MAC Year of the Snake

Year of the Snake is one of the full color collections that is coming out this week and I really wish that this collection would have been released last week or the week before, this looks like a great collection but I know that it will get overshadowed by all the hype that is now surrounding Archie's Girls.  This collection was put up on the MAC website late last night and I found it up when I was stalking the website for Archie's Girls, I even passed over this collection because I was so obsessed with finding the products from Archie's Girls.  I will admit that when I put up my Most Wanted list tomorrow that a bunch of the items are from Archie's Girls and I am just so excited for when I can get my hands on that collection.  Personally, I will do a big order from Archie's Girls so that I can get what I want the most and then look at the rest of the products and shades in Year of the Snake.

This collection is very inspired by Chinese New Year however I am almost sure that this is NOT the Year of the Snake and is the Year of the Dragon (am I wrong?) and I think that MAC could have tied this in slightly better with a slight modification of the collection.  Year of the Snake will be available only online so that it isn't competing with other collections at the counters.  I just really wish that this collection would have come out earlier and also been at the counters because I have seen pictures of these products and this is a really strong collection for MAC.

"Look east to celebrate the 2013 Chinese New Year in style - and the luxury-loving individuals born under its sensual sign. The collection is defined by a palette of vibrant shades and shimmering finishes. Features exclusive packaging, slithering with chic."  There is a not a special packaging for this line however all of the color products are imprinted with a snake pattern, this could fall into products that are too pretty to use but I still love this pattern...

Year of the Snake!

Year of the Snake Large Eye Shadow - Highly pigmented powder with Year of the Snake pattern. Shades in striking contrasts of metallic vanilla, copper, deep frosted blue-purple and intense black. Applies evenly, blends well. Limited edition.
- Once Upon a Time- metallic vanilla
- Aztec Brick - frosted true copper
- Altered State - deep frosted blue purple
- Carbon - intense black

Year of the Snake Pigment - Highly concentrated, loose colour powder that contains ingredients to help it adhere to the skin. Create a subtle wash of colour or an intense effect. Does not streak or cake. Easy to blend and long-lasting.
- Brash and Bold - bright magenta
- Push the Edge - deep bright purple with pearl

Zoom Lash Mascara - Major drama. Lasts all day. Creamy, velvety formula builds density and conditions. Feels light, supple. Ultra-sculpted brush has three-sided fibres to embrace and separate each lash, hugging every curve. Coats in one stroke from root to tip. No smudging.
- Zoomblack - rich black

Powerpoint Eye Pencil - Waterproof. Longwearing. Metallic, shimmer and matte finishes. Smooth to apply. Won't transfer, smudge, or budge... Draws the line: powers your eyes. Makes its point. Lasts.
- Engraved - rich black

Year of the Snake Lipstick - Colour plus texture for the lips. Three shades - Freckletone, Cockney and Plumful, each in a lustre finish. Exclusive Year of the Snake design embossed on Lipstick. Limited-edition packaging.
- Freckletone - neutral peach
- Plumful - blossoming rose-plum
- Cockney - sheer yellow red with multidimensional pearl

Year of the Snake Beauty Powder - Apply as a highlight, soft blush or overall finish. Delicately tinted in a pale peach with gold pearl. Year of the Snake pattern embossed in the Powder. Limited edition.
- Shell Pearl - pale peach with gold pearl

I love these Lipsticks, the pattern is so pretty and I love the shades that have the Lustre.  One of my favorite reds from MAC is Ladybug, a sheer red with a Lustre finish.  I wear Ladybug at least once a week which is much more than I wear any other red shade and I now must add Cockney to my red lipstick line up.  This will be one of the few reds that I will be able to use several times a week. 

The Eye Shadow also has me very excited, I love that the size is much larger than the traditional Eye Shadows and there are some great shades here.  My favorite is the bronze shade, Aztec Brick.  This is one of the few shades that I would wear enough to warrant having a larger-than-normal size of it.  Once Upon a Time is another great shade from this line, this shade would be used mainly as a highlighter for me, but this makes the large size even better since this is the type of shade that I would go through the fastest.  I love these shades in the larger size and I am so excited that MAC decided to change the size for this collection.

I do wish that this collection would have been slightly larger, Nail Lacquers in these Lipstick shades would be lovely and I know that they would sell well too.  I also would have liked to see a pink or rose shade in the Beauty Powder, this shade is too warm and will not be flattering on me.

Onto Archie's Girls!

photo courtesy of MAC

MAC Viva Glam Nicki 2

I have been putting off posting all day, MAC has been sending me teaser emails for the past two days about all the new products and collections that are supposed to be releasing this week.  I spent a decent amount of time yesterday stalking both the MAC website and the Nordstrom website in hopes that Archie's Girls would be available for purchase.  Nothing was up for either website yesterday and this morning was exactly the same.  I kept checking on and off throughout the day since MAC kept sending me emails about Year of the Snake being up and ready for purchase.  And nothing...until about half hour ago.

MAC has finally updated their website which is realy good because I have been getting close to giving up.  I don't know if others were doing the same amount of obsessive checking for collections that I was or if MAC was having technical issues but the website has been really slow all day and it is still not moving at the normal rate.  The first of the new collections that I see up is this year's version of the traditional Viva Glam collection and it is another shade of Lipstick and Lipglass that has been made with Nicki Minaj.

Viva Glam Nicki and Ricky was the big hit of early 2012, the Lipstick sold out very quickly at the counters and was one of the biggest shades in the spring and summer.  You might remember how excited I was initally for this shade and then how let down I was when I saw how much yellow was in it, I still consider this one of the least flattering Viva Glam shades ever, it was on par with that super-pale nude from Gaga that was pretty much unwearable for the majority of the population.  Viva Glam's used to be among the best lip shades from this company, MAC wants these shades to sell out and to raise money for the MAC AIDS Foundation so they have traditionally made shades that many females could easily wear.  Not lately...

"Nicki Minaj continues her reign as the hip-hop queen of M·A·C VIVA GLAM. The Lipstick-loving diva is back to serve up a delectable duo of Lipstick and Lipglass in an all-new shade of pastel lavender pink. Every cent of the selling price goes toward helping women, men and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Limited Edition."  I see that there is no Ricky Martin in this year's collection and his unisex lip balm is not offered anymore...

Nicki Minaj for Viva Glam!

Viva Glam Nicki Lipstick - M∙A∙C and hip-hop diva Nicki Minaj join forces to create VIVA GLAM Nicki, a scene-stealing Lipstick. Every cent from the sale goes toward helping women, men and children living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. Limited Edition.
- Viva Glam Nicki - bright yellow pink

Viva Glam Nicki 2 Lipstick - Embrace Nicki's colourful style with her new limited-edition shade of VIVA GLAM Nicki 2. It's a vivid pastel lavender pink, with a subtle sexiness and satin finish that's so Nicki. Every cent of the selling price goes toward helping women, men and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Limited-edition.
- Viva Glam Nicki 2 - pastel lavender pink

Viva Glam Nicki Lipglass - Pay homage to Her Minajesty with a new limited-edition Lipglass in a hot pink. Wear it alone or pair it with VIVA GLAM Lipstick for a perfectly glossed look. Every cent from the sale goes toward helping women, men and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.
- Viva Glam Nicki - hot pink

Viva Glam Nicki 2 Lipglass - Get a shiny finish with the new limited-edition pastel lavender pink Lipglass that mirrors the magic of Her Minajesty. Wear it alone or paired with a Lipstick. Every cent of the selling price goes toward helping women, men and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.
- Viva Glam Nicki 2 - pastel lavender pink

I doubt that I am going to be buying either of the products in this new shade, it reminded me of the shade that came out for Fergie about 4 years ago and I wasn't impressed with that one either.  Both of these shades are very hard to wear and I bet that more people bought them to add to a MAC collection then to actually wear them.  The only item that I am even on the fence about the original shade in the Lipglass, yellow is not in the description of it and therefore it might be more flattering that original Lipstick.  This is a start to the new collections for the spring but I am waiting with bated breath for Archie's Girls...

photo courtesy of MAC

Laura Mercier Spring 2013 Collection - Arabesque

This spring, we have been seeing many collections that are based around pastel hues and will be perfect to flatter pale complexions.  Since my complexion is always the palest shade of foundation that I can find, I take note of any makeup collection that will work best for those of us with skin similar to mine.  Laura Mercier has often created great pastel color collections in the past and therefore it is no surprise that her newest spring collection is a series of beautiful pastels for every facial feature.  I wear pale pink blush all year long and I am looking forward to seeing what shades are released from this company for the next season. 

Arabesque is the first spring collection of 2013 from Laura Mercier, I still fully except a second collection later on in the spring.  This collection is all pastels and will work in the very beginning of the spring and then all throughout the rest of the season, this collection will contain some great choices for the time when my winter complexion is still in place but the warmer days are calling for a different types of makeup shades. 

The Laura Mercier website is not working well for some reason so I am pulling all the product and shade information from the Nordstrom website (while I stalking it to see if MAC has slowly released any new items from Archie's Girls yet).  "Soft and fresh, Arabesque features a poetic blend subtle pinks highlights, serene neutrals and blue hues, accented by full, fluttering lashes for a serenely romantic palette."  This collection starts out with an eye palette that is sure to sell out and will help to create all kinds of romantic, pastel eyes for the ernd of the winter months and into the spring.

