YSL Holiday 2009 Collection

Ok we are winding down the Holiday coverage, this is the last collection that I have to look at. I am getting a bit overwhelmed with all the Holiday products that have been released and while I have had a great time looking at all the pretty new colors and palettes, I am really looking forward to Spring since that is my favorite time of the year. However, I am not done yet and am still in Holiday mode. Today, we are looing at the newest products from YSL. Their Holiday beauty look calls for both intense eye makeup and red lipstick. This is another collection that will not be among the most wearable of looks. "YSL invites you to experience extreme elegance with our Holiday Look Collection. The collection is a tribute to ultimate sophistication, featuring sensual textures and beautiful effects".

Here it is...

Teint Resist Long Wear Transfer Resistant Foundation - Yves Saint Laurent's new foundation, Tenit Resist, guarentees unfailing wear and radiance for up to 14 hours. The luminous, transfer-resistant formula forms perfectly to the skin for a soft and seamless result. the complexion is preserved from feelings of discomfort or tightening, remaining supple and silky smooth from the morning through the night. Pigments are specially coated for a color-true effect and the formula absorbs excess oil throughout the day, for a complexion which always looks and feels fresh. Teint Resist gives the guarantee of an even, smooth and comfortable complexion hour after hour, giving you the confidence to put your best face forward in every circumstance. Oil free. SPF 10. Available in shades for every complexion.

Touche Eclat Radiant Touch - Light, luminosity, radiance. The award winning, must-have, take anywhere instant highlighter that banishes shadows, erases signs of fatigue and leaves your skin looking radiant. Touche Eclat is 8 hours of sleep in a pen - the one item no woman can be without. Touche Eclat is ideal at any time of the day over bare, under or over foundation, creme, or powder. Use this best-selling brush-pen around the eye area, the hollow of the chin, the contour of the lips, and the sides of the nose. Just slip it into your bag to ensure a brillant glow, anytime, anywhere. Suitable for all skin types. Available in four shades ranging from pale to deep.

Mini Touche Blush - Like a true beauty accessory, Mini Touche Blush is easy to take everywhere. The small size, the mirror on top of the cap, and the ultra-soft powder puff allow for a precise application and easy touch-ups all day long. The ultra-fine powder provides a luminous and natural makeup result, and the shimmering soft pink shade, #11 Sparkling Beige, enlivens the cheekbones and creates a sensuous and subtle shimmer on the collarbones for the Holiday season.
- #11 Sparkling Beige - soft pink shimmer

Dessin Du Regard Haute Tenue Long-Lasting Eye Pencil - This pencil allows several applications: eyeliner, kohl, or eye shadow. The supple, yet firm, texture enables versatile makeup results. It's high pigment content ensures a long-lasting intense finish. Includes a cosmetic sharpener.
- #1 Intense Black - pure black

Ombres Duolumieres Eye Shadow Duo - A reflection of the Yves Saint Laurent spirit, the colours are both luminous and radiant. The duos play with contrasts that work together to dress the eyelids with vibrant hues and beautify the eyes with ultimate elegance. The extremely soft powder glides on evenly and unwinds like the finest ribbon onto the skin. Thanks to an optical smoothing effect, each shade fully expresses its intensity and radiance.
- #1 Heavenly Beige - Astral Brown - pale beige/deep brown

Volume Effect Faux Cils Luxurious Mascara - An intense look in a single stroke with our must-have industry leading mascara. The secret? The triple-film complex. A coating film for intensity, a conditioning film for curve,a fixing film for long-lasting effectiveness. Even the brush applicator combines nylon fibers of varying diameters for volume enhancement as never seen before.
- #1 High Density Black - black

Fard a Levres Rouge Pur Pure Lipstick - Lip colour and care in one, Rouge Pur stays fresh for hours while ensuring hydration and protection to the lips.
- #149 Black Tulip - deep purple
- #150 Sublime Red - true red
- #151 Sweet Dark Purple - deep magenta
- #152 Pink Grenadine - midtone blue pink

I like both the eye and lip makeup featured in the promo pic but I don't know that I would do them both at the same time. So the two major items that I want from this collection are the Fard a Levres Lipstick in #150 Sublime Red and the Eye Shadow duo in #1 Heavenly Beige - Astral Brown.

Wow...I am done with my Holiday posts...time for Spring!

photo courtesy of YSL

The Body Shop Holiday 2009 Fragrances

I feel like I haven't looked at products from The Body Shop in forever, which is odd considering that I find their quality to be far superior to that of Bath and Body Works for most of the products they sell. Maybe Bath and Body Works just tends to hit the public over the head more with their marketing and the promotional items that I always tend to get in the mail. Anyway, Body Shop has also released fragrances for this Holiday, all of which are limited edition also.

The first scent is called Merry Cranberry and since I hate cranberry fragrances, I already know that this one is not for me. The website describes this fragrance as being on the sweeter side and very fruity. Also, they state that cranberry seed oil is very hydrating and will help to improve the condition of dry winter skin. This fragrance comes mostly in different forms of moisturizers.

The second fragrance is called Black Velvet Apricot and is the one that I find the most interesting of the fragrances. Very few companies release any type of apricot fragrance and the ones are usually released are some form of apricots and cream and smell more like sweet candy than the actual fruit. This one smells of plum and apricot, making this fragrance true to fruit scent of the apricot. The plum is more of a base and makes the fragrance appropriate for the winter. This fragrance I believe is released in both moisturizers and a scrub that is in a tube. This is my favorite of the group.

The last fragrance is more on the spicy side than the two previous. This one is called Nutmeg and Vanilla. This one is my choice for smelling the most like typical "Holiday" fragrances and is my second choice of the fragrances. This fragrance is much spicier and stronger than the other two fragrances. This one that I know that I will like in the tub but if I would buy it, I would would only use it every now and again because I would get sick of the spiciness really quickly. This one is also available in the scrub and moisturizers.

There is still time left to ge these products before the Holidays but many of them were sold out on the website so I wouldn't wait too long. I personally am all over the Black Velvet Apricot fragrance and will be getting the scrub and the bosy butter before they are gone for good.'

photo courtesy of The Body Shop

Clinique Holiday 2009 Collection - Black Tie Violets

For this Holiday season, Clinique has decided to focus only on shades of violets and plum for the newest collection. I can see this collection being either loved or hated. Fans of violet shades will want every piece of this collection while those who cannot get the shade to work at all for thme will walk away from the counter empty handed. But I am one of the people with a cool enough skintone to easily wear this shade, so I am jumping on the bandwagon of this collection. Here is what the Clinique website says about the collection in general, "Holiday glamour all wrapped up in softly shimmering shades of violet from plum to lilacs. Gorgeous effects for eyes, cheeks, lips beautifully illuminate every skin tone".

Let's look at this collection of violet shades...

Shimmering Stripes Powder Blusher -Long-wearing multitoned powder blends together to create a sheer, subtle radiance. Sweep over face for an allover, luminous glow or brush on cheekbones to highlight.

- Tuxedo Plum - shades of violets from light to deep

Powder Brush Limited Edition - Large, plush face brush dusts on loose or pressed powder for smooth, even application. Unique antibacterial technology helps ensure the highest level of hygenie, keeps brush irritant-free.

Cream Shaper for Eyes - Creamy-smooth eyeliner pencil with a hint of shimmer. Shapes and defines with intense, stay-put colour. Non-smudging, water- and transfer- resistant. Easy to sharpen too. Ophthamologist tested.

- Starry Plum - deep plum with soft luminescence

Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad - Four coordinating shades of velveyy, shimmery colour to create the looks you want, from natural to dramatic. Creamy, intense shadows build quickly, blend easily for lasting colour. wear them alone, as duos and trios, or layered together. Ophthamologist tested.

- Plum Seduction - silvery grey taupe with a midtone lilac, a deep royal purple, and a charcoal grey

Brush-On Cream Eyeliner - Creamy eyeliner brushes on deep, smoky, eye-defining colour. Long-wearing, waterproof formula comes complete with a mini Eye Liner Brush. Ophthamologist tested.

- Violet Luxe - true purple

High Impact Mascara - Instant drama. Kicks up the volume and length of each and every lash for a look that's lusher, plusher, bolder. Pure, deep colour only adds to the impact. Wear it once and you'll feel naked without it. Ophthamologist tested.

- Black - black

High Impact Lip Colour SPF 15 - High on colour, long on comfort. Dressed-up colour wears beautifully for 8 hours. And lips enjoy every minute. In highly moisturizing shades that continually smooth, soften, comfort. Protects from UVA/UVB too.

- Extreme Pink - electric hot pink with a sheen of white pearl (Satin)

Different Lipstick - Different because of its smooth, comfortable feel. One of the best, from our wide range of shades. Sheer, glossy, smile-rewarding lipstick.

- A Different Grape - pinkish grape (Soft Shine)

Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine - Triple-action plumping lip gloss instantly and gently creates a fuller, lusher look. The plush effect lingers up to 6 hours. With continued use, peptides prompt skin's natural collagen production to foster a smoother, more defined look. Builds moisture cushion and comforts lips, too.

