that reflected that same era but without the goth element," said designer Thakoon Panichgul.

The makeup for the show was created by Diane Kendall for NARS. To balance the clothing the makeup was kept fresh and luminous. Kendall explained, "We focused on a strong brow and highlighted the eyes to show depth and boldness in a way that wouldn’t fight with the various textures, layers and colors of the collection."

To Get the Look

Face:

Douceur Blush (new for fall 2010) was used to contour the cheeks; try Lovejoy or Madly Blush for a similar effect.

Eyes:

Coconut Grove Single eye shadow (new for fall 2010) was used to create a strong brow with a touch of Bali Single eye shadow swept over the top.
The upper and lower lids were highlighted with Portobello Eyeshadow Duo then Tzarine Duo Eyeshadow (a sparkly taupe-gray and pale gold duo new for fall 2010) was applied; the gold side on the brow bone and the gray swept softly across the lids.

Lips:

Tashkent Pure Matte Lipstick (new for fall 2010) was used to give the lips a nude matte look; try Belle de Jour Velvet Matte Lip Pencil.

I found this image of some of the products used backstage at Style.com. I can't be precisely sure of what's what, but I do spy a blush and eyeshadow duo that I haven't seen before!

source: nars

Kevyn Aucoin @ Hautelook

2010-02-08T09:21:00.000-08:00

Today Hautelook is having a sale on Kevyn Aucoin and everything is under $7! There are a lot of individual lip and eye products for sale but unfortunately no palettes or base items.

I picked up an Expert Lip Tint in Tatjanaberry, and two Essential Eye Shadow Singles in Goddess and Aubergine, so I'll post some swatches once they arrive.
Have you visited the sale yet, did you haul anything?

Also, Later this week hautelook will be having sales on...
Mario Badescu Skincare
Alison Raffaele Beauty
100% Pure
and
Jemma Kidd Makeup School

If you would like an invitation to join Hautelook click here.

*The above links are personal invitation links, and I receive a $10 credit every time a new shopper makes a purchase. Hautelook isn't invitation only, so you may join on your own.

H2O+ Sale @ Hautelook

2010-01-12T16:19:00.000-08:00

Today Hautelook is having a sale on H2O+, and the prices vary from 30-60% off. I haven't decided if I'm going to get anything yet. I really wanted to try their Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment, but it's only available in kits, so I have to figure out if I want to try the rest of the products in the kit :)
Has anyone already tried H2O+, any faves?
If you would like an invitation to join Hautelook click here.

*The above link is a personal invitation link (not an affiliate link), and I receive a $10 credit every time a new shopper makes a purchase. Hautelook isn't invitation only, so you may join on your own.

Hautelook Package

2010-01-12T01:12:00.000-08:00

Today when I got home from pilates there was a package waiting for me from Hautelook :)

And, this is what was inside.

Kevyn Aucoin's Celestial Powder in Candlelight had been on my Dermstore wishlist for a while, but I was never quite ready to plop down $42 for it, so I was thrilled when it showed up on Hautelook a few weeks ago. This might be the best highlighting powder that I've tried so far. The powder is of excellent quality; it's silky smooth to the touch, and best of all there aren't any obvious shimmers or sparkles in it. This leaves a gorgeous pearlescent sheen on your skin that makes it look like you have an ethereal glow.

Swatched with my finger. I also tried to photograph the finished effect once it's been blended out, but my camera didn't seem interested in capturing that.

I haven't gotten to play with this much so I won't give it an official rating yet, but so far it's a 5/5. Also, I think that this would look excellent on just about any skin tone, and that's not a statement that I make lightly. It's not too warm or cool toned, and once it's been blended it looks like your skin but more luminous.

*The above product was purchased by myself because I love pretty, shiny things.

Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser Review

2010-01-06T14:35:00.000-08:00

I can't help wanting to try a product that people are raving about so I recently picked up Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser. Burt's Bees describes this as a light lotion cleanser.

This light lotion cleanser removes dirt, oil and make-up, revealing a smooth and radiant complexion. A gentle plant-based cleansing complex plus jojoba beads and a fruit acid complex help encourage normal skin cell turnover. While royal jelly, one of nature’s most nutritious substances, helps enhance skin’s natural radiance. Your skin appears brighter and younger-looking, naturally.

At first I thought this cleanser was a dud, it dried out my skin and gave me mummy face (dry tight and flaky), but I tried it a few more times and eventually found a way to make it work for me. The directions on the bottle recommend wetting your face and hands then massaging the cleanser over your skin. I find that it's more gentle to lather the cleaner between your hands before applying it to your wet face. I think lathering it first dilutes the detergents so they aren't so abrasive, and this method didn't leave my skin feeling dried out.

One pump, the texture is quite fluid.

The cleanser all lathered up.

Like all Burt's Bees products this is heavily fragranced, which I normally don't like, but in this case it really hasn't been bothering me. This did a good job of removing facial makeup and rinsed away easily. I can't say that it really exfoliates though; the jojoba beads are so sparse that they don't really do anything and I don't think that the fruit extracts are on the skin long enough to have any effect. I'm not sure about the benefits of royal jelly either since it hasn't been proven to be helpful to skin and it can cause reactions if your are sensitive to bee pollen.

Note: The ingredients listed on my bottle don't match those listed on the Burt's Bees website.

I don't think this cleanser functions as a treatment product, but it does cleanse well and that goes a long way towards preventing breakouts and dull skin. I think I'm looking for something even more gentle/moisturizing for my dry winter skin, but this will work well for me in the summer and normal to combo skins should enjoy this. I feel I should also mention that the bottle describes this product as 99% natural; sulfate, paraben, phthalate, and petrochemical free; not tested on animals; and made from 80% post-consumer content (I assume they mean the packaging).

Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser
Overall Score: 4/5
Price: $9.99
Summary: A good, reliable cleanser containing a blend of oils and gentle detergents for skin that isn't too sensitive or dry.

*The above item was purchased by myself for review purposes because I can't ignore the possibility of a great find.

Urban Decay Spring 2010: Stardust Eyeshadow

2010-01-05T01:32:00.000-08:00

Urban Decay has created a new line of eyeshadows for spring - Stardust Eyeshadow.

Stardust shadows’ silky texture delivers an incredible amount of sophisticated, twinkling sparkle. Boasting 40% more glitter than our most sparkly shadows, Stardust delivers a sheer wash of color, topped with teeny bits of iridescent sparkle that glisten like wet snow. The glitter (a pricey ingredient called reflex), actually stays on your lids. No fallout, no chunky glitter… just stunning, sparkling eyes.

TIPS:
Achieve more vibrant color when applied with your fingers - whether you choose wet or dry, Stardust’s unique formulation loves a personal touch!

Looking for a softer sheer color wash? Use an eyeshadow brush.

Try it wet for most intense color – and remember the power is in your fingertips with Stardust.

Stardust is unlike any other shadow – you will see some glazing on the surface after use - this is part of her character and does not affect the color or sparkle factor. Fill Weight: 3.5g e 0.12 US oz

I've never really gotten into Urban Decay, my tastes just aren't that bold, but there's something about this product that really appeals to me. So far there are nine shades, and Diamond Dog and Space Cowboy seem pretty inviting to me so I might try them out. These are currently available from Urban Decay and Sephora.

source: Urban Decay

Global Goddess Review

2009-12-31T19:40:00.001-08:00

After having some major Global Goddess lemmings I purchased a few products a while back and have finally gotten around to reviewing them.

The product I wanted most was the Global Goddess Goddess Glow South Pacific Shimmer, and I hate to say it, but I'm a little disappointed. It's not that it's a bad product, but it hasn't been able to meet my expectations. The product itself is beautiful; It comes in a gilded compact, has a very pretty over-spray (the silvery swirl pattern is an over-spray and disappears after the first use), and seems like it would have lots of potential. However, I just don't quite feel like the results are as beautiful.

On the Global Goddess website this product is described as a, "luxurious bronzer", but this won't work as a bronzer unless you are fairly pale. Also, it has a bit too much sparkle for a bronzer in my opinion. Instead I think this is much more of an illuminating finishing powder since it gives the skin more of a subtle luminosity. I would be fine with using the product this way except I don't really love the finish. When I apply just a little there is no glow of any kind, but when I apply a little more I can see bits of shimmer sitting on the top of my skin. They aren't glaringly obvious (from the distance of a few feet they blend in just fine), but for a product that costs $32 I expected it to be more finely milled.

The Complexion Perfection Duo hasn't managed to escape my disappointment either, but for reasons that have more to do with Global Goddess as a company than the actual item itself. Global Goddess doesn't have images on their site of this product's actual shades; they have a tiny little color chart and a pop-up window with descriptions. Based on the descriptions I was able to narrow down the shade I needed to either 4 or 4.5, but I couldn't decide which, and to further complicate my decision Global Goddess' site mentions...

shades ending in .5 are formulated to match mid/multi cultural skin tones – For example - S. Asian, Asian, Latina, Middle Eastern, and Mixed Ethnicities and any olive undertones skin tones.

Since I am multi cultural with red/orange and golden-olive tones in my skin, I decided to email their customer service. I explained my skin tone, my background, my other foundation shades, colors I looked best in, etc, and their response was... absolutely nothing. I waited an entire week for them to respond with some form of suggestion and they never did. So I made my best guess and purchased shade 4.5.

I can wear it, but it's not quite warm enough, so I really haven't worn it much - I think maybe I should have chosen 4. Based on my limited experience, I think that the Complexion Perfection Duo is actually pretty decent. It includes a cream to powder foundation on one side and a slightly lighter shade of concealer on the other. The foundation is quite emollient and easy to apply. Its coverage varies from medium to full, and it blends into the skin easily. The concealer shade could be a little more emollient, but if I apply it over an eye cream it blends in well, and I've never experienced any problems with it creasing or slipping.

I don't think it's Global Goddess' fault that I selected the wrong shade, but I do think they have horrible customer service, and that's something that I just can't abide by in a company. If you get the chance to test this product out in person, go for it, but I wouldn't purchase it sight unseen.

My final thought is on the packaging. It really bugs me that the compacts don't match. They seem to be made from the same material, and are the same size so I don't understand why the imagery and the engravings differ. It's not like it really matters, but I'm still putting it out there.

Global Goddess Goddess Glow South Pacific Shimmer
Overall Score: 3/5
Price: $32.5
Outcome: For the money, and for less, there are much better bronzers out there.

Global Goddess Complexion Perfection Duo
Overall Score: NA
Price: $40
Outcome: Try before you buy because Global Goddess won't help you.

*The above items were purchased by me because I like pretty things, and I'll update with swatches once the weather clears up.

The Good and the Bad of 2009

2009-12-31T00:17:00.000-08:00

The year is nearly over and I've been reflecting on some of my favorite (and least favorite) purchases and products from the past year.

HAIR

Best Hair Care Products: Shiseido Tsubaki Shining Shampoo and Conditioner
I have hair that occupies the space between curly and wavy, which means it's usually just crazy. Since I've started using Shiseido's Tsubaki line though it's calmed down substantially. The texture of my hair hasn't changed, but it is substantially less frizzy and I've been able to forgo my pantry of styling products in favor of a little bit of serum once it's dry. My hair is also noticeably more shiny. Since the label on my bottle is in Japanese I can't tell what's actually in here, but it is HG status for me.

SKINCARE

Best Moisturizer: Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance
At the beginning of 2009 my skin was flaky and generally kind of pissed and I was in need of a good moisturizer. After trying five or six different products I found this and it has been my HG ever since. It's excellent at providing my skin with moisture and it's silicone based, so it's not greasy or too heavy.

