RiRi Hearts MAC Holiday Collection

We are now onto what I believe is the last holiday collection from MAC, it is another one in the series of highly popular RiRi Hearts MAC collections that started coming out in the very beginning of the summer months.  I have no idea when Rihanna's popularity will begin to wane but at the moment it shows no sign of stopping and these collections have been instant sell outs and cult favorites. I am considering going onto Ebay when I have some spare time (maybe after finals week) and looking to see what products from the summer and fall collections are being resold for.  I am willing to bet that they are only rising in price and popularity...

In the previous seasons, I have liked many of the eye makeup from the RiRi collections but I have never liked the lip or face products in the collections.  None of those shades have ever looked like they would work for my skin tone, something to be expected since myself and Rihanna have two very different skin tones and there is no way that shades for her would flatter me and vice versa.  I don't have high hopes for this collection and I would only really look at some of the eye makeup shades from the latest part of the RiRi series...

"Rihanna's latest creative collaboration with M·A·C is a series of stunning looks for lips, eyes and face in shades of metallic majesty and confident colour. This limited-edition collection is encased in exclusive white-pearl packaging with RiRi's iconic rose gold detailing. Wrapping it all up, the pink metallic sheen of the RiRi ♥ M·A·C Makeup Bag in a quilted design, uniquely Rihanna.", states the MAC website when providing a description of the overall collection.

Here is the holiday version of the RiRi collection!

RiRi Hearts MAC Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow: Pfresh Out - Five complementary shades by Rihanna for infinite day-to-night looks: soft champagne, peach gold with pearl, blackened plum, pearlescent pink and violet mauve. Highly pearlized frost finish. Encased in an exclusive white-pearl packaging with RiRi's iconic rose gold detailing. Limited edition.

RiRi Hearts MAC Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow: 2X Dare - Five complementary shades by Rihanna for infinite day-to-night looks: white silver, deep grey blue, beige-grey, cement with pearl and light crystal mauve. Highly pearlized frost finish. Encased in an exclusive white-pearl packaging with RiRi's iconic rose gold detailing. Limited edition.

RiRi Hearts MAC Superslick Eye Liner - A liquid liner in two limited-edition shades by Rihanna - the shimmering white of Pisces Persuasion and rose gold of Cockiness. Water-based, water-resistant, quick and precise to apply. Dries in 15 seconds to a sleek, long-wearing, wet-look, no-smudge line. The superior no-fuss, no-wobble application lies in the "magic tip" of the easy-to-control dipstick applicator. Exclusive white-pearl RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- Pisces Persuasion - shimmery white
- Cockiness - shimmery rose gold

RiRi Hearts MAC Lipstick - Colour plus texture for the lips that made M∙A∙C famous. Three limited-edition shades created by Rihanna. In Retro Matte - the signature red of RiRi Woo. In Matte - the nude taupe of Bad Girl RiRi and fuchsia of Pleasure Bomb. Exclusive white-pearl RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- Pleasure Bomb - matte fuchsia
- RiRi Woo - matte cool red
- Bad Girl RiRi - matte taupey mauve

RiRi Hearts MAC Bronzing Powder - Rihanna's limited-edition soft, golden brown powder with overspray of gold pearl gives sheer, natural colour and highlights. Ideal for enhancing a skin tone or accenting and enhancing a tan. Formulated for smooth, even application on all skin types. Exclusive white-pearl RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- Love, Rihanna - soft golden brown with overspray of gold pearl

RiRi Hearts MAC Nail Lacquer - Limited-edition matching shade of Rihanna's signature red RiRi Woo in our high-gloss formula. Contains conditioners and UV protection. Exclusive white-pearl RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- RiRi Woo - matte cool red

RiRi Hearts MAC Double-Ended Brush: 217/239SE - On one end: 217 Blending for shading or blending of colour or creamy products. This brush has fine, densely packed fibres arranged in an oval shape. On other end: 239 Eye Shader, smooth, firm fine fibres in a tapered shape and rounded edge to shade or blend eye shadow or emollient-based products. Can be used to build intense colour on the eyelid. Exclusive white-pearl RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C handle.

RiRi Hearts MAC Makeup Bag - Wrap it all up in the pink metallic sheen of a small rectangular, quilted makeup bag by Rihanna. 6.5" x 4.5" x 1.5" with zipper closure. Limited edition.

I think that this might actually be my favorite of the RiRi Hearts MAC collections, in the other collections I haven't liked any of the face and lip products and this collection is the complete opposite.  A big change with this collection is that the lipsticks are my favorite of the collection and the eye makeup shades don't really do much for me.  I love the fuchsia and the red shades that are included with this collection, the red shade is the original shade that came out when the first RiRi collection was released in the early summer and quickly became a sell out classic.  I am betting that the re-release of this shade with the holiday collection will make a lot of ladies very happy and will cause much more traffic coming to the MAC counters, I was never able to get my hands on it the first time around and now I am very excited to see that I have a chance to buy it again without resorting to Ebay!

