YSL Holiday 2011 Collection

The YSL collection for this holiday is all about smoky eyes and red lips, this makeup collection is very dramatic and is very appropriate for all the holiday parties that will be occuring this season.  I love both red lipstick shades and smoky eyes and therefore I am really excited for this collection and I am really looking forward to some great new red lip shades.  I have been buying red lip shades almost solely from MAC and Lipstick Queen so I am really looking forward to trying a new one from YSL (I haven't used any lipsticks from this collection yet).  I don't know if I will replicate the whole look on the model, doing both the smoky eyes and the red lipstick at once but I would be willing to try each look individually.
Here is the holiday collection from YSL...

Palette Terriblement Noir Eye Shadow Palette - Yves Saint Laurent revolutionized women's fashion in 1966 when he created "Le Smoking", the tuxedo suit for women.  Taking inspiration from the iconic design, this limited edition eye palette uses one of the most emblematic symbols, the satin cumberbund while playing with the most sophisticated of black and white.  Each shade expressed a different texture, representing the beautiful fabrics used by Yves Saint Laurent Couture House; Shiny Silk, Matte Velvet, Sparkling Moire, Glittering Lame, and Creamy Satin.  Dress yourself in the textures of Yves Saint Laurent and create the most sophisticated couture smoky eye.

Manucure Couture - An elegant new Manucure Couture is inspired by the "Le Smoking" tuxedo jacket.  Two deep black shades, one matte and one shiny for a sophisticated tone-on-tone manicure.  Accessorize your nails with a couture look for the season: velvet and satin never looked so gorgeous together.

Rouge Pur Couture - A new generation lipstick inspired by Monsieur Saint Laurent's iconic color palette - red, fuchsia, and orange - in a collection of captivating couture shades that offer each complexion a customized look.  Enveloped in a luxurious gold case designed by Creative Director Stefano Pilati, Rouge Pur Couture speaks elegance.  Lips are saturated with intense, stay-true color, thanks to the Coloreveal Technology while natural extracts provide comforting moisture that lasts all day.  Provides medium to full coverage with a radiant, satin finish.  SPF 15.
- 38 Rose Aphrodite - light blue pink cream
- 40 Rouge Eros - medium berry red cream

Golden Gloss - Worth its weight in gold, this gorgeous gloss dresses lips in a sophisticated, high-shine shimmer that's truly precious.  Sparkling 24 carat gold flecks (0.2%) create a mirror-like effect for guarenteed glamour, while a complex of nourishing oils protect and hydrate for optimal comfort.  Scented with a subtle hint of mango that's utterly irresistible.
- 46 White Gold Quartz - warm white shimmer
- 47 White Gold Topaz - medium grape purple shimmer
- 48 White Gold Amethyst - deep black plum shimmer
Ombres Duolumieres - As homage to the spirit of Monsieur Saint Laurent, these vivacious, couture-inspired color pairs combine beautifully to dress eyes in a seamlessly sophisticated look that's luminous and lasting.  The light shade may be worn alone, or as a base to extend the wear of the accompanying deep-toned shadow, while the dark shade creates depth, contour, and intensity.  The silky, long-wear formula is infused with an optical smoothing effect that reveals breathtakingly radiant color that won't fade.
- 41 Silver Moire/Black Flannel - shimmering pale silver/black with shimmering silver flecks

The eye shadow palette that was inspired by "Le Smoking" is one of the best that I have seen all season, if not all year.  I love this palette and can't even begin to list all of the looks that I could create with it for going out at night.  That is my first choice from this collection, there is no point in getting the eye shadow duo since both shades in it are taken care of in the full palette.  I can safely pass over all three of the lip gloss shades, I'm not that into any of them but I do like both of the lipstick shades.  The pale pink that is included with this collection looks very close to the original Viva Glam Gaga, making it worthy of being checked out very soon.

This collection is right up there in my five favorite of the season...

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Entre Derm Facial Toner

I have been trying the Entre Derm system over the past few months and now I am onto trying my last product from this system.  I have worked through the hardest and most technical of the products, both face creams and the eye cream.  My last review was of the cleanser, a good basic creamy cleanser for normal to drier skin types.  Today we will look at the toner that came with this set, this is another step to the cleansing routine in this collection.  Toners are made to get any excess makeup and residue off the skin after cleaning and to help clean out and tighten the pores.

This toner is made to continue the cleansing of the skin and to get all of the excess makeup residue off so that the creams from this collection can penetrate deeper into the skin and help to deliver the anti-aging ingredients deeper into the epidermis.  "Although crucial in daily skincare protocol, cleansing the skin affects the natural pH levels.  Using a toner helps restore this balance and acts as a primer to receive active ingredients.  Entre Derm Facial Toner compliments the Entre Derm Facial Cleanser by opening the pores and conditioning the skin to respond to the Entre Derm Day and Night Creams containing Somazone.  Entre Derm Toner also helps to add elasticity and resiliency so you look and feel refreshed."