Best Cleanser: Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil
In 2009 I discovered cleansing oils, and my clear favorite so far has been Shu's Skin Purifier High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil. It does an excellent job of removing makeup, even eye makeup, and washes away easily. This cleansing oil isn't too drying for my skin and it doesn't leave behind a residue that makes me feel like I have to double cleanse. Shu has recently replaced this with an Advanced Formula and I hope that I will like it just as much

Worst Cleanser: Olay Sensitive Skin Foaming Face Wash
This cleanser didn't feel like it was meant for sensitive skin at all. It made my face feel super dry and tight, like I was being turned into a mummy. After only a few days of using this my skin started peeling so I had to throw it out.

Best Misc. Skincare Product: Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion
I don't have a lot of break outs but I really like the notion of exfoliating inside my pores along with the surface of my skin. Since I've started using this I've noticed that my skin is smoother and when I do break out this takes care of it right away. I also really like that it doubles as a toner so I can keep my skincare routine as short as possible.

Worst Misc. Skincare Product: Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby SPF 60 Sunscreen
I dislike this sunscreen because it feels like I'm slathering on glue, and once it's on and blended in I can feel it on my face through out the day. With mineral sunscreens there are certain trade offs, which I accept, but I think this is the first sunscreen that's made me feel like I'm covered in a calcium deposit. This sunscreen isn't overly drying and it's fairly inexpensive, but I'll be moving on once I'm finish with my tube.

MAKEUP

Best Foundation: Becca Luminous Skin Color
I love the color selection (shades are arranged by depth and undertone); I love that it blends into my skin perfectly and leaves my skin looking like skin, and I love that it has a broad spectrum chemical sunscreen of SPF 25. That's a lot of love.

Most Disappointing Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow.
Please don't take disappointing to mean that this is a bad product. It just isn't the product that I was anticipating it to be. After this was previewed during NYFW Spring 2009 I had six months to contemplate how luminous it made the models look and how much I was going to love it. Then when I actually tried it in September I was a little crushed that it wasn't sheer and didn't leave my skin with a luminous glow (it actually made parts of my face look drier). The color selection is excellent though.

Best Blush: Nars
I wish I could say that I tried a variety of blushes this year, but honestly when I want a new blush I really only look to Nars. My first blush ever was by Nars and other brands have had a very hard time getting my attention. Maybe I'll be more experimental next year.

Best Brow Product: Kevyn Aucoin Precision Brow Pencil
Earlier in the year I decided that I wanted an automatic brow pencil so that the tip would always be ready to use. This one has a very fine tip, a great formula that doesn't deposit too much pigment, a spooly on the end for blending and grooming your brows, and it's retractable. There are three shades: Blond, Auburn, and Brunette; but they can be hard to get your hands on.

Best Mascara: Shu Uemura Ultimate Expression Mascara
I curl my lashes everyday, but I don't always wear mascara - this mascara made we want to wear it everyday. My lashes don't have a natural curl to them so when I look for a mascara I always look for one that will hold a nice curl. This one did that, and gave me outstanding, bold lashes.

Worst Mascara: Prescriptives False Eyelashes Plush Mascara
This did seem to give me voluminous lashes, but it never failed to deflate my curl so all my lashes stuck straight out and you wouldn't have been able to tell if they looked fake or not. I did keep this around and use it periodically for three months, but I could never bring myself to appreciate it since I felt like my lashes looked better, even if more natural, without it.

Best Misc. Eye Product: Givenchy Magic Kajal Liner
I really like eyeliners and I'd been looking for an intense black, chubby liner that I could use for a smoky eye, so when this came out I snapped it up. This is not a liner for creating precise lines or a tidy finish, but it will give you really dramatic, sexy eyes, and if you work it right it can be used to create a smoky eye all on its own. Clearly this liner can't come out to play all of the time, but it is one of my most loved eye products.

Worst Misc. Eye Product: Coastal Scents 88 Eyeshadow Palette
This palette is great for just playing around with color, but if you are serious about wearing a particular shade it's probably best to pick it up elsewhere. The quality of the shadows themselves isn't that great - many of them are chalky and they don't stay well for even a short period of time so using this for day to day looks is basically out of the question.

Best Lip Product: Kevyn Aucoin Expert Lip Tint
I had all but decided that I couldn't wear bold lipsticks because I felt like they just didn't look good on me, but after I purchased this in Talula I realized that I just hadn't met the right ones. The formula for these is so soft and flexible that they don't seem like traditional lipsticks. I like that these can be applied lightly for a wearable day look, or amped up for more glamour. I also like their rose scent.

MARKETING

Best Packaging: Tsumori Chisato Holiday Collection for Shu Uemura
This was the first time I purchased an item almost entirely for it's packaging. I picked up a Tsumori Chisato Limited Edition Rouge Unlimited in Jupiter Brown and it's a very pretty lipstick, but it could have been just about any wearable shade and I would have purchased it because of the cute tube with the black kitty. I was super thrilled to discover that the packaging is reusable too. The actual lipstick tube pops out and can be replaced with any Rouge Unlimited Lipstick. I really hope that interchangeable and reusable packaging catches on with more brands since it seems so efficient and good for the environment.

Stuff I Should Have Posted Long Ago

2009-12-30T18:36:00.001-08:00

Hello again, I hope that the holidays went well for everyone! I was going through some of the pictures on my computer and It occurred to me that I never shared my Sephora Friends & Family haul from way back in October with you, so here it goes....

(L to R, Top to Bottom) Givenchy Mister Light in Mister Biscuit #5, Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow Purple 92, Clinique Comforting Cream Cleanser, Harajuku Lovers Wallet.

I've been using YSL's Touche Eclat #4 for the last year and I like it, but it is a tad too dark for me, so I decided that instead of repurchasing I should see what else is out there. I ultimately decided to try Givenchy's Mister Light in #5 Mister Biscut because it's described as medium dark and a SA recommended it to me based on my foundation shades. Unfortunately it wasn't nearly dark enough (I think Givenchy and I see "medium-dark" very differently) so I returned it and now have a Kanebo Sensai Collection Concealer in 3 (I like it but wouldn't call it HG - I'll do a more thorough review on it later).

I don't wear eyeshadow often so selecting one is always a long process for me, but after lemming MUFE Purple 92 for ages I decided to just get it, and it really is as great as I anticipated it to be. It's so bright and pretty; I think I spent a week just looking at it before I even tried it. Luckily it's also lovely on and shows up just how it looks in the pan. I also like how soft and smooth MUFE's formula is. The shadow is so soft that you could apply it with your fingers if you wanted to. There are two down sides to this eyeshadow though. Because it's so soft it's better to pat it on rather than getting swishy with an eyeshadow brush. The color shows up much better this way and you don't have to worry about chasing color across your lids. Also, it does stain your lids if you don't wear a primer. I've never experienced the staining to last longer than overnight, but it's something to consider. I really am very happy with this shadow though and am now eyeing Diamond Black 307.

The Clinique cleanser is the only item I picked up that wasn't really a planned purchase. My face had been getting really dry and flaky, so I decided at the last minute that I needed a cream cleanser for winter. Clinique Comforting Cream Cleanser claimed to be very gentle and able to easily remove makeup, and it had good reviews so I decided to give it a try. It is very gentle - my skin seemed to recover very quickly with this, but it doesn't quite meet my expectations. It can remove most makeup, even mascara if you massage it around long enough, but it seems unable to remove my tinted moisturizer so I often have to follow this with my regular cleanser, which I feel defeats my purpose for purchasing it. Also, this has a thick, cold cream-like texture and leaves behind a very greasy residue (another reason to double wash). My sponge face cloth is usually able to remove the residue, but it does make me nervous because I find myself breaking out from time to time since I've started using this. It's not all the time so I'm not certain that it's the cleanser's fault, but all signs point to yes.

I also picked up the cutest wallet...
It's made of PU/PVC and has a soft vinyl feel to it. At 7"x4" it's larger than any of my previous wallets, but it fits easily in my little purses and comes with tons of pockets, so now my cards don't have to double up with each other - I also like having a change purse included.

I hope that in the spring or summer they create another version with a beach theme, so I can alternate my wallets with the seasons :)

Of the samples I received I've only tried the Boscia Enlivening Amino-AG Eye Treatment and Bulgari's Jasmin Noir EDP so far. Both of them are great and I'll do proper reviews once I purchase full sizes. I will say though that I'm in love with Jasmin Noir and I'm not usually a fragrance girl.

*All of the above items were purchased by myself or were gifts with purchase.

Nars Spring 2010

2009-12-17T15:12:00.000-08:00

I want to apologize for my absence. I've been busy preparing my applications for graduate school, so I will probably continue to be off and on for a while until I get everything squared away.

Anyway, on to beauty business - Nars has released details about their spring collection. For Spring Francois Nars was inspired by Catherine Deneuve's character Lucille in the film La Chamade. The look is soft and sophisticated, and the collection is much more traditionally spring than some of Nars' prior collections.

“I love Catherine’s makeup in this movie,” says Francois Nars. “It is very sophisticated and bourgeois in a Parisian ‘16th Arrondissement’ way. She is the perfect reference for this collection, and apropos for spring, a time to embrace color and get noticed.”

Amber Valletta

The Look

To Create a low-key but brilliant look Francois Nars started by applying Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Fiji, followed by Nars Eden Pressed Powder for a perfectly smooth finish. He contoured Amber's cheeks with Nars Amour blush and illuminated her complexion with Nars Albatross. For the eyes, the champagne-gold side of the Camargue Cream Eyeshadow Duo was applied from the lashline to the browbone and blended out towards the tail of the eyebrow. Then, with an eyeliner brush he applied the toffee side of Camargue to the lower lashline, the roots of the upper lashes, and the brow. Albatross was applied to the inner corners of the eyes to brighten the look. To define the eyes the upper lid was lined with brown eyeliner and Nars Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara was applied to both the upper and lower lashes. Nars Single Eyeshadow in Blondie was applied as a finishing touch. To create defined, full lips, the lips were first lined with Nars Borneo Lip liner Pencil, then filled in with Nars Cruising Lipstick, and finished with a layer of Easy Lover.

The Collection

Cream Eyeshadow Duo ($32)

Camargue - champagne gold / toffee brown

Eyeshadow Duo ($32)

Kuala Lumpur - rose gold / wild berry

Single Eyeshadow ($22)

D. Gorgeous - faint purple gray

Glitter Pencil ($24)

Bains Douches - sky blue with silver sequins

Lip Gloss ($24)

Easy Lover - shimmery bright pink
Ophelia - strawberry nectar

Lipstick ($24)

Cruising - nude

Nail Polish ($16)

Purple Rain - gothic deep purple with pearls

Available: January 2010

source: iswii.net, philstar.com

Traveling with Liquids and Gels

2009-11-18T21:12:00.000-08:00

At the end of the week I'll be traveling to Orange County, so I decided I should at least sort out what I'll be taking with me. I like to travel as light as possible, so I usually have to pack and re-pack in order to whittle down my luggage. I'm also one of those people who makes lists of what they're taking, so they can make sure they don't forget anything.

These are the liquids and gels that I'll be taking with me.

Tsubaki Shampoo
Tsubaki Conditioner
Monoi oil
Neutrogena makeup remover
Clinique Comforting Cream Cleanser
Paula's Choice 2% BHA liquid
Paula's Choice 10% AHA lotion
Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance
Becca tinted moisturizer with SPF
YSl Touche Eclat #4
Rimmel Glam'Eyes Mascara
Nars Supervixen
Camille Beckman Glycerine Hand Therapy
Jane Iredale Lip Drink

I'm not taking a lot of stuff (Mr. Ghost felt somewhat different about that), just my basic everyday items: skin care products, hair care products, body and hand lotions, etc. I could probably stand to take just one exfoliant, but we'll see. Also I've forgotten to include toothpaste in the photo (see this is why you have to make a list).

In the past I've used whatever minis I could find to take with me, or I'd pickup products at my destination, but that never seems to work out quite right, so now I just take my own stuff with me.

I picked up the little TSA approved travel pack at Target and hopefully I will be able to get everything decanted and stuffed inside it. I wish the plastic bottles were a tad smaller (so I'd have room for more stuff), but this should be fine.

