Manicure with Lippmann Collection "Happy Birthday"

This is a picture of a bottle of Lippmann Collection's Happy Birthday polish. I had first thought that I wouldn't like this shade but after using it, I really appreciate its complexity and what the photo on the website (just of a swatch of the color) couldn't fully capture. A PR firm provided me with a bottle of this product and I am very glad that they did because I have begun to rethink my notions on glitter polish.

I was trying to get a good shot of my manicure with this polish but my digital camera is doing something strange and refuses to upload the pictures. You will see (based on the provided picture) that in the bottle, this polish looks like a sea of glitter. I assume that one could wear it that way if they took the time to totally cover their nails in the glitter. However, I like it when the glitter specks are more dispersed and my natural nails show through.

I used two coats of polish and no top coat when I tried this shade out. I noticed that I have the best application results when I put a blob of the polish on my nail then use the brush to to thin it out and cover the nail. I was able to precisely place some of the sparkles to cover a white spot on one of my nails.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Clinique Spring 2010 Collection - Juiced Up

The newest collection from Clinique is called Juiced Up and is based on sheer, fruit colored shades. My favorite part about the collection is the promo picture, it is of a red-headed model. I see so few red-heads and this gives me the hope that I can wear most of the shades in this collection. Clinique use few words to describe the collection, "New and sheerly sublime" is the only description of the collection that is given.

Let's check it out...

Fresh Picked Allover Color - Limited edition. Long-wearing powder creates a sheer, subtle radiance that looks fresh, stays fresh. Sweep over face for an allover luminous glow, or brush on cheekbones to highlight.

- Mixed Berries - shades of pinks and mauves

Powder Brush - Large, plush face brush dusts on loose or pressed powder for smooth, even application. Unique antibacterial technology helps ensure the highest level of hygiene, keep brush irritant-free.

High Lengths Mascara - Stretch limp, lifeless lashes to lengths beyond your wildest expectations. And wow - eyes look noticeably wider, fully energized. Our curved, fine-toothed combs finds the tiniest lashes and brings them out of hiding. Ophthalmologist tested and appropriate for sensitive eyes.

- Black/Brown - black brown

- Black - black

Eye Defining Liquid Liner - Fast-drying liquid eyeliner flows on with ease for intense, precise colour. Draws a thin line for a natural look, a thick line for a dramatic effect. Water-resistant formula wears long and true. Ophthalmologist tested.

- Black - black

Fresh Picked Eye Shadow - Limited edition. Creamy, intense colour in one stroke. Spring-fresh pairings of base and contour eye shadow with a soft shimmer finish. Comfortably lightweight, long-wearing. Ophthamologist tested.

- Fresh Picked Berry - shades of mauves and plums

- Fresh Picked Pear - shades of greens

Instant Lift For Brows - Two-in-one automatic brow pencil and pearlized highlighter duo creates a contrast and definition that gives eyes a virtual lift. First, fill in and shape brows with long-wearing natural-looking pencil. Then optically "boost" brow arches with universal highlighter shade just below brow hairs.

- Deep Brown - dark brown

- Soft Brown - light brown

- Soft Blonde - dirty blonde

Eye Shadow Brush - Perfectly sized to apply the right amount of eye shadow to lids. Essential for highlighting area just under brow bones, too. Unique antibacterial technology helps ensure the highest level of hygenie, keeping brush irritant-free.

Vitamin C Lip Smoothie - We've squeezed in the best ingredients, like Vitamin C, and powered up antioxidants so lips look and feel their healthy best. Your recommended daily dose of lusciousness. Brushes on luscious color and shine in juicy, moisture-rich blends.

- Goodness Grape - soft dusty purple

- Pink Me Up - a soft pink with flecks of silvery pearl

- Mango-thon - a soft burnt orange with golden shimmer

- Nude-tritious - a soft nude brown with shimmer

I like this collection! I really like the berry toned hues and I bet that many of these shades will work right into summer. I want the Fresh Picked Blush, both of the new eye shadows, and of course I need to try to new mascara. I also have been panting over the Vitamin C Lip Smoothies since I saw an ad for them in a magazine. I will have to try them out when I go to Clinique to get this collection, I want to get the Pink Me Up and the Nude-tritious shades. This collection is pretty much perfect for me.

photo courtesy of Clinique

Bath and Body Works Sweet Pea Forever and Moonlight Magic

No I don't live at Bath and Body Works...I just keep getting suckered in by all the coupons that they gave me on my last visit. Triple that with me always paying off my charge in the store (meaning that I always then bring my charge to the store) and you get a receipt for me going there way too much for my own good. This time I was in the store on two missions, the first one was to pay of my charge card and the second one was to begin shopping for my mother's birthday gift while a bunch of my coupons were good. Also, the company has just released updated version of two of their best-selling fragrances, Sweet Pea and Moonlight Path, so I needed to give them a sniff and decide how to best use all my coupons.