- Bloomberry - medium plum

- Double Plum - deep plum

- Luscious Lilac - midtone lilac

Defining Liner for Lips - Makes lips look beautiful by definition. Modern precision pencil with built-in sharpener in the cap creates the look you want, anywhere. Creamy, non-feathering formula goes on smoothly, evenly, stays all day. Even helps lipstick stay in place.

- Pomegranate - intense blue red with shimmer

I love the Colour Surge Eye Quad that is being offered with this collection, it is rare for me to love every single shade contained in a quad and actually count them all as shades that I would purchase if they were offered by themselves. With the exception of two of the shades of the Full Potential Lip (Bloomberry and Luscious Lilac), none of the lip products in this collecttion really do it, which is shame because I love most of Clinique's lip products. I wouldn't mind getting the Brush-On Cream Liner in the new purple shade but I don't really know how much use I would get out of it on a day to day basis. This collection works overall me since I have a cooler undertone in my skin but I don't really know how smart it was for Clinique to offer a line that is based so heavily on one shade (and one that is not the easiest to wear either).

photo courtesy of Clinique

Guerlain Holiday 2009 Collection - Collection Imperiale

The Holiday collection from Guerlain is called Collection Imperiale and there is something about the promo pic that is reminding me of the Russian czarinas (before the Revolution of course). On first glance, this collection looks very much like it will be an extension of Volga Princess, the Russian inspired collection created for the past fall. Many of the shades look slightly softer than what ws released in fall and this collection contains only four products (just as fall did). So let's see if these two collections should be considered as only one collection or if they are unique enough to cover two seasons.

Here are the products...

Eclat Imperial Sublime Radiance Powder - An illuminating powder that graces the skin with a gentle and sheer veil of "diamond" reflections. Silky and ultra-light in texture, this deliciously violet-scented, sparkling powder will subtly sublimate and illuminate shoulders, arms, back, decollate, and hair. Finely decorated with screen printed lace, the white gold lacquered bottle boasts a long black tassel atomizer. You are invited to rediscover the timeless and most sensous gesture of applying powder like perfume.

Meteorites Voyage Imperial - Limited edition. The Strass-adorned, must-have for your purse, a perfect complexion. This one-of-a-kind formulation ensures ultimate softness and a lightweight texture. Gently pearlescent, it is reinvented as a concentrate of light and radiance. The new size of the colour shades, presented as miniature "flecks", makes blending colours easier for customized results. This compact slips into a dazzling purse to follow women in all their travels. For this holiday season, its design changed with a new pebble-shaped case. the white gold metal is covered with genuine black Swarovski strass crystals, delicately dotting the lid like a constellation of stars.

Le 2 de Guerlain - Limited edition Christmas 2009. For eyes having the sparkle of a starry night. The legendary two brush mascara comes out with special evening colours. The larger brush is featured in ultra-black to intensify the beauty of your eyes. The smaller brush is used for top coat application, offering touches of glittery gold on eyelash tips. The elegant design, featured in a white gold tone, is finely decorated with a swirl of black wound around the larger brush cap. A new collector shade: 12 Reine de Nuit

- 12 Reine de Nuit - black with a sparkling gold top coat

Rouge G de Guerlain - A majestic jewel for satin lips. In its original case designed by the jeweller Lorenz Baumer, Rouge G has become a classic in refinement and modernity. Elegant and unusual, its abstract and pure form is enhanced by a new jewel, black and strass-like in spirit that adds a subtle and refined holiday note. An ornamental gem for a sumptuous hallmark. As the ultimate finishing touch in makeup, lipstick enhances the lips and illuminates the face. Rouge G diffuses subtly sparkling golden reflections over elegant nude and gentle rosewood. It has the radiance of gold, just enough to bring out o glowing smile over an evening of celebrations. Two must-have shades: 11 Grace and 12 Gems.

- 11 Grace - nude

- 12 Gems - rosewood

Hmmm...this could be an extension of Volga Princess very easily. For one thing, neither collection really overlaps products, for example Volga Princess contains new shades of eye makeup and blush neither of which are carried in Collection Imperial. From this collection, I really love the Rouge G de Guerlain in 11 Grace and the limited edition shade of Le 2 de Guerlain. Guerlain is known for releasing beautiful shades and having amazing packaging for all their products. This season's collection does not disappoint.

photo courtesy of Guerlain

O.P.I. Holiday 2009 Collection - Holiday Wishes

O.P.I.'s newest collection for this season is called Holiday Wishes. Lately, I have been obsessed with nail polish and am changing my shades on a near daily basis. I don't quite know where this sprang out of expect maybe the resurgence in popularity of unnatural colors that I ended up adoring. So I have been pretty excited about many of the new nail polish collections that have been popping up. The O.P.I. website gives the following as the collection description, "For Holiday 2009, O.P.I. sends it best with Holiday Wishes - 12 stunning Nail Lacquer shades including six wish-upon-a-star reds and six most-wished-for dark and neutral tones".

Here are the new shades...

- Holiday Glow - shimmering dark burgundy

- Dear Santa - shimmering true red

- Smitten With Mittens - creamy true red

- Comet Loves Cupid - shimmering berry

- Ginger Bells - creamy nude

- Shim-merry Chic - shimmering taupe

- All A-Bordeaux the Sled - creamy bordeaux

- Sapphire in the Snow - creamy deep purple

- Merry Midnight - shimmering deep berry

- Glove You So Much - creamy deep rose

- Meet and Jingle - creamy true red (a bit lighter than Smitten With Mittens)

- Crimson Carol - shimmering true red (a hue deeper than Dear Santa)

The O.P.I. website did not have color descriptions so the above descriptions were myself trying to see the different shades and how they compared to each other. I know that O.P.I. is a slightly more conservative brand than many others out there but I did find this collection to be somewhat of a let down especially after many other lines have released. REally, I don't want much of anything from this collection so I shall be passing on the whole line.

photo coutesy of Amazon.com

Lancome Holiday 2009 Collection - L'Absolu Rouge Soiree

Get ready everyone, this new collection from Lancome is huge. With both the introduction of new products and sets, this company also has released a full collection of loose products for the Holidays. I saw this display in Macy*s and it is housed on a huge red display. Very festive! "For Holiday 2009, the look is sultry and seducative with rich reds, feminine plums, and exquisite browns. Lancome created the hottest color palette to bring out your wild, sexy side. All for sensual eyes, lips, cheeks, and nails with touches of shimmering light, day into night".

Let's check it out...

Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Base - Give your lashes an XL boost! Cils Booster XL is an innovative mascara base that maximizes the result of any Lancome mascara. Features micro-fibers for enhanced effect; triangular brush helps separate lashes.

Dual End Liner and Shadow Brush - Brush #18 - This versatile, natural-bristled dual end brush is the ideal partner to all Lancome eye shadows. The flat, fine edge brush precisely applies shadow, wet or dry, to create a sharp eyelining brush. While the shadow brush quickly and easily sweeps shadow across the eyelid for a flawless, professional look.

Oscillation Vibrating Infinite Power Mascara - Oscillation is the first vibrating Powermascara from Lancome: 7000 oscillations per minute. Press the button and experience a breakthrough sensation in application. In one easy new gesture, let the vibrating brush combined with an exquisitely smooth formula wrap every lash up to 360 degrees. Instantly see a fascinating gaze: lashes appear ultimately extended, remarkabley separated, and virtually multipled in number.

- Sparkle Gold Top Coat - gold

- Sparkle Silver Top Coat - silver

- Black - black

Ink Artliner Longwear Calligraphy Gel Eyeliner - Eyelining becomes calligraphy. This superb new gel formula has the rich, creamy texture that ensures a luxuriously smooth application. With deep, luminous pigments offering the most intense color imaginable, this liner creates pure drama.

- Brun Mystere - deep brown

- Plum Tease - plum

Aquatique Waterproof Eyecolour Base - This multi-purpose, silky-smooth formula keeps eyecolour in place. Leaves eyes with a matte, natural finish: perfectly primed to help your favorite Lancome shadows last even longer. This nude colour-in-a-pot applies with fingertips.

- Nude - pale nude

Le Crayon Poudre Powder Pencil for the Brows - Lancome's all-in-one essential for natural looking, beautiful brows. At one end: a powder pencil to colour-correct and contour. At the other: a handy brush to blend and groom for soft, subtly defined brows. Available in a range of brown shades to match all hair shades.

Blending Shadow Brush - #17 - This versatile, long-haired brush gradually tapers to a medium-size dome of soft, natural hair bristles. Its unique shape makes it ideal for applying shadow all over lids, softening eye contour colors, diffusing shadow pigments, or setting concealer to perfection. Shadow is seamlessly blended with horizontal strokes from the outer corner of the lid up into the crease, making eyes look extra defined. Concealer is set by using light vertical strokes around the eye area.

Fall Eye Brush - The makeup artist's best friend. This sleek, perfectly sculpted brush let you precision-line, shape and define your eyes beautifully. The handle is ultra slim and easy to hold for a professional finish. Ideal with Ink Artliner or any eyeliner, wet or dry.