The Lipsticks are my first choice from this collection and then the next item that I buy will be the red nail polish made to match RiRi's most famous MAC Lipstick shade.  I only like one of the Eye Shadow Palettes, Pfresh Out is the only eye shadow palette that I am interested in from this collection and I don't know that I like it enough to order it.  Some of the warmer shades are nice but they are nothing special and I am sure that I already own every single one of them from previous eye makeup purchases.  I don't like the other palette and I wouldn't use either of the liquid eye liners so the eye makeup products in this collection hold next to no interest for me and I will be skipping over them completely.  I will also be skipping over the bronzer as I am not a huge fan of shimmery bronzers and I don't use them this time of the year.

I am wondering if the RiRi Hearts MAC collection will continue into the spring months and come full circle early next summer or if this is the last collection in the line.  I guess we will see in the coming months if MAC will be continuing with Rihanna or if they will have a new face for their collections.

photo courtesy of MAC

MAC RiRi Hearts MAC Fall

I missed Rihanna's summer collection for MAC, I remember something about it only being a preview of one or two products and I completely missed the whole preview.  I remember that it came out when I was very busy with work and balancing a couple academic related items and by the time that I was able to get on the website, everything was sold out and I couldn't even click on the products to look at them and tell each of you what was available.  Well I am not missing the fall collection and today we are going to look at the RiRi Hearts MAC Fall collection, many beauty bloggers have been looking forward to this collection for months and I bet that many of the products will be totally sold out within the first few hours of the collection premiering online.

I am going to start by saying that I am not a Rihanna fan, I like her music and fully supported her through all the drama with Chris Brown several years back but I don't love her style and the way that she often presents herself in public.  Personally, I am not excited about this collection and I don't really believe that I will be buying much/anything from this new line.  I am in minority with my opinion here and I am sure that Rihanna's devoted fans will buy the whole collection within days of the release.  I felt that way when Lady Gaga did her stint with Viva Glam and I still value my last tube of the Original shade, one of my favorite MAC associates and I are still trying to match up this shade with something current so that I can continue my love of this lipstick after I have used up the last drop.

But for those of you that love Rihanna...I will fully report on this collection and maybe I will be proved wrong and liked some of the products and hues that she inspired.  I am humble enough to admit that I might be wrong and I don't know everything about beauty so let's check this collection out and see what products were inspired by this superstar!

"Rihanna premieres her perfect palette of fall colour - a range of decidedly daring yet classically gorgeous shades, finishes and tools, all encased in the metallic warmth of rose gold packaging. Lipstick in deep raisin, orange frost, creamy nude and the vivid red of RiRi Woo match gleaming Lipglass, while eyes in contrasting soft and smoky cocoas complement luminous skin."

Here is RiRi Hearts MAC Fall!

Eye Shadow x 4: Her Cocoa - An Eye Shadow Quad in four warm shades: bright bronze gold, soft peach, chocolate bronze and antique gold. The highly pigmented powder formula applies evenly, blends and builds beautifully. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- contains a bright bronze gold (Lustre)/soft peach (satin)/warm antique gold (Veluxe Pearl)/chocolate bronze (Lustre)

Eye Shadow x 4: Smoked Cocoa - An Eye Shadow Quad in four cool shades: shimmering champagne, black with silver pearl, satin charcoal and matte grey. The highly pigmented powder formula applies evenly, blends and builds beautifully. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- contains dirty cool champagne (Veluxe Pearl)/muted mid-tone grey (Matte)/black with silver pearl (Lustre)/dirty black charcoal (Satin)

RiRi Hearts MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash - A lightweight curling, lifting mascara in an intense carbon black pigment. Applies with a petite gripper brush embedded with micro-spheres to give each lash effortless, upward bending definition and extreme volume. Easy wash-off formula. Smudge-free. Lasts 16 hours. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.

RiRi Hearts MAC Liquidlast Liner - A rich, black liquid eyeliner combines long-lasting wear with a non-smudge, non-flake precision line. Goes on effortlessly. Applies with its own brush to draw a perfectly defined line. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- Pointblack - black

RiRi Hearts MAC Veluxe Brow Liner - Fills, shapes and defines eyebrows with a rich powdery formula that's matte and velvety smooth in two shades: Deep Brunette and Deep Dark Brunette. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- Deep Brunette - muted blackish-brown
- Deep Dark Brunette - dark dirty chocolate

RiRi Hearts MAC 36 Lash - Full lash, creates a naturally dramatic look. If properly cared for, lashes can be reshaped or adorned if desired. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.

RiRi Hearts MAC 35 Lash - Slightly more dramatic length. Provides eye-opening fullness toward the centre of the eye. If properly cared for, lashes can be reshaped or adorned if desired. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.

