Bond No 9 High Line

Bond No 9 is a fragrance brand that I have been curious about for years, this brand is very hard to find so I basically skipped over it for a long time since these fragrances were out of my reach.  Last winter I had been given a bottle of Chinatown from a wonderful Makeup Alley member as a gift and the few times that I used it so far have made me really begin to fall in love with this unique brand.  At the very beginning of the spring season, Sephora began to carry a limited number of their fragrances, I have yet to see them in the stores so I believe they will be online only but this is another avenue for me to order and try this line (Sephora has a great return policy and I could trade a bottle for another fragrance if I ordered one and didn't like it).  Then within the last few weeks, Nordstrom announced that this entire brand would be available on their website and in select stores, opening the brand up to me even more.  I spent some of the time that I was on vacation from work reading about this brand and their fragrances and I then decided to buy several sample from Amazon to start finding a fragrance for me to order.

Yes...I ordered and paid for perfume samples.  There are simply too many fragrances that I thought sounded great for me to try at once when I would actually get to a counter and I couldn't order every fragrance and then return it if I wasn't a fan.  I started with several that I would wear in the spring and summer and will repeat my order with fragrances for the fall months later on this year.  I am using the fragrances one at a time, almost every day, so that I can really try them out and see how the notes react with my skin chemistry.  I already own too much perfume and I can't buy fragrances that I don't love and I love trying the samples out for several days to really live with it and make a solid decision.

I started with High Line for the spring months, I had initially wanted to try the I Love New York; Earth Day fragrance when I saw it on the Sephora website but I couldn't find any reviews and no one on the Makeup alley boards had tried it before.  I visited the Bond No 9 Facebook pages and asked for some thoughts on it and High Line was recommended to me as a more unique and true green fragrance.  I have a lack of good green scents in my collection and I am actively trying to find several to add.  I have been using this fragrance for about a week now and I have started to collect my thoughts and can put a review together.

From the Nordstrom website, "The world's first railroad perfume. Wildflowers, green grasses and urban renewal. The scent starts off with a prairie grazing weed, purple love grass, mixed with citrusy bergamot and zesty Indian rhubarb. The perfume's floral heart is composed of red-leaf rose, Lady Jane tulips and grape hyacinth. Lingering base notes combine bur oak with imported sea moss to evoke the Hudson River's proximity, along with musk and teakwood to ensure Bond No. 9 High Line is a metro-perfume."

The notes of the fragrance are: Bergamot, Purple Love Grass, Indian Rhubarb, Red Leaf Rose, Tulips, Grape Hyacinth, Bur Oak.

This fragrance is a light green floral and I initially fell in love with it and wanted to order a large bottle within the first ten minutes of wear.  I love the initial hit of the grass notes and then the floral heart develops, the rose and tulip notes are the strongest on my skin and this fragrance showed lots of potential to be a new favorite rose scent of mine.  Within about two hours, this fragrance really faded away and I was very disappointed by the lack of lasting power, Chinatown sticks on my through a shower and I have heard that this the norm for the Bond No 9 fragrances.  I did find some reviews of High Line online and everyone commented on the lack of lasting power, so I didn't get a old sample of it by accident. 

I really liked this fragrance and it is a top notch example of a green floral and I have wanted a fragrance like this since last spring.  The big issue that has prevented me from ordering a bottle yet is the lack of lasting power, I would have to order a purse size bottle in this fragrance at the same time and then reapply throughout the day.  This fragrance will remain on my list but I will continue to search for another green fragrance that lasts longer than this formula does.  I don't expect to get the same lasting power from a green fragrance than I would from a musk but I still expected more power from High Line.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

MAC Baking Beauties

Late last night, I found the beginnings of the MAC Baking Beauties collection up on both theirs and the Nordstrom website and I am so excited to see it all up this morning!  I woke up early to start writing this post today and I will need to finish up in between work and class but I just couldn't contain my excitement anymore over this collection and I will be hitting the counter this weekend.  I have been asking the associates at my favorite counter for this collection for almost a month and I was so unhappy to hear that they do not do pre-orders anymore for limited edition collections.