This is your typical toner and the only thing that it accomplishes is getting any excess makeup residue off at nightime.  I never use toners because they tend to dry my skin out, making all of my redness issue even worse.  This toner is no different than the typical toner, it helps to get all of my excess makeup residue off in the evening.  It helps to complement the cleanser since cream face washes tend to not always get all of the makeup off my face especially with the way that I use primers to help keep my makeup in place.  I like that it gets all the residue off but it still dries my skin out like any other toner that I have ever tried does.  I just prefer to use a cleanser that will get all of my makeup off in the first place and not give me a reason for a separate toning step. 

I am very happy that I was sent the whole Entre Derm set from a PR company since it gave me a chanvce to learn about the company and how all of the products work together.  My favorite product was the day cream with the face cleanser being my second favorite.  I would recommend this system to someone that has more issues with aging that I do at the moment since I wasn't able reap any of the reparative benefits from this product line.  Also this line is best for someone with normal skin since neither of the face creams are made for very dry skin and the cleanser is too creamy for oily skin types.

photo courtesy of Entre Derm

Dior Holiday 2011 Collection - Les Rouges Or

December is finally here and that means that we only have about three and a half weeks left to finish up all of our holiday shopping.  This also means that the holiday collections are beginning to dwindle down, we have just a handful left.  But the ones that we have left are still some great collections; we have yet to look at Bobbi Brown, Shu Uemura, and Lancome.  But first we will look at a traditional favorite company of mine at the holidays, the Les Rouges Or collection from Dior.  This collection might be small but it promises some great gold shades to usher in the holiday party season.
The latest from Dior...

5 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette - Dior's bestselling eye palette offers endless possibilities in a seductive range of rich, versatile colors designed for easy application and wear.  Use the oval wand to apply the lightest shade to the upper part of 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.
- Incognito - pale champage gold/pale cool beige/shimmering cool taupe/deep shimmering bronze/medium bronze

Vernis - Gold to the end of your fingertips.  Glowing in a haze of new light, nails are transformed into precious accessories.  Injected with a golden powder as delicate as that of a goldsmith, Dior Vernis cult shades dress up in a radiant blaze.
- Or Divin - pale shimmering gold

Rouge Dior - Rouge Dior is a wardrobe of 32 sublime shades directly inspired by the deep, luxurious colors of Dior Haute Couture gowns to reveal all the beauty of triumphant and radiant feminity!  Instantly and day after day, this exceptional lipstick offers the lips the extreme splendor of full, smooth, and perfectly defined youthfulness.  The secret?  A new generation of plumping hyaluronic acid microspheres.  Generously coated with pigments on the lip surface, they help boost the radiance and depth of color.
- Pisanelle Pink 428 - neutral medium pink cream

The eye shadow palette is the star of this collection, it is perfect to help create a shimmering gold eye to wear this holiday season.  I would use this one all the time, from this season and then all the way into the spring and summer.  Tbis palette is going to be a great choice for me.  The lipstick shade that was picked for this collection will for well for a professional atmosphere or against any type of strong eye makeup look.  I'm not a fan of gold nail polish as it tends to be too warm for my skintone so I will skip over that shade but the rest of the collection is going to be great for me!

photo courtesy of Dior

Guerlain Holiday 2011 Collection

The Guerlain holiday 2011 collection is completely to die for, I have been seeing hints of it in all the fashion and beauty magazines over the past few weeks and it has been getting some major blog raves from many of the top bloggers.  This collection proves that it is quality that counts, it only contains four products however these are among the best of the whole season.  This concept is so much better than some companies who make huge collections but over half of the products and shades are ones that we have already seen this season or are completely unworkable in many situtations.  This collection contains many shades of blues for eyes, which isn't my favorite look but I am very excited for the rest of the pieces in this collection.

The Guerlain holiday collection...

Vol de Nuit Limited Edition - A perfumed shimmer powder for face, body, and hair.  Pressing on the bulb releases a silky, airy powder.  Inspired by the fragrance Vol de Nuit, makeup and fragrance merge in an ultimate beauty step.  A powder with chypre, vanilla notes true to those of the fragrance Vol de Nuit, whole dominant green and woody energy is softened with vanilla and iris.

Meteorities Perles de Nuit Limited Edition - The uber-cult pearls highlight for Christmas.  For unforgettable celebrations, these uber-cult pearls are being reinvented in a holiday season limited edition with new pink, white, gold, orange, and silver shades.  Five perfectly smooth beads to correct, illuminate, and even out the skin and give radiance with unprecedented sparkle.

Parure de Nuit Limited Edition - A pressed, 2-in-1 powder for face and blush.  A powder with pale pink, white, deep pink, and blue green harmonies.  Four shades decorated with an iridescent and translucent shower of stars, to form a universal harmony that gives the face a fascinating aura.  Nestled in a black velvet suede-finish pouch lined in blue-green satin, the black lacquer case conceals an extremely soft brush made of blue-green goat hair.

