OPI for Sephora Betsey Johnson Collection

Betsey Johnson is one of my favorite designers and I love her cocktails dresses more than anything else in her line of products.  This is the time of the year that I love getting dressed up and going out at night so I am so excited to wear my favorite dresses and heels from her line.  A few months ago, I tried out the newest fragrance from this designer, Too Too.  It was a nice floral fragrance but I didn't feel that it matched up to the high standards of Betsey's clothing and accessories lines.  I had been saving the rest of my bottle for spring since it is a lighter floral and now it is time for me to get it back out.  While playing around on the Sephora website, I found another exciting offering from Betsey Johnson, the OPI and Sephora line has created a whole line of polish shades for spring inspired by creations from this designer.  The perfume may not have been my favorite but I love the bright nail polish hues that I am seeing here.

This has been a great spring season for nail polish, I have foubd so many that I love in all variety of shades and finishes.  For the longest time, I only liked pale neutrals but over the past few months I have been trying every type of shade and I have been falling more and more in love with all shades of pinks over the past two months.  Pink has been my obsession since Valentine's Day and it will continue all the way through the rest o the season.  Betsey Johnson and pink hues have always seemed to go hand and hand so I am so excited that she now has a line of nail polishes out!

"The energetic Sephora by OPI Betsey Johnson Collection features seven striking hues as well as playful nail designs, long lasting trend tips, and the first ever Sephora by OPI scented polish -  a hot, neon pink shade infused with Too Too, Betsey's newest fragrance."  I see that a neon pink polish is the featured shade of this collection!  And that it is scented with Too Too, we have been seeing scented polishes from a series of beauty product lines this spring and they aren't a selling point for me.  I don't mind that the polish is scented but it wouldn't be a strong enough selling point for me to purchase the polish if I wasn't already a fan of the color.

Here is OPI for Sephora and Betsey Johnson!
Betsey Johnson Mini Nail Colour Set - A set of six petit nail lacquers in flirty hues designed by Betsey Johnson.  From wild brights to pretty neutrals, this collection of six mini nail colors from Betsey Johnson is the perfect accessory to any wardrobe.  The long-wearing, chip-resistant shades are full of personality and reflect Betsey's own style obsessions.
Nail Colour - Fashion-forward, wearable nail colors for the modern woman who is looking for an effective, safe, environmentally conscious brand.  Sephora by OPI Nail Color,  a line of 54+ trend setting shades, puts the final touch on fingertips and toes with a top quality formula you ahve come to expect from OPI.  The long lasting, chip-resistant polish ensures flawless results with each application, and its green ingredient list excludes DBP.  Sephora by OPI combines the quality and color expertise of OPI, the world leader in professional nail color, with Sephora's reputation for the latest in beauty and sophistication.
- It's My Pink! - opaque hot pink scented with Too Too perfume
- Forever Wild - opaque black grape
- Alley Cat - opaque fuchsia
- Cartwheels On The Catwalk - opaque sea green
- Pushing Your Luck - opaque red
- XOX Betsey - opaque sandy nude
- Sparkling Personality - multi-color silver glitter

Betsey Johnson Trend Tips - A collection of self-stick tips for a fast, flirty manicure anytime.  Get a trendy, attention-deserving manicure without a visit to the salon with this set of real nail lacquer strips designed by the fabulous and fun Betsey Johnson.  The fuss-free, self-adhesive strips are easy to apply and require zero dry time.  Decoriate with glittery skulls, romantic lips, or a hot pink cheetah print for nails that are full of personality.
- Skulls - pale gray background with deep charocal skulls with red eyes
- Cheetah - hot pink background with black cheetah pattern
- Lips - pale pink background with red and bright pink lips

My favorite pieces of this collection are the single nail polish shades.  My favorite is the It's My Pink! shade, I just have been loving these bright pinks this season and I will wear them all through the summer months too!  I also like the Cartwheels On The Catwalk shade, this is a great pale green and one of the best nail polish names that I have heard in the past few seasons.  The other shades are nice but I don't love any of them, I wouldn't mind having them but I'm not going to jump through hoops to find them. 