What products do you rely on when you travel, and what do you leave behind?

Nars Discount

2009-11-17T04:37:00.000-08:00

It's going around the rumor mill that narscosmetics.com is offering a 22% discount off purchases of $60 or more. Just enter coupon code: 0011290CP at checkout.

P.S. I have know idea how long this deal will last.

Sephora V.I.B Sale

2009-11-15T00:30:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day to receive 20% off during Sephora's Very Important Beauty Insider event. If you are a V.I.B and want to shop in-store you will need to print out the coupon Sephora emailed you about the event. To shop online enter code: V324HW at checkout.

Happy Shopping!

Project 10 Pan Update

2009-11-13T02:12:00.000-08:00

It's been about two months since I started my Project 10 Pan, so I thought that it was about time for an update and some mini reviews. So far I have finished five products, and I have another three items that I think I'm close to finishing. I did purchase two items from The Fairest's Global Goddess sale, and I did get a few things during Sephora's F&F sale, but other than those exceptions I've been very good about not purchasing extra beauty items.

1) The first product I finished was Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Cleansing Lotion ($5 at Target). This is a very functional cleansing lotion, but I don't think that I will continue purchasing it. This did an excellent job of cleansing and removing makeup, and I found that it didn't leave a residue if I used it with a wash cloth, but I wasn't fond of the texture; it's more watery than I would have liked it to be and I felt like I had to use a lot of product each time I washed my face because of it.
Overall Score: 3

2) I also finished my pack of Boots Expert Sensitive Cleansing & Toning Wipes ($5 at Target). I don't know if I feel like these actually cleanse and tone your skin, but they are good at removing dirt and makeup (even eye makeup) and they are handy. I usually take these with me to the gym, so I can remove any makeup I have on before I exercise - I can't exercise in makeup it just ends up all over - and so I can wash my face afterwards. I think that so far they have been doing a very good job; I feel more refreshed after I use them, and they are easier to take to the gym than my regular skincare products. The only way I think these could be improved is if the sheets themselves were softer. They aren't rough or anything, but I think that everything that gets used on your face should be super soft.
Overall Score: 4.5

3) Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance ($39). This is my HG moisturizer. I have dry, sensitive skin and this does an excellent job of moisturizing my skin without felling heavy or breaking me out. When I apply this I can actually feel it moisturizing, rather than just sealing moisture in or providing a protective barrier. I only use this as a night moisturizer since it doesn't contain sunscreen, and I haven't had any problems using this year round - I just use a smaller amount in the summer and a little more in the winter.
Overall Score: 5

4) Monoi oil ($9.95) is really just Tiare scented coconut oil. I purchased mine from monoi.com, but NARS also famously sells Monoi oil This is a great product because it's so multipurpose and because coconut oil is so good for your skin and hair (it's one of only a few oils that can be absorbed into the hair shaft). I use this as a moisturizer when I get out of the shower; it can be applied to either wet or dry skin, but I think it absorbs more quickly if it's applied to wet skin. I also use this as a hair mask when I have time, and I use a drop after my hair has dried to smooth down frizz. At first I didn't care much for the smell - I don't really like coconut - but it really grew on me and now that I've moved on to my Tipanie scented bottle I really miss the Tiare scented one. I hadn't realized how well the two scents actually went together.
Overall Score: 5

5) I decided to count these two products as one because neither of them is full size.

Redken All Soft Heavy Cream ($3 mini size, $16 full size) is called a hair treatment, but it's really just an extra thick conditioner. I applied it like a conditioner and just left it on my hair for a longer period of time. I felt like this did leave my hair a little softer, but the added softness didn't translate into less frizz or fewer fly-aways. While this is a good conditioner, I didn't feel like it was really worth the splurge, but if you are looking for softer hair this might be a good fit for you.
Overall Score: 4

Bliss Lemon & Sage Soapy Sap isn't really that different in formulation from most gel body washes, but what sets it apart is its fragrance. Lemon & Sage Soapy Sap has a very pleasant, invigorating citrus fragrance that isn't overwhelming. I usually don't buy products based on scent, but if I were a morning showerer I would have purchased a full size bottle of this simply because it's so pleasant to use - it has a way of making you feel happy and more prepared for the day. If you are an evening showerer you may want to skip this one simply because invigorated isn't really how you want to feel right before you go to sleep.
Overall Score: 5

*All of the reviewed items were purchased by myself or were gift with purchase.

Chanel Spring 2010: Impressions de Chanel

2009-11-12T01:17:00.000-08:00

Chanel's spring collection, Impressions de Chanel, is based around a hand print of Coco Chanel's on an old, yellowed paper that Peter Philips, the Global Creative Director for Chanel, found in Chanel's archives.

Bobbi Brown Spring 2010: Makeup Face Lift

2009-11-10T03:41:00.000-08:00

"I designed this collection to give women the opportunity to look fresh and radiant in as little as 5 minutes!" -Bobbi Brown

New Year... New you?
Give us just 5 minutes - and we'll show them your best side!
Have resolutions for the new year?

Perhaps paying more attention to your appearance, eating healthy, or exercising?
But the desired results take too long to wait for?! How about, in only 5 minutes appearing immediately younger, fresher, and more radiant? The solution: Makeup Face Lift!

Extra Eye Repair Cream

An extra dose of care for your eyes! Extra Eye Repair Cream is enriched with peptides, natural plant oils, and moisturizing ingredients to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, dark circles, and puffiness. This rich, concentrated eye cream cares for, intensely moisturizes, and viably refreshes the delicate eye area.
Apply mornings and evenings.
Warm a little bit of Extra Eye Repair Cream between your fingertips and dab it gently around your eye area. When the eye cream is fully absorbed then you can apply your Tinted Eye Brightener or Concealer.

Tinted Eye Brightener

Bobbi's Tinted Eye Brightener is now available in a new, more practical pen form. With only a quick turn and a click this feather light concealer is released through the brush to brighten shadows around the eye. For a fresh, more awake look.
Available in 8 shades:

Light Bisque
Porcelain Peach
Bisque
Light to Medium Peach
Medium to Dark Bisque
Dark Peach
Dark Bisque
Deep Peach

Brow Pencil

Defined eyebrows form the perfect frame for the face. The new brow pencil, a creamy pencil that can be lightly smudged, gives your eyebrows natural definition like an eyebrow powder, but with the precision of a pencil. For practicality there is also an included sharpener.
Available in five shades:

Blonde
Mahogany
Grey
Wheat
Ash

Brightening Lip Gloss

At the beginning of the new year there will be two new shades of Brightening Lip Gloss. This light weight, light-reflective texture will leave your lips looking fuller. They can be worn alone or over your favorite lipstick.
New shades:

Nectar
Popsicle

Eye Shadow

Silky and shiny, these two new eye shadows will leave your eyes more youthful and radiant. Like Bobbi's existing eye shadows, these new shades offer perfect opacity and a very smooth texture.
New shades:

Navajo
Caviar

Bobbi´s Tip!
"For the perfect complement to the Makeup Face Lift emphasis your lashes with the new Extreme Party Mascara and give your cheeks a healthy flush with with Pot Rouge in Pale Pink or Pink Truffle."

Collection available January 2010.

What do you think, is any thing appealing to you? Despite the fact that parts of this press release read like an infomercial, I'll probably pick up a Tinted Eye Brightener. I've wanted to try Bobbi's Tinted Eye Brightener for a while now, but the jar packaging was kind of holding me back.

source
translation by Alex The Hungry Ghost

Weekend Wishlist: Flu Season

2009-11-08T19:17:00.000-08:00

I've been sick with the flue this past week or so, so I thought that I would share my beauty must haves for when I'm not feeling my best. Generally when I'm sick I don't wear makeup - I'm afraid of contaminating my precious products with germs, and I usually just don't feel up to it. But, there are a few products that make my life a little easier.

1) Aquaphor
This is one of the hardest working most versatile products to have when you're sick. This stuff works really well when you've had to blow your nose a few too many times. It also works as a hand cream for after washing your hands, and it's excellent on chapped lips. Ingredient wise, Aquaphor is very similar to Vaseline, but it doesn't feel as slippery/greasy to me. Also, I feel like it's more hygienic because it comes in a tube rather than a tub.

2) Cleansing Wipes
Most days I have a whole routine when it comes to cleansing, but when I don't feel well I tend to eschew it for fast and easy, which means cleansing wipes. I don't really think that the brand matters that much; you just need something that will remove dirt and makeup gently. Usually I use cleansing wipes from Boots because they are cheap, clean well, and are easily accessible for me.

3) Bright Lipstick
Generally, when I'm sick I just like to hole up at home, but there are times when that's not always possible. For the times when I have to go out, I like to at least attempt to look like I'm not sick, and the best way to do that is with a bright lipstick or lipgloss. A bright lippy pulls focus, so people are less likely to notice if your eyes look a bit droopy or your skin is a little sallow. Also, swiping on a lipstick is a lot easier and faster than trying to apply eyeshadow, or makeup to your entire face. So far Kevyn Aucoin's Expert Lip Tint in Talula has been my bright lippy of choice.

4) Eyelash Curler
I have naturally limp eyelashes, and the easiest and most noticable way for me to look a little more bright eyed, especially when I am sick, is for me to curl them. I never leave my house without curling my eyelashes, and even if I'm staying in I will usually curl them just becuase it makes me feel pretty. If you have naturally curly lashes you might not need an eyelash curler, but when you're ill I think it's important to continue to do that one little thing, whatever it is, that will lift your spirits a little and make you feel a little more pretty.

What products do you use when you're sick, or do you not worry about it too much?

Weekend Wishlist: Sephora's Friends and Family Sale

2009-10-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

Hi again. I'm sorry for my long absence, I've just been absorbed in other things recently; nothing serious, just a bunch of nuisance things that seemed to converge all at one time.

As I'm sure you all know, Sephora is having their Friends and Family Sale until November 2nd and with code FF2009 you get 20% off your entire purchase. I haven't placed my order yet this year because I'm still trying to decide what I want/need. These are the items that are at the top of my list right now, but I've still got a week left.

1) Caudalie Cleansing Water ($12 - $23)
I really loved the Koh Gen Do Spa Water that I tried out a while back, but I'm just not ready to spend $35 on a makeup remover, so I'm hoping that Caudalie's version will work just as well. I also love that Sephora offers this in two sizes, so I can spend a little less and get the smaller version since I've never tried this before.

2) DiorShow Iconic Mascara ($27)
Max Factor is leaving the US and taking my HG mascara, Volume Couture, with them so I need to find something new to love. I've seen great reviews of this and like wands with rubber bristles, so I might give this a shot. The massive price tag has made me quite hesitant to try it, but at 20% off the price is way more palatable.

3) Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow - Purple 92 ($19)
I don't usually go gaga over eyeshadow; I just don't wear a lot of it and I'm not particularly good at applying it, but I've become infatuated with this particular eyeshadow - It's just so pretty. I really like purple and this seems like a bold color that I'd enjoy wearing. Plus, I'm pretty certain that this is the shadow that was used in this Gucci ad, and I love the makeup in this ad.

4) Givenchy Mister Light Instant Light Corrective Pen ($32)
For the last year I've been using YSL's Touche Eclat #4 and I really like it but I want to see what else is out there, so I'm going to spring for Givenchy's Mister Light. I like that there are more shades and I'm hoping that it's a little more illuminating than my Touche Eclat.

5) Fresh Twilight Freshface Glow ($36)
I saw a tutorial in this month's Biteki where they applied an illuminating corrector (they used Cle de Peau) under the eyes and on the eyelids before applying foundation and I really liked the results. It made the face appear brighter and more open. I'm hoping that this will help me replicate the effect. The whitish hue of this was a little off putting for me, but I've been reassured that it blends in well and creates a nice glow, so I want to give it a try.

6) Shu Uemura Skin Purifier High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil ($28 - $65)
This is my favorite cleansing oil - granted it's not like I've tried a ton of them, but Shu Uemura is replacing it with an Advanced Formula, and since I'm resistant to change I would like to get another bottle of this before I'm forced to switch over.

