MAC + Mickey Contractor

With this release, MAC is now beginning to bring out its collections for spring. The first of the two releases this week is the MAC + Mickey Contractor collection, a collection based on the art of Bollywood dancing. MAC states, "As MAC's Director of Makeup Artisty for India, Mickey has mentored artists around the world. This collection of his musts is about natural skin and total performance. Foundation, concealer, goddess-gorgeous eye shades and his favourite brushes to star in your own Bollywood hit". This collection could be hit or miss for me since I am betting that many of the shades might be better for a skintone that is deeper than mine.

Here is the new collection...

Eye Shadow - Highly pigmented powder. Applies evenly, blends well.

- Saffron - deep coral caramel

- Rani - bright fushcia with soft pink pearl

- Marvel - deep purple with soft pink pearl

- Oomph - forest green with soft gold pearl

Athma: Eye Shadow x 4 - Four of Mickey Contractor's Bollywood backstage favourite shades in one compact: An artistic fusion of Lustre, Satin, Matte finishes featuring gold pearl tinged limited-edition highlight shades Jean and Vivah, and two MAC essential favourites Folie and Carbon.

- Jean - light neutral with soft gold pearl (Lustre)

- Folie - reddish-plum brown (Satin)

- Vivah - brown with gold pearl (Lustre)

- Carbon - intense black (Matte)

Fluidline - Ultra-smooth, Fluidline's gel formula provides the precision of a liquid liner with a silkier, softer finish. Goes on "foolproof" with a brush in an easy dip-and-stroke action. Long-wearing. Smudge-proof. Lines up in a rich array of colours and finishes. Brush sold separately.

- Ivy - bright green

- Siahi - deep turquoise blue

Lipstick - Colour plus texture for the lips. Stands out on the runway. Simmers on the street! What made MAC famous.

- Yash - deep neutral (Matte)

- Mehr - dirty blue pink (Matte)

- Gulabi - bright fushcia (Amplified)

- Mocha - peachy yellow-brown (Satin)

Tinted Lipglass - A unique lip gloss available in a wide variety of colours that can create a high gloss, glass-like finish or a subtle sheen. Designed to be worn on its own, over Lip Pencil or Lipstick, Tinted Lipglass is the perfect product for creating shine that lasts. It's pigmented, very shiny and can impart subtle or dramatic colour. It contains Jojoba Oil to help soften and condition the lips. Tinted Lipglass is packaged in a convenient bottle with a sponge tip applicator that provides a quick, smooth, even application.

- Flesh - dirty nude brown

- Lust - soft muted pink

Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation - A modern foundation that combines a natural matte finish and medium-buildable coverage with broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 15. Comfortable and long-wearing: lasts for up to eight hours. Applies smoothly, builds coverage quickly and easily. Contains specially treated micronized pigments and soft-focus poweders for a super-smooth look that helps minimize the appearance of imperfections. Absorbs and disperses oil. Contains special skin-conditioning ingredients. Oil-free. Available in a range of shades to suit all skintones.

Powder Blush - Colour for the cheeks and face. Various formulas. Different looks.

- Gana - white gold

- Sur - dirty rosie brown

Select Moisturecover Concealer - A luxuriously blendable moisturizing concealer in a tube with built-in doe-foot applicator. Goes on exactly where you want in: blends in for a natural satin-smooth ultra-moisturized finish. Layers up for added coverage. Line-softening, skin-perfecting: The Pros' "select" for under-eyes and delicate skin. Wide shade range provides soft, natural camouflage. Use with the 194 Concealer Brush.

Select Moisturecover Duo - A limited-edition dual-sided Select Moisture Concealer featuring two tones to help conceal blemishes and correct dark circles under the eyes. Line softening, moisturized finish makes it ideal for undereyes.

Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder - A silky finishing powder that provides an invisible way to set makeup. Reduces shine while optically minimizing the look of pores, lines, imperfections. Available in one universal colour that suits all shades. Wear over makeup or on bare, moisturized skin.