Color Design Sensational Effects Cream Eye Shadow Long Wear - This versatile cream-to-powder eye color glides on easily and blends smoothly for a luminous, creaseless finish that's luxuriously lasting. Offers buildable color as a shadow, liner, or shadow base for 16-hour transfer-resistant wear.

- Haute Smoke - taupe shimmer

- Pink Lace - pale pink shimmer

- Garter Belt - berry shimmer

Holiday Eye & Cheek Palette - Experience the most glamorous palettes of the year. Surprise your eyes with a soft-to-sultry, trend-setting mix of six eye shadows and one blush to lighten up any look. Carry it off in style with an opulent palette adorned in a luxurious sparkle fabric. Available in four limited-edition palettes: Plum Irresistable, Nude Seduction, Alluringly Bronze, and Evening Splendor.

- Plum Irresistable - Color Design Sensational Effect Eye Shadow in Rapturous, Seducative Gaze, Magnificent, Captivating, Diva Shimmer, and Entrancing, plus Blush Subtil Delicate Oil-Free Powder Blush in Violet Sunrise

- Nude Seducation - Color Design Sensational Effect Eye Shadow in Pink Zinc, Wear It Well, Erotique, Amorous, Kittenish, and Feline Strut, plus Blush Subtil Delicate Oil-Free Powder Blush in Aplum

- Alluringly Bronze - Color Design Sensational Effect Eye Shadow in Fabric, Alluring Presence, The New Black, Enticing, Get It now, and Daylight, plus Blush Subtil Delicate Oil-Free Powder Blush in Mocha Havana

- Evening Splendor - Color Design Sensational Effect Eye Shadow in Honeymoon, Tempted, Impress, Mannequin, Model, and Lezard, plus Blush Subtil Delicate Oil-Free Powder Blush in Bronze Escapde

La Laque Fever Ultimate Lasting Full Color Lip Shine - Revolution in shine. High potency color. Lacquered lips last for eight hours. For the first time at Lancome, an elixir of vibrant concentrated color and unprecedented shine in one gliding stroke. From the moment of application, densely pixilated pearls combined with unique polymers give multi-dimensional shine that truly holds to your lips: no touch-ups for eight hours. New soft-sculpt applicator smoothly polishes and precisely designs fuller lips in a perfectly even layer for sensual impeccable contours.

- Captivating - shimmering berry

- Untamed Plum - shimmering plum

- Seductively - shimmering pale pink

- Evening Splendor -true red

- Feverish - shimmering mauve

L'Absolu Rouge Advanced Replenishing & Reshaping Lipcolor Pro-Xylane SPF 12 Sunscreen - Absolutely Voluptuous lips. Pamper your lips with this creamy and luscious formula. Lancome brings Pro-Xylane; its complete and powerful replenishing molecule, to a lip color for visibly fuller and smoother lips. Rich, satiny, saturated color wraps lips in luxury. Lasting color precisely defines contours.

- Luxe - nude
- Crushed Rose - creamy rose

- Coquette - creamy pale pink

- Rouge Seduction - shimmering deep red

Retractable Lip Brush #9 - This versatile, synthetic-bristled brush is the ideal partner to all Lancome lip colours and glosses. This sleek, precise applicator retracts easily for portable convenience. Precisely and evenly applies lip colour for a flawless, professional look.

Le Lipstique Lipcolouring Stick with Brush - Two tools in one: a soft, creamy, waterproof pencil for gorgeous, professional-looking lips on one end; and a brush for blending on the other. Worn alone or under lipstick, colour stays in place - no feathering or bleeding. Unique brush tip blends and applies lipstick beautifully.

- Rougelle - true red

Le Vernis Divine Lasting Colour & Shine - It's Lancome's most technologically-advanced nail polish. Your fingertips and toes will love the boost of color and lasting shine that stays put for up to seven days. Its cutting-edge, soft-sculpt brush embraces the shape of each nail for perfectly even coverage in one coat with no clumps.

- Untamed Plum - creamy plum

- In All Her Splendor - shimmering red

Powder - Brush #1 - Made with only the finest materials, this precision-crafted tools allow for virtually flawless makeup application everytime, anywhere. Sweeps on powder for a smooth, nautral finish.

Dual Finish Versatile Powder Makeup - The makeup survival kit. As a foundation: sponge on dry, over daytime moisturizer, for a soft matte effect. Sponges on damp for a full-coverage, flawless matte finish. As a powder:puff on dry over any Lancome foundation. Result: portable perfection that's perfect for all skin types. Available in a range of shades for the palest of skin to the deepest of skin.

Cheek Brush #6 - This compact, natural-bristled brush is the ideal partner to all Lancome powder blush. It easily and evenly applies colour for a professional blusing effect.

Sparkling Cherub Sheer Warm Illuminating Powder - This sheer, sparkling powder illuminates skin with a sheer, bronze-lit glow. Adds layers of shimmering light, wherever you want it to highlight: face, eyes, decollete. The instant glamour compact to lift any look to the ultimate degree.

Maquicomplet Complete Coverage Concealer - This creamy, liquid concealer hides flaws, blemishes, and dark circles with full, natural-looking coverage. Enriched with a hydrating botanical complex, anti-oxidant protection, and light-diverting agents. Minimizes the appearance of under-eye circles and wrinkles, while protecting against environmental damage. Result: Covers imperfections with a natural-looking finish. Available in a range of shades from pale to deep.

Foundation Brush #2 - Made with only the finest materials, this precision-crafted tool allows for virtually flawless makeup application every time, anywhere. Provides even coverage of liquid foundation for a picture-perfect finish.

Renergie Lift Makeup SPF 20 12 HR Lifting - Anti-Wrinkle Radiance - This light-weight, moisturizing formula incorporates the breathrough skincare technology Micro-lift
Network. Anti-wrinke: In a 4-week clinical test: Total surface area of wrinkles was significantly reduced. 82% of women felt firmer skin. Radiance: Satin pigments and micro-pearls help erase dullness and awaken the complexion. Result: A transformation to a virtually lineless, more naturally radiant complexion. Moderate to full coverage. Radiant finish. 12 Hour lift effect. Available in a range of shades from pale to deep.

Fall Powder Brush - The master of sheer perfection. This luxuriously full brush sweeps on powder smoothly and and evenly for flawless, even application. Soft and perfectly contoured, it's ideal for use with La Rose Liberte or any powder.

Concealer Brush #8 - Made with only the finest materials, this precision-crafted tool allows for virutally flawless makeup application every time, anywhere. Applies concealer evenly for beautiful, natural looking coverage.

That was quite a collection! What do I want from this collection? From the eye makeup products that they offered for this Holiday, I want the Color Design Cream Shadow in both Pink Lace and Haute Smoke. I also really like the palettes that were offered for this collection, I would like to get both Nude Seducation and Evening Splendor. From the new lip products and shades, I am most excited about La Laque Fever in Captivating and Seductively. I also love the L'Absolu Rouge in Luxe, Crushed Rose, and Coquette. In my opinion, I think lip shades are the stunners of this collection. It's nice collection overall, I just really don't feel that Lancome needs to clutter up the collection with all the brushes and different foundation because you should be purchasing the face products and brushes that are recommended to you, not the newest items released. Just my two cents...

photo courtesy of Lancome

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Collector Set

So far from Make Up For Ever, I have only used the HD collection but I have a friend that loves all of their products and one of her favorites is the Aqua Eye Eye Liner. I believe that I once got this product as a Sephora Beauty Insider sample but I haven't opened it up yet to try it out. But to a fan of both this line and this product itself, the Holiday Collector Set of these liners that is being sold at Sephora is a dream come true. The first 100 of these that are made and sold will be numbered and signed by Danny Sanz (founder of the company). For a huge Make Up For Ever fan, this is a dream come true.


The set is limited only to distribution at Sephora so I turned to their website to get a description of the product, "The 25 Aqua Eyes Collector Set includes the full range of 25 shades so that you can create endless eye looks. Aqua Eyes is an award-winning, waterproof, and long-lasting eye liner pencil that contains a unique formula that adheres to the eye lids and resists water - even under the most extreme conditions. Its creamy texture glides on effortlessly for precise application and intense color and by smudging it immediately after applying to the lid, it can double as a shadow".


Here are the colors that are in the set...