I wasn't very happy to see the picture of the nail polish set, I was hoping that it would be small versions of the Betsey Johnson shades but the ones that are pictured look nothing like the shades in the collection.  If the shades in the set were the exact ones in the collection, I would buy the set itself.  I'm not really into the decals either, it took me long enough to get into bright shades and the nail art decals are just too much for me to pull off.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Caudalie Lip Conditioner

Over the past few years, I have found a common beauty trend among almost every lady that I have talked to about beauty products.  The one common trend that I have seen over the years is that no matter what type of makeup style you wear or how high maintence you consider, everyone needs a great lip balm and this tends to be one fo the hardest products to find.  I rarely meet two people that love the exact same lip balm and I know so many people that continue to search and search to find their perfect lip balm.  I can honestly say that I haven't found my Holy Grail lip balm yet however Rose Salve is the product that has come the closest so far.  My major complaint with Rose Salve is the package, I hate dipping my finger into the balm and then getting the product all over my hands and this is not a practical product to keep in my purse and use during the day.

I was hoping to find a stick lip balm that is both hydrating and lasts longer than an hour on my lips, I wanted a product that I could carry around with me during the day and use to touch up when I wear a more drying matte lipstick formula.  So far, I have just been using C.O. Bigelow's Mentha Lip Shines but I was hoping to find a product that didn't have a glossy finish and would just hydrate without changing my lipstick finish or shade.  This became a much higher priority for me ever since I have been using the Illamasqua Lipstick formula, a formula that is matte and longwearing but can get very drying throughout the day.  I decided to purchase a new lip balm formula and went with one of the only products that I have never tried from Caudalie.

In addition to all of their skin and body care products, Caudalie makes one lip balm with the same type of anti-oxidant protection that is found in their facial products.  This is one of the top rated lip products on the Sephora website and based on how much I love the brand, I didn't hestitate at all to purchase this product the last time that I went to the store. 

"A total lipcare essential for everyone.  This 99.5 percent natural treatment provides a powerful blend of anti-oxidants and nutrients that protect, hydrate, repair, and soothe dry lips while lending antiaging benefits.  It makes an excellent lipstick base."  This product has two active ingredients, stabilized grape seed polyphenols and shea butter.  The grape seed polyphenols "offer the most powerful anti-oxidants in the vegetal world".  Shea butter "intensively hydrates" the lips and help to maintain their hydration level throughout the day.

This lip balm is pleasantly scented with a light fruity floral fragrance that is only really noticable during application.  I love the fragrance of this product because it reminds of the scent of some of the other Caudalie products but if you like your lip products with very little to no fragrance, this is not the product for you.  The texture itself is more of a waxy texture than a creamy stick, I was honestly expecting a bit more of a creamy texture just based on the other types of products from this company, I wasn't as huge a fan of the texture as I initially thought that I would be, it reminded me of Burt's Bees lip balm instead of a high end hydration product.  With the shea butter listed as one fo the active ingredients, I was expecting a very nourishing creamy stick instead of the waxy texture that was left by the product.  The product performed well in the hydration property but wore off a bit too quickly for my taste, I wanted something that would really last throughout the day. 

This lip balm performed like many of the others on the market, it helped to hydrate and soothe my lips but wore off withing an hour of application.  I am beginning to be convinced that I will never find a stick lip balm formula that is hydrating enough to compete with my Rose Salve, which is such a shame since sticks are what I prefer to keep in my bag throughout the day.  My hugest complaint with this product occured when I tried to use it over lipstick, it took way more product off than I expected that it would and created a cycle of repplication of lipstick.  It left my lips with a rich creamy look to then, I was happy that it didn't create that glossy finish that the Mentha created but it wasn't special enough to warrant me making this product my end all for lip balms.

This is a nice lip balm but I am beginning to think that I will never find a stick lip balm that I really love and is worth ending my lip balm search...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Make Up For Ever Spring 2012 Collection - La Boheme

Make Up For Ever has had some huge product releases over the past few months, making them a key brand in the front of my local Sephora store.  Lately, we have mostly been seeing brand new products for the lips and eyes but not actual new collections.  I was at Sephora the other day and only saw a huge display of this company's new lipstick formula but no type of trend collection or even a group of products that suggested to create a great new look for season.  Finding this somewhat odd, I decided to visit the Sephora website and confirm that nothing in the way of a trend collection came out for this company.  What I found was that a small spring collection was released however it will only be carried on the Sephora website and won't be found in any store.  Why?  Good question...I have no idea why the company would decide to do this since these palettes would sell out in the stores but I don't know what this decision was based on.