Sweet Pea and Moonlight Path have been top-selling fragrances at Bath and Body Works since I first started there in the beginning of my second year of college. I still don't know how these two fragrances continue to sell so well because it seems like every female in the United States must already own them. Sweet Pea was my favorite for about the first six months that I was there and I owned every product in it and wore it every single day. I have nothing left of it and decided to give it another shot today. Within ten seconds of opening the tester, I was transported back to my organic chemistry classroom and thoughts of the girl that wore it every class of U.S. History. And I hated both of those... Sweet Pea will remain on the store shelves for me. I still have some Moonlight Path left in my collection so I wasn't interested in picking up anymore of that today.

Now onto the two new fragrances. First we will look at Sweet Pea Forever. The original Sweet Pea fragrance is a soft floral that smells exactly like the sweet pea florals. It is very sweet and can get cloying very quickly. Sweet Pea Forever is an update on the scent, not an entire new fragrance. It contains the original fragrance notes and then adds the following notes to them; juicy raspberry, freesia, watery pear, and light musk. When I first read these notes in the Spring Preview book, I was hoping that they would tame down the sweetness and make the fragrance more floral. Well, the new version of the fragrance is no better than the original, the new notes are totally unrecognizable and I wondered if I picked up the wrong bottle on first sniff. Nope...this update was nothing that I would purchase.

After the Sweet Pea, I had little hope for the Moonlight Magic. The original of this fragrance is a light musky floral that for the longest time (before Japanese Cherry Blossom was released in the beginning of 2006) was the only fragrance at Bath and Body that resembled a higher quality perfume. The original is also heavy on the lavender and contains a bit of rose in it. The new fragrance also contains the following notes; French lavender, sweet violets, lily of the valley, oakmoss, and a warm hint of musk. Moonlight Magic is a sweeter version of Moonlight Path, I can smell the sweet violet in it more than any other note in the fragrance. Someone else in the store noted that it smells like "Moonlight Path with cotton candy in it". Points for this fragrance being somewhat more original than Sweet Pea Forever but I didn't purchase this one either.

I ended up using my coupons to stock up on fragrances that I already have and prefer to the new updates. I understand that Bath and Body Works is trying to update some of their classic fragrances and give them new life, I don't really like either of these two updates. But as I was in the store, I realized the true power of fragrance, I got a bit sad while I was walking around smelling fragrances that reminded me of college and more carefree times and all my college friends and crushes. I went all the way back to being nervous on my first day of classes and wrinkling my nose at the girls who covered themselves in Sweet Pea for morning classes...

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Guerlain Spring 2010 Collection - Cherry Blossom

One of the first flowers to bloom in the springtime is the cherry blossom. These flowers grow on trees and cover the ground with beautiful pink flowers. I believe that these trees bloom all around the White House every spring. Guerlain's Spring 2010 Collection is fittingly called Cherry Blossom after these beautiful trees. This collection contains four new items, all of which appear to have pink hues (at first glance).

Here are the products...

Blush Eclat - A brisk stroll in a garden still sparkling with the morning dew. The first rays of sun kiss your rosy cheeks. Your complexion is luminous, radiant. Is this a dream? No, it's reality! It's the promise of a healthy glow that comes with Cherry Blossom, a peachy-pink blush reminiscent of Japanese cheery trees in full bloom. Airy-light and transparent, it instantly revives pale winter cheeks. Soft as a breeze, it gives the face a vibrant boost in a quick wave of the wand!

- Cherry Blossom 07 - peachy pink

Rouge G Le Brillant - The original, creamy richness of Rouge G has now been combined with the lightness of colour. Rouge G Le Brillant has mastered the art of blending this incredibly full-bodied texture with shimmering light colours. Deep in the heart of this precious treasure, an extraordinary formula complete with ruby powder fills the lips with moisture, making them ultra smooth, plump and glistening. Spectacular yet refined, Rouge G Le Brillant emits a subtle shine and reveals all the beauty of an ultra-feminine ritual. The secret? A clever balance between glamour and softness unveiled by a truly unique formula.

