Laura Mercier Spring 2009 Collection - First Blush

Laura Mercier’s newest spring collection is called First Blush and is based on pinks and neutrals and is about creating a natural yet feminine look. This collection would be perfect for the office or for casual weekends. It is very soft and pretty yet still looks polished. The description from Laura Mercier, “Laura Mercier brings you First Blush, her new fresh and feminine colour collection. The First Blush Face Palette gives you everything you need for a soft, romantic look, including two cheek colours and three neutral shades of lip glazes and eye colours. Create and customize your look with ease using the Mini Brush Set for eyes, lips and cheeks. Finish with the Lip Plumpers and Nail Lacquers to add the ideal touch of pink. All this and you'll be sure to welcome Spring looking natural, pretty, just kissed.”

The collection is based off of the First Blush Face Palette. This palette includes the following:
- Two gorgeous cheek colours to give cheeks a flushed glow in Blushing Peach or Blushing Pink
- Create natural, yet perfectly feminine lips with Flushed, Natural, or Naked Lip Glaze
- Give eyes a neutral and pretty look using Granite, Tawny Apricot, and Buff Eye Colours
To go with the face palette, there are two new shades of nail lacquer; Nude Peach, a pale peach beige and Sheer Kiss, a soft pastel pink. The Laura Mercier Nail Lacquers are DBP-free, Formaldehyde-free and Toluene-free and contain a fast drying element that expedites the drying process.

There are also new shades in their Lip Plumper. I have never tried this product before so I am curious about what it is similar to; LipFusion, Lip Venom, or MAC Plush glass (as an aside, MAC Plushglass is quickly becoming one of my favorite lip glosses ever). The website states that, “A refreshing, cooling effect builds up over 20 minutes to plump lips, lasting up to two hours. Infusion of unique ingredients penetrate skin, stimulate collagen production and beneficially smooth the lip surface. Offer a slight tint to the lips for natural looking lips that are perfectly pouty & kissable.” This product seems to be more along the lines of Plushglass, a cooling feeling with just a bit of plumping to make your lips look like soft pillows. The three new shades that were introduced with this collection are: Pink Pearl, a delicate icy pink; Rose Flush, a plum neutral rose; and Peach Glow, a tawny medium peach.

Laura Mercier also offers a new brush set that can be used for the application of the palette but this really isn’t my area of interest at the moment.

This is yet another collection where I want everything in it. The palette is perfect for a polished spring look and if these lip plumpers are anything like Plushglass, I will soon be collecting all the colors. I definitely want the Pink Pearl and Rose Flush. I also want the palette and the Sheer Kiss nail lacquer. Another amazing spring collection!
photo courtesy of Laura Mercier

Hemp Conditioner

The other day I received a reader question that I have decided to try and answer. The question is “What do you think of hemp conditioner?” Well, I have heard of a line called Hempz that is sold in salons but I haven’t tried it nor do I really know very much about it. I also know that the Body Shop has a great line of hemp products that work great but smell horrid and I have sworn by the hand cream in the past. Since I know and trust the Body Shop, that is where I decided to start looking for answers. I am going on the assumption that the mechanism in which the hemp hydrates the body would work very similar for the hair.

The Body Shop states that hemp oil has a unusually high concentration of essential fatty acids to repair the moisture barrier and help it remain smooth and soft. This lien of products is meant for very dry skin so I wonder is that the same for the hair care products. I decided to begin swinging my search over to the hair care products. I found the Hempz collection on Amazon and I also discovered that Alterna has a hemp based hair collection too.

Starting with the Hempz conditioner… Here is the product description, “Hempz Hydrating Conditioner is an ultra rich lightweight formula infused with pure hemp seed oil and extract to replenish hair's natural moisture and shine. Designed for daily use to smooth, strengthen, and detangle hair without build up or added weight. This moisture balanced conditioner protects hair from the stress of daily styling and keeps it healthy, soft and shiny. Hemp seed oil is a rich source of essential amino acids and nutrients vital to keratin formation, the principal protein responsible for the structural integrity of hair.” The product from Alterna is almost exactly the same thing and here is the description, “Alterna's Hemp Repair Conditioner is infused with patented ultra-hydrating hemp seed oil and nutrient-activating enzymetherapy complex. Enriched with essential amino acids for increased flexibility, strength and shine. Fruit derived enzymes and powerful UV protectants work together to provide maximum color protection. Ideal for daily use. Formally called Enzymetherapy Hemp Seed Restorative Conditioner For Chemically Treated Hair.”

A common theme that I get from these two products and from those from The Body Shop is that this ingredient is best used in formulations for dry and damaged hair. The large concentration is essential fatty acids are going to hydrate dry, brittle hair but those with fine hair run the risk of it weighing their hair down. The fatty acids will penetrate into the hair shaft and will hydrate it and help to fill in the cracks. The hair should lay smoother after treatments with this ingredient and will better reflect the light on the surface. I would recommend this type of product only for someone with dry, brittle, and damaged hair and not someone who has fine or limp hair to begin with.

Guerlain Spring 2009 Collection - Exquisite Paradise

The Spring 2009 Collection from Guerlain is now being known for one thing and one thing alone, the green lip gloss. It appears pale green in the tube and has everyone wondering how this is the be worn and how it will look when it is applied. Green is my favorite color and I love it in cars and purses but I am not sure how I will enjoy wearing it on my lips. So let’s look at the green lip gloss and THE REST OF THE COLLECTION!!

The collection is called Exquisite Paradise and this is the description from Guerlain, “To celebrate the triumph of spring, Olivier Échaudemaison has created a rich collection drawn from an eccentric, eclectic garden of Eden, a colorful kaleidoscope of nature’s prettiest, most sensual colors and organic delights. With his exotic palette, he concocts color that stirs optimism, awakens purity and arouses a desire for paradise that hibernates within every woman.” for me, seeing anything new coming out for spring rises my optimism level and I always want to jet away to a tropical paradise so this collection should really appeal to me!

Kiss Kiss Gloss - Lips get drenched in sheer, pearly or sparkly color with the new Kiss Kiss revolutionary non-sticky formula that keeps lips moisturized while water-resistant and magnifying esters ensure long-lasting effects with a boost of volume. Its flat, smooth brush provides accurate application. Available in three different formulas: Petal Effect gives sheer coverage, Pearl Effect gets a boost of pearly essence, and Gloss Effect provides a subtle sparkling finish.
- 804 Orange Interdit - sheer peach with gold and orange micro-glitter
- 805 Cerise Tentation - sheer coral with pink micro-glitter
- 806 Pomme de Desir - pale golden green shimmer

Kiss Kiss Maxi Shine - Enjoy sexy, moisturized lips with a shinier, plumping, transparent version of Kiss Kiss Lipstick, with long-lasting hold. The ultra sensual plump-up effect is thanks to the active ingredient, Lip Booster. Instantly more voluptuous lips are smooth, moisturized, and soft, and shine with an irresistible gloss finish. Kiss Kiss also features the delicious fragrance based on the ultra-feminine and addictive violet accord that is the trademark of Guerlain lipsticks.
- 624 Candy Shine - shimmering warm pink
- 646 Honey Shine - shimmering light beige
- 647 Grenade Shine - shimmering deep peach
- 671 Baby Shine - shimmering pale pink