- Champagne 23 L - metallic pink champagne
- Fushcia Pink 13 L - metallic fushcia
- Purple 11 L - metallic purple
- Black Purple 6 L - deep purple
- Shimmering Plum 4 L - soft plum sheen
- Burgundy 18 L - deep burgundy sheen
- Pearly Brown 2 L - golden brown sheen
- Light Brown 19 L - dark taupe
- Light Taupe 24 L - taupe brown
- Bronze Green 5 L - golden olive sheen
- Bronze 10 L - metallic bronze
- Gold 9 L - metallic yellow
- Pistachio 17 L - metallic vibrant yellow green
- Green 16 L - medium yellow green sheen
- Forest Green 20 L - deep pine green
- Turquoise 7 L - light turquoise sheen
- Blue With Green Highlights 12 L - metallic teal blue
- Majorelle Blue 15 L - metallic royal blue
- Iridescent Navy Blue 3 L - navy blue sheen
- Mat Black 0 L - black
- Star Black 1 L - black sheen
- Dark Grey 21 L - dark metallic grey
- Grey 22 L - silvery grey
- Silver 8 L - metallic silver
- White 14 L - pearl white sheen

This huge set should make any Make Up For Ever lover or even any eye makeup lover jump for joy when they unwrap it. This quite possibly could be the end-all set for eye liner selection. Now if Urban Decay would make the same type of set so I could get it for myself...

photo courtesy of Sephora

DuWop Holiday 2009 Collection

DuWop has released only three now products for this Holiday season. All of which are either palettes or kits and would be either great gifts or something to keep for yourself. All the products are focused toward creating Holiday ready eye makeup looks and there is very litle for the face and nothing for the lips offered in this collection. Let's check them out...

Crushed Velvet Kit - The Crushed Velvet Kit is your one stop shop for the perfect Holiday look for eyes. The Crushed Velvet Kit combines the best of DuWop with our famous Lash Venom mascara, All EyeCatcher liner and Crush shadow, all chosen for their drama, intensity, and wearability. Each of these products is perfect for an office party or an evening out but combined they make an unforgettable statement. Each Crushed Velvet Eye Kit contains: A limited edition Holiday Crush containing a trio of eye shadows in shades of bright emerald, rosy gold, and burgundy in the same silky formula; EyeCatcher All Eye Intensifier, a velvety black waterproof eyeliner; and a deluxe travel size Lash Venom mascara to plump up lashes and finish off the look. The entire collection comes in a sleek graphite DuWop bag to take your look on the go.

Peacock Palette - Inspired by the opulent and regal colors of a peacock feather DuWop brings you the Peacock Palette. Full of rich, high shimmer eye shadows and bright, luminous skin balms, the Peacock Palette is the ultimate Holiday set. The Peacock Palette contains DoubGlow7 and Cheek Venom in Cobra, a new shade, to illuminate the skin and bring a flush of color to the cheeks. With a peacoc as our muse, we created six metallic eye shadows that are densely pigmented and go on silky smooth. In shades of deep eggplant, vivid copper, earthy brown, bright teal, khaki green, and rich sapphire, there is something to set off each eye color. The set also includes a professional double-ended brush and a full size mirror for on the go touch-ups.

IceStorm - This Holiday season DuWop presents a gorgeous palette of frosty shades to mix and match. The kit includes a jet-black, water-resistant cream liner to create a dramatic counterpoint to the ethereal pastels. The set also includes a professional double-ended brush and a full size mirror for on the go touch-ups. The eye shadow shades included are: shimmering rose, lightest lilac, frosyy white, and metallic mint.

Of the three new palettes, the only one that I really want is the IceStorm palette. I love the pale shades and the idea of pairing them with the dark dramatic liner. I know that I said several days ago that I really have no preference if companies do all sets or all loose product for their Holiday collections but after several posts all about sets palettes, I am beginning to wish that I was looking at more single products. Anyone else feel this way too?

photo courtesy of DuWop

Philosophy The Cookie Exchange

It has always been a tradition in my family to take plates of home-made cookies to family members and coworkers every single year. What this means is my mom always starts baking right at the beginning of the month of December and will continue to make batches of cookies until right up to Christmas Day. For an entire month, there are always ton of cookies all over the place and are always sitting out to be eaten. Heaven right? People are always shocked when I tell them that I don't really like cookies. I can eat a few at a time but they are one of my last choices for desserts. Give me cupcakes or candy and I will be one happy girl. But for those of us that love cookies, this entry is for you.

For this Holiday season, Philosophy has released a set of small 3 in 1s called The Cookie Exchange. This set contains four 3 in 1s in various cookie inspired fragrances. This is what Sephora has to say about this set, "A quartet of delectable, high-foaming, multipurpose cleansers. This decadent ensemble of three-in-one Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath formulas treats you to the mouth-watering scents of warm, fresh-baked cookies. Bask in Holiday delight as you cleanse from head-to-toe with moisturizing, sweet-tooth-satisfying lather".

This set contains the following four fragrances; Lemon Cookie, Oatmeal Raisin, Coconut Macaroon, and Chocolate Chip Cookies. I smelled all of the fragrances the last time that I was at Sephora and the only one that I really liked was Lemon Cookie. It reminded me a lot of Hello Sugar from Bath and Body Works (still one of my favorite items that they ever released) but the others didn't do much for me. I found the Oatmeal Raisin to be the strongest of the bunch however, it smelled strongly of spices and that turned me off. The other two fragrances were just generically sweet, nothing amazing about them but nothing wrong with them. This set just isn't really for me but I bet tons of others will love it.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Chanel Holiday 2009 Collection - Collection Cage Doree de Chanel

This Holiday collection from Chanel is the most unique of all the collections that I have seen so far this season. It is based on exotic islands and the creatures that inhabit them. In other words, it is bright and can almost be considered a Summer collection. So I don't know how much wear I would get out of it now but I can save it for warmer weather. Here is the description from Chanel, "Inspired by Mademoiselle Chanel's fascination with the brillant plumage of exotic birds, the Holiday Makeup Collection is a lfight of fantasy for face and fingertips".

Here we go...

Les Tissages Lames de Chanel Shimmering Tweed Highlighter - Three delicately 'woven' shades of shimmering colour for cheeks and decollete. Gold, bronze, and copper tones cast a natural luminous glow on skin to highlight and heighten a festive effect.

- Lames de Chanel - gold/bronze/copper

Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow - Shade combinations ranging from matte to frost to satin for multiple looks, contrasting or complementary. Apply dry for subtle shadowing. Slightly moistened applicator gives a more intense shade. Organic polymer derivatives ensure smudge-proof longwear, particularly in high temperature or humidity.

- Bird of Paradise - tropical-bright quartet of aqua, yellow, green-gold, and copper

La Ligne de Chanel Professional Eyeliner Duo - Mistake-proof eyeliner duo enables every woman to achieve the perfectly lined eye. Stray-proof, powder-based formula easily mimcs both the precision of a liquid eyeliner and the smudged look of a kohl pencil.

- Celadon-Lame - rich green-black

Inimitable Mascara Multi-Dimensionnel - Now, in a single stroke, Chanel sets a new standard in mascara with a formula that does it all. A sophisticated formula and unique brush design combine to lengthen, plump, and curl, delivering lush, long-wearing colour so precisely that each lash, even the finest, is perfectly separated and defined.

- Noir - black

Aqualumiere Sheer Colour Lip Shine SPF 15 - A brillant pop of sheer colour and ultra-creamy texture provide an immediate sensation of softness and comfort. Lips are throughly hydrated with a nourishing, soothing, and fortifying action.

- Maldives - warm, ultra-wearable peach

- Galapagos - lustrous coral

- Tasmania - exquisite pink

- Grenada - soft, subdued fuschia

Aqualumiere High Shine Sheer Concentrate - Brush on the exquisite, water-light look of this new ingenious gloss and discover perfect comfort in a sheer wash of colour.

- Colibri - shimmering pearl

- Hirondelle - vibrant pink

- Canari - bright, citrusy coral

Le Vernis Nail Colour - Brillance to your fingertips with must-have colours from the runways of Paris. State-of-the-art formula strengthens and moisturizes nails. Unique patented, non-spill bottle with wiping action for easy application.

- Trapeze - radiant silver-beige

- Mica Rose - tender pink

- Orange Fizz - vivid coral

I think the Bird of Paradise concept is a bit out there for the Holiday season but I do predict that this collection will sell out within days of hitting the counters. The Quadra Eye will sell out first I predict and I will be one of the people lining up to get my hands on it. Along with it, I also want the Mica Rose polish and the Colibri lip color. I give Chanel points for a unique collection and for a collection that I will be wearing long past this winter.

photo courtesy of Chanel

Bobbi Brown Holiday 2009 Collection - Chrome Collection

The newest collection from Bobbi Brown is all about parties and lighting up the night. Called the Chrome Collection, the promo picture is all about shades of silver and frosty makeup. The whole makeup look is on the cooler side and may leave out those with warmer toned complexions but once we look at the products, we may find some warmer toned shades. Frosty shades can be way too much when done wrong but Bobbi manages to balance out her collection in such a way that will make it very hard for the user to overdo and create a bad 1970s disco queen look.

I love this collection at first glance and let's look at it without further delay...

Chrome Palette - Bobbi's cool, contemporary take on holiday beauty. Icy, shimmering accents on eyes and lips cast an iridescent glow on the face. Inside this chrome-accented fold-out palette, you'll find everything you need to deck yourself out for the season: 10 Eye Shadows, 4 Lip Shades, a Mini Eye Shadow Brush, and a Mini Lip Brush.

