Beauty Loves Week Day One - MAC Plushglass in Ample Pink

We are going to start this week off with my favorite lip gloss and one of the formulas that I think gets the least amount of love from MAC.  I love all of MAC Lipglasses and I tend to pick up a new one almost every single time that I visit the counter or that a new collection comes out.  So when one formula and shade captures my love and becomes the lip gloss that I use the most and tell all my friends and co-workers to try.  I have a huge collection of MAC Lipglasses (and more are one the way from Archie's Girls so my collection is only going to get larger over the spring season!) so it is rare feat that one shade has been my favorite since I first bought a tube of it in the summer of 2008.  Being that it is now 2013, I have had the same lip gloss love for almost five years.  How many ladies can say that they have loved the same lip gloss for almost five years...and my love affair with MAC Plushglass shows no signs of leaving any time in the near future.

Plushglass is considered to be the thicker, plumping formula of MAC Lipglasses.  I rarely see limited edition shades of this formula and I only found out about it because the MAC makeup artist that was doing my eye makeup recommended it to me.  This makeup artist really knew what she was doing, not only did she help me create a subtle smoky eye but also taught me how to re-create it easily at home.  And then recommended the pefect lip gloss to use against dramatic eye makeup or for when I don't want a lot of pigment on my lips.  That original tube has all the print worn of it from banging around my purse so often and all the product was literally scraped out of it before I declared it to be finished and I bought a new tube of it the very next time I passed by the counter in Macy*s.  Today's Beauty Love celebration is over MAC Plushglass in the Ample Pink shade!

The MAC website states the following for the overall product description, "Sheer lip colour with a pearlized high-shine gloss finish. Comfortable to wear: lush, multi-dimensional. Gives a cool-warm, vanilla buzz to the lips. Moisturizes, soothes and visibly plumps the lips to make them look luxuriously healthy and well-conditioned. Contains vitamin E for added environmental protection."  This lip gloss formula only contains fifteen shades in its line-up, much smaller than the traditional MAC Lipglass line up.  The shades range from pale to deep and all of them have a cream finish.

Ample Pink is my absolute favorite shade and it is a "full, soft rose", a sheer rose that compliments my lip shade and skintone.  The plumping effect in this formula is very subtle and really only adds a very little bit of volume and evens out slight lip lines.  It makes my lips looks full and healthy, a look that men are drawn to naturally.  I never fail to get compliments on this lip color from the ladies around me and I have noticed that more men will talk to me when I use this lip gloss than when I use any other gloss shade in my collection.  This is the epitome of the perfect lip gloss and the best product that I have ever used.  I will die if this shade is discontinued and I really wish that MAC would bring more shades out in this formula, epecially in the hyped limited edition collections that are housed in the special packaging. 

Beauty Love Day One is all about the best lip gloss that I have ever used and that my traincase will never be without!

photo courtesy of MAC

Beauty Loves Theme Week Introduction

So it Valentine's Day week and I have decided to try and celebrate something this week and stay positive throughout the dreaded holiday.  What can I celebrate this week?  I can celebrate that I have great friends and family, that I have a job that I love, and that I am earning top grades in grad school.  What else do I love?  Beauty products!  So I have decided that this week we are going to celebrate the beauty products that I have loved for years and have used on a regular basis.  I own so many beauty products at this point that I almost never repurchase anything and I tend to get sick of many products after I use them two or three days in a row. 

Except for the seven products that we are going to highlight this week.  In these seven days, we are going to visit my favorite lip gloss color, the scents that I can never get sick off even when I use them several days in a row, and the face and body products that I have repurchased so many times over the years.  If a product has made the cut this week, then I truely consider it a Holy Grail and an essential item in my collection.

It is time to celebrate the beauty products that I love the most and have been top level performers for me over the years!

Aveda Spring 2013 Collection - Art of Nature

Aveda is still a brand that I am somewhat newer to, the salon that I go to carries the makeup and skincare lines but I have progressed any further than looking at the displays and gazing at all the pretty makeup colors.  Not that I need another makeup line to collect items from, but Aveda is very unique and contains many formulas that are much more natural than many of the products that I currently use.  So far, I have been most enamoured with the blushes and many of the eye shadow shades, the lip glosses and lipstick lines don't contain unique shades and I already own many of them.  I have a hair appointment at the end of next month so I will be following up with some products reviews if I decide to purchase from the makeup line.

