Friday, July 23, 2010

MAC for Wonderwoman!

How convenient, seeing as I am at the San Diego Comic Con International that WWD informs us that MAC is collabing with DC comics for a collection set for Spring 2011.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

5 Beauty Products to keep away from Dudes!

Let's face it, some beauty products are meant to be admired and not used by the manliest of men. I grew up with two brothers and one shared bathroom for my formative years. My beauty products had to be hidden or I had to pour the contents of my products into un-marked travel containers. Now, I just keep all male-unfriendly products away but after thinking about the most intriguing products to a male, I complied a list of beauty products that men will either- 1. mis-use and 2. won't know how to react ( you will see in a bit) and 3. wonder why we even use the product. I'm not trying to say that men are beauty product cavemen with no clue, using eye-liner as a chisel and lipstick as a crayon. I'm trying to say that we women have gidgets, gadgets, whoseits and whatsits and sometimes its hard for guys to decifer what is what. I actually find this aloofness endearing!
Here is a list of 5 products that you should keep away from dudes- brothers, boyfriends, cousin's, dad's et all.

1. Any type of "Venom" for lips
Yes, I am actually a fan of DuWop Lip Venom's cinnamon tingle- but use this in moderation, especially if you have a boyfriend. What may seem like a "love" tingle, lip plumping action to you could be a "OMG my lips are on FIYAH" to a guy.
Save the lip plumping for a girls night out.
2. Dry powder shampoo
This seems like an odd or unlikely choice but its true. Keep dry powder shampoo away from guys. I have a girlfriend who shared that her powder shampoo was her saving grace for second day blowouts unfortunately, leaving a $20 product of wonder on a dresser was not the best idea! Her beauty pirate incidently used her powder on a hot day for this cannon balls.. I'll leave it as that.

3. Eyelash curler

We women curl our lashes, and currently there are plenty of curling mascaras on the market which makes our eye-life a little easier. But genuinely aloof men see the eyelash curler as a medieval torture device or better yet, a different tool. If you want your tool in tact- keep it away from him.
4. Expensive Hair treaments

Something that I have noticed is that guys have great hair. Never have I seen a guy with dry hair, split ends, etc. So why should we share our expensive hair treatments? If anything, whatever bodywash/ shampoo dudes use (Old Spice?). So why should you share your $20-$50 hair conditioning treatment? you shouldn't. Let this be your beauty weapon of choice for soft silky hair!
5. Expensive Skin Moisturizers
Again, spoil yourself for share in moderation. If you should choose to spoil yourself, use an un-marked travel bottle.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Summer 2010: Bronzed Glam Gams






Photo: Bronzed on the Left


In preparation for vacation, I wanted to experiment ( isn't that what beauty is all about? trying new things?) since moving to the East, I don't get sun as consistantly as I used to living in southern California. However, when the days are blazing, much like last week's 100 degree temperature, I found my self getting some sun at McCarron Park.. and getting burnt in the process ( yes, my shoulders are peeling) . In an effort to avoid getting burnt by my failure to use or borrow sunscreen -I cannot stand looking like a Twilight Vampire by the ashiness of Titanium Dioxide!!. Thus, I've gone sunless tanning!


Last week at Duane Reade I picked up 1. Sunscreen (Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch in SPF 50 has been good to me so far), and 2. L'Oreal's Sublime Bronze.

I thought the Sublime was going to be a major fail and I was fully prepared to return it, even asking the clerk what the return policy was.
Now, I have to say that after 1 quarter-sized application on Tuesday and Thursday on my left leg, the results were noticibly bronzed in all its glory- so much so that I did not bear leg late last week. I showed friends and colleagues my results and they loved the bronzed and commented
"What are you going to do about the other leg?"
Yes, what am I going to do about my right gam?
I started applying to the right today in order to catch up to the left but regardless- I love the bronzier sans orange glow my skin has and I know that I will DEF step out of the house with my sunscreen.



Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Sneak Peak of MAC for Rodarte collection


Straight from August's US Vogue.
Pictured: Bordertown Mineralized Eyeshadow and Rodarte Lipglass.
Rodarte will do a preview at Opening Ceremony 's Ace Hotel Space for September 10th's Fashion Night Out.
Cannot. Wait!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Summer 2010: Best Highlighters

What compliments a great tawny bronzer is a great illuminator, highlighter or luminizer ( if you will), either one of these boosts your radient factor by so much more than you otherwise thought. The trick, keep the "highlighters" ready for when the sun goes down. Just like a candle in the dark, these keep your skin glowing and look great when you are photographed in nightshots!
Here are just a few of my favorites for this summer save NARS Luster, which I have chalked up in the past. The few mentioned are an array of pigment focused formulas that go a long way with a little usage.

Clockwise:

YSL's Palette Signes D'Orient- This very rare and hard to come by palette has it all. Illuminant shell and pink highlighters with a shimmer finish and a chocolate bark color powder for contouring. This pallette also includes two applicators, one a mini blush brush and the other an eyeshadow sponge.

MAC HyperReal Foundation in Beyond Bronze- A couple of years ago, MAC introduced Hyper Real Foundations as a second skin foundation that rids imperfections with light shifting like capabilities ( I'm paraphrasing). Not to say that this didn't work, it was too early in the game!
I still have 2 bottles of HyperReal, one being shade 700 and the other is Bronze.
Broze is a great liquid highlighter on top of cheek bones and below the brown, plus a little goes along way.

Chanel Emprientes des Chanel- This year's newbie! This palette has the Chanel interlocked C 's logo in a light gold wih peach, pink and tan shimmer powder is a mosaic around.
As with YSL's D'Orient- Good luck finding this one, it's been sold our since earlier this year.

Tarte Celebutante Dry Oil Body Spray- Ok, I'm beinding the rules for this one as I do have an upcoming post on body glow. However, I was enamored by the cute pink shimmer that can contribute over your bronzed cheeks for the perfect night out.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Alice + Olivia for MAC @ MAC Soho NYC

Ah, here is a pic of the Alice + Olivia display at MAC Soho here in NYC.
Yes, I tested I.Want.Candy and did my comparison against Squirt.
I .Want.Candy is not the carmely finish I so desired from Squirt. True to the color in the tube, the Hot Yellow is a milky, creamy hot yellow with flecks of shimmer, alas when I swatched.. it was the same.
For those of you who crave a unique fun summer color- I .Want. Candy is definitely up your alley!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Summer 2010: Best Bronzers

Look scorchin' without the burn or orangy hue. These are the best bronzers of Summer 2010 based on pigmentation and formula. Though some of these have been around for some time, they still beat some newbies 2 to 1.

Clockwise in photo:

MAC Refined Deeper Bronze- a MAC classic and for good reason. This burnished bronze powder with copper pearl shimmer gives a the right touch of glow with the right touch of bronze coverage. I reserve Refined Deeper Bronze for a great night out.

Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel in Ambre Terre- Ambre Terre is a deep bronze with golden faint shimmer. The formula is moisturizing but doesn't leave your skin greasy. Another plus about Ambre Terre, it has a duel brush! one side is black and blends smoothy, almost like a blush while the brown side is great for contouring.

Shu Uemura Deep Bronze- For us in the states, we need to run out and get this quick before Shu leaves the US. If there is on thing to get from Shu Uemura, it would have to be this bronzer. It's a medium bronze with shimmer. Additionally, since the formula borderline's matte, for bronzed beauties, you can use this as a face powder to even out your sunkissed skin.

NARS Casino- This sheer golden shimmer bronzer is a grab-and-go go to. Seriously, you can brush this on your cheeks, forehead and along the bridge of your nose and you are done. No foundation, just a bit of mascara and gloss can take care of a simple luck. Especially if the temperature is too hot to fuss with the rest of your look.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Paul Frank for Lip Smacker's: Chachi's Fried Icecream Lipgloss Pot



Lacroix loves Chachi!

