China Glaze Glitz Bitz n' Pieces Nail Polish Collection

I now have begun stalking the China Glaze website to see when their summer collection comes out since I am craving some bright new pink and aqua polishes and I have some very high hopes for the next China Glaze collection.  While stalking their website, I noticed that there was a collection listed up there that I had somehow missed out on earlier this spring and we are going to look at it very quickly right now.  We are in the time period where the spring collections are finished and I am eagerly awaiting the new summer collections and by the next week they should be coming out.  The small collection that I missed earlier on is named the Glitz Bitz n' Pieces collection and contains six new polish shades that are all dramatic glitter polishes and will really appeal to certain customers. 

This is not a polish collection for me, I am sick of the glitter pieces in polishes and I am basically over nail art so I am getting sick of the very dramatic nail looks.  However, these trends show no signs of letting up so I know that I will be seeing these types of polishes for the next few months.  I will just try and ignore them the best that I can but I feel like when this trend finally does end, the nail polish trends are going to swing so far the other way that we will be wearing neutrals and pales for the next few seasons.

Here is the Glitz Bitz n' Pieces collection...

- Bling it On - black and purple large glitter in a clear base
- Glitz n' Pieces - black and silver large glitter in a clear base
- Graffiti Glitter - emerald green and black large glitter in a clear base
- Mosaic Madness - deep blue and black large glitter in a clear base
- Razzle me, Dazzle Me - pale pink and black large glitter in a clear base
- Scattered and Tattered - deep red and black large glitter in a clear base

I don't like any of these shades but I still say that they look much better when I found blogger swatches of them online rather than just looking at the pictures of the bottles on the China Glaze website and Facebook page.  The glitter in all of these pieces are much too big for me to pull off on a normal day, I could only consider using them in an accent manicure when going out at night.  The only shade that I am even somewhat interested in is the Mosaic Madness, I do like the deep blue glitter in it.  I could imagine myself using this shade in an accent manicure over a pale blue nail polish shade.  This is still the only way that I could consider wearing one of these polishes so I still doubt that I will be buying any of these shades.  This is collection that I will be skipping over...

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

OPI Oz The Great and Powerful Nail Polish Collection

The new movie Oz movie has already turned into a hit at the box office and has become THE movie for beauty product and collection tie ins.  We have already looked at the new eye shadow palettes from Urban Decay that were inspired by two of the main characters of the movie and now we are going to look at the nail polish collection that OPI has just brought out to tie in with the movie.  The Glinda eye palette that I have been wanting from Urban Decay has been out of stock for the past few times that I have checked it on the Sephora website and I can't wait for it to come back in stock, the Glinda palette has the prettiest lilac shades and will be perfect for spring.  While I am waiting for that item to come back in stock, I will need to get my Oz fill from the new OPI polish collection.

The Oz collection from OPI contains seven new polish shades, one of which has the new Liquid Sand finish (that I cannot stand) and six with the traditional polish finishes.  Some of these polishes have a very intense glitter finish and others are more subtle, these are not polishes that can be worn in a professional atmosphere but will be great for going out at night.  The other polishes are more sheer and neutral and will be very easy to wear in any environment, I can see both areas of this collection selling out very quickly.

We are going to start with the sheer shades as I tend to buy shades like this all the time, I love that I can get several days of wear from these and I don't have to worry about if my polish hue is appropriate to the environment.

- Don't Burst My Bubble - sheer off white cream with a cool undertone
- Glints of Glinda - sheer neutral beige cream
- I Theodora You - sheer neutral pale pink cream

I think that the glitter shades will be the most popular of the collection and these will sell out first and become cult favorites.

- Lights of Emerald City - clear base with square silver glitter pieces
- When Monkeys Fly - clear base with big chunks of gold glitter pieces and small silver pieces
- Which Witch is Which - clear base with small silver glitter

The last shade is my least favorite already, being that it has the Liquid Sand finish that I could not stand from the first time that I saw a picture of it.  I feel that the Liquid Sand finish looks like your polish was smudged when it was wet and is over the top.  I know that many people like this finish and disagree with me but I would not buy any shade with this finish any time soon.
- What Wizardy is This? - olive base color with gold and bronze shimmer

I like some of the shades in this collection but this isn't one of my favorites from OPI, there have been much stronger collections over the years and this doesn't contain a great range of shades.  My favorite shade is I Theodora You, this pale pink will fit right into my polish collection and would be on constant rotation for me for the next few seasons.  Don't Burst My Bubble is the other shade that I would purchase from the collection, Glints of Glinda won't be as flattering on me as the other two.  Which Witch is Which is the only glitter finish shade that I like but it is much to similar to the glitter top coat in last year's Ballerina Collection and I bought that one already and don't need a second bottle of this type of top coat.  The other two glitters are just ugly and I would never use them.  I am not a fan of this collection and I will just keep waiting for that eye palette from Urban Decay for my Oz fix...

photo courtesy of Amazon

Sephora and Pantone Color of the Year - Emerald Collection

I have been obsessed with the color emerald ever since Sephora first stated that it was the color of the year.  So far, I have been ordering emerald colored nail polish shades and I also bought an emerald drop pendant necklace to wear throughout the spring.  I love the combination of pink and emerald and I have been mixing up accessories and beauty products in this combination since the end of last month and this trend shows no ending in sight for me.  In addition to showcasing a series of emerald products from all different brands, Sephora's house brand has also created an entire line for spring inspired by this color and so far has been sold out every time that I look for a certain product in it and I have had to be content with ordering from the other brands.

The full collection is up on the Sephora website and it is time for me to start looking at all the product and to make a very detailed wish list.  I have seen pictures of eye makeup from this collection and some amazing looking green nail polish hues and I do believe that I also saw some sets and palettes in this collection too.  I am also excited about the fact that Sephora has added cheek and lip shades that are not green (very good!) but are made to complement green eye makeup hues.  I believe that some of them are pinks so now I can take my love of pink and green combinations to my makeup.  This has so much potential for me!

"Energize your look with universally flattering shadow palettes, high-shine lacquers, professional accessories, and more.  This year, Sephora + Pantone Universe evolve their breakthrough partnership to forecast the color of radical modernism, where graphic shock meets the speed of modern life. Transfixing and dynamic, the Color of the Year sparks a highly charged mood for the seasons ahead. Visualize a color revolution of infinite potential—from subtle effects to saturated statements—fueled by a hunger for high-tech impact. Experience Emerald from every angle through never-before-seen formulas designed to energize the way you wear color in 2013. Connect. Charge. Power up with the Color of the Year.", states the Sephora website when describing the overall Emerald Collection.  I now also feel that I must have an emerald compact mirror and an emerald brush set...

Here is the Emerald Collection!

The Color of the Year Collection - A six-piece set of the most pigmented formulas from the 2013 Color of the Year collection for endless, luminous beauty.  Enhance and magnify your look with this collection of rich, high-pigment formulas drenched in Emerald, an energetic color that induces power and unmistakable vibrancy. The brilliant prismatic eye shadow glides on silky for bold, all-day wear and the three-shadow palette intensifies eyes with complementary Emerald tones for a supernatural, futuristic look. The glitter dust accents with dramatic shimmer and the striking lid stain doubles as a vivid liner and shadow. The waterproof eyeliner flaunts the universal tone with a silky matte finish and the highlighting mascara finishes your look with a daring Emerald splash on your lashes.
- Color Grid Shadow Block Bionic
- Color Code Prismatic Shadow Block
- 1 oz Lightspeed Glitter Dust
- 0.055 oz Graphic Sculpt Waterproof Jumbo Eyeliner
- 0.1 oz Color Cube Lid Stain
- 0.4 oz Color Watt Highlighting Mascara
- 0.4 oz size for Color Code Prismatic Color Block

Emerald Tip Nail Ring - An innovative, striking ring worn at the tip of the finger that features the Color of the Year with a luminous twist.  Flaunt the energizing spirit of Emerald with this eye-catching ring. Worn at the tip of the finger, this ring showcases the Color of the Year and turns heads with a glinting, sparkling rhinestone. One size fits most.

Emerald Compact Mirror - A sleek, compact mirror saturated in radiant Emerald, the 2013 Color of the Year.  Luminous and powerful—experience the vivaciousness of Emerald with this compact mirror as you travel the world or make a simple skip across town. Perfect for quick touch-ups and slim enough for your purse or gym bag, this vivid green mirror energizes any situation.