- Bella B63 - deep rose

KissKiss Strass - With incomparable finesse, KissKiss Strass sheathes the lips in evanscent glitter, like a resplendent veil of shimmering stones... Dr oplets of pure crystal and an extraordinary blend of three different pearly hues provide an illusion of multi-dimensional sparkle and shine.

- Corail 362 - deep shimmering rose

Ombre Eclat 4 Couleurs - Light and shade in an intense black lacquered case... Here, pearly shades of pink and white, luminous accents inspired by the reflections of the sun's rays dancing on the surface of a lake. There, shades of violet and mauve, subtle variations of the same deep intensity, like oriental flowers playing with shadows in a garden. Bucolic colours to mix and match on your eyes according to your moods. Soft, vibrant eyes for daytime. Smoky, captivating eyes for evenings. Or why not just do the opposite?

- Jeu d'Ombrelle 408 - shades of pinks, whites, violets, and mauves

I love this entire collection, I want to buy every single piece of it. However, the Blush and 4 Color Eye Shadows are just two fo the most amazing beauty items that I have ever seen. The picture that I included is of the Eye Shadows since I do feel that I can fully describe their beauty. My only worry with items this beautiful is that I would never use them because I wouldn't want to mar the surface of the product. However, these products will sell out quickly so I plan to try and get hands on them first and then decide how I am going to go about using them.

I love that so many of the Spring Collections have to do with flowers and pink. So far, I love this trend and this is shaping up to be an amazing season.

photo courtesy of Guerlain

O.P.I. Alice in Wonderland Collection

All of the hype around Alice in Wonderful has swelled and reached a fever pitch with the release of the movie. Before anyone even asks, no I have not seen the movie nor have I gotten my hands on the Book of Shadows yet. I do plan to do both in the near future. Another collection has been released to celebrate this movie, this one from nail polish company O.P.I. Four new shades are available on the O.P.I. website and I bet that there will be tons of ladies wearing one of these polish shades and the Urban Decay shadow shades when they go see this movie.

The first shade is called Thanks So Muchness and it is mid-tone berry cream. This is one of the shades that is on the more traditional side of this collection and could eaasily be worked into any look. The second shade is another one that is a cream and a more traditional shade. It is called Off With Her Red! and is a blue based true red. Both of these colors are very nice but they are pretty common and I bet that O.P.I. already had shades very much like these in their collection.

The other shades are the less traditional of the collection and both of them have a shimmery finish. My favorite shade is Absolutely Alice and is a shade that some would consider blue and some would consider it to have an aqua cast to it. I put it firmly in with blue group and I have always loved blue polishes, so this one is a great fit for me. The last shade of the collection is called Mad As A Hatter. That one wins for my favorite shade name from this collection! This shade is a medium blue purple and the photo on the website makes it look as though it has an iridescent cast to it.

I searched through a couple of blogs in hopes that I could find better pictures of these polishes but I have come up empty so far. I found one picture of Mad As A Hatter in April's Glamour and it appears in that photo to have multi-colored sparkles in it yet too. I want to get both of the shimmery shades from this collection. My top pick is the Absolutely Alice but I was want to try Mad As A Hatter in a pedicure. I don't know that I could pull it off in a manicure so I will be starting out with it on my toes in sandal weather.

photo courtesy of Amazon.com

MAC Too Fabulous

Early last spring I got really hyped on the MAC Cremesheen line of lip glosses. This line was limited edition and everything quickly sold out. It may have taken over a year but MAC has brought this formula back in both new shades and a few returning shades. This time collection is named Too Fabulous. "Lips and cheeks get the pretty young thing treatment. Cremesheen Glass makes it's comeback with six exciting new shades and three requested bring-backs! Add Mineralize Blush duos and Lip Pencils to delight and define. All Too Fabulous!"

Here are the products...

Cremesheen Glass - A lip finish that fuses the creamy, sheen-filled nature of Cremesheen Lipstick with the shine of MAC Lipglass. Soft, comfortable, non-sticky. Applies with a doe-foot applicator. Use as a top layer to its namesake Lipstick or on its own.