RiRi Hearts MAC Lipstick - Colour plus texture for the lips that made M∙A∙C famous. Four limited-edition shades created by Rihanna. In Retro Matte - the signature red of RiRi Woo, the dark plum of Talk That Talk and the creamy cool of Nude. In Frost - the mid-tone orange of Who's That Chick. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- Nude - cool nude cream
- Who's That Chick - midtonal orange with frost
- RiRi Woo - matte cool red
- Talk That Talk - matte dark plum

RiRi Hearts MAC Lipglass - Rihanna's first Lipglass debuts in the creamy, cool red of RiRi Woo. High-gloss finish. Wear it alone or with a Lipstick for a glossed look. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- RiRi Woo - cool red cream

RiRi Hearts MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil - A new generation of long-wearing lip pencil technology in two shades created by Rihanna: RiRi Woo and Talk That Talk. Glides on fluidly and adheres instantly. Defines lips with an instant release of rich, saturated colour. Prolongs the hours between re-application. Transfer proof. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- RiRi Woo - cool red cream
- Talk That Talk - dark plum cream

RiRi Hearts MAC Powder Blush Duo - Rihanna's Powder Blush Duo in Hibiscus Kiss combines two shades of M·A·C's celebrated colour for cheeks and face. Cool coral complements a neutral matte bronze in one gorgeous package. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- Hibiscus Kiss - cool coral/matte neutral blush

RiRi Hearts MAC Powder Blush - Colour for the cheeks and face in the warm copper of Bad Girl Gone Good created by Rihanna. Satin finish. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C compact.
- Bad Girl Gone Good - warm copper

RiRi Hearts MAC Cream Colour Base - Versatile and multi-purpose, Cream Colour Base can be applied directly to bare skin, or layered over foundation, moisturizer or powder. Apply with a brush, sponge or fingers. Colour effects range from a light veil to highly dramatic, depending on method of application. Fragrance-free. Limited-edition golden shade created by Rihanna in RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C packaging.
- Diamonds - golden shimmer cream

RiRi Hearts MAC 282SE Duo Fibre Shader Brush - A dense and rounded, medium-sized paddle-shaped brush. Made from a blend of natural and synthetic fibres. The density and flexibility of the bristles helps apply eye shadow with a multitude of effects, from saturated colour to sheer washes. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C pink handle and rose gold ferrule.

RiRi Hearts MAC 187SE Duo Fibre Face Brush - A large, full circular brush used for lightweight application and blending of face powder or Powder Blush. Use to create soft layers or add textures. Made from a soft blend of natural and synthetic fibres. Limited-edition RiRi ♥ M∙A∙C pink handle and rose gold ferrule.

I am not surprised that this really isn't a collection for me, many of the colors would not work at all on my skin and I will be skipping over a big chunk of the new products that were brought out for RiRi Hearts MAC.  My favorite piece of the collection is one that we saw earlier on in the summer months and we got a hint of in the Retro Matte collection that came out earlier in the year, I love the RiRi Hearts MAC Lipstick in RiRi Woo.  A red lipstick from MAC will always be a top choice for me in any collection and this is the only item that I really covert from this collection.  I would also really like to own the matching Lipglass created for this collection, I will be wearing lots of red lip looks this fall and these two shades would be key players in my lipstick rotation.

Even though there is only one item that I really must have in this collection, there are still a few more that I would like to own and would be willing to try on the next time that I visit my counter.  I like both of the Eye Shadow x 4, neither of sets is very unique but they both provide four quality shades that I would be able to use with many shades that I already own and would work well in many occasions.  If I had to choose, I think that the warmer palette is my favorite but I would like to own both of them.  The last items that I rally want are the liquid eye liner and the brushes that were created with this collection, none of these products are must haves for me.  I need another black liquid liner so this is actually practical for me to buy and I love the pink handles of the RiRi Hearts MAC Brushes. 

I know this collection will create a bunch of best selling items and I know that I will be one of the few that doesn't really like this collection.  I might like the products more if they worked better with my skintone but most of these shades just will not be flattering for me and there is no point in me chasing after many of them...

photo courtesy of MAC

MAC and Hayley Williams Collection

MAC has added another celebrity collaboration to their color collection line up, this time they have gone the route of the music industry and teamed up with the lead singer of the alterna-pop band, Paramore.  Hayley Williams is as well-known her for lovely singing voice and onstage presence as she is for her bright orange hair and stylish outfits.  I have often liked songs from this band but I have never seen them live or know much about the members of the band, but it looks like I might learn a bit more about Hayley Williams with this MAC collection! 

MAC has had some great collaborations over the years (Carine Roitfeld) and then some that I truely dreaded.  I must say that my least favorite one is on the way this summer, MAC and Rianna's collaboration will be among my least favorite color collections, almost soley because of the fact that I can stand her less and less with everything that I read about her.  I don't mind the music but she tends to annoy the hell out of me.  But we will cross that bridge when we get there in a few months...

The MAC website states the following about the collection, "Singular, vibrant and unmistakable - Hayley Williams, singer of the platinum-selling band Paramore, inspires an exclusive online colour collection of shades ranging from orange pop to shimmering coral. Limited Edition."

Here is the collaboration between MAC and Hayley Williams!