The spring collection from Laura Mercier...

Arabesque Baked Eye Color Palette - Laura Mercier Baked Eye Color Palette perfectly pairs five baked eye colors into one convenient compact. Create endless looks using each shade dry for a more natural look or wet to add intensity and drama to the eyes. Contour and define eyes with the mini double-ended brush for on-the-go glamour. The palette contains Champagne, Sepia, Mink, Malt and Sterling Baked Eye Colors.
- Champagne - pale champagne with shimmer finish
- Sepia - medium taupe with cool shimmer finish
- Mink - deep brown with cool shimmer finish
- Malt - off white with shimmer finish
- Sterling - pale slate blue with cool shimmer finish

Arabesque Eye Pencil - Provides precise definition and easy, smooth application. Goes on evenly without 'dragging' or pulling the delicate eye area.
- Charcoal Gray - medium slate gray
- Midnight Bleu - deep navy blue

Creme Cheek Colour - Laura Mercier Creme Cheek Color is a long-wearing cream blush that provides natural-looking color with sheer, buildable coverage and a soft, velvety finish.
- Blaze - deep warm rose cream
- Canyon - medium tan
- Praline - deep tan

Arabesque Lip Stain - Laura Mercier Lip Stain provides the visual effect of a stain with the comfort and sheen of a lip gloss. The long-term wear with a satin, balmy finish leaves the look of effortless polish and understated sophistication.
- Mulberry - sheer deep red stain
- Shy Pink - neutral medium pink stain

Arabesque Lip Glace - Laura Mercier Lip Glacé is a high-shine, perfectly pigmented lip gloss that makes lips appear fuller, virtually enhancing any skin tone by creating a subtle contrast in texture. Containing the Laura Mercier Lip Complex, Lip Glacé hydrates and protects lips, leaving a wonderfully smooth surface. The non-sticky formula plumps and conditions lips, adding a glamorous touch without looking too heavy.  For sheer translucent coverage, try Crystal or Lilac. For medium (soft pigment) coverage, try Baby Doll, Bare Beige, Bellini, Sparkling, Opal, Petal and Violet. For full opaque coverage, try Ambre Rose, Blush, Bonbon, Brownberry and Rose.
- Bare Pink - pale blue pink

Arabesque Creme Smooth Lip Color - Laura introduces a luxurious lipstick that gives lips the ultimate in color, texture and finish. In one smoothing swipe, the cream formula envelops lips in rich color with a semi-lustrous finish. The cushiony, lightweight texture feels comfortable, while pure olive oil and vitamin E nourish. Features an elegant, modern case with a metalized finish.
- Arabesque - pale neutral pink cream

Arabesque Nail Lacquer - Laura Mercier Nail Lacquer creates beautifully manicured nails with long-lasting, chip-resistant, protective color and high shine. The ultrasmooth pigment enhances any nails and a fast-drying element expedites the drying process.
- En Pointe - pale pink cream

Faux Lash Mascara - Open your eyes to Laura's luxurious new mascara, created specifically to give eyes the look of false lashes. As a renowned makeup artist, Laura really knows the dramatic impact of false lashes. With that in mind, she created Faux Lash to give real lashes extreme volume and length for intense exaggeration and drama. The formula is extra-smooth, glossy and good-for-lashes, created with a blend of waxes and absolutely no fibers. Build rich, exaggerated lashes that are extraordinarily thick, super-shiny and conditioned. You'll never need to bother with false eyelashes again!  The key ingredient to getting the look is the Faux Lash Mascara brush. The oversized brush builds thick, beautiful lashes. The dual-sided brush head has short bristles on one side that provide maximum color deposit and long bristles on the other to allow for maximum, buildable coverage.
- Black - black

I am not quite sure how these Blush shades work with the rest of the collection, I wonder if the Nordstrom website put the wrong shades up since they don't match the model or any other piece in this collection.  Barring the blushes, I find this to be a very pretty collection for spring and it will work very well on any one with pale skin; if your skin is really any deeper than pale-medium, this collection will not be the more flattering that you could buy for the spring.

This collection has some very high points for me and some products that I plan to skip over.  First the products that I really love.  My favorite piece of the collection is the Creme Smooth Lip Color in Arabasque, this shade will work perfectly in a conservative office environment, with a natural look, and also with any eye makeup look that I could come up with.  In addition to the Creme Smooth Lip Color, I want to order the Lip Glace in Bare Pink.  All of the same comments that I just made on the Creme Smooth Lip Color apply for this shade also and I must order both of these shades.  The new shade in the Nail Lacquer is my last must have from this limited edition shade range, En Pointe is a lovely pale pink that I will use all the time.

I am not really excited about the eye shadow palette, I was truly expecting to be blown away but it but I find it to be quite ordinary.  I don't believe that any of the shades are limited edition and I could get them anytime, even if any of them are limited edition, none of them are so unique that I couldn't find a very similar shade from either Laura Mercier or another company.  I know that I would never use the slate blue shade in this palette so it might just make more sense to buy the other four shades by themselves.  I want to try this mascara formula but I can buy this anytime so it isn't at the top of my shopping list for this collection.

I was really going after some great eye makeup from this collection but the exact opposite ended up being the case and I found some great lip products instead.  I do wonder how many lipsticks and glosses have been added to my shopping list over the past month...

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Stila Spring 2013 Collection - Beauty in Bloom

The Stila spring collection has finally arrived and I am more excited about it than in years previous.  After all of my holiday shopping was done, I looked back on what I purchased and I bought more Stila sets and palettes for my friends and family than I did from any other beauty brand.  This is a first for me, usually Philosophy or MAC earns the title among my holiday shopping.  Now I am excited to see what this brand has to offere for the spring since this time of the year is when I am buying items for myself and my makeup collection will be expanding...

The new collection is called Beauty in Bloom and I am hoping for lots of pretty pinks and some new Lip Glaze shades and sets.  I saw at the very beginning of this month that Stila will be introducing a new skincare line to Ulta, making me even more excited to shop this brand over the coming months.  In this new collection, I see a new formula of lipstick, several new eye makeup palettes, and two sets of their famed Lip Glaze lip glosses.  I might be the most excited about the new lipstick formula, spring is the time of the year that I buy the most lip products and I love all the lip shades that I have seen on the spring runways...

Here is the Beauty in Bloom collection from Stila!

Stay All Day 3D Wet-to Set Eye Shadow Trio - Unleash your inner artist and paint the perfect eye with Stay All Day® 3D Wet-to-Set Eye Shadow Trios.  A first of its kind, this water activated revolutionary formula delivers excellent payoff that is ultra-long wearing and stays all day.  These high performance, velvety shadows create unique, luxe finishes on your lid when combined with the water on your brush.  Dampen Stila brush #30 with water and swirl into shadow to create a creamy consistency and sweep onto lids. Let dry, then repeat and layer until desired effect is achieved. Use Stila brush #4 to apply as an eye liner. 
- First Light - pale champagne/medium rose bronze/deep warm brown
- Safari - light taupe/deep cool brown/medium brown
- Thunder Cloud - pure white/medium blue silver/deep charcoal
- Desert Sunset - medium nude/warm medium bronze/deep warm brown
- Skyline - neutral medium pink/medium taupe/deep warm charcoal

Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner - Off the runway and into your makeup bag! Stila presents a new, limited-edition shade of Stila’s best-selling Stay All Day® Liquid Eye Liner in a stunning Periwinkle shade.  This easy-glide, quick-dry precision liner stays in place all day - no smudges, feathering, or running. The thin, marker-like tip is easy to use, even for the beauty beginner, and delivers any look, from a thin line to a bold, dramatic stroke.  It goes on smoothly without skipping, smudging, or pulling, and stays in place until you say when!  Waterproof and long-lasting.  Felt tip applicator for easy, precise application.  Goes on smoothly without skipping or pulling.
- Perwinkle - lavender blue

Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner - The hottest hue of the season! Stila presents this limited-edition shade of best-selling Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in attention-grabbing Periwinkle.  This eye liner glides on smoothly with no tugging or pulling and provides immediate color release. The formula is long-wearing and delivers an extreme color payoff.  A high content of volatile silicones and modern wax oil combinations make this innovative formula wearable and comfortable.  Waterproof and long-lasting.  Smudge, transfer and fade-proof.  Optimal play time to smudge out the formula.
- Periwinkle - lavender blue