Kiss Kiss - Lipstick is like a girl's best friend, her accomplice in seduction. Both luxurious and beautifying, it's also an essential everyday accessory. An ultra modern jewel-like talisman that provides radiant color for lips. With a name so evocative of all that is fun-loving, sexy, and provocative, Kiss Kiss Lipstick is the perfect choice for every look imaginable. Housed in a polished gold lightweight metal case, it's the ultimate in modern luxury.
- 557 Flushy Beige - soft reddish beige
- 558 Forever Beige - dark warm beige
- 559 Corail Passion - deep coral pink
- 579 Rose Miami - vibrant pink rose

Ombre Eclat 4 Shades - Paradis exotique. The celebrated metallic compact designed by Hervé Van der Straeten dons a new dress for spring, in a pure and fresh bronze-green subtly etched with delicate plant motifs and an elegant, slender bird of paradise. An exhilarating palette of four shades: pink, orange, green, brown are embellished with an exotic leaf motif in pearly green.

Ombre Eclat One Shade - A compact powder, very soft, uniform and easy to apply. Intense and lasting color, and impeccable finish for the eyes, whether pearly, sparkly or velvety. The new and innovative Ombre Éclat - 1 Shade case designed by Hervé Van der Straeten is a miniature format that packs maximum impact.

Ombre Eclat Eye Primer - Makeup and eye treatment become one. A versatile formula that treats and beautifies: Using a neutral skin color, a radiant beige, this unifying base was specifically created to prime the skin for makeup and guarantee perfect hold. It is also formulated as a treatment enriched with smoothing and moisturizing agents, in order to protect the delicate skin on the eyelids from the damaging effects of time and environment. It smoothes and revives the eyes at once, creating the ideal base for impeccable eye makeup. A Long Lasting Primer: A delicious cream-in-powder texture saturated with micro-granules so light that they are imperceptible to the touch, the Eye Primer is also formulated with a polymer that adheres the eye shadow to the skin, guaranteeing long hold and true color.

Wearable? Some of it. Beautiful? All of it! I have heard from other blogs that the green lip gloss goes on shimmery and clear instead of the green hue that it appears in the tube. I would buy it just for the name, it translates in Apple of Desire (the apple that Eve offered to Adam that brought about their downfall. I would buy that color just to have it and gaze at it instead of really using it. The eye shadow quartet also falls into the gaze at category, it is so amazing that I don’t think that I could bear to use it and ruin the design on the shadows.

Back to reality! I really would like to try the eye shadow primer, this is the first one that I have seen so far that is housed in a compact and I am very curious to see how the texture and formula differs from those that are housed in tubes. The Baby Shine shade in the Kiss Kiss Maxi Shine would be perfect for my skin tone and will be coming home with me next time I visit Sephora. I would love the to get the Pomme de Desir gloss and the eye shadow quartet but I already have enough makeup that I don’t really use already. Between this collection and Chanel, I just want to buy the products to stare at how beautiful they are!
photo courtesy of Sephora

Chanel Spring 2009 - Bohemian Fantasy

I have seen a return to the hippies of the late 1960s and 1970s throughout much of the fashion world for this spring. However, the trend officially became high class and something for me to lust after I saw that Chanel has jumped on the trend and created a new collection for this spring called “Bohemian Fantasy”. Yes, I’m a snob since I only love bohemian and hippie things after they have been “Chaneled”. Maybe this makeup could even turn me into a high class peace and love girl. Uhhhh…maybe…

Could it? Here’s the collection…

Exclusive Creation Levres Signees Chanel - Lips (Satin Lip Cream) - Irresistible, the five satin lip cream colours of LÈVRES SIGNÉES CHANEL - LIPS Satin Lip Cream form the legendary double C signature, with pale pink to deep plum shades. Limited Edition.

Les 4 Ombres (Quadra Eye Shadow) -Four eye shadows in one compact. Coordinated quartet of shades in wet/dry formula. Shade combinations ranging from matte to frost to satin for multiple looks, contrasting or complementary. Apply dry for subtle shadowing. Slightly moistened applicator gives a more intense shade. Organic polymer derivatives ensure smudge-proof long wear, particularly in high temperature or humidity. Dermatologist tested. Ophthalmologist tested. Safe for contact lens wearers.For a soft, natural look, use a single shade with graduated intensity. For a more sophisticated look, apply lighter shade from lashes to brow, medium shade on the lid, medium-dark shade in the crease and deepest shade to outer corner of lid.
- Mystic Eyes - quartet of plum, pink, beige, and silver shades

Le Crayon Yeux (Precision Eye Definer) - Eye contour crayon outlines and accents dramatically. Creates a clear, precise line around eyes, enhancing their expression. Also gives a gentle shadow to lids when delicately blended with sponge applicator.Extremely smooth texture with finely dispersed pigments for even, long-lasting wear.
- Brun Cuivre - rich chocolate brown

Inimitable Mascara (Mascara Multi-Dimensional Waterproof) - The mascara that delivers it all - volume, length, curl and precise separation - is now in waterproof.
- Brun - brown

Joues Contraste (Powder Blush) - Unique powder blusher imparts a flattering radiance to cheeks. As a highlight, gives a healthy glow. Use to accentuate features (cheekbones, eyes, forehead, chin) for a professional result. Remarkably silky texture for easy application and subtle shading. Natural hair brush.
- Fandango - pink brown

Eclat Lumiere (Highlighter Face Pen) -In a single stroke, ÉCLAT LUMIÈRE adds new radiance to makeup and dark areas of the face. It reduces the appearance of fine lines with an optical effect and lightens dark circles.

- Pink Rose - soft pink undertone

Rouge Hydra base (Crème Lipstick) - Satin cream lipstick. Long-lasting colour wears for hours. Moisturizing formula imparts broad range of fashion-forward colours with long-lasting satiny finish and medium coverage. Vitamin E and chamomile protect and soothe lips. Soft, creamy formula won't fade, smudge or feather.
- Rose Rebelle - dark pink
- Euphoria - intense pink
- Fiesta - pink apricot
- Fuego - coral red
- Beige Desire - dark beige
- Gipsy Scarlet - pink red

Rouge Double Intensite (Ultra Wear Lip Color) - Fabulous word of mouth. Glorious long-lasting colour paired with high-shine gloss. Full-coverage colour lasts all day. Gloss top coat imparts brilliant shine, superb hydration. Base Colour Coat: Innovative fluid texture delivers long-lasting performance, comfortable application and perfect adherence to lips - without transferring or feathering. Dries quickly, too. Top Gloss Coat: Clear gloss's soft, non-tacky texture provides high shine and comfort throughout the day.
- Alexandrite - brown red
- Opal Rose - brown pink