Eye Shadow - A highly-pigmented powder in a mid-tone coral with a frost finish inspired by Hayley Williams. Applies evenly, blends well. Limited edition.
- Daydreaming - frosted midtone coral

Lipstick -  Colour plus texture for the lips that made M·A·C famous. Limited-edition shade of Sounds Like Noise, a true bright orange inspired by Hayley Williams.
- Sounds Like Noise - bright true orange

Mineralize Skinfinish - A luxurious velvet-soft powder with high-frost metallic finish. Smoothes on, adds buffed-up highlights to cheeks, or an overall ultra-deluxe polish to the face.
- Lightscapade - soft candlelit beige with multidimensional shimmer

Nail Lacquer - High gloss, cream formula in Hayley's signature colour, a true bright orange. Provides no-streak/no-chip finish. Contains conditioners and UV protection. Limited edition.
- Riot Gear - bright true orange

I don't look good in orange makeup nor do I like it anyway so I know that I will skip over the eye, lip, and nail shades of the collection.  The only item that I would consider buying is the Mineralize Skinfinish, I know several ladies that use this product and all of them highly recommend it.  One day at the counter, I will take some time and try it out.

This little collection is not my style and I will have more than enough to chose from this month from MAC so I will skip over it.  This would be a nice series of products if I had a warmer skintone and looked good in orange makeup hues.

photo courtesy of MAC

Lady Gaga Fame

The first fragrance from Lady Gaga came out a bit over two months ago and I have tried it several times at the counters however I have been putting off buying it.  First of all, I have no room for any new fragrances and second of all, I haven't fallen in love with it the way that I was expecting to.  I do like this fragrance and it smells very nice on my skin but this just wasn't what I was expecting from the much-hyped first fragrance from Lady Gaga.  Two years ago, Lady Gaga was my absolute favorite artist and I would have her music on whenever I had the chance to listen to it.  I still like her a lot and enjoy her music but she isn't really my favorite anymore and I feel that overall much of the hype around her has faded over the past few months...

I was still excited to hear that she brought out a fragrance, even though I usually do not like celeb fragrances.  When I first heard that Lady Gaga was involved with the creation, I knew that this fragrance really had the potential to be different than the generic fruity-floral celeb fragrance, I still haven't gotten over the awful line of fragrances from Katy Perry and I was hoping that this one didn't go down the same route.  I was expecting this fragrance to be very floral and gourmand, Lady is not your run-of-the-mill celeb and I don't think that she would put her name on any fragrance that was.

When I talk about what I was expecting, please envision what the following fragrances smell like: Tom Ford Black Orchid or Thierry Mugler Angel.  Something complex and full-bodied with lots of fragrance to it.  This is not a fragrance that will be for the subtle lady or worn for casual weekends.  This was the picture that was in my head when I first reached for the perfume tester at Macy*s.  I have seen the fragrance at Macy*s and Sephora so far and I will pull all the information and the notes from the Sephora website. 

Some background to begin with.  "Two years of invasive experimentation in Paris laboratories have led to the launch of Lady Gaga Fame Eau de Parfum. The first-of-its-kind fragrance technology is an extract of Gaga’s bold and demanding sexiness. Darkness, light, and sensuality merge to reveal an opulent, addictive fragrance that’s black like the soul of fame, but invisible once airborne.  Embrace Lady Gaga Fame, the sultry, black eau de parfum. First of its kind in fluid technology, it is black like the soul of Fame but invisible once airborne. This black fluid exudes a lustful, floral, fruity essence for fabulous little monsters.  Enriched with tears of belladonna, a black veil of incense, and pulverized apricot, this fragrance may cause illicit fits of extravagance, unrivalled rushes of adoration, and prolonged moments of ecstasy and rapture." 

What two words are right next to each other?!?!?  Fruity and floral...this is exactly what I thought this fragrance would never be!  To be fair, these notes are still not the traditional notes that are contained in this style of fragrance.  Here are the notes that Lady Gaga has put into her first fragrance - Belladonna, Incense, Apricot, Honey Drops, Tiger Orchidea, Jasmin Sambac.

First of all, even though this fragrance was not quite what I expecting, I do really like it.  The first aspect of the fragrance that I noticed when I tried it is that the bottle itself is not black, it is clear.  The fragrance itself is black and sprays out black, but turns clear as soon as it hits the skin.  My first worry was that it wouldn't turn clear and create a mess on my skin (if you are a fan of spraying fragrance on your clothes, I would recommend finding out if it stays black on fabric before you try it!!).  Thankfully it turned clear and this aspect of the fragrance disappeared. 

The next aspect of the fragrance that I noticed was that it was sweeter than I was expecting, I was expecting a full assault of the Jasmine note and this wasn't the case.  The Apricot and Honey came out on my skin instantly and then the Belladonna and Jasmine came out.  This is  still a stronger fragrance but not as strong as I really thought that it would be.  This fragrance lasted all day on me and I could still smell it after getting a shower that night, styaing power is very impressive...

So why haven't I bought this yet?!  I have already stated that I have no room on my bureau and really shouldn't be buying any perfumes at all.  I have gone back to Macy*s several times now and keep trying the fragrance, each time that I do, I find that I like it more and more but I know that it must be a fall and winter fragrance for me so I would be best waiting for a bit and then buying it once I have more room.