Color Balm Lipstick - A modern take on traditional lipstick, this creamy lip color provides the full pigment load of a lipstick, yet delivers the nourishing properties of a balm.  Featuring a luxe, satin finish, this formula offers excellent color payoff while phyto-derived emollient properties deliver hydrated, healthy lips. Naturally cooling peppermint oil provides a fresh and rejuvenating sensation on the lips, while an exclusive certified organic sunflower-based polyglyceride soothes, smoothes, and adds volume and definition to lips.  Luxuriously creamy and hydrating formula with excellent phytoderived emollient properties.  Certified organic sunflower based polyglycerides hydrates and smooth lip contours, while adding volume and definition.  Naturally cooling peppermint oil is an emollient-rich botanical that provides excellent antiseptic and astringent benefits with a refreshing tingle that both soothes and stimulates irritated lips.  Knocked-out Stila logo on cap, color-matched to the shade within for easy at-shelf navigation.  A handy mirror on top of the cap for easy application on-the-go.
- Valentina - bright warm red cream
- Sheri - medium mauve cream
- Isabelle - neutral medium pink cream
- Evangeline - medium berry cream
- Maya - medium nude cream
- Vivienne - medium warm nude cream
- Elle - medium warm pink cream
- Ruby - deep cool red cream
- Ali - deep cool wine cream
- Gemma - deep cool magenta cream
- Amelia - bright blue pink cream
- Sonya - medium neutral pink cream
- Olivia - pale nude cream

Lip Glaze Trio "Flower Power" - Beauty is in full bloom with Stila’s limited edition “Flower Power” Spring Lip Glaze trio in three floral-inspired, glossy shades with succulent scents.
- Peach Blossom - warm pale peach
- Pink Orchid - medium blue pink
- Lilac - pale lavender

Lip Glaze Trio "Awesome Blossom" - Beauty is in full bloom with Stila’s limited edition “Awesome Blossom” Spring Lip Glaze trio in three floral-inspired, glossy shades with succulent scents.
- Dahlia - deep rose cream
- Cherry Blossom - pale blue pink
- Rose Bud - medium neutral rose

This is going to be another strong lip collection for me!  My favorite choice from this new product line-up is the Lip Glaze Trio in Awesome Blossom, all three of these shades are cool-toned and will be fantastic for the spring and summer months.  The Flower Power Trio I will skip over because I would never wear the peach shade in it (unless I can find a friend to give it to) even though I like both of the other shades.  I am also interested in trying the new lipstick formula, the first shades that I want are Sonya (medium neutral pink) and Isabelle (a lighter neutral pink), I need a few shades that are not bright and can be worn in a more professional environment.

I am not as excited about the eye makeup products in this collection, I would certainly skip over the Periwinkle shade in the eye liners.  Neither of these are a shade that I would ever wear with my blue eyes.  The Stay All Day Trios are nice but nothing amazing (shade-wise at least, I cannot comment on the formula yet), I like the First Light and Safari shades but there is nothing about any of the shades that are unique or unlike any shade that I already own.

In addition to buying some lip items for myself, I will pick up one or two extra Awesome Blossom Lip Glaze Sets to keep on hand for small gifts for friends.  These Lip Glaze Sets are always appreciated by anyone that I give them to!

photo courtesy of Stila

Nails Inc Bling It On Kit in Romance

Nail art has never been a favorite trend of mine but it is one that shows no sign of letting up anytime soon.  Earlier this year I had decided that I would try a few simple dots or a strip or two on a nail and I still intend to give both of these looks a try when I am confident that I could get them right on the first try.  The tuxedo nail art that Zooey Deschanel wore to an awards show last spring is still a favorite of mine but this one will require professional help for me to wear.  I still have to try a simple look to get used to wearing art on my nails to begin with...

To celebrate all the nail art looks that can be created, Nails Inc created several kits to help the user create several series of looks.  These sets are not for someone who is on the fence with nail art looks and I doubt that I will end up buying any of them, I love Nails Inc but these sets are made to create very complicated nail art looks that are not my cup of tea.  The Bling It On Kit series contains Swarovski crystals and are not for the faint of heart or those who work in a conservative office atmosphere. 

Romance is my favorite of the kits so this is the only one that I am going to look at.  The Rebel Kit is way too out there for me to even consider so I know that I would not purchase that kit.  "A unique nail art collection that includes 3D crystal bows, bestselling polishes, and Swarovski crystals.  Create beautiful nails that are works of art. Bling it on Romance includes a bestselling mini Porchester Square polish, mini Electric Avenue full-coverage silver glitter polish, white crystal 3D bows, and a selection of Swarovski crystals. This beautiful collection also includes glue and a wooden stick for easy home-application—everything you need for beautifully embellished nails."

The set contains the following...

- 2 x 0.13 oz Nail Polish in Porchester Square, Electric Avenue
- 4 Bow Embellishments
- 50 Swarovski Elements Crystals
- 0.1 oz Nail Glue
- 2 Cuticle Sticks

Nail Polish - Professionally formulated, catwalk-inspired nail colors.  This formulation has been specially created and developed using the latest professional technologies for instant and exceptional results. The formulation is long lasting, ultra glossy, and easy to apply so that you get the best possible results every time. All of nails inc. polishes and products are named after iconic places in the UK and streets in London in order to celebrate the brand's British heritage. The range includes shades such as "Piccadilly Circus," "The Mall" (where you will find Buckingham Palace), and "The Thames," the most famous river in the UK.  Nails inc. has a huge color range including everything from super glossy cream shades, liquid metals, shimmery metallics, and glitter shades. Nails Inc. really has something for everyone, every outfit, and every occasion.
- Porchestor Square - dove gray
- Electric Avenue - clear with chunky silver glitter

I like that the nail polish shades are on the more neutral side so the embellishments and designs are what really stands out on the nail.  I could almost consider a more elaborate design against a nude nail, a design plus a bright nail would just not work for me in the least.  I am more interested in the nail polish shades themselves than the actual designs...Porchestor Square has been sitting in my Sephora Cart for the past few days, I am planning to order it as soon as I decide on a face wash to get too.  Electric Avenue will be a great top coat and I will use this one in an accent manicure this spring.

Nail art is still not my favorite trend but if you love designs and details on your nails, then this will be a great kit for you to buy!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Clarins Spring 2013 Collection - Rouge Eclat

Now that the winter weather is in full swing, I have returned to one of my favorite cold weather products; the Instant Touch face primer from Clarins.  Each time that I use this product, I think about all the items that I have loved from Clarins so far and about how many more that I always want to buy each time that I visit the counter.  This French company has just introduced their new spring collection, called Rouge Eclat.  This collection introduces a new formula of lipstick to the collection, a product that I will no doubtly want to purchase after I see the shades at the counter.

This collection is very focused on lips (of course) and the new lipstick formula is the hero product here.  I have craving new lipsticks and lip glosses for the past few weeks, I have actually finished two lip glosses since the beginning of the year (not that it made any dent in my collection) but I now feel that I can add a few more hues to my line-up.

"At Clarins, delicate spring colours are cropping up.  Lips whisper “youth” with a new age-defying lipstick. Skin gets a petal-fresh finish. Eyes seduce in incurably romantic hues of iris blossoms."  I can think of so many shades that I will love from this collection, all this talk about petals and blossoms means that this collection will work so well for my cool-toned pale skin. 

The Rouge Eclat collection from Clarins!

Poudre Multi-Eclat Mineral Loose Powder - Ultra-fine mineral powder enhances skin with a lit-from-within glow and a translucent, velvety finish. Protects from dehydration, so there’s never a powdery look. Just a beautifully supple complexion.  Available in three shades to match every complexion.

Rouge Eclat Spring Face Palette - A compact comprised of luminous, ultrafine powders for a matte yet radiant complexion or a natural pink glow.  The compact contains all shades of pinks, peaches, and nudes.

Rouge Eclat Eye Quartet Mineral Palette - Light up your eyes with a highly pigmented palette that provides a soft finish. The mineral formula offers long-lasting hold and both wet and dry application.
- Color base: A taupe shade with light-changing reflections of green highlights.
- Color base: An iris plum.
- Liner: An intense black illuminated with silver pearls.
- Illuminator: A luminous white.

Rouge Eclat Lipstick - An age-defying lipstick with a satin finish.  ect alliance between skincare and makeup.  Nutri-Youth Complex promotes nourishment, protection, reparation and regeneration.  Fine, lightweight veil smoothes with luminous, vibrant color for fuller, younger-looking lips.  An array of satin shades.
- Aubergine - medium cool wine cream

Joli Rouge Lipstick - This lipstick combines the transparent colour and shine of a lip gloss with the creamy texture of a lipstick. A unique MaxiLip Complex helps plump and hydrate for full, soft and supple lips, while the deeply moisturizing and long-wearing formula provides the benefits of a balm with lip care ingredients.
- Pink Magnolia - medium cool pink with silver shimmer

Prodige Lip Gloss - A new, non-sticky gloss formula that delivers mirror-like shine, intense color and long-lasting hold. Lips become smooth and fuller looking. Comes in eight shades.
- Vibrant Rose - bright cool rose with cool shimmer
- Water Lily - pale cool pink with cool shimmer

I will want to try this new lipstick formula out, the shade that is contained in this collection is only one of the shades offered.  On the Nordstrom website, a full range of shades are offered, from the palest nudes to the brightest of reds.  I bet that I will try this lipstick in some kind of bright pink or red for the spring season.  While I am very excited for the new lipstick formula, I still really like all the lip products that have been offered with this collection.  The Joli Rouge formula in the Pink Magnolia shade will be great for me and is one that I would be able to wear all year long.  I am also really excited about the Vibrant Rose shade in the Prodige Lip Gloss, this bright pink will be great for spring and summer.  Lastly, I love the Mineral Eye Shadow Quartet, I can see so many looks that I could create from it.