Are you participating in Sephora's Friends and Family Sale this year? What was/is on your list? Are you mainly stocking up on old favorites or trying new products?

On Sale at The Fairest: Global Goddess

2009-10-08T23:53:00.000-07:00

This is a brand that I've been wanting to try for a while and just hadn't gotten around to yet, so I've been eagerly awaiting this sale all week. I'm still working on my 10 pan project, but I decided to make an exception for this sale - How often does something you've really wanted to try just show up at 60% off. I picked up one of the Complexion Perfection Duos (they are known for being excellent if you have hard to match undertones) and a South Pacific Shimmer, so I'll do some reviews once they arrive.

If you want to check out any of the sales on The Fairest this link should hook you up with an invite that offers you a $5 discount on your first purchase.

Guerlain Holiday 2009: Imperiale Holiday Collection

2009-10-07T00:11:00.000-07:00

Guerlain introduces, Imperiale Holiday, a colour collection worthy of royalty but designed to be enjoyed by every woman. Celebrating opulence, within balance, and highlighting splendor with a touch of humor at the same time, Guerlain’s colour collection offers an appropriate nod to the jewels and excesses of aristocracy while translating their bedazzling brilliance into a makeup collection. The nobility of precious stones and fabrics is enhanced with the elegance of luminous, delicately scintillating makeup. The ingredients used to achieve it are at the leading edge of sophistication, combining shades of gold with the finest powders and easy-to-apply textures, for the best possible results. The Guerlain Empress can apply her own makeup, without the help of a maid or… a makeup artist. She is a dreamy modern beauty who plays with makeup to feel sublime, for an evening, a night… for a lifetime.

Sublime Radiant Powder Face & Body ($85.00)
Silky and ultra-light in texture, this sparkling powder graces the skin with a gentle, sheer veil of “diamond” reflections. Like fine-spun muslin dappled with delicate sprays of glitter, it will subtly illuminate shoulders, arms, back, décolleté and hair and leave a deliciously light violet scent. You are invited to rediscover the timeless and most sensuous gesture of applying powder like perfume – and wearing a powder designed like a jewel. More than a luxurious accessory, this is a genuine secret to perfect complexion.

Météorites Perles Impériales ($53.00)
Easy to apply and almost magical, these famous multiple-effect pearls are as luminous as imperial silk and come in three formats – mini, medium and maxi – in order to optimize their evening-out and corrective action. They are also reinvented in three new shades intended to create a fresh, sublime complexion. Mauve and white illuminators, with pink for freshness and gold for light, brighten and smooth the skin to a sleek satin perfection. The famous Météorites compact features an opulent pouch in shiny black fabric, decorated with light-infused silver and rhinestones.

Météorites Voyage Impérial ($180.00)
Enjoy a perfect complexion, everywhere with Météorites Voyage pressed powder. This one-of-a-kind formulation ensures ultimate softness in a lightweight texture. Gently pearlescent, it is reinvented as a concentrate of light and radiance. The new size of the colour shades, presented as miniature “flecks”, makes blending colours easier for customized results. A stunning must-have accessory, its white gold metal compact case is covered with genuine black Swarovski crystals, delicately dotting the lid like a constellation of stars.

Ombre Eclat 4 Shades Eye Shadow ($58.00)
If eyes reveal a lot about personality, this palette will help express the full duality of your character. A combination of intensity and softness, dream and seduction, thanks to a blend of smoky, luminous and pearlescent shades. A luscious and iridescent formula that leaves a metallic effect over the eyelids in a play on light. With two taupe tones, a lingerie pink and a slightly gold-tinged white, eyes will take on a dazzling depth, both bewitching and disconcerting.

Limited edition shade : #407 Bal de nuit.

Le 2 Mascara ($35.00)
The legendary two-brush mascara comes out with special evening colours. The larger brush is featured in ultra-black to intensify the beauty of your eyes. The smaller brush is used for top coat applications, offering touches of glittery gold on eyelash tips. Eyes have the sparkle of a starry night.

Limited edition shade: #12 Reine de Nuit.

KissKiss Gloss ($29.00)
Extreme shine and radiant colours mark this holiday season with lip gloss shades that are as scintillating on the lips as embroidered gems on a precious fabric. This clever gloss may be used on bare lips or as a top coat to boost the effects of Rouge G. KissKiss Gloss gets an extravagant boost by multiplying glitter effects with three limited shades.

#807 Perle de Lune
#808 Ambre Précieuse
#809 Rubis Rose

Rouge G Lipstick ($45.00)
A majestic lipstick, in its original case designed by the jeweler Lorenz Bäumer, Rouge G has become a classic in refinement and modernity. Elegant and unusual, its abstract and pure form is enhanced by a new jewel, black and strass-like in spirit that adds a subtle and refined holiday note. Two limited editions shades of Rouge G diffuse subtly sparkling golden reflections over elegant nude and gentle rosewood. It has the radiance of gold, just enough to bring out a glowing smile over an evening of celebrations.

#11 Grace
#12 Gems

SHALIMAR LIMITED HOLIDAY EDITION
“Birds of Paradise”

Jacques Guerlain’s ground-breaking, 1925 fragrance creation marked the first oriental scent in modern perfume making and heralded the greatest love story of all time. Shalimar is a symbol of the passionate love that the Indian Emperor Shah Jahan bore for his wife Muntaz Mahal. At her feet, he laid out a carpet of extraordinary flowers: the sumptuous Shalimar Gardens. Clear springs were said to run through the heart of these gardens while fountains hummed, filling basins and fountain bowls with the crystalline murmur of water.

It is also told that a pair of birds of paradise with magnificent plumage were the day-and-night guardians of a love potion – Eau de Parfum Shalimar – in these gardens.

With jealous secrecy the pair guards the fragrant essence of this eternal love story. Between floral and amber notes, it comes to life in the freshness of flowers, delicately powdered by iris and intoxicated with jasmine and rose, before giving into the suave softness of vanilla and the delectability of tonka bean.

Guerlain has imagined a legendary décor to accompany the new opus of Eau de Parfum Shalimar. The slender silhouette of the perfume’s two guardian angels throws a matte shadow outline against the night-blue backdrop of the box, illuminated by the gentle shimmer of the golden logo. The bottle’s feminine shoulders appear bathed in glossy moonlight, wearing a sophisticated silk feather draping around the neck, held in place by a blue satin ribbon. The Oiseau de Paradis signature is inscribed in golden ink with light, slender handwriting, resembling the creatures that have inspired it. A sort of invitation to a mirage, in which dreams could take flight into the evening light, rising towards other tales that Shalimar may soon whisper to us in our sleep…Shalimar Birds of Paradise limited holiday edition.
Retail price ($100)

source

Nars Holiday 2009

2009-10-06T14:52:00.000-07:00

Creating the Look

Diane Kendal began the look by creating a luminous complexion. Starting with concealer she covered any facial flaws. Then to create a soft focus effect she applied the new Sheer Glow foundation - creating an exquisite, flawless finish. To highlight and contour the cheeks Nars Multiple Bronzer in Cap Vert was applied first, followed by Nars Blush in Deep Throat. Finally, the Nars Multiple in Copacabana was applied to the cheekbones, brow, and lips.

For the eyes Kendal blended the bronze side of the Brousse Eyeshadow Duo over the entire upper eyelid. Then the purple bordeaux shade in Eurydice was used to contour and shape the eye. The gold champagne side of Taiga was used on the inner corner of the eye for a highlight and swept onto the lower lashline. The bronze shade in Brousse was used again, blended from the outer corner of the lower lashline inwards. Nars Eyeliner Stylo in Nuits Blanches was used to line the upper and lower lashes. Then Kendal curled the lashes with Nars' Eyelash curler and applied two coats of Nars Larger Than Life Mascara. The brows were filled with Nars Eyebrow Pencil in Ipanema, and the look was completed with Nars Lipstick in Mitzi.

The Collection

Soft Touch Shadow Pencil ($24.00)

Goddess - pearl pink champagne
Skorpios - copper
Aigle Noir - smoke gray with black and gold shimmer

Eyeshadow Duo ($32.00)

Eurydice - bordeaux purple / coal gray with green shimmer
Brousse - eggplant purple / bronze
Taiga - champagne gold pearl / olive green

Cream Eyeshadow ($21.00)

Mousson - pine green with silver glitter

Nail Polish ($16.00)

Rough Andalou - pearly apple red

Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($24.00)

Pop Life - holly red
Toundra - wine red with shimmer

Multiple ($37.00)

Luxor - icy pink

Available: October/November 2009

source: iswii

This Week's Sales

2009-10-04T21:01:00.000-07:00

After what seems like forever, there are finally some really good sales coming up this week.

Monday 10/5:
Today Hautelook is featuring Sea Enzyme, an organic skin care company that centers their products around ocean water. I don't know a lot about this particular brand, so if anyone knows anything about them please feel free to share. Also, Sea Enzyme has a full list of ingredients on their website in case you want to do a little pre-sale research.

Gilt Groupe is having a sale today on MD Skincare - These treatments are like daily visits to your dermatologist, except they only take two minutes. Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross knows that skin, the largest organ of the body, is the first to show signs of aging... His Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel uses a patented microexfoliation technique that gently removes cellular debris from the surface of the skin. It’s just what the doctor ordered.

Tuesday 10/6:
Hautelook is having a sale on Mario Badescu Skin Care today - For over 40 years, Mario Badescu Skin Care has been known for personalized skin care treatments and products. We continue to offer spa and skin care services not just to celebrities, but to individuals across the world who appreciate the importance of quality skin care.

Wednesday 10/7:
Today Hautelook is having a sale on Amazing Cosmetics. Best known for their concealers, Amazing Cosmetics is a brand that's becoming synonimous with flawless skin. And, I have to agree that the concealers are very well formulated, even if the shade selection seems a bit limited.

Billion Dollar Babes is having a sale today on M Lab - Milbar Laboratories challenged their scientists to create a skin care line that would achieve incredible results with extraordinary amounts of clinically active ingredients. The result was M Lab, an aesthetically pleasing yet powerful line of formulations that cleanse, treat, moisturize and protect the skin.

Thursday 10/8:

Friday 10/9:
Today Hautelook is having a sale on Vincent Longo Cosmetics. As a makeup artist Longo was frustrated with the lack of colors available, so he created his eponymous makeup line in 1991. It's a line that's become known for it's vivid, sohpisticated palette, and inovative products like the Vincent Longo Water Canvas Foundation.

Gilt Groupe is featuring Lisa Hoffman Beauty today. I'm becoming more and more interested in her fragrance oils: I like the idea of having four fragrance variations to wear throughout the day; so I'm hoping that they will be included in today's sale. Also, I believe her Spa Bath Soak is an Allure winner again this year.

*If you want an invite to join Hautelook and check out any of their sales this week just click here.
**Gilt Groupe is invitation only, so I've got an invite here in case you need one, membership is free by the way.
***An invitation for Billion Dollar Babes can be found here.

Also, I suspect that The Fairest will be hosting some interesting sales this week, but since they don't have a calender *ahem* I'll have to let you know as they happen.

Milan Fashion Week: Fendi Spring 2010

2009-10-01T17:18:00.000-07:00

The makeup at Fendi was almost doll like, with large eyes and well defined upper and lower lashes, but also very haunting. It was a very undone Parisian ingénue look that played through the collection as well: Most of the collection was soft and feminine, but the edges were left unfinished as if the clothes were made from strips of raw fabric. The sheer, blousey fabrics paired with the leathers, and Lucite played off each other in a way that allowed the collection to be feminine, but not too sweet or boudoir.

Creating the Look

To create his sensual ingénues at Fendi, makeup artist Peter Philips drew his inspiration from Emmanuelle, a series of erotic French films that influenced the collection.