Overall, one of the best celeb fragrances on the market, it actually smells like perfume and it is obvious that Gaga actually was involved in the creation of the fragrance instead of just slapping her name on the bottle.  This fragrance comes in several sizes of EDP and matching body products.  Now I do see a rollerball version on the Sephora website that I didn't see at Macy*s and we all know that I could fit a rollerball on my crowded dresser...

photo courtesty of Sephora

Zooey Deschanel's Tuxedo Nails

I love Zooey Deschanel's style and these tuxedo-inspired nails are one of my favorite looks from her yet! 

This look was seen earlier this year at the Golden Globe awards and I believe that her nails caused more of a sensation than her outfit.  I love her outfit but those nails are traffic-stopping.  I will need to take this picture to my salon as I do not think that I will be able to make this look good on my own.

I am not a nail art person but I love these nails and this might be my introduction to the nail art trend!

photo courtesy of Pinterest

Academy Awards 2012 - Milla Jovovich's Red Lips

My early favorite of this year's Oscar awards is Milla Jovovich.  This is the best that we have ver seen her look, that white Elie Saab dress is simply stunning and very unique.  In addition to the perfect dress, her lips match the red carpet, with an old-fashioned matte red lip.  I would kill to know what shade this is because I will be buying it as my next red lipstick purchase. 

Her hairstyle tops off the whole look perfectly, it is a simple waved style that reminds me of the marcel looks that were so popular in the 1920s.  She looks like a 1950s movie star and is every inch old Hollywood glamour.  I challenge anyone to dethrone her as Best Dressed of the Oscars.

photo courtesy of justjared.com

MAC Viva Glam Nicki and Ricky

I have been going crazy for this collection since I first heard about it last summer/early fall.  It finally has been released, first on the MAC website last week and then it finally got to my local counter at the beginning of this week.  I had been stalking the MAC website for the past week so I could see it when it first came out, I wanted to see as many pictures of the lipstick shade as possible since I was somewhat afraid to order it with just seeing the one promotional picture, my skintone is so radically different from Nicki Minaj's that I can't decide how it will look on me.  It took days for my counter to get this product out and I still haven't seen the Lip Conditioner at the counter yet.  I still am a bit surprised that it only had a small display on the counter and that Shop MAC, Cook MAC still had the biggest area of the counter.  I always thought that Viva Glam was among the biggest sellers for MAC...

The MAC website provides very little in the way of a description of the products so I decided to wait until they were up on the Nordstrom website instead of trying to see what I find on the MAC website.  The Nicki part of this collection is a bright pink lipstick and the Ricky part of this collection is a clear Lip Conditioner (suitable for both genders).  I was most interested in the lipstick of course, I had originally thought that the Lip Conditioner was going to be more of tinted pink hue (before I knew that it had anything to do with Ricky) and I was really excited for a tinted pink lip balm.  Once I saw the Lip Conditioner on the MAC website, I knew that I could skip over it since I don't really need another clear lip balm.

The Nordstrom website contains a full description of both products.  "MAC and hip hop diva Nicki Minaj join forces to to create Viva Glam Nicki, a sizzling shade of flamingo pink with a satin finish.  Every cent from the sale goes toward helping women, men, and children living with and affected by HIV and AIDS."  On Nicki Minaj, this shade looks like a neutral bright pink but it looked very different when I swatched it on my hand at the counter.  It is a bright yellow pink and was much warmer than it looked on the website.  It looked more like a bright coral pink shade on me and was much too warm to be flattering on my skin.  It looked awful on me and I was so glad that I didn't just order it from the website since it looked so different on my skin than it did on Nicki Minaj.  I was so bummed that it didn't work since I have wanted this lip shade for so long...

The Lip Conditioner wasn't even shown at the counter, however I know what a clear lip balm looks like so I feel confident that I can skip over it without looking at the product itself.  "Pop icon Ricky Martin amps up Viva Glam with a lip conditioner that goes from day to dance floor.  Untinted, it keeps lips soft and supple.  Every cent from the sale goes toward helping women, men, and children living with and affected by HIV and AIDS."  This isn't a product that I need at the moment.

I was so upset that this lipstick didn't work for me, I love to support the MAC AIDS Foundation and I was just so excited for another bright pink lipstick to add to my collection.  I just it just wasn't meant to be this time around, hopefully the next Viva Glam release will be better than this one for my skintone.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Adele's Bangs

My latest haircut obsession - short bangs!  I have been shying away from them since they will be so hard to grow out if I don't like them but I just love this picture of Adele.  I just got my haircut a month ago and I love the length and how the new color but I am still thinking about those bangs...mine are side-swept and long at the moment.  This is a bit more long-term at the moment (like after the holidays)...  Thoughts?