Levres Scintillates (Glossimer) - Intense frost and shine for lips. Cool array of hottest colours in a convenient, easy-to-use case. Gel texture imparts a shimmery, ultra-glossy look. New shades add extra sparkle and shine. Water-resistant formula for extremely long-lasting wear. Vitamins C and E protect against free radicals. Automatic wand applicator for easy application.
- Wild Rose - rosewood
- Beige Guitare - soft beige

Le Vernis (Nail Color) - Long-lasting, chip-resistant nail colour. Fashion-forward and basic go-with-everything shades. Brilliance to your fingertips with must-have colours from the runways of Paris. State-of-the-art formula strengthens and moisturizes nails. Unique patented non-spill bottle with wiping action for easy application.
- Django - beige pink
- Vendetta - dark violet

Am I complete bohemian? Not in the least but there are some products that I really want from this collection. First and foremost, I want the Satin Lip Cream palette. It is just too beautiful to be true. However, I don’t think that I could ever bring myself of spoil the Cs and actually use it. I just want to look at it all day long. I also want the Wild Rose Glossimer to enhance my natural lip color. I still like last spring’s collection better than this one but I am glad to see that Chanel is bringing bohemian beautifully into the mainstream.
photo courtesy of Bergdorf Goodman

Lancome Spring Collection 2009 - Pink Irreverence

It is rare when a new makeup collection makes me squeak with excitement on first sight but the brand new Lancôme Spring 2009 Collection made me do just that. The Collection is called Pink Irreverence and was created by make up artist and the company’s international creative director (what a job!) Aaron de Mey. I don’t know how with a collection name like this that anyone could resist purchasing something from this. The name of this collection makes me think of the first really beautiful day of spring when it begins to get warm and when I want to do anything but work or schoolwork. This collection is already a winner for me just based off of the title.

Here is the description from the Lancôme website, “The New Lancôme woman is all about being irreverent, free-spirited, audacious and spontaneous. The Pink Irreverence Spring Color Collection by Aaron de Mey, Lancôme’s International Creative Director for Makeup, infuses his childhood memories of the Piha Volcanic beaches of New Zealand with Lancôme’s icon of femininity: the rose, the state of mind is set to Pink Irreverence. The most feminine color statement twisted with punkish freedom, this collection sets a new vision of French irreverence. The makeup look is edgy, wearable colors that you can layer to play up the drama or bring down to an everyday look.” the combination of exotic beaches, rose, punk (I can wish!) means that this is my kind of collection.

The collection of my dreams…

Color Design Limited Edition Special Effects Eye Shadow Quad - Formulated with exclusive Micro-Air technology for ultimate smoothness and blendability, long-lasting color glides on effortlessly
- Irreverent Madame - shades of pink, black, and a pale taupe
- Mademoiselle Sass - neutrals

Color Design Pro Cooling Gel Illuminator Eyes and Face - Sheer, shimmering eye luster in a cool eye shadow gel that’s pure light. Use it alone as eye color or under powder shadow to prime eyes for superior wear. Once dry, it won’t slip, slide or fade away. Stays glowy fresh all day.
- Hard To Get - pale pink
- High Expectations - taupe

Laque Liner Pure Precise Lines Long Lasting Eyeliner- Liquid Eyeliner with a precise brush that can be used to create multiple eye effects
- Pure Black - deep intense black
- Pure Sparkle - contains sparkles to highlight and add shimmer to the eye

Le Crayon Khol Waterproof Eyeliner -Le Crayon Khôl makes a splash with a new waterproof formula. This creamy smooth eye pencil perfectly lines, defines, and contours. Glide on to dramatically define eyes or use the smudger to create a soft, smoldering effect.”
- Irreverent Brun - brown
- Rebellious Berry - berry pink
- Blanc Audacity - white
- Confidence Noir - black

Blush Subtil Delicate Oil-Free Powder Blush - This luxuriously silky powder blush glides on with its own brush to colour and contour. This moisture-balancing formula is oil-free and oil-absorbing. Blends easily and lasts for hours. Never looks dry.
- High Maintenance - pink
- Extravagance - neutral

Color Fever Lipstick Lasting Radiance Sensual Lip Color - COLOR FEVER delivers incredibly luminous, vibrant color. Color smoothly glides along your lips with sensuous comfort leaving lips feeling smooth and supple. LIGHT-MAXIMIZING PIGMENTS™ use light as a prism to bring you the most intense, lasting shine.
- Mademoiselle - mauve
- Forget Me Not - berry
- Pink Attitude - pale pink

La Laque Fever Ultimate Lasting Full Color Lip Shine - Revolution in shine. High Potency color. Lacquered lips last for six hours. For the first time at Lancôme, an elixir of vibrant concentrated color and unprecedented shine in one gliding stroke. From the moment of application, densely pixilated pearls combined with unique polymers give multi-dimensional shine that truly holds to your lips: no touch ups for 6 hours. New soft-sculpt applicator smoothly polishes and precisely designs fuller lips in a perfectly even layer for sensual impeccable contours.
- Electric Pink - bright pink
- Optical Rose - pale rose
- Lucent Nude - nude
- Iridescent - pink brown

Color Fever Plumper Plumping Vibrant Lip Shine - A Lancôme first: a powerful new lip plumper that physically and comfortably enhances lip size and volume – without the biting burn – for a sexy, luscious, voluptuous pout. In seconds, lips are stimulated and plumped with two effects: Sensorial Volume Effect: Dramatically yet, pleasantly plumps lips with a unique combination of cooling menthol, stimulating parfums, and polyoils that infuse lips with moisture; High Shine Effect: High-shining oils intensely reflect light to make lips look larger for a full-bodied, luminous pout.Lips are comfortably stimulated, visibly plumped, shiny and hydrated. Color Fever Plumper can be worn as a primer under lipstick or all by itself as a gloss.
- Fuchsia Flaunt - deep berry
- City Mauve - pale mauve
- Downtown Pink - mid-tone pink
- Rose Punk - pale pink

Color Fever Gloss Sensual Vibrant Lip Shine - Color Fever Gloss in Piha Black was inspired by Lancôme's International Artistic Makeup Director Aaron de Mey's childhood memories of Piha beach. This luscious, limited edition Color Fever Gloss shade has been specially made to be used as a top coat. It brings subtle, darker intensity and magnifies lips with dazzling radiant shine. It can also be used alone as a classic gloss for an edgier look.