Color Theory Shadow Block - Elemental - A striking eye shadow trio that enhances and intensifies the eyes with shades inspired by the Color of the Year.  Enhance and invigorate your eyes with this shadow palette that delivers a pearlized, sheer finish for a more natural look. The reflective properties of diamond dust and micro-fine platinum powder diffuse light, creating a luminous soft-focus effect. The neutral tones featured in this palette draw out a new facet of Emerald, highlighting the Color of the Year as a perfect everyday accent. No matter how you wear Emerald—from subtle to dramatic—its universally flattering tone complements and intensifies every iris.
- emerald shimmer/appleblossom/camel

Color Theory Shadow Block - Bionic - A striking eye shadow trio that enhances and intensifies the eyes with complementary tones to the Color of the Year.  Enhance and invigorate your eyes with this bold, high-pigment shadow palette that delivers a supernatural, futuristic look. The vibrancy of cobalt activates Emerald’s blue tones, drawing out a striking facet of the Color of the Year that is perfectly highlighted by silver. These shadow formulas feature a blendable, smooth texture that feels silky soft to the touch. No matter how you wear Emerald—from subtle to dramatic—its universally flattering tone complements and intensifies every iris.
- emerald/white asylum/crown blue

Color Theory Shadow Block - Eclipsed - A striking eye shadow trio that enhances and intensifies the eyes with complementary tones to the Color of the Year.  Enhance and invigorate your eyes with this shadow palette that delivers a trio of rich, satiny formulas for a smoky, elusive look. The reflective properties of diamond dust and micro-fine platinum powder diffuse light, creating a smoldering effect. The deep, neutral shades featured in this palette draw out a striking facet of Emerald for a gorgeous smoky eye lit with a hint of shimmer. No matter how you wear Emerald—from subtle to dramatic—its universally flattering tone complements and intensifies every iris.
- emerald glitter/amberlight/olivine

Color Code Prismatic Shadow Block - A cream eye shadow in lively Emerald that glides on easy and wears comfortably all day.  Play with the power and elegance of Emerald with this high-pigment shadow for allover color. The water-resistant formula promises to stay put, without creases or smudging, yet the silky texture blends beautifully for added versatility. No matter how you wear Emerald—from subtle to dramatic—its universally flattering tone complements and intensifies every iris.

Color Theory Sculpting Blush - A futuristic pressed powder blush that delivers comfortable wear and pure hues inspired by the Color of the Year.  Wear powder perfection with this lightweight blush featuring a duet of complementary tones especially formulated to harmonize with Emerald looks. This powder is enriched with actives to preserve skin elasticity and packed with brown seaweed extract for a soft and supple complexion. The slim compact includes a hidden mirror that snaps magnetically in place for easy application anywhere, anytime.
- dusty pink/pink mist

Colorbyte Lip Wands - A set of four luscious lip glosses with an ultra shiny finish and complementary tones that enhance Emerald looks.  From soft and neutral to bold and bright, this set of glosses has been specially formulated to highlight and harmonize with the Color of the Year. This innovative gloss coats lips in stunning, glossy color while moisturizing with vitamin E and hyaluronic spheres. The non-tacky formula improves volume and softness and the universally flattering shades promise always-radiant results.
- touch of emerald/cameo brown/georgia peach/crocus

Holographic Dobbie - A versatile cosmetic bag and storage tote with a glimmering reflective finish.  Keep all your beauty essentials by your side with this chic, holographic bag perfect for travel and at-home storage. The two-toned faux leather will protect your favorite brushes, makeup, and hair accessories, and the special hook on the inside flap allows you to hang the bag for added convenience. 

Color Block Beauty Box - A stunning bag drenched in the vivid and energizing Color of the Year.  Keep all of your beauty supplies safe and secure with this gorgeous case decorated in Emerald, the color of possibility and power. The sturdy design zips closed to keep beauty essentials organized while you’re home or away and a smaller case inside can be removed for travel or the gym.

Horizon Light Brush Collection - A delightful five-piece brush set that changes colors in the palm of your hand or when exposed to light.  This impressive brush set was designed to provide a super soft feel against the skin and flawless application every time. The synthetic bristles contain fine cuticles on each filament that mimic natural hair and help ensure excellent powder pick up for both wet and dry formulas. The heat-activated, color-changing handles turn from violet to white in your palm, and the brush hairs turn violet when exposed to the sun or UV light.  The brush heads have been treated with an antibacterial spray to guard against buildup and can easily be washed with alcohol, mild soap and water, or a brush cleanser.
- Angled blush brush
- Large shadow brush
- Smudge brush
- Crease brush
- Angled liner brush

I am actually disappointed with this range of colors, I am not seeing anything that I am in love with and nothing that I really consider that I must have from the color products.  The accessories are my favorite pieces of the collection and these are the parts of it that I really feel that I need to add to my product collection.  That color-changing brush set is just amazing beyond belief and I must have this the next time that I visit Sephora.

I like many of the color products in this collection but I don't love them enough to track them down.  My favorite piece is the eye shadow palette that I have pictured here, the Shadow Block in Eclipse.  I would get lots of use from this bronze and deep moss green palette but none of the shades are very unique and I know that I could find very similar shades from many other companies (that probably have better formulas at the same time), I have never had much love for Sephora brand cosmetics and would only really buy items from this company if I find the colors or products to be very unique.  There is nothing in this collection that find worthy of the chase, the blush is very pretty but again, I would not have to look hard to find these shades from many other companies.

Perhaps I was too excited about this collection and that is why I feel so let down but this just isn't really what I was picturing when I first saw pictures on blogs and emails from Sephora...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Clinique Spring 2013 Collection - Spring Violets

The last of the three Clinique collections is based on violet shades and I am really excited about this part of the collection!  I have already talked about how many purple and lilac shades of eye makeup that I have been looking at and buying all season and I am so excited to see what shades of eye shadow are in this part of the spring collection.  I have not yet found a true grape purple eye shadow or a good plum shade of eye liner and I think that this collection could provide the rest of the shades that I need to round out my purple collection.  Looks like I have another counter to hit next time that I go to Macy*s...

I have always loved purple and lilac shades and tend to buy a bunch of them for my eyes each spring season.  But I have never been able to get enough and always want to add more shades to my collection.  I haven't bought much eye makeup from Clinique lately but I used to buy from them all the time and loved each time that I bought so I am ready to buy more eye makeup from this company.

"A bright full-bloom bouquet.  Fresh, fabulous, and fun.", states the Clinique website.  I want to see what lilac shades are made for eyes in this collection and perhaps a lilac lip gloss.  I have never found a lilac lip gloss that I really love (and MAC has many of them that I have tried at counters and have not found the perfect one yet).  Let's check out the last collection of the spring!

Spring Violets from Clinique!

Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes - Sheer wash of lightweight, creamy colour slips on. Layerable and long-wearing. Versatile, too. Glide one on for a swift wash of colour. Contour with another to add depth, and yet another to highlight. There's no need to stop at just one. Appropriate for sensitive eyes and contact lens-wearers.
- 09 Lavish Lilac - deep warm plum shimmer

Quickliner for Eyes Intense - No need to be subtle when it's now so easy to move into the deepest, most dramatic range. Find all the intensity of a liquid liner in one simple stroke. Silky formula glides on. Stays on all day. Never needs sharpening. "Smoke" with the smudge tip on the opposite end. Ophthalmologist Tested.Two great ways to wear it.
- Intense Plum - deep plum cream

Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm - Tempt lips with a soft cushion of colour that's not quite sheer, not quite opaque-just the perfect happy medium. Loaded with mango and shea butters so lips feel comfortably soft and smooth. Eight vibrant shades in all.
- Grandest Grape - medium sheer magenta berry cream

Lash Power Mascara - Mascara with staying power. Vows to look pretty for 24 hours without a smudge or smear. Lasts through rain, sweat, humidity, tears. Yet the formula removes easily with warm water. Unique brush reaches and beautifully lengthens even the tiniest lashes. Ophthalmologist Tested.
- Black Onyx - black

Blushing Blush Powder Blush - Silky formula sweeps effortlessly over cheekbones to create a natural look. Fresh, jet-milled colour builds and blends beautifully to desired intensity with custom sculpting brush. Long-wearing, colour-true. Oil-free.
- Iced Lotus - blue pink with white shimmer

I am actually the most let down by this part of the collection, I was expecting a very different type of product selection from this collection.  All of the eye makeup is more on the plum side and I am not looking for plum shades this time of the year, I would be more interested in this part of the collection in the fall and winter months.  I think that my favorite part of the new collections is still the pink hues that we started out with and I will buy the most from this area of the spring releases.