photo courtesy of Google

Purr by Katy Perry

Katy Perry is one of my favorite celebrities and one of my favorite fashion icons right now.  Her first fragrance, Purr, was released late last fall to Nordstrom only and I was so excited to hear about it that I was considering ordering a bottle totally unsniffed from the company's website (since I live slightly too far from a Nordstrom to drive there just to smell a fragrance, I need to make it a whole day trip to the King of Prussia mall).  I was very hyped over it but I continued to hold off a bit in hopes that Macy*s or Sephora would begin to stock it after the initial Nordstrom launch.  Well, my hopes for those two stores still haven't been granted however I was in Ulta the other day (continuing my obsessive search for China Glaze polishes) and lo and behold, there was a huge display of Purr by Katy Perry.  After grabbing my nail polishes and a Benefit They're Real! mascara (still haven't opened yet but can't wait to review), I stopped by the fragrance display to this perfume out.  Thank god I DIDN'T order this perfume unsniffed!!!

My first thoughts were that the bottle was huge and completely juvenile.  I guess that it just didn't look as childish in the pictures that I saw of it because I initally liked it.  It also didn't help that it was sitting right by the Justin Bieber perfume and nowhere near the other fragrance counters....  The bottle just felt odd in my hands and didn't like that it was plastic and not a heavy glass (I was holding the 3.4 oz size for reference).  I could never put this out next to my Chanel, Creed, and Jo Malone perfumes, fragrances that are half the price of this product have nicer bottles and aren't plastic.

My next issue with the fragrance occured when I sprayed it.  I first tried a bit on a card and really hated it.  I then decided to be open minded and sprayed a bit on my fingertips in hopes that it would smell better on my skin.  Well it most certainly did not work any better when I tried it out on my body, something in my chemistry just threw this whole scent.  So sad since I love Katy Perry and one of the middle notes of the fragrance is Bulgarian Rose...

I will provide the fragrance description and the notes from the Nordstrom website.  "Purr by Katy Perry Eau de Parfum begins with an aroma of peach nectar and forbidden apple, evolves with a distinct floral bouquet of jasmine blossom, Bulgarian rose, and vanilla orchid, and slowly reveals accents of sandalwood and musk.  Like the singer herself, Purr, is playful yet sophisticated.  Katy Perry transcends barriers with her music - so does her new fragrance."

The major issue that I have with this fragrance can be summed up in one statement: it smells cheap.  And the bottle just looks cheap.  This fragrance smells like something a junior high school girl would be all over.  The top notes lingered on me the longest, the apple and peach stayed on and never softened.  They stayed sharp and sour and then the musk came out.  I got no floral from this fragrance which is a shocl for me since my body chemistry works perfectly with florals and I have more problems with fruit and citrus notes.  This leads me to comclude that this fragrance was made on the cheap and the floral notes aren't high enough quality or there isn't enough of the perfume oil in to make the florals pop.  This is one of those few bad fragrances that begin with a top note and then hit the base notes and just remain flat the whole time.

I was so glad that I didn't purchase a bottle of this without smelling it because it would have been heading right back to Nordstrom after one usage.  I love Katy Perry and I was just so hoping that this fragrance would work for me but it was not to be.  If the middle notes would have been more prominent and the top notes less sharp, I think that this fragrance could have been a lovely scent.  Honestly, both the scent and bottle are over the top and need to be toned down...

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Katy Perry's Pink Lipstick

I need this pink lipstick shade, whatever it is!  This will be great for me to wear now and to go into summer.  I like the sheer/cream finish and how relaxed she makes this shade look.

I also love that she paired it with the cat eye, since I love my MAC Penultimate and now I want to pair it with a bright pink lip look.  I will try the look with Viva Glam Gaga (original shade) but I see that I need to go shopping and find a lipstick like this one!

photo courtesy of beautyhealthwomen.com

Anne Hathaway at the 2011 Oscars

Now Anne Hathaway did have to play around her makeup looks to match her many dresses, since I can't cover everything, I will look at my favorite outfit and makeup combination from her that night. My favorite was her Red Carpet look, I think that she set the tone for the whole evening when she stepped out of her limo and showed the crowd her beautiful Valentino gown.

Her makeup was from Chanel and is a stunning exmaple of how well this brand performs against any other makeup line. Her look was created by celebrity makeup artist Kate Lee. "Anne wore a red Valentino Couture archive dress on the red carpet. The look was centered around a thin lined eye with a defined socket and a deep rose red lip stain. For a base, I used Chanel Vitalumiere Fluid Makeup in Limipide, which I used throughout the show. For concealer, I used Kanebo Brush Type Concealer in CB 1 Light. To create a fresh glow on her cheeks, I used Chanel Powder Blush in Fresque, and defined cheek bones with Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder in Medium. I created a black line created with Bobbi Brown Longwear Gel Liner in Black Ink. The eye socket was defined with Illamasqua Powder Eye Shadow in Truth, and I applied Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Noir. On her lips, I used Chanel Rouge Coco Lip Colour in Rivoli, and lightly powdered over her mouth for a matte effect. In between changes, I used By Terry Rose Salve to remove lip colors and keep lips fresh." Thank you Temptalia for the amazing quote from Kate Lee.