I am now very excited about all the lipstick and lip gloss formulas from Clarins and will be visiting my favorite counter very soon!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Urban Decay Oz Eye Shadow Palette - Glinda Palette

Earlier today we looked at one of the Urban Decay Oz Eye Shadow Palettes and right now we are going to look at the Glinda palette.  Theodora contained more dramatic eye and lip shades and reminded me very much of both of the Urban Decay Naked Palettes.  I already talked about how much I loved that palette and I am not going to rehash it all in this entry again, I feel that Theodora will be the more versatile of the two palettes, the neutrals in it will work with every eye color and the liner in Zero can be worn with every single eye look that I could invent.  Glinda contains shades that are more appropriate for the spring, there are lots of pretty pastels that perfectly complement Michelle William's light skin and hair.  My skin tone is very similar to her's and therefore I still think that this palette will work very well for me too!

I think that I will end up wanting to buy both of these, I will use Glinda mostly in the spring and summer and then will be able to use Theodora all throughout the year.  I don't know that I will be able to pick a favorite between the two, I love both of them for different reasons and to create different looks.  Glinda will give me options for soft, pretty looks during the day and Theodora will help to create more dramatic looks for the night.  I can't resist new palettes from Urban Decat so it won't surprise many people when I end up buying both of the palettes.

Both palettes are only available at Sephora at the moment so all information and images come from this website.  I do hope that these palettes come to Ulta coon since when Urban Decay items sell out at Sephora, I can usually get them yet at Ulta. 

"One of two gorgeous limited-edition palettes inspired by the Disney movie "Oz the Great and Powerful."  Inspired by the Disney film’s theme of good witch vs. bad witch (and the good witch/bad witch dichotomy in all of us), Urban Decay created two collectible palettes loaded with beautiful, never-before-seen shades. Recreate Glinda’s ethereal, spellbinding look with eight all new and exclusive eye shadows in six pans (this set includes two duo-shades that are split in half, with a different color on each side of the pan). Every shade features Urban Decay’s Pigment Infusion System™, the proprietary blend of ingredients that gives each shade its velvety texture, rich color, serious staying power, and blendability."

"The Glinda Palette incorporates Urban Decay’s Build Your Own Palette format for total versatility. When you finish the original shades (or whenever you get the urge to experiment), just pop them out and pop your favorite UD shadows into the cool collectible tin. It features a dreamy, celestial design awash in a sheer backdrop of pink, gold, and peach, with Urban Decay and the name of the film in foil lettering."

Here are more details abouts the products and shades contained inside the Glinda Eye Palette!

Eye Shadow - Urban Decay’s groundbreaking new eye shadow formula.  This reformulation of Urban Decay’s eye shadow features even softer, amazingly velvety texture; richer, more dense and decadent color; smoother, more uniform pigment distribution and blendability; and longer-lasting, more crease-free wear. The new line of shadows features a completely revamped assortment of shades, new textures, and a totally redesigned token compact.  The secret to the new formula is Urban Decay’s Pigment Infusion System™, a vehicle for color that holds tightly to pigment and gives the formula its glide. The proprietory blend of ingredients allows color to weave itself through the formula resulting in insane color payout, color that stays on your lids, and sparkle that doesn’t fall. The amazing technology works for every shade and finish. Every Urban Decay shade is silky, blendable, and stays put.  The new assortment of shades features bestselling favorites, all new shades, and several shades previously available in past palettes. Packaging was inspired by NYC subway tokens; the chromed gunmetal compact with a clear window allows you to see your shade and pop your shadows out and into one of the new customizable palettes.
- Tornado - deep vibrant purple shimmer
- Aura - iridescent white with blue shift and iridescent white with red shift
- Magic - pinkish purple with golden shimmer
- Illusion - pale peach satin
- Oz - gold with gold glitter and silver with silver glitter
- South - warm pale grey shimmer with silver micro-glitter

24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil - A dynamic eyeliner pencil in a rainbow of shades.  Glide on color that stays put for the duration of your non-stop, on-the-go day! These cushiony, creamy eye pencils deliver powerful, vibrant color that slides on smooth and stays soft and creamy for blending (about 30 seconds), then dries to a long-lasting finish that won't budge. Line eyes with a hint of color or go for the full artistic, multi-hued effect. Truly inspired, these pencils go all day and all night.  Created with 50 percent moisturizing ingredients suspended in a sophisticated waterproof formula, this brilliant collection of eye essentials offers long-lasting color and a dreamy, creamy feel when applied.
- Rockstar - deep eggplant

Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color - Urban Decay's creamiest, most sumptuously pigmented lip pencil.  This formula delivers all the opaque, saturated, high-impact color of your favorite lipstick and an arresting high-gloss finish in one chubby pencil. And with a dynamic bright to deep shade range in creamy and sparkly textures, the runway-ready possibilities are endless. Even the glittery hues in this collection of high-gloss lip pencils feel smooth on your lips (and leave not a trace of sparkle grit). This conveniently portable pencil's high-gloss shine can be blotted for a more stain-like effect, but no matter how you wear it, the color lasts. Free of mineral oil and paraffin, this formula contains plant-derived ingredients that nourish lips. Because the barrels and boxes are color-matched to each shade, locating the color you want is easy, even in the deep, dark depths of an oversize tote.
- Glinda - light sheer nude

I love all of the eye shadows in this palette, I think that Magic will end up being my favorite since it is a pretty pinkish purple hue but has gold shimmer in it instead of the traditional silver shimmer that we often see in most cooler shade.  This is a very unique shade and will get lots of use this spring and summer after I buy this palette.  South is my second favorite shade, this warm silver is another unique choice from Urban Decay and I am really looking forward to to seeing how many of these shades play out on the eyes. 

Like the Theodora Eye Palette, I own the Rockstar shade in the eye liner already.  I can't say that I get as much use from it as I do Zero but I still like the shade.  Maybe having these eye shadows will allow me to get much more use from this shade this spring.  The lip gloss shade isn't that much of a draw for me, it is a nude so I am sure that I will use it but it's not the reason that I would buy the palette itself.

If I could only get one of the palettes, I think that I would actually choose the Glinda palette as the shades are very unique and like nothing else that I really own.  I could create many of the looks that the Theodora palette would help me create using both of the Naked palettes.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Urban Decay Oz Eye Shadow Palette - Theodora Eye Palette

Urban Decay has teamed up with the creators of the upcoming movie Oz: The Great and Powerful and are celebrating the release with two brand new, limited edition eye shadow palettes.  One eye shadow palette represents the Good Witch and the other one represents the Bad Witch, one palette looks as though it will be good for day looks and the other for nighttime looks.  Any palette from Urban Decay will always catch my eye so of course I want both of them!  Theodora is played in the movie by Mila Kunis and these eye shadows shades have been made to complement her coloring and her costumes in the movie.  We are going to start with Theodora right now and then the next post will be all about the Glinda palette.

Theodora is the "Bad Witch" palette, it contains shades that are deeper and smokier, all of these shades are on the more neutral side so they can be dressed up or down depending on the look created and mode of application.  On the top of the my head, I know that I would use many (if not every single one) of these shades a lot, they will all mix well together and will work so very well with both of the Urban Decay Naked Palettes.  However, do I really need this palette if I own and use both Naked Palettes on a regular basis?  Technicially the answer should be no but since I love Urban Decay palettes and use them all the time, I know that I will end up ordering this palette and getting lots of use from it all throughout the year.

As of right now, these two palettes are exclusive to Sephora but I am sure that they will come out on the Urban Decay website and then to Ulta and select Macy*s very soon. 

"One of two gorgeous limited-edition palettes inspired by the Disney movie “Oz the Great and Powerful.”  Inspired by the Disney film’s theme of good witch vs. bad witch (and the good witch/bad witch dichotomy in all of us), Urban Decay created two collectible palettes loaded with beautiful, never-before-seen shades. Recreate Theodora’s captivating, edgy look with eight all new and exclusive eye shadows in six pans (this set includes two duo-shades that are split in half, with a different color on each side of the pan). Every shade features Urban Decay’s Pigment Infusion System™, the proprietary blend of ingredients that gives each shade its velvety texture, rich color, serious staying power, and blendability."

"The Theodora Palette incorporates Urban Decay’s Build Your Own Palette format for total versatility. When you finish the original shades (or whenever you get the urge to experiment), just pop them out and pop your favorite UD shadows into the cool collectible tin. It features a moody, colorful skyscape flanked by Rorschach-like patterns, with Urban Decay and the name of the film in foil lettering."

Contained in this palette is the new formula of Urban Decay's Eye Shadows, a 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil, and a Super Saturated High Gloss Lip Color (a product that I really want to try!).  Let's look at the products and shades in the Theodora Palette!