Le Vernis - It is Lancôme’s most technically-advanced nail polish. Your fingertips and toes will love the boost of color and lasting shine that stays put for up to seven days. Its cutting edge, soft-sculpt brush embraces the shape of each nail for perfectly even coverage in one coat with no clumps. Shiny and Shock Free - Shield Plasticizers keep nails flexible, shiny and more resistant to shock and abrasion. Chip-free for days! Strong and Healthy - Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane (MSM) is a naturally occurring substance known for its diverse health benefits, including support for healthy nails. It is known to boost the production of keratin, a tough protein from which finger and toe nails are made. MSM paired with Shield Plasticizers make nails much stronger and more flexible.
- Sassiness- pale pink
- Piha Black - black with silver glitter

This may be too early in the season to tell yet but I think that this collection will be my favorite collection of the this season. I want everything, every product and every color. Based on the amount of traffic while I was on the website, so do many other ladies. The Piha Black nail polish is already out of stock but everything else seems to be available for the moment. I love the names, the High Maintenance blush, Rose Punk Lip Plumper, and Irreverent Madame eye quad are products that I would buy just for names but they also happen to be my favorite colors in the whole line. I also love both of the eye liner colors. The Piha Black shade is not for me but I would be curious to try it out and see how it looks. This line could begin moving me over to punk, I can use all the cute pink shades and then add a bit of black lip gloss and nail polish. Favorite collection of this season and quite possibly favorite collection of the last few seasons. Pink Irreverence, can anyone unseat you in my heart?
photo courtesy of Lancome

Jonathan Green Rootine Hair Care

The Jonathan line of hair care has never really appealed to me. First of all, I hated him on Blowout after only watching it for about a total of five minutes. Recognizing that his hair product line was revolutionary at its introduction, I did give it a fair try and hoped that I might actually like what it did for my hair. But alas, his shampoos and conditioners were awful and never even left my hair feeling clean. One time, I actually think that my hair felt cleaner before I washed it (something that had never occurred to me before). Using sugars to cleanse my hair just didn’t do it for me. His shampoos and conditioners may be sub-par but I must admit that he does have some amazing styling products. I love both the Silky Dirt styling cream and the Redo spray.

He has now released a new line of hair care products that fall under the “natural” and “green” categories of hair care that have hit the beauty industry with a storm lately. The shampoo in this collection is called the Green Rootine Nourishing Shampoo and “is enriched with vitamins that feed and heal the scalp as they protect the root and create healthy hair from the inside out. Coconut, jojoba, and rosemary extract combine with olive, spearmint, orange, and avocado oils to rid the hair and scalp of impurities, so hair is left thoroughly clean.” Well I am glad to see that the product description does meant something about leaving the hair feeling clean so maybe he is trying to improve on this aspect of his line.

The conditioner is called the Green Rootine Nourishing Conditioner and “is enriched with vitamins that feed and heal the scalp as they protect the root and create healthy hair from the inside out. It's formulated to provide maximum conditioning benefits with black cumin, wheat germ, rosemary, avocado, spearmint, and orange oils, which give the scalp a cooling sensation while simultaneously feeding hair with essential vitamins and nutrients. It revitalizes and moisturizes the hair and scalp, leaving hair soft, shiny, smooth, and manageable.”

The last product in the line is called the Green Rootine Silkening Crème and “is enriched with vitamins that feed and heal the scalp, protect the root, and create healthy hair from the inside out. Made with shea butter, aloe vera, and black cumin as well as clary sage, rosemary, and orange oils to moisturize and condition hair while providing light control and shine, it leaves hair soft and smooth...perfect for creating beautiful, silky hair.”

Some positives about this line: it contains 100% natural ingredients and is free of petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and silicone. I also like that is 100% vegan. I also like that the shampoo includes in the description that is meant to leave hair feeling clean (the very essence of the use of shampoo) so maybe this has been corrected from earlier products.

Some negatives about the line: any mint or citrus oils in shampoos can really irritate and dry out the scalp, so they are generally not recommended for use in this type of product. The description of the conditioner is just a joke because it talks about helping to “feed” the scalp when you aren’t even supposed to put conditioner on your scalp or roots. It also contains the mint and citrus oils previously mentioned.

An aside - Why is rootine spelled wrong? That just utterly irritates me to no end.
photo courtesy of Sephora

Too Faced Smurfette Collection

Too Faced brought away from the norm this spring, no pastel shimmery shadows and pretty pink lip glosses. Instead they offered us…Smurfette? I really don’t remember if I ever watched The Smurfs when it was on T.V. in the early 80s. What I thought of when I first heard about the existence of this was the color blue. Bright blue. Peacock blue. Rhymes with “ewww…” I do apologize to all those reading this who love blue eye shadow and liner but when you have been born with a set of blue eyes, any kind of blue eye makeup turns you into a reject from the 1980s.
Let’s go through this collection to see if there is anything worth wearing in it…

Mood Swing Emotionally Activated Lip Gloss - “An emotionally activated lip gloss that ranges from Smurf-blue shimmer to beautiful berry. Too Faced Mood Swing Emotionally Activated Lip Gloss allows you to wear your emotions on your lips. Depending on your body heat level, the gloss blooms into countless shades of Smurf-berry pink. You never know what shade you'll get, but Smurfette thinks that's part of the fun!”

Smurfy-Eyed Liquid Eyeliner - “A limited-edition sparkling liquid eyeliner. The Smurfette Collection Smurfy-Eyed Liquid Eyeliner lets you show off your Smurfette—inspired sparkles as you bat those eyes at every Smurf you see! You can use on the brows, hair, and anywhere else you want a special Smurf sparkle.”
- Feelin’ Smurfy - opalescent glitter
- Smurf You - blue glitter

So Smurfy Eye Shadow Collection - “A limited-edition eye shadow collection packed with Smurfette's favorite glamour shades. Too Faced So Smurfy Eye Shadow Collection contains four easy-to-use shades that can be used individually or together to create a signature Smurfette look. The velvety shadows glide on smoothly creating a seamless blend of gleaming color. Your pigment-drenched peepers will be left super Smurf-chic.”

So Smurfy Illumination Face Powder - “A face powder that brightens and tones. Too Faced So Smurfy Illuminating Face Powder delivers complexion perfection. Smurfette's signature color-correcting shades blend together for the prettiest perfection—you're sure to be the hottest girl on your Smurf turf.”

This looks like makeup that I could have bought at Claire’s. The packaging looks rather cheap and tawdry and the shades are very unwearable for me. Maybe I had brown eyes, the Smurf You liner would be a fun product to try for a night out, but that’s the only thing I might consider not hating from the collection. And the names? Smurf You? HAHAHAHAHA. I love it!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Hoping For Twilight Hair...

For the first time in ages, I have to admit that I am getting sick and tired of always straightening my hair. Maybe I am just getting stuck in a hair rut because right now I really just hate everything about it, the texture after its straightened, the color, the length, and the process that I have to go through every morning to style it.

Then I saw the Twilight movie and the way that Bella’s hair is styled is EXACTLY what I want my hair to look like. The major problem is that I have no clue how to work with a curling iron. In fact, I don’t even own one or have any clue what I am looking for in order to buy one.
As an answer to my prayers, the new issue of Allure has a section all about creating naturally beautiful, wavy hair. Without products and chemical treatments. I just need a one-inch curling iron and some practice.