I love this look and now I must buy this lipstick from Chanel for myself and the Bobbi Brown Longwear Gel Liner. I just really think that Anne Hathaway can do no wrong in her choices for the Red Carpet.

photo courtesy of elementofstyleblog.com

Anne Hathaway at the 2011 Oscars

Several weeks ago, I was obsessing over Anne Hathway's fantastic Golden Globes look. At this year's Oscars, she was the host so she wore several different outfits throughout the night, complete with full makeup and hair changes. To complelemt her many changes, she wore a very simple Lippmann Collection nail polish shade from the spring collection, called Naked.

Deborah Lippmann painted Anne's nails this shade, a clean and bare beige hue, in order to complement both her porcelain skin and her many outfit changes. If there is one shade that can match every shade from crimson to deep blue metallic, Naked is indeed it. This was a great choice from Lippmann and I recommend this shade as a clean, polished hue that can get you through the whole work week, not matter how many outfit changes you have.

photo courtesy of Lippmann Collection

Lady Gaga's Lippmann Collection Manicure at the 2011 Grammy Awards

Lady Gaga was back at it earlier this month at the 2011 Grammy Awards. She descended on the stage from an egg and went on to deliver a fantastic performance. Not only did she catch the crowd's undivided attention and wow everyone with her voice, her look was classic Gaga fantastic, topped off with a manicure using a new shade from Lippmann Collection.

The shade can be seen on her nails in this photo. The shade is named Yellow Brick Road and is a rich cream yellow. Deborah Lippmann selected this shade with the star to complement the canary yellow outfit chosen for the stage performance. This shade is not out yet and will launch in the middle of April with the Lippmann Collection Summer 2011 shades. I am willing to bet this shade will be a hit against tanned skin in the summer months.

photo courtesy of the Grammy Association

A Beauty Blogger Goes to the Movies...

The other night I went with my boyfriend to see the new Tom Cruise movie, Knight and Day (his choice). Good special effects, story was ok, but I kpet noticing throughout the movie how great Cameron Diaz pulls off her "natural" look. And in one scene, we see her reapply her Korres Lip Butter in Guava. Lovely natural lip look that can stand up to chase scenes...

This is what I notice at the movies!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Sarah Jessica Parker SJP NYC

With the Sex and the City 2 movie coming out very soon and starting off the summer blockbuster season, I was only appropriate to look at the fragrance that is being releaased with this movie. I don't know about anyone else, but I certainly prefer a new fragrance or makeup collection release with a amajor movie than just about any other type of promotional activity. That being said, I do put this fragrance down to being almost solely a promotional product and one that I doubt that Sarah Jessica would ahve created without the inspiration of this new movie. But, it's Sex and the City and that means for both myself and a million other ladies, that we will buy it and wear it faithfully. I bet the movie theaters are going to reek of it after opening weekend.

This new fragrance is called SJP NYC and this is the first Sarah Jessica Parker fragrance that I have shown any interest in, I have never liked Lovely and have ignored her other releases. Though, clever marketers that are out there, I would not have picked this fragrance up had it not been for the tie in to the Sex and the City 2 movie. In comparison to her previous fragrances, this fragrance is a light fruity, floral that is a great choice for the summer season. The packaging of the product is something else, I have included a picture of it since I don't know that I could fully describe it in words.

This fragrance was made to bring the character of Carrie Bradshaw to life. I do see much of Carrie in this fragrance, it is light, fun, and very unique. At first spray, this fragrance reminded me a lighter version of my beloved Marc Jacobs Daisy. And there is a good reason for that, some of the notes are exactly the same in the two fragrances and they are of similar type. The top notes of the fragrance are: Italian Mandarin, White Osmanthus, Wild Red Strawberries. the heart notes are: Gardenia, Honeysuckle, Mimosa, Red Rose Damascenia. The base notes are: Sandalwood, Vanilla Absolute, Rum Flavor, Creamy Musks.

The fragrance is a good choice for warm weather, it is light enough to not be overpowering. I have read some reviews on this fragrance on the Macy's website and some have been disappointed with the lasting power of it. I know that I will buy this since it is Carrie Bradshaw but had it not been for the movie tie in, I might have walked right by it in the store.

photo courtesy of Macy*s

Kat Von D Saint and Sinner Fragrances

As I have discussed in the past, I normally do not go for celebrity fragrances (with very few exceptions) and tend to find them overrated and low quality. However, once in a while, a celebrity releases a fragrance that makes me sit up and take notice. Honestly, I am on the fench about whether to qualify these new Kat Von D fragrances under celebrity fragrances because she already has a makeup collection out and these could be seen as an addition to the makeup line instead of just another item to slap her name on. Maybe it might be better if I didn't even look at them from a celebrity fragrance point of view. On the flipside to that, she is using her name recognition from her L.A. Ink show to launch both the makeup line and the perfumes so it could be looked at as a celebrity fragrance. I think that it tends to be on the celebrity fragrance side because she is in the ad herself and uses her name to promote the new fragrances. Ok enough with my soap box...let's discuss the two new fragrances.