- Fashion Scoop - clear pink

- Richer, Lusher - peach coral

- Just Superb - dirty neutral pink

- Deelight - mid-tone neutral

- Over Indulgence - neutral brown

- Loud & Lovely - blue pink

- Double Dare - coral red

Lip Pencil - A pencil designed for shaping, lining, or filling in the lip. Lip Pencils have a smooth, creamy texture that is perfect for lining the lips or filling them in. They are long-lasting and available in a wide selection of colours that each work well with many different lipstick shades. The colour of Lip Pencils is protected by Vitamin E, which acts as an anti-oxidant, and they contain emollients that moisturize the lips. Lip Pencils can be worn alone, with Lipstick or Lipglass.

- Boldly Bare - dirty red brown

- Mouth Off - deep peach coral

- Trimmed In Pink - bright blue pink

- Chestnut - intense brown

- Naked Liner - light neutral

- In Synch - bright yellow pink

Mineralize Blush (Duo) - A limited edition Mineralize Blush featuring two shades swirled into an abstract pattern. Delivers the sheer colour and soft, dimensional pearl of all MAC Mineralize powder formulas.

- Two Virtues - light blue pink/light violet

- Rhapsody In Pink - light pale pink/pale peach

- Chic Couple - light yellow brown/dark peach
- Bi - Tone - rose pink/copper brown

- Buddy Rose - dirty rose/neutral yellow pink

- Sun and Moon - neutral brown/pink brown

I mostly like the Cremesheen Glasses from this collection. I really want to get Fashion Scoop, Just Superb, and Deelight. I am so glad that these glosses are back for a second time, I just wish that there were more shades so I could get even more of them. I would love if MAC would make these a permanent part of there collection.

photo courtesy of MAC

Me! Bath Shower Sherbet

It is no secret that I adore cute body products. Me! Bath is company that I first encountered when I was working at Bath and body Works, it is an outside company that used to be carried at their largest volume stores. Alas, this is no longer the case and I am getting very close to finishing up the product stash that I had from this company. I decided to take some time and check out the website of company and see how else I could get products from them. These products seem to be carried only at small, independantly owned businesses, so for the majority of us, it will be easier just to order from their website.

The products that I can currently running low on from this company are the Shower Sherbets. These are the body scrubs that this company offers and they are the reason that I was originally attracted to Me! Bath. They are housed in ice cream containers and are impossible to miss when sitting on a store shelf. At the moment, this product is offered in nine fragrances, however I do remember when the offerings were closer to twenty.

Me! Bath describes the product on their website as follows, "Me! Bath Shower Sherbet is a sugar-based body scrub that comes in 16 ounce ice cream pints and look so yummy you just wanna eat it! Rich in Jojoba Oil and Vitamin E, Me! Bath Shower Sherbet is made for daily use to exfoliate, cleanse, and moisturize all in one. Leaving your skin smooth and silky with a long-lasting aroma, this luscious lather is a delicious and energizing way to treat your body to something sweet! Stay tuned for new flavors!" Currently, I only have Strawberry Kiwi and Peaches N' Cream left in my collection. I stocked up on these two fragrance right as Bath and Body was stopping their distribution and marked everything down at their sale. I bought a ton of products that day but since these were the only two fragrance left, I ended up getting them all in these fragrances. Initially, this was fine but I am beginning to get a bit tired of them. which is a shame because I love the formula.

So what fragrances are offered in this product now? The website lists nine in total.

- Choco-holic - rich true chocolate fragrance

- Gotta Have It Pomegranate - sweet pomegranate

- Hawaiian Lei - plumeria and freesia

- Land Of Milk N' Honey - combination of warm milk and honey (designed for sensitive skin)

- Lavender Lullaby - soft lavender

- Papaya Nectar - mix of papaya, ocean air, and warm sand

- Strawberry Kiwi - sweet strawberries and kiwi

- Summer Rain - the air during and after a rainstorm

- Vanilla Purity - pure vanilla

I'm not going to really review Peaches N' Cream since it is no longer offered. Strawberry Kiwi is very sweet, fruity scent. It is almost too sweet and the scrubs are so strongly scented that I couln't use it everyday. I don't use this product everyday but I do feel that this is lightest exfoliator that I own. the sugar is suspended in a jelly like base and makes is easy to scoop put and rub on. This product does not foam at all and iIwish that it was a bit easier to remove. With that as my only complaint, I am really sad that I can't find this product easier. I want to get it Summer Rain and Papaya Nectar and all the matching body products in those fragrances.

photo courtesy of Me! Bath