I will be reporting back in the next few weeks with my progress in finding and working with my natural texture. If I can’t get this look to work, then something drastic will be occurring when I go to my haircut appointment next month. When I saw drastic that is exactly when I mean, like getting my five or six inches shorter. As in something that I might end up regretting about two days after I do. Oh yeah, if you haven’t guessed the photo here is Bella from the Twilight movie. Like? Dislike?

photo courtesy of http://www.filmgrenade.com/

MAC Blonde Brunette Redhead

MAC Blonde Brunette Redhead. Not your usual fare from MAC, no wild colors or dramatic effects, just a makeup collection with something for everyone. This collection is based on the concept that every shade of hair has several colors that will bring out the wearer’s natural beauty without looking overly made up. From MAC themselves, “Three dramatically different personalities, three perfectly personalized palettes. Eyes, cheeks, lips, formulated to be coiffure-complementary. Designed to play-up the most potent and powerful accessory a girl has: her hair. So basic it's brilliant!” This really seems to be new concept from the company that last brought us Dame Edna and is known worldwide for pushing the envelope and starting the newest trends. Maybe the next trend with be natural beauty. There’s a concept…

This collection consists of…

Eye Shadow - Highly pigmented powder. Applies evenly, blends well.
- Henna - Brunette: dark gold
- Knight - Blonde: dark grey
- French Cuff - Redhead: ice pink
- Femme Fi - Brunette: frosty golden cream
- Pincurl - Blonde: dusty white
- Flip - Redhead: bronze gold
- Deep Shade: Brunette: dusty blue
- Top Knot - Blonde: deep black purple
- 100 Strokes - Redhead: burgundy purple

Brow Set - Strokes on. Adds shine, style, grooming, overall wow! to the brows. A brush-on gel that grooms and slicks brows into shape without flaking or stiffening the brows.
- Show-off - full bodied brown
- Clear - color-free
- Girl Boy - fawned-over blondest

Eye Kohl - A soft-on pencil liner that lines, defines and shades the eyes with rich colour and a silky-smooth, matte/pearl finish.
- Smolder - intense black
- Phone Number - smudgy charcoal
- Teddy - dark-eyed bronze
- Lipstick - Colour plus texture for the lips.
- Chignon - Brunette: red plum
- B-Babe - Blonde: rich pink
- Marquise D’ - Redhead: sandy cream peach
- What A Do! - Brunette: neutral pink coral
- All’s Fair - Blonde: light purple pink
- Blow Dry - Redhead; pink coral

Tinted Lipglass - A unique lip gloss available in a wide variety of colours that can create a high gloss, glass-like finish or a subtle sheen. Designed to be worn on its own, over Lip Pencil or Lipstick.
- Soft Wave - Brunette: tan bronze
- Strawberry Blonde: Blonde: deep red pink
- Live and Dye - Redhead: cool pink
- Quick Tease - Brunette: red purple
- Peroxide - Blonde: white pink
- Red Devil - Redhead: cool orange

Mineralize Skinfinish Degrade -Limited-edition Mineralize Skinfinish specially created for the Brunette Blonde Redhead Collection. Each offers a colourwave of four shimmering shades in a range of light to dark.
- Brunette - soft coral to copper bronze degrade
- Blonde - soft pink to rose degrade
- Redhead - golden to salmon pink degrade

Very interesting collection, I must say that I am more interested in this collection than I have been in the last few collection released from this company. I actually think that I could float between all three of the collections since I have brown hair (with red tones in it), pale skin, and a rosy undertone. This is truly worth a visit to MAC and I can see myself buying most of the collection. I also get the feeling that I could find some HG colors in this collection. MAC had abandoned the dramatic for one collection and this alone brings the hoards to the counters…
photo courtesy of MAC

Urban Decay Spring 2009 Collection

Two of my favorites things are coming together right here - spring makeup and Urban Decay! This collection contains some great new products and shades of eye makeup and one new lip offering. This doesn’t surprise me because the fall collection was all about the re-release of their lipsticks and focused on deep red lips and the whole “Gash” look.

The first new product is the Cream Shadow. This company already has fantastic eye shadows so even though I am really not that big a fan of cream shadows, I am willing to give this one a shot. This is the product description right from Urban Decay, “Cream Shadow channels the sex appeal of the 70’s and the science of today! Whipped to perfection, each shimmering shade dries to a weightless layer of color that will not crease, fade, or hide in fine lines. Unlike most cream shadows, our gel-based formula features silicone technology, allowing time to blend, correct and smudge. Once dry, shadow is light and as flexible as your own skin.” This product comes in a variety of shades and there is a color for everyone.
- Asphalt - black with lots of silver and iridescent glitter
- Delinquent - deep metallic purple
- Grass - metallic June bug green
- Midnight Rodeo - pink champagne with lots of silver and iridescent glitter
- Moonshine - pale silver with lots of silver glitter
- Mushroom - gunmetal with taupe shift and iridescent glitter
- Radium - metallic blue
- Rehab - creamy taupe
- Sphynx - icy pink with silver and iridescent glitter
- Suburbia - medium bronze with subtle gold micro sparkle
- Weeds - medium green with yellow shift and big silver glitter
- Whipped - golden peach with subtle gold micro sparkle

Urban Decay has added four new shades to its collection of 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil. As we all know, I already love this product and try to get everyone I know to try it out at least once. Fro those unfamiliar with this liner, here is the description and the reasons that you must try it out as soon as possible, “The best Eye Pencil ever, ever, ever! Never before has a pencil this creamy and brilliant been waterproof, too. Velvety-soft, this never-before-seen formula stays soft and creamy for blending (about 30 seconds), then dries down to a long-lasting finish that WILL NOT budge. Line eyes with a hint of color or go for the full artistic, multi-hued effect with the wide selection of lush tropical hues, deep metallics and unusually vibrant neutrals. Incredible with Urban Decay Eye shadows! Created with 50% moisturizing ingredients suspended in a sophisticated waterproof formula, 24/7 Eye Pencils offer long-lasting color and a dreamy, creamy feel when applied. With Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E and Cottonseed Oil, these pencils condition skin and stay with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!”
- Flipside - bright teal
- Graffiti - bright medium green with silver sparkle
- Ransom - bright iridescent purple
- Underground - metallic taupe

The company has also added four more shades to its collection of liquid eyeliners, the Heavy Metal Glitter Liner. I still have never tried this product so that is now a must-do for me this season. Here’s the information about the product, “All the glitz of glam rock without the spandex or bad hair. These arresting shades of glitter are suspended in a clear base and apply with a tiny, precise brush. Paint thin lines with the tip of the brush, or sweeping color with the side of the brush for dramatic, jewel-encrusted eyes. Once dry, they will not budge – the glitter won’t fall to your cheeks or transfer to your makeout partner’s face. Make sure you let each coat dry a bit before applying the next for perfect glitter distribution. Heavy Metal can be worn alone, over Eye shadows, or with other Glitter Liner shades. Try a deep shade as your main eye liner, and a light, bright shade as a highlight on the inner corners.” I am really looking forward to getting up the nerve to try this product.
- Catfight - bright pink
- Groupie - pale pink
- Midnight Cowboy - beige
- Stagedive - bright turquoise

The last new edition to this collection is the Midnight Cowboy lipstick. Wow, how many Midnight Cowboy products can this company come out with. But there are people who will buy all of them for the sheer love of Midnight Cowboy. Like, umm…me. The info - “Leaving no shade unturned, our huge assortment of colors and textures tempt you to stray from an otherwise predicable palette. The luxuriously creamy formula nourishes and protects lips with Vitamins A, C, and E. Hyaluronic Spheres (found naturally in the body) are added to stimulate cellular function, prevent dehydration, and fill-in lines and wrinkles—now, how many Lipsticks can do that?! The teardrop-shape bullet (etched with an Urban Decay logo) is infused with a decadent crème caramel scent and flavor. Yum.” Midnight Cowboy is sheer beige that will match perfectly with all of their new bright eye liners.