Philips began by perfecting the skin with Chanel Pro Lumiere, and set the t-zone with translucent powder.
To create his mauve smoky eyes he used a combination of Chanel shadows in Silage and Trace, a shimmery rose and a plummy brown, concentrating the lighter shade on the lid and contouring with the other.
To define the eyes Philips left off the eyeliner, opting instead for copious amounts of mascara.
Chanel Fresque, a peach blush, was used to give the models a glowing flush.
The lips were finished with a peach lipstick and a sheer plum lip gloss.

source: allure and style.com

Dior Holiday 2009: Cristal Boreale Collection

2009-10-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

The Collection

Cristal Boreale Gloss Pendant ($80)
In 1955 Christian Dior requested that the House of Swarovski create a collection that mimicked the reflection of sunlight in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. As a result the now well know Aurore Boréale crystal was created, a stone characterized by an iridescent rainbow of colors.

In reference to that historic partnership, Dior and Swarovski have come together to create this season's Cristale Boreale pendant, a crystal studded locket featuring four of the famous Aurore Boréale crystals - inside is an iridescent pink gloss.
Cristal Boreale Single Eyeshadows ($30)
Two shimmer shadows featuring embossed crystal patterns influenced by the crystal design on the Cristal Boreale Pendant.

Precious Purple #152
Pure Silver #012

5-Colour Iridescent Eyeshadows ($56)

Smoky Crystal #089
Purple Crystal #169

Rouge Dior Lipstick ($28)

Illustrious Pink #465
Aristocratic Mauve #585

Dior Vernis ($20)

Silver Purple #782
Rose Boreal #162
Black Sequins #905 (sephora only)

Creme de Gloss ($26) - Violet Shine #485
Style Liner ($31) - Sparkling Purple #174

There are also a number of sets and palettes that I've seen floating around. I'm certain that this is not a complete list of them, so I'll update as I find more.

Deluxe travel Palette ($75)
Available at Nordstrom

Holiday Eye Palette ($42)
Available at Nordstrom

Holiday Lip Palette ($42)
Available at Nordstrom

Mini Brush Set ($60)
Liquid foundation, powder foundation, eyeshadow, and lip brushes.
Available at Nordstrom

Silver Cannage Deluxe Palette For Eyes, Cheeks & Lips ($70)

Available at Sephora

Holiday Collection Makeup Palette For The Lips ($40)
Available at Sephora

Holiday Collection Makeup Palette For The Eyes ($42)

Available at Sephora

source: 1, 2

Milan Fashion Week: Gucci Spring 2010

2009-09-30T22:49:00.000-07:00

International Creative Consultant Luigi Murenu for John Frieda created the super slick ponytails at Gucci. "It's sharp, sleek, and super shiny," said hairstylist Luigi Murenu.

The white wrapping was to hold the hair's shape
and was removed right before the girls went out.

Creating the Look

Murenu applied Kiehl's Hair Gel to damp hair and then blow-dried it straight.
He used a fine-tooth comb to make a deep side part and then slicked it into a tight, low ponytail.
He flat ironed the tail and then smoothed over everything with John Frieda Frizz Ease Serum.
To finish off the ponytail, Murenu wrapped the base with black S&M bondage tape.

The Makeup

For the makeup Pat McGrath went with a more natural fresh look. "It's much lighter for Gucci. Lightness in makeup is a trend for spring," said Pat McGrath. She contoured the eyes with a light brown shadow, applying it in the crease and under the lower lashes. Then she applied a dark brown liquid liner to the upper lashline to give the eyes more definition, followed by a brown mascara. Covergirl Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush in Rich Cinnamon was applied to the cheekbones and set with a nude shimmer powder. The lips were toned down with a bit of concealer and the same nude shimmer powder used on the cheeks was applied to the cupid's bow.

source: allure and wwd

Milan Fashion Week: Versace Spring 2010

2009-09-27T01:11:00.000-07:00

The makeup at Versace immediately grabbed my attention, which really shouldn't have been a surprise since the makeup at Versace always inspires me. This season though, rather than doing a "blond" smoky eye, or any kind of smoky eye, Pat McGrath went with lavender.

To create the look she a applied CoverGirl's Eye Enhancer Eye Shadow in Purple Pop from the lid into the crease and along the lower lashline; then, she applied a swipe of lavender liquid liner near the lashline, extending it past the eye in a slight wing. Pale silvery shimmer was added to the tearduct and a layer of CoverGirl's LashBlast Mascara was applied, giving the eyes extra definition. To complete the look a pale pink blush and a bit of contour were added to the model's cheeks and the lips were finish with lip balm.

As a final note, I really love the shoes for this collection. They are so lively and seem like they could really add pop to a more mundane outfit.

images from wwd and style.com

Becca Fall 2009: The Modernist Collection

2009-09-21T02:15:00.000-07:00

Vibrancy and subtlety merge with The Modernist Collection by BECCA.
Sleek, high-octane colour is balanced by clean, of-the-moment texture and ﬁnish. Lending an intriguing aura of enigmatic, modernist-inspired beauty, the look is unabashedly sexy with a simplistically hip edge. With lip-plumping shades of red punctuating the lips, sheer multi-tonal opal and gold gilding the lids and a luminescent glow bathing the skin, innovation and glamour are in sublime harmony...

Get the Look

Skin

Prep skin with Mineral SPF Primer. Follow with the Skin Perfecting Makeup System for sheer, natural and ﬂawless skin, beginning with Line and Pore Corrector.

Cheeks

Sweep cheekbones with Mineral Bronzing Powder in Duende to get a sun-kissed tawny shadow on the cheeks.
To give a glimmering glow, dab Shimmering Skin Perfector down the bridge of the nose, onto the bow of the lip and just along the top of the brow bones, bringing the colour down along the upper cheekbones.

Eyes

Make eyes twinkle by applying Eye Tint in Vicuna (New) to the lids extending up to the brow bone using Extra-Small Polishing Brush #55. Next, buff Eye Colour Powder (Shimmer) in Damask across the eyelids using Soft Focus Shader Brush #44.
Coat top and bottom lashes with the Ultimate Mascara in Black.

Lips

Slick lips with a coat or two of Sheer Tint Lip Colour in Alina or Milla, then lacquer them with Glossy Lip Tint in Cherrybomb for the ultimate pout.

source: becca

Yves Saint Laurent holiday 2009

2009-09-20T21:36:00.000-07:00

The Yves Saint Laurent END-OF-YEAR 2009 make-up collection celebrates passionate colors to dazzle the year’s most festive evenings. Leaving glitter behind, Yves Saint Laurent opts for the ultimate chic of pure, vibrant, incandescent colors. From sublime red to deep plum, the shades adapt with variable textures, multiple effects and powerful combinations. Worn alone in a refined monochrome or paired in contrasting duos, they are intensely alive and designed to be freely expressed for an instinctive, ultra couture make-up look.

Glamour Products

As a treat for yourself or as a gift, two precious objects stir desire. They go everywhere, are as eye-catching as couture accessories, and they glorify lips and eyes in an instant. Gold or silver, these sparkling compacts are engraved with the emblematic Yves Saint Laurent heart. Their black vinyl straps slip onto a key ring, handbag or belt. For daytime or night time, for lips or eyes, they feature two harmonious duos for liberated, intuitive application.

PALETTE DUO POUR LES LÈVRES illuminates the lips with a shiny rosy-beige lipstick and a pearly champagne gloss. ($75.00)
PALETTE DUO POUR LES YEUX lights up the eyes with a pearly lavender used as a highlighter, and outlines them with intense violet. ($75.00)

Mini Touche Blush N°11 ($28.00)
The mini version of TOUCHE BLUSH slips into any evening bag. With its soft, faithful puff and mirror, it enhances the face’s voluptuous curves and the décolleté. The new shade N°11 – Sparkling Beige, a slightly scintillating coral beige, gives the skin a subtle ivory aura. A few caressingly soft touches suffice for instant, ultra-feminine radiance.

Collection (New Shades)

Rouge Pur Lipstick: ($30.00)

N°149 – Black Tulip,
N°150 – Sublime Red,
N°151 – Sweet Dark Purple,
N°152 – Pink Grenadine

Golden Gloss: ($29.00)

N°17 – Golden Cherry, a rich red,
N°18 – Golden Lavander, a subtle mauve

Collection (Repromotions)

Eyeshadow Duo: N°1 – Heavenly Beige/ Astral Brown ($41.00)
Dramatic Styling Mascara: N°1– Deep Black ($30.00)
La Laque: N°1 – Sublime Red and N°34 – Black Tulip ($20.00)

Available: November 2009

source: temptalia.com

NYFW: Vera Wang Spring 2010

2009-09-20T19:09:00.000-07:00

For her Spring 2010 collection, Vera Wang found inspiration in Paul Poiret, the French designer some say was the first to “drape” his designs, a new approach that signaled a departure from rigid tailoring. With this in mind, Lucia Pieroni, Color Creator for Clé de Peau Beauté, created her own new approach, developing a boy-like, simple face for each model, that worked perfectly with the clothing and bold jewelry.

“I wanted the models to appear cool and very natural, so I created a super sheer base on the face with eye accents only, of taupe and silver.” Lucia says. “I wanted them to look healthy, but a bit supernatural.” — Lucia Pieroni

Get the Look

Beginning with the NEW! Luminizing Enhancer Base ($42,) Lucia created a luminous complexion and evened out skin tone, prior to applying the Refining Fluid Foundation ($118) to provide an even, flawless and radiant finish on skin.
Next, Lucia accented, and extended, the brows utilizing Eyebrow Pencil in #104/Grey ($55) to give a fuller, still polished effect.
To brighten eyes, she used NEW! Satin Eye Color in #11/silver ($45,) with a touch of shade #111/taupe to add definition at the outer corners.
Additionally, Lucia decided to forego the mascara and eyeliner, but utilize Satin Eye Color #104/golden to highlight the browbone and the top of the cheek to add an ethereal glow.
Lastly, lips were colored to understated perfection, complementing the face without drawing attention. Lucia used NEW! Extra Rich Lipstick in T4 ($65,) a nude shade inspired by tea roses.

images from style.com

NYFW: 3.1 Phillip Lim Spring 2010

2009-09-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

The theme behind the collection was... collage, with inspiration springing from the late works of Picasso and the Cubism period. The pieces look different from every angle leaving a sense of mystery to them, while remaining timeless. The same idea is applied to the makeup. An abundance of different textures- matte, sheer, shimmer and shine- were portrayed differently as the model moved around. The clothes, like the makeup, were meant to stimulate the senses, be emotional, and also to sympathize with current times.

The look is clean and textural, giving a sense that makeup is there but not detectable from the plain eye. “The idea is not to be harsh. The look is part sheer with shades of green, brown and lilac fading into each other” said lead artist Lisa Butler. The key points include highlights of iridescence and gold to the cheekbones, light liner (almost invisible) and peach lips. “There is some shimmer so when the face moves around, the light really captures it. But there are no lines- no eye lines, no lip lines.”

Get the Look

Face:

Mix a small amount of NARS Concealer with NARS Hydrating Moisture Cream to apply just around the nose forehead and cheeks
Blend NARS Luxor Multiple (NEW for Holiday 2009) with a foundation brush to the cheekbone moving down diagonally toward the lips and adding a little bit onto the lips for subtle highlights

Eyes:

Apply the golden moss side of NARS Camargue Duo Eyeshadow (NEW for Spring 2010) all over the eye filling in the crease with the sienna side
Depending on skin tone, apply NARS Mousson Cream Eyesahdow (NEW for Holiday 2009) to adjust the color on the lid
Using a NARS Smudge Brush apply D.Gorgeous Eyeshadow (NEW for Spring 2010) to the lower lash line adding intensity as need be (“It’s not a heavy liner, but it shows some color,” explained Lisa Butler)
Apply one coat of NARS Larger Than Life Lengthening Mascara to the top lashes

Lips:

Add a swipe of NARS Cruising Lipstick (NEW for Spring 2010) and some NARS Luxor Multiple (NEW for Holiday 2009) to a NARS Retractable Lip Brush and dab lightly onto the lips starting in the middle and working your way out

Finish:

Apply NARS Orgasm Illuminator (NEW for Spring 2010) to the face, concentrating on the cheekbones
Reapply both shades from NARS Camargue Duo Eyeshadow to the brow bones

source: nars

NYFW: Marchesa Spring 2010

2009-09-18T17:20:00.000-07:00

The inspiration behind the collection came from Madame Butterfly.... “I wanted to capture the real look of Japan, create layers and bits of origami,” said designer Georgina Chapman. The whimsical creations based in sculpted layers balanced the soft, bare faces that were accentuated with long lashes.