The new collection is named La Boheme, a French word translating out to "Bohemian".  This collection consists of an eye palette, a mascara, and then lipstick shades to complement the palette.  The eye palette is the hero of this little collection and I think that it will sell out quickly even though it can only be ordered on the Sephora website.  This palette will really be helpful in creating many of the colorful eye makeup looks that re so popular this season, this palette contains such a variety of shades that this might be the only palette you need this spring to try out some bright new eye looks.

Here is the La Boheme collection...

La Boheme Baked Eye Shadow Palette - A palette featuring baked eye shadow in six pearly shades for creating a range of soft, romantic looks.  Enriched with mineral powders and a high concentration of pearl, La Boheme Baked Eye Shadow Palette includes luminous shades with a lightweight texture and a silky feel.  Apply dry for a natural-looking result or wet to intensify the color and finish.
- Lagoon Green - bright aquamarine shimmer
- Vegetal  Green - medium moss green shimmer
- Beige - warm pink beige shimmer
- Parma Purple - medium cool purple shimmer
- Brown - medium cool brown shimmer
- Coral - warm peach shimmer

La Boheme Aqua Eyes - An award winning, waterproof, smudge-proof, and fade-proof eyeliner that doubles as a vibrant eye shadow.  Now available in a rich brown, matte-finish formula, this bestselling eyeliner has become a favorite among all women who fear the dreaded raccoon eyes.  Formulated to glide on effortlessly and withstand the most extreme conditions, it stays put on eyelids without melting for precise application and intense color throughout the day.  The La Boheme Collection comes beautifully wrapped in limited edition packaging.  Aqua Eyes is available in an extensive range of 25 vibrant shades.  Fun Fact: Dany Sanz originally created this product for performers of water ballet.
- Gypsy - matte dark brown

La Boheme Rouge Artist Natural - A collection of limited edition, light coverage lipsticks with a soft, shiny finish.  Rouge Artist Natural's ultra creamy formula hydrates the lips with a natural sheen.  Enriched with nourishing properties, its smooth texture glides on effortlessly and its colorful pigments compliment the lips with a transparent finish.  These fresh and romantic shades add the perfect touch to your favorite spring look.
- Boheme - iridescent peach beige
- Folk - iridescent red coral

The eye palette in this collection is one of my favorite pieces of this season, I really wish that it was available in the stores instead of just the website.  I love the range of shades in it, especially Vegetal Green and Parma Purple.  This palette is going on my list of Most Wanted products for the next month, I don't need another eye shadow palette but I really love this one and I want to try out the Baked formula from this company.  I will also check out the Aqua Eyes, I can always use a neutral eye liner in my collection and I have a friend who loves and swears by this product. 

This might be one of the smallest but best collections for the spring season, that palette is great and will create any type of colored eye.  Furthermore, the package of this palette is awesome and I would love to show it off in my makeup bag.  This might be the one palette that you need to create all the colored looks for this season!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Trish McEvoy Spring 2012 Collection - Resort Collection

Today I realized how much time is flying...we are over half way through March.  What does this mean for my blog?  It means that I am beginning to come to the end of reporting on the spring makeup collections since hints of the summer collections are beginning to be seen.  Realistically, once April rolls around, spring collections are no longer "new" and the summer collections will pretty much all be out before the end of that month.  I am down to the last handful of my spring collections and now I am getting excited to really begin wearing all of the great shades and looks that I have been seeing for the past three months. 