219 Pencil Brush - For precision shading on lid, in eye crease or along lash line. The soft, smooth fibers of this brush are gathered into a pencil-shaped tip. It is ideal for blending eyeliner into eye shadow to create a smoky looking eye. MAC professional brushes are hand-sculpted and assembled using the finest quality materials. They feature wood handles and nickel-plated brass ferrules.

239 Eye Shader Brush - Soft and dense to shade or blend eye shadow or emollient-based products. This brush has a tapered, rounded edge with smooth, firm, fine fibres. It can be used to build intense colour on the eyelid. MAC professional brushes are hand-sculpted and assembled using the finest quality materals. They feature wood handles and nickel-plated brass ferrules.

116 Blush Brush - Tapered for shading and highlighting cheeks and face with blush. The bristles on this brush are soft and form a full, rounded shade. MAC professional brushes are hand-sculpted and assembled using the finest quality materials. They feature wood handles and nickel-plated brass ferrules.

These shades are very attractive but they are just not for me. But for someone with a deeper skintone, this is great collection with tons of shade choices. I think the only gem for myself in this collection is the Fluidline in Ivy. This shade promises to a be a very unique green and is already out of the stock on the MAC website. I am also going to check out the Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder in hopes that it will perform the same as the product from Make Up For Ever. Let's see if the second new collection contains a few shades that will be better suited for my pale complexion...

photo courtesy of MAC

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin

I have raved many times about how much I love the original Primer Potion for keeping my eye makeup in place throughout the entire day. This product became such a gret seller for this company that they have tweaked the formula to make products that can be used all over the face, lips, and eyes. However, in addition to tweaking the formula to make it work all over the face, Urban Decay has introduced the original Eye Shadow Primer Potion in different shades to suit different complexions and eye makeup preferences.

The version of this product that I have currently been using is the Sin shade. Sin began as a best selling eye shadow shade from this company and became the first shade of the primer. The Sin shade is a shimmering champagne and I have bought both the eye shadow and this primer already. The Sephora website gives the following description about this version of the primer, "A best-selling eye shadow primer potion in a shimmering champagne color. Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion in Sin combines incredible staying power with a shimmering champagne hue that complements almost any eye shadow. This two-in-one beauty miracle can be worn alone to give eyes just a hint of tint for when you're in a hurry or in need of that "no makeup" look. It also makes a great highlighter: apply from lash line to crease and then apply your shadow on the lid only".

This product officialy makes it into my top ten list of most beloved products. I have used in both ways that the Sephora website suggested so I am going to take each usage individually. First as a primer. This one performs exactly as the original Primer Potion however I prefer to use it under neutral and gold based shades, as I feel that it complements those types of shades the most. I think that this version of the primer should ahve been included in the Naked Palette since those are the shades that I have gotten the best result from the pairings. Personally, I think that my favorite usage of this product is by itself. The shade, texture, and finish is everything that I was hoping the MAC Paint Pots would be but weren't. Of course the wear is great but I love the shade also, it is great when I need a little something on my eyes but am either doing a natural look or have a dramatic lip shade on.

I would love if Urban Decay would take this formula and release a line of long-wearing, pigment rich eye shadows. I have to use eye makeup remover to get this product off, water doesn't nothing to make it budge. I would be in heaven if it came in a silver shade or a rich gold. I am waiting to see if Urban Decay ever releases a product that I either don't lie or doesn't perform to my expectations. I am also really excited that the product comes in a huge size so I can always have it around to use.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Benefit Bella Bamba Blush

So I just found out that Sephora is no longer carrying my Benefit Thrrrob blush that I have been wearing for about two years now. In fact, I am now wondering if the product is now gone all together since Benefit commands a large amount of real estate at Sephora and all the products that I have seen from that company are available there. So I guess that I will begin to search for a new shade that it close to Thrrrob. But since that shade is not longer available, Benefit has released a brand new shade for this spring. As a refresher, Thrrrob was a pale pink so this new shade is not a direct replacement of that shade. Pink blushes hold a great allure for me so I am still excited about this new release.

