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

China Glaze Holiday 2013 Collection - Happy HoliGlaze Collection

Happy Thanksgiving!  The Macy*s Thanksgiving Day parade used to be the official start of the holiday season...a season that has been starting around the beginning of October for the past few years.  I find it interesting that I am nearly looking upon Thanksgiving as the beginning of the end of the holiday season, we have been seeing holiday products and collections early October and many of the top products are sold out by now.  My Christmas shopping has been started and I have been working on my Amazon shopping cart for early Black Friday deals.  Today's post returns us to holiday nail polish collections and I might be adding a few new red shades to my collection.

China Glaze is always one of my favorite nail polish lines but I have traditionally not liked their holiday collections.  I find this line turns out beautiful collections for spring and fall, all kinds of great bright shades in the summer months but the holiday collections usually repeat the same shades over and over again and are overly glittery or metallic.  We will see if Happy HoliGlaze is any better than the last few collections but I don't have high hope for it.

The Happy HoliGlaze collection...

- All Wrapped Up - blue purple microglitter
- Be Merry, Be Bright - purple and red hexagonal glitter suspended in a clear base
- Bells Will Be Blinging - large chunks of blue glitter suspended in a clear base
- Elfin' Around - bright orange-red foil
- Just Be-Claws - medium red foil
- Mingle With Kringle - medium gold foil
- Put A Bow On It - medium purple microglitter
- Santa Red My List - magenta foil
- So Blue Without You - mermaid blue foil
- This Is Tree-Mendous - olive green microglitter
- Your Present Required - multicolored microglitter
- There's Snow One Like You - white textured pieces in a white cream base

This collection rivals the Essie holiday collection as the ugliest collection this holiday season.  I hate the majority of the shades in Happy HoliGlaze and will be skipping over this whole collection.  I will admit that I like that this company has not released multiple versions of the same red shades over and over again this collection but I can't say that I would wear most of these shades and have no idea what some of them are doing in the holiday collection.  There are way too many "non-traditional" holiday shades in this collection and the collection lacks a theme.  It appears that China Glaze has grabbed a bunch of shades from their permanent shade line, modified the shades a little bit, and then slapped some type of holiday-inspired name on the bottle.  Elfin' Around and So Blue Without You look like they belong in a summer collection.  This Is Tree-Mendous, All Wrapped Up, and Put A Bow On It look like they belong in a fall collection. This is the oddest assortment of shades in any holiday collection...

I only like two of the shades, Mingle With Kringle and So Blue Without You are very pretty even though I wouldn't use So Blue Without You until next summer.  The rest of the shades are not my cup of tea and they range from the odd to the ugly.  The ugliest shade award goes to There's Snow One Like You, this was supposed to be inspired by snow but looks like huge white chunks applied to the nail.  Every photo that I find of that shade is uglier than the next. 

This collection is a huge miss for me and I won't be buying nail polish until the spring collections release. 

photo courtesy of Google

Dior Holiday 2013 Collection - Golden Winter

Yesterday we looked at the YSL Parisian Night collection and today we are continuing this season's obsession with Parisian-inspired holiday collections.  Dior has released the Golden Winter collection, a group of holiday products that are inspired by the gold grandeur of Versailles.  Nearly every surface in Versailles is covered in gold or mirrors, this was grand palace of the royal family before the French Revolution and one of the most visited places in the city today.  I have not yet been to Versailles but have seen many pictures of the beauty and splendor of the buildings and grounds, I want to visit Versailles very much and this collection from Dior has me very excited!

I am not sure how much of this collection will work for my cool pink-toned skin, gold tones (with the exception of eye makeup) tend not to be flattering on me.  I might not be attracted to as many products from Golden Winter as I was from the YSL collection yesterday but I love the idea of this collection and it is time for us to start checking it out.

Dior's holiday collection!

5 Couleurs Eye Palette - Dior reinvents the 5 Couleurs legend.  True to the bold colour creation from the House of Dior, each harmony explores a unique world of colour. Based on a central shade, the signature of the palette, 4 accessory shades are used to create a multi-faceted look.  Like a couture wardrobe for the eyes, 5 Couleurs gives free rein to your creativity to achieve custom makeup results. Dior has also created two ready-to-wear looks for the eyes—natural and sophisticated—based on the central shade. 
- Golden Flower - shades of golds, bronzes, and roses
- Golden Snow - shades of grays, purples, and pinks

Diorblush - The iconic blush from the House of Dior: the new colour accessory for face makeup with style. 
Diorblush boasts a wide palette of shades available in 4 colour groupings (pink, red, coral and nude) and 3 finishes (iridescent, matte, satiny). Red, pink, coral and nude—an explosion of colour for the finishing touch to your makeup look.
- Gold Addict - warm deep rose with subtle gold shimmer
- My Rose - cool deep rose with a matte finish

Diorific Haute Couture Lipstick - Diorific, the legendary lip accessory with an Haute Couture finish, holds the signature of Dior glamour in its jewel-like gold case.  A unique formula in rich shades with a luminous, long-lasting matte finish and perfectly shaped and defined lips to create a captivating, sophisticated look.
- Diva – ruby red cream
- Etoile – frosted beige satin
- Joy – neutral glossy pink
- Royale – rose gold shimmer
- Winter – warm raspberry cream
- Midnight – fuchsia cream

Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss - More than just a gloss, Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss is a lip plumper and gloss all in one.  For the first time at Dior, an Ultra-Gloss with a hydra-plumping texture that offers 3 benefits: Ultra-Plumping:  +14% immediate volume. Its plumping formula gives lips a supple, plump shape bursting with freshness; Ultra-glossy: 97% of women say lips are glossed with an incredibly thin and easy-wearing mirror-shine film; Ultra-hydrating: 6 hours of continuous, deep moisturisation for smoothed, plumped lips.
- Enchanted Rose - deep rose cream with silver shimmer
- Pink Fantasy - pale sheer pink with gold shimmer

Diorific Vernis Nail Lacquer - Ultra-shiny, long wearing and sensational gel shape… Discover the new Dior Vernis range: alluring shades that team true colour with professional results and a new expert brush that makes it easy to achieve that "just-stepped-out-of-the-salon" finish.
- Winter – milky pink with lots of gold shimmer
- Marylin – ruby red cream
- Royale – pure fuchsia cream
- Midnight  – vibrant plum with lots of silver shimmer

I like this collection a lot but I do think that I prefer the YSL collection over this one.  I preferred the YSL collection because it contained a wider range of lip products but I do prefer the eye makeup palettes contained in the Dior collection.  I will be purchasing products from both of these collections but I do think that I will end up with more from the YSL collection.  I think my biggest issue with the Dior collection is that so many of the products are loaded with shimmer and this limits my ability to make them work for more occasions than just going out at night.  I understand that holiday makeup is supposed to be about dressing up and having fun however it can be very hard to work many of these shades into more subtle makeup looks. 

One of my favorite aspects about Dior collections is the special packaging, this brand always has the best packaging and product presentation but what is contained on the inside has doesn't always live up to expectations.  This is a brand that has some of the hugest variances in quality and pigmentation, an issue that I would love to see get sorted out because I would buy more from them if the products were of a more consistent quality. 

I would like the 5 Couleurs Eye Palette in Golden Flowers, this is a pretty palette with warm shimmering tones that will complement my blue eyes.  I should be able to use these shades well past this holiday season and they should be able to work with many of the shades that I already love in my Urban Decay Naked Palettes.  I also want the Diorblush in the matte pink shade, this is one of the most wearable pieces of this whole collection and I don't wear shimmer on my face if I am doing a dramatic eye or lip look.  I like the Diorific lipsticks in Diva, Joy, and Midnight but I can pass on the others.  None of the lip glosses are impressive to me and I am not interested in any of the nail polishes.  I wanted to like the nail polishes because the packaging is so pretty but the shades are pretty generic and I don't love any of them.

Dior isn't one of my favorite brands and I haven't fond any products or collections to change this around.  This company does packaging very well but the products and formulas are all over the place and I haven't been in love with any of their past few seasonal collections. 

photo courtesy of Dior

Yves Saint Laurent Holiday 2013 Collection - Parisian Night

Christmas is now less than a month away and we have only a few more holiday makeup collections to look at.  I tend to finish up all of my holiday coverage about two weeks before the holiday itself, at this point most of my holiday shopping is done for myself and others and I am beginning to think ahead toward what types of trends we will begin to see in the spring season. 