Extreme Party Mascara - Our boldest mascara ever. Unbelivable volume. Endless build. Exceptional separation. Pliable formula stays flexible even after it dries, so each coat goes on as a fresh as the first - immediately or hours later -with zero dragging, clumping or flaking. Tapered brush grabs even the smallest, hard-to-reach lashes. Now that's beautiful.

Metallic Lip Color - Shimmer like you've never seen - or felt - before. Metallic Lip Color features a unique combination of high-shine emollients and light-reflective pearls. This creamy lipstick feels soft and comfortable on lips, and offers medium coverage. Just for the Holidays, Bobbi has created two NEW shades, Chrome (a pale silver) and Plum Pearl (a golden plum) for a quick and easy way to look party-perfect. Black lipstick case features metallic chrome detailing.

- Chrome - pale silver

- Plum Pearl - golden plum

Lip Color - This creamy, semi-matte lipstick gives lip instant polish with rich, full coverage. Just for the Holidays, Bobbi has created a NEW shade, Port (a deep plum) for a quick and easy way to look party-perfect. Black lipstick case features metallic chrome detailing.

- Port - deep plum

Long - Wear Gel Eyeliner - This award-winning liner offers the precision of a liquid liner and the ease of a gel-based formula.

- Black Ink - jet black

Chrome Eye Shadow - Nothing says Holiday glamour like eyes all dressed up in new chrome Eye Shadow. Developed with highly reflective pearls, this opulent formula looks like liquid metal on lids and reflects light beautifully. Featured in our signature Eye Shadow compact, customized for the season with a luxe chrome finish.

- Gold - gold metallic

- Pewter - cool bronze metallic

- Silver - silver metallic

Chrome Mini Brush Set - When space is premium, downsize with the Chrome Mini Brush Set. Offers three of Bobbi's must have brushes - Mini Face Blender, our new Mini Angle Eye Shadow, and Mini Eye Liner - in palm-of-your-hand sizes. A chrome faux-leather zip-around case protects brushes for years of use.

Chrome Beauty Kit - Like a portable vanity table. Roomy enough to organize all your beauty essentials at home; sleek and luxe to satisfy your wildest travel-in-style fantasy. Our Chrome Beauty Kit has two large zip-around compartments for every last moisturizer, foundation, and gloss-plus pockets for all your brushes and a detachable mirror.

The Chrome Eye Shadows I have wanted ever since I saw them on the Muse's blog and hopefully they will not disappoint when I try them out next time that I get to the counter. I love how this collection just screams "Holiday" and getting dressed up and going out. From this collection, I want all three of the shadows, the palette, and the Beauty Kit. I want to try the Extreme Party Mascara but I have heard very mixed reviews on it from other bloggers so I will try it out for myself and keep an open mind. None of the lip colors look like anything that I would like so I doubt that I will be picking any of them up.

photo courtesy of Bobbi Brown

Bath and Body Works Holiday Temptations

Yay! Bath and Body Works has finally made a smart move and brought some of their Temptations fragrances back, even if only for a limited time this Holiday season. Twisted Peppermint returns with this collection, which is a very smart move for the company. Honestly, many people would riot if Twisted Peppermint wasn't available every single year at the same time. This year, in additon to Twisted Peppermint, Bath and Body Works released four fragrances in this limited edition collection.

The first fragrance is Twisted Peppermint. For those of you who are living under a rock and don't already know all about this fragrance, I will go into a quick description of the fragrance. Bath and Body Works describes this fragrance as "a crisp holiday blend of cool peppermint, white sugar, and vanilla". I have loved this fragrance ever since it was first released in 2006 and already have a quite a collection of it in my product bins.

The second fragrance is called I Love Licorice and is described as a "sweet and satisfying scent of highly addictive red licorice. This scent is very similar to one from Dylan's Candy Bar and is one that I am glad that Bath and Body Works is releasing. They do very well when making their candy-type scents and this one if no exception.

The third fragrance is called Nutcracker Sweet and this was my least favorite of the bunch. This fragrance is described as "a fresh, nutty blend that captures the festive scents of the Holidays". This was just a bland sweet scent with a funky base fragrance. I will have to say that this a more unique fragrance in the Temptations line but one that I am not partial to.

The last fragrance is Spiced Gingersnap and is one that smells nice in the bottle but turns funky on my skin. This one is described as "a delicious blend of warm ginger, white icing, and rich spices". This one wasn't for me in that I don't love spicy fragrances after I apply them and can't stand them for any long period of time.

Bath and Body Works has changed around the fragrance forms that this collection is offered. They still offer the traditional 3 in 1, I doubt that will ever change. However, for this year, they have released a body lotion, a shapable soap that more resembles a child's product than one made for an adult, and a body spray loaded with shimmer. I wish they would get over loading up the products with shimmer, it really makes them look cheap and I know that I am not alone in not wanting to purchase anything with glitter in it even I do like the actual fragrance.

I am not really excited about what is offered this year in this line. I like the Licorice fragrance and while I will always adore Twisted Peppermint, I don't need to purchase any of it this year. Maybe I will wait for Semi - Annual Sale and see if there is anything left after the Christmas rush.

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Essie Holiday 2009 Collection

I feel that it has been ages since I have talked about nail polish on this blog and I need a bit of a break from all the festive Holiday makeup for a day. This collection is quite small and actually only consists of three new shades. However, all three shades are very crave-worthy so I will not blow of this collection because of its small size.

The first shade is called Lollipop. This color is a bright candy cane red and it is most Holiday like of the three shades. This one is actually my least favorite of the collection but I don't hate it, I just find it very generic and the usual Holiday nail polish shade offering.

The second shade from the collection is that one that was love at first sight for myself. It is called Mint Candy Apple and it is described as "creme de menthe mint". In reality, it is a very pale yet beautiful shade of mint green. This shade is very unique and is love in a bottle for me.

The last shade is called Rock Candy and it is my second favorite shade of the three. It is a pale pink that is described as "sweet treat pink". I find it to be a pale pink with a hint of violet in it, it is cool toned.

Love the Mint Candy Apple shade to pieces. I also like the other two shades and wouldn't mind having either of them but I have my heart set on the mint shade. Which I bet will sell out the fastest because of how unique it is.

photo courtesy of Essie

Stila Holiday 2009 Collection

Stila is another company that is not releasing any new single items this Holiday season and is just releasing giftsets that are more gift oriented. I don't really have a preference either way for if a company releases more sets or more loose products since I usually tend by buy a bunch of both every year. I am finding four new sets in total on the Sephora webstie so that it what we will look at.

Holiday Color Collection and Clutch - A limited-edition black clutch featuring four best-selling Stila-star products. Celebrate the season in best-selling Stila style with the Holiday Color Collection and Clutch. The set features four best-selling beauties to give you a complete and completely gorgeous signature Stila look. Contains the following: Convertible Color Duo in Marigold, Smudge Pot in Golden Noir, Mini Lip Glaze in Palm Peach, and Eye Shadow in Oasis

Lip Glaze Collection - A collection of eight mini Lip Glazes give non-stop shimmer and shine! Back and bigger than ever, Stila's ultra-popular mini Lip Glaze collection features EIGHT shades - four bestsellers and four brand new. Find the flavor to match your every look and mood in this must-have set that delivers lips with unprecedented high-wattage color and shine.

- Starfruit - neutral pink

- Kitten - caramel with gold pearl

- Cranberry - deep red

- Blackberry - deep warm brown red

- Marmalade -sheer peach with pink and white pearl

- Pinkle Twinkle - sheer pink with pink and multicolor sparkle

- Plum Fairy - sheer plum with pink pearl

- Candy - sheer pinky coral with subtle rainbow sparkle

Smudge Pot Collection - A quartet of shimmering mini Smudge Pots and a mini Smudge Pot Brush. This stunning set of Smudge Pots - the cult-favorite, gel-based shadow and liner in one - features four shimmering shades (two bestsellers and two exclusive new Holiday hues!) the transfer- and smudge-resistant formula is easy to apply for lining, blending, and lash-thickening. The perfectly portable size and mini eye liner brush make them great for travel and on-the-go glam. You'll be able to create countless subtle-y, shimmery eye looks for the holidays and everyday!

- Black - intense black

- Kitten - the eye-conic, universally flattering shimmering nude champage

- Violet - bright shimmering ultraviolet

- Starry Night - deep shimmering navy

Kitten Collection - A set featuring an Eye Shadow and Lip Glaze in the number one selling, champagne-pink shade, Kitten. Get a double dose of the award-winning shimmering pink champagne shade in this stunning set featuring Eye Shadow and Lip Glaze. The best-selling Eye Shadow shade is now available in Stila's legendaey high-shine Lip Glaze formula - so now you can have a complete Kitten look that will have you smitten! The moisture-rich gloss contains ultra-fine pearl shimmer that provides amazing shine. It's also enriched with Vitamins A, C, and E for additional skincare benefits. And the Kitten Eye Shadow - Stila's original, award-winning formula that can be worn wet or dry - stays on all day without creasing or smudging.