Well the spring collections are over and now we will move onto the summer collections at the beginning of April.  Now it is time for me to look at what else I need to buy for the spring and finish up my shopping!

photo courtesy of Clinique

Clinique Spring 2013 Collection - Spring Gingers

Earlier today we looked at the first of the three new collections from Clinique and I fell in love with many of the new pinks that they brought out this with these collections.  The second of the collections is one that I doubt that I will really like, this one is based on ginger tones and will contain shades that have the potential to be too warm for my skin tone.  I will look at this collection and check each product out, I am sure that some of my readers will find these shades to be very flattering and will love this area of the spring collections. 

The name "Spring Gingers" out a very different picture in my head than what the shades actually look like.  I am seeing a deep green eye shadow pencil and a bright pink lip hue, I was envisioning warm bronze and tawny shades that will complement the first hints of a tan.  I guess that I was wrong and perhaps that means that I will be able to easily find products from Spring Gingers.  "Sunny warmth with a splash of flirty, fresh-faced appeal.", is the collection description from Clinique.  Let's see how this collection plays out...

The Spring Gingers collection from Clinique!

Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes - Sheer wash of lightweight, creamy colour slips on. Layerable and long-wearing. Versatile, too. Glide one on for a swift wash of colour. Contour with another to add depth, and yet another to highlight. There's no need to stop at just one. Appropriate for sensitive eyes and contact lens-wearers.
- 06 Mighty Moss - deep moss green shimmer

Quickliner for Eyes Intense - No need to be subtle when it's now so easy to move into the deepest, most dramatic range. Find all the intensity of a liquid liner in one simple stroke. Silky formula glides on. Stays on all day. Never needs sharpening. "Smoke" with the smudge tip on the opposite end. Ophthalmologist Tested.Two great ways to wear it.
- Intense Ivy - deep moss green

Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm - Tempt lips with a soft cushion of colour that's not quite sheer, not quite opaque-just the perfect happy medium. Loaded with mango and shea butters so lips feel comfortably soft and smooth. Eight vibrant shades in all.
- Mightiest Maraschino - bright pink red cream

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

Blushing Blush Powder Blush - Silky formula sweeps effortlessly over cheekbones to create a natural look. Fresh, jet-milled colour builds and blends beautifully to desired intensity with custom sculpting brush. Long-wearing, colour-true. Oil-free.
- Cupid - pale dusty pink with matte finish

I really like this part of the spring looks too but not quite as much as I liked the first spring look.  I don't think that I consider any of the these products and shades to be must haves and I would be ok if I didn't get to pick any of them up.  I think that my favorite pieces are the eye makeup products, I love the moss colors in the eye shadow and liner.  I already own an olive colored eye liner from MAC but I want to find a deeper hue to create a deeper moss green eye.  I could skip over every other item in the collection but I really want the eye makeup products.  Personally, I would not use them in a spring makeup look and would save them until the fall. 

This is the second of the three collections, so far I have liked both so far and now I am excited to look at the last Clinique collection.  And my last spring collection of 2013...

photo courtesy of Clinique

Clinique Spring 2013 Collection - Spring Berries

We are now on the last of the spring collections and the beginning of my vacation from work.  It is also my favorite holiday of the year and I will enjoying myself today both with beauty products and then some time with friends later on.  But before I start decking myself out in green, we are going to look at the last of the spring collections, there are three new spring looks from Clinique and I am checking each one out.  I have been having great results from this company's skincare products over the past few months and now I am really excited to try more makeup from this line, especially foundations and other forms of face makeup.  I am suddenly craving a BB cream or a primer from this product line...

The new Clinique collection contains three version of spring makeup looks and we are looking at the first one right now, Spring Berries.  "Pretty, just-picked pinks show their playful side."  I looked at this collection first because I have been adding new pinks shades to my colleciton like crazy and I bet that this will be my favorite of the three!

Here is the Spring Berries collection from Clinique!

Chubby Stick Shadow Tint - Sheer wash of lightweight, creamy colour slips on. Layerable and long-wearing. Versatile, too.  Glide one on for a swift wash of colour. Contour with another to add depth, and yet another to highlight. There's no need to stop at just one. Appropriate for sensitive eyes and contact lens-wearers.
- 07 Pink and Plenty - pale pink

Quickliner for Eyes Intense - No need to be subtle when it's now so easy to move into the deepest, most dramatic range. Find all the intensity of a liquid liner in one simple stroke. Silky formula glides on. Stays on all day. Never needs sharpening. "Smoke" with the smudge tip on the opposite end. Ophthalmologist Tested.Two great ways to wear it.
- Intense Charcoal - deep charcoal gray

Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm - Tempt lips with a soft cushion of colour that's not quite sheer, not quite opaque-just the perfect happy medium. Loaded with mango and shea butters so lips feel comfortably soft and smooth. Eight vibrant shades in all.
- Plushest Punch - deep berry pink

High Impact Waterproof Mascara - Instant volume and length that resists flaking, clumping, smudging. Our waterproof version of High Impact Mascara can stand up to heat, humidity, an active day. Safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. Ophthalmologist tested, too.
- Black - deep black

Blushing Blush Powder Blush - Silky formula sweeps effortlessly over cheekbones to create a natural look. Fresh, jet-milled colour builds and blends beautifully to desired intensity with custom sculpting brush. Long-wearing, colour-true. Oil-free.
- Cupid - pale dusty rose cream

I am in love with the Chubby Stick shade, this deep pink will be lovely for the spring and summer but I know that I would use it well into the colder weather months.  This product will be going right onto my Most Wanted list for the next month and I see a trip to the counter in my near future.  I love how this is a new formula and is full of moisturizing ingredients that will help soothe my chapped lips.  I want to see every other color that this product comes out in and I hope that I find more that I want to buy.

I think my next purchase from this part of the collection will be the blush shade, I haven't added many new blushes to my collection lately and I want to try more face makeup items from this line.  I like this pink shade and it will work very well with my skin tone and many different type of makeup looks.  High Impact is mascara formula that I haven't used for several years but I do remember liking it and I should get another tube of it to try out and review soon.  I wonder if a Clinique Gift with Purchase is coming up any time soon since my list could be very long this time around.

The first of the spring looks should be my favorite but we have two more to look at and let's see what else I find that I want to buy!

photo courtesy of Clinique

Zoya Spring 2013 Collection - Lovely

We are pretty much at the end of the spring color collections and this is fitting being that today marks the middle of the month of March.  I have already started to do some major shopping and will continue over the next month and a half.  Nail polish has been a huge love of mine this spring season and every Sephora order that I have made has contained at least one new bottle of polish.  And I feel that I still have not made a dent in all of the new hues that I want to order.  Needless to say, my next purchase really needs to be a better holder for all of my polish shades...

Zoya is polish line that I am always interested in but I have a hard time finding at Ulta and therefore own much less of than any other brand.  I would be more than happy to change this fact and I think that I will just need to start ordering from the Zoya website and hope that the colors appear correctly on my computer browser. 

Lovely is new the collection for spring from this company and it is series of pretty pastel hues that I adore already.  "Beauty is a lovely state of mind", states the company when providing a collection description.  This collection contains single bottles of polishes and also a set that provides multiple bottles of the polishes.

Here are the new shades in Lovely...

Nail Polish in Julie - Zoya Nail Polish in Julie can be best described as a full-coverage, soft wisteria purple metallic. The soft color and subtle shimmer give nails a delicate and feminine look. Originally created as a custom runway shade for fashion designer Zang Toi.

Nail Polish in GeiGei - Zoya Nail Polish in GeiGei can be best described as a full-coverage, blushing cherry blossom pink metallic. A shimmery light shade for an always-appropriate natural pink nail look. Originally created as a custom runway shade for fashion designer Zang Toi.

Nail Polish in Piaf - Zoya Nail Polish in Piaf can be best described as a full-coverage, fresh forsythia yellow metallic. A light, cheerful yellow that's soft and easy to wear thanks to the subtle shimmer finish. Originally created as a custom runway shade for fashion designer Zang Toi.

Nail Polish in Blu - Zoya Nail Polish in Blu can be best described as a full-coverage, soft and delicate pale baby blue with a glossy creme finish. A dreamy, calming blue that's both fun and flattering on the nails.

Nail Polish in Jacqueline - Zoya Nail Polish in Jacqueline can be best described as a full-coverage, perfect magnolia nude cream. This light creamy beige has slight warm undertones and a glossy creme finish. Originally created as a custom runway shade for fashion designer Peter Som.

Nail Polish in Neely - Zoya Nail Polish in Neely can be best described as a full coverage earliest spring green in a glossy creme finish. A fun color in a muted finish gives a cool vintage edge to your look. Originally created as a custom runway shade for fashion designer Peter Som.