Today and the next two days will be all holiday collections, I want to finish up all of my personal holiday beauty shopping within the next week and I want to finalize my Most Wanted List within the next few days.  At this point in the season, I will be doing all of my shopping online as I refuse to go near a mall after Thanksgiving unless I am forced to.  I am sure that I will be forced to a few more times but I will try to stay away as much as possible...

Today we are looking at the new YSL holiday collection, Parisian Night is another Paris-inspired collection for the holidays and I am as excited about this one as I was to read about the Guerlain color collection.  I have always loved Paris and I am dying to visit that city again, I have to live a bit through French beauty lines right now until I finish graduate school.  My last night of class before the Thanksgiving vacation is tonight and I am ready for a mental trip to Paris to relax before I get my load of homework to do over the short break.

YSL has chosen French model Lindsey Wixon as the new face of this collection and she fits the brand's vision for this glittering holiday season.  "Her eyes sparkle with a romantic glow, her complexion simmers with passionate pink. Her lips smile with the colour of a French kiss.", states the YSL website to describe the Parisian Nights collection.

YSL's Paris-inspired holiday collection!

Pure Chromatics Collector Palette Avenue Marceau - Create Eyes like a work of art with our Couture Palette. The intense color is long-wearing, crease-proof and available in 11 matte and satin shades. Our formula includes a high concentration of pearls and pigments and a network of transparent powders that result in a long-lasting complex for optimal hold. This smooth even blend finish is crease resistant for up to 12-hour hold. The result is pure, intense color in 11 stunning palettes.
- metallic pale pink/metallic warm gold/metallic champagne pink/metallic violet

Blush Collector Palette Rue de Babylone - The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion: the complexion is fresh and radiates from happiness.The true brilliance of these precious moments is captured in Blush Volupte Harmonies, as dangerous liaisons between pure color and light heart. All the magic is here: in the interplay of contrasts. Freed of opaque powders, color expresses itself without any constraint, while each brush stroke sculpts the feature in light.
- medium pink matte and pale blue pink shimmer

Vernis a Levres - Gloss? Stain? Lipstick? Stop compromising and have it all. PREMIERING Vernis a Levres Rebel Nudes. Revolutionary Nudes, our first Glossy Stain with reflective shine. Weightless feel. Long lasting color. 3D Luminosity. What's new? Vernis a Levres Rebel Nudes captures the revolutionary formala of Glossy Stain and combines with Euphotic Colored Light technology to allow light to pass through and give an all day luminous 3D effect.
- 104 Fuchsia Tomboy - bright magenta
- 109 Fuchsia Fugitive - muted rose pink
- 110 Reckless Pink - pale bubblegum pink

Rouge Volupte Shine - Introducing Rouge Volupté Shine.  Give in to the temptation of dazzling color. Succumb to a unique sensorial experience with extreme comfort and luminous shine.  Hyaluronic acid microspheres help seal in moisture for 8 hours of hydration. Anti-oxidants and emollients help condition and soften lips.
- 6 Pink in Devotion - bright blue pink
- 13 Pink in Paris - neutral pink
- 19 Fuchsia in Rage - deep violet

Rouge Pur Couture - Lipstick is the ultimate gesture of beauty. For YSL Beauty, this gesture began in 1978, with the birth of a defining era in lip color, championed by Yves Saint Laurent who wanted to dress women’s lips in couture colors. It was then that the ROUGE PUR COUTURE legacy began; a wardrobe of iconic lipsticks able to deliver the promise of pure color, draped elegantly onto the lips. The lipstick of heroines.
- 55 Luminous Red- creamy blue red
- 56 Luminous Vanilla - creamy warm orange
- 57 Luminous Pink - creamy medium rose
- 58 Luminous Mauve - creamy violet

La Laque Couture - A new generation nail lacquer that’s both elegant and practical is presented in a sleek elongated glass bottle imprinted with the timeless YSL logo. A pantheon of fashion-inspired shades, from subtle and natural to vibrant and dramatic provide a high-shine finish for an instant touch of glamour. Long wear formula with Chil Rose Oil strengthens, moisturizes and protects nails from chipping and cracking. Dries fast and applies evenly without streaking. La Laque Couture is equipped with a new custom-made brush that allows an easy and smooth application.
- 12 Rose Renaissance - bright magenta cream
- 14 Violine Surrealiste - bright violet cream
- 29 Dore Orfevre - shimmering metallic gold

I love this collection!  YSL is not a brand that I typically purchase most of my makeup items from but I love these products and shades and now I think that I need to try more color products from this company.  My favorite piece of the collection is the limited edition blush duo, this product contains two great pink shades and I must add this to my pink blush collection.  I can use either of these shades alones or mix them together to create a third shade, I need to order this product from Sephora and I will use it all throughout the year.

There are so many pretty lip shades in the Parisian Night collection, I haven't tried any of these lipsticks or glosses and I think they could become some of my new favorites.  I want all three pinks in the Vernis a Levres products, the deeper pinks I can wear in the winter months and then the pale shade will take me right into the spring and summer months.  I love two shades of the Rouge Volupte Shine, both of the pinks shades will be part of spring lip rotation.  The neutral pink hue will be able to be worn all year long and I would consider purchasing a back up if this shade is limited edition, I find it very hard to find the perfect neutral pink cream lipstick or gloss and I am always on the hunt for new shades.  The Rouge Pur Couture lipstick shades will round out my lipstick obsession with this collection, I love the red and rose shades and both of these will become new additions to my collection.  I always love a new red shade and the rose has the potential to be a cool weather neutral shade for me.  I have a nice amount of lip shades to investigate from this collection and I always need to grow my lipstick collection...

The last pieces that I want from the Parisian Night collection is all three of the three new nail polish shades.  I would wear these shades during the holidays but I also think they will look great as pedicures during the summer too. 

This collection from YSL is one of my top five of this season and I have a nice amount of shopping to do from it.  All of these pink hues will work now and then many of them will appear in my makeup looks as we head toward the spring and summer months.

photo courtesy of Yves Saint Laurent

Smashbox Holiday 2013 Collection - Wondervision

The holiday shopping season is officially in full swing for myself and all my friends and family, we have less than a week until the Thanksgiving weekend and it is really beginning to feel like the holiday season.  I finished burning my last fall candle of the year the other day and I am burning a lovely Winter Candy Apple candle as I type this.  I am really ready to intensify my Christmas shopping and to begin getting my decorations up and ready.  We are going back to looking at holiday collections today and we should be finishing up with them by the middle of next month...

Smashbox's Wondervision collection is my choice of the day, I have not used much from this company recently and I would like to try some of their new products.  The holiday collection is quite small and contains more gift items rather than new products and shades designed for the season.  I think my early favorite piece of Wondervision is a set of lip glosses that I would very much like to add to my collection.

The Wondervision collection contains sets of lip glosses and brushes, along with several eye makeup palettes.  I have loved nearly every single eye makeup product from this company so we will start with the new eye palettes and then move through the rest of the new collection.  Many of my friends love Smashbox and I know that they would all love to receive gifts from Wondervision.

The Wondervision gift collection!

Wondervision Cosmic Eye Set - These sets bring 6 cool eye shadow tones in three color versions. In addition to the hexagonal eyeshadow compact, each of the eye sets features a 0.32 oz Full Exposure Mascara in Jet Black, 0.04 oz Limitless Eye Liner in Onyx and 3 get-the-look cards.
- Silver - shimmery oyster
- Luster - matte taupe

- Aqua - shimmery teal

- Smoke - matte dark gray

- Sapphire - deep navy with blue shimmer

- Sandstone - matte warm ivory

Wondervision Sparks Eye Set - These sets bring 6 cool eye shadow tones in three color versions. In addition to the hexagonal eyeshadow compact, each of the eye sets features a 0.32 oz Full Exposure Mascara in Jet Black, 0.04 oz Limitless Eye Liner in Onyx and 3 get-the-look cards.
- Bare - matte peach

- Peach - soft shimmery peach

- Gold - shimmering copper

- Coral - pink with gold pearl

- Bronze - golden brown shimmer

- Cocoa - rich dark brown

Wondervision Flash Eye Set - These sets bring 6 cool eye shadow tones in three color versions. In addition to the hexagonal eyeshadow compact, each of the eye sets features a 0.32 oz Full Exposure Mascara in Jet Black, 0.04 oz Limitless Eye Liner in Onyx and 3 get-the-look cards.

- Pink Shell - sheer opalescent pink

- Ballet Pink - matte pink

- Taupe - shimmery taupe

- Purple Shimmer - shimmery violet with rose gold flecks

- Slate - shimmery slate

- Plum - deep rich purple

Wondervision Mega Palette - Create multi-faceted looks from subtle to sexy! This mega palette is bursting with color – 34 hues for eyes and cheeks, all in a range of finishes from matte to metallic.