Eye Shadow - Urban Decay’s groundbreaking new eye shadow formula.  This reformulation of Urban Decay’s eye shadow features even softer, amazingly velvety texture; richer, more dense and decadent color; smoother, more uniform pigment distribution and blendability; and longer-lasting, more crease-free wear. The new line of shadows features a completely revamped assortment of shades, new textures, and a totally redesigned token compact.  The secret to the new formula is Urban Decay’s Pigment Infusion System™, a vehicle for color that holds tightly to pigment and gives the formula its glide. The proprietory blend of ingredients allows color to weave itself through the formula resulting in insane color payout, color that stays on your lids, and sparkle that doesn’t fall. The amazing technology works for every shade and finish. Every Urban Decay shade is silky, blendable, and stays put.  The new assortment of shades features bestselling favorites, all new shades, and several shades previously available in past palettes. Packaging was inspired by NYC subway tokens; the chromed gunmetal compact with a clear window allows you to see your shade and pop your shadows out and into one of the new customizable palettes.
- Broken - pale cream satin
- Beware - warm brown matte
- Bewitch - dark chocolate brown satin
- West - deep metallic brown shimmer
- Spell - black satin with green and gold shimmer and gold metallic with tonal glitter
- Jealous - pale green pearl and dark green pearl

24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil - A dynamic eyeliner pencil in a rainbow of shades.  Glide on color that stays put for the duration of your non-stop, on-the-go day! These cushiony, creamy eye pencils deliver powerful, vibrant color that slides on smooth and stays soft and creamy for blending (about 30 seconds), then dries to a long-lasting finish that won't budge. Line eyes with a hint of color or go for the full artistic, multi-hued effect. Truly inspired, these pencils go all day and all night.  Created with 50 percent moisturizing ingredients suspended in a sophisticated waterproof formula, this brilliant collection of eye essentials offers long-lasting color and a dreamy, creamy feel when applied.
- Zero - black

Super-Saturated High Gloss Color - Urban Decay's creamiest, most sumptuously pigmented lip pencil.  This formula delivers all the opaque, saturated, high-impact color of your favorite lipstick and an arresting high-gloss finish in one chubby pencil. And with a dynamic bright to deep shade range in creamy and sparkly textures, the runway-ready possibilities are endless. Even the glittery hues in this collection of high-gloss lip pencils feel smooth on your lips (and leave not a trace of sparkle grit). This conveniently portable pencil's high-gloss shine can be blotted for a more stain-like effect, but no matter how you wear it, the color lasts. Free of mineral oil and paraffin, this formula contains plant-derived ingredients that nourish lips. Because the barrels and boxes are color-matched to each shade, locating the color you want is easy, even in the deep, dark depths of an oversize tote.
- Theodora - bright red cream

Goodness, I know that I would get so much use from this palette and this might be one of the few on the market today that I would rally use every single color and product in it.  I think my favorite of the eye shadow shades is on of the ones that was created just for this palette; Spell is contains two shades in one compact, one is the black spiked with green and gold shimmer and the other is the gold metallic with warm glitter.  I would love to see Urban Decay separate these two shades and then bring it out in their permanent collection.  I am already beginning to envision all the ways that I could use this shade.  The rest of the shades will work very well to create all kinds of neutral eye looks but are nothing unique, Spell is the most unique and special shade contained in this palette.

I already own at least one eyeliner in Zero (I think that I might actually own two or three from all the palettes and sets that it has been contained it) but I really like this product and I use black eyeliner all the time so I am more than happy to add another one of these top-rated eyeliners to my collection.  The red shade of the Super-Saturated High Gloss Color will be another red that I will end up falling in love with, I have used very few lip products from this company but have ended up loving every single lip gloss that I ever tried from this company.

Theodora is a strong contender for my favorite of the two palettes but we need to look at Glinda before I can decide!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Giorgio Armani Spring 2013 Collection

Giorgio Armani is a brand that I often look at but own little of as this brand is not readily available to me and I don't love ordering cosmetics online that I could not return to a store easily.  I know that Nordstrom has a pretty liberal return policy so I feel safer ordering from this company than I have from others.  Maybe this spring will introduce me to a new brand but I wouldn't buy any type of foundation or other face makeup from this company until I could see the shades in person.  Considering that what I want most from this company is their foundation, this still might not be my season for really using products from Giorgio Armani...

The spring collection from this company has just been put up on the Nordstrom website and therefore I bet that it is at the counters too.  I see that the model is wearing lots of pale blue eye shadow, a look that I hate and would never wear so at least half of this collection will not work for me.  The pink lips that she is wearing are much more my style so I might start off by ordering a lip gloss or two and see how I like the formulas.  Also the Eyes to Kill Mascara since I am always on the hunt for a great new mascara formula.

The Nordstrom website provides a description of the new color collection, "As seen on the Giorgio Armani 2013 Spring/Summer runway. An ode to femininity awakened by fresh, bright and joyous color."  I do love that this collection is not all about bronzers since I feel like they often play a huge role in the Armani color collections.

Giorgio Armani's new spring color collection...

Rose Bliss Face and Eye Palette - A complete look at your fingertips. On the first tier is Rose Bliss Compact face powder with illuminating Micro-Fil™ technology that offers long-lasting shimmer. Soft and creamy, the weightless powder melts into skin to create a natural, silken finish. On the second tier is three luminous Color-Fil™ Satin eyeshadows in Iced Pearl, Flesh and Hibiscus to blend and layer.
- Rose Bliss Face Powder - neutral rose nude
- Color-Fil Satin Eye Shadows - pale lavender/champagnedeep violet

Coral Bliss Face and Eye Palette - A complete look at your fingertips. On the first tier is Coral Bliss Compact face powder with illuminating Micro-Fil™ technology that offers long-lasting shimmer. Soft and creamy, the weightless powder melts into skin to create a natural, silken finish. On the second tier is three luminous Color-Fil™ Satin eyeshadows in Open, Shimmer Greige and Swimming Pool Turquoise to blend and layer.
- Coral Bliss Face Powder - pale neutral coral
- Color-Fil Satin Eye Shadows - pale taupe/deep taupe/bright robin egg blue

Blushing Fabric Second Skin Blush - Premiering Blushing Fabric second-skin blush: a new sensory experience from Armani. Crafted as a micro-blend of pure water-soluble pigments and lacquers, this cushiony formula delivers buildable color for cheek and face that is both imperceptible and long-lasting.
- No. 08 HD Orange - bright warm orange
- No. 09 HD Fuchsia - bright cool magenta

Face Fabric Foundation - Unprecedented fabric-like texture. Translucent color.  An invisible makeup with 3D Micro-fil™ technology has formulations which bring lightness and fluidity to makeup, allowing infinite blending and layering to enhance the natural glow of the skin. A subtle, neutral palette is accented with two shades—Porcelain and Apricot—to be used alone to create a healthy-looking glow, combined with any of the shades to boost the color, or alone to sculpt or highlight the complexion.

Eyes to Kill Mascara - Dress the eyes with powerful, plush, separated, voluminous lashes. Fine, fluid Micro-fil™ technology creates intensely captivating lash texture. Micro waxes combined with a fineness agent allow for smooth and easy application, revealing weightless volume for lashes. As a final touch, the target-smooth agents coat each lash, creating uniform volume and texture from root to tip.

Smooth Silk Eye Pencil - Soft, versatile texture for a defined or smoky look. This silky-soft formula allows for precise, easy application and versatile looks. Use it to subtly define or to intensify your eye look. Glide the smudger over eyeliner for a sexy, smoky result. Available in a subtle palette from pale taupe to soft black.
- #12 Brown/Black - deep brown

So how do we replicate the lip look on the model?!  There is not one lip product in this collection, a fact that has me very upset right now.  I was looking forward to starting my journey with this brand by buying a lip gloss or two and perhaps the mascara.  However I cannot start with simply ordering a new foundation when I can't try the shades and I don't know that I really like either of the blush shades or the palettes that are in this spring's collection.  I am a bit disappointed now since I was really excited for the lip shade that the model is wearing and to order a new lip gloss or two...

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot

In addition to Rebel Romance, MAC has also introduced a small eye makeup collection this week, Pro Longwear Paint Pot.  This is a very busy month for MAC, they have released their Spring and Summer Runway looks already, this new collection and Rebel Romance, and have Year of the Snake and Archie's Girl right on the horizon.  I can't even imagine what my next trip to the counter is going to look like.  I must say that I am the most excited for Archie's Girls and am looking forward to being able to pre-order my favorites sometime soon. 

I have used Paint Pots for several years now and while I do like them, they are not my favorite cream eye shadow and I mostly buy them when MAC comes out with a great shade in them.  I use them mostly for pigment and highlighting but I also know that they get used by a lot of ladies as an eye makeup primer.  I haven't tried them in this regard, I used my first shade once without a primer and I found that it creased and flaked way too much so I can't imagine how well these actually work as a primer...

"Eyes shimmer and shine with the pearly glow of M·A·C Paint Pots - now in a rich, creamy formula that dries with vibrant intensity, delivering illuminating dimension and a lustrous pearlized finish."  It appears that the new Pro Longwear formula produces a richer pigment and has a softer and creamier texture.  I would use this product as a eye shadow only, there is nothing in the description about being longer lasting so I doubt that they function any better as primers than the original formula.

Here are the new versions of the Paint Pot...