The only set that I want is the Lip Glaze collection, I actually don't own any Stila Lip Glazes and this would be a great way to start a collection of them. Also, I have been on a lip gloss kick recently and this kit will continue to feed that obsession.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Dior Holiday 2009 Collection - Cristal Boreale

For the past weeks, I have been seeing tempting little hints of Dior has released for us this Holiday. One of the 5 Colour Eye Shadow sets will be the biggest hit of the season and it made my November Most Wanted list after viewing it only once. Finally, last week, I was able to get to Macy's and see their display of it and review all the products on the Nordstrom website. And let me say that this collection is beautiful and exciting and sparked so much excitement from me that I will have to restrain myself next time I go near one of the counters. The promo pic from this collection shows off the beautiful eye palette that I talked about above and is at the heart of this Holiday look.

Nordstrom describes the overall collection right here, "Luxurious accents. Festive sparkle. A night filled with stars. Dazzle for the holidays with a jewel-toned collection of shimmering pinks, violets, and silvers inspired by Dior's own legendary jewel designs". The collection is very appropriately named Cristal Boreale. I had to use both the Nordstrom site and the Sephora site to get this collection figured out since the Dior site has decided that it hates me right now. So I apologize for anything that is not 100% correct since I am trying to go between two different sites to get my needed info.

Here is it...

Dior Mini Brush Set - Treat yourself or a loved one this Holiday season with a luxurious mini brush set from Dior. Inspired by Dior's ready-to-wear accessories, this limited-edition, black patent clutch features signature cannage stitching and silver "D" hardware along with four travel-size versions of Dior's best-selling brushes (foundation, powder foundation, eye shadow, and lip). Limited edition.

Dior Deluxe Travel Palette - The hottest shades of the season are inside this limited-edition, black patent clutch! Inspired by Dior's ready-to-wear accessories, this must-have palette features signature cannage stitching and the silver "D" hardware along with a wardrobe of Dior's best travel essentials: six eye shadows, a DiorBlush, an allover face highlighter and deluxe miniatures of Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss Reflect in Organdi Pink 257, and Diorshow Iconic Mascara in Black 090. The perfect gift for your loved ones - or you! Limited edition.

Dior Holiday Lip Palette - The hottest shades of the season for lips are inside this limited-edition, black patent palette! Inspired by Dior's ready-to-wear accessories, Dior Holiday Lip Palette features signature cannage stitching and silver "D" hardware, along with four perfectly coordinated shades of lip color. The perfect gift for your loved ones - or you! Limited edition. Included are shades of mauve, wine, deep brown, and nude.

Dior Boreale Crystal Lip Pendant - A luxurious crystal pendant, inspired by the Aurore Boreale Crystal - a Swarovski crystal created exclusively for Christian Dior in 1955. Contains a petal-pink lip balm with a hint of shimmer.

Dior Holiday Eye Palette - The hottest shades of the season for eyes are inside the limited-edition, black patent palette! Inspired by Dior's ready-to-wear accessories, Dior Holiday Eye Palette features signature cannage stitching and silver "D" hardware, along with four perfectly coordinated shades of eye color. The perfect gift for your loved one - or you! Limited edition. Included are shades of silvers and greys.

Dior 5 - Colour Iridescent Eye Shadow - Your eyes have never beheld such brillance. Shimmering palettes created with Dior's phenomenal new "Wet Reflect" technology. Ultra-reflective. Ultra-luminous. Ultra-incredible. Five metallic-rich shades in each palette. Silky-smooth and weightless. So blendable, the colors virtually fuse with the skin for looks that defy creasing, smudging, or fading.

- 089 Smoky Crystal - two warmer shades of grey/two cooler shades of grey/lavender

Dior Style Liner - Intensify your eyes with this rich, creamy liner created especially for the runway. Now you can get that model-esque "femme fatale" look on your own - in seconds flat.

- 174 Sparkling Purple - violet

Dior Vernis - Black Sequins - A black nail lacquer with silver flecks. Dior Dior Vernis - Black Sequins gives nails a celestial shimmer. The raven black lacquer contains silver flecks that make your nails look like a starry night - they glitter. Dior's fast-drying, diamond-hard, chip-resistant formula makes sure this limited-edition varnish lasts.

Dior Vernis - Silver Purple - A luminous silver-purple nail polish. Dior Vernis Nail Polish will add a splash of luminous color to any look. The long-lasting, chip-resistant formula goes on silky smooth; and the vibrant color puts a tantalizing touch on finger tips and toes.

Dior Complete Makeup Palette - Deluxe Palette for Eyes, Cheeks, and Lips- A silver cannage deluxe makeup palette for eyes, cheeks, and lips. Get a perfect look on the go with this Complete Makeup Palette for the eyes, cheeks, and lips. This palette contains DiorBlush in English Rose, 2 - Colour Eye Shadow in Nude Look, Lip Gloss in 483, Cheek Brush, and Lip and Eye Applicator.

Ok, that was semi-painful and took several hours in total. But after all that, I am still so happy that I got to see every piece of the new Dior collection. Two products are exclusive to Sephora, the Complete Makeup Palette and the Black Sequins Nail Polish, everything else should be available at all Dior counters. The two items that I want the most from this collection (in addition to the Smoky Crystal palette that we already went over) are the Silver Purple Nail Polish and the simply breathtaking Boreale Crystal Lip Pendant. The Pendant and the Silver Purple polish are both already totally sold out on the Nordstrom site, so I will also get the thrill of the hunt on this collection. I would also like to get all of the palettes, overall this is just a great collection.

This Holiday has been amazing for me so far, there is not one collection where I do not want most of the items in it and some collections like this make me want every new product that is out there at the counter.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

MAC Baroque Boudoir

MAC has just released their newest color collection this week for Holiday, called Baroque Boudoir. This collection has been eagerly awaited by many of the writers of the beauty blogs, even more so than Magic, Mirth, and Mischief's color collection. This collection is considered to look very Dita Von Teese and that has sparked everyone's interest. At first glance, this collection appears to be more geared toward night parties and getting really dressed up to go out. Let's check this long-awaited collection out and see if it was worth the wait and the hype.

MAC describes the collection as follows, "Decadent, luxurious...liaisons get even more dangerous with formulas for lips and face, and the haute-style clutch of this baroque-inspired collection. Sate your taste for something modern, yet ornate".

Here we are...

Baroque Boudoir Lipstick - A Lipstick designed exclusively for the Baroque Boudoir collection. A polished silver case features two belle epoque-style motifs - one black and one frosted. The luxurious formula provides medium-to-full coverage for a look that's soft, rich, and lustrous. Wear alone or pair with Baroque Boudoir Lip Gloss. Limited Edition.

- Prive - creamy light blue pink (Cremesheen)

- Treasured - creamy warm nude beige (Cremesheen)

- Baroque Boudoir - creamy dark plum (Cremesheen)

Baroque Boudoir Lip Gloss - A Lip Gloss designed exclusively for the Baroque Boudior collection. A glass vial with a round, polished silver cap features two belle epoque-style motifs - one black and one frosted. Provides a soft, comfortable, and lustrous look. Wear alone or pair with Baroque boudior Lipstick. Limited Edition.

- Preciousness - sheer metallic pink with white pearl (Frost)

- The Lap of Luxury - sheer baby pink with white & pink pearl (Frost)

- D'nouveau - sheer dusty rose with light pink pearl (Frost)

Baroque Boudoir Compact Sheer Mystery Powder - A Sheer Mystery Powder making its appearance as part of the Baroque Boudoir collection. Designed as a special keepsake collectable, this luxurious, round polished silver-finished compact features two belle-epoque style motifs - one black, one frosted - that create a unique and coveted look. An ideal complement to the silky soft, velvety, and slightly luminous finish of the Sheer Mystery Powder. Limited Edition. Product packaged with pressed powder in compact and one refill.

- Light Medium - pale ivory

- Medium Plus - tan beige

Boudoir Clutch - A makeup-evening style clutch designed to reflect the style and chic of the Baroque Boudoir collection. Lavish in appearance, the shiny, fashionably crinkled pewter-grey fabric is gathered into its silver metal clasp, creating a look of high elegance. Limited Edition.

This is one MAC collection that utterly lives up to all the hype surrounding it, this is amazing both in colors and in packaging. The containers that house this makeup are among the most amazing that I have come across in years and will attract crowds of people to the MAC counters. I want all of the Lip Gloss shades and the Light Medium Sheer Mystery Powder. I would also like to get the Prive Lipstick but not quite as much as a I want the Lip Glosses. I added the official collection picture in the upper corner becasue this packaging simply must be seen, I can't fully put it into words.

A hit from MAC!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Philosophy The Winter Escape

Philosophy released a bunch of cute little sets as gift ideas this Holiday season. Many of them, including the Recipe Box, look like ones that have been released in previous years. The one that we are touhcing on today is called The Winter Escape and I feel like somethin similar has been released before but since fireplaces and log cabins tend to be a staple of the Holidays, it makes sense to me that Philosophy continues to release new versions of this theme each year.