- 30 Eye Shadows (Blue, Citrine, Dark Blue, Golden, Green, Mint, Orange, Peach, Pearl, Pewter, Red, Silver, Slate, Turquoise, Umber, Almond, Beige, Black, Brown, Chestnut, Chocolate, Fawn, Glitz, Grey, Lavender, Maize, Pink, Purple, Taupe, Violet)

- 3 Blushes (Baby Pink, Sherbet, Glow)

- 1 Bronzer in Bronze

Wondervision Lip Gloss Set - This lip gloss set contains a variety of hues to create festive looks for the whole season.  A combination of cream and shimmer finishes provides the finishing touches for any makeup look.

- Pout - sheer pastel pink

- Ruby - sheer bright red

- Luster - sheer with golden pearl

- Tease - sheer raspberry

- Radiant - metallic golden rose

Wondervision Brush Set - Our signature brushes dressed up in chrome, just for the holidays! Swipe, sweep and blend like a pro with this limited-edition set-all wrapped up in a super-luxe clutch.  Includes: 5 full-size, limited-edition brushes & a zippered clutch.- Powder Brush

- Blending Brush

- Crease Brush

- Shadow Liner Brush

- Dual-Ended Liner Brush

This is a great gift collection but I feel that many of the sets are more on the generic side.  I do love the lip gloss set but I think that I own many of these eye shadow shades already and I know that a bunch of my friends do also.  I own more eye and face makeup from this brand, the lip gloss will be a new product for me and therefore this is the only product that I really want from this holiday collection. 

I love the Sparks Eye Set, these neutral hues will work well with all of the shades from the Urban Decay Naked Palettes and this is the only other product that I really want from this collection.  There are a few pink-toned neutrals in this palette and I don't work with those types of shades as much as I do the more neutral hues so I want to mix them in to create more rose gold eye looks.  I can skip the other two eye shadow palettes as I wouldn't wear them very much.  I hate the huge palette as I find these types of palettes to be lacking in quality and they take up took much room in my traincase. 

Overall not my favorite collection for the holiday season, I find the sets to be pretty but a bit too much on the generic side.  I would like the Sparks set and the lip gloss set but this collection is a miss for me.  Smashbox is a brand that I normally love so I am quite disappointed with some of the choices in Wondervision.

photo courtesy of Smashbox

Lancome Holiday 2013 Collection

I have just come across the new holiday collection from Lancôme on the company's website and I have decided to look at their newest releases today.  I am very excited to see a new shade of red lipstick contained in the holiday collection, I can't wait to add more red lipsticks to my collection and this seems one of the best collections for red lipstick this season.  After looking at the Encrusted Treasures collection from Essie yesterday, I am looking forward to a slightly more traditional holiday color collection today.  The Lancôme collection is certainly a traditional holiday collection; it contains red lipstick, shimmering eye shadows, and pretty nail polishes. 

Lancôme has released both this color collection and then a small gift collection.  The gift collection appears to contain a few giftsets that are full of the brand best selling makeup products.  I have not yet been able to find details on these sets so we are only going to look at the new color collection today.  I am quite sure that I will find quite a few products that I will want from looking at the collection today.

The Holiday 2013 Collection from Lancôme...

Blush Subtil Face Sculpting and Illuminating All-In-One Contour, Blush, and Highlighter - Sensationally smooth. All-in-One Blush Palette to sculpt and enhance your best features.  Artistry is made easy with three simple steps to contour, blush and highlight your complexion.  For any skin tone, any face shape – your complexion naturally enhanced.  Define your face, enhance or diminish any features for a complexion that is illuminated and brightened.
- Menage A Trois Kissed - peach pink blush with pale pink highlighter

Artliner Precision Felt Tip Liquid Liner - This effortless liquid eyeliner features a unique combination of two film-forming polymers that make every look last. Rich, deep, luminous color pigments offer the most intense color, and its uniquely shaped foam tip pen allows for precise shaping and defining of the eyes.
- Noir - deep black
- Smoke - deep charcoal

Color Design Sensational Effects Eye Shadow Smooth Hold - Make a statement with these shadow singles designed by Lancôme Global makeup artists. Available in a variety of chic shades and finishes—from shimmer to sheen and metallic to matte—to complement every wardrobe. Lancôme’s Micro-aired technology promises effortless application and smooth-gliding color that’s beautifully blendable. The long-lasting, pigment-packed color stays true for daylong wear.
- All That Brightens - gold taupe with a shimmer finish
- All That Glistens - purple taupe with a shimmer finish
- All That Shimmers - silver with a shimmer finish
- All That Sparkles - charcoal with a shimmer finish

L'Absolu Rouge Hydrating Shaping Lipcolor - An ultra-luxurious, hydrating lip color with a comfortable feel and all day wear.  Same amazing formula, now in a sleek, new click-to-close pack.  Wrap your lips in rich, satiny color with this deeply replenishing lipstick. Infused with moisture-boosting Pro-Xylane™, the formula gives high color payoff without dryness, leaving lips moist, soft, and comfortable for up to 8 hours. Plus, antioxidant-rich Vitamin E helps keep lips safe from environmental aggressors, so they’ll look and feel healthier day after day.
- Absolute Rouge - blue-red cream
- Berry Noir - deep berry
- Cherrywood Luxe - medium brick red

Vernis in Love - Vernis in Love is a high potency nail lacquer perfectly themed to compliment every woman's mood and style. With ultimate brilliance, intense color, and a mistake-free application, your nails will love the lasting shine and pop of color that stays put for days.
- 071 Neige Argent Noel - deep charcoal with a high shimmer finish
- 520 Flacon Blanc Noel - shimmering pale gray
- 010M Crystal Quartz - clear

I love this collection, this might be a favorite of the season for me!  I love the red shades in L'Absolu Rouge and I also like the deep berry shade in this collection.  I would wear all three of these shades and they will work all the way through the winter.  I also think that I will need to do some shopping from these new eye shadow shades, these have a beautiful shimmer finish and will look great when getting dressed up for holiday parties.  I want All That Brightens and All That Shimmers, both of these metallics will be staples in my makeup collection and I can wear them all throughout the year. 

I want all three of these nail polishes to finish up my shopping from this collection, I have not tried this polish formula before and I think would be a great time for me to see how well it performs.  This formula will be on my list of products to start reviewing after the holidays and I can't wait to see what other shades come out for the spring season!

photo courtesy of Lancome

Guerlain Holiday 2013 Collection - Crazy Paris

One of the most anticipated collections for this holiday is the Crazy Paris collection from Guerlain, this company's holiday collections are always a hit and this one promises to be one of the best.  I love anything inspired by Paris and I am very excited to see what Parisian-inspired products are featured in this little collection.  This collection celebrates the grand re-opening of the Guerlain flagship boutique on the famed Champs-Elysees in Paris.  A visit to the Parisian boutique would be a dream of mine but I think it might be more reasonable to hope that I can visit the counter at the Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City.

There is a beautiful eye shadow palette contained in this collection and I am pretty sure that this will be my favorite piece of the collection, Guerlain's eye shadow palettes are beautiful and all the shades have great pigmentation and texture.  I have also heard rave reviews of their bronzers and lip products and I am quite excited to pick up some pretty new products to wear for the holidays.

The Crazy in Paris collection!

Crazy Paris Eye Palette - This eye shadow palette embodies the nighttime glamour that has come to be associated with Paris.  The grey and black matte powder liners – to be used wet or dry – are perfect for defining the eyes, while the four alluring shadows in beige, copper, white and festive hot pink can be used alone or blended together to create gorgeous, sexy eyes. The Eye Palette is enclosed in a sleek black lacquered case and opens to reveal a large panoramic mirror illuminated with the letters ―P.A.R.I.S.‖ in an electric pink.

Crazy Champs Elysees Meteorites Pearls - Born of expert craftsmanship, this cult constellation of multi-coloured powder pearls with an unforgettable violet fragrance created in 1987 is now available in an unprecedented harmony dedicated to Blanc de Perle. Today, the Météorites hold the secret to Stardust technology - a light-creating polymer, which transforms light invisible to the naked eye into a pure and endless glow on the skin. A subtle blend of matte, rosy and radiant blue-toned white pearls, combined with corrective coloured pearls – yellow to counter redness, pink for freshness and mauve to catch the light – they light up the face in an illuminating and corrective halo to give endless radiance.