Pro Longwear Paint Pot - Long-wearing, highly pigmented eye colour goes on creamy, dries to an intense, vibrant, pearlized finish. Seamless coverage without weight or caking blends smoothly over the lids. Cream-based, can be mixed with M·A·C shadows and liners.
- Chilled on Ice - frosted white gold
- Let's Skate - pale pink with pearl
- Vintage Selection - frosted dirty peach
- Let Me Pop - frosted light copper
- Antique Diamond - frosted olive silver
- Dangerous Cuvee - frosted cool gray
- Frozen Violet - frosted purple silver
- Blackground - black-gray with multicolour

242 Shader Brush - For powder, concealer or emollient-based product application. This brush has firm fibers carefully shaped to form a rounded edge for a smooth, even finish. M·A·C professional brushes are hand-sculpted and assembled using the finest quality materials. They feature wood handles and nickel-plated brass ferrules.

I don't really see that MAC has been able to teach us how this formula is any different than the previous, the description makes the eye shadow seem as though it will be a creamier texture and have more color payoff but I am sure that this will vary between the shades as it did in the original formula.  I am not quite sold on this product yet, I don't see a ton of differences and there aren't any shades that I really love from this line up.  I like the Let's Skate shade, the pale shimmering pink and I would use this shade with other shades of pinks, golds, and silvers this spring but there is nothing super unique about this shade and I know that I could find either the exact shade or a very similar one from multiple companies.  The other shades that I like are: Chilled on Ice, Vintage Selection, and Let Me Pop.  I know that I would really use these neutrals if the formula is fantastic but again, they are not super unique.

I hope that these are carried at the counters so that I am so a side-by-side comparison of the next and old formulas.  If not, then I don't really think that I will invest in many of these since this wasn't my favorite formula to begin with.

photo courtesy of MAC

MAC Valentine's Day 2013 Collection - Rebel Romance

Following on the heels of the fabulous Illamasqua Valentine's Day color collection, MAC has just released Rebel Romance to their website.  If my memory serves me from previous years, MAC has released an online-only collection of some of their best reds, pinks, and purples; all of which would be great choices to wear on Valentine's Day.  Since all of these shades are permanent, you can decide what you like the most and then try them out at your favorite counter or store.  No one that reads this blog would mistake me for a Valentine's Day girl, I never celebrate this holiday and am more than happy to work all day and then attend class at night.  But I wouldn't mind a new MAC Lipstick or two...

Rebel Romance contains some pieces to create deep eyes, bright lips, and then matching bright nails from the new permanent Nail Lacquer product line.  I love that MAC now has Lipsticks and Nail Lacquers that are exact matches, I would love if NARS had a similar collection since I would love a polish that exactly matches Schiap...

"Revel in the spirit of red this Valentine's Day with M•A•C's online-exclusive selection of shades, for every love-obsessed, passionate rebel."

Here is the new Valentine's Day collection from MAC!

Powerpoint Eye Pencil - Waterproof. Longwearing. Metallic, shimmer and matte finishes. Smooth to apply. Won't transfer, smudge, or budge... Draws the line: powers your eyes. Makes its point. Lasts.
- Engraved - rich black

Haute and Naughty Lash - A two-in-one mascara that lets you choose if you want lashes to be naturally defined, or instantly combed and loaded for full-on drama. Easy to use dual-wiper system allows this lightweight formula to go on either way. One wiper refines the application for a clean sweep, while the other loads the lashes for greater impact.
- Black - black

Lipstick - Colour plus texture for the lips.  Stands out on the runway.  Simmers on the street!  What made MAC famous.
- MAC Red - vivid bright bluish-red (Satin)
- Rebel - midtonal cream plum (Satin)
- Diva - intense reddish-burgundy (Matte)

Nail Lacquer - Revolutionary new high gloss formula. Three long-wearing finishes - Cream, Sheer, and Frosted. Visibly different. Provides no-streak/no-chip finish. Contains conditioners and UV protection. Go hi-lacquer!
- Russian Red - midtonal neutral red
- Dark Angel - goth romantic dark lilac
- Vintage Vamp - rich deep retro wine

I love the Nail Lacquers in this collection but I would have used them much more in the fall and winter, if I decide to buy them now I would only use them a few times before I put shades like these away for the season.  Russian Red is the only shade that I would consider using in a pedicure after the winter is over but the others will be set aside.  I might just keep these shades on the backburner until next August...

The same thoughts hold for the Lipsticks, I already own MAC Red and I would only use Diva in the fall and winter.  So I might just hold Diva for next fall and decide if I still want to purchase it in a few months.  The mascara is the only item that I want right now from this collection so I may need to buy a tube of it next time that I go to the counter but this is not a needed item at this time.

Is Valentine's Day over yet?!

photo courtesy of MAC

Deborah Lippmann Spring 2013 Collection - Romantic Rapture

Deborah Lippmann has brought out her spring polish shades and I could not be more excited to start adding more pastels to my polish collection.  I have still have not yet solved the storage issue or gotten over to Bed Bath and Beyond to look at drawers so I really shouldn't be adding that many more polishes to my collection but spring and summer are two of my favorite times to buy more polishes, last spring I bought more China Glaze and OPI polishes than every before and I also discovered Butter London so I am hoping that this spring is very similar.  I am excited about so many of the new shades from all kinds of companies that I have been hearing rumors about and since the Deborah Lippmann shades are up on the website, this is the collection that we are going to look at today.

Romantic Rapture is the name of the new collection from this company and it contains three new shades that are all pastels.  I haven't bought any pastels since last spring so it is high time that I add some more to my collection, I wear pastels all spring and then into the very beginning of summer.  I find that pastels are the only way that I can bring somewhat non-traditional shades into a professional environment.  Being an MBA student, I am very conscious of what I will and will not be able to wear to work in the coming years and while I love all kinds of polish colors, I always make that I have own at least six or seven that I can always wear in a conservative environment.  Of course a pastel in a slightly off-kilter hue is much less noticeable than the same hue in a bright shade...

The shades in Romantic Rapture are...

- Moon Rendezvous - faded slate blue (shimmer)
- Groove is in the Heart - flamingo pink (cream)
- Careless Whisper - scintillating nude (shimmer)

Moon Rendezvous is my favorite of shades, it is a faded cornflower blue shade with a shimmer finish.  Cornflower Blue was a favorite shade of mine when I used to color as a kid and this is the closest shade that I have ever seen to that beloved crayon shade.  I want to order this shade as soon as I can and this is a great example of a non-traditional shade that could be worn in a conservative environment.  Groove is in the Heart is a nice pink but I don't find it to be anything special.  I know that I would wear and like this shade throughout the spring and summer but I will postpone my purchase on it until I look at the other collections and see if there is a pink that I fall madly in love with.  Careless Whisper is another polish that I want to order right now, I loved pale nude hues and Deborah Lippmann does them better than any other line that I have ever tried. 

I love these polishes from Deborah Lippmann and I am excited to see what else comes out this spring!

photo courtesy of Deborah Lippmann

Current Favorites!

It has been about a month since I last put my favorites up and I have been trying to stick to a schedule of dong one at least every four weeks.  Last December, I was all about red shades for lips and nails but then as soon as the holidays went by, I really stopped wearing red on a daily basis.  Right now I am more interested in skincare products and mixing more neutral shades into my makeup looks.  I am all about leaving winter behind as soon as possible and beginning to wear shades that scream "spring", I still haven't even really begun my spring beauty shopping yet but I have a huge list of products and shades that I want buy. 

My favorites right now include the Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil, which should be no surprise to anyone since I raved about the product in it's initial review and have been comparting every single skincare product that I have used ever since to it.  In fact, I had planned to do a Theme Week of skincare ingredients this month but I am having to push it to next month since I haven't been able to try all the products that I bought and still use the Maracuja Oil optimally.  It it pretty rare that I find a skincare item that has the power to change my whole regime...

My five favorites of right now!

Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil - "A 100 percent pure organic maracuja oil.  This undiluted organic and moisturizing maracuja oil quickly absorbs for firmer, brighter, smoother skin. Pure maracuja oil is rich in vitamin C, so skin appears instantly brighter and more radiant, as well as essential fatty acids (EFAs), a requirement for healthy skin cells that the body cannot produce on its own. EFA deficiency can result in the breakdown of essential skin cells which causes skin to appear dry and aged. By supplementing skin with pure maracuja oil, you are infusing life back into dull skin and replenishing EFAs to rapidly rebuild and repair. This potent antiaging elixir that has anti-inflammatory benefits promotes active skin recovery and delivers maximum hydration without any greasy or filmy feel."  I just can't rave about this face oil enough, it is very hydrating and is actually helping my skin to retain moisture in between uses.  My skin just looker brighter thanks to all the Vitamin C in the product and my face hasn't taken on the gray pallor that it often does in the dead of winter.  The only breakout that I had when I started using the oil has compltely gone away and no more have popped up since then.  This oil is the best product that I have used on my skin for the past few months.