We have less than ten collections left to look aqnd today we are going to look at the Resort Collection from the Trish McEvoy company.  I have limited contact with products from this line since they are harder to find and aren't available in any store around me.  I might have to move to New York City just to round out my beauty product collection.  Trish McEvoy, Bond NYC, Illamasqua...
I found the details and the pictures of this collection on the Nordstrom website.  The spring collection from this company is named the Resort Collection and I would have thought that this was a summer collection had the website not stated what season it was designed for.  "Instantly create the glamorous look and vibrant glow of a long vacation with the Resort 2012 collection.  Delivers intense definition and glow with a palette of warm sand dune shadows, ocean blue liner, and shimmering coral lips." 
Here is the collection from Trish McEvoy...

Golden Glow Face Color Duo - This customizable duo of bronzer in Golden and blush in Glow offers a softly shimmering bronzer paired with a shimmering pink blush for a brightened complexion and lit-from-within look.
- Golden Bronzer - medium shimmering bronze
- Glow Blush - medium warm shimmering pink
Eye Definer - This ultra-pigment rich shadow delivers perfect depth and intensity for the densest lining, shading, and contouring.
- Mahogany - deep warm brown

Intense Gel Eyeliner - Trish's intensely pigmented, longest wearing  gel eye liner in pencil form glides effortlessly along the lash line for high-powered definition and the built-in sponge tip allows for effortless creation of a sultry smokey eye.
- Arabian Nights - deep navy

#65 Angled Contour Brush - Handcrafted for exquisite quality and durability, Trish's #65 Angled Contour Brush is diagonally shaped to expertly place and blend color on the contours of the face for effortless sculpting power.  Designed with brass ferrules, the brush is precision-cut for technically perfect results.

#66 Cream Blender Brush - Handcrated for exquisite quality and durability, Trish's #66 Cream Blender Brush is designed for the even placement and blending of cream products to the eyes and face.  Designed with brass ferrules, the brush is precision-cut for technically perfect results.
Glaze Eye Shadow - This shadow's perfectly peral hue can be used to illuminate the inner corner of the eye, brow bone, or lid.  Glaze Eye Shadows gives eyes a delicate shimmer or a hint of color.  Use one shade or layer shades for a new sultry look.
- Rose Gold - pink gold shimmer

Eye Base Essentials - Trish McEvoy's Eye Base Essentials is a shadow primer and upper-eye brightener designed to correct darkness and discolorations of the eyelid, instantly creating a more vibrant, bright-eyed look while locking shadow in place for crease-proof, all day wear.  How to Use: Apply a generous amount of Eye Base Essentials to the ball of the eye.  Using Trish Laydown Brush, blend upward and outward to cover the entire eyelid, including the inner corner of the eye, for maximum brightness.  Get as close to the lash line as possible without touching the lashes.
- Nude - translucent

Lash Curling Mascara - Create a flirty, mesmerizing gaze with this exclusive lash-curling formula.  It delivers maximum power, curling each lash for an instant eye-opening experience.  Long-wearing, water-resistant, and non-smuding formula.
- Jet Black - true black

Flawless Lip Color - Trish's innovative texture provides the coverage of lip color with the feel of gloss, creating the perfect balance of color and shine while keeping lips hydrated for a soft, radiant finish.  Housed in an easy portable pen, a dose of shimmering color is only a click away.
- Coral Shimmer - warm bright coral
- Perfect Coral - muted neutral coral

Lip Liner - A long-wearing, smooth texture designed to complement Trish's lip colors.  Added benefit, the brush on the end for easy application.
- Barely Rose - neutral rose

Based on the model's look for this collection, I feel that many of these shades will be in the end of spring and the beginning of summer.  I will need a bit of a sunny fake tan to pull off the bronzer/blush combination and the lip glosses, I might have to skip over many of these products for the moment and revisit this collection when I start looking for products to complement my summer skin.