[The look was] very simple, romantic and beautiful skin contoured with varying formulas. “We contoured the skin with matte and shimmery textures and added feathers to the eyes to provide dimension to the face,” explained lead artist Talia Shobrook. A matte face was illuminated with a bit of shimmer. Feather lashes, custom created by NARS from the feathers on the Marchesa dresses, gave excitement to an otherwise simple look.

Get the Look

Face:

Mix NARS Sheer Matte Foundation with NARS Orgasm Illuminator (NEW for Spring 2010) and gently blend all over the face
Apply NARS Concealer under the eyes and only where redness shows
Using fingers, apply NARS Luxor Multiple (NEW for Holiday 2009) across the cheekbone
Apply NARS Powder Foundation under the eyes and to the center of forehead
With a NARS Yachiyo Kabuki Artisan Brush contour the cheeks with NARS Nepal Single Eyeshadow
Apply a mixture of both shadows from NARS Thebes Cream Duo Eyeshadow on the cheekbones, bridge of nose and on the upper temples

Eyes:

Apply NARS Abyssinia Single Eyeshadow all over the eye up to the brow
Line the top lashline, as well as the lower lash line, with NARS Iceberg Eyeliner Pencil
Curl lashes with a NARS Eyelash Curler
Apply one light coat of NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara on the top lashes, only
Using clear eyelash glue, apply NARS custom-made feather lashes

Lips:

Apply NARS Cruising Lipstick (NEW for Spring 2010) with fingers to the lips

source: nars

NYFW: Michael Kors Spring 2010

2009-09-18T13:22:00.000-07:00

I really love Michael Kors, he's probably my favorite ready-to-wear designer simply because his aesthetic meshes so well with my own sense of style. So, every season his is the collection that I most anticipate.

The overall tone of this collection seemed more optimistic than recent seasons past. And, as always, the collection was a bit retro, but it was also more futuristic than I think I've ever seen Kors go before, which made the collection seem even more fresh. It's almost like he got the memo on deconstructed futurism, and said, "well, okay, but there's no reason why it can't also be glamorous." I wonder if the deconstructed knits will appear that way on the rack, or if it was done just for the sake of the runway. I kind of hope that they stay the way they are.

For me the stand outs of the show were the pastel suits and zippered sheath dresses, the box handbags, and those sandals. I think that sometimes Kors' foot wear can be too... much, but thankfully the bling and chunky soles seem to be missing from these.

The Makeup

Every season there is always one look that I have to have. Last season it was the look Diane Kendal created for Thakoon, and this season it's the look Dick Page created for Michael Kors. Usually Kors' girls are known for being very bronzed, but every so often Page creates a colorful eye. The inspiration for the look came from the color palette used for the clothes.

Creating the Look

Face:
Skin was kept very clean and matte, so foundation was applied, followed by a dusting of loose translucent powder. Bronzer was applied under the cheek bones for definition, and a blend of white and gold highlighters (new for spring) was applied to the cheek bones and blended up to the temples.

Eyes:
Page applied a wash of Accentuating Color Stick in Glistening Flush all over the lids, then he worked Accentuating Color Stick in Rosy Flush into the crease. A gold eye shadow was dabbed onto the inner corner of the eye, and an aqua-blue shadow, Luminizing Satin Eye Color in Fondant (new for spring), was applied to the middle of the lid. Luminizing Satin Eye Color in Amethyst (a Bloomingdale's exclusive, available now) was used to contour around the outer edge of the eye and along the lower lashline. To complete the eyes, they were rimmed with black cream eyeliner and given a healthy dose of mascara.

Lips:
Finally, Perfect Rouge Tender Sheer in Pout (new for spring) was used to color the lips a soft pink.

Dick Page backstage at Micheal Kors

images from style.com and shiseido

NYFW: Donna Karan Spring 2010

2009-09-18T00:17:00.000-07:00

The makeup at Donna Karan consisted of a neutral face with a bold, white, winged out eye. "Pale and interesting" is how Pat McGrath described the look at Donna Karan. "We wanted the shades to blend into the clothes, which are steel gray and neutral colors, but we wanted the models to be statuesque." The resulting look was striking and is doing a good job of breaking my preconceived notions about white eye shadow.

Creating the Look

To create the look McGrath included CoverGirl products. She gave the models their icy glow by blending silvery cream highlighter over the cheek bones and temples, followed by an iridescent loose powder. For the eyes a smoky cream shadow, CoverGirl Smoky ShadowBlast in Silver Sky (available in November), was blended from the lash line into the crease, and a bright white cream liner was applied to the base of the lashes in a thick wing. The lashes themselves were left bare. A blend of Covergirl Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush in Plush Peach and Rich Cinnamon was applied to the cheeks, and McGrath completed the look by blottiing foundation over the lips to give them a neutral tone.

images from style.com

NYFW: Carolina Herrera Spring 2010

2009-09-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

This season at Herrera, as every season, the clothing was absolutely gorgeous, but what really caught my eye was the hair; It was both playful and supremely elegant. To create the look Orlando Pita used custom hair pieces that Herrera designed for the show. Each hair piece consisted of a headband comb with long strands of metallic beads attached; the beads were either bronze or silver depending on the model's hair color.

Creating the look

Pita prepped hair with Moroccanoil Styling Cream, parted the hair along the crown of the head, and tucked the hair piece into the part, so that the beads would blend in and look like naturally metallic strands of hair. Pita twisted the hair into an up-do and pinned it into place; then, finished the look with a spray of Moroccanoil Luminizing Hair Spray (available in December).

What do you think? A good way to wear this look in real life would be to try a multi-strand beaded headband. Of course you could always DIY this one too. I think I might go looking for a headband comb to try this out. Anyway, I'll leave you with a clip of the show.

images from allure.com

NYFW: Bobbi Brown

2009-09-16T22:31:00.000-07:00

Bobbi Brown for Tibi
Bold, yet pretty makeup featuring a vibrant electric pink eye!

Bobbi Brown for Brian Reyes
Fair skin with a hint of color.

Bobbi Brown for J. Mendel
Light pink cheeks and lips, and an elongated smoky eye that is pretty, yet powerful.

Bobbi Brown for Yigal Azrouel
Strong 'smudged' smoky eyes.

source: bobbi brown, models.com, elle.com

NYFW: Marc Jacobs Spring 2010

2009-09-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

For Marc Jacobs' spring show François Nars and Guido Palau teamed up to create the makeup and hair for Jacobs' troupe of theatrical dancers

The look of the Marc Jacobs collection was inspired by the contemporary dancer, Martha Graham: Old-fashioned and theatrical but graceful and precise. At the same time, however, there was a darker side that was shone through: a quality of gothic romance. Ballerinas with a sense of mystery- as if part of them, along with some of their makeup, had been left behind on stage.

It was all about left-over stage makeup. The models weren’t meant to have perfect makeup- rather, they were meant to encompass a “just came off-stage” effect. “Dancers in theater and opera always have white faces, pointed lips and an eye that is drawn outward, not upward-it’s very theatrical, very ballet,” said François Nars. He stressed the importance of the eye for this look, noting that “the shape of the eyeliner is important- it should open the eyes, especially underneath. The slashes of white is something they used to do in the 70s- it brings a 3-dimensional feeling to the makeup.”

“It’s definitely not as crazy as last season,” Guido Palau joked. “But it’s still extreme, just in a different manner.” As Jacobs meandered backstage to check over the handiwork of his beauty team, he had one thing to say: “I want to make sure it stays theatrical.” And so Nars and Palau obliged, fashioning their own interpretations of a gothic romantic tribute to the stage. “It’s a little bit ballet,” Nars explained. “We’re trying to create performers, characters,” which meant pale skin, a strong brow, and a dark lip. Sighting an abundance of pastel colors in the collection, Nars kept the makeup graphic, rather than soft and predictably sheer.

Get the Look

Face:

Blend NARS Siberia Sheer Matte foundation onto the face
Set with NARS Snow Loose Powder for a white, pirouette-clown look
Subtly contour and highlight, if necessary, with NARS Hungry Heart Blush Duo

Eyes:

Dust the white shimmer from the left side of NARS Pandora Duo Eyeshadow on the eyelid
Use NARS D.Gorgeous Single Eyeshadow (NEW for Spring 2010) in the crease
Using the NARS Eyeliner Stylo in Nuits Blanches on the top and bottom lids, follow the shape of the eye, elongating it just past the outer corners but keeping the line straight and out, never moving upwards.
Use NARS Black Moon Eyeliner Pencil to enhance the eye
After applying two sets of false eyelashes, apply one coat of NARS Larger Than Life Lengthening Mascara followed by one coat of NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara

Lips:

Apply NARS Pop Life Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (NEW for Holiday 2009) to upper and lower lips, adding an extra layer on the top lip. Dab your finger along the lower lip to lightly fade the color so that the top lip is darker.

source: nars and new york magazine

NYFW: Thakoon Spring 2010

2009-09-15T10:27:00.000-07:00

The look this season at Thakoon was "Surfer Girl meets Samurai", and the collection seemed to draw inspiration from Seven Samurai in particular. Kurosawa is known for his use of vivid imagery and movement (even during more relaxed scenes there's usually dramatic movement from driving rain or dust being whipped around by the wind), and those same attributes were characteristic of Thakoon's collection.

The collection centered around a series of vibrant abstract floral patterns, marine blues, and silhouettes with clear origins that had morphed into something new. There were the more obvious pieces like the kimono wrap tops, but later they became more stylized garments, like the romper consisting of a kimono top with the legs of a wet suit. Thakoon's use of pleats was also notable, as they seemed to bloom from some of the dresses, move, and wrap their way around the body in a way that was both flowing and structured.

The makeup for the show was no less interesting, though it was more restrained and serious. Diane Kendal created a look for Nars that was both strong and feminine.

A very strong and luminous face is the key to getting this look right. “It’s a beach warrior look - surfer girl meets Seven Samurai," explained lead artist Diane Kendal. She used a minimal amount of makeup everywhere, but contoured the cheeks and kept the eye deeply set to convey an image of power through minimalism.

Recreate the Look

Face:

Apply NARS Sheer Matte Foundation to conceal imperfections
To achieve luminosity, apply NARS Orgasm Illuminator (NEW for Spring 2010) to the cheeks, nose, forehead and chin
To contour and sculpt the cheeks, apply NARS Malaysia Multiple Bronzer and blend into the cheek bones
Highlight the cheekbones and nose with the white side of NARS Hungry Heart Blush Duo

Eyes:

Apply the brown side of NARS Alhambra Duo Eyeshadow on the entire eyelid up to the brows
Blend both NARS D. Gorgeous Single Eyeshadow (NEW for Spring 2010) as well as the light pink side of NARS Kuala Lumpur Duo Eyeshadow (NEW for Spring 2010) into the crease, outer eye and up towards the brow bone.
Apply NARS Bali Single Eyeshadow to the upper and lower lash lines as well as to the crease in the eyelid, blending with the other shadows to create definition.
Dust NARS Night Snow Single Eyeshadow in the corners of the eyes

Lips:

Mute lips by using NARS Concealer
With your finger, apply NARS Ophelia Lip Gloss (NEW for Spring 2010) to the center of lips

Nails:

The nails were made to look like an extension of the skin with Shirly Temple Peony, a pinky nude shade from Priti Polish.

source: style.com and nars

NYFW: Sophie Theallet Spring 2010

2009-09-15T07:54:00.000-07:00

It was only by chance that I saw this collection, but I'm very glad that I did. It's one of the few collections I've seen this season where everything was not only beautiful, but utterly wearable, and I don't mean by just the tall and skinny. Sophie Theallet has really embraced the nipped waist, which is great because a belted garment is like magic; it can create shape, make you look thinner, or emphasis femininity. In fact there was not a single look in the group that couldn't be belted, and most came pre-cinched.