Crazy 68 Meteorites Illuminating Compact - As a perfect example of its beauty expertise, Guerlain has transformed its legendary Météorites pearls into a stunning compact. The pearls are finely pressed to form a beautiful mosaic of light-enhancing and corrective shades. Together, they create a subtle and natural effect by giving every skin tone just the right amount of light and correction. The Météorites signature palette of corrective matte shades - refreshing pink and light-catching mauve - gently balance the complexion, while the dazzling pearls temper the shades’ intensity and blend harmoniously for perfectly tailored luminosity. The complexion glows with purest light. The skin looks soft, smooth, delicate and beautifully natural.

Crazy 68 Terracotta Bronzer - The Terracotta powder by Guerlain is the authority in bronzing powders. It naturally reproduces varying shades of the sun, offering women an instant natural glow, at any time of year, in one quick, easy motion. Its formula, enriched with moisturising active ingredients, does not dry out the skin. It ensures long-lasting comfort.  This special holiday shade warms the skin with a delicate wearable peach-hued harmony infused with invigorating bursts of pink. These 5 shades invigorate skin to provide a subtle, natural-looking and healthy complexion that counteracts dull winter skin.

Crazy 68 Rouge G De Guerlain - Lipstick is reinvented in an exceptional jewel with Rouge G, a subtle balance of intense colour and the comforting pleasure of a creamy lip balm. Behind this magical creation is an astounding formula: the unique combination of ruby powder for spectacular radiance, hyaluronic acid spheres for perfectly smoothed lips and wild mango butter for lasting hydration.  Lips are intensely coloured, perfectly smoothed, moisturised and plumped up. For excessively perfect lips!
- Provocative (863) - deep vibrant pink

La Laque Couleur - Guerlain creates fragranced color and imagines an absolutely essential and utterly irresistible La Laque Couleur in deliciously shiny texture to dress up your style with color!  A real La Laque Couleur miniature perfume bottle with its lid in the shape of the famous upside-down heart. Its flat brush allows optimal, easy and precise color application.
- Sulfurous (861) - pure black with flecks of violet
- Ultraviolet Top Coat - glossy clear finish that turns fluorescent under UV light

I am in love with the eye palette from this collection, I would love to have this product just for the special "Paris" packaging but I also love the shades that are contained in it.  I would use this palette right now and then all the way into spring.  This piece will be going right to the top of my next Most Wanted list.  My second favorite piece of this collection is the Crazy 68 Rouge G De Guerlain, this deep pink hue has the potential to battle many of the red lipsticks as my hue of choice for the next few months.

I have not yet tried the Meteorites or the famed Terracotta bronzer, these are both cult products and I will need to try and review them at some time soon.  I am not sure if I will be buying the shades featured in this collection or if I will wait a bit and visit the counter at Sephora.  I would like to finish my collection shopping with both of the nail polishes from this limited edition shade offering. 

This might be one of my favorite collections of this holiday season and one that I hope to pick a few products up from before it is sold out...

photo courtesy of Guerlain

Zoya Holiday/Winter 2013 Nail Polish Collection - Zenith

The nail polish collections for this holiday season have been some of my favorites so far.  The Butter London collection has produced a bunch of hits for me and I am very excited to look at the Zenith collection from Zoya and I continue to stalk the China Glaze website in hopes of the new holiday shades debuting slightly sooner than normal.  China Glaze is often one of the last collections to come out every season so I will have to keep waiting and check the Zoya collection out today.

The new collection from Zoya is named Zenith and contains six brand new shades.  I seem to remember that most Zoya collections have a whole range of shades in and six is much less than I am used to seeing.  Zenith contains two pale shades and four deeper shades, all of which contain copious amounts of shimmer and shine.  I am already looking forward to heading over to Ulta and shopping from this new collection.

Zoya's new holiday shades!

- Mosheen - Mosheen by Zoya can be best described as an astro ice blue topper, great for layering over other hues.
- Payton - Payton by Zoya can be best described as a full-coverage, galactic cranberry with holographic glitter.
- Belinda - Belinda by Zoya can be best described as a full-coverage, cosmic purple metallic. (Originally designed for designer Zang Toi / AW2013)
- Dream - Dream can best be described as a full-coverage, deep space blue with holographic glitter.
- Cassedy - Cassedy can best be described as a full-coverage, celestial pewter metallic.
- Seraphina - Seraphina can best be described as a full-coverage, Polaris silver metallic.

I love all six of these shades and I want each of them.  My favorite shade is the one that I have included a photo of with this post, Dream is a unique bright blue glitter and I have nothing like this shade in my collection.  My second favorite shade is the other full glitter in this collection, Payton is a deep cranberry glitter that is a bit less "Christmas" than China Glaze's Ruby Pumps.  Cassedy and Seraphina are my versions of neutrals, I love silver and pewter shades.  I have found that silver hues tend to look more attractive with my skintone and match the majority of my wardrobe choices.

Mosheen and Belinda are both very pretty shades and I would like to own them but I won't be heartbroken if they sell out before I can order them.  Mosheen is a shade that I would either get tons of use from or forget that I even have it.  There is something telling me that I have a pale blue topper shade from Chanel already and I almost never use it.

I love this collection from Zoya and I am heading to Ulta to pick these shades up then I will be right back to stalking the China Glaze website!

photo courtesy of Zoya

Laura Mercier Holiday 2013 Collection

I feel that I have stepped away from the holiday collections for the past few days and today I am jumping right back onto the party product and gifting track today.  Today's post is getting this blog back on the gifting track, the Laura Mercier holiday gift collection on the docket for today and I really need to begin thinking more seriously about my holiday shopping list.  I will admit that I haven't really given gifts for others much thought since last month and I must change that.  My goal today is to look at the Laura Mercier collection with the intentions of working on my gift list and not adding any more products from it to my personal collection...

The Laura Mercier gift collection!

Petite Baked Eye Colour Bon Bons - Trios of mini Baked Eye Colours that will delight gift recipients.  An innovative wet/dry Eye Colour formula featuring Baked technology in beautiful shades that last all day. This smudge resistant, lightweight eye colour gently smoothes onto the lid for an even application.
- Amethyst Trio - three shades of purple
- Bronze Trio - three shades of neutrals
- Emerald Trio - three shades of green

Luxe Colour Wardrobe Dual Decker Colour for Eye and Cheeks - Laura Mercier’s ultimate holiday accessory features a range of products that will leave your eyes and cheeks flawlessly glowing. Palette includes:
- Eight eyeshadows in Morning Dew matte, Coffee Ground matte, African Violet luster, Ballerina Pink sateen, Deep Night matte, Dusk luster, Sable sateen and Crystal Beige luster.
- Three Tightline Cake eyeliners in Black Ebony, Ground Espresso and Bleu Marine.

- Two Second Skin cheek colors in Barely Pink and Heather Pink.

- Face highlighter in Golden Shimmer.

- Longwear Crème eye pencil in Espresso.

- Double-Ended Crease/Smudge brush.

- Travel Pony Tail brush.

- Travel Flat eyeliner brush.

- Instructional insert

Artist Palette - Enclosed in a luxurious textured, chocolate brown case, this complete compact includes a large mirror and 12 eye colors hand selected by Laura Mercier. Mix and match for endless eye looks. 0.03 oz x 12 in Eye Colour in Sparkling Dew, Guava, African Violet, Plum Smoke, Kir Royal, Violet Ink, Vanilla Nuts, Primrose, Fresco, Bamboo, Truffle, Espresso Bean.

Luxe Travel Brush Collection - The Laura Mercier travel brush collection features a chic clutch filled with nine go-to brushes for perfect makeup application while you’re on the go. Full-size cheek color brush. Secret Camouflage/Camouflage powder brush. Allover Eye Color/Pony Tail brush. Eye Crease/Smudge brush. Flat Eyeline/Angled eyeliner brush.

Line and Define Mini Longwear Crème Eye Pencil Collection - Cover your eyes in luminous color with a sampler pack of Longer Crème eye pencils by Laura Mercier.  Line, define, and create customizable, all-day eye definition.

- Violet - bright purple

- Espresso - deep warm brown

- Noir - pure black

- Sage - deep olive green

- Cobalt - deep navy blue

Mini Lip Glace Collection - Apply perfectly pigmented, long-lasting colour and brilliant shine.

- Bare Nudes - shades of sheer neutral hues

- Bold Brights - shades of bright pigmented hues

Souffle Body Crème Sampler - A silky, smooth crème that luxuriously nourishes the skin with the lightly whipped feel.