The Glaze Eye Shadow is the only product that I really want to order at the moment, this is another rose gold shade for the eyes.  I keep harping on this trend but I really think that this is one of the moment flattering looks that I have seen all spring and I feel that so many people can pull it off, no matter what your eye color or the undertones in your skin.  The Eye Definer shade is another good basic, the deep brown shade will be able to be used throughout the whole year in all different types of eye looks.
Not my favorite of the season but there are some very good picks for eye makeup in this collection.  Trish McEvoy isn't a company that is known for bright, over the top makeup so I wasn't expecting an Illamasqua-type of collection.  Any of these shades would work well for a casual weekend look or a daytime professional look.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Benefit The POREfessional Pro Balm

Within the past week, the weather has gotten warmer and spring has officially arrived.  One of my first indictions was that my Clarins Instant Touch primer was making my skin feel very oily and my makeup was sliding off during the day instead of staying put all day as it did during the winter months.  The exact same thing occured last summer when I first tried the product out so I expected this.  However I planned for this a few weeks ago and bought a tube of one of the best-selling products at Sephora, Benefit The POREfessional Pro Balm.  I first tried this product out when I received a Sephora Beauty Insider 100 Point Perk sample of the product, I tried it out for a week and then decided that I needed to buy a tube of this for the warm weather months.

This product can be used as a tradition primer or as a touch-up treatment during the day.  I mostly use it as a primer, I have very rarely needed to use on top of my makeup during the day, my skin never got oily enough to need to touch this product up, therefore my review will treat this product more as a primer than a touch-up treatment. 

The Benefit website provides a full description on the product itself and the usage of it.  "Quickly minimize the appearance of pores and fine lines for smoother-than-smooth skin!  Apply this silky, lightweight balm alone, under, or over makeup.  Translucent, oil-free formula complements all skintones and helps makeup stay put.  Contains a Vitamin E derivative, known to prorect skin from free radicals."  This balm is lightly tinted so this is one of the few primers that actually can be used alone and still improve the texture and appearance of the T zone area.  "Apply The POREfessional from the center of the face outward by patting lightly with fingers...pay particular attention to the T zone area.  Keep it in your bag for touch-ups during the day."

I have used this product alone and under makeup the most, I rarely feel the need to have to touch-up with it.  I apply this product straight onto my finger and then dot it on five areas of my face; forehead, chin, nose, and then both cheeks (in that order).  This order allows me to get the majority of the product on my T zone, where it is most needed.  My cheeks need very little of this product since my pores are much smaller in this area and my skin is much drier.  The product melts quickly and easily into my skin and there is no left over residue.  When used alone, it helps to refine the texture of my skin and helps to minimize the appearance of the larger pores on my T zone, I feel that this product works better with the application of foundation and loose powder.  This product alone is not enough to really create a flawless finish, it is better as a base product.  Once applied under makeup, I will get a full day's wear out of my makeup with little oily break throughout on my T Zone.

I have only needed to touch-up up with this product on one day so far.  On that day the humidity was very high and I needed to touch up with both this product and then powder on top of it.  Personally, I prefer to touch up with Boscia Blotting Linens instead of adding more product on top of the oil already on my skin.  Personally, I just wouldn't really use this product in that fashion, I hate the thought of adding layers onto my skin when I could just blot off the oil and leave 95% of my makeup in place.

This is a very good primer for someone with more normal to oily skin.  I wouldn't see that anyone with dry skin would have problems with it but there are primers that are more hydrating than this one.  I would recommend this one more for someone with of an oily skin type since it performs best for this type of skin.  It really helped to minimize pores and oiliness, but foundation and loose powder are needed to really get the best results from this product.

photo courtesy of Benefit

Stila Spring 2012 Collection

I have been putting off this post for quite a while now, I have found the new products for spring on the Stila website but have never seen them under anything other than the "What's New" tab on their home page.  I was hoping to find them all in the same area, under a heading of "Spring" or something that identifies them as the official spring products.  But alas, I am now seeing hints of the summer products on beauty blogs so I decided to take my best guess at what are the spring products from Stila and what are holdovers from last holiday.  I am a little lacking on information here so I do apologize in advance if this isn't totally correct in any instance. 
I like Stila products but I haven't been able to count any of the ones that I have tried among my top favorites yet.  Many of the shimmery shades (especially for eyes) are very pretty but I find that this company rarely puts out products and shades that are very unique and can't be duplicated by any other brand.  So I don't know that I am expecting much from this series of products and I still dislike when a company can't find a theme for their new products and shades and just throws them all under the heading of "What's New".

Here is the newest collection from Stila...