I am hoping that my salon has the new spring collection from Aveda on the makeup table by the next time that I am visiting there.  Art of Nature is the newest collection from this company and it contains products for every facial feature in hues of reds and pinks.  The model for the collection has pale skin and reddish hair so I know that this collection will have products and shades that are flattering for me.  I am in the market for a pinkish red lipstick, this is the one hue of red lipstick that I don't own and I want to add to it my collection by very early spring. 

The new collection from Aveda is called Art of Nature and contains a series of lip products and shades that will be perfect for the spring and summer months.  I can see red and pink lip hues already and I can see that this will be a great spring collection for me.

Here is the newest collection from Aveda!

Petal Essence Single Eye Shadow Color - Let eyes blossom, with our flower wax-infused, soft-to-the-touch shadow. A silky powder-both color-true and crease-resistant-that builds and blends effortlessly, surrounded by a soft floral aroma. Shades from shimmering to matte.  Non-fading.  Talc- and mineral oil-free.  Ophthalmologist-tested.  Packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) clamshell and paper sleeve.
- 984 Bare Bellis - satiny baby pink

Petal Essence Face Accents - Let your color bloom: bronze, highlight, flush or blush with our flower-based face powder bouquets. Blend and build, with a trio of long-wearing colors inspired by—and infused with—aromatic florals.  Tri-color palettes.  Talc- and mineral oil-free.  Infused with a soft floral aroma, with certified organic lavender.  Packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) clamshell and paper sleeve.
- Hibiscus - nude highlighter to soft coral to bright coral

Nourish-Mint Sheer Mineral Lip Color - Plumps naturally over time-without irriatation.  Smooths appearance of fine lines by 26%.  Increases moisture by 26%.  With refreshing organic spearmint and vanilla flavor.  New packaging reduces waste by 33%.
- 914 Sheer Melochia Bloom - light baby coral

Nourish-Mint Smoothing Lip Color - 75% of women noticed fuller lips after 2 weeks.  Smooths appearance of fine lines by 26%.  Increases moisture by 26%.  With refreshing organic spearmint and vanilla flavor.  New packaging reduces waste by 33%.
- 913 Cana - intense red orange

Nourish-Mint Lip Liner - Feed your lips-with luscious, creamy color that shapes and defines-made richer with plant waxes and fruit butters. Nourish-mint Lip Liners provides generous coverage while helping to reduce feathering of other lip color. Refreshing, with certified organic peppermint flavor.  Infused with our U.S.-patented Berry/Lipid Moisture Complex to help protect and replenish.  With certified organic jojoba plus plant lipids to lend moisture.  Pencil made of responsibly-sourced pine.  Housed in a 80% post consumer recycled carton.
- 916 Cocoa Bean - matte sienna
- 917 Barberry Bloom - matte intense red-orange

Petal Essence Eye Definer - Drawn from jasmine petals and geranium leaves, aromatic flower waxes make this formula creamy, blendable, smooth. Line, define, accent, or shade—our pencil stays color-true on eyes or brow, while still respecting the delicate skin around the eye.  Ophthalmologist-tested.  FSC logo on pencil indicates wood came from well-managed forests certified in accordance with the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council.
- 918 Wild Indigo - matte midnight blue
- 990 Jade Vine - matte bright grass green

Nourish-mint Rehydrating Lip Glaze - Give them some lip-with 12 lip gloss shades, from nude to bold: infused with plant emollients and clinically proven to moisturize, plump and smooth the look of fine lines. Refreshes with an organic vanilla and mint aroma and flavor. After 8 weeks of use significantly.  Increases lip moisture by an average of 25%.  Taps peptide technology to plump lips by an average of 13%-for lips that appear naturally fuller.  Smooths the look of fine lines by an average of 26%.  Glides on smooth for even color release and a satin shine.  Nourishes, with pomegranate oil.  100% recycled newsprint shell.
- 915 Kukui - shiny cinnamon brown

I think that I like the two lipstick shades the best in this collection evne though the descriptions of them suggest slightly warmer tones than how they appear on the website pictures.  I now really need to see these colors at the salon and I hope that I can see them the next time that I visit.  The lighter shade could be perfect, I just hope that it not too peachy and it actually is more like how it appears o the website.  I have a feeling that this collection could be one of the best for me this spring or a total disaster.  This will be one of those collections that I need to see in real life before I purchase any of the shades from it...