Theallet also excellently handled the fuller garments in her collection, all of which were soft and drapey with a flattering amount of swing. Full skirts are tricky, made from the right materials and cut correctly they can disguise wide hips or balance a fuller bust. But, done incorrectly they seem to be very good at making your hips appear 3x larger than normal.

Apparently Theallet is well know for having dressed Mrs. Obama, but since I don't follow what she wears, I can't say when or with what. I can certainly see what attracted Obama to her though.

images from style.com

NYFW: Derek Lam Spring 2010

2009-09-14T09:31:00.000-07:00

Derek Lam was an interesting show because it was brighter and more lively than most of the other shows this season. It also stood out because rather than taking us on a trip to Japan or the desert (not that those are bad sources of inspiration), Lam took us to a vibrant 1940's Coney Island. While I'm guessing that this is not what Coney Island was remotely like in the 40's (but, seeing as I've never been to Coney Island or the 40's, I can't be sure), Lam certainly made it look like a desirable place to be.

The Makeup

Also, did I fail to mention that the makeup was gorgeous and created by Tom Pecheux for Nars.

An optimistic fairytale of color. Tom Pecheux created vibrant eyes and bright, cherry-red lips complemented by a doll-like flush of pink and orange. “I wanted to dot the lips red with my fingers rather than draw a straight line of color. Instead, I chose to do that with the eyes- I love when the multiple colors are drawn straight across and outward for a very tribal effect. I used the new Easy Lover lip gloss on just the outline of the lips to have the girls appear doll-like. It was Coney Island chic,” said Tom Pecheux.

Creating the Look

Face:

Blend NARS Sheer Glow Foundation with a foundation brush into skin.
Set with NARS Loose Powder.
Buff skin with NARS Kabuki Artisan Boton Brush for a porcelain doll effect.

Eyes:

Using the emerald side of NARS Misfit Duo Eyeshadow and NARS Eye Shader brush, drag the shadow along the lower lash line straight across until just past the outer corner.
Dust the violet side of NARS Jolie Poupee Duo Eyeshadow on the eyelids; use the darker side in the crease and fade into the temple joining the emerald green from Misfit.
Highlight the inner corners of the eyes with NARS Bains Douche Glitter Pencil (NEW for Spring 2010),making the connection between the purple and green.
After curling lashes with NARS Eyelash Curler, apply three coats of NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara on the top and bottom lashes.
Dust the burnt orange side of NARS Mediteranee Duo Eyeshadow along the brow bone

Lips:

Fill in the lips lightly with NARS Red Square Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, dotting the lips with your fingers to blend it in.
Outline the lips with NARS Easy Lover Lip Gloss (NEW for Spring 2010) to create a plush-looking, glassy pout.

Cheeks:

Apply NARS Nico Blush to give a subtle hint of highlighting.
Dust Desire Blush in round, circular movements onto the apples of the cheeks.
Finish with NARS Taj Mahal Blush, blending it in with the pink cheeks and up towards the temples.

source: style.com and nars

NYFW: Chado Ralph Rucci Spring 2010

2009-09-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

Chado Ralph Rucci is another favorite of mine. He makes some of the most elegant clothing with top notch craftsmanship that I have ever seen. I also like that some of his designs are ultimately made into Vogue Patterns, so just about anyone can have a piece of his genius, so long as they are willing to develop their sewing skills.

This season the clothing was gorgeous, but I have to admit to being equally, if not more smitten with the makeup. Here we saw faux lashes again used on the lower lashes, but the effect was quite different from that at Vivienne Tam. These women still look a bit sad, but the overall look is more sophisticated and mysterious. In addition to the faux lashes the eyes were contoured and elongated with a charcoal shadow, and to keep the look minimal and balanced, lips were kept bare save for a clear balm.

Photo: Patrick McMullan
from NY Magazine

Get the Look
(all products by MAC)

Face:
Apply Face and Body Foundation and Select Moisturecover where needed to create a nude canvas.
Set the look with Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder.

Eyes:
Brows were groomed but kept natural.
To recreate Rucci's mysterious eyes, apply Eye Kohl in Smolder to the outer half of your lashline, top and bottom, before sweeping Eye Shadow in Print over the kohl, bringing it slightly into the crease, and elongating the eye at the outer corner.
For the lashes, cut false lashes (#34 and #3) in half, layer and apply to the outer eyes on top and bottom, then apply a coat of Zoom Lash in Black.

Lips:
To finish the look and keep it balanced slick on a clear moisturizing lip balm.

Finally, I also really liked how he sent out a model wearing glasses. Being a four eyes myself, I think it's great that Rucci doesn't consider prescription lenses and elegance to be mutually exclusive.

imges from style.com except where noted

NYFW: Vivienne Tam Spring 2010

2009-09-13T04:32:00.000-07:00

newAt Vivienne Tam the clothes were all about butterflies, but the the eyes were all Bambi; heavy eyeliner and faux lashes were used to emphasis the lower lashes. It's a look that I've seen in Japanese beauty magazines, but it's something that I rarely see anywhere else. I think that's because it can so easily look like an accident, and it makes people look sad rather than bright eyed and bushy tailed. On some of the models the look went a bit awry, but on others it made them look super innocent and reminded me of Twiggy.

I'm pretty sure that Twiggy is the icon we're meant to connect with here, as the collection itself is very 70's inspired. And, despite all the fringe, chiffon, and too obvious butterfly prints, there were some very pretty pieces. This is a collection that could easily be dismissed as too juvenile, but on the right person, and paired with more mature pieces, there's potential here for quite a few whimsical and interesting looks.

images from style.com

NYFW: Rag & Bone Spring 2010

2009-09-13T00:51:00.000-07:00

I really liked the nonchalant brown smokey eyes that were featured at Rag & Bone, and I was both shocked and thrilled once I noticed the nails. I'm not usually one for matte shadows or neon nails, but after seeing how they were used here to great effect, they will certainly be on my shopping list for spring.

Recreate the Look

Gucci Westman Neville: makeup artist, Global Artistic Director for Revlon, and wife of Rag & Bone co-founder David Neville; described the makeup as an effortless nomadic kind of look, and achieved it by contouring and highlighting the model's natural features. For the eyes She began by applying a matte brown to the entire eye and below the lower lashes. Then she followed that up with a shiny gold shadow close to the upper lashes to highlight the eyes. On the face she applied a silvery highlighter to the cheek bones and lightly added a cream blush to the cheeks to give them a natural flush. To finish the look she applied a matte nude lippy to take down the natural color in the model's lips.

The Products

Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Rich Sable
Revlon Colorstay Mineral Eye Shadow in Tiger Eye
Revlon Colorstay Mineral Finishing Powder in Brighten
Revlon Cream Blush in Blushing Mauve
Essie Funky Limelight nail polish

images from style.com

New York Fashion Week: Maybelline

2009-09-12T01:42:00.000-07:00

Last night we got our first look at Maybelline's work for NYFW, and for me it was a mixed bag.

The makeup at Erin Wasson x RVCA was, well -- shockingly bad. But this is Erin Wasson and these girls were meant to be SoCal hippy rock chicks who live in the desert, so perhaps the awful tans and thick makeup were intentional, like they were supposed to look really dirty.

What do you think? I'm not totally convinced; I think they could have created more attractive dirty girls.

The makeup at Charlotte Ronson was much prettier, and the blush and lippies gave the models a very fresh look that could easily be recreated in real life.

To Get The Look

Apply Mineral Power Powder Foundation to the entire face to create a flawless complexion. Next add Mineral Power Rose Illuminator to the eyelids and cheeks, and finish by sweeping Maybelline Mineral Power blush in Gentle Pink across the apples of the cheeks. For the lips blend Maybelline's Color Sensational Lipcolor in #15, Born With It, with a clear gloss for a hint of shiny color. To complete the look, coat your top lashes with Maybelline's Colossal Mascara.

images from style.com

New York Fashion Week: Ports 1961 Spring 2010

2009-09-11T22:18:00.000-07:00

Ports 1961 is one of the brands I watch for every season. Tia Cibani never fails to produce a collection that is both minimal and detail oriented, and this season she took us on a trip to Japan. This collection was titled Fluere, to flow, which seems more than appropriate given the abundance of draping and floaty silks.

First, lets talk about the makeup. I really like the bold red eye makeup, it reminds me of Kabuki makeup, and a little bit of the eye makeup from Lanvin Spring 09 (I think it's the rectangular shape), but I don't think that I could pull it off, and I'm pretty sure that I shouldn't. I do think the chrome-y red shade would make a great nail polish though, and possibly a really interesting mascara. L.A.M.B also used red eye makeup this season, so keep your eyes peeled because this is something that we might be seeing more of.

The other element I really liked about this show was the color palette. I love how the pops of bold red were used to emphasis how soft and feminine each outfit was. I also liked how the pale pink outfits were paired with equally soft, but contrasting powder blue shoes. All around I thought this collection was a beautiful example of balance and contrast.

Come spring this notion of interesting contrast is one that I'll be incorporating into my wardrobe. I already have a beige dress, so I think I'll look for a bold red belt to wear with it. I also really loved the combination of powder blue and red -- So, I may try out chrome red nails with blue sandals, or pale blue eye shadow with red mascara.

images from style.com and models.com

Hello Again and Project 10 Pan

2009-09-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

It has been a very long time, but I'm able to post again. Just in time for fashion week too! I hope it didn't seem like I had fallen off the face of the planet, I just had to wait a very long time for my Internet to come back up to reasonable speeds (and I recently started playing Prince of Persia, which is of course very demanding of my time ;)

In the interim, I began a 10 Pan Project. The idea of the project is that you can't purchase anything new until you've used up 10 products that you already own. Projects like these are usually meant as a way for people to use up makeup, but I'm extending the project to all my beauty related products because I don't wear full makeup daily, but I do have nine different tubes of body lotion in my bathroom :(

So far the project has been easier and harder than I thought it would be. A lot of my products are going more quickly than I thought they would, which means that I should be able to purchase new stuff soon, but not being able to buy things is harder than I thought it would be. I like new, new, new all the time and resisting has been hard, and at times I think it has even made me feel moderately depressed. *Sigh* Oh well, I suspect that this whole project will end up being a good experience for me because I don't think it's healthy to be so attached to new stuff. Hopefully I'll be able to keep you up to date with how the project is going and what I thought about each product.

Internet-less

2009-08-26T01:15:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, I just wanted to take a moment to apologize for my extended absence. It's because my internet connection has been up and down, mostly down, all week, so I haven't been able to do much in the way of preparing posts. Hopefully, everything will be fixed soon though, and things can get back to normal.

Hope you have a great Wednesday :)

Bobbi Brown Holiday 2009: The Chrome Collection

2009-08-21T00:23:00.000-07:00

"Chrome is cool and icy - beautiful, very modern and brings the skin a mysterious radiance." Bobbi Brown

The Chrome Palette: (limited edition)
For eyes:

White Eye Shadow
Polar Ice Shimmer Wash Eye
Storm Cloud Sparkle Eye Shadow
Iron Eye Shadow
Thunder Metallic Eye Shadow
Moonlight Sparkle Eye Shadow
Cyber Grey Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow
Foil Metallic Eye Shadow
Chrome Metallic Eye Shadow
Charcoal Haze Eye Shadow

For lips:

Pink Mist Shimmer Lip Gloss
Winter Bronze Glitter Lip Gloss
Berry Glitter Lip Gloss
Chrome Pink Shimmer Lip Gloss

Chrome Lip Color: (limited edition)

Port Lip Color
Chrome Metallic Lip Color
Plum Pearl Metallic Lip Color

Chrome Mini Brush Set: (limited edition)
This palm-sized pouch contains Bobbi's must-have brushes in mini format: a mini Face Blender Brush, a mini Eye Liner Brush, and a mini version of the new Angle Eye Shadow Brush; all protected by a zippered chrome leather makeup bag.