Jewel Eye Shadow - The perfect blend of pigment, binder, and pearl delivers a weightless feel on the eye, leaving lids glamourous and glittering.  Transparent talc delivers excellent color release and the perfect blend of binding oils ensure adherence.  Choose from eight sparkly shades.  High levels of pearl provide a brilliant sparkle effect.  Smooth and creamy texture.  Sheer, weightless wash of glimmering color.  Excellent color release and all day wear.  Vitamin E provides antioxidant protection.  Buildable shadows can be worn wet or dry.
- Blue Sapphire - shimmering periwinkle blue
- Black Diamond - shimmering deep charcoal
- Amethyst - shimmering medium purple
- Opal - shimmering light pink opal
- Rose Quartz - shimmering medium cool rose
- Citrine - shimmering medium bronze
- Aquamarine - shimmering bright aqua
- Golden Topaz - shimmering medium warm gold

Smudge Crayon Waterproof Eye Color - A gel-based primer, shadow, and liner that glides on with ease and stays in place until you say when!  This unique formula is infused with emollients for smooth, comfortable application and provides long-lasting, bold color that won't fade or crease over time.  Designed with optimal playtime, for application and smudging.  Smudge Crayon will be available in eight gorgeous hues.  Three-in-one gel-based eye primer, shadow, and liner.  Multi-pearl formula.  Waterproof.  Creamy, non-tacky finish.  Long-lasting and crease-resistant.  6+ hours of continous wear.  Vitamin E protects and conditions, while aloe soothes and supports healthy skin.
- Kitten - shimmering pink champagne
- Midnight Blue - deep navy
- Umber - deep chocolate brown
- Antique - medium pink gold
- Pink Violet - medium cool lilac
- Rose - medium cool pink
- Smoke - medium charcoal
- Black - deep true black

Sparkle Luxe Gloss - Sparkle Luxe Gloss is a decadent lip gloss that provides a subtle pop of color and rich glossy texture.  Infused with highly pigmented, ultra-fine pearl for dazzling sparkle and shine, plus camellia oil and Vitamin E to nourish and protect your pout.  Available in four glistening shades.  Ultra-fine pearl shimmer for brilliant sparkle.  Luxurious, glossy texture.  Subtle pop of color.  Camellia oil helps moisturize and nourish lips.  Vitamin E provides anti-oxidant protection.
- Tiara - pale cool pink shimmer
- Dazzling - medium bright pink shimmer
- Fairy Dust - medium warm pink coral shimmer
- Bling - medium warm pink shimmer

Hydrating Primer SPF 30 - Featuring exclusive synergistic combination of moisturizers and skin protectants.  Hydrating Primer SPF 30 provides hydration and nourishing benefits for the skin.  This skin-conditioning formula leaves skin with a soft, dewy finish and creates an impeccable canvas for faultless makeup application.  Packed with potent vitamins and antioxidants, in addition to Broad Spectrum UVA and UVB sunscreen to protect the skin from the sun's harmful rays and help prevent premature aging.  Exclusive formula provides hydration, soothes, and refreshes the skin.  Broad Spectrum UVA and UVB sunscreen SPF 30 protects the skin from the sun's damaging rays.  Helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and provides firming benefits.  Lightweight formula.  Contains an aray of skin protecting vitamins and antioxidants, such as Asian ginseng, shea butter, avocado, hazelnut, jojoba oils, and echinacea.  Perfect for all skin types.  Paraben free.

Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Beauty Balm - Age is nothing but a number with Stila's Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Beauty Balm, a luxurious, priming beauty balm that seemingly turns back the hands of time by visibly improving the look and feel of skin and creating an impeccable canvas for flawless makeup application.  Luxurious beauty balm glides onto skin and leaves a silky, powdery finish.  High definition formula helps reduce pore size and provides oil and blemish control.  Contains innovative micro spheres, which have been shown to hide skin imperfections and reduce wrinkle depth by up to 84%.  Features an exclusive complex, which helps reduce redness and skin irritation.  Enriched with Tripeptide-37, bamboo and pea extracts, which help diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  Infused with natural, skin-protecting emollients which have been shown to increase anti-oxidant activity by up to 89.7%.  Uses the smallest particle size of coated pigments for seamless, smooth coverage.  Ideal for all skin types and skin tones.  Oil-free, paraben-free, and dermatologist tested.