photo courtesy of Aveda

Illamasqua Spring 2013 Collection - I'm Perfection

My love for Illamasqua is never-ending and I have been patiently waiting for their spring collection to come out ever since they released their very limited edition Valentine's Day collection (and Raindrops is still out of stock!) and I just received the email that the next collection is up on the website and will be coming to other retailers within days.  I have been hearing all kinds of hype about the new type of Nail Varnishes that will be debuting with this collection and everyone knows how much I love any type of Nail Varnish from this company, I recently tried a polish with their Rubber finish and found a new type of polish to want and purchase.  I really need my local Sephora to carry everything in this color collection, I am happy that my store carries a few of the Nail Varnishes in the Nail Bar however I pretty have bought all of the ones that I want from there and still want so many more items in the line.

I first thought that this collection was named L'imperfection, French for "imperfection" but I think that it could be either of the names and both of them would fit with the philosophy of both the company and this collection itself.  "Stand up and show the world what makes you perfectly imperfect.  We want you to highlight the features that other brands encourage you to cover up.  Beacuse life isn't about finding yourself, life is about celebrating who you really are."  This collection features a huge egg in many of the collection photos but I still don't know that I totally understand the significance of the egg with the crack in it and the pigment that is pouring out of it.  Maybe I will learn more about this as the collection gets more exposure.

This collection looks really exciting, I see a new Blush Duo, a new Nail Varnish formula, and a new bright pink Lipstick shade.  I might as well just get my Most Wanted List out right now and start working on March...

Here is the newest collection from Illamasqua!

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 an nail art pen; simply seal with Illamasqua Top Coat.
- Abyss - gloss black

Powder Blusher Duo - Lover and Hussy - Featuring two beautiful matt Powder Blusher shades, Lover (Soft apricot) and Hussy (Candy Pink), the new Powder Blusher Duo, a first for Illamasqua, comes in a gorgeous compact with a mirror. Illamasqua Powder Blushers are highly pigmented, use them to shade, brighten, enhance and contour. Be bold; be daring and most importantly be the center of attention this party season.
- Lover - soft apricot
- Hussy - candy pink

Powder Blusher Duo - Katie and Ambition - Featuring two beautiful matt Powder Blusher shades, Katie (Candy Pink) and Ambition (Neutral), the new Powder Blusher Duo, a first for Illamasqua, comes in a gorgeous compact with a mirror. Illamasqua Powder Blushers are highly pigmented, use them to shade, brighten, enhance and contour. Be bold; be daring and most importantly be the center of attention this party season.
- Katie - candy pink
- Ambition - neutral

Powder Blusher Duo - Beg and Bronzerella - Featuring two beautiful matt Powder Blusher shades, Beg (Dusky Rose) and Bronzerella (Copper Broze), the new Powder Blusher Duo, a first for Illamasqua, comes in a gorgeous compact with a mirror. Illamasqua Powder Blushers are highly pigmented, use them to shade, brighten, enhance and contour. Be bold; be daring and most importantly be the center of attention this party season.
- Beg - dusky rose
- Bronzerella - copper bronze

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 make-up artists, and those who want to make a statement.
- Immodest - vivid pink with matte finish

Intense Lip Gloss - Come out of the shadows with high-shine, colour-rich Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in a wide range of bold colours. Create lips that look full and glossy, without feeling sticky with this "liquid lipstick". Draw attention to your lips, and to you.
- Shoot - leaf green

Blush Up Brush - Challenging conventional blusher application, Illamasqua's all-new Blush Up Brush has an innovative, ellipse shaped head, designed to tuck directly under the cheekbone. Creating a soft diffusion of colour up onto the cheekbone, combine the Blush Up Brush with your favourite Powder Blusher Duo shades for a look that defines, elongates and slims the face in one simple movement.

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.
- Freckle - speckled neutral
- Fragile - speckled blue
- Mottle - speckled green
- Scarce - speckled pink
- Speckle - speckled lilac

I love this collection and the new Nail Varnishes might be among my favorite products of the entire spring season, I must buy at least one or two of these shades.  I found a picture of the egg on the company's Facebook page and it includes a picture of every single nail polish shade on the model holding the object.  I fI have to pick my favorites from the new polishes, I love the Speckle shade (lilac) and the Mottle shade (pale green).  I am without many pale lilacs and mint greens on my polish collection and these are among the most unique that I have ever seen.  The speckled finish is brand new to the industy and I feel that a new trend will be sparking over the next few months.  The Nail Varnishes are my favorite pieces of the collection and I am just so excited to buy some more polishes from this company.