Kat has released two fragrances, one is named Saint and the other is named Sinner. It doesn't take a genius to figure out which one will be the lighter of the two and which one will be heavier. The Sinner fragrance looks like it was designed for Kat herself and the Saint one was designed for someone like me.

First, let's look at the Sinner fragrance. Here is what Sephora has to say about it, "Introducing Sinner, created by makeup artist Kat Von D, exclusively for Sephora. Light, delicate top notes of orange blossom, refreshing mandarin, and fleshy plum create a provacative, sultry heart. Rich jasmine blends seamlessly with a white-flower bouquet, beautifully tainted by the spicy wamrth of cinnamon, an herb assocaited with ancient rituals of pleasure. A dark, mysterious back of earthy vetiver, patchouli, and woods enveloped in creamy vanilla and sensual musk lingers on the skin." This one is not for me, the cinnamon just kills it. Next...

The other fragrance, Saint, holds more promise for me than Sinner. "Introducing Saint, created by makeup artist Kat Von D, exclusively for Sephora. The sweet nectar of Mirabelle Plum and sparkling juicy mandarin create an addictive, mouth-watering top. At the heart, exotic, heady Tiare Flower and sweet, tempting caramel are adorned with the velvety floralcy of jasmine, the queen of the night, as she emits her spellbinding fragrance into the sky. Sensual vanilla and creamy musk combine with the wamrth of sandalwood for a comforting drydown".

I smelled both of the fragrances the last time that I was at Sephora and Saint was much more to my liking. The spice note in Sinner was so strong that I could not even bring myself to spray it on my wrist to test it out. Saint is much lighter and more on the floral side and would work for in the Spring and Summer months. I haven't bought either of them yet since I heard rumors that a solid perfume ring was upcoming and now that it is arrived, I am glad that I waited. The ring is a large black rose and quite frankly, I like the ring better than either of the two fragrances.

Want the Saint ring, maybe I will purchase the Saint fragrance too. Nothing with the word "Sinner" in it will every work out for me. Also, thinking it over, I consider this a celebrity fragrance, these scents would be nothing without Kat Von D's name on them.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Lady GaGa's Bright Pink Lips

Lady GaGa recently graced the cover Rolling Stone, clad in a bubble dress, big hair, and bright pink lipstick. The article was very interesting and make listening to the CD even better for me and now I added Lady GaGa to the group in my mind that contains Brit and Madonna.

And the part of the interview that I was most excited about is that GaGa is going to be one fo the new faces of MAC, along with Cyndi Lauper. Rolling Stone was talking about the photo shoot where both of them were posing with bright pink lipstick statues.



To celebrate...more pictures of GaGa! This picture, taken around last Valentine's Day, shows GaGa's love of bright pink lipstick. Hopefully all of the pictures of her in bright pink lipstick hint at an upcoming MAC collection being all about pink lipsticks and glosses.



photo courtesy of Rolling Stone

Lady GaGa's Red Lips

My current celeb obsession is Lady GaGa. From her style to her debut cd that almost never leaves the player in my car (it exits only to hear Lily Allen's latest).

This picture was taken about three weeks ago in Auckland. I love the red lipstick, that is agreat lip look for her. Her stylist has managed to find the perfect deep red cream shade to suit her complexion.

But the bow hair? It that actually her mane tamed into that shape or it is hair piece. I hope that her real hair was not subject to that...

photo courtesy of Rolling Stone

Beachy, Wavy Hair My Way

I have been told that I look really pretty when I allow my natural curls to go wild. However, I vastly beg to differ and will continue to reach for my straightening iron until I can find a way to get beachy hair that only look semi wild and out of control. However, in my version, it is carefully under control and style to perfection...while still be allowed to move. This is one of the few pictures of any celeb that I have ever found that shows exactly how I want my hair to look. Bonus points that it's Jennifer Aniston (and yes...the photo is from 2004 but I still love it).

Sexy and loose but still styled and controlled...will I ever figure out how to make my hair this amazing?!

photo courtesy of Style.com

A Few Thoughts on Celeb Beauty...

So far, I haven't really mentioned many celebs in this blog or commented on their looks. I have kept it to thoughts on celebrity fragrances and which ones I ended up purchasing. Thinking it over, I made a list of the celebrities that I look to for beauty inspiration and another list for the ones that I may not always look their look but they always manage to keep me interested.

Celebs Whose Style That I Always Love...

-Jennifer Aniston
- Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
- Michelle Obama
- Dita Von Teese
- Victoria Beckham
- Natalie Portman
- Kate Winslet
- Angelina Jolie
- Scarlett Johansson
- Kristin Davis

Ones That I Don't Always Love But Always Take Notice Of...
- Lady GaGa
- Gwen Stefani
- Jessica Simpson
- Sarah Jessica Parker
- Katy Perry
- Fergie
- Lindsay Lohan
- Kim Kardasian

So for the next few months, I am going to try and keep up on some of the beauty and style trends that we see coming from all the ladies listed above. Help is always welcome