In The Garden Palette - The new In The Garden Eye Shadow Palette is a stunning collection of Stila's award-winning eye shadows in wearable, botanical-inspired shades for every skin tone.  The palette also includes an exclusive Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Starfish (black with gold and green pearl), and an 8 page look book with detailed how-to-tips and tricks.  A gorgeous palette with 10 shades of Stila's award-winning eye shadow formula that can be worn wet or dry.
- Chinois - matte creamy white
- Breeze - shimmery beige
- Bark - shimmery taupe
- Freesia - shimmey violet blue
- Rosette - metallic pink violet
- Nectar - matte creamy beige
- Honey - metallic bronze gold
- Sage - shimmery translucent green
- Moss - dark olive green with shimmer
- Juniper - deep shimmery forest green

Jewel Eye Shadow Trio - A sparkly trio of luxe jewel eye shadows provide a sheer, weightless wash of color that delivers just the right amount of glittering glamour.  High levels of pearl provide a brilliant sparkle effect.  Smooth and creamy texture.  Sheer, weightless wash of glimmering color.  Buildable shadows can be worn either wet or dry.
- Opal - shimmering pure white
- Rose Quartz - shimmering cool blue pink
- Amethyst - shimmering deep plum

It seems like Stila has a high shimmer theme going on through out this group of new products, the Jewel Eye Shadows were originally introduced with a holiday collection and must have been so popular that Stila made them a permanent part of their collection.  Kind of a odd time of the year to do though, very few companies are showing tones of shimmer in spring collections.  I like the lip gloss shades and some of the eye shadows too, so I will be heading off to Sephora to see these in real life.  From the lip gloss, I want the Tiara and Dazzling shades, I really don't need to be adding more pink lip glosses to my collection so I will only buy these shades if the formula is fantastic.  From the Jewel Eye Shadow formula, I like the Citrine and Golden Topaz shades.  I wonder how different these are from the Vincent Longo Diamond Eye Shadows since I already own shades like these in this formula...

I love the Garden Palette and this one will be used a lot to create fun, bright spring makeup looks.  The new Eye Crayon also looks like a product that will be getting a lot of use from too.  My first pick would be Kitten since I already use this shade a lot against red lip looks.  I am hoping that this shade in the crayon formula will be longer lasting than the eye shadow and will create a look that will stay on all night.  Also from this formula, I want the Antique Gold, Pink Violet, and Rose shades.  I want to try using these shades to create a long lasting rose gold look for my eyes, I have fallen in love with the rose gold look since I first played around with it when looking at the newest Bobbi Brown collection and now I want to find more products and shades to create different versions of this look.

I like many of the products in this collection but I am hoping that the summer collection will make a bit more sense and will ahve some type of theme to carry it off...

photo courtesy of Stila

Illamasqua Spring 2012 Collection - Human Fundamentalism

The Illamasqua spring collection has finally arrived on their website and I am so excited that is it out.  you guys all know that I have been crazy for Illamasqua products lately and am always lameting how impossible it is for me to find them around where I live.  I visited Sephora yesterday and they still have no word on if they are every going to carry this brand in the store closest to me.  Honestly I can't even imagine how large my collection of their products will be if i can buy them really easily, it might get even bigger than my NARS and Urban Decay collections!

I have been seeing some pictures of the new collection for the past but I haven't had much time to really sit down and look at them but today I have some extra time and I am so excited to check out every single piece of this collection.  The new collection is called Human Fundamentalism and it is the most unique collection that I have seen this whole season.  Illamasqua collections often hold this title but I think that this one might be even more unique than any other that I have seen.  The matching bright blue fake lashes and lipstick?  This collection takes the blue trend that we have been seeing this spring to a whole new level, one that no other company has even come near this season!

"Human Fundamentalism is an explosion of your alter ego.  It's becoming who you are and not who you're told to be.  Because beauty isn't conformity, but the fundamental human desire to express your inner self on the outside.  We stand for the freedom of expression, embracing our glorious imperfections and showing the world we're not ordinary but extraordinary, even if society refuses to accept it.  We're beyond conformity.  Beyond control.  Beyond hiding who we really are.  We are not a religion, but the singular opposite.  We are Illamasqua."  This collection is a series of bright shades for every aspect of the face, this is one of the brightest collections that I have seen this whole season and I love how Illamasqua uses the shades in this collection on people of all ages and skintones.