This set is based around the ever-popular hot cocoa and marshmellows. Here is the write up from the Sephora website, "A trio of fire inspired luxuries. Treat yourself to a warm shower or bath with new Peppermint Hot Cocoa Shampoo, Shower Gel, and Bubble Bath! Of course you can't have hot cocoa without marshmellows, which is why Marshmellow Body Souffle and Marshmellow Flavored Lip Shine make this deliciously cozy ensemble complete! This world-class shower gel is decadent, creamy, and perfect for daily use. The light, silky souffle - textured moisturizer melts into skin, providing anti-oxidant, hydrating, age-fighting benefits".

I was really excited about this product when I first saw it in a Sephora ad in some magazine earlier this month. However, this product and I are not meant to be. The Peppermint Hot Cocoa 3 in 1 is fantastic and I will be getting it in the full sized product that Sephora is selling alone.

I was so excited for the Marshmellow Souffle and this is where the major let down occured. First the background on my excitement for this product. Several years ago, Bath and Body Works released a Marshmellow scented cream just for the Holidays. This was when Tutti Dolci was in its glory and gourmand products were the rage. The cream sold out within days and so did the Hot Cocoa 3 in 1 that the company released to go along with the cream. I was able to get my hands on one of each of the products but was never able to get the back up of the cream that I really wanted to. I had high hopes that this cream was going to be close enough to my original (now long gone) Marshmellow cream but alas, this is nothing like the original. This product smelled fake and chemically and was rather oily as I tried the tester out on my hands. I have never been able to find a successful replacement for that product and this one can be added to the pile of failures. Another reason that I was so excited for this cream is that Philosophy has finally gotten the hint and released products other than the 3 in 1s in full sizes and I could really stock up on this product.

Will I buy this set? No. I see no point in buying the set when I will only use the 3 in 1 and the cream will sit and collect dust. The lip gloss was pretty average, not bad but not amazing and didn't really rock my world. I love the Peppermint Hot Cocoa but that's all I love from this set.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Urban Decay Holiday 2009 Collection

For Holiday 2009, Urban Decay released a slew of new sets that would make a great gift anyone who is a fan of the brand or to someone who is brand new to this company. I saw many of these items at Sephora earlier this week and wanted most of them for myself. I already discussed the newest Book of Shadows so we don't need to re-look at it though I think that Urbad Decay does consider that to be the "hero" product of this collection. And based just on the fact that Sephora had so few left of them, it holds the potential to be the best selling item of the collection this season. The collection items that I saw at Sephora were gift sets only, it appears as though no new colors or single products came from Urban Decay this Holiday.

Show Pony Shadow Box - A versatile kit that allows you to create both a fashion-forward or neutral look and is illustrated by Kime Buzzelli - darling of the LA art scene. Arty hipsters and makeup junkies rejoice! Urban Decay chose Kime Buzzelli, darling of the LA art scene, to illustrate this amazing Shadow Box inside and out. Kime's painting feature wickedly fashionable women - often with brightly colored makeup running down their cheeks. Inspired by these characters, this palette is filled with 6 shadows (all totally wearable) and 2 exclusive to this set: Snatch (peachy-pink with glitter) and Painkiller (turquoise shimmer). You'll love the versatility of this set: pick from bright fashion-forward shades or go neutral with "9 to 5" friendly shadows that still give a ton of personality to your look. Rounding out the set is a travel-sized 24/7 Eye Pencil in never-fail Zero (black), a mini genie bottle of Eye Shadow Primer Potion (so your makeup won't run down YOUR cheeks), and a big mirror. This Shadow Box will make you beautiful AND do wonders for your street cred. Thanks, Kime.

- Snatch Eye Shadow - peachy-pink with glitter

- Painkiller Eye Shadow - turquoise shimmer

- Mildew Eye Shadow - deep green

- Flash Eye Shadow - electric purple

- Smog Eye Shadow - deep bronze

- Toasted Eye Shadow - copper

- 24/7 Eye Pencil in Zero - black

- Eye Shadow Primer Potion

24/7 Super Stash - A set of nine, mini-sized 24/7 eye pencils that includes four new, exclusive shades and five best-selling favorites. You asked for more! This rainbow of shades is the ultimate kit: the right balance of neutrals and brights for any look. Need to modernize your little black dress? Try bold strokes of gold, green, or blue for some exotic flair. Wearing that bold printed tunic? Try smoldering layers of neutral Eye Pencils to add depth and gleam without competing. Small enough to fit in a wallet or the slimmest of evening bags, these mini-sized pencils still feature the exact formula you love in Urban Decay's full-sized 24/7 pencils: extra-creamy, easy-glide, and waterproof. Use them in combination, use them alone, or give a few away (Ok don't do that).

- Corrupt - brown sparkle

- Binge - navy (finally!)

- Eldorado - new gold

- Oil Slick - black sparkle

- Zero - black

- Graffiti - bright green with silver sparkle

- Ransom - bright iridescent purple

- Rockstar - bright purple

- Stash - dark golden green

Box of Potions - An exclusive, limited-edition kit packed with the cult-favorite Eye Shadow Primer Potion and four new primers for the lips, lashes, and complexion. It's the magic of Eye Shadow Primer Potion - for your lips, lashes, and complexion! Each product ensures that your makeup applies smoother, stays truer, and lasts longer. The runaway cult product, Primer Potion, is the ultimate eye prep product for crease-proof eye shadow. The invisible Lip Primer keeps your favorite lipstick or gloss from fading and feathering and the Eyelash Primer builds lashes by coating each one with tiny fibers. The Complexion Primer Potion for Pore Perfecting minimizes the look of pores and fine lines and the Complexion Primer Potion for Brightening creates beautifully moisturized skin that looks brighter and feels tighter.

Hall of Fame - A set featuring an XL Eye Shadow Primer Potion and four of the brand's favorite products in travel sizes. Like Gulliver in the land of Lilliputians, Urban Decay's XL Eye Shadow Primer Potion towers over four of their favorite products. Buy the set for yourself (restock your primer, then use the rest for girls' night out, snowboarding, or a trip backstage), or give it to a friend new to Urban Decay (are there still people who don't know the magic of 24/7 Eye Pencils?!)

- XL Eye Shadow Primer Potion

- 24/7 Eye Pencil in Zero - black

- Lipstick in Midnight Cowboy - sheer beige shimmer

- Pocket Rocket Lip Gloss in Timothy - coral with pink glow

- Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara

Apocalyptic Nail Kit - A case featuring seven mini bottles of Urban Decay's predictions for this season's "it" nail polishes. OMG!! It's finally back...Urban Decay Nail Enamel! What better way to celebrate than with this case of SEVEN gorgeous shades. An elegant lineup of their predictions for this season's "it" polishes, these commitment-free mini bottles allow you to indulge without feeling indulgent. Black polish addicts will find new loves Apocalypse (almost black eggplant), Grunge (metallic peacock), and Gunmetal. Old school UD fans will remember Big Bang (shimmery hot pink). Sexpots will love the true red, Fbomb, and royal purple Meltdown. And fashion junkies will love shimmering White Widow. You can't wait to try them, right?!

- White Widow - white sparkle

- Gunmetal - gunmetal sparkle

- Apocalypse - black-purple

- Grunge - metallic peacock

- Meltdown - royal purple

- Big Bang - sparkling hot pink

- Fbomb - true red

Hi-Fi 24/7 Set - A set of four travel-size 24/7 Eye Pencils - including one shade exclusive to this set. Even more exciting than 24/7 Sets from years past! Try a hit of color with creamy, waterproof 24/7 Eye Pencils across your lash line and a layer of iridescent glitter on top to add dimension. Experiment your heart our, wear them in combination or alone, and show off your creative genius! This set also makes a great gift for someone unfamiliar with two best-selling products, or for that UD junkie jonesing for a new and exclusive shade.

- 24/7 Liner in Mildew - deep green (exclusive shade)

- 24/7 Liner in Zero - black

- 24/7 Liner in 1999 - plum

- 24/7 Liner in Flipside - bright teal

- Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Distortion - opalescent pearl

I want all the sets! Seriously, this collection to me is just amazing. I already own tons of Urban Decay makeup but there are things here that I have wanted for sometime, new items that I simply must have (the Snatch shade from Show Pony looks like a color that I would kill for). I am so excited to go back to Sephora and buy everything that just came out for Holiday!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Shu Uemura Holiday 2009 Collection - Tsumori Chisato Holiday Collection

Back to the Holiday makeup collections. Today we are looking at one from Japan, the newest offerings from the renowned House of Shu Uemura. This collection is based on the night sky and all of the twinkling stars that it contains. Here is the description from Shu Uemura, "World-renowned Japanese fashion designer Tsumori Chisato creates the limited-edition 'wish upon a star' collection exclusively for Shu Uemura. Tsumori's favorite Japanese icons 'Twinkle Star' and 'Lucky Cat' add a playful spirit and tidings of good luck throughout the collection".

Here is the collection...