Lovely Collection Sampler - The Zoya Spring 2013 Lovely Collection Sampler is the perfect way to try all 6 Zoya Lovely Collection colors. The sampler includes the following:
1 - 0.5oz Piaf
1 - 0.5oz GeiGei
1 - 0.5oz Julie
1 - 0.5oz Blu
1 - 0.5oz Neely
1 - 0.5oz Jacqueline

I really like some of these shades and I can't wait to do some ordering and looking to see if my salon will have some of theses shades offered for manicures.  My favorite shade is the one that I have included the picture of, Julie.  I have already talked this spring about how much I am loving pale lilac shades and this is another great example of one.  I now think that I have found one of these shades in every single new polish collection.  My next picks from the collection are: GeiGei, Blu, and Jacqueline.  I am all about the pinks and blues this spring too and these are great shades for me to add to my collection.  I think I need to start looking for more pictures of these shades and compare how accurate my computer screen's images are.  I might just find my new polish obsession this spring...

photo courtesy of Zoya

Bobbi Brown Spring 2013 Collection - Lilac Rose

We have now seen the release of the final spring collection from Bobbi Brown and this is my favorite of all them so far.  Lilac Rose is the big spring collection and I can already see that this collection will contain products that I will have to fight to get.  Lilac Rose is just the perfect collection for spring, there are all kinds of pale lavenders and beautiful rose hues for all facial features and I can see myself spending a lot of money on these products!  I have really been into pale lilac shades for eyes this spring and have decided that I must order some from Illamasqua but I am hoping that this collection will provide at least one or two more great options.

The overall collection description is available on the Nordstrom website, "FRESH FROM THE RUNWAY Introducing Bobbi Brown’s Lilac Rose Collection Designed to flatter all skin tones, Lilac Rose is spring’s most-wanted look. Take your pick."  In previous seasons, I have become obsessed with a Bobbi Brown look and used it to create rose gold eye looks for many seasons later on (I still wear and love this look) and I bet that this collection will inspire me for several spring seasons to come!

Here is the Lilac Rose collection!

Lilac Rose Eye Shadow Palette - A modern take on spring florals. A mirrored compact features eight mix-and-match eyeshadows in the season's most-wanted look: heathery neutrals and dusty pinks designed to flatter all skin tones. Includes a range of textures, from shimmer to metallic shades, for buildable color that blooms beautifully. With a deep charcoal that doubles as an eyeliner, the floral-inspired palette is Bobbi's freshest pick for eyes.
- Ivory Eye Shadow - creamy white
- Pale Rose Eye Shadow -  muted pink
- Pink Lily Metallic Eye Shadow - light purple-pink
- Stormy Grey Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow - smoky grey-brown
- Barely There Eye Shadow - soft nude-pink
- Heather Brown Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow - brown heather
- Dusty Lilac Eye Shadow - grey pink
- Black Chocolate Eye Shadow - dark brown

Lilac Rose Sparkle Eye Shadow - Bobbi's fresh take on glitter lights up eyes with a combination of shimmering pearls and fine glitter. Perfect for both day and night.
- Lilac - medium lilac with silver shimmer

Lilac Rose Shimmer Brick - Handmade in Italy, the award-winning editor's favorite highlights skin with five bars of pearlescent shimmer in Bobbi's freshest take on spring florals. Featuring bright pink, golden pink and icy pink pearl pigments perfect for light to medium skin tones. Each bar also doubles up as an eyeshadow.
- Lilac Rose - bright pink/golden pink/icy pearl pink

Lilac Rose Blush - Available in a wide array of shades, Bobbi's Blush Collection offers the best way to give cheeks color that looks fresh and natural. The silky formula glides on smoothly and evenly. Matte finish looks natural and offers long-lasting wear. Now in a sleek, new flip-top compact with a "pop-out-pan" design. Blush shades can be used individually or easily assembled into Bobbi's makeup palettes.
- Pastel Pink - bubble gum pink with satin finish

Lilac Rose Lip Gloss - Bobbi has sized up all her glosses to give you an extra dose of shine. Lip Gloss is formulated with soothing botanical extracts, including avocado, jojoba and chamomile oils plus aloe extract to keep lips soft and supple. Scented with a hint of vanilla.
- Lilac Rose - deep lilac cream
- Pink Lily - medium pink cream
- Pink Lilac - pale pink shimmer

Lilac Rose Brightening Lip Gloss - Bobbi has sized up all her glosses to give you an extra dose of shine. This sheer, reflective formula wakes up your face and helps create the illusion of fuller lips. Wear alone or on top of your favorite Bobbi Brown lipstick.
- Lilac Rose - cool lilac pink with shimmer

Lilac Rose Nail Polish - Inspired by the heathery pink hues of a spring bouquet, Bobbi created her latest shade for nails, Roza, for her Lilac Rose Collection.
- Roza - heather pink cream

My favorite piece of the collection is the Eye Shadow Palette, I love this collection of shades and I know that I would get lots of use from these shades.  I could use these shades this season and then well into the next few seasons so I know that this would be a great product for me.  I love the combination of roses and neutrals in this palette and I would be able to mix these shades with many that I already own.  This will be a great purchase for me and I will be looking for this product the next time that I go to the counter.

The next item that I must have from the collection is the Sparkle Eye Shadow in the lilac shade, I love this shimmering lilac and this will make quite a statement this spring and then into the summer.  This will be a great addition to my lilac eye shadow collection.  The rest of the items that I really want are the lip shades, I love these lip glosses in this collection and I always want more lip glosses.  My favorite is the Pink Lily shade, I love this medium rose cream gloss and this will be perfect to wear in many situations and will all kinds of eye makeup looks.  This is a must have for me this spring!

This might be one of my favorite collections of the spring and I can't wait to visit the Bobbi Brown counter.  I am on vacation from work next week and I am planning a shopping trip already!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

China Glaze Spring 2013 Collection - Avant Garden

The official collection for the spring season from China Glaze has finally arrived to their website and that means that I will have a trip to Ulta and Sally Beauty Supply coming up very soon.  I have collected many shades from spring collections in the previous years from this company and Anchors Away from spring of 2011 is still one of my favorite polish collections in history and I own almost half of the shades but still keep adding more polishes from it when I go shopping.  That collection contained a great mixture of brights, neutrals, and pales and I can only hope that Avant Garden is just as lovely this year. 

China Glaze is a favorite nail polish line of mine and one that I buy multiple bottles of every single season.  I just love their shade range and how well their polish wears for me, thanks to this company, my polish collection is spilling out of the box that it is stored in and I have to take a day while I am on vacation and visit Bed Bath and Beyond to figure out a new storage system.  And if this spring collection is as good as last year's Electropop and Anchors Away, then I will need a new storage system before I haul from Avant Garden...

"China Glaze is a professional-level nail enamel made with a special balance of polymers and resins that combine to create a nail lacquer that is long lasting, chip-resistant and resistant to color and shine fading. Will not thicken in the bottle, no thinners necessary."

This collection is comprised of pretty pastels and vibrant brights.  I am not sure which line I am more excited for and I know that I will quickly find favorites in both shade ranges.  I think that I will start with the pale shades for spring and then buy the brights but save them for the summer months.  I have just started getting my pale shades out and I refuse to go back to wearing my deep jewel tones.  It hit the mid 60s last weekend and I want the temperatures to stay there for the rest of the month!

Here are the pales in the Avant Garden collection!

- Dandy Lyin' Around - pure white shimmer with silver while glitter flecks
- Fade Into Hue - muted periwinkle cream
- Keep Calm, Paint On - mint green with a silver shimmer finish
- Life is Rosy - muted cool rose cream
- Pink-ie Promise - medium bubblegum pink cream
- Tart-y for the Party - bright lilac cream

And here are the brights in the collection!

- Budding Romance - bright yellow olive green cream
- Fancy Pants - bright indigo with silver shimmer
- Mimosas Before Manis - bright warm coral with gold shimmer
- Passion for Petals - bright warm salmon pink cream
- Snap Dragon - bright magenta with silver and gold shimmer
- Sunday Funday - bright cool blue cream

My favorite part of the collection is the pastels, my top rated shade is the one that I have pictured here.  Tart-y for the Party is very similar to the shade that I loved from the OPI Eurocentrale collection and I have been loving lilac polish shades so far this season.  I now know what shades will be in constant rotation on my nails this season.  It goes with saying that Tart-y for the Party will be going on my Most Wanted List for the next month.  I also want to purchase a few more shades from this collection and my shopping list is as follows; Dandy Lyin' Around, Fade Into Hue, Life is Rosy, and Snap Dragon.  Snap Dragon reminds me very much of a shade from Anchors Away (Ahoy! I believe) and I know that I will get lots of use from all of these shades this spring and summer.