Illamasqua's newest collection!

Fundamental Palette - Experiment with contrasting textures, from glistening Liquid Metal in molten pewter to matt Cream Pigment in mint green, to express every inch of your alter ego.  Coupled with two vibrant Powder Eye Shadows in Hype (bold yellow) and Inception (rich violet), prepare for unparalleled levels of nonconformity.
- Molten Pewter Liquid Metal - shimmer pure cool pewter
- Bedaub Cream Pigment - matte mint green
- Hype Powder Eye Shadow - bold yellow
- Inception Powder Eye Shadow - rich violet

Neutral Palette - Create sculpted highlights and stark contours anywhere on your face and body with these four pivotal Powder Eye Shadows.  From our new antique gold shade, Vintage - exclusive to this palette - and matt shades Stealth (creamy buttermilk) and Wolf (rich chocolate brown), to the smoky charcoal depths of the new shade Obsidian (rich black), express your inner light and darkness with riotous glamour.
- Vintage - medium antique gold
- Stealth - creamy buttermilk
- Wolf - rich chocolate brown
- Obsidian - rich black

Powder Eye Shadow - Each of these glorious colours makes a statement that is as individual as you are.  Highly pigmented, prepare for an intensity that's not just colour-true but extremely long-lasting.  Experiment and be bold.
- Pivot - yellow green
- Vernau - yellow ochre
- Sex - pure white, matt finish
- Obsidian - rich black
- Burst - blue green
- Can Can - bright lilac purple, matt finish

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

Skin Base Foundation - Inspired by the cult Asian market Beauty Balm creams, Skin Base Foundation is a brand new, refined form unlike anything on the UK market.  Easily blendable, it effortlessly creates a perfect complexion, and like the entire Illamasqua foundation range, is undetectable in a professional HD environment.  Suitable for all skin types, it smoothes, softens, and conditions your skin whilst providing natural, buildable coverage.  Available in a wide range of shades to match all skintones.
Sealing Gel - One drop of this cult product turns any powder into a colour-intense, water-resistant paste that dries quickly and lasts for hours.  Blend with Powder Eye Shadow, Pure Pigment, Eye Brow Cake, or Eye Liner Cake and use across the face and body for endless creative opportunities.  Be bold, be original and stand out from the crowd.

Precision Ink - Create looks with attitude that no one can ignore.  Precision Ink's fine tip allows for defined application.  Long-lasting and waterproof, it's perfect for use anywhere on the face and body to bring out your bold side.  You can even use it as a nail art pen; simply seal with Illamasqua Top Coat.
- Scribe - pure white

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

Is this entire look for me?  Of course not but I still love this collection and it is one of my favorites of the spring season.  Do I think that I will be pulling off the teal lipstick?  No but I can respect anyone who tries to create the look that is on the model.  With this collection, I know see how much this company uses the Sealing Gel to create some of their artistry looks, I have often wondered how some of the varied makeup looks can be created with the products in their collection and I believe that the answer lays in the use of the Sealing Gel product.  I am very curious about this product and I will begin trying to find some reviews and more information on it before I decide to order it or not.

I have wanted the Box shade of Lipstick since I ordered the Maneater shade so I can say that this is my first choice from the collection.  I think that I might put it aside until next fall though since it appears to be a deeper wine shade instead of a true red.  I want both of the palettes from this collection, but if I have to choose only one, the Neutral Palette is my choice.  A palette of neutrals is rare from Illamasqua and I bet that these shades will have great pigment and wear.  The only additional eye shadow shade that I want is Can Can, the bright matte lilac shade.  I am so excited to play with the Can Can shade and see how bright of a lilac eye that I can pull off.  Last but not least, I want to add both shades of the Nail Varnish to my nail polish collection.

I may not be able to pull off every piece of this collection but I do love the looks that have been created with it and I can't wait to order more products from this company!

photo courtesy of Illamasqua