Illamasqua Nail Varnish in DWS - "A vivacious nail varnish.  Leave your mark with bold, rich, vibrant colors that stand out. The formula is long-wearing and chip-resistant and contains individual finishes from matte to high-gloss. Apply two coats for high-intensity and use with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat and Illamasqua Nail Top Coat for the perfect finish. Make a statement and talk with your hands!"  DWS is a "cement gray cream" and is a neutral hue for me this time of the year.  this shade matches pretty much everything that I own and I get three to four days of wear from the shade with very minimal tip wear.  I have been turning to this shade at least once a week for the past month and I will continue to wear it for the rest of the winter and then into spring.

Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb - "This floral explosion releases a profusion of flowers that has the power to make everything seem more positive. Magically evocative notes immediately awaken your deepest senses, giving you the impression of living life in your own secret garden, away from reality. Sambac jasmine, centifolia rose, cattleya orchid, and ballerina freesia bloom on a base of patchouli.  Notes: Sambac Jasmine, Centifolia Rose, Cattleya Orchid, Ballerina Freesia, Patchouli."  Flowerbomb is a spicy floral that works best in the cold weather and I have been using it all the time for the past month, I will need to put it away come spring and that actually depresses.  This is one of the few spicy scents that I can easily wear and I love how the rose and jasmine notes mix and produce one of the prettist floral fragrances that I have used. 

Matrix Miracle Treat 12 Lotion Spray - "Conditions like a lotion. Sprays like a mist. Sunflower Oil, rich in antioxidant, provides 12 instant benefits: Helps protect color-treated hair/Detangles/Helps seal the hair from damage/Helps prevent breakage/Maximizes natural body/Smoothes the cuticle/Deeply conditions/Helps strengthen hair/Delivers instant silkiness/Increases manageability/Tames frizz/Helps restore shine."  I have been using this leave-in treatment every other night and so far have avoided most of the winter hair pitfalls.  My static and flyways are reduced and my hair is much softer to the touch.  This product helps to smooth the cuticle and protect hair from both heat styling and the elements, while keeping color from fading.  This is a great leave-in for dry winter hair and my hair is in much better condition than before I started using it.

Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Katie - "A powder blusher.  Illuminate and enliven your complexion with the color and drama of Illamasqua Powder Blusher. Color intense and highly pigmented, it can be used to shade, brighten, enhance, and define the shape of your face. Be bold, be daring, and be the center of attention."  Katie is a "light milky pink" and I can only pull the color off when my skin is pale.  This shade gives me the perfect light pink flush and makes me looks as though I have just come in from the cold.  Pink blush shades are my favorite and this is the one that I have been using for the past month.

My favorites right now are all about keeping my skin and hair looking nice and healthy throughout the cold weather months.  Hydrating products for my face and hair are making me look good right now and therefore mean that I will look much better in the spring months.  Usually at the end of this month is when I start thinking about what I need to do my appearance to start getting ready for spring and this year I have been using some great products that will take me into the warm weather very easily!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Philosophy X's and O's Trio

More and more Valentine's Day products are on the way especially we are less than one month to the holiday, still the only things that I like about this holiday are the beauty products and the heart-shaped York Peppermint Pattys.  The Illamasqua Broken Heart collection is still my favorite so far of the Valetine's Day collections and I know that it will remain as my favorite for the rest of the season.  I still haven't been able to get my hands on that Nail Varnish and it will be one of my challenges for the rest of spring.  But until then, I am craving some new body products and Philosophy has just released some new sets for Valentine's Day and spring.  I haven't been buying much in the way of body products lately, I have been trying to sort through what I own and use some items up so that I can begin getting my beauty product stash into an amount that won't require a separate Uhaul when I move to city.  But of course I want more new body products and I will try to be very choosy about which ones I decide to buy over these next few months.

Philosophy's body products are among the best on the market and I keep adding more and more of them to my collection because there are just so many great choices.  And more great choices come out with every single season...

X's and O's is the first set that I see for the Valentine's Day holiday, I originally smelled the Vanilla Cream Topping 3-in-1 the last time that I was at Sephora and it made it to my Most Wanted list for this month.  This set contains a small size of the wash and then a matching small lotion and maybe this is my best option for getting these products while still trying to thin out my body product collection.

"A charming three-piece set of deliciously scented favorites for lips, skin, and hair.  Treat your sweetie to this trio of luxurious formulas and the lovable scents of warm vanilla and ripe cherry. The multitasking gel cleanses and conditions from head to toe, the lotion hydrates and softens, and the lip shine delivers a smooth, glossy finish." 

Included in this set are small sizes of the Vanilla Cream Topping 3-in-1 and body lotion and a Lip Shine in Cherry on Top.  The Vanilla Cream Topping scent smells exactly like the vanilla frosting in a can from Betty Crocker, a treat that I love but try to stay away from as I can eat it straight out of the can.  The Cherry on Top Lip Shine provides a subtle red gloss that will be very pretty on both Valentine's Day and every other day of the year.  I am not even a huge fan of the Lip Shines but I really want this one, both for the shade and the fact that it is a sweet cherry scent.

I wonder what other treats Philosophy will be bringing out, both for Valentine's Day and then for later on in spring!

photo courtesy of Sephora

NARS Spring 2013 Collection

One of my favorite collections has now come out this week and I am so excited about it!  Everyone knows that I have been raving about NARS for the past year and have bought more products than ever before from this company and that they are in my top favorites for any kind of beauty products.  Earlier this week, their spring collection has finally released to their website and Sephora stores and I am so excited to see what came out for this season!

Stella Tennant is the model for the spring collection, she has dark hair and cool pale skin just like mine so I am hoping that I find a really good amount of shades that will be flattering to my skintone.  I see lots of pink shades in this collection, I am looking forward to the pink eye shadow duo and the deep pink lipstick that have been introduced in this collection.  The first piece of this collection that I saw pictures of was the Blush, it is a deep raspberry hue that I would put into a fall or holiday collection but I do wonder how well it will work in the early spring.  I can't see this shade being flattering against bright lips and I do wonder why NARS decided to a deep blush hue instead of a bright pink that would work well with the rest of the pinks in the collection.

"Arresting.  Powerful.  Provocative." are the words that NARS uses to describe this new collection.  All of the shades are very pigmented and I can see exactly why this look is described as "powerful", all of these shades can be used professionally or at play, depending on the mode of application.  I can see lots of versatility with these shades and I am already thinking about how I use them together and also with many of the shades that I already own (especially for eye makeup!).

NARS spring is also a favorite collection of mine every year so let's start looking at the products and shades right now!

Duo Eye Shadow - Modern, unique, sometimes unexpected color combinations of eyeshadow shades. Worn alone or together, all Duo Eyeshadow shades feature micro-fine powders that are highly pigmented, longwearing and crease resistant. Color glides on smoothly, evenly and blends effortlessly. The effects can be subtle of smoldering- the options are endless.  True color application.  Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for stronger intensity.    Multi-function use for shading, lining and highlighting the eyes.  Classic, neutral and fashion-forward shade pairings.
- Mad Mad World - parakeet green/vivid cyan
- Bouthan - soft pink tulle/bright pink with gold shimmer

Matte Eye Shadow - Luminous, light-reflecting shades for shading, highlighting, and lining eyes. Highly pigmented, longwearing, crease resistant colors that can be applied sheer or layered for more dramatic effects. Color glides on smoothly, evenly and blends effortlessly.  True color application.  Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for stronger intensity.  Multi-function use for shading, lining and highlighting the eyes.  Sophisticated, luminous shades.
- Persia - paprika

Soft Touch Shadow Pencil - Soft Touch Shadow Pencils provide easy, portable, long-wearing application. These jumbo sized pencils have versatile functionality to shade the lid, line, or highlight the eye. Smooth, creamy texture delivers a smooth, velvety feel to the eye and make for easy blending and an ideal base for layering with a powder shadow for increased color intensity.  Portable application.  Smooth, creamy, long-wearing formula.  Easy and seamless blending.  Ideal base for layering with powder eyeshadow to increase color intensity.
- Corcovado - 24 Carat gold

Blush - The ultimate authority in blush, NARS offers the industry's most iconic shades for cheeks. Natural, healthy-looking color that immediately enlivens the complexion. A light application for even the highest-intensity hues delivers a natural-looking flush.  Silky texture in matte and shimmering shades.  Micronized powder ensures soft, bendable application.  Iconic NARS shades.
- Seduction - sangria

Velvet Lip Gloss Pencil - Gorgeously glossy color in a jumbo lip pencil. Spectacular shine in an innovative, lightweight formula and enriched with Vitamin E plus a blend of moisture-rich hyaluronic spheres that make lips appear fuller.  Ultra smooth, buttery feel on the lips.  Contains vitamin E, hyaluronic spheres and phytosterol esthers; ingredients known to moisturize, increase hydration and improve barrier function.  Convenient, easy application.
- Cytere - soft metallic rose

Satin Lipstick - A lustrous, long-wearing lipstick infused with conditioners to provide comfortable wear and sumptuously silky color.  Smooth, ultra comfortable wear.  Sophisticated shade range.  Patented blend of conditioners and antioxidants that hydrate, nourish and protect lips.
- Dressed to Kill - fuchsia rose with gold shimmer

Shimmer Nail Polish - Fashion-forward and classic NARS Nail Polish shades impart incredible luster and prolonged gloss retention with UV protection to prevent polish discoloration. An advance polymer system provides extended wear and a durable, chip-resistant finish.  Modern, iconic shades.  Long-wearing, chip-resistant finish.  Toluene, formaldehyde and DBP free.
- Disco Inferno - iridescent silver green

My favorites are the pink hues in this collection, just as I thought that they would be when I first looked at the products.  I want the Duo Eye Shadow in Bouthan the most, I will use these two shades together to create a sweet pink eye look and I also plan to mix them with golds and silvers to create all kinds of pretty eye looks for the spring months.  I see so much potential for these two eye shadow shades and I plan to create all kinds of looks with this duo.  My second favorite piece is the Satin Lipstick in Dressed to Kill, this deep rose will work well right now and then into the spring months.  I will also pull it out again next fall and winter too. 