But since I can't try or pre-order this collection early, I know that I will be at the counter when the store opens and I will have my shopping list already programmed into my phone.  I have been looking at the lip and nail products ever since I first saw the promotional pictures of the collection and one of the lipsticks is one my top color choices for spring.  The face powders in this collection are based on cupcakes and I have loved cupcakes for years so this is actually what drew my attention to the collection to begin with.

The Nordstrom website states a description of the collection, the MAC website is failing at the moment so I will work with Nordstrom until MAC comes back up.  "Exquisite. Scrumptious. Utterly indulgent. The artistry of cake decoration is a world filled with tempting creation, as is our colour collection inspired by the most couture of cakes."  This has the potential to be one of those collections that I buy tons of products of just because I am in love with the packaging and the concept!

Baking Beauties!

Baking Beauties Pearlmatte Face Powder - Pearlized and satin shades of Face Powder blend effortlessly to achieve an array of looks with a rich texture and velvet finish. Use for highlighting and blush effects. Baking Beauties flower and leaf design are stamped into the powder.
- In For a Treat - champagne base with matte coral flower and mint leaves
- Pink Buttercream - light silvery pink base with dark pink flowers and periwinkle leaves

Baking Beauties Pro Longwear Paint Pot - The long-wearing, highly pigmented eye color goes on creamy and dries to an intense, vibrant, pearlized finish. Seamlessly covers without weight or caking and blends smoothly over the lids. Cream-based, can be mixed with M·A·C shadows and liners.
- Fancy Frosting - frosted white
- Let's Skate - pale pink with pearl
- Mooncake - warm beige
- Eclair - light chocolate with gold pearl
- Dangerous Cuvee - frosted cool gray

Baking Beauties Glitter - M·A·C Glitter can be applied directly to the skin or combined with products to create high-level glitter and sparkle effects on all areas of the face, skin and hair.  Glitter is not eye safe and is not recommended for use on this area of the face.
- Reflects Transparent Teal - sparkling white with turquoise
- Pink - bright pink

Haute and Naughty Lash Mascara - A two-in-one mascara that lets you choose if you want lashes to be naturally defined, or instantly combed and loaded for full-on drama. Easy-to-use dual-wiper system allows this lightweight formula to go on either way. One wiper refines the application for a clean sweep, while the other loads the lashes for greater impact.

Baking Beauties Lipstick - Color plus texture for the lips. Stands out on the runway. Simmers on the street! What made M·A·C famous.
- Pure Decoration - light white peach (Cremesheen)
- Raspberry Swirl - light white blue pink (Cremesheen)
- Lavender Whip - light cool lavender (Cremesheen)
- Devil's Food - glossy deep plum (Frost)

Baking Beauties Mineralize Tinted Lip Balm - A liquid lip balm that adds moisture while providing the right pop of color and mirror-like shine. Enriched with a special, nourishing, mineral-rich complex. Can be worn alone or over other lip products.
- Baking Beauty - creamy light peach
- Cheery Cherry - creamy mid-tone blue pink
- Sweet Tooth - creamy lilac
- Glace - creamy pale baby blue

Baking Beauties Nail Lacquer - Revolutionary new high-gloss formula. Visibly different. Provides a no-streak/no-chip finish. Contains conditioners and UV protection. Go hi-lacquer!
- Confectionary - light blue pink (Cream)
- Pistachio Creme - light teal mint (Cream)
- Bleu Velvet - light periwinkle blue (Cream)

Lustre Drops - A bronzer that applies like liquid sun. Water-based, beautifully smooth to apply with added pearlized lustre. Inspired by the popular M·A·C Face and Body FX. Provides sheer, natural-looking highlights with a luminous, shimmering finish.
- Pink Rebel - blue pink with gold pearl

129 SE Powder/Blush Brush - A special-edition, short-handled brush featuring a frosted-aqua metal ferrule. Designed for blush and powder application. Soft, black fibers form a full, rounded shape.

252 SE Large Shader Brush - A special-edition, short-handled brush featuring a frosted-aqua metal ferrule. Features soft yet firm bristles in a square shape for applying eyeshadow or emollient-based products.