This is another great collection from China Glaze and it is getting me ready for the warm weather to come back and stay.  We only have a few more spring collections left so we will wrap it up over the next two weeks and I will keep collecting great new beauty products from spring!

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

Estee Lauder Spring 2013 Collection - Mad Men Collection

The new season of Mad Men is starting soon and Estee Lauder has released a spring collection to celebrate it in style.  I have actually never watched Mad Men but I have plenty of friends that love this show to pieces and I will need to Netflix the first season so I can begin to understand all the hype and fuss and see if this show will interest me.  If nothing else, I will watch it for the fabulous 1960s style that is shown on characters of both genders on the show.  And I will be watching it while trying the products from the new Estee Lauder spring beauty collection to help me create my own Mad Men experience.

This collection only consists of three products but all three of them look fantastic.  The first aspect of this collection that caught my eye is the packaging, all the products are housed in a print package that reminds me of Lilly Pulitzer and Twiggy.  I love bright packaging and I would buy these products just to have the packaging.  And if the products inside are as great as the outside?!  I will be in heaven and these will play a very prominent role in my spring and summer makeup looks. 

From the Nordstrom website, "The MadMen® Collection from Estée Lauder. Playful yet polished shades of pink."  Shade of pink!!  I have said it before and I will say it again, nearly every single product that I have bought this spring is pink and this includes makeup, clothing, and an amazing pink opal J. Crew Bubble Necklace.  I am so excited to add even more pink to my collection and this collection will do just that.  It amazes me to remember that I used to HATE pink and would never wear it.  My tastes have completely changed in less than five years...

Here is the Estee Lauder and Mad Men collection!

Mad Men Collection See-Thru Blush - Turn on your cheeks to this limited edition powder blush inspired by the Award Winning AMC Drama MadMen.®  Creates a daringly sheer, natural look.  Light Show shade captures the cheeky, fresh-faced, Sixties look perfectly.  Add extra to your forehead, temples and chin for more rosy lights.  Inspired by the rock concert light shows and see-through, cut-out fashions that made the Sixties swing.  Compact case and carton are replicas of actual designs from Estée Lauder's Sixties-era collections.
- Light Show - medium rosy pink with a satin finish

Mad Men Collection Rich, Rich Lipstick - Turn on your lips to this limited edition lipstick inspired by the Award Winning AMC Drama MadMen.®  Creamy, satin finish and smooth, rich lipcolor.• Pinkadelic shade captures the soft-lipped, sexy-innocent Sixties look perfectly.  Lipstick case and carton are replicas of actual designs from Estée Lauder's Sixties-era collections.  Named after one of our most popular Sixties' lip formulas.
- Pinkadelic - medium neutral pink cream

Mad Men Collection Nail Lacquer - Turn on your fingertips to this limited edition nail lacquer inspired by the Award Winning AMC Drama MadMen.®   The Pink Paisley shade captures the sexy yet innocent '60s look perfectly. Polished and chic. Smooth glossy color, long-wear. Features a '60s era bottle.
- Pink Paisley - pale pink cream

I love, love, love all three of these products and I want all of them!  If I had to only pick one product, I would go with the blush because I love the rose pink shade and I will use it all the time.  In addition, I simply love the compact and would love to pull the mirror out of my bag in public.  And I rarely check my appearance or use any type of mirror in public but this one is a different story.  I would also really like to the buy the pink lipstick, this is a great shade for me and another one that I would use all the time.  I bet that I will buy this shade when I go to the counter to pick up the blush.  I like the nail polish but I already own several shades like it and therefore can't call it a must-have, it is one of those products that I like and would like to own but I don't need it and it doesn't fill a gap in my nail polish collection.  I will probably end up buying it at the counter and then owning the whole collection.  I wonder if Estee Lauder will offer accessories in this print...

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Guerlain Spring 2013 Collection - Cils d'Enfer

The spring collections are beginning to come to an end and I am already well into my spring makeup and perfume shopping.  I only have a handful of spring collections to look at yet and I expect to be finished right before the end of the month and then getting ready to move onto the summer collections right after that.  Today we are going to look at the spring collection from Guerlain, a line that I often drool over but don't have the best access to.  I will say that the Sephora in the closest mall has begun to expand their Guerlain line and now I can actually try more of the products before I buy them so I am looking very closely at this spring collection since I can now really use some of these products.  The last thing that I need to fall in love with another makeup line but I have heard that so many of these products are top quality and I think that this would be a good line for me to fall in love with...

Any Guerlain collection is highly anticipated by all the beauty bloggers and the whole beauty industry and I know that this one is no exception.  Whether or not new products are introduced or only new shades in current products, this company has such an avid and loyal fan base that the new collection will sell out instantly and raves will be earned for each item.  I personally tend to be most excited about their lip and fragrance products but I am certain that every product that they offer is top quality. 

The Nordstrom website has the entire collection featured and all information will be pulled from here.  "Experience an array of fresh pinks and staggering curl with Guerlain's Spring 2013 Collection starring the versatile Cils d'Enfer Maxi Lash Mascara and legendary Météorites Perles du Perles in a limited edition size."  A new mascara formula is always a reason to celebrate!

Here is the spring collection from Guerlain!

Ecrin 4 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette - The essence of color: one palette, four shades. Create, have fun and dare to wear color as an accessory. These palettes were specifically designed to be used together and can be mixed, matched and blended with no fear of mistakes. Application is extremely simple, intuitive, fun—and risk-free! Choose your range: each palette offers iridescent, matte, satin and metallic shadows.
- 501 Attrape Coeur - mauve/white/violet/deep purple shimmer
- 502 Coup de Foudre - green/silver/bronze-khaki/coral

Cils d'Enfer Maxi Lash Mascara - Introducing Cils d'Enfer - Maxi Lash, the mascara that creates just the right volume in the blink of an eye for a look that instantly captivates.  Featuring an innovative formula for maximum volume curl and hold, experience astonishing volume and staggering curl thanks to a high-performance polymer trio.  First: Wraps the lashes in extremely adherent oils to thicken.  Second: Made with supple waxes, it acts as a conditioner, softening the lashes so you can sculpt them into just the right shape and style.  Third: Acts as a finishing touch to set the amazing curve.
- 01 Noir - deep black
- 02 Violet - bright purple

Rouge Automatique Lip Color - Rouge Automatique hydrating long-lasting lip color: automatically fashionable. Coveted as an It Bag, precious as a gem, glamorous as stilettos! Open and close with just one hand. Its innovative formula combines long-lasting hold with comfort and radiance. Rouge Automatique offers a burst of color, available in a bouquet of 25 shades.
- 600 Ballade - nude cream
- 601 Romance - pale nude cream

Shine Automatique Lip Color - Shine Automatique hydrating lipstick is for the fun and flirty girl who wants to add a little sparkle to her life. Guerlain introduces Shine Automatique, a moisturizing and long-lasting lipstick that combines bold color with pearly particles to give your lips discreet yet exceptional shine. Lips are left soft, smooth and luminous. Now available in a bouquet of 12 shades.
- 761 Flirt - medium berry shimmer
- 762 Rendez-Vous - deep cool berry shimmer

Kiss Kiss Lip Gloss - Lips get drenched in sheer, pearly or sparkly color with the new Kiss Kiss Gloss! Its revolutionary nonsticky formula keeps lips moisturized while water-resistant and magnifying esters ensure long-lasting effects with a boost of volume. Its flat, smooth brush provides accurate application. Available in three different formulas: Petal Effect gives sheer coverage, Pearl Effect gets a boost of pearly essence, and Gloss Effect provides a subtle sparkling finish.
- 870 Cherry Pink - pale pink shimmer
- 849 Fizzy Mango - bright coral shimmer

Meteorites Perles du Paradis Illuminating Sparkling Powder - Guerlain's legendary magic pearls illuminate your skin with a beautiful radiance. Pearls from paradise features six skin-toned and pastel shades in an oversized, limited-edition case. The traditional correcting colors, blue and green, have been replaced by pink, to brighten dull areas, and silver, to reflect ambient light for a one-of-a-kind glow.  The complexion is instantly rejuvenated and lightened with a subtle shimmer for a revitalized look, perfect for every skin tone. The magic of Meteorites Perles du Paradis is enhanced by a beautiful pink powder puff to provide flawless application.

So what do I love the most from this collection?  I want the Kiss Kiss Gloss in the pale pink shade (Cherry Pink), I have been buying a lot of lip glosses and lipsticks this spring and I want to add this one to my collection.  All I have bought so far has been pink so I certainly don't need this product but I really like the shade and want to try this formula from Guerlain and see how it fits in with my current gloss collection. 