- Ambre Vanille - vanilla, tangerine, and brown sugar

- Fresh Fig - fresh fig and sweet apricot nectar

- Almond Coconut Milk - milk, coconut, almond, and vanilla

- Fresh Pistachio - pistachio and sugar.

Bath and Body Duet - Indulge in the ultimate luxury of a warm, fragranced bath. These softly scented bath salts work to melt away the stresses of the day, while the Soufflé Body Crème exfoliates, softens and soothes skin. Available in Almond Coconut Milk or Creme Brulee.

- Almond Coconut Milk - milk, coconut, almond, and vanilla

- Crème Brulee - warm caramel, spun sugar, and French vanilla bean

Hand Crème Sampler Collection - Give hands a luxurious taste of ultra-rich and velvety hydration.

- Fresh Fig - fresh fig and sweet apricot nectar

- Crème Brulee - warm caramel, spun sugar, and French vanilla bean

- Almond Coconut Milk - milk, coconut, almond, and vanilla

- Crème de Pistachio - pistachio and sugar

Bath and Body Luxe Quartet - Indulge and escape with Laura’s luxe quartet in three delectable gourmande scents, which contains Honey Bath, Body Scrub, Souffle Body Crème and a candle.

- Almond Coconut Milk - milk, coconut, almond, and vanilla

- Crème Brulee - warm caramel, spun sugar, and French vanilla bean

- Ambre Vanille - vanilla, tangerine, and brown sugar

I like the body product gifts in this collection however I have given so many Bath and Body Works gifts to people over the years that I don't know that any of my friends or family would really want anything like these.  I am most interested in picking up a few of the Baked Eye Colour trios, I could many of my friends liking the bronze or the purple shades and this is will be a great gift idea for me.  The other item that I am really interested in is the Lip Glace sets, some of my lip gloss obsessed friends would be more than happy to receive a great gift to feed their obsession.

photo courtesy of Laura Mercier

MAC Nocturnals Collection

We have been looking at the MAC gift collections for the past few weeks and I hope that each of you reading this will have gotten some ideas of what they will be giving all of the most important ladies in their lives this holiday season.  I have already gotten a few good ideas for both some friends of mine and a few items that I now want to add to my beauty product collection this holiday season.  I still think that the Divine Night color collection is my favorite collection from MAC this season and I would be most likely to buy myself some new products and shades from this collection.  I am very excited for the holiday season now and I can't wait to see what the rest of the beauty industry comes out with!

The final gift part of collection is called Nocturnals and it will be my favorite part of the gift collection, I see some lip gloss sets in this collection and I know that I will want some for myself and I also can think of a few good friends of mine that would love these little gift sets too.  This collection might be the death of my wallet this holiday season!

From the Nordstrom website, "After-dark glamour comes in mini kits for those seeking nocturnal pleasures. Lip gloss sets evoke the essence of evenings out, Tastitints lip conditioner add whispers of polish and Pigments & Glitter give you smoky eyes in scintillating shade waves."  What is the Tastitints lip conditioner?  Have I missed a MAC product somehow or is this an exclusive to these holiday sets?  I will have to investigate a bit further and see what else I find.

The last part of the MAC gift collections!

Nocturnals Silver and Violet Pigment and Glitter Set - The M·A·C Nocturnals collection features a lavish array of hues for your lips, face and eyes that leave you sizzling from dusk until dawn. The pigment and glitter set features five stackable jars of pigment and glitter that give your face and body extra sparkle for a night on the town.
- Pigment in Kitschmas
- Pigment in Vanilla
- Pigment in Push the Edge
- Glitter in Pink
- Glitter in Grey

Nocturnals Black and Gold Pigment and Glitter Set - The M·A·C Nocturnals collection features a lavish array of hues for your lips, face and eyes that leave you sizzling from dusk until dawn. The pigment and glitter set features five stackable jars of pigment and glitter that give your face and body extra sparkle for a night on the town.
-  Pigment in Naked
- Pigment in Museum Bronze
- Pigment in Copper Sparkle
- Glitter in Black
- Glitter in Gold

Nocturnals Green and Teal Pigment and Glitter Set - The M·A·C Nocturnals collection features a lavish array of hues for your lips, face and eyes that leave you sizzling from dusk until dawn. The pigment and glitter set features five stackable jars of pigment and glitter that give your face and body extra sparkle for a night on the town.
- Pigment in Just Before Dawn
- Pigment in Deep Blue Green
- Pigment in Old Gold
- Glitter in 3D Gold
- Glitter in Reflects Gold

Nocturnals Pink Lip Gloss Set - The M·A·C Nocturnals collection features a lavish array of hues for your lips, face and eyes that leave you sizzling from dusk until dawn. A set of four lip glosses cover your pout in high-impact color and come packaged in a limited-edition glossy black box.
- Dazzleglass in Dressed to Dazzle - pink-tinted with silver sparkle
- Cremesheen Glass in Fashion Scoop - clear pink
- Cremesheen Glass in Petite Indulgence - bright blue pink
- Cremesheen Glass in Color Saturation - dark cool wine cream

Nocturnals Coral Lip Gloss Set - The M·A·C Nocturnals collection features a lavish array of hues for your lips, face and eyes that leave you sizzling from dusk until dawn. A set of four lip glosses cover your pout in high-impact color and come packaged in a limited-edition glossy black box.
- Dazzleglass in Moth to Flame - sheer neutral beige with violet pearl
- Cremesheen Glass in On the Scene - pink with pink and white pearl
- Cremesheen Glass in Night is Young - bright red cream
- Cremesheen Glass in Star Quality - bright orange coral

Nocturnals Tastitints Lip Conditioner Set - The M·A·C Nocturnals collection features a lavish array of hues for your lips, face and eyes that leave you sizzling from dusk until dawn. Tastitints lip conditioner covers your pout in a delicious whisper of color while giving them the hydration they deserve.
-  Sugared Vanilla - creamy light soft beige
- Dash of Lavender - mauve
- Mintessence - milky white
- Taste of Paradise - poppy pink

These lip gloss sets look they would be right up my alley and I know that a bunch of my friends would love to open these up this holiday season!  My favorite set is the Pink Lip Gloss set, I love the Cremesheen Glass formula and I have been using these since the beginning of the summer.  I think these glosses are the formula that I go through the fastest in my collection, I was almost half done with one of them about a month after I bought it and I plan to keep adding these to my lip collection.  I want to give some of these sets to my friends since I know that some of them already love this formula too and I want the other ones to try it out because I know that they will love it just as much as I already do.

I would also like to try the Tastitints Lip Conditioners and I want this set really badly.  My lips get very chapped in the winter and this formula (though I know nothing about it) looks as though it would be a great choice from this company to use during the cold weather months.  I would be very interested to see how I could order more of these if I like the formula so I will look more into the website and then do some asking at my local MAC counter. 

In addition to wanting those two sets for myself, those are also the two that I know that my friends will like the most and these are the ones that I will be ordering.  The Coral set might work for some of my friends so I would consider ordering that one also.  I don't think that any of my friends would like the Pigment and Glitter sets so I will be skipping over them and focusing only on the Lip Gloss sets.

I have finished up looking at the MAC holiday collections and now I am very excited to both go shopping for myself and to start making my shopping list for all the ladies in my life!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Bobbi Brown Holiday 2013 Color Collection - Old Hollywood

November is officially here so it is the start of the holiday season for me and I am starting this month off with a collection that I fell in love with as soon as I saw the promo picture for it.  Bobbi Brown always releases two collections for the holidays, one color collection and then a gift collection later on in the season.  Today we are starting with the color collection as I am more excited for this collection than the gifts.  Katie Holmes has been the face of this brand for quite a bit and my face and hair coloring is very similar to hers so I am often looking to this brand for new shades and products.

The Bobbi Brown holiday color collection is named Old Hollywood and it highlights defined cheekbones and deep red lips.  I am already looking forward to adding another red lipstick to my collection the next time that I head toward the Bobbi Brown counter.  I don't believe that I own any lipsticks from this company yet so I have another formula to try out.  Bobbi Brown started her company with a few lipstick shades and this product quickly became one of her trademarks so I am very excited to try some new formulas from her.

The Old Hollywood collection from Bobbi Brown!