Ecrin 4 Couleurs Limited Edition - The colors of the night.  A new harmony offering couleurs for night owls, from twilight to the deepest night.  Iridescent - minute green, blue, and gray pearlescent particles play under the light and released luminous colour with an extremely metallic finish.  Matte - a black shadow with an extra-matte, ultra-gentle, and incredibly comfortable finish for a precise, intense liner effect.  For blazing, smoky, strong, and spellbinding eyes.
The most amazing piece of this collection is the Vol de Nuit shimmer powder, I am very interested in this woody fragrance and this bottle will look beautful displayed in my bedroom.  I wish the shades in the Ecrin 4 Couleurs would be better suited to me, the palette is beautiful however I don't do blue eye makeup shades and therefore there is no point in me purchasing this product.  I am very intrigued by the blush and face powder in this collection, I wonder how the blue-green acents in the powder actually appear on the skin.

It kills me to not have any type of Guerlain counter anywhere near me...

photo courtesy of Guerlain

Most Wanted December 2011

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  Lots of lovely new beauty products and all kinds of sets and palettes that perfect for giving or keeping for yourself.  Of course I couldn't only pick ten products! 

This month, I am most excited about the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette, a top pick for me this month.  I ordered it early this afternoon and I am so excited to report that I was one of the first 5000 people to buy one, everyone else must wait until the end of January for the restock, I will be reviewing as soon as I get this in this mail.

My loves this month are eye makeup, nail polish, and the new LUSH products...

- MAC Gareth Pugh for MAC Nail Lacquer in Ascension
- Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
- Butter London The Black Night Nail Lacquer
- Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair
- Smashbox Long Wear Liquid Eye Liner in 14 K
- Illamasqua Lipstick in Maneater
- Givenchy Dahlia Noir
- Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Night Cream
- Philosophy Marshmellows For Toasting 3-in-1
- LUSH Candy Cane Bar Soap
- LUSH Rose Queen Bath Bomb
- Dior 5 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette in Incognito

NARS Danmari All About Cheeks Palette

It seems like it has been ages since NARS has a released a new palette, I can't resist a NARS palette and therefore tend to stalk both their website and Sephora's for the newest releases of them.  The newest in the palette series has just been released, I was beginning to wonder when this company would release something for the holidays.  As excited as I was to see a new NARS palette, I can consider that this is my least favorite of the NARS palettes and might be the one with the least universal appeal.  Typically, the palettes offer some combination of products and shades however this one offers only blush shades, half of which I am willing to bet won't work at all for me and wouldn't make the palette worth a purchase. 

The Danmari All About Cheeks Palette contains six of the best NARS Blush and Bronzer shades.  This palette is another one of the products that will help create the classic Kabuki look, a theme of many of the new NARS releases of this whole year.  From quickly looking at the palette, I can already see that the best-selling Orgasm shade is included in this palette.  Personally, I own and like this shade but I don't think that it is the greatest blush shade every released and it wouldn't entice me to purchase this palette, I do wonder how many more sets and palettes can contain this sahde before the market is totally saturated with it....

The Sephora website provides the following product description, "Based on the exquisite tradition of Kabuki theatre, this palette features six high-pigment powders that let you play up your features like a true performance artist.  The ultimate authority in blush, this limited-edition mirrored holiday NARS compact features the essential blush and bronzer shades, ranging from warm bronze and luminous highlighting hues to shockingly bright pink.  Turn a new cheek withthis fashion-forward mix created exclusively for Sephora."

The shades included with this palette are...

- Hungry Heart - gold ivory
- Super Orgasm - peachy pink with gold glitter
- Desire - cotton candy pink
- Casino - dark brown with golden shimmer
- Orgasm - peachy pink with golden shimmer
- Sin - berry with gold shimmer

This palette would be better for someone with a medium skintone than my super pale skin, I already need a tan to pull off the traditional Orgasm shade so I know that the Super Orgasm would be even worse against my winter pale skin.  Hungry Heart has too much gold in it for me, this is another bad shade for me this time of the year.  Casino is the bronzer of this group, it has a shimmer finish which I don't like in bronzers.  I only really use matte finish bronzers so this is another miss for me in this palette.  Desire is the shade that I like the most, it is the bright pink and would be the best shade for me. 

This palette must be made for ladies with medium skintones and either warm or neutral undertones.  This one is total miss for my pale, cool skintone so this is officially my least favorite NARS palette ever.  I will pass over this one and hope that NARS releases a better one for me next spring...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Look at This!!

I just found this picture on Facebook a few minutes ago...it appears that Urban Decay is releasing a sequel to it's bestselling Naked Palette (one of my favorite makeup palettes ever and the one that I use almost every single day of my life).  The company should be releasing further details today so I will be stalking my email until I get them...I can't wait to see the first pictures of this palette!!!

photo courtesy of Facebook