The conclusion of this collection…I want everything. I am going to try both brights and glitter liner this spring and I will make them work out somehow. The glitter liner in the Catfight shade (the really bright pink one) is one that really interests me and I wonder if I could pull it off. And the new Midnight Cowboy products? Mine, all mine!
photo courtesy of Urban Decay

Philosophy Valentines Day Products

Much as I refuse to recognize Valentines Day as more than a pathetic attempt to sell more greeting cards to those who happily (or unhappily) in relationships. The upside to this so-called holiday is that there are limited edition Philosophy products that are sweet and sugary and wonderful. This company always comes out with hits around this holiday, starting with the insane popularity of the Red Velvet Cake that came out two years ago and sold out in seconds. Not that I am celebrating this holiday but I do need to check these products out and some more of them to my collection.

The new scents that have been added to the collection of 3 in 1s are Pink Frosted Layer Cake, Crème Brulee, Red Licorice, Cinnamon Hot Drops, and Classic Fudge Cake. Pink Frosted Layer Cake smells exactly like a vanilla cake with yummy butter cream frosting. Crème Brulee smells just like the dessert and reminds me of the now discontinued Tutti Dolci scent of the same name. There is always something in Crème Brulee formulations that always smells “off” to me so this one really doesn’t hold my interest. Red Licorice smells exactly like opening a bag of red licorice but the tester at Sephora had a slightly chemically scent to it. Cinnamon Hot Drops is so dead-on that it is scary and will be fantastic for the person who likes spicy scents. Classic Fudge Cake is very chocolately and wonderful. Of all of them, Pink Frosted Layer Cake is my favorite.

The Red Licorice always comes with a matching lip gloss that gives a glossy reddish tint to the lips. Also in the collection of new lip glosses, there is a set of two that reminds me of candy conversation hearts. It is called the Candy Hearts Lip Duo, containing one gloss that smells like angel food cake and the other one like pink bubbly. I’m not quite sure why they are called Candy Hearts lip glosses if they don’t smell like candy hearts but they are pretty nonetheless.

This may be the fake holiday of love but I will celebrate just a tiny bit in my own way in a shower that smells like a bakery.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Bathed and Infused Twilight Series

The Twilight series from Stephanie Meyers has somewhat become one of my chief guilty pleasures even though it is taking the teenybopper nation by storm. I had the first book recommended to me by a coworker and got hooked on the series so fast that I had the first three books finished by the end of the week and was eagerly awaiting the fourth book.

Of course this trend really picks up for the upcoming Valentines Day. Anyone with a money making endeavor is smart enough to slap something about Twilight on their Valentines Day products/scents. In the case of Hot Topic, this is scary. However in the case of a reputable company with fantastic products and service, this becomes a huge deal.

The company that I am referring to is Bathed and Infused, an independent etailer based out of Colorado. Bathed and Infused is the first company that I ever ordered from and the one that really got into etailer over retailer products. This company offer over 500 scents at any given time and releases Limited Edition scents for every single holiday. They are also fantastic to their customers with top-notch customer service and with running contests to create new scents. They offer all types of body and bath products and I have never been disappointed with anything that I have received. The packaging is the best among the various etailers that I have ordered from and is professional enough to appear on a store shelf.

This Twilight inspired collection is called Love Triangle (to represent that in the books, two boys are in love with Bella and she has a very hard time choosing between them). The description of Love Triangle is right here, “ Three’s a crowd. Especially if one is a vampire and another is a werewolf. Inspired by the hit book Twilight, these scents will keep you up from dusk to dawn. (by erbrooks from the B&I Forum).”

The female scent in this series is obviously called Bella. The description, “Simple. Innocent. Her captivating notes of lilac, lavender, and Pink Sugar lure even the most dangerous of creatures.” In the first book, Edward describes here scent as a mixture of flowers and that is what attracted to her in the first place. The Pink Sugar was added to make the scent more wearable for the average person and creamier than just straight floral notes. I’m not all that happy about the Pink Sugar being added only from the point of view that it is not as true to the book. She smelled like flowers and that is what attracted him, not the scent of Pink Sugar. Ok, I will get off my soapbox now…

There are two male scents, one called Edward and one called Jacob. This is Edward, “Sensual and old-fashioned, mysterious Edward's translucent glow shows with a base of amber kissed with a touch of honey, woods and sapmoss. Catch one whiff and he’ll suck you in.” This scent is old fashioned because his is the vampire. Jacob is the werewolf and his scent is much more on the woody side, “Dark and handsome, Jacob’s wild nature comes out with musk, sweet grass and a hint smoke.” Jacob sounds more a like a guy scent and I can see Edward’s scent as one that would appeal to more sophisticated man. If you want to take the plunge and order any of these scents, I would recommend purchasing the Tea-Infused Body Wash, the Body Scrub, and the Body Fluff or the Body Lotion.

Twilight…Bella…Edward…Jacob…Big sales of these scents for Valentines Day…
photo courtesy of Bathed and Infused

LUSH Haagenbath Bath bomb

In only several short weeks, I have ended up with a complete LUSH obsession. Good thing for me that I bought myself that huge gift set on my birthday last year, since now I have enough to last me for at least two or three months. My only major mistake was deciding that LUSH could do not wrong and that every product would be amazing. Of course something had to come along and burst my bubble…

After the amazingness of Big Blue, I was so excited to try another Bath Bomb. For this bath, I choose the Haagenbath Bath Bomb, a pale pink one that smelled like mint chocolate chip ice cream. Super high hopes often lead to a major let down…

The first thing that I noticed with this product is that it took FOREVER to explode once I dropped it in the water. It kinda just fizzed and then sat there for several minutes before it began to dissolve. It shot bits of chocolate off into the water and began to turn the water a pale shade of pink. After several minutes, it got small enough that I was able just to crush the little bit that was remaining. Not my favorite. The bits of chocolate that were in the bath bomb began to melt and than the water turned a funny pinkish brown color. This is not my first choice of bath water color. However this pieces of chocolate contain cocoa butter which really helped to soften up any dry patches that I had.

Then to top it all off, the scent of mint chocolate chip ice cream that I thought that I was going to get was actually more along the lines of spearmint with little to no chocolate. I don’t find the scent of spearmint to be relaxing in the least and it really didn’t help to me have a relaxing bath time experience.