The new shade is named Bella Bamba and it is brighter pink shade. Sephora states, "A watermelon-pink blush laced with shimmering gold undertones. This boxed blush, with a mirror tucked inside a magnetic closure flip-top lid, amplifies cheekbones and creates the illusion of sculpted features for a gorgeous 3D effect. Your face will look instantly brighter with just a quick swipe of this ultra-flattering color on the cheeks". This shade is considered to be a watermelon pink and is very bright in the pan. I was actually a bit taken aback by how bright this color appears on first glance.

When this blush is applied, it is much sheerer than it appears. This shade has a golden glimmer in it but it is still flattering on my cool toned skin. As of right now, I have no tan at all so the shade appears a bit brighter on my skin than I am used to my shade appearing. I am placing this shade in the category of shades that would look better once I have used a few rounds of self-tanner. I feel that this will be better on medium to deeper skintones than on a very pale one.

I am lucky that I was able to get on hands on an unused tester in Sephora and a brush to play with. This blush needs to be dusted lightly right onto the cheekbones and not used all over the cheek area. This blush contains an ingredient that gives it a 3D effect when applied to the skin. This will help to create the appearance of cheekbones even if your face is on the rounder side. This is not the contouring that was used by makeup artists in the 1980s though, it is much more natural looking and will just give you the appearance of naturally beautiful cheekbones.

My beloved Thrrrob may not be available to me right now but I am liking this new shade, just for very different reasons. I am very impressed that Benefit has been able to create a pink shade that will work on many different skin tones and on different undertones. I am going to go out on limb and consider this the "Orgasm" of the pink based blush tones.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Chanel Spring 2011 Collection - Collection Les Perles de Chanel

Chanel has released their spring collection the earliest of out any company that I have looked at so far. In fact, it was on the website before Christmas and helped me to forget about the holidays. Chanel is always a favorite brand of mine and I have found that their spring and fall collections never disappoint me and are the strongest releases of the whole year for them. This year the collection is named Collection Les Perles de Chanel and the promotional picture makes the collection look as it is focused around a strong eye and natural lip. Chanel states, "Inspired by the lustrous, natural beauty of pearls, these delicate, luminous shades beautifully flatter face and fingertips".

Let the spring collections begin...

Ombres Perles de Chanel - This palette of five luminous and intense shades flatters eyes in every single light with the luster of the finest pearls. The ultra-refined powder formula resists creasing, and unique custom applicators provide precise coverage and seamless blending.

- shimmering champagne/rose/plum/charcoal/black

Les 4 Ombres - One essential compact offers unlimited eye looks, with shade combinations that range from matte to satin to shimmer. Versatile smudge-proof formula can be applied dry for subtle shading, or dampened for more intense colour, all with long-wearing results - in even extreme climates. Dermatologist tested.

- Regard Perle - taupe/medium beige/rose pink/deep brown

Le Crayon Yeux - Line eyes quickly and easily with an eye crayon that achieves a variety of effects, from a subtle yet precise look, to a more dramatic definition. The built-in smudge applicator perfects a smoky eye, while a companion sharpener ensures the pencil is always ready for lining.

- Gris Scintillant - medium gray

Le Vernis - Classic and trend-defining shades from the runways of Paris. State-of-the-art formula strengthens and moisturizes nails as it delivers long-wearing, high-shine, chip-resistant colour. Applies evenly without streaking.

- Black Pearl - iridescent pearly black

- Pearl Drop - iridescent pearly white

- Peche Nacree - pale peach pink

Rouge Coco - Chanel introduces a modern interpretation of classic creme lip colour as a homage to the rich life and legacy of 'Coco' Chanel. New lightweight lip colour glides on for easy application and features a Hydratendre complex to help soften, soothe, and condition lips - even boosting their ability to hold in moisture - for a plumper, smoother, and healthier-looking appearance. A range of wearable shades with full-coverage finishes, from matte to pearl to soft shimmer.

- Peregrina - warm coral pink

- Jersey Rose - medium cool pink

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.