Old Hollywood Eye Palette - The Old Hollywood eye palette features a mixture of cool and warm hues with both glitter and matte finishes so you can go demure or glamorous depending on your mood.  It contains nine neutral and glamourous hues to complement any occasion this holiday season.
- Ivory - matte ivory
- Golden Pink Metallic - metallic rose gold
- Gold Sparkle - medium gold shimmer
- Opal Sparkle - pale pink shimmer
- Fog - matte pale gray
- Beige - matte pale beige
- Chocolate Brown Sparkle - medium brown shimmer
- Candlelight Gold Metallic - pale gold shimmer
- Eclipse - matte charcoal

Ink Liner - A pen-style liquid liner that doesn't fade, flake or smudge.  Flexible felt-tip applicator delivers carbon black pigments with extreme precision. It glides on evenly without dragging or tugging on lids.
- Blackest Black - deep true black

Lip Gloss - This high-shine formula gives lips a sultry sheen for a fuller look.  Formulated with jojoba and avocado oils for immediate hydration, plus Vitamins C and E. Aloe extract soothes lips and helps keep them feeling comfortable.
- Siren Red - medium blue red

High Shimmer Lip Gloss - A high-shine gloss with a special mix of pearls in a clear base (for a super reflective effect).   This vitamin-enriched formula conditions lips while providing non-sticky, but long-lasting color.
- Candlelight - neutral with gold pearl
- Rose - medium rose pearl
- Pure Gold - medium nude with gold pearl

Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick -  long-lasting, do-it-all eye shadow that's a stroke of genius—just swipe and go. This budge-proof formula stays put for 8 hours.Glides on lids tug-free and can be used to shade, define, smoke up and highlight eyes. Comes in subtle to eye-popping shades that last for up to 8 hours without creasing, flaking or fading (and it's completely waterproof).
- Tuxedo Black - deep charcoal
- 24 Karat - medium gold
- Bronze - medium bronze

I am a bit disappointed that there is no red lipstick in this collection and that Katie Holmes is wearing a red lip gloss.  I have heard that the lip gloss formula from Bobbi Brown is very pigmented and opaque so I really thought it was an actual lipstick formula.  The Siren Red Lip Gloss is my top choice from this collection and I am very excited to pick it up for my gloss collection.  My second favorite product is the Old Hollywood Eye Palette, this contains some great neutrals that will work well this holiday season parties and for a professional look. 

I actually want this entire collection and cannot find a product that I dislike in it.  I would like all of the lip glosses and all of the eye makeup products shown here, I am especially fond of the Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks in gold and bronze. 

This collection from Bobbi Brown will be in my top favorites of the holiday season and has the potential to be my favorite collection of the whole season.  In the next few weeks, we will look at the gift collection from this company and see how many more products from Bobbi Brown I will be adding to my makeup collection.

photo courtesy of Bobbi Brown

Deborah Lippmann Holiday 2013 Collection

I may have been trying all different nail polish brands recently but I have a soft spot in my heart for anything that Deborah Lippmann brings out.  I have loved her products ever since 2006 when I first played with many of the shades and then my obsession was cemented when I found out that she was the personal manicurist to Sarah Jessica Parker on the set of Sex and the City.  I used nearly ever since drop of the Sarah Smile nail polish hue before I threw the bottle away and I always wish that these polishes were easier to find around me. 

This holiday season, Deborah has introduced three new polish shades that were original debuted on the Kate Spade runway earlier this year.  I love Kate Spade so I am even more excited to try these new shades out.  The three shades were combined into a nail art look for the runway and I don't know that I will be replicating the whole look but I would love to combine the white hue with one of the other shades to create a simple nail art look.

These three shades have a unique finish called "matteen", a matte finish with a subtle hint of shimmer to avoid the "flat" look that sometimes come from a matte finish polish.

The three shades are...
- Pseudo Silk Kimono - stark white
- Harem Silks From Bombay - deep moody purple
- Red Silk Boxers - deep ruby red

My favorite shades is Red Silk Boxers, I love both the name and the shade of this polish.  I have glittery red polishes, cream red polishes, and metallic red polishes but nothing that looks like the finish of this shade.  I will also pick Pseudo Silk Kimono up to use as accent to that shade and many others that I already own.  I am also considering buying Harem Silks From Bombay because I love the name and have nothing in my polish collection that resembles this shade. 

This new polish finish will just add to my Deborah Lippmann obsession and I will be adding even more shades to my nail polish collection this holiday season...

photo courtesy of Pinterest

NARS Holiday 2013 Collection - NARS x Guy Bourdin

The new holiday collection for NARS is now available on the NARS and Nordstrom website and I am very excited to see these new products and start picking them up.  NARS is a favorite brand of mine and I always look forward to all of their seasonal collections.  I have loved their holiday color and gift collections in the past and I am willing to bet that this will be on of my favorite collections of the season.  This collection was created by Francois Nars to honor one of his largest influences in his career.

Guy Bourdin was a French fashion photographer and artist, best known for many of his provocative fashion photos for many of the top designers of the second half of the 20th century.  He worked mainly with Vogue and was a contemporary of Helmut Newton.  Many of his best known photos were for shoe designer Charles Jourdan, a designer very well known for his highly sexualized ad campaigns.  Francois Nars found work done by Bourdin when he was looking through French Vogue as a child and stated that his career was inspired by works of Bourdin's .  I cannot wait to start checking this collection out!

I pulled some of the product descriptions from Nordstrom and some from the NARS website.  I am only seeing some of the collection on the Nordstrom website and a few pieces are missing from the NARS website too.

The NARS x Guy Bourdin collection!

Guy Bourdin Cinematic Eye Shadow - NARS celebrates the editorial creations of Guy Bourdin with a limited-edition eyeshadow designed to make your eyes pop. Cinematic eyeshadow features a velvety soft texture that glides on smoothly, giving you high-impact color with a metallic finish. The easily blendable formula is extremely versatile and can be used as a shader, liner or highlighter. Apply with a dampened brush for a more intense finish.
- Wishful Thinking - macaw blue
- Rage - electric orchid
- Bad Behaviour - deep pewter
- Cambodia - pink copper
- Mississippi Mermaid - champagne

Guy Bourdin Cinematic Lipstick - NARS pays homage to the editorial world of Guy Bourdin with a limited-edition Cinematic lipstick, a color that delivers you with intense pigment and a gorgeously glossy shine. The creamy, comfortable formula features an innovative blend of lip conditioners and antioxidants to hydrate, nourish and protect your lips.
- Future Red - cherry
- Short Circuit - fire coral
- Last Tango - dusty rose
- Goodbye Emmanuelle - hot pink
- Full Frontal - rose violet

Blush - The ultimate authority in blush, NARS offers the industry's most iconic shades for cheeks. Natural, healthy-looking color that immediately enlivens the complexion. A light application of even the highest-intensity hues delivers a natural-looking flush.  Silky texture in matte and shimmering shades.  Micronized powder ensures soft, blendable application.  Iconic NARS shades.
- Exhibit A - matte vivid red
- Coeur Battant - magenta
- Day Dream - peachy pink

Nail Polish - Knockout color. Genius formula. Introducing the new NARS Nail Polish, formulated for nothing less than pure color perfection. Wildly chic, this brilliantly curated palette of extended wear enamels features a flexible, high gloss finish for a freshly-painted look that lasts.
- Tomorrow's Red - scarlet flame
- Follow Me - deep fuchsia
- No Limits - bright pink violet
- Union Libre - blossom pink

I am so excited for these new shades and I am even more excited to see that NARS has brought out two limited edition products with this collection!  I am going to start with the two new products as I always love to try new items from my favorite brand.  The Cinematic Lipstick promises to be a favorite product of mine, I already love nearly every lipstick that I have ever used from this company and I am excited to try a formula with a glossy finish.  The combination of a glossy finish and high impact might be harder to pull off than I am used to but I can't wait to make a statement in these new hues.  I will be picking up Future Red, Last Tango, Goodbye Emmanuelle, and Full Frontal.  This might be my new favorite product of the whole holiday season.

I am also excited to see the new eye shadow formula, I have a bunch of the other formulas from NARS and I want to try even more from them.  Cambodia and Mississppi Mermaid are the only two shades that I would like from these new shades, I am not sure that I would be able to pull off the bright hues from this new formula and I would like to start with the neutrals.  I want to play with the neutrals and pair them with the bright lip hues from this collection.  I can easily skip over the blush shades but I would like to pick up all of the nail polish shades.