Available: From November 2009

Source

W3 d0n+ d473 n0085, w3 PWN +h3m!

2009-08-17T01:38:00.000-07:00

You might ask yourself why this is here, but I've posted it because it's hilarious. Besides, laghing makes you more attractive (not too much of a stretch is it?). I often feel like saying, "Too long, did not listen," but I'm pretty sure that it would just make people mad.

This Week's Sales

2009-08-17T00:50:00.000-07:00

This week there are a few stand out sales, and for some reason everything seems to be happeing on Wednesday.

Monday 8/17:

Tuesday 8/18:
Hautelook is having a sale on Perricone MD today. Dr. Perricone is best known for his Inflammation Theory of Aging; he theorizes that cellular inflammation is an underlying cause of aging. I don't know if his theory is correct or not, but it sounds good. According to Paula Begoun, Perricone MD has a number of very good products, but the overall message is hyped up.

Wednesday 8/19:
Billion Dollar Babes is having sales today for both Amazing Cosmetics and Kinerase. Amazing Cosmetics is best known for their concealers, and recently I was able to test these out at Sephora. They have good coverage and apply easily, since they have a nice creamy texture. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to give them a proper try, so I can't comment on staying power or anything like that.

I don't know that much about Kinerase, except that the face of the brand is Courtney Cox-Arquette and she still looks very good. I don't know how attributable her good looks are to Kinerase, but one can hope.

Over at Gilt Groupe there is a sale on Jemma Kidd Makeup School today.

Today Hautelook is having their Rock & Republic sale. If you need to see swatches of anything check out TNBTTGSY. Karla Sugar has swatches of all their blushes and eyeshadows. Also, Hautelook is upping the ante by holding additional sales today for R&R shoes and handbags.

Thursday 8/20:
Mario Badescu will be making an appearance on Gilt Groupe today.

Friday 8/21:

Boo on Gilt Groupe

2009-08-14T15:43:00.000-07:00

I have to say that I'm disappointed with the Clarisonic sale at Gilt Groupe today. I was hoping that they'd have have individual Clarisonics for sale, or perhaps packaged with one or two relevant items, but I really don't have a use for a whole starter set, especially one that comes with three cleansers meant for different skin types. I get the sense that they just packed up the items people would want and bundled them with the items that no one cared about, hoping that they could deplete their inventory. I feel like if I wanted to spend $195 I would have just purchased one from Bliss or Sephora; then, I wouldn't have to pay shipping and I wouldn't have to wait 2-3 weeks for it to arrive either. What do you think, was this sale as exciting as you'd hoped it would be?

Shooting Stars

2009-08-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

Perseid meteors streaking through the skies over Amman, Jordan, in August 2005.

Ali Jarekji/Reuters

Have any of you gotten the chance to see the Perseid meteor shower? I went out early this morning to try and get a glimpse of it, but I wasn't able to see anything; I think the moon was a bit too bright, but I did see a meteor by chance the other night during my ride home. It was really amazing, and I think it's interesting how I never seem to be able see these things when I try to. I might try again tonight, but if I don't see anything, I might just get something from the Tsumori Chisato collection for Shu Uemura and call it my celestial sighting for the year ;)

Bobbi Brown Holiday 2009

2009-08-12T17:16:00.001-07:00

I was beginning to suspect that Bobbi Brown's holiday collection was going to be very palette heavy since her staff has been regularly posting tweet pics full of new palettes where you can't actually see any of the shades. And, guess what - there are palettes! But, I am still pleasantly surprised.

The Holiday Collection

Velvet Plum Eye Palette

Bone Eyeshadow
Naked Eyeshadow
Velvet Plum Metallic Eyeshadow
Espresso Eyeshadow

Chrome Eyeshadow

Silver
Gold
Pewter

Glitter Lip Balm Palette

Crystal Rose
Crystal Diamond
Pink Crystal
Crystal Gold

Earth Metal Lip & Eye Palette

Autumn Shimmer Wash Eyeshadow
Earth Metal Metallic Eyeshadow
Zinc Metallic Eyeshadow
Black Spruce Metallic Eyeshadow
Sunset Gold Metallic Eyeshadow
Antique Gold Metallic Eyeshadow
Paisley Rose Creamy Lip Color
Rose Garden Creamy Lip Color
Rose Bud Creamy Lip Color
Barefoot Shimmer Creamy Lip Color

Thoughts

The Velvet Plum Eye Palette is becoming quite the holiday regular. I remember lemming it last year, but not being at all certain that I could pull-off either bone, or Naked, so it went un-purchased. I hate to say it, but the actual palette doesn't look like the promo image (at least it didn't last year) and Velvet Plum is not very plum either. If you would like to see actual photos/swatches, The Daily Candy has some very helpful images.

I think the stand out of the collection is the Earth Metal Lip & Eye Palette. It seems a little unlike Bobbi to have so many metallic shades in one palette, but it is a holiday palette, so it should be a little more festive than usual. I'm also really interested in the new chrome shadows. I'm going a bit out on a limb here, but I suspect that the chrome shades are even shinier than the metallics, and for some reason that really appeals to me right now. I especially want to see Silver. Gold might be more wearable in real life, but right now it's looking a bit too yellow for my tastes.

Available in October.

source: Temptalia.com

This Week's Sales

2009-08-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

We are in for some great sales this week!

Monday 8/10:
To kick the week off, Gilt Groupe is having a sale on Freeze 24-7 skincare. Freeze's claim to fame is that their products contain topical wrinkle relaxers (botox in a bottle). I'm not sure if their products really can relax away wrinkles, but there does seem to be a lot of buzz around them.

Tuesday 8/11:
It's now Hautelook's turn to offer great deals on Laura Mercier. I missed out on the lip kit I was eyeing during Gilt Groupe's sale, but with any luck Hautelook will have a similar set. I also suspect that there will be brush sets for sale, so I can't wait to see those too.

Hautelook is also having a sale on Kenneth Jay Lane this very same day. I've been angling for one of his strawberry pendants for a while, but really all his pieces are interesting to me. Even the rings are beautiful, but I have to say that I don't like that they are adjustable.

Wednesday 8/12:
Gilt Fuse launches today. Gilt Fuse is Gilt Groupe's entry into the category of contemporary online sample sales. It's geared towards a younger audience who's looking to spend a little less and is looking for something a little more day-to-day. I am very excited about the launch of Gilt Fuse because, while I love Gilt Groupe, I rarely find that I'm in need of a Valentino cocktail dress.
Gilt Fuse is just for women and if you already have a Gilt Groupe account you are automatically granted access.

Thursday 8/13:
Today, Editors' Closet is having a sale on Thierry Mugler fragrances and cosmetics. Is it bad that I didn't even know that Thierry Mugler had a line of cosmetics? The collection that goes on sale today is titled Mirror Mirror. As I understand it, the collection included the release of five fragrances to coincide with the launch of Thierry Mugler's makeup.

Rock and Republic Cosmetics will be on sale at Gilt Groupe today! I think that I am most excited for this sale. I have yet to try anything from R&R (the price has always kept me a little aloof), but from what I've seen at their counter they have a lot of interesting products, and I hope this sale is well stocked.

Finally, Hautelook is hosting an Urban Decay sale today. Even though I generally feel like Urban Decay is a little wild for my tastes, I can see what all the fuss is about. All their products are well pigmented and come in a broad variety of shades. If your tastes are like mine, and you're not quite ready to walk on the wild-side: their 24-7 pencils are very good, and their shadows like Smog and Sin are great, also their glitter liners have always seemed a like a good way to experiment with crazy without going nuts.

Friday 8/14:
I take back what I said about there not being a sale today. It turns out there is a sale at Gilt Groupe -- for the Clarisonic! If these go 50% off I might really consider getting one; I've heard such great things about them.

*Since most of these sites are invite only, I've linked the images to invitations for the appropriate sites in case anyone needs them.

Tsumori Chisato for Shu Uemura

2009-08-06T17:43:00.000-07:00

Tsumori Chisato, a Japanese fashion designer, recently unveiled the holiday collection that she's created for Shu Uemura. The packaging and accessories included in the line were inspired by her fall/winter collection which referenced The Little Prince and the character's whimsical life in outer space. This collection is one of the cutest that I have seen in a while and I can't wait for it to arrive in the US in September (Japan and Europe should see it November 1st).

Tsumori Chisato

The collection includes:

A set of crystal studded false eyelashes ($72)
Two palettes of blush and eyeliner ($75)
A highlighter ($53)
Three lipstick shades ($35)
A mini-brush set in a gold-zippered case ($72)
A quilted make-up bag ($88)

So, what do you think? I am a , as Mr. Ghost likes to put it, "crazy cat lady", so I can't wait to see these. I like the palettes; they seem versatile and Shu has great quality, but I don't don't know that I $75 like them. I do think that I'm falling in serious like with the highlighter though. And, a matching lipstick might not be too bad either.

Koh Gen Do Reviews

2009-08-06T02:00:00.000-07:00

I just received some of the most amazing samples in the mail from Koh Gen Do. Koh Gen do is a Japanese company specializing in gentle skincare and cosmetics. I originally noticed them on Pursebuzz.com when she went to Imats, and there was just something about them that stuck with me. The samples I received are of their Spa Water and their Organic Cotton Pads.

I have to admit that I was originally very skeptical of the Spa Water. I did not understand how water was supposed to remove eye makeup, or why I should pay $35 for it. It turns out that the Spa Water isn't really water; it's actually a makeup remover, and a very good one. Most of the makeup removers I've tried are dual phase and leave behind some kind of residue, but Spa Water is very different. It doesn't leave any kind of residue behind and it removed my eye makeup completely. The consistency of this is very similar to water, so I can see where the name comes from, and it works much more quickly than I had anticipated. I can apply the Spa Water to a cotton pad, lay it against the top of my eyelashes for a few seconds, gently wipe, and then repeat the process to the bottom of my eyelashes, and everything is gone. I still feel like $35 is a hefty price for a makeup remover, but if you have it to spend, I think you will be delighted by it's performance.

Koh Gen Do's Spa Water looks just like Water.

As excited as I am about the Spa Water I am three times more excited about Koh Gen Do's cotton pads. I have never felt such plushy cotton pads before, and my regular cotton balls now seem very sorry by comparison. I haven't experienced any roughness or tugging with these, which makes me think that they are a bit better for my skin. I wish that there were a better way to convey tactile experience via the Internet, but on a scale of softness, these fall somewhere between baby blankets and puffy clouds.

Another feature of these is that they are organic and unbleached, so these shouldn't upset your skin if you are super sensitive. Also, I feel like I'm using less product with these. They're not as thick as normal cotton balls, so it takes less product to saturate them, yet I can use just one pad for removing makeup from both eyes. After removing the makeup from one eye, I can flip the pad over and it works just as well on the other eye. A box of 60 pads retails for $9, which is kind of steep considering I'd use two a day, one to remove my makeup and one for applying my liquid exfoliant. However, they are good sized so they can always be cut in half to make them last a little longer.

Koh Gen Do Spa Water
Overall Score: 5
Price: $35 for 10.15 fl oz
Outcome: Amazing product, I will be very sad when my sample runs out.

Koh Gen Do Organic Cotton
Overall Score: 5
Price: $9 for 60
Outcome: An indispensable product -- forget cotton balls.

*This review is based on samples that I requested.