- Espiegle - light cool pink

Levres Scintillantes - Gorgeous shimmer and a high-shine glow is delivered effortlessly to lips with just one stroke of this best-selling lip gloss. A wide range of shades, from sheer and natural to sparkling and rich, look beautiful on their own, or over your favorite Chanel lipstick. Equally beautiful: the conditioning formula's comfort and long wear.

- Nakkar - warm coral red

- Aragonite - pale pink beige

Rouge Allure - An instant icon, this luxurious lipstick formula combines lustrous colour, sensational comfort and fabulous wear. Purely Chanel: the subtly etched, world-renowned logo, and an elegant click-open case that provides a most glamorous effect when applying colour.

- Flamboyante - medium true red

- Coquette - medium blue pink

Rouge Double Intensite - Glorious long-lasting colour paired with high-shine gloss delivers full-coverage colour that lasts all day. Glossy top coat imparts brillant shine and superb hydration, while the innovative fluid texture of the base colour coat applies smoothly, comfortably, with perfect adherence to lips - and no transferring or feathering.

- Cristal Rose - medium creamy pink

Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss - Chanel reveals the next generation of lip gloss - with colour so rich and shine so intense, it could only be inspired by the iconic lipstick, Rouge Allure. Bold colour combines with the smoothest, silkiest gel texture for luxurious wear and deeply dramatic effect. Lips feel comfortable - never sticky or tacky - and look luminous, full, and sensuous for hours. The double-sided, flocked applicator is beveled to deliver ultra-precise definition.

- Insouciance - cool mauve

- Genie - warm coral

Le Crayon Levres - Enhance the shape of your lips and give them perfect definition with this creamy-textured pencil. Long-lasting, full-coverage colour with a semi-matte finish glides on to soften and soothe lips, and ensures lipstick stays in place while extending its wear. Makeup-artistry touches for the most professional-looking result: a built-in brush for blending, and a lip pencil sharpener for precise application.

- Framboise - cool brick red

- Peche - warm peach pink

Poudre Universelle Compact - Imparts a translucent, natural matte finish when applied over makeup in the morning or as an anytime touch-up. Ultra-fine lightweight formula with light-reflecting pigments and luxuriously soft feel creates a flattering, halo-like look.

- Rose Merveille - soft rose pink

Vitalumiere - The ultimate solution to tired skin, this best-selling Chanel foundation now instantly revitalizes the complexion upon application - and throughout the day. The formula has been updated with new ingredients to specifically target dry, dull, and uneven skin, and moisturizing agents to provide hydration and comfort. A marine extract boosts cell energy to enhance radiance, and light-reflecting pigments smooth away imperfections, creating a soft-focus effect. Creamy and luxuriously lightweight, this essential daily foundation blends effortlessly for perfectly smooth, even-toned, radiant skin. Available in a range of shades for all skintones.

Inimitable Intense - This technologically advanced formula builds on the success of the original mascara, delivering dramatic effects with a unique brush. The result is a more intense lash look, with the same easy application. Lashes appear longer, thicker, and more curled, yet each lash, even the finest, is still precisely separated - without clumping, spiking, or flaking.

- Noir - black

I am so excited to start this spring off! My favorite product of the collection is Les Ombres Perles de Chanel, I am already envisioning all the beautiful eye looks that I will get from this product. Along with that product, I also want to get the new shade of Les 4 Ombres. Les 4 Ombres will be more appropriate for a professional look while Les Perles will be lovely at night. I am confident that all of the shades in these two palettes I could use right now in the winter and go right through to spring. I love the black shade in the nail polishes, I already own one just like the white and I am afraid that the peach will to be too warm to be flattering.

The lip products for this collection are endless and allow everyone to find at least one or flattering products. For myself, I am liking many of the pink and red shades introduced in this collection. My little shopping list: Levres Scintillates in Aragonite, Rouge Allure in Flamboyante, and Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in Insouciance. I can work these shades into any look of mine and these are some of the best shades for me that I have seen from Chanel in the past few seasons. The last item that I want to buy is the Poudre Universelle Compact, I love the rose shade of it and I hope that it will work very well with my skintone.