I was really excited for the Blusher Duo however the shades aren't quite what I had in mind.  I have issues with each of the Duos.  Lover and Hussy contains a shade that I already own (Hussy) and wear mostly in the summer when I have some kind of tan, I have barely made a dent in the surface of this shade in the past year and I have no reason to buy a back up especially when Lover is too warm for me to wear.  The next Duo is Katie and Ambition, Katie is one of my favorite shades from this line and if I really liked Ambition then I would order this Duo however I doubt that I would really use that shade.  Beg and Bronzerella won't work on me either so I guess there is just no reason for me to order any of these Duos.  So upset...

The last piece of this collection that gets me really excited is the Lipstick in Immodest, this bright matte pink will fit in perfectly with the look that I am creating for spring and this one will be ordered very soon.  The green Intense Lip Gloss is out, I could never pull this shade off but I would love to own it in a Nail Varnish.

I'm Perfection might be one of my favorite collections of the spring season, Illamasqua always creates collections and products that I end up falling madly in love with and is one ot the only companies that can rival my love for NARS, MAC, and Chanel!

photo courtesy of Illamasqua's Facebook page

B. Kamins Vegetable Face Cleanser

I finished my tube of Clinique Redness Solutions Soothing Face Cleanser and I remained on the fence about it the whole time that I was using it.  I was actually really hoping that I would fall in love with it after using it for two months and it never happened.  I liked the cleanser, it removed most of my makeup and didn't dry my skin out.  I found that I got better results from the product when I used a nickel-sized drop of it instead of the dime-sized drop that I first tried when using it.  Perhaps this is the way that it should have been used the whole time...

I considered buying another tube of this face wash so that I could keep considering if I really liked it or not but I decided to try another brand of face wash and then see if I missed the Clinique face wash or if I easily forgot about it.  I have been using a cleanser from Canadian company B. Kamins for the past few days and so far I haven't yet had a yearning for the Redness Solutions Soothing Face Cleanser.  Yet...  I do wonder if the Clinique product will feel too greasy in the late spring and summer months, my skin is dry but during the warm weather I still can get some oily areas that will be present until right before Labor Day.  I am pretty sure that even if I was in love with the Clinique formula, I would still need to find another formula to use in the warm weather.  It is pretty nice to be thinking ahead to the warm weather and deciding what kinds of skincare I will need to buy for them.

I have used two cleansers from B. Kamins in the past, one formula that I really loved and then one formula that I really hated.  The cleanser that I hated from this company was one of the few products that I have ever not loved from the company so I decided to ignore that unfortunate experience and to order another cleanser from the B. Kamins website.  For anyone who is unfamiliar with this company, it is Canadian-based and the products have been designed to deal with a whole array of skincare woes.  It specializes in creating products that soothe redness, help treat anti-aging, and intensively hydrate dry skin.  This is not really a line that I recommend for people who have normal skin that requires little care but for anyone who really wants to dramatic results (especially with redness or dryness) then this is a line for you!

This time around I ordered the Vegetable Cleanser, a simple cleansing formula that is made for all skin types and is gentle enough to not irritate redness or acne-prone skin.  "A vegetable-based cleanser and makeup remover that dissolves and removes impurities from the face and delicate eye area. Clarifying, soothing and moisturizing ingredients help improve skin's smoothness and elasticity. Oil-, fragrance- and color-free, this gentle formula is ideal for cleansing sensitive skin types, especially post-microdermabrasion and laser-treated skin.  All skin types.  To gently cleanse and remove face and eye makeup while maintaining moisture balance in the skin."

The Features and Benefits of the face wash are...

- Oil-, fragrance- and color-free.
- An all-purpose triple-action product that dissolves dirt, face and eye makeup with a gentle corn-derived skin cleanser.
- Will minimize irritation of the most sensitive skin.
- Mild enough for problem skin conditions such as hypersensitivity, acne, eczema and psoriasis.
- Ideal for post-microdermabrasion or laser treated skin.
- Clarifies and helps improve skin elasticity and smoothness.
- Helps bind water (moisture) to the skin for increased hydration.
- May also be used for shaving.