I am still holding to my earlier thoughts that I would love the lip and nail products the most from this collection, I would have liked to see MAC do some type of eye shadow palette with this collection and I am surprised that only new shades in one product was released.  I do like the Paint Pot shades that came out with this collection, my most coveted shades from this product are Let's Skate and Mooncake.  I have adding pinks and neutrals to my collection all spring and these are two more that I would like to buy.

My favorite product is the Lipstick, I always want new pink hues and Raspberry Swirl will be coming home with me the next time that I visit the counter.  I have been using my newest pink lipstick from MAC at least twice a week since I bought it and with the purchase of this product, I would have yet another one to work with.  I have never used the Mineralize Tinted Lip Balm and I have never really read any good reviews of it, the consensus of the product reviews is that it basically is a lip balm with a little bit of shimmer and little to no pigment when applied to the lips.  I will hunt up several reviews and see if this holds true for this version of the product, I do like the Cheery Cherry shade of pink and I would purchase it is the reviews are favorable.  I like the Pearlmatte Face Powders but this is another product that I really want to see in person and read reviews of before I purchase it, especially with the veins of blues and greens in the products.  If I purchase one of these from the counter, I will report back but these products are often the prettiest on the counter but the lowest on quality.  Lastly, I would like several of the Nail Lacquers; Pistachio Creme and Bleu Velvet are the most unique and I want to add both of these to my collection.

I am also really excited about the brushes that were released with this collection, I don't need either of these brushes but I love the aqua shade.  I would be more likely to buy the powder brush since I am looking for a new fluffy brush to use with loose powder and bronzer.  This is a great collection for me and I can't wait to do some shopping this weekend!

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Julep Summer 2013 Nail Color Collection - Nantucket Nostalgia

After looking at the Deborah Lippmann nail polish collection for summer, I want to look at more polish collections today and am getting very excited for the Sephora Friends and Family that is starting later on this week.  I have begun to add some items to my Shopping Cart but I know that I will need some major editing to it before I submit it for purchase.  I am counting the days until the sale starts for VIBs and we are getting closer and closer by the day.  The Nail Bar at my Sephora store is a favorite destination of mine and I have realized that there is now only one nail polish line that I have not year tried from this store, I have looked at the Julep line the past few times but I have not yet bought any polishes from them and perhaps I will be changing that later on this week.

I wanted to look more into this polish line while I still editing my cart and I decided to check out their products on Sephora and then on the company's website.  There are many more products on the company's website and I have found the new shades that are part of their summer collection, a series of brights that are nautical inspired.  This company also has a program that allows members to receive boxes of polishes and manicure products at a discount every single month and I am now considering joining this club if I like the polishes...

This collection is named Nantucket Nostalgia and is described as "Sail into summer.", this collection contains a series of polish shades and several makeup items.  I also see that the company makes some of the pretty polish shades in coordinating sets and this might be a great way for me to start my collection of polish from this company.

Here is the new collection!

Nail Color - Julep Nail Color is “4-free” and does not contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP. Our professional chip-resistant formulation is fast drying and highly pigmented. Julep nail color is a fun way to make the season’s latest shades accessible to everyone. And because we’ve tested our trend-setting toxin-free colors and products in over 100,000 manicures and pedicures in our parlors, we have a good idea of what works and what our clients love.
- Bunny - crisp white linen with fine gold shimmer
- Nan - Nantucket red creme
- Char - nautical navy blue creme
- Bess - baby blue creme
- Martha - polo pink creme
- Kennedy - khaki creme
- Payton - kelly green creme
- Raegan - electric dark pink creme
- Dianna - mint green creme
- Lexie - dandelion yellow creme

Mad for Plaid Nail Color Set - Julep Nail Color is “4-free” and does not contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP. Our professional chip-resistant formulation is fast drying and highly pigmented. Julep nail color is a fun way to make the season’s latest shades accessible to everyone. And because we’ve tested our trend-setting toxin-free colors and products in over 100,000 manicures and pedicures in our parlors, we have a good idea of what works and what our clients love.
- Nan - Nantucket red creme
- Lexie - dandelion yellow creme
- Kennedy - khaki creme

Nautical by Nature Nail Color Set - Julep Nail Color is “4-free” and does not contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP. Our professional chip-resistant formulation is fast drying and highly pigmented. Julep nail color is a fun way to make the season’s latest shades accessible to everyone. And because we’ve tested our trend-setting toxin-free colors and products in over 100,000 manicures and pedicures in our parlors, we have a good idea of what works and what our clients love.
- Bess - baby blue creme
- Bunny - crisp white linen with fine gold shimmer
- Char - nautical navy blue creme

Bright, Bold Colors Nail Color Set - Julep Nail Color is “4-free” and does not contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP. Our professional chip-resistant formulation is fast drying and highly pigmented. Julep nail color is a fun way to make the season’s latest shades accessible to everyone. And because we’ve tested our trend-setting toxin-free colors and products in over 100,000 manicures and pedicures in our parlors, we have a good idea of what works and what our clients love.
- Dianna - mint green creme
- Bunny - crisp white linen with fine gold shimmer
- Raegan - electric dark pink creme

Make Waves Nail Color Duo - Julep Nail Color is “4-free” and does not contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP. Our professional chip-resistant formulation is fast drying and highly pigmented. Julep nail color is a fun way to make the season’s latest shades accessible to everyone. And because we’ve tested our trend-setting toxin-free colors and products in over 100,000 manicures and pedicures in our parlors, we have a good idea of what works and what our clients love.
- Bunny - crisp white linen with fine gold shimmer
- Char - nautical navy blue creme

DD Creme - A dynamic do-all makeup that goes beyond BB crème to moisturize, prime, perfect, and protect—both instantly and over time.  SPF 25 provides daily defense from the sun.  Two patented anti-aging ingredients decrease the appearance of pores and fine lines.  Hibiscus and olive extracts keep skin hydrated.  Lightweight, buildable coverage with an ultra-smoothing finish.  Comes in four shades—light, medium, medium-dark, and dark.

DD Concealer - A multifunctional concealer that disguises and diminishes the appearance of dark circles, discoloration, redness, blemishes, and other skin flaws.  Brightens and evens skin tone.  Erases minor and major imperfection.  Age-defying antioxidants protect delicate and damage-prone areas.  Light-diffusing powders minimize wrinkles and pores.  Highly concentrated formula.  Comes in three shades—light, medium, and dark.

Double Duty Makeup Brush - This unique 2-in-1 tool contains two stackable brushes—a large tapered brush for streak-free foundation application and a flat concealer brush that offers precision coverage and control.  Includes a tapered foundation brush and flat concealer brush.  Brushes can be stacked for storage or attached to create a double-ended brush.  Silky-soft synthetic brush heads allow for smooth, precise makeup application.

Face First Set - This set contains two products.  The DD Creme - A dynamic do-all makeup that goes beyond BB crème to moisturize, prime, perfect, and protect—both instantly and over time. SPF 25 provides daily defense from the sun. Two patented anti-aging ingredients decrease the appearance of pores and fine lines. Hibiscus and olive extracts keep skin hydrated. Lightweight, buildable coverage with an ultra-smoothing finish. Comes in four shades—light, medium, medium-dark, and dark.  The Double Duty Makeup Brush - This unique 2-in-1 tool contains two stackable brushes—a large tapered brush for streak-free foundation application and a flat concealer brush that offers precision coverage and control. Includes a tapered foundation brush and flat concealer brush. Brushes can be stacked for storage or attached to create a double-ended brush. Silky-soft synthetic brush heads allow for smooth, precise makeup application.

Good to Glow Set - This set contains three products, two of which are Nail Colors.  The DD Creme -A dynamic do-all makeup that goes beyond BB crème to moisturize, prime, perfect, and protect—both instantly and over time. SPF 25 provides daily defense from the sun. Two patented anti-aging ingredients decrease the appearance of pores and fine lines. Hibiscus and olive extracts keep skin hydrated. Lightweight, buildable coverage with an ultra-smoothing finish. Comes in four shades—light, medium, medium-dark, and dark.  Nail Color -  Julep Nail Color is “4-free” and does not contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP. Our professional chip-resistant formulation is fast drying and highly pigmented. Julep nail color is a fun way to make the season’s latest shades accessible to everyone. And because we’ve tested our trend-setting toxin-free colors and products in over 100,000 manicures and pedicures in our parlors, we have a good idea of what works and what our clients love.
- Bunny - crisp white linen with fine gold shimmer
- Dianna - mint green creme

Boy I hope that I like these polishes when I finally do order them from Sephora, some of these colors are great and I hope that the formula is just as good as the shades.  I think that I am going to start with ordering some of the polish shades and then decide on the rest of the makeup and manicure products and see the quality of the line overall.  I really like a bunch of these shades but I think that I will order one or two to begin with and go from there.  My favorite color is the deep navy blue, Char, and this will be my first purchase from the line.  I also like the following shades: Bunny (white) and Reagan (bright pink) and I am hoping that this polish line becomes another one of my polish obsessions.

photo courtesy of Julep

Deborah Lippmann Summer 2013 Nail Polish Collection

The color collections are now really coming at us and the polish collections are now coming out too.  We had a great spring season for nail polish shades and I don't know how the beauty industry will be able to top the speckled polishes that were introduced by Illamasqua and Deborah Lippmann over the past few months.  After the great season that we just came off of, I am now doubly excited to see what some of my favorite companies have in store for me this season.  In the summer months, I love brights and then really pale nudes, I will be sick of pale pastel shades in the next few weeks and I will go back to wearing my favorite brights right after that!  I think that I am hoping to pick up a few new great brights in the next few weeks and then I want to buy at least one or two more pale nudes to add to my collection.  I am all over the polish shade range in the summer months and I usually change my polish at least every two days this time of the week.  And that doesn't even count my weekly pedicures...

The first new nail polish collection that I have seen for the summer months is that of Deborah Lippmann's and therefore that is right where we will begin!  I have loved this brand for years now and this is one of the best brands for pale neutral polish shades.  Sarah Smile is still one of my favorite shades, it is a lovely pale pink that was designed for Sarah Jessica Parker when she was on the set of Sex and the City (still my favorite television show!).  I will need to get another bottle of this shade very soon since I wear it all the time and for all occasions.

So what is Deborah Lippmann doing for the summer months?  We have four new shades offered that are all inspired by mermaids, I remember several summers ago that the beauty industry went through a mermaid phase and my favorite OPI for Sephora polish came out in this middle of this trend.  I wonder if this trend will be back this summer, the Chanel summer collection shades would work very well with this type of trend and I am betting that we will see more collections that are inspired by this type of trend.

Here are the new shades that Deborah Lippmann has brought out for the summer!

- Do the Mermaid - lavender luster (glittered shimmer)
- Million Dollar Mermaid - tangerine twinkle (glittered shimmer)
- Mermaid's Kiss - bubbling blush (glittered shimmer)
- Mermaid's Eyes - seaside cerulean (glittered shimmer)

Mermaid's Eyes is my favorite of the new shades, I love any type of teal polish shade and this shade is very unique and quite special.  These shades might be my new favorites for the summer season and I am so excited to try out this new finish, I never thought that the speckled finish could be topped and this is almost like a shimming version of it.  After I get the teal shade, I want to buy both of the pink and lavender shades and I know that I will wear them all summer long. 

This collection is wonderful and a great start to summer polish collections, I still can't believe that companies can find more new finishes to make and each time they only get better and better.  I think that Mermaid's Eyes might be my early favorite of the whole summer season!

photo courtesy of Deborah Lippmann

Benefit World Famous Neutrals - Easiest Nudes Ever

Benefit is fast overtaking Tarte as a company that is known very well for putting out only the best makeup palettes for every single season.  This spring has brought the introduction of several new palettes, including a series called the World Famous Neutrals palettes.  We have looked at one of these palettes so far, the Glamorous Palette and today we are looking at the Easiest Nudes Ever version of the palette.  The Easiest Nudes Ever palette will be more universal than the previous palette, this one contains less dramatic shades and will be very easy for any lady to pull off.  I am thinking that this might be a better palette for the daytime and I would use the other one when getting more dressed up.

"An eyeshadow kit featuring the easiest nudes ever!  These soft, flattering eyeshadows in award-winning creaseless creams and new longwear powder-shadows make enhancing your eyes effortless. The universally flattering shades layer beautifully —and the tips and tricks show you how to create looks for daytime and playtime."  This palette contains some very light shades and then some medium to deep shades and the shades can be mixed up to create very natural or more dramatic eye looks.

A few more details about the shades and products inside!

Longwear Powder Eye Shadow - A powder eye shadow that lasts.  Finally, powder eye shadow in a fabulous long-wearing formula. This soft and silky shadow comes in 12 wearable shades and three finishes: matte, satin, and sheen. From pale shell to brilliant silver, these Benefit eye shadows have got you covered!  Make it last extra long! Layer long-wear powder shadow over your creaseless cream shadow for extra staying power.
- Call My Buff - pale shell
- Quick, Look Busy - matte expresso
- Thanks A Latte - golden brown
- Pinky Swear - soft matte pink

Creaseless Cream Eye Shadow - A long-wear cream eye shadow that won’t crease or smudge.  Benefit’s award-winning cream shadows are as crease-resistant and smudge-proof as ever! The 10 incredibly wearable shades (including original favorites RSVP, Birthday Suit, and Skinny Jeans) glide on easily and last all day. It’s fresh and fabulous color for all!  Make it last even longer! Layer long-wear powder shadow over your creaseless cream shadow for extra staying power.
- R.S.V.P. - sparkling champagne
- No Pressure! - rich fawn

I'm sure which of the palettes that I am the most excited for, I love both of them and I now want to buy both.  I have so many neutral eye shadow shades already and I always want to buy more of them because I use them all the time, I use all the shades in every palette and mix and match between all the palettes.  I love the addition of the pale pink matte hue in this palette, this one will mix so well with the golds and bronzes that I already own, I have been using roses with my neutrals over the past few seasons and I have always loved the results so I am excited to try out with a pale pink.  I am thinking that I will try the pale pink with a gold shadow and then perhaps a bronze eye liner to top it off. 

I am pretty excited for these new palettes from Benefit and I want to buy both of the Neutrals palettes that we have looked at so far.  I can't really pick a favorite between the two because I love both of them so much and would use both of them throughout the whole year.  I am really excited about all the new products that Benefit has been releasing and I will be shopping from this counter at Sephora!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Ojon Dry Recovery Hydrating Smoothing Cream

I haven't been really trying many new products for my hair lately, I have been buying Matrix Color Care products from my salon and I have been so happy with them that I have been using them almost every single day.  I should be changing up my haircare product more often so that I can avoid any type of residue from forming on my hair and I have decided that I should order a few new products from Sephora and go back to alternating between brands.  I just started looking back through my stash of products and I found this Ojon product that I bought at the end of last fall and then put away until I used my Alterna Bamboo Oil up.  I just finished that product two weeks ago so I brought this cream out and have been using it for about a week now.  I have always loved Ojon' performance but until recently, the scent of the products have made me shy from using them on a regular basis.  I must not have been the only one since this company has really improved the fragrance of all of their hair care products!

I decided to buy a smoothing cream from this company late last fall, I wanted something hydrating and that will fight frizz in both cold and warm weather.  Ojon was a logical company to look for this product from as they are know for having some of the best hydrating products on the market and their products are designed for coarse hair types.  I bought the Dry Recovery Hydrating Smoothing Cream, a cream that can be used to polish and smoother hair either before or after drying. 

"A nourishing styling cream that adds definition, hydration, and brilliant shine.  This cream instantly helps dyed, dried, or fried hair come alive. It's a nourishing leave-in conditioner with the hair-repairing power of nature's golden elixir, ojon oil, plus blue agave, rich butters, and oils. It tames split ends, flyaways, and frizz, and it's so lightweight you won't know it's there—but it still holds your style.  In healthy hydrated hair, the scales of the cuticle lie flat like the shingles on a roof. But when these scales become damaged, they lift and separate and no longer play their protective role. Water evaporates, cuticles become more brittle, more moisture is lost, and hair becomes drier. This simple daily ritual breaks this vicious cycle. And the refreshing aroma of ylang ylang, sweet orange, and geranium refreshes your spirits."

This product is recommended for use on damp hair but I have read reviews of it being used on dry hair too.  I have only used when my hair is damp so that I can add a bit more moisture and protection before blow drying and straight ironing.  It comes out of the tube with a thick lotion texture and I only have to use a dime-sized drop to cover all of my hair.  I soften it in my hands and then evenly apply it through damp size so that I can style it with the blow dryer. 

I was happy that this cream is a light texture, I was afraid that it would be as thick as some of the Jonathan Dirt products and that I would still need another product to alternate with it.  This product does not weigh my hair down and hasn't created any issues with building up on the ends.  The earthy floral fragrance of the product is much improved from the old "dirt" scent that the first generation of products had and I love the improvement.  I now want to buy more products from Ojon and I will be alternating them with the Matrix products that I currently love. 

photo courtesy of Sephora

Smashbox Summer 2013 Collection - Heat Wave

I have been seeing pictures of the new Smashbox eye shadow palette on the What's Hot section of the Sephora website and I am very excited to see that the whole collection is now available on the Smashbox website.  I have been using a Smashbox eye shadow primer for the past few weeks and I now want to try even more products from this company, especially some different primers and BB creams.  I am now adding that palette to my Smashbox shopping list and to my Sephora Friends and Family shopping list.  My Sephora list will be so long at this point and I have a feeling that I will need to edit my list several times before I even make one order.

This collection from Smashbox is named Heat Wave and only consists of one palette and one set.  I am disappointed with this collection, I love the eye shadow palette but I wish that the collection was much larger and contained more blush and bronzer products.  I continue to remain on the hunt for at least one more bronzer formula to use this summer and I would have expected Smashbox to have a great selection of bronzer formulas. 

The Smashbox website contains a description of Heat Wave, "The heat is on!  Live out a golden summer with this hot collection of earth-inspired hues perfectly paired with vibrant glosses."  I have been wearing neutral eyes with bright lips for the past two summers and I plan to keep wearing looks like this for the upcoming summer too.  I know that I will want the palette but I am still undecided on the lip gloss set.

Here is Heat Wave!

Heat Wave Eye Shadow Palette and Brush - Turn up the drama, or keep it low-key-it's up to you with our stunning summer palette! 10 totally on-trend shades in our luxe wet-dry formula let you create naturally pretty eyes or amped-up glam looks.
- soft matte peach/soft champagne beige/soft matte caramel/golden pink/gold/pink beige with silver flecks/soft pewter gray/soft golden sea blue/shimmering taupe/deep golden brown

Heat Wave Lip Gloss Set -
Make your pout shout with these 4 turned-up shades. These mega-juicy glosses will leave lips saturated in the season's hottest hues! Shades: Electric Orange, Fuchsia Flash, VIP Pink, Copper Remix.  Breathe new life into your matte lipsticks! Apply a coat of this gloss for a lustrous finish.
- Electric Orange - bright orange cream
- Fuchsia Flash - bright magenta pink cream
- VIP Pink - bright medium pink cream
- Copper Remix - medium copper shimmer

I already know that I would not buy the lip gloss set, I would only wear two of the shades to begin with.  There is no way that either the orange or copper shades would be flattering on my skintone and I can already rule them out.  I am also a bit concerned about how glossy the bright pink shades are, I tend to prefer these types of shades in matte and cream finishes, as they can look very tacky with a dramatic glossy finish.  Safe to say that the set will not be coming home with me from Sephora.

The eye shadow palette is an item that I will be able to get lots of use form this summer and I think that I will order it with one of my Friends and Family orders.  All of these shades will work very well together and then will also be able to be blended with both Urban Decay Naked palettes.  I could very well create eye makeup looks all summer from just mixing the shades in these three palettes.  I feel like I have skipped spring all together and am now only getting excited for summer eye makeup products and shades.  I need to finish my spring shopping first but this palette will be at the top of my list when I start shopping for summer!

photo courtesy of Smashbox