Beauty Countdown: Marc Jacobs Beauty- August 9th

Can.Not.Wait

Just in case you beauty bees have been hiding under a rock and/or missed Sephora's 48-hour exclusive shopping window ( I know I did!),  one of our favorite New York sportswear designers , Marc Jacobs is launching a beauty collection in less than 2 weeks! The collection will be exclusive to Sephora and MJ stores and will consist of  122-products ranging from lips to tips (nail tips). If you want to check out all that will be available check out POPSUGAR Fashion's photos to start tallying your dream list. 

I'm really excited about this launch! I think its brilliant that MJ will literally be a "one-stop shop" for all of your needs. Got your dress- check, got your duffle ready and then you need some gloss and liner, done and done. If you are in NYC, this can all be achieved in a mere one block stretch in West Village. 

On my wishlist?  Lux Beauty Enamored Hi-Shine Laquer and the Strange Magic Love Marc Lip Gel as they are both references one of my favorite films TheVirgin Suicides, a movie directed by MJ bestie Sofia Coppola.
Swatches to come soon!

From France with Love- Garnier Ultra Doux with Aloe and Shea butter

Garnier Ultra Doux Conditioner and Shampoo with Aloe Vera and Shea Butter

While I have not yet travelled internationally for the year, I feel like I have done so with scoping out international bloggers and what new product launches have hit their market. As a fan of Fatou's BlackBeautyBag blog, I of course am psyched with what she has to say about new haircare and makeup colors that debut and I also like how she charts her journeys with video.  Just this month Fatou reviewed and also starred in Garnier's new Ultra Doux Aloe Vera and Shea Butter line and all I could think was- I have to try it.
Only one small problem, Garnier Ultra Doux is not sold in the US! Luckily, my beauty angel from Paris was in town this past weekend and brought me the best smelling shampoo and conditioner on the planet!

Garnier Ultra Doux (Ultra Soft) Aloe Vera and Shea Butter is suitable for those with frizzy and relaxed hair. I have the former, dense, kinky, curly springs that are experiencing a near drought due to the 90 degree weather here in NYC. The Garnier Ultra Doux line is so much bang for your buck in terms of drugstore and mass quality. Though the shampoo has sulfates, it doesn't contain parabens or silicone ( if you are cautious of those ingredients). I was surprised that there wasn't a lot of "foaming action" despite the fact that there are sulfates. For both the shampoo and conditioner, a little goes a long way. While I am so used to cupping my palms with shampoo and conditioner, I only had to use 2 quarter sized amount of product for both. 

The conditioner also serves as a detangler, which cut my post wash, pre-style combing session down to no more than 10 minutes! But while the practicality of the products were fantastic, the scent of this stuff is AMAZING! I don't know how to describe it- warm, vanilla-y... like vacation in a bottle.

I love this stuff so much, I'm contemplating tossing everything else.. but first I need to get a bunch of back-ups. I'll have to let me BA from PA know and I'll buy her brunch the next time she's in town.

Riri Hearts MAC: Heaux Retro Matte Lipstick reviewed

It's Riri hearts MAC, Heaux

Isn't it Heaux-larious

Next up from the Riri Hearts MAC collaboration is Heaux Retro Matte Lipstick. The color is described as a "Matte Berry", which doesn't really convey the life of the lippie. The color errs on the side of a deep raspberry and the texture is very lite and long lasting, just like its Riri counterpart Riri Woo.
 While I like the color and texture, I do think that there are plenty of other colors from that can be dupes for Heaux. Try Rebel  by MAC and NARS Damaged lipsticks if you are looking for a Heaux dupe.

Beauty Experiment: Mixing Turmeric with Tinted Moisturizer

Turmeric + DiorSkin Nude BB Creme Beauty Challenge

 Earlier this year I read in a Lucky Magazine feature that Thandie Newton mixed turmeric powder with her base for an au natural glow. Since I love the look and feel of " the glow" a la Bruce Leroy of The Last Dragon and by highlighters, I decided to go ahead and experiment with mixing just a pinch of tumeric powder with my Spring/ Summer beauty bag favorite, DiorSkin Nude BB Creme in #004.
Here is how my day went:

7:50am-8:00 am- I mixed a pinch of turmeric with my DiorSkin Nude BB Creme and applied with my fingertips..I hope I blended well (Checks mirror at the crosswalk), it looks ok, I don't want to look Oompa Loompa-ish.

8:10 am- (Checks mirror on subway platform) Is that a clump? No, the texture is a bit grainy but also surprisingly lite.

9:48 am- (Checks mirror at my desk) Ok, so far so good, my oil glands are going to kick in just in time for lunch

12:07 pm- (Checks bathroom mirror) No yellow! my normal shiny skin actually looks relatively normal- meaning no need for me to use a Starbucks napkin to dab my face.

5:10 pm- ( Checks mirror at my desk) I have a tiny bit of shine ( about 35% less oil than I would have otherwise), no yellow and I'm satisfied!

I will be repeating this experiment throughout the summer because I absolutely loved the way my skin felt and looked!

Tumeric powder + DiorSkin Nude BB Creme = Dream Team!

Riri Hearts MAC: Barbados Girl Lustre Drops Reviewed

Barbados Girl Lustre drops

Barbados Girl Lustre Drops Swatch

 After the 3.5 hours of refreshing by 3 open tabs on MAC's website and 2 browsers on my phone,
I was finally able to get my Riri Loves MAC items.
First up for review in Barbados Girl Lustre Drops. While MAC has had lustre drops in their rotation for a while, I have never tried them. So I figure, I'll try it out this time as I was excited about the possibility of a shimmery highlighter that I can add above my cheek bone or add to my beloved Diorskin Nude BB Creme.
I swatched a pin size of Barbados Girl on my hand (above) and blended the color out to see what the effect would look like. I think I applied too much to my hand because it was a bit too shimmery but when I applied to the top of my cheekbones, it was tolerable (below).
Overall Barbados girl will be in my Summer stash for this year as I'm pairing down on wearing anything but tinted moisturizer.

Gettin' Cheeky with Barbados Girl Lustre Drops

Riri Hearts MAC: Riri Woo reviewed

Riri Woo.. at the kitchen table

Riri Woo Swatched

Before the chaos that was the Riri Hearts MAC on June 18th,  I picked up Riri Woo at the MAC Times Square store on quiet rainy day in May. I was ready for the MA to tell me that the lippie was all sold out but instead showed me the boxes that were available.. don't know if even a lippie is available now. I haven't been to the store since my purchase and I just checked the website and Riri Woo is on backorder until the middle of this month. Pressing on.

 Riri Woo is described as a "Matte Cool Red" retro matte lipstick but unfortunately the color description doesn't do the product justice as Ruby Woo is Riri Woo's bigger sister on the age spectrum and as far as color, both Woos are very similar.

I love the light textures of the retro mattes and this one is no different. The lipcolor stayed on for over 4 hours, including dinner and left a nice tint when rounding the 4th hour.

If you don't have this color already try to hold on for the next 2-3 weeks, its worth the wait.