The other item that I really want from this collection is the Ecrin 4 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette in the purple hues.  I have already ordered a new lilac colored eye shadow from Sephora but I love all four of these shades and I will be using them all spring, this palette is already sold out on the Nordstrom website so I will be tracking it down in another way but I really must have this palette.  These are the only color two items that I really want from this collection.  I am want to try the mascara and I am sure that this will be available at Sephora so I will pick it up the next time that I visit the store.  I am certainly open to trying many other items from the collection but I want to try some of the testers first to make my decision.  I am one of the few people who has never worked with the Meteorites Perles and I know that they sell them at my Sephora store so I will be able to try them out.  I will try them and report back next time that I go to Sephora!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

OPI Spring Collection 2013 - Euro Centrale

Euro Centrale is the big spring collection from OPI, I have been hearing hints of this collection since the very beginning of winter and I am so excited that it is finally here for me to buy.  This collection contains a series of limited edition polishes, all of which were inspired by the major cities and landmarks in the European Union.  I loved the Holland collection from last spring and I am even more excited for this spring's collection!  This collection contains a wide variety of polish shades and many of them are not the traditional "spring" types of shades, when I looked at the collection on the cover of the newest catalogue from Ulta, I see some shades that I will wear now and then some that I will be saving until the start of the cooler weather.  I also see that there are a variety of finishes available in this line up, I see creams and shimmers and then one glitter finish too.  What a variety to choose from!

OPI is one of the best selling polish lines on the market today and therefore I know that many of these shades will sell out very quickly but I must say that OPI does a great job in getting that shades restocked in a timely fashion and therefore everyone will be able to get all the shades that they love.  I already see several that I will really want and I need to go to Ulta very soon.

We will start with the lighter shades since these would be the ones that I would purchase first and start using now.  My Vampire is Buff is the lightest of the shades and this is a pale neutral nude that will be great alone or when used as a base hue for nail designs.  This is one of the shades that I have seen the most of in magazines (as it is so versatile) and this is one of the shades that I really want to buy.  I will be able to paint my nails with this one day and then not have to touch them up for the rest of the work week, I love shades that give me this much freedom.  The next shade that is part of the lighter hues is You're Such a BudaPest and this is my early favorite of the collection, this is a pale periwinkle hue that can shine lilac in certain lights.  I must have this shade since I love it and I own nothing like it in my collection right now.  This one is going right to the top of my shopping list.

Now we are going to go onto the part of the collection that contains the brighter and deeper hues, this is the much larger part of the collection and almost makes the collection seem more appropriate for the fall months.  There are two reds in this collection, My Paprika is Hotter Than Yours! and  Suzi's Hungary AGAIN!.  My Paprika is Hotter Than Yours! is an orange red with a bright cream jelly finish, I cannot stand this shade and these never look good on me.  Even though I bet that it will sell quickly, I will be passing on this shade in the first round.  Suzi's Hungary AGAIN! is a bright pink red, in some pictures this shade looks very red but in others it looks like a bright warm pink.  In either case, it is too warm for me so I will also be passing over this shade.  The next bright is Don't Touch My Czechbook, this is a bright blue with a slight hint of aqua in it.  I love this shade and it will be on my list for the first round of shopping, this will be shade that I wear all spring and summer. 

The darker shades will be the last part of the shade collection.  A Women's Prague-ative is a deep copper foil, this shade just screams "fall" and this would be one that I would put away for later on this year.  I like shades like these but I don't always love them, I would consider buying it later on and seeing if I still like it as much.  Hands Off My Kielbasa! is a deep rose gold shimmer, normally I love rose gold shades but this one is just too warm for me, I was very disappointed when I saw more pictures of it online.  This shade will not be flattering on me and I will be skipping over it.  We are now at the deep jewel tones in this collection, there are two navys and a deep purple.  Eurso Eurso is my favorite, this is a deep cool navy cream and I must add this one to my collection.  I Saw...U Saw...We Saw...Warsaw is another deep navy cream, this one seems to have bit of a green tinge to it, it is different that Eurso Eurso, I prefer the former rather than the latter.  OY-Another Polish Joke! is a medium gold tone with lots of shimmer in it, I like this shade but I would need to see how warm it is before I would purchase it.  This shade could be really flattering or really awful on me and I want to hold the bottle up to my hands first.  Vant To Bite My Neck? is the last of the polish shades, this is a deep black purple with a bit of shimmer in, I had high hopes for this color but I find to be to be a bit on the flat side, I prefer Baptiste from Illamasqua if I am going to wear a deep purple hue. 

Polka.com is the only glitter shade in this collection, this shade contains a clear base with red, blue, and purple pieces of glitter suspended in it.  This shade would work equally well on its own or over another shade.  I would love to see this shade over You're Such a BudaPest! and Eurso Eurso, this will be lovely over blue shades!

My first round of shopping will include the following shades: You're Such a BudaPest!, My Vampire is Buff, Can't Find My Czechbook, and Eurso Eurso.  My second round will likely include the Polka.com shade and then any others that I think would work well on my skin tone.  This collection has some stunners for me but a few shades that I would be able to easily live without.  I don't know that I find any of the shades very unique but I know that I would get lots of use from any of the shades that I buy!

photo courtesy of Amazon

Lancome Spring 2013 Collection - In Love

March is here and I am hoping that the weather starts to warm up very soon.  We had two Theme Weeks last month and this month will see the end of the spring collections and then the weather should follow.  This is the month that I plan to do a lot of shopping in, both beauty and clothing-wise and I am ready to spend some time and money at the mall.  I am going to say that I am about 70% finished with the spring makeup collections but there are still some great companies that are on my list to look at in the next four weeks.  Today we are going to look at the newest collection from Lancome, the spring and fall collections from Lancome are typically the strongest ones throughout the year so I am very excited to see what is coming out for spring.

The new collection from Lancome is named In Love, a name that sounds likes a Valentine's Day collection but is actually a spring collection.  On first glance of the promo picture, I see Emma Watson (a favorite of mine!) wearing a vivid pink blush (another favorite of mine!) and these two just set the tone for the whole collection.  I am so excited to see this collection piece by piece and to visit the counter since I have been all over pink shades for the past two months!

The Lancome website doesn't have a description of the collection so I went over the Nordstrom website and I found a short description of the collection itself.  "The season of pure pleasure. Lancôme captures the colorful wave of spring with easy to wear hues for all skin tones. The In Love collection embraces springtime city style."  The bright blue eyeliner that Emma Watson is wearing is not quite my style but I love every other shade on her face.

Here is the spring collection from Lancome...

Baume in Love Sheer Tinted Lip Balm - These neon-translucent permanent shades saturate lips with comfort, moisture and lasting stain of color.  The formula is filler-free and contains a transparent ultra-shiny oil that optimizes the transluscency of colors and adds shine to lips.  When the texture is applied, its high content of light oils delivers a very smooth, thin and glinding film on the lips that provides a comfortable, lightweight feeling for the customer.  Protective jelly enhances its adherence on the lips. This adherence combined with its barrier effect optimizes comfort and protection of the skin from its external environment by maintaining moisture levels within the lips.  Shea butter has a unique composition compared to other plant-derived oils: it provides a naturally moisturizing effect and leaves the lips feeling soft.
- 120 Coral Electric - bright warm orange cream
- 100 Rose in Love - baby pink cream
- 110 Urban Ballet - satin bright pink cream
- 130 Midnight Rose - lavender violet cream

Blush in Love Powder Blusher - A new fresh glow blush to sculpt and enlighten the complexion . Designed to suit every skin tone, available in two different harmonies: Coral Electric: warms up the fair skins. Urban Ballet: adds a rosy halo on the darker skins. For a dewy finish, we recommend to use the Dewy Spray Mist after the blush application, with the Baume in Love to create a natural peachy look.
- 10 Peche Joue-Joue - light warm peach with a medium warm peachy pink center
- 20 Pommettes d'Amour - bright blue pink with a medium warm peachy pink center

Dewy Mist - Dewy Mist is a beauty water to be applied before make‐up to prepare the skin; and/ or after the make‐up to fix it. It has well‐known caring properties thanks to its 100% natural origin ingredients.  This is a favorite make-up product of makeup artists: it is an active water used prior to and after make-up application:  Before: To Prepare the skin for make-up: it refines pores and smoothes the skin. It also moisturizes and revitalizes for radiant, glowing skin.  After: It provides a natural dewy finish and keeps the complexion looking flawless and invisible with long-lasting results. It also provides continuous protection for make-up and skin to create an imperceptible colorless shield provided by active hydrating ingredients.  During the day: to refresh make-up and give skin extra glow.  Its active medical scent of essential oils provides a boosting effect for your skin and mood.