Well, we have gotten this spring season off to a great start and I am hoping that the rest of collections continue like this. Though I am doubting that many others will top this one...

photo courtesy of Chanel

Katy Perry's Side Swept Bangs

About two months ago, I put a picture up on here of Katy Perry with short blunt bangs. Several days later, I had to stop in a see my stylish for a brow wax and I discussed those bangs with her. Her thoughts were that my hair is too thick to style those bangs every single day, at least once a day. She suggested longer bangs and I decided to put off my haircut for several weeks. But now after the hectic times of the holidays, I am back at deciding what type of cut that I want. So what do you guys think of this style of bangs? They are a bit longer and can be worn with a side part and should be better on the days that I don't have the time to fully straighten my hair.

Thoughts on this one versus the other one?

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

NARS Day & Night Eye Palette

We all know that NARS palettes never stop interesting me. My latest love from their palette collection is the Day & Night Eye Palette, a combination of six eye shadow shades, three of which are perfect for a neutral day look and three of which are perfect for a night out look. An aspect of this palette that sets it aparts from most others on the market today is the fact that the shades are more diverse and this palette provides a shade for any occasion, instead of a palette that consists only of shades that are variations on one or two colors. This palette guarentees that you will get tons of use from it since it can be used for any type occasion.

Eye Shadow - Longwearing, crease-resistant color in sheer wearable formulas. All NARS Eye Shadows can be applied sheer or layered for a more dramatic effect. These richly pigmented powders blend effortlessly and can also be used wet for precisely lining the eyes. Richly pigmented, micronized powder formula provides improved wear and feel.

- Abyssinia - delicate pearl sheen (Matte)

- Fathom - pink tulle with silver shimmer (Shimmer)

- Night Breed - black with silver glitter

- Cleo - seafoam/rich teal (both with shimmer)

- Sugarland - sparkling apricot/gilded orchid pink

- Underworld - silver/slate blue

So the palette only contains six shades of shade so the shades that are listed as duos can't be completely accurate. It looks like (to me at least), that Cleo refers to the deeper shade in the duo (the rich teal), Sugarland refers to the deeper shade (the gilded orchid pink), and Underworld refers to the deeper shade too (the slate blue). I might be wrong in this so please don't hold me to this.

This palette gives the user many options for both day and night looks. The lightest day look would be a combination of Abyssinia, Fathom, and Sugarland. However, I see no issues with using Cleo or Underworld applied wet as a liner for day usage. Night Breed is a night only shade, it cannot be brought out at the office. For night, this palette gives you almost limitless options. Any of the three deeper shades could be used as a liner or applied all over the lid for a smoky eye look. I think that my favorite combination would be Night Breed on the lid, Sugarland in the crease, and Abyssinia on the brow bone.

This is another winning NARS palette, I wonder if it is even possible for them to produce one that is a total dud...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Most Wanted January 2011

Happy New Year! Personally I like to start my year off with some new makeup shades to get myself ready to brave the next two months of winter. I also will be checking out some new skincare to get my face through the long cold months and a little something to help me look forward to warmer weather.

Here is my most wanted list this month...

- MAC Nail Lacquer in Very Important Platinum
- MAC Complete Comfort Face Creme
- Deborah Lippmann Nail Polish in Razzle Dazzle
- Lipstick Queen Lip Gloss in Jean Queen
- Benefit Bella Bamba Blush
- Dior 5-Colour Eye Palette in Smoky Design
- Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray
- Bath and Body Works Bali Mango Shower Gel
- MAC Peacocky Kissable Lipcolour in Woo Me
- MAC Peacocky Mega Metal Eye Shadow in Tweet Me

Wow, I am doing really well on my resolution to buy other brands than MAC... However, even though MAC is playing a huge role in my shopping this month, I feel like this list is full of great choices. Some hydrating skincare products will keep my face from totally drying out, the Lipstick Queen and Benefit products will take me right into spring. The nail polish shades will make me look forward to spring pedicures and my silver heels. To round it all out, the Bali Mango Shower Gel will turn my shower into the beach during the snowstorms.