There is a good chance that this will be my favorite of the holiday collections and I cannot wait to start shopping these products.  I also want to do some more research into the works of Guy Bourdin and his photographs for Charles Jourdan.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

MAC Stroke of Midnight Face Palettes

We are now onto the second piece of the Stroke of Midnight gift collections from MAC and the one that will be my least favorite of the group.  MAC releases a gift collection like this every year and this one is almost always my least favorite of their releases.  I typically wouldn't buy a gift like this for any of my friends and I would be more likely to order one of these small palettes for myself.  There are only two palettes in this part of the collection and these are the largest of the palettes that MAC offers, these are definitely gifts that you buy for your closet friends and family members (or yourself).  I might like this collection a bit better if there was more of a shade range, there are only two palettes in this collection and therefore it might be hard for me to find one that I would use every single shade in.

The Face Palettes part of the collection offers two face palettes that contain shades for face, eyes, and lips.  One is crafted for warm toned skin and the other is for cool toned skin, this is not how I prefer to buy makeup and I would be more likely to order the individual products for either myself or my closest friends.  I don't really expect to find a great gift idea in this part of collection but maybe I will get a shock...

"The night belongs to you. Give yourself a complete makeover with M·A·C Stroke of Midnight face palettes, featuring everything you need for a look that has no limits. Go with the Warm palette for a pearlescent shine or choose Cool for deep sophistication.", states the Nordstrom website.

Here is the Face Palettes part of the collection...

Stroke of Midnight Warm Face Palette - M·A·C rings in the New Year with the Stroke of Midnight collection, featuring a range of products for lips, face and eyes that celebrate the dreamy time between dusk and dawn. The Warm face palette tucked into a limited-edition black compact features a range of coordinated eye shadows, bronzing powder, lipsticks and eye kohl so you can create a perfect look that's yours alone.
- Tenderly Eye Shadow - a soft warm pink with frost
- Showstopper Eye Shadow - a deep blackened brown
- After Dusk Eye Shadow - a mid-tonal rosy pink with pearl
- Golden Bronzing Powder - a muted tan-beige with shimmer
- Teddy Bronzer - an intense bronze
- Myself Lipstick - a light dirty mauve with traveling pearl
- Love Talk Lipstick - a mid-tonal cool nude
- Coffee Eye Kohl - deep brown

Stroke of Midnight Cool Face Palette - M·A·C rings in the New Year with the Stroke of Midnight collection, featuring a range of products for lips, face and eyes that celebrate the dreamy time between dusk and dawn. The Cool face palette tucked into a limited-edition black compact features a range of coordinated eye shadows, bronzing powder, lipsticks and eye kohl so you can create a perfect look that's yours alone.
-  Scene Eye Shadow - a muted blue-grey
- All Races Eye Shadow - a cool light mauve taupe
- Magic Moor Eye Shadow - a rich blackened plum with pearl
- Sparkling Rosé Iridescent Powder - a soft pink with gold frost
- Sublime Pleasure Lipstick - a soft mauve cream
- Romantically Inclined Lipstick - a cool plum cream
- Ebony Eye Kohl - an intense black

The Cool Face Palette is the only one of the two that I might be interested in purchasing but I don't really love it, I do have a friend that these shades would work very well on and I would consider buying this for her for Christmas but she is the only person that I would do shopping from this part of the collection from.  The next part of the MAC gifting collection is all about lip products and this promises to be the most exciting part of the collection for both myself and many of my friends!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

MAC Stroke of Midnight Eye Shadow Palettes

The other week, we started off the holiday beauty shopping season by looking at the beautiful Divine Night color collection from MAC and it made me so excited to start looking at their holiday gift collections today.  Almost every single holiday season, I have picked up several little gifts from MAC for my friends and these are almost always every one's favorite gifts to unwrap.  Divine Night is going to be all over my shopping list for myself and now it is time for me to start making my holiday present shopping list for others.  I will not start shopping until the middle of November at the earliest and I will admit that I am the queen of online shopping for gifts so I will start filling up an online cart once I have seen some of these gifts in real life at the counters.  I hate shopping around the holidays and will only go to a mall if I am forced to.  I think that I might shopping more when I move to New York City since the individual stores are not near as bad as the mall itself...

Stroke of Midnight is the gifting collection from MAC and it is broken down into several parts.  We are starting with the eye shadow palette part of the collection since I typically buy lip and fragrance sets for my friends and I want to try something different for many of them this year.  I tend to buy more lip products for both myself and those on my Christmas shopping and this is the year that I will try to change this up for both myself and others. 

The Nordstrom website provides a description of the eye shadow palette part of the collection.  "When the clock strikes twelve, the night begins. M·A·C brings you a collection of three Warm, Cool and Smokey eyeshadow palettes with five hues each tucked into limited-edition black compacts with chic graphics and gold piping."

Here is the eye shadow palette part of the Stroke of Midnight collection!

Stroke of Midnight Warm Eye Shadow Palette - M·A·C rings in the New Year with the Stroke of Midnight collection, featuring a range of products for lips, face and eyes that celebrate the dreamy time between dusk and dawn. The Warm eyeshadow palette features a range of gorgeous, neutral hues formulated from highly pigmented powder that applies evenly while blending and building beautifully. The palette comes tucked in a limited-edition black compact and includes a double-ended 213 Fluff brush and 266 Small Angle brush.
- Femme Fi - a frosty golden cream
- Amber Lights - a peachy brown with shimmer
- Socialite - a warm copper
- Mulch - a red-brown with bronze pearl
- Midnight Hour - a warm blackened plum

Stroke of Midnight Cool Eye Shadow Palette - M·A·C rings in the New Year with the Stroke of Midnight collection, featuring a range of products for lips, face and eyes that celebrate the dreamy time between dusk and dawn. The Cool eyeshadow palette features a range of gorgeous hues formulated from highly pigmented powder that applies evenly while blending and building beautifully. The palette comes tucked in a limited-edition black compact and includes a double-ended 213 Fluff brush and 266 Small Angle brush.
- Fair Sex - a light frosted pink
- Deception - a frosty golden brown
- Romance Me - a warm plum with gold pearl
- Shadowy Lace - a blackened plum
- Frisco - a soft pastel pink

Stroke of Midnight Smokey Eye Shadow Palette - M·A·C rings in the New Year with the Stroke of Midnight collection, featuring a range of products for lips, face and eyes that celebrate the dreamy time between dusk and dawn. The Smokey eyeshadow palette features a range of gorgeous hues formulated from highly pigmented powder that applies evenly while blending and building beautifully. The palette comes tucked in a limited-edition black compact and includes a double-ended 213 Fluff brush and 266 Small Angle brush.
- Chillproof - a frosty white
- Retrospeck - a bleached blond
- Gaelic Gold - a metallic gold
- Well Put Together - black with gold frost
- Carbon - an intense black

I want all three of these palettes for myself...not that I am the person that I should be shopping for this time of the year.  I think my favorite for myself is the Warm palette, I love these bronzes and coppers and would use them all throughout the year.  I could make any of these shades work with all of my Naked palettes and I want to add this palette to my collection.  If I was gift shopping, I would be more likely to purchase the Smokey Eye Shadow palette for my friends, many of them don't own these types of eye makeup shades and this would give them the chance to try some new makeup looks out too.  This is the perfect time of the year to try new makeup looks and these shades would be perfect for getting dressed up and going out to holiday parties.

This is the first piece of the MAC gifting collection and I am already getting some ideas of what I will be picking out for my friends this year!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

OPI Holiday 2013 Polish Collection - Mariah Carey

I am hot on the holiday nail polish collections right now and we are going right from Butter London to the newest from OPI.  The new collection from OPI is much larger and contains nearly every shade of red known to man.  Red is my favorite lip and nail color so I want to pick up some more shades from this collection however I have so many reds already that I don't know if any of these shades will fill any holes in my polish collection.  There are eighteen shades in total so I can't wait to see how many shades I will want from this collection.  I already have a list from the new Butter London collection and now I will be making that list even longer...

The newest OPI holiday collection is designed around and for Mariah Carey.  I am already singing "All I Want For Christmas" as I type this and eating Halloween candy at the exact same time.  I can't say that I am pumped about the collaboration with Mariah Carey as that is one of the most overplayed Christmas songs of all time but I do bet I will get some great new shades out of this collection.

"The most-asked-for brand in the industry! With a superior range of shades and the hottest special effects and textures, OPI is the go-to brand for nail fashion. From elegant classics to eye-popping brights, OPI has your color! Formaldehyde-free.", states the Ulta website in describing the polish formula.  This is one of the best selling polish formula and one that I converted to later.  I like the formula but the color range was always a bit more limiting than many other brands.  OPI isn't my favorite polish line but I do find many shades that I like and their nail hardener is my standard at this point.

Here are the Mariah Carey holiday shades...