This is a light gel formula, it works best when applied to wet skin.  It produces a little bit of foam, not near as much as many other gel or foam cleansers however this is what helps it to not irritate problem skin types.  Many people who are used to high foaming products will not think that this foams up enough for them and will run the risk of pumping too much out in order to try and increase the foaming action.  No matter how much or how little I use, I still get very little foam and for me this is a good thing.  A nickel-sized drop of this product created enough cleanser to do my entire face and effectively remove all of my makeup, without severely over drying my face.  That being said, my skin is still on the tight and dry side when I first get out of the shower and I will need to use face cream right away on it, I don't know if this effect will change anytime soon.  All throughout the winter and then well into the spring, I will need to use face cream right after the shower or get the tight feeling to my face, it has been the same with every single face wash that I have ever used so I wasn't expecting miracles in this area. 

I haven't had any adverse effects in the redness area and the tightness when I get out of the shower would have occurred with any face wash that I use this time of the year so I currently have no issues with this product and am pretty happy with it.  I might change my mind later in the spring if my face continues to be dry when I get out of the shower in the beginning of my May but so far so good for now.  This cleanser is another good product from B Kamins and would be a great first product from this line if you are interested in learning about these products.

photo courtesy of B. Kamins

Shu Uemura Spring 2013 Collection - Blossom Dream

Shu Uemura is a makeup company that can produce either some of the best seasonal color collections or one of the worst.  This is not a company that produces a collection that ever looks like any other from the season, every collection from this company is very unique and like no other collection that will come out for the season.  I haven't really been in love with a Shu Uemura collection since the beginning of 2009 when I loved their spring collection and I could still order it very easily in the United States.  The past few collections from this company have been pretty much unwearable for me especially since I don't use false eyelashes and would never be able to pull off some of the more dramatic lash looks that this company creates.  So I can't say that I have been really ordering much from this company lately...

Maybe the spring collection will change my lack of love for this company.  I loved their spring collections more than any others in the years past and I have been all about adding more color to my makeup collection this season.  Blossom Dream is the name of the new collection and it is inspired by all shades of spring flowers.  If there ever was going to be a collection that I will love from Shu Uemura, this is the one.

"From the moment colors are added to her purified canvas, beauty blooms from her face. A unique personal beauty lies within you and blooms like spring flowers along with your hopes, dreams, and ambitions, just like Mr. Shu Uemura’s colors filled dreams in Hollywood.  The atelier’s secret color recipes are now shared with the entire world. Soothing shades in every possible combination abloom with infinite beauty inspiration to fuel the dreams that exists in every woman."  The eye makeup look on the model is a bit on the extreme side for me but I would be more likely to purchase the palettes and then only use two or three of the shades at once (instead of five or more).

The Blossom Dream collection!

High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula - The #1 cleansing oil legacy started with Unmask, our first magic oil since 1967. Today, through half a century of continuous innovation, its superior performance has captured the trust of women from around the world.  In 2013, Shu Uemura goes back to its origin. the legendary Unmask is re-expressed in a modern touch, creating a range of limited edition cleansing oils.  For all skin conditions - Camellias embody the elegance of Unmask’s origins. Infused with Asian Botanical Oils such as Camellia Oil and Ginger Root Oil, this formula cleanses with gentle touch and maintains skin’s moisture balance. Leaves skin feeling comfortable with a fresh and sensuous rosemary aroma.

Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil - The #1 cleansing oil legacy started with Unmask, our first magic oil since 1967. Today, through half a century of continuous innovation, its superior performance has captured the trust of women from around the world.  In 2013, Shu Uemura goes back to its origin. The legendary Unmask is re-expressed in a modern touch, creating a range of limited edition cleansing oils.  For pore concerns-floating cherry blossom petals evoke the fresh sweetness of spring.  A light-textured oil for complete pore cleansing with Sakura Complex.  Washes away pore concerns for refined, smooth, visibly poreless skin.

Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil - The #1 cleansing oil legacy started with Unmask, our first magic oil since 1967. Today, through half a century of continuous innovation, its superior performance has captured the trust of women from around the world.  In 2013, Shu Uemura goes back to its origin. the legendary Unmask is re-expressed in a modern touch, creating a range of limited edition cleansing oils.  For global skin concerns- the luminous sparkle of gold, delicate yet bold, expresses the ultimate in modern luxury. 8 exquisite oils are infused with botanical ingredients. A cashmere-like cocooning oil to fight all skin concerns for supreme skin quality.

Whitefficient Clear Brightening Gentle Cleansing Oil - The #1 cleansing oil legacy started with Unmask, our first magic oil since 1967. Today, through half a century of continuous innovation, its superior performance has captured the trust of women from around the world.  In 2013, Shu Uemura goes back to its origin. The legendary Unmask is re-expressed in a modern touch, creating a range of limited edition cleansing oils.  For brightening -bursting with fruity harmony of prune harmonize- so airy and fresh.  This light-textured oil effectively removes dead skin cells containing melanin and heavy make-up enabling effective brightening. Empowered with Vitamin C derivative and Fruit Acid Mix, the Ultimate Removal System with higher removability swiftly removes make-up and impurities. After cleansing skin looks clarified, and more even toned.

Glow On Refill Blush - 5 new shades in pearl and matte texture for a complexion abloom with fantasy. From blissful pink to vibrant oranges, the range is newly enriched with vibrant dreams and feminine delight.
- p light yellow 020 - warm yellow highlight for a glowing shine day and night
- p soft pink 324 - lively sweet pink for the most blissful complexion
- p soft coral 332 - a softly delicate shade that blends rose and peach
- m soft orange 542 - warm sunny orange gives that lit-from-within glow
- p vivid orange 551- vivid blooming orange to brighten your facial impression

Unmask Palette Blue - Re-discover the joy of Shu Uemura’s professional atelier of color with three new special edition matte textured refills in charming pastel shades in a refillable quad custom case.  “Matte texture gives a more soothing, warm, and soft impression than pearl or glitter textures. even when exposed to a strong light, matte texture maintains its true color. Pale, soft, and warm colors are best suited to matte textures.” As soothing as a dreamy blue sky-an amplified aqua blue and delicate lilac shade that will leave a cool, feminine impression. Blue and violet gradation creates a rather cool spring look. Use yellow as the highlight and accent.

Unmask Palette Pink - Re-discover the joy of Shu Uemura’s professional atelier of color with three new special edition matte textured refills in charming pastel shades in a refillable quad custom case.  now everyone can easily achieve pro-level make-up gradation, color payoff, and ultra-smooth matte texture.  “Matte texture gives a more soothing, warm, and soft impression than pearl or glitter textures. even when exposed to a strong light, matte texture maintains its true color. pale, soft, and warm colors are best suited to matte textures.”   A beautiful combination of sweet pink rose petal flush and vibrant bright pink that instantly charms. The neutral pink shade may also be used as a base. Apply faintly around the eyes to create a cute impression.

Unmask Palette Green - Re-discover the joy of Shu Uemura’s professional atelier of color with three new special edition matte textured refills in charming pastel shades in a refillable quad custom case.  Now everyone can easily achieve pro-level make-up gradation, color payoff, and ultra-smooth matte texture.  “Matte texture gives a more soothing, warm, and soft impression than pearl or glitter textures. even when exposed to a strong light, matte texture maintains its true color. pale, soft, and warm colors are best suited to matte textures.”   A variety of fresh pastel greens- light minty tint of spring green and bright grassy green that evoke the ripe fields of spring. not pop, but an active, energetic femininity.

Rainbow Feather False Lashes - Dreamy lashes maximize your colorful make-up fantasy festivities.  Dramatize your look with fluffy, colorful feathers or accentuate your eyes with feather-light lashes!   A pair of lashes with exploding with fluffy green, pink, orange, blue and yellow feathers. Colored feather tips are hinged by pink and white nylon lashes.   “Feather adds new textures for even richer make-up expression. These are to add a sense of fun and playfulness, liberate your mind. I designed them to create a colorful and soft impression. Bending the band a little will make them softer and easier to apply and wear. ” Yuki Asano, International Make-up Director.

Rainbow Feather False Lashes - Dreamy lashes maximize your colorful make-up fantasy festivities.  Dramatize your look with fluffy, colorful feathers or accentuate your eyes with feather-light lashes!  A rainbow of colored feathers graphically accented by black lash hair.  “Feather adds new textures for even richer make-up expression. These are to add a sense of fun and playfulness, liberate your mind. I designed them to create a colorful and soft impression. Bending the band a little will make them softer and easier to apply and wear. ” Yuki Asano, International Make-up Director.