Upon stumbling into my local Target, I ran smack dab into the Paul Frank for Lip Smacker's collection! The collection features each beloved Paul Frank Character in his or her own gloss, pot or stick form with a delicious scent and flavor.

The collection features the following character and flavors:
Julius- Strawberry Banana, Coconut Creme, Red Raspberry Lipsmackers ( either gloss , stick or pot)
Bunny Girl- Carrot Cake
Clancy- Cotton Candy
Sheree- Sweet Berry
Mika- Sweet Creme
Spicoli-Spinoli
Worry Bear- Honey Sweet

and the lipgloss pot I picked up, Chachi's Fried Ice Cream Lipgloss pot.
Chachi's lipgloss pot is caramel in color smells and tastes just like fried ice cream!

Check out the collection here at lipsmackers.com

Friday, July 2, 2010

Nars Fall 2010 collection : Daphne-centric!


Breaking news from The Cut! Daphne Guinness is the Nars Fall 2010 campaign woman for the new collection and will have a purple eyeshadow named in her honor.
More details to come....

Will MAC have a Squirt Lipglass dupe?


Blogs have been buzzing with news of Alice+ Olivia's collaboration with MAC cosmetics, I'll be the first to admit that I have been lacking on MAC posts but its only because I haven't really found a collection that I have admired like those of yesteryear- However, this fall will bring some much needed fuel to my fire when it comes to the Disney Venomous Villans collection and RODARTE. You best believe I will be all over these two, and now I digress.
Alice+ Olivia for MAC will be the third designer collaboration of 2010, set to launch on July 10th and will feature pigments, nailpolishes and dazzlecreme lipglosses. The color scheme is perfect for summer, kicky blues, deep purple and lime green.

Upon seeing the picture of the I.Want.Candy. Dazzlecreme, which is described ( per Specktra.net) as" Hot Yellow with soft multi-demensional pearlized pigments", I instantly thought - The resurrection of Squirt lipglass!
For those of you new to the MAC game, Squirt was released between 2001 -2002 and was a sleeper hit. Why? because much like I.Want. Candy., the outward appearance of Squirt made it appear as though green would not look good. However, for those who bought into that ideology are now sadly mistaken. Squirt is neon green in the tube but is a carmelish-honey color on the lips.
The last tube I picked up was in 2007 , long after it was discontinued at the MAC store in Fashion Valley and I've heard of some being around here and there.
So how will I.Want. Candy. match to Squirt?
So far, we know that they are not the same type of lipgloss. Squirt is a glazy, sheer, non-shimmer or pearl lipglass. Whereas I. Want. Candy is a dazzlecreme as mentioned above.
Will Hot Yellow be more attractive than Neon Green as far as popularity? Maybe? but Springbeam was a Squirt like green with tons of shimmer. Too bad I didn't test this one out to see as I'm not a fan of shimmer, which I feel could potentially do me in as far as I.Want.Candy.

I'll keep you posted. But until then, Alice+ Olivia for MAC Cosmetics is set to launch on July 8th in US and Canada. August Internationally.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Chanel Paradoxal #509 Nail Colour Swatches

After getting the notification that the Chanel Fall 2010 beauty collection was available on Chanel.com yesterday. I popped into Century 21 ( I know right?) to see if they had the collection. Low and behold they did! And to think, I was totally going to skip out on Paradoxal.
But seeing the color in person made me purchase. I love the mid-tonal purple with a hint of grey iridescence.

Catch the Bare Escentuals Caravan tour!


A couple of weekends ago the Bare Escentuals caravan was around Madison Square Garden and I decided to scope it out. Their was staff on hand for consultations and freebies!
Check the Bare Escentuals Facebook page for for details as to where they van will pop up next!