- All I Want For Christmas - classic red-blue cream
- All Sparkle and Gold - dense gold microglitter
- Baby Please Come Home - bright lilac microglitter
- Cute Little Vixen - deep magenta shimmer
- Emotions - charcoal black microglitter
- I Snow You Love Me - large circular silver glitter suspended in a clear base
- In My Santa Suit - classic red-blue shimmer
- It's Frosty Outside - bright silver microglitter
- Kiss Me At Midnight - pale bright blue microglitter
- Make Him Mine - rose gold microglitter
- My Favorite Ornament - light champagne microglitter
- Silent Stars Go By - cool rose microglitter
- Ski Slope Sweetie - pearly iridescent white with gold shimmer
- Sleigh Ride For Two - deep burgundy shimmer
- Underneath The Mistletoe - classic red-blue glitter
- Visions Of Love - deep burgundy cream
- Warm Me Up - deep charcoal shimmer
- Wonderous Star - large gold glitter suspended in a clear base

This is like any other OPI collection for me, there are always shades that I like but never any that I really fall in love with.  There is nothing in this collection that I am dying to buy but there are quite a few that I would like to add to my collection.  If I had to pick a favorite, Warm Me Up will be a great charcoal neutral for the cold weather months.  Emotions is my second favorite shade, this charcoal glitter will also be great for me. 

My other choices are: All Sparkle and Gold, It's Frosty Outside, My Favorite Ornament, Silent Stars Go By, and Visions of Love.  I mostly like the shades with the Liquid Sand finish, which is surprising since I hated this finish when it was first introduced.  I think I am warming up to this finish when it is combined with neutral glitter shades that I can wear all year long.  I might actually be the most excited about the fact that I can wear a few of these shades all throughout the year and a few shades in this collection break with the tradition of reds and greens.

photo courtesy of Google

Butter London Holiday 2013 Collection - Illusionist

The first of the nail polish collections for holiday 2013 have hit the websites and I am very excited to see that Butter London is leading the way this year.  I have been collecting Butter London shades for the past few months and I know that I need to get a jump on hitting up Ulta to get the new shades before they sell out.  I will have to see if this collection is also offered on Sephora's website and how fast I can get my hands on a few of these shades.

The Illusionist nail lacquer collection includes two permanent shades and four brand new shades.  All of the shades are very pigmented and will make a statement this holiday season and all throughout the rest of the winter months.  I think I will even continue to wear the red shade in pedicures throughout the spring and summer.  Most of the shades have a dramatic shimmer finish and will stand out from the rest of the polish collection releases.  The holiday season is known for dramatic nail polish releases and these shades will lead the way!

Butter London is an English brand and celebrates some of the best of English culture.  I have been an Anglophile for years so I buy these polishes for a combination of the shades and fabulous formula plus I love all the names to them.  The promo picture of this collection gets me excited to start stalking Ulta and Sephora for these new shades!

The new Butter London Illusionist collection...

- Union Jack Black - jet black nail lacquer that goes on like liquid leather
- Come to Bed Red - sexist red nail lacquer in history
- Stardust Overcoat - sheer silver holographic overcoat, like a magical sprinkling of stars
- Petrol Overcoat - sheer tornate topcoat with the opalescent sheen of oil reflected in rain
- Stratford Honey Overcoate - sheer gold shimmer overcoat named for a historic London town
- Bramble - opaque eggplant cream named for prickly shrubs with a gorgeous hue and delicious berries

The first two shades are the ones that are part of the permanent collection, I don't own either of them but I love both of them so they will be part of my shopping list along with the other four shades.  I want all six of these shades but I think my favorite is Bramble.  This eggplant cream actually fills a hole in my polish collection and I will wear this all throughout the cold weather season.

I love this little collection from Butter London and hope this is a preview to all the great nail polish hues that will be released in the coming weeks!

photo courtesy of Butter London

Chanel Holiday 2013 Collection - Nuit Infinie

We have started to check out the newest holiday collections and today we are looking at a color collection from another one of my favorite companies.  The Chanel holiday color collection will be different than anything that we have looked at so far and I continue to love this brand more with every single item that I purchase from them and every biography that I collect on Coco Chanel.  The first photo that I saw from this collection contained a beautiful red lipstick and I was instantly hooked.  I haven't bought a new red lipstick since I did the bulk of my fall makeup shopping and I would love a new shade to wear this holiday season.

The Nordstrom website provides the following collection description, "Setting a captivating tone for Holiday, a new makeup collection expresses the magic and mystery of an endless night. The refinement of beige is emboldened by a sweep of bronze on the eyes. Deep ruby red lingers alluringly on lips, for a seductive invitation to the season. Experience the pleasure of intense colour… and glamour that’s revealed from within."    This collection is named Nuit Infinie, which literally translates to "infinite night".  I found the description on the Nordstrom website and am pulling some of the product descriptions from there also along with the Chanel website. 

Here is Nuit Infinie from Chanel!

Ombres Matelassess - This limited-edition eyeshadow unveils a seductive shade spectrum for the season’s most striking eye looks. From soft beige to rich purple, matte and pearlized shadows create glamorous effects alone or offer endless opportunities for custom blending. The emblematic quilted motif of CHANEL embosses the silky shadows for an added touch of elegance.
- Charming - soft beige/metallic beige/bronze khaki/bronze/dark matte purple

Mascara Gel Irise - An exciting flourish for lashes makes the holidays even brighter. Designed to be worn either alone or over black mascara, a new shimmering top coat enchants with every brushstroke of sheer, bronze-platinum iridescence.
- Bronze Platine - platinum bronze

Joues Contraste - Unique powder blusher offers buildable coverage, from natural to dramatic, and imparts a flattering radiance to cheeks. Remarkably silky texture ensures easy application of seamless colour. Applied high on the cheekbone, or near the eyes, it instantly 'lifts' and softens the face for a more youthful look.
- Accent - luminous pink beige

Poudre Universelle Libre - Ultra-soft loose powder provides sheer, light coverage with a soft matte finish, setting and perfecting makeup as it evens skin tone. Photo-reflective pigments help disguise imperfections without emphasizing lines.  Available in a variety of hues to complement all skin tones.

Illusion d'Ombre - This intensely shimmering long-wear eyeshadow offers true versatility. An innovative gel texture that is both soft and cushiony allows it to be worn as eyeshadow or eyeliner. Includes a specially designed shadow/liner brush, developed specifically for this unique formula.
- Fatal - silver purple metallic
- Initiation - platinum bronze satin

Rouge Allure - The next generation of ROUGE ALLURE dresses lips with unmistakable attitude. A new formula with concentrated, ultra-thin pigments offers radically intense, long-wearing colour with full coverage and a satin finish. Leaves lips supple and protected with lasting comfort.
- Radieuse - intense blue pink satin
- Indecise - shimmering pink beige
- Farouche - shimmering chocolate brown

Rouge Allure Velvet - Elevating matte to a new elegance, this next-generation, non-drying matte lipstick glides on lips with intensely rich, long-wearing colour and a sumptuously soft, velvet matte finish.
- La Precieuse - vivid red
- La Desiree - burgundy red

Le Vernis - The newly-renovated 5-free formula features Bioceramics and Ceramides to improve the quality of nails. In an arresting palette of 15 trend-setting shades, including bestselling cult favorites and daring new colours.
- Rouge Rubis - vivid red cream
- Accesoire - deep red brown cream

I already know that I must have the Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick shade in La Precieuse, this will be my red hue for the holiday and then the rest of the winter months.  La Desiree is my second choice for red hues, I would like the warm deep red hue for the great holiday dates and parties.  I also love the Rouge Allure in Radieuse, this light blue pink hue will be great for the spring months and I will save it and use it as one of my staples in a few months.  I will also be picking up the Le Vernis is Rouge Rubis to match the red lip hue this holiday season and then for great pedicures this summer.  I love new reds for both my nails and my lips and I cannot wait to start using these shades.

I will round my shopping out with some new eye makeup from this collection.  I must have the eye shadow palette to create all kinds of neutral smoky eye looks this winter and to mix with my favorite neutral hues already present in my collection.  I also cannot wait to buy new shades of Illusion d'Ombre, I have been in love with this formula ever since I tried it in the summer of 2012 and I always want new shades.  I want both Fatal and Initiation, all of these shades look so different when applied that I can get any of them to work with almost any makeup look that I want them to.   I can skip over the rest of the collection as long as I get all the products that I have already mentioned and I will use this and the new MAC collection to start my holiday makeup shopping...

photo courtesy of Nordstrom