Drawing Pencil Gold - Play with a pearly colorful eyeliner to draw defining lines. Matches eye shadow colors perfectly for both monochromatic color coordination and vibrant enhancement.  Define with a glamorous pearly golden accent.

Drawing Pencil White - Play with a pearly colorful eyeliner to draw defining lines. Matches eye shadow colors perfectly for both monochromatic color coordination and vibrant enhancement.  Attention-getting white brightens eyes in the most unexpected way.

Rouge Unlimited Blossom Dream - The prelude to a beauty dream begins by adding an alluring tint to lips, the ultimate symbol of femininity. A combination of nudey pastel colors in 2 dreamy limited edition shades are offered.
- Bright Orange - stain lips with this unusual subdued tangerine orange to make your dream brighter
- Dark Beige - warm beige with a hint of pink is a sensual neutral, to enhance your natural glow from within

Gloss Unlimited - The rebirth of gloss unlimited.  This new shape memorizing lip gloss is designed to create unlimited mirror shine with “3D shape-memory technology” to give lips a high shine veil that maintain voluminous shine. The new applicator traps gloss inside the circle and slant oval shaped applicator fits perfectly with the lip shape to achiever precise application in one stroke by gradually evening out the gloss on your lips providing a new and sophisticated gloss experience.  The comfortable, light texture melts into lips through a moisture active complex formula that includes a new lotus flower extract nourishes and protect fragile lips and a special rich blend of botanical oils for moisture comfort. Lips feel moisturized all day long.
- at 10g - sparkling silver
- at 20g - dazzling gold
- or 20s - light creamy coral
- pk 40g - sparkling fuchsia
- pk 10g - sparkling baby pink

Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte Blossom Dream - The prelude to a beauty dream begins by adding an alluring tint to lips, the ultimate symbol of femininity. a combination of nudey pastel colors in 2 dreamy limited edition shades are offered. 
- Bright Pink - supreme matte pink will turn heads and ignite your deepest desires
- Light Beige - say it with texture with this barely there.  Supreme matte nude lips to highlight a glowing beauty canvas

Hello rainbow colored false eye lashes - of course I will be skipping over this product since there is just no way that I would be able to pull this look off in any situation of my life.  Maybe Halloween...  That being said, there are a lot of shades in this collection that I will be skipping over this spring season, I might love the shades in the palette or in the tube but I could never wear them so there is no point in me ordering shades that I know already that I will not wear.

I think with this collection it will just be much easier for me to write about the handful of products that I love rather than go into why I will skip over half of the collection.  Anyone that has read this blog for the past few months or longer will know that I would never wear coral lipstick or bright blue eye shadow.  I like both of the Pink and Green eye shadow palettes, I think that I would be more likely to purchase the Pink.  The Pink palette contains a series of matte shades in deep pinks and neutrals and I would get a lot of wear from these shades this spring.  The Green palette is another mix of greens and neutrals, I would get use from this one and I like it but I think that if I had to pick a favorite then I would go for the Pink palette.  I have been all over pink eye shadows this spring and this palette would be a very solid accent to my collection. 

The rest of the products that I am attracted to in this collection are mostly pink shades, I love the bright pink shade of the Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte lipstick, I want to add this shade to my collection very soon.  I also really like the pale pink shade of the Gloss Unlimited, this is another shade that I will use a lot over the spring and summer.  I also like the silver lip gloss but I don't know how much I would use it, either on its own or applied over lipstick so I will table this decision for a few weeks.

This is a stronger collection from Shu Uemura but I have been finding that ever since this company was pulled from United States distribution, the shades and products are getting harder and harder to wear.  The eye lashes in this collection would work best on a Japanese cartoon character and I feel that this will be the way the company continues to trend in the future...

photo courtesy of Shu Uemura

Bath and Body Works America's Sweethearts

The last time that we talked about Bath and Body Works was well before Christmas and I was picking up a bunch of the Holiday Traditions products and making Forever Red one of my new fragrances for the winter months.  The holidays have come and gone and now the product line looks very different than it did several months ago.  Last month, the company brought back it's Island collection of limited edition Signature Collection products, the exact same ones as last year were released so I thought that we could safely skip over them (if you wish to see them for the first time, go to January 2012 in my blog and you can read all about the scents and products in that collection).  Along with that Island Signature Collection came out all the tropical and spring floral candles, several of which have already been added to my collection and I still have many more that I want to buy this spring.

America's Sweethearts has just come out on the website for the company and I actually bought some of the items at the store last night.  I first smelled the small lotions in these fragrances last month and I didn't really have a favorite until I played around with them last night and found one that I really liked on my skin.  Initially, I liked the Honey Sweetheart in the bottle but not that much on my skin and Daisy Dreamgirl ended up being fragrance that I liked on my skin and ended up taking home with me.  The third fragrance is named Berry Flirt and I never really like berries on my skin chemistry so I knew that I would skip over this one as soon as I saw the name of the fragrance.

Honey Sweetheart is the first of the three fragrances that we will look at, this one reminds me the most of a Valentine's Day fragrance and matched all the Valentine's Day decorations in the store.  Honey Sweetheart is described as "seriously sweet bursts of candied violets and pink sugar" and smells like the Sweetheart candies in the bottle.   The top notes of the fragrance are: Italian Mandarin, Grapefruit, White Peach.  The heart notes are: Apple Blossom, Honeysuckle, Gardenia, Lily of the Valley.  The base notes are: Cedarwood, Amber, Vanilla, Musk, Candy Heart Accord.  I can see this one being very popular as it will remind many people of a lighter version of Pink Sugar but this fragrance was not for me.  I liked it in the bottle but when I put it on, it became instantly obvious that this fragrance was not compatible with my skin chemistry.  It is very light on me with just a hint of sweet vanilla fragrance, there was nothing wrong with it but this just isn't a fragrance that I would wear at all.

Daisy Dreamgirl is the second of the three fragrances and this is the fragrance that I ended up buying both the body products and a small Fragrance Mist of.  This fragrance is a light floral scent that is very different than the other two in the America's Sweethearts collection.  This fragrance is a mix of "delicate daisies and sparkling passion fruit" and I find it to be more on the floral side than the fruit side.  The top notes are: Italian Bergamot, Grapefruit, Magnolia, Maracuya, Pear.  The middle notes of the fragrance are: Lily of the Valley, Freesia, Jasmine, Passion Fruit.  The bottom notes are: Sandalwood, White Amber, Musk.  This fragrance comes out very floral on my skin and is a lovely light white floral fragrance that I will use throughout the spring.  This is my favorite of the three new fragrances and the only one that I bought from.

The last fragrance is Berry Flirt, a fragrance that I neither liked that much in the bottle and didn't really work well with my skin chemistry either.  Berry fragrances never work very well with my skin chemistry so I didn't expect this one to work at all.  This fragrance is the lightest of the three and is nearly a pure sweet berry scent.  It is a mix of "voluptuous berries and sparkling plum blossom".  the top notes are: Sparkling Plum Blossom, Crispy Apple, Iced Petals.  The middle notes of the fragrance are: Peach Blossom, Candy Violet, Camellia.  The bottom notes are: Benzoin, Vanilla Bean, Velvet Musk.  This fragrance will be great if your skin chemistry works well with berries, I can see this fragrance being a light sweet spring and summer scent and if berry notes worked on me than I would really like this scent.

The products are available in the normal Signature Collection products; the Fine Fragrance Mist, Shower Gel, Body Lotion, and Triple Moisture Body Cream.  In addition to these products, the Honey Sweetheart is available in a hair spray that creates fake bronze streaks in the hair and all the fragrances have a lip gloss to them.  I bought the Shower Gel, Body Lotion, and Triple Moisture Cream in the Daisy Dreamgirl.  I then added a small Fine Fragrance Mist in the Daisy Dreamgirl to my purchase.  I don't think that I would use up the full size in the Fragrance Mist but I will use the small one throughout this spring and summer, if I fall madly in love with it after wearing it several times then I will buy it in the full size but the collection is limited edition so that is a decision that I will have to make pretty soon.

Overall, this is a cute collection and I am sure that everyone will love at least one or two of the fragrances.  Daisy Dreamgirl is my favorite but I would have been open to buying Honey Sweetheart if I smelled a bit stronger on me.  This isn't my favorite collection ever but it is a cute little collection for Valentine's Day and spring.

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works