Was there anything good about this bath? The bomb was really hydrating and made my skin feel much nicer than before I stepped in the tub. But of course there is yet another downside to this in that the tub was slick for the next few hours and I ended up sliding while trying to get out of it.

Also as a another downfall of all the oil in the bomb, this product left an oil ring around my tub which took me several minutes to clean up after my “relaxing” bath. I really think that was the worst part of the whole experience since more effort went into cleaning up the bath than if I just never would have used the product.
I guess that this product is discontinued since I can no longer find it on the LUSH website. Maybe this means that I got a older bath bomb but overall I was really disappointed with this bath bomb.

Shu Uemura Spring 2009 Collection

It is the dead of winter and I am pale, gray, and constantly freezing. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel since the Spring 2009 Collections are coming out in droves. I started the new buying season by viewing the newest collection from Shu Uemura. This collection is called Spring Mode and here is the official description, “In this 2009 Spring Mode Makeup Collection, shu uemura creates and unforgettable make-up image. This Mirage Collection utilizes the technique of light and shadow. This soft range brings out pure and natural beauty in every woman. Come discover Mirage’s whimsical colors and dreamy creations.” This collection gets me so excited for warm weather and new dresses.

Here are the products…

Spring Mode Makeup Eye Shadow Palette Utopia - Eye shadow palettes consisting of delicate shades of “light” and “shadow” colors. The foggy pastel and pearly “light” and “shadow” colors create an illusion-like, unforgettable makeup image that gently and gradually arises like a mirage. This palette contains brownish, pale blue, and pale green shades.

Spring Mode Makeup Eye Shadow Palette Fantasia - Eye shadow palettes consisting of delicate shades of “light” and “shadow” colors. The foggy pastel and pearly “light” and “shadow” colors create an illusion-like, unforgettable makeup image that gently and gradually arises like a mirage. This palette contains pale pink, grey, and pale lavender shades.

Spring Mode Makeup Drawing Pencil 14 ME Light-Blue - Glowing colors to accentuate the dimensional eyes created by the eye shadow palette. The smooth gliding formula enables easy drawing on the eye lids. Recommended to be used partially for subtle accentuation.

Spring Mode Makeup Drawing Pencil 15 ME Lilac - Glowing colors to accentuate the dimensional eyes created by the eye shadow palette. The smooth gliding formula enables easy drawing on the eye lids. Recommended to be used partially for subtle accentuation.

Spring Mode Makeup Drawing Pencil 04 ME Pink - Glowing colors to accentuate the dimensional eyes created by the eye shadow palette. The smooth gliding formula enables easy drawing on the eye lids. Recommended to be used partially for subtle accentuation.

Spring Mode Makeup Lip Duo Tint and Gloss-Pale Pink Gloss - New, double-deck lip duo with rouge color and gloss in one. The vivid rouge color provides a healthy tint to your lips, while the pale pink gloss wraps lips with shine.

Spring Mode Makeup Defining Cheek Palette Orange Phase - A palette with new cream and powder blusher to achieve outstanding dimension. Creamy translucent shadow color shapes the cheek definition and together with a dash of vivid blush creates a long-lasting, beautiful finish. This palette contains both an orange and a bronze shade.

Spring Mode Makeup Defining Cheek Palette Misty Glow - A palette with new cream and powder blusher to achieve outstanding dimension. Creamy translucent shadow color shapes the cheek definition and together with a dash of vivid blush creates a long-lasting, beautiful finish. This palette contains a lilac shade and a peachy shade.

Rouge Unlimited 347 - Premiering a high-tech, high-pigment lipstick for unlimited color variation and exclusive lip colors. Empowered brightness and vividness of color.
This shade is a medium rose pink.

Rouge Unlimited 768 - Premiering a high-tech, high-pigment lipstick for unlimited color variation and exclusive lip colors. Empowered brightness and vividness of color.
This shade is a mulled berry.

Rouge Unlimited 934 -Premiering a high-tech, high-pigment lipstick for unlimited color variation and exclusive lip colors. Empowered brightness and vividness of color. This shade is a nude caramel.

There are a two major products that I really want from this collection. The first is the Spring Mode Makeup Palette in Fantasia. I love these colors and I really want to see how this palette can create light and shadow. As long as I can use this product correctly, this might be the cornerstone of my new look for spring. The other product that I am dying for is the Lip Duo Tint and Gloss in Pale Pink. This looks like it would match every shade of makeup that I already own and would be a fantastic color for my pale skin in the beginning of the spring and would still work with self-tanned skin as the summer draws closer.

photo courtesy of Shu Uemura

Lancome Juicy Tubes Rose Fishnets

A couple months back, I talked about my struggles to find the Rose Fishnets Juicy Tube in any Sephora or at Lancôme counter even though I kept being promised that it would be coming soon. In all my product collecting of the past several weeks, I completely forgot to mention that I did finally end up getting it at Sephora the week before Thanksgiving. And ever since…uh well, I had not really gotten around to opening it up yet.

But after all the waiting and searching for my target, I have finally opened it up and used it. I didn’t just get the Juicy Tube itself, I actually ended up getting a set that contained it and four other shades. The set is based around Rose Fishnets and is called the Rose Fishnets Exclusive Juicy Tubes Set. It is Sephora exclusive and this is how it is described on the website, “Lancôme Rose Fishnets Juicy Tube Set contains mini tubes of your favorite Juicy glosses. With a shade and flavor to match every mood, your pucker will get the perfect amount of shine and color. Rose Fishnets is a rosy nude shade with glimmering hints of gold for a subtle, yet sexy, sheen. The Juicy Tube Smoothie trio delivers a pop of color with an ultra-shiny finish while the Juicy Tubes Jelly shade will give you a sheer wash of color that's the perfect accent to any look. All glosses are tucked in a tin with a lacy fishnet background—giving the set a very boudoir-chic feel.”

The five colors that are available are as follows: Rose Fishnets, Daiquiri, Butterflies, Pretty in Pink, and Dreamsicle. All of the shades are pinkish and will be able to be worn right into spring. So far, I have only used Rose Fishnets and the description from Sephora is dead-on accurate. It is a great rose shade with a gold shimmer to it. Normally, I prefer more a silver shimmer in my lip glosses but this one somehow works really well for me. It is glossy without being over the top and the wear is about average for lip gloss. The first thing that actually attracted me to this color was the absolutely amazing packaging since it reminded of the Moulin Rouge and fed my love of France and especially Paris.

I still have yet to use the other shades in this set but I am sure that I will soon. If this is how the Juicy Tubes are as a product, than I think I will be buying many more of them.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Tom Ford Black Orchid

Since I still love Tom Ford but not White Patchouli, I decided to give a test run to his other (slightly older) fragrance, Black Orchid. On first whiff, I knew that this one would be much better for me than White Patchouli. It is much darker and more sophisticated and is somehow unlike anything other fragrance that I currently own. I don’t even know how that is possible since I really thought that I owned everything on the market today. Need I even mention that this turned into a huge obsession for me?

This fragrance falls into the woody oriental group. The orchid flower itself is one of the heart notes of this fragrance and is hard to both grow and find. That might be the key right there as to why I own nothing like this already. The woods and the fruit notes in it help to both bring out the orchid notes and the make the fragrance unique on everyone’s skin. Unique is a huge deal for me with this fragrance because I hate walking into a party and having three other people wearing the exact same fragrance (Marc Jacobs Daisy is a huge offender in this situation).

The notes are: bergamot, mandarin, black gardenia, jasmine, ylang-ylang, lotus wood, orchid, spicy floral accord, orchid (Tom Ford Black Orchid accord), patchouli, sandalwood, incense, vanilla. Definitely not a fragrance for the faint of heart!

Why are orchids so rare? They can be grown all over the world in every different climate, so it made little sense to me as to why they are said to be rare and fetch a very high price in the perfume market. This is why - orchids have developed high specialized pollination systems and therefore pollination is very rare. The plant will die without spreading any of its seeds around and no more will grow. Many of the flowers can only be pollinated by male bees and some are only able to self-pollinate. That’s the key to the rarity of these flowers.

I picture this fragrance with a black dress and great heels to be worn when enjoying the fabulous life in Manhattan. Think Samantha Jones dressed up to go out when you smell this fragrance. She is the first thing that popped into my head when I first smelled this fragrance. Hopefully this little treasure of a fragrance will be joining my collection ever so soon.

photo courtesy of Sephora

LUSH Big Blue Bath Bomb

I have decided that I need a break from winter and that a tropical island visit is just what I need. But then reality hit and I realized that my tropical vacation wasn’t going to be happening this year. I decided that I was just going to have to recreate it in the bathtub and hope for the best. I love oceanic scents but I have found that many of them are overly perfumey and the ones that aren’t have all been discontinued already. I guess the perfumey notes are what tend to sell better. Really, my simu-visit to a tropical island needs to be more about the ocean than the tropical flowers that grow all over the island.

My ideal island would have white sand beaches and bright blue water. No Jersey shore for this girl, think the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. When I say exotic, I really mean far-out and exotic. In my stash, I found a LUSH Big Blue bath bomb, a freebie from my birthday LUSH haul. I had been saving it for a special occasion and since I have no idea when that is actually going to occur, I figured that the occasion of saving my sanity during cold weather would be a good enough time to use it.

The Lush site gives the following as the description of the product. “Packed with detoxifying sea salt, vitamin-rich seaweed, and relaxing lavender and lemon, Big Blue brings the splendor of the sea to your home. This jewel lives up to its name as it bursts open with the bold blue of rippling waves and scents the tub with gentle sea breezes. Sail from the comfort of your tub to the pristine sandy beaches and the azure waters with Big Blue.” To use this product, draw a full and hot bath and then the bomb into it when you are done drawing the water. As the bomb was bursting, I did use my hands to mix the water around so that one area didn’t get anymore product than the others.

My first thoughts were these two - my bathwater turned the most amazing blue shade and there is a TON of dried seaweed in this product. The seaweed got all over the place and while I didn’t like it at first, I got used it to and actually enjoyed the sensation by the end of the bath. All LUSH bath bombs have something in them to explode out when dropped in the water and I wasn’t really expecting the huge amount of seaweed. I was also happy that it didn’t stain my tub after I used it, my tropical “vacation” would have been ruined had I needed to clean the whole tub after the experience.

Well, it wasn’t a month in the Maldives but ten minutes with this bath bomb definitely brightened my day!

photo courtesy of LUSH

Spring 2009 Preview

I have now looked back on 2008 and now need to look forward to 2009. Allure magazine compiled a list of the top beauty trends from the Spring runway shows. Here we go…

- Dark Eyeliner - Lots of show showed models with strong black and brown eyeliner. The contrast of the dramatic, dark eyes with bright, feminine clothing makes a very strong statement.

- Red Lipstick - This is the first Spring season to my memory that red lipstick is popular during. However, it looks very fresh and cheerful when paired with pink blush and springy clothing. This season’s red lips have a moist finish, not a wet or matte finish. This look will be best accomplished with a cream finish.

- Fake Lashes - On the runways, the makeup artists (especially Tom Pecheux at YSL) applied the strip angled upward on the lash line. This is not a look that would wear well of the runway though so it is recommended to apply black eye liner with the false lashes to fill in any gaps of bare skin.

- Highlighter - Makeup artists added shimmer to the cheekbones, the inner corners of the eyes, the centers of lids, and the bow of the lips. Powder highlighter is best for the eye area while cream highlighter is better for the lips. Either formulation can be used on the cheeks. When used correctly, highlighter defines features without looking like the lady is wearing a face full of makeup.

- Brown Shadow - Soft brown eye shadow shades were used on the lids and the along the lower lashes. Brown shadow gives more definition than taupe but it is still subtle.

- Hair Accessories - Decorative combs, barrettes, and headbands make very simple hairstyles look dressed up without a huge amount of effort.

- Brow Pencil - Well-defined brows are a universal must for this season. Brows are defined yet still need to look natural.

- Shine Spray - Hair is glossy and polished, no matter what style is being worn. Shine spray should be applied to the bottom half of damp hair then combed through. However, my hair is thick enough that I can use it on dry, finished hair without have it become oily and weighed down.

- Body Cream - Spring dresses show off more skin than has been exposed in the past few months and that calls for cream that contains gold or sliver shimmer and is used all over the arms and legs.

- Rattail Combs - The comb side of this tool teased hair into tall, exaggerated updos and the pointed tip created sharp parts on clean, neat hairstyles.

Well, I am not totally sure how some of these new looks are going to get off of the runway and translate into real life. I just really can’t see how big of a trend red lipstick will continue to be in a season where pink lip gloss usually reigns. I am hoping that highlighter mixed with a bit of bronzer will move the beauty industry away from the too tan look. I am looking forward to false eye lashes and hopefully getting the ones that I have to work out. Hair accessories could be very beautiful or very scary, depending on who is rocking this look. Shine spray is a no-brainer, since everyone looks better with shiny, healthy hair. I still refuse to believe that black eyeliner will really continue very far into spring. Beauty wise, this could be a group of spring trends to remember for years to come.

Most Wanted January 2009

Grey, dreary weather. Dry skin and hair. This is my least favorite month of the whole year. There is nothing new out to buy, holiday collections are finished and spring collections are just beginning to drop. I just need a couple of things to tide me over until the new fragrances and color collections drop.

What I want this month…

- Dior Softening Cleaning Milk
- Ojon Tawaka The White Ball
- MAC Tinted Lipglass in Frozen Dream
- LUSH Godiva Solid Shampoo
- Philosophy Pink Frosted Layer Cake 3 in 1
- Urban Decay XXX Shine Lip Gloss in Naked
- NARS Blush in Mata Hari
- Prada Infusion d’Iris
- Urban Decay Eye Shadow in Smog
- Lily Pulitzer Fragrance in Wink

So looking forward to spring…