I really only love those two products, some of the others won't work for me at all and I am on fence about some too.  The Velvet Lip Gloss Pencil in Cytere looks on the website like it is almost a pure gold hue, a shade that I won't wear but the description states that it has rose pigments in it.  I will make my decision once I see this product in person at Sephora, I want to see how much rose is really in the shade.  I like the Shimmer Nail Polish shade, Disco Inferno is a greenish silver, it appears mostly silver on the website and isn't very unique but maybe it looks very different in person.  I will check these out in real life the next time that I go to Sephora.

The shade of the Soft Touch Eye Shadow Pencil is very pretty but I have never heard or seen a good review of this product so until the formula is modified, I will be skipping over this product.  I also don't really like any of the other eye makeup shades, the other duo is much too colorful for me to pull off with blue eyes and I just don't like the paprika hue.  Lastly, the Blush is going to be too deep for me to wear well but I do believe that that it will be stunning if you have medium to deeper toned skin.

I really like this collection and the pinks in it are going to be among my favorite pieces for the spring.  I will be needing more products from NARS very soon.

photo courtesy of NARS

Shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Face Cream

I am on one of the last products that I recived last fall when I got the Sephora skincare bag of huge samples and so far I found some great new products in it, this is one of the best gifts that I have ever gotten from being a Sephora VIB.  This is the type of perk that makes me keeping spending the money to remain a Sephora VIB, not that I really need much motivation to spend hundreds of dollars a year at Sephora...

Last week I posted about the Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil that I had been using at night for the past two weeks and how much I loved the product.  I still have a good amount left in the bottle and I plan to keep using it until I have finished it up, every time I use it I keep falling more and more in love with the product and I want to try even more oils for my face.  I opened up the Shiseido Bio-Performance Face Cream with the thought of using it as a day cream since I just finished up a product from Philosophy and I didn't need any other products to use at night.  The company doesn't specify what ttime of the day this product is intended for so I was flying a bit blind when I tried it for the first time.  I used it as a day cream but I quickly found out that this is not a formula to use during the day and that I must use it at night.

"Prevent the first stages of line formation with this richly textured, ultra-hydrating formulation.  Extend the look of youth by preventing the first stages of line formation. Shisedo's patent-pending Bio-Revitalizing Complex reinforces skin's elastic fibers, the key to promoting skin's resilience and firmness"

This formula is very intensive and extremely thick, at first I wondered if I found it to be so thick because I was getting so used to the lightness of the Tarte face oil.  This formula is more of a balm than a cream, I actually found it to be so thick that it didn't fully absorb any time that I used it.  Hence why I cann't use this as a day cream, I can't apply any type of primer or foundation over it, none of the products will spread correctly and then my makeup doesn't look good for the rest of the day.  I recommend this cream only for use at night based on the way that it didn't really absorb. 

This cream is very hydrating, I will give it that.  It hydrated my dry skin and helped to keep the moisture in through the next washing.  I can't say that it performed any better than the Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil and I really didn't like the texture of this face cream.  The oil fully absorbs and doesn't leave a film on my skin, this product did and it got all over my pillow.  Not a huge deal if I loved every other aspect of the product but I would rather just use the oil and reap all the benefits of it.  This product geared toward skin that is slightly older than mine, most of the benefits of this product are in preventing immediate sign of aging or helping to soften the ones that are already on place.  These are not my current problems so I won't deal with the texture of this product in order for the anti-aging benefits.

I am not fond of the texture of this product and I have a much better product to use at night so there is no reason for me to buy a full size jar of this product.  I will finish up the large sample that I have but I will go right back to using the Tarte oil.  The last aspect of this product that puts me on edge is the smell, it has a perfumy smell that fills up the whole bathroom.  It almost reminds me of a perfume that my grandmother used to use and there is no reason for this amount of fragrance to be present in a facial care product.

This is one of my first facial care products from Shiseido and it doesn't leave a good taste in my mouth about the brand.  This product wasn't awful but I hated how it didn't completely absorb and the smell is just over the top.  I will be returning to my Tarte oil very soon...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Illamasqua Valentine's Day 2013 Collection - Broken Heart

Earlier this week, Illamasqua introduced their annual Valentine's Day collection and the bloggers and members of Makeup Alley instantly went crazy.  This collection includes the previously limited edition Nail Varnish shade called Raindrops.  This polish must have come out and become a cult classic before I was interested in this product line since I know that I would have remembered this polish shade.  This collection just came out the other day and this Nail Varnish shade is already sold out on the Illamasqua website and I don't even see it on the Sephora website so I will be stalking the company's website to see when this product comes back in stock.

Each year, Illamasqua puts out a small Valentine's Day collection of makeup shades, this year the collection is called Broken Heart and I think that this will be my favorite of the Valentine's Day-themed products this year.  Being single really annoys me around this holiday even though it rarely does any other time of the year and I am more than happy to buy products that are not pro-Valentine's Day.  This is one of the only companies that will create a non-happy collection for this time of the year and I can see every single piece of it following in the footsteps of Raindrops and selling out very quickly.

"Console a broken heart this Valentine's Day.  A capsule collection of perfect muted pastels including the much anticipated return of Nail Varnish in Raindrops, loved and cherished by bloggers the world over.", is the description of the collection on the Illamasqua website.  Raindrops seems to be the hero product of this Valentine's Day collection and I will now be visiting the Illamasqua website a lot to try and find it.  I have not seen any piece of this collection on the Sephora website so I doubt that it will be coming out anywhere in the United States and I will need to order it from England.

Here is the Broken Heart collection!

Cream Blusher - Tease, hypnotise, use to effect. Use Cream Blusher to highlight your cheekbones, shape your face, build and blend with fingers or a brush to create the colour intensity you desire. Use over foundation for impact, or under for a captivating glow. However you apply it, be daring.
- Rude - warm peach pink with a dewy finish

Lipstick - Let your lips speak volumes. Indulge in colour-intense lipstick with a highly pigmented formula, available in a choice of flawless finishes, from creamy matt to iridescent finishes. Illamasqua Lipstick glides on smoothly and doesn't give up without a fight for the perfect all-night pout. A must have for professional make-up artists, and those who want to make a statement.
- Sonnet - cool peachy nude with a matte finish

Nail Varnish - A spectrum of bold shades with a range of finishes including matt, rubber and high-gloss. Award-winning, extremely hardwearing and chip-resistant, there's an Illamasqua Nail Varnish for every shade of humanity. Apply two coats for intensity and use with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat and Illamasqua Nail Top Coat for the perfect finish.
- Raindrops - sheer light gray with a jelly finish

Intense Lipgloss - Come out of the shadows with high-shine, colour-rich Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in a wide range of bold colours. Create lips that look full and glossy, without feeling sticky with this "liquid lipstick". Draw attention to your lips, and to you.
- Move - mauved rose pink

False Eye Lashes No 21 - For after-dark drama at its most daring. Illamasqua False Eye Lashes are handmade and available in a range of styles and colours to create different impacts – from the stunning and dramatic to the romantic and sensual. Apply using the latex-free glue provided and combine with Illamasqua eye colours for eyes that hypnotize.

Broken Heart Collection - onsole a broken heart this Valentine's Day. A capsule collection of perfect muted pastels including the much anticipated return of Nail Varnish in Raindrops, loved and cherished by bloggers the world over.

I guess that I don't need to tell you guys again how much I must have a bottle of Raindrops, I love using silvers and grays as neutrals and this looks like it will just be the perfect polish shade for me.  I am even considering ordering two bottles of this polish since I know that I will use this one all the time and I will go through a bottle really quickly.  I have never bought two bottles of the same shade at once before becuase my nail polish collection is so large already but this polish shade is very special and I can see why it is selling out so quickly. 

The Intense Lipgloss is the other product that I really have my eye on from this collection.  I have never used the Intense Lipgloss formula before, the Sheer Lipgloss that I own has more pigment in than many other brands do and it appears like the Intense formula is more like a liquid lipstick than a gloss.  This shade is a neutral pink rose and will work so well on my skin tone and i will wear it now and then into the spring months.  I am so excited for these two products!

Broken Heart is my favorite of the Valentine's Day collections and Raindrops will join MAC's Candy Yum Yum in the products that I will continue to chase down for the next few months!

photo courtesy of Illamasqua