Tsumori Chisato Limited Edition Planet Cat Couture Palette - Limited Edition Couture Compact Palette that contains 3 pressed eye shadows (black glitz, shiny silver, and copper), 1 cream eyeliner (black purple), 1 cream highlighter (gold iridescent), 1 blush (apricot cream), and 2 dual-ended applicators (wide tip/narrow tip and cheek brush/liner brush) - everything you need for the perfect holiday look.

Tsumori Chisato Limited Edition Radiant Ribbon Couture Palette - Limited Edition Couture Compact Palette that contains 3 pressed eye shadows (rose pink, shiny gold, and pale purple), 1 cream eyeliner (dark brown), 1 cream highlighter (diamond), 1 blush (salmon pink), and 2 dual-ended applicators (wide tip/narrow tip and cheeck brush/liner brush) - everything you need for the perfect holiday look.

Tsumori Chisato Limited Edition Duo Color Highlighter Golden Snow - Limited Edition Highlighter that includes two shimmering powders that are pressed in one for a perfect golden glow.

Tsumori Chisato Limited Edition Gloss Unlimited Mini Trio Set + Pouch - Limited Edition Mini Lip Gloss Trio Set includes three Gloss Unlimited in Venus Peach, Moon Gold, and Scorpion Red in an original Tsumori Chisato satin pouch.

Tsumori Chisato Limited Edition Rouge Unlimited Jupiter Brown - Rouge Unlimited Lipstick in a limited edition shade of Jupiter Brown and encased within Tsumori Chisato's exclusive 'lucky cat' packaging design.

Tsumori Chisato Limited Edition Mini Brush Set - A chic brush with an exclusively designed case - perfect for the on-the-go touch ups! Set includes: 1 essential face/cheek brush, 2 eye shadow brushes, and 1 lip/eyeliner brush - all hand-crafted in Japan of the highest quality.

Tsumori Chisato Limited Edition Cosmetics Pouch - Store your make-up in Tsumori Chisato's world with this limited edition cosmetic pouch decorated with lucky stars.

Tsumori Chisatio Limited Edition Compact Mirror with Pouch - Compact Mirror exclusively designed with Tsumori Chisato's 'lucky cat' adds a playful spirit to the holiday season and comes with a convenient pouch.

I really like this collection, I love the theme of the twinkling stars and all the products that have black cats on them. Since I adore my little black cat, all of those items are on the top of my shopping list. I really want both of the palettes and the mini lip gloss set. Also, I really want the black cat compact mirror to keep in my bag. I can't say that I think that the lipstick will work out for my skintone and I don't really want any of the other sets, so I guess those couple of items are all that I will be getting this collection.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

LUSH Holiday 2009 - Bath

This is last installment of the new LUSH Holiday products - the bath collection. This collection contains all the bath products that made LUSH famous so this is the largest part of the Holiday collection. Some of the products appear to be repeats from the Shower collection so I will just skip over those products since you have already read all about them.

Here are the bath products...

Holiday Bubble Bar - You may recognize the gorgeous fragrance of carnation, rose, and tangerine oil from a certain Potion we've concocted in the past. It's such a sexy, seductive blend that we keep coming back to it. Crumble one of these bars into your bathtub and slide right in to the sparkling, ruby red waters to escape your worries for a while. This fluffy bubble bath reminds you that there's no place like LUSH.

Candy Cane Bubble Bar - If it's sweets you're craving, crumble this bar into your tub and climb into it's abundant, fluffy, vanilla candy scented bubbles. It was a bit tricky putting the curl into the top of Candy Cane, so we left ours straight, but it's just as satisfying as the real thing. If you love the smell of the Creamy Candy Bubble Bar, you'll adore this one as they smell just the same (except this one is full of Christmas spirit).

Christmas Eve Bubble Bar - Christmas Eve is infused with a gorgeous and feminine jasmine and ylang-ylang perfume to relax and inspire confidence. On Christmas Eve, children find it difficult to get to sleep, so give them a good bathing in Christmas Eve bubble bath and soon they'll be off to the land of nod. Once they're dreaming of Santa flying around in his sleigh, it's your turn to take some time out and escape from seasonal stress. Crumble one into the tub, inhale the gorgeous fragrance and exhale all your Christmas Eve jitters.

Father Frost Soap - This is a stunning new soap which looks like midnight and smells like a garden. If you've been good all year round, you may just be rewarded with a large piece of this Christmas soap made with apple juice and cranberries. It's inspired by Russian folk tales and has a beautiful mold of Father Frost on the top. Pick up an entire round for a gorgeous, fragrant centerpiece this Christmas. Then cut it up and share it with your friends.

Want To Believe Bath Melt - If you've been good all year round, you won't have to worry about finding a lump of coal in your stocking. What you will find is this coal black, refreshing, skin-softening Luxury Bath Melt. Each sparkling bar is full of gorgeous fennel and starflower oil fragrance to refresh your mind, along with soya milk and cocoa butter to soften your skin. Drop one in the bath and watch it froth up; it's meant to restore your belief in the joys of yuletide.

Satsumo Santa Bath Bomb - Last year Simon Constantine (co-head perfumer) created the gorgeous scent for our decant Chocolate Santa. This year, Santa's back and he's SUMO sized! Simon created a new lovely and refreshing citrus fruit blend with mandarin oil, bergamot oil, and orange blossom absolute. When the holiday season has gotten you all stressed out and tired, grab a Satsumo Santa and drop him in the tub with you. The smile-inducing orange flower will rise up from the water to lift your seasonal spirits and get you excited to finish up with the rest of your holiday chores.

Cinders Bath Bomb - Much like you cannot avert your eyes from the tantalizing flames in a fire, you will not be able to avert your nose from this bath bomb. This warming, sweet cinnamon and orange fragrance was inspired by a comforting yuletide drink in Sweden and is utterly irresistable on a chilly evening. Cinders is the colour of a glowing ember and crackles like wood on a fire (just like the fire that Cinderella slept beside in the fairytale). The cracking and popping is a result of the vegan fizzing candy (pop rocks!) that we put into each bomb. This one is quite special and we're sure it's going to be a hit.

So White Bath Bomb - The fragrance of this lovely Bath Bomb is inspired by the tempting apple a certain wicked stepmother tricked her beautiful stepdaughter into eating. We assure you, however, that this Bath Bomb is not full of poison to put you to sleep. It is made with an uplighting fragrance of refreshing oranges, apples, and romantic rose and is meant to awake you if you've been under a spell (or are just feeling tired). This one is quite a frothy bath as we've grated in some bubble bar mixture, so you can bathe in apple scented snow and feel fairest of them all.

Jingle Spells Bath Bomb - We brought back our favorite Christmas detoxifying Bath Bomb because we often find ourselves drinking a few too many around the holiday season. We make it with juniperberries and fennel oils to help you overcome the sensitivity to jingling bells and other loud noises the day after the Christmas Party. Kids and non-drinkers alike can still enjoy this Bath Bomb to help them keep up their holiday cheer. Get one, bathe in its purple waters with gold, silver, and black stars, and let it work its magic.

Lil Lush Pud Bath Bomb - This little bomb is a lovely dessert bath complete with holly leaf (a sugar one) and spicy cloves, fresh lemon, and rose for guilt-free indulgence. We made this year's LUSH Pud l'il because the gorgeous essential oils that we put into LUSH's Pud every year make it incredibly costly. So we could either give up making it, make it very expensive, or make it in a little Bath Bomb. We chose little; it's just as festive but not quite so heavy to carry home.

Christmas Party Bath Bomb - A bright orange, revitalizing Bath Bomb to dissolve your inhibitions and get you ready for another Christmas Party. It's one of our favorite Christmas-time Bath Bombs and has returned again this yet, much to our delight. Refreshing lime, orange, and cognac get you in the mood to party (which is why we put into Snow Showers Jelly and Supernova Bath Bomb). Stars, glitter, and coloured confetti decorate the tub to get the party started; drop one in and fizzle back to the top our your game.

Gnome Name Bubble Bar - Every culture has a different name for it's yuletide elves, whether it's jolly old St. Nicholas, Zwarte Piet who drops down the chimney covered in soot, Jultomten who gives people gifts when they've bene good all year or Knecht Ruprecht who deals out punishment to naughty people. That's why when you visit a LUSH shop you'll find that No Name (Gnome Name) has been given a different name in each one. But don't worry, he's the same warming, fruity, spicy, soda-scented bubble bar that creates fluffy, snow-like bubbles no matter what we call him.

Mister Butterball Bath Bomb - A LUSH holiday favorite returning year after year by popular demand. Mr. Butterball is made with helpings of skin-softening cocoa butter that melt into the water and softens skin whilst you soak. Sexy ylang-ylang and comforting vanilla help you relax and get sleep too. Pick up a few of these guys and pop them into everyone's stockings for a Christmas Day bath.

The Candy Cane Bubble Bar is the most exciting thing to me in this Bath collection, I love Creamy Candy already and I love the cansy cane shape of this product. I also want to get Holiday, So White, Christmas Party, and Mister Butterball. I hope this is LUSH filled season...

photo courtesy of LUSH