Kohl in Love Eyeliner Pencil - Lancôme essential Khol is reinterpreted in 3 new shades and a new gliding, smudge proof and ultra pigmented formula.  All colours have been created to be worn alone for a natural look or coordinated with the Ombre Hypnose In Love monos for a more sophisticated make‐up result.  Create a sensual, intense eye look with ease. This smudgy, creamy-smooth eye pencil delivers a dose of decadent color that glides on effortlessly and blends beautifully. In an instant, eyes are perfectly lined, defined and contoured for a smoldering effect that’s absolutely irresistible.
- 401 Deepwater Blue - dark blue
- 101 Chocolate Affair - deep brown
- 501 Jade Crush - dark green

Color Design Infinite 24H Crease-Free Luminous Eye Shadow - A revolution in eye shadow. Now, a unique creamy-powder texture creates effortlessly luminous, lasting looks. Purity of color meets exceptional long wear, for infinite intensity.  24 Hours of Wear: Luminous eye color that stays true for 24 hours without creasing. A revolutionary formula offers a silky, powder-to-cream texture that lasts all day and all night.  24 Hours of Vibrant Color: Instant eye color, infinite intensity. The highest level of pearl and pigment creates an intensely luminous makeup result, with blendable, buildable coverage.
- 200 Perpetual Pink - pale shimmering pink
- 201 Persistant Peach - pale shimmering peach
- 300 Evermore Lilac - pale shimmering lavender
- 400 Boundless Blue - deep shimmering navy
- 401 Magnetic Teal - deep shimmering blue teal
- 501 Tremendous Turquoise - medium shimmering green teal

Vernis in Love Nail Polish - Inspired by the new trendy Rouge In Love lip collection, Vernis in Love is a high potency nail laquer perfectly themed to compliment every woman's mood and style. With ultimate brillance, intense color, and a mistake-free application, your nails will love the lasting shine and pop of color that stays put for days.  Jolis Matins: Fresh shades for daytime wear. Jolis Matins shades are identified with the letter M in the shade number.  Boudoir Time: Pop shades for cocktail hour. Boudoir Time shades are identified with the letter B in the shade number.  Tonight is My Night: Intense shades for magical nights. Tonight is My Night shades are identified with the letter N in the shade number.
- 134B Peach Melodie - bright coral cream
- 301M Sugar Rose - pale sheer pink cream
- 335N Rose Macaron - bright magenta cream
- 441N Midnight Rose - deep purple cream

I love the pink shade of the powder blush that is offered with this collection, I feel like I haven't bought a new blush in several months and I think that I need to pick this one very soon.  This is one and only product that is super unique and that I really feel like I need to go out and buy right now, this is the month that I will do the heaviest of my spring beauty shopping so I am glad that I checking this collection out early enough.  The other product that I am really excited about is the Dewy Mist, I wonder how similar this is to the mists that I already own from Caudalie and I want to check this out the very next time that I go to the mall.  This is the only other product that really excites me from this spring collection. 

Even though I only consider two of the products to be must haves for me, I do like a bunch more of the products in this collection and look forward to trying them out at the counter.  The Baume in Love will be a good product for the spring and summer months, I always tend to wear bright or sheer lip shades during this time of the year and this new formula could be a great addition to my collection.  My favorite color is the bright pink shade, this will be very sheer on the lip and I will get lots of wear from it.  I love the two pinks in the nail polish collection, the pale one will get tons of use all throughout the year and I will wear the bright one in the next few months. 

The last piece of this collection that I am really excited to try is the Color Design Infinite 24H Eye Shadow, this product is said to be very similar to the Illusion d'Ombre from Chanel, a formula that I love and keep hoping that more colors will come out in.  I want to try several of these shades and see how they stack up.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Essie Spring 2013 Collection - Madison Ave-Hue

We are on a roll with the spring collections and today we are going to check yet another one out.  Today we are going to look at a nail polish spring collection instead of a full color collection, I have been loving almost every single nail polish hue that I have seen this spring and I am so excited to check out the latest collection from Essie.  I am still stuck on both the new collection from Butter London and the new polishes from the Illamasqua spring collection, I cannot wait to order one of the speckled polishes and see how it looks when applied to the nail.  The Essie polish collection looks like is going to be a more traditional type of spring collection than either of those, this is certainly not a bad thing.  I am always looking for some new pinks and pretty pastels every single spring season and this collection has the promise to provide some great choices!

This collection from Essie consists of six new polish shades, all of which will be perfect for the upcoming warm weather.  The collection is named Madison Ave-Hue and all of the polishes are named after famous city streets throughout the world.  "Nothing inspires like Madison Ave-Hue.", is the collection description from Essie (the founder of the company).  Madison Avenue is one of my favorite streets in New York City and I wanted this polish from the minute that I saw the name on this polish.  It certainly helps that it is bright pink shade that I really love.  I have a feeling that I will be bringing some new polishes home with me the next time that I visit Ulta...

The first shade in this collection is the shade that inspired the whole name of the collection, Madison Ave-Hue.  This shade is a "Chic upper east side pink steps out in style, turning any ensemble into a million dollar baby.  Cha-ching."  This shade is the shade that is pictured, it is cool medium pink and it appears to have a hint of shimmer in it, I really want to buy this shade and I know that I will wear it all spring and summer.  Hip-anema is the only other bright shade in this collection, most of them are pastels and only two are brights.  This shade is a "Sashay down a sandy runway in poppy-bright red orange and show 'em who's bossa.  Work that beach.".  This bright orange red is not the shade for me.  The website makes it appear more orange than a true red and I know this shade would be too warm for me to pull off.  I will be skipping over the red from this collection but that pink hue has my name all over it!

Now we are going to go onto the area of the collection with the more traditional pastels for spring.  There are four hues in this part of the collection, the blue shade is slightly brighter but not bright enough for me to put it in the other part of this collection.  I can envision myself getting a good amount of use from all of these shades, I tend to wear pales most of the spring and am always looking for new shades.  Bond With Whomever is the first of the shades.  "London's calling.  Pick it up in the posh lilac and click with the cultured clique - here, there, and everywhere."  I have been all over pale lilac shades this season and I would like to add this one to my collection.  Last year, I bought a pale lilac shimmer polish from this company so I do want to see this shade in real life before I purchase it, in case it is almost the exact same shade.  The second of the paler shades is the semi-bright blue.  Avenue Maintain is described as "Fashionably adroit, lovely Parisian blue channels the Je ne said quoi allure of the captial of chic.", this blue is more of a sky blue and it reminds me of a slightly more blue version of For Audrey.  I really like this shade also, this is a great spring blue for me to break away from the navy shades for the season.  I think that I will need to add that shade to my collection.  the next pale shade is Maximillian Strasse-her, "Bavarian style savvy rules this regal boulevard.  In cool gray green, you're promenade queen, no tiara required.".  This pale greenish gray is interesting but I am not totally sure that I love it.  This is another that I want to see in real life, this has the potenital to be really pretty but also has the potential to be very unflattering on my hands.  Pale greens can go either way on my skin so I will decide on this one once I can hold the bottle up to my hand.  The last of the of shades in this collection is Go Ginza, a soft petal pink hue.  "Soft cherry blossom pink invites you into a floating world of quiet luxury and exquisite beauty.  Doma arigato."  This shade would be a staple of my nail polish line up, I go through shades like this shade like crazy all throughout the year. 

The shades that I want the most from this collection are Madison Ave-hue and Go Ginza, I love these pinks and I will wear both of them all the time throughout the spring.  I can't wait to add more pinks to my collection and rock them all spring.  The other shade that I really love from the collection is Avenue Maintain, the bright blue.  This shade will be super fun for pedicures and manicures all spring and then well into summer. 

I love these shades of polishes and I cannot wait to head over to Ulta!

photo courtesy of Essie

Dior Spring 2013 Collection - Cherie Bow

Today we looking at the one of the collections that I have been the most excited about for this spring season, Dior always creates a great spring collection but the photos that I have seen from the collection for this spring look ever better than ever.  Spring collections are always the best from Dior and this is the time of the year that I normally purchase items from this line, I haven't been purchasing much from Dior lately but you never know what will change after looking at this collection.  Cherie Bow is one of the first spring collection photos that I saw before the holidays and this is one the collection that I got super excited for from the first photo that I saw.  The Cherie Bow Palette in this collection is one of those iconic products that I will crave for the packaging but I hope that the product inside is just as wonderful as the outside. 

Cherie Bow is an iconic collection from Dior, this collection contains all the pink shades that will be beautiful this spring season and the Cherie Bow palette will be a love of mine.  I am turning again to the Nordstrom website for the details of this collection and I am wondering how many times a day that I now visit this website and I have loaded the IPhone app to my phone so I can look at all the beauty products from wherever I am. 

"Inspired by The House of Dior's iconic symbol, the bow, this year's spring look exudes femininity, sophistication and sensuality with a playful twist."  This company has had bows on many of its accessories and clothing for this season, especially some of the beautiful dresses that went down the runway at Spring Fashion Week.  Bows are not the way that I accessorize my hair but I would like to try a piece or two of jewelry with a bow on it, or perhaps a bag or shoe that it decorated with a flirty bow...

Here is the Cherie Bow collection!

Cherie Bow Palette - Inspired by The House of Dior's iconic symbol, the bow, this season's look exudes femininity, sophistication and sensuality with a playful twist.  Enclosed in the soft, pink-and-white enamel compact are a trio of pink and grey eye shadows, a black liner, nude shimmering gloss and two applicators.

Cherie Bow 5 Couleurs Eye Palette - Inspired by The House of Dior's iconic symbol, the bow, this season's look exudes femininity, sophistication and sensuality with a playful twist.  Dior's best-selling eye palette offers endless possibilities in a seductive range of rich, versatile colors designed for easy application and long wear.  Beauty tip: Use the oval wand to apply the lightest shade to the upper part of the inner eyelid, then blend the darkest shade along the lash line. Shade the outer brow with one of the remaining colors. For more intensity, use a fourth color under the lashes.
- Ballerine 724 - medium rose/pale pink/deep warm charcoal/medium bronze/snow white
- Charmeuse 854 - pale pink/medium pink/deep rose/deep black/medium warm pink

Cherie Bow Nail Lacquer - Inspired by The House of Dior's iconic symbol, the bow, this year's spring look exudes femininity, sophistication and sensuality with a playful twist with Dior Vernis Nail Lacquer in a rosy pink and soft dove grey to finish the look.
- Gris Trianon 306 - medium dove gray cream
- Rosy Bow 355 - medium rose pink cream

Cherie Bow Dior Twin Set Eye Shadow - Inspired by The House of Dior's iconic symbol, the bow, this season's look exudes femininity, sophistication and sensuality with a playful twist.  The duo eyeshadow pens create the perfect flirty eye. On one end a creamy pencil that can be used as a shadow or liner and on the other a blending tip to apply the shimmering eyeshadow housed inside the cap.
- Ballerina Pink 840 - medium cool rose
- Grey Sigh 060 - deep charcoal gray

Cherie Bow Addict Lipstick - Inspired by The House of Dior's iconic symbol, the bow, this year's spring look exudes femininity, sophistication and sensuality with a playful twist.  A collection of new shades compliment the look from soft coral to a punchy pink.
- Candide 457 - soft pink coral cream
- Charmante 437 - bright pink coral cream

I love all the pinks in this collection and this is one of my favorites of this season!  I love that Cherie Bow Palette and I hope that I can still find this product at either Sephora or at one of the counters.  If it comes down to it, I will order it from Dior but I was hoping that I would be able to see and play with the tester before I purchase it.  I will have to see where I can find this product because this is the one product that I really, really want this season. 

After I hunt down the Cherie Bow Palette then I want to begin picking up a few other items from this collection.  I am seeing myself doing several different pink and rose eye looks that I will want to create this spring and then I will be topping them off with silver and charcoal eye liner hues.  I would like to try both of the 5 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palettes at the counters and then decide which compact has the best texture and wear.  These palettes have been all over the place with quality over the past few years so I will decide which one will be the best for me after I try them both out.  Next up on the eye makeup list is the new Twin Set Eye Shadow in the pink shade, this is a very unique product and I can't wait to see how pigmented of a eye makeup look it provides.

To finish off this collection, I want both of the nail polish shades.  I can't even begin to imagine how large my nail polish collection is going to become this spring season.  I can skip over both the Addict Lipstick shades, the coral will not be very flattering to my skin tone and I would be better off going after a cool blue pink shade from this lipstick line.

This collection does not disappoint and this is one of my favorites from this season, I cannot wait for the Cherie Bow Palette!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Bobbi Brown Spring 2013 Collection - Brighten, Sparkle, and Glow

Earlier this week, we looked at the first of the Bobbi Brown spring collections, one that was Valentine's Day-themed however will still contain some great shades for the spring season.  I love the reds and pinks that were in that collection and if that is only the first of some great products for the spring then I think that Bobbi Brown will become one of my favorite lines for this spring.  I can't wait to see what Brown decided to release in the Brighten, Sparkle, and Glow collection but I am now thinking about eye and face makeup since none of these products were present in the previous collection.  I have been looking through several of the March issues of the top selling beauty and fashion magazines over the past few days and I am actually beginning to crave some pastel and bright eye shadows shades instead of the traditional bronzes and golds that I tend to wear all throughout the year.  This will be a fabulous spring and I can't wait until the weather begins to catch up to my shopping!

Brighten, Sparkle, and Glow is more about a polished natural look and would be perfect for a professional environment or a casual lunch on the weekend.  This collection contains products for every single facial feature and is much more of a balanced collection than the previous lip and nail product collection.  I am already starting to make a list of items that I must try the next time that I visit the counter!

I found this collection on the Nordstrom website so I will provide all of their collection and product descriptions.  "Need a Lift? Brighten, Sparkle & Glow features skin illuminators, eye brighteners and light-reflecting colors, making it easy to refresh your look in 2013. Here's to pretty, new beginnings."  The star product of this collection is the Brightening Finishing Powder, I do not know if this product is new or I just have never seen it before but either way, this product is very interesting looking and I will be trying it at the counter.  I hope this counter is ready for me!

Here is Brighten, Sparkle, and Glow!

Sparkle Eye Shadow - Bobbi's fresh take on glitter lights up eyes with a combination of shimmering pearls and fine glitter. Perfect for both day and night.
- Gold Star - warm golden sparkle

Tinted Eye Brightener - The same brightening lightweight concealer now in new shades and a clear tube so you know just how much is left before you run out. Features a doe-foot applicator for more precise application and controlled delivery under the eye. Instantly brightens shadows so you look refreshed and revived - perfect for touch-ups, too.  This product is available in ten shades to suit all skin tones.

Brow Pencil - Instantly give your eyes a lift with defined eyebrows. These creamy, blendable pencils give you the natural look of eyebrow powder with the precision of a pencil and come with their own sharpener.  This product is available in four shades to suit all brow hair colors.

Brightening Finishing Powder - This allover powder instantly illuminates and gives skin a healthy-looking glow. It's infused with a skin-brightening blend of mulberry, grape and scutellaria extracts, as well as sodium hyaluronate to help keep skin fresh and smooth looking.
- Porcelain Pearl - range of pastels hues to brighten any skin tone

High Shimmer Lip Gloss - Bobbi's new lip gloss combines gorgeous, light-catching shimmer with lasting, non-sticky shine. Made with fine pearls and clear pigments, High Shimmer Lip Gloss stays color-true and gives lips beautiful, brilliant dimension. Plus it's enriched with emollients and vitamins C and E to moisturize, condition and protect lips, so they feel as good as they look. Whether you wear it on its own or on top of your favorite lip color, the new tapered applicator lets you apply it like a pro.
- Bare Sparkle - champagne with pearl

This collection may be small but these products all have lots of potential and I can see many ways that I could make them work with my current makeup products.  Gold Star will be a fantastic product for me this spring and then I can see myself using it throughout the summer and then into the fall and winter.  I do want to add this to my collection even though I have never tried the Sparkle Eye Shadow formula from Bobbi Brown, I would love to find another eye shadow formula that works very well for me.

The Brightening Finishing Powder will need to be tried at the counter before I purchase it, this combination of shades has the potential to be life-changing for my skin tone but I want to see exactly how it works and how to use it before I purchase it.  I know very little about this product so I want to know if it is an all-over powder or just made to be used on specific areas of the face.  I will report more if I like this product and then decide to purchase it.

The last two products that I am interested in purchasing are the new shade of the High Shimmer Lip Gloss and the Tinted Eye Brightener.  This lip gloss shade will work with any eye makeup look that I create (including the pastels and brights that I am craving) or will work equally well for a more casual weekend look.  The Tinted Eye Brightener is another product in this collection that holds tons of promise, I have awful under eye circles and if this concealer truly brightens this area then I will never want to be without it.  I cannot wait to visit the counter again!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom