Laura Mercier Fall 2013 Collection - Dark Spell

Laura Mercier has now brought their fall collection out and this is one of the few from this line that is flirting with the more dramatic shades and trends of the fall season.  This company normally brings out collections and shades that are very easy to wear and can be worn in any type of professional environment and this is a collection that goes against the norm and will be used more for going out and getting dressed up.  This is not a company that is known for carrying very pigmented products and I wonder how some of these shades will perform against companies that are known for carrying very dramatic and high pigmented shades.  I cannot see this company suddenly changing their formulas for this collection release and I am not seeing that NARS has a very competitor...

One photo of this collection proves that there are some very pretty shades included in the collection and I might do an extra bit of fall makeup shopping from this line.  This will be a huge fall for me, I already love products from Chanel and Urban Decay and now I have another collection to obsess over.  I see some new formulas included in this collection, especially a cream eye shadow formula that looks very exciting to me...

Here is the Dark Spell collection from Laura Mercier...

Baked Eye Colour - An innovative wet/dry Eye Colour formula featuring Baked technology in beautiful shades that last all day.  This smudge resistant, lightweight eye colour gently smoothes onto the lid for an even application.  Ultra blendable and versatile, apply dry with the All Over Eye Colour Brush for an even wash of colour or wet with the Crème Eye Colour Brush for a more vibrant effect.  Ophthalmologist tested. Appropriate for contact lens wearers.  Fragrance-Free. Paraben-Free. Dermatologically and allergy tested to minimize the risk of allergy and irritation.
- Magical - white with black
- Mystical - black with silver specs

Sateen Eye Colour - A lightweight eye shadow with a creamy powder texture that provides an immediate release of intense luminous colour with superior blending for a long-wearing, crease-resistant application. Compatible with Laura’s signature 3 and 6 well Custom Compacts, create your personalized look for eyes, cheeks and lips.  Distinctive and full of colour with one stroke application  Unique blendability and silky application imparts a supple film of comfort on the skin.  Creates a harmonious blend of pigment and pearl.  Pop each shade from its compact case and place in a Custom Compact creating a customized eye colour palette.
- Dark Spirit - deep charcoal gray satin

Kohl Eye Pencil - Formulated specifically for lining the inside of the eyelid & the base of the lashes. The soft, creamy formula glides easily along the eyelid, creating a smooth and well-balanced line. The luxurious texture allows anyone to achieve the perfect "smoky eye" with maximum wearability. Each pencil contains a thicker diameter than the Eye Pencil to create a more pigmented, dramatic effect.   Luxurious texture for maximum wearability.  Allows anyone to easily achieve the perfect "smoky eye".  Soft, creamy formula glides easily along the eyelid.  Creates a smooth & well-balanced line.  Contains a thicker diameter than the Eye Pencil to create a more pigmented, dramatic effect.
- Black - deep black

Caviar Stick Eye Colour - A long-wearing, creamy shadow with an innovative, lightweight texture that glides on and adheres to the eyelid perfectly, leaving an even finish that lasts for hours.  Inspired by Laura Mercier's cult classic Caviar Eye Liner, Caviar Stick Eye Colour offers a new technique to enhance the smoky eye look. In a range of eight beautiful shades, this creamy formula provides endless options for a flawless smoky eye. Each convenient stick is long-wearing, transfer- and crease-resistant. The colour glides onto lids and blends easily with a rich colour payoff.
- Smoke - dark charcoal

Spellbound Facial Illuminator - Beautiful face illuminating hybrid product with a soft rose gold shimmer perfect for highlighting; the unique formula of pure light-reflecting pigments provides buildable long-wearing colour. 

Nail Lacquer - Limited Edition. The ultra-smooth formula provides chip-resistant, fast-drying and long-lasting color. Nail Lacquer does not contain formaldehyde, toluene, or dibutyl phthalate (DBP).
- Forbidden - deep forest green with black shimmer
- Bewitched - medium cool nude shimmer

Lip Plumper - Instantly plump, hydrate and moisturize for healthier, sexier looking lips.  A refreshing, cooling effect builds up over 20 minutes to plump lips, lasting up to two hours.  Infusion of unique ingredients penetrate skin, stimulate collagen production and beneficially smooth the lip surface.  Offer a slight tint to the lips for natural looking lips that are perfectly pouty and kissable.
- Charmed - peach
- Rose Flush - plum neutral rose

Crème Smooth Lip Colour - A luxurious lipstick that gives lips the ultimate in colour, texture, and finish. In one smoothing swipe, the crème formula envelops lips in rich colour with a semi-lustrous finish.  Cushiony, lightweight creamy texture feels comfortable on lips.  Provides medium to full coverage with a semi-lustrous finish.  Longwearing formula (6 hours to 8 hours).  Provides rich colour with one smoothing swipe.  Colour glides evenly onto lips; does not skip or drag.  Give the appearance of visibly fuller and younger looking lips.  Formula does not bleed or feather; does not dry or fade; does not setting into lip lines.  Features an elegant, modern case with a metalized finish.  Dermatologically and allergy tested to minimize the risk of allergy and irritation.  Fragrance-free.
- Angelic - delicate nude pink
- Merlot - deep burgundy

I am little bit disappointed by this collection, there really isn't anything in it that sets Laura Mercier apart from the rest of the beauty collections.  I like many of the products but I can't say that there is anything that I truly love and would be obsessed with buying this season.  My favorite product is the eye shadow that I have pictured with the collection, the Baked Eye Colour in Magical is the most unique product in this collection and the only one that I would really want to add to my fall shopping season.  I have very few white eye shadows and this one would work well with the charcoals and blacks that are already part of my growing eye shadow collection.

I like many of the other products but I can't say that I must have them.  The Lip Plumper interests me, I haven't used this type of product in years but this formula does not seem like it will give me the "Goldie Hawn in First Wives Club" lips.  I might have to try out the Rose Flush color, this will be a good rosy hue for me that I will be able to wear all the time.  I am looking at this product as more of a hydrating lip stain than a gloss or stick.  I also do like the Angelic shade of the Crème Smooth Lip Colour, I would like to broaden my lipstick collection and add more brands to it.  The last piece of the collection that I would like is the Caviar Stick Eye Colour, I want to try using it with a smoky eye look and see how it compares to the MAC formula that I typically use.

Not the best collection of the season but I doubt that it is the worst.  It has a few good pieces but none that inspire beauty lush from me.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara

After looking at the fall collection from Urban Decay earlier this week, I headed over to Sephora to rekindle my love of this company.   I wasn't able to get all the products that I wanted yet, some hadn't come in every shade and some were already sold out.  My first attempted shopping trip of the new fall collection was a bust but I did pick up a new item from this company.  Last month, I wrote about the 100% Pure Fruit Pigment Mascara that I was using and how it just wasn't doing it for me in both appearance and performance.  I can now add to that review...it also seemed to try dry up in the tube much faster than most brands of mascaras (maybe a difference in the natural ingredients that are not found in other formulas) and I needed a new tube faster than I thought I would.  My tubes last about two and a half to three months for me and that formula gave up very soon after two months.

I have used a formula from Urban Decay before (the original Big Fatty) and I hated it...even before the tube broke after only having it for several weeks.  Urban Decay has now done away with that formula and has introduced a new series of mascara formulas and I was drawn to this counter after getting excited over the fall collection.  One of the formulas that was available is the Lush Lash formula and this is the one that I decided to purchase and try out.  I wanted a solid volumizing and lengthening formula and this one's description sounds like it will be one that will do the trick.

I bought this product at Sephora and it is also available on their website, I searched for it on the Urban Decay website but I didn't see it on there.  So Sephora it is for this product...  "A thickening and lengthening mascara formulated to help lashes actually grow longer.  This nourishing, thickening, and lengthening mascara is infused with peptides and moisturizing panthenol that allows your lashes to grow for a longer period of time. Its formula builds and beautifies so your lashes will grow longer and fuller over time. Used in conjunction with Urban Decay's Lush Lash System (Growth Accelerating Serum and Conditioning Mask), it provides additional lash nourishment. This very enduring formula is not technically waterproof, but there was zero smudging or running after road-testing it in a hot yoga class. The outer component features a lush swirl motif, and the large hourglass-shaped brush provides generous mascara distribution. It's the ideal mascara for anyone who suffers from brittle, fragile lashes, as well as those with great lashes who want to build and strengthen them even more."

I have been using this formula for four days now and I can already state that this is a much better formula that the previous one that I used from Urban Decay and better than the one from 100% Pure that I just threw away.  I like how this formula has nourishing and hydrating ingredients along with ingredients that will deliver the lengthen and volume that I require in a good mascara.  This formula is best for lengthening, it is one o the best formulas that I have used in that aspect.  The volumizing aspect is good but not the best that I have used , the formula is passable and works well enough for me to like this formula. 

The formula lengthens my lashes very nicely without clumping and this formula is never sticky or tacky.  Lush Lash enhances the volume of my lashes about double (against when I am not wearing anything at all) while still enhancing the definition of each individual lash.  It stated in the description that the formula is not considered to be "waterproof" but does perform in extreme conditions.  This formula has worn through many work outs for me (even the one when the air conditioning died the one morning) and I have not seen any running or smearing from this product.  This is a great formula for the summer months, it wears well in extreme weather and would be great for outdoor activities.  The wear on this product is above my expectations and I would recommend for anyone who is active when the weather is warm.

I wear one coat of this product for day and two for night.  One coat is enough to see a difference in the length and volume of my lashes. two really builds them up and this look is best reserved for going out at night.  Two coats would be too much for most professional environments or classes.

The mascara removes relatively well, a cotton ball with eye makeup remover gets about 80% of the product off and then the washcloth in the shower will clean the rest of it up.  This is one of the better formulas for clean removal and it performs much better in this aspect than the original Big Fatty formula from this company. 

Overall, this is a good quality mascara that works well for both lengthening and volumizing.  I have not seen any of the long term benefits and I personally believe that they will come more with the use of the full Lush Lash system and not just the mascara.  I doubt that I will see much of a difference in my bare lashes in the next four weeks but I will report back if I do.  This formula is the best in the warm weather months, it stays put in extreme workouts and temperatures and this aspect would be wasted in the winter months.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Fitness Friday - Blueberries

It is time again for Fitness Friday, yesterday I took my first yoga lesson and I am still sore from all of the new positions that I learned (and probably looked terrible doing) and I decided that our second Friday should be about one of my favorite healthy snacks in the summer months.  I love blueberry everything but spend most of my time eating them straight in the middle of the summer.  We are in the season for locally grown (at least as close as New Jersey is to me) blueberries and I can get easily and eat as many as I want.  My favorite fruit is still strawberries but blueberries are a close second and they contribute to making summer one of my favorite seasons and the one where I have the easiest time eating a healthy diet and really enjoying it at the exact same time. 

The World's Healthiest Foods website has a great feature on this superfood, "In terms of U.S. fruit consumption, blueberries rank only second to strawberries in popularity of berries. Blueberries are not only popular, but also repeatedly ranked in the U.S. diet as having one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits, vegetables, spices and seasonings. Antioxidants are essential to optimizing health by helping to combat the free radicals that can damage cellular structures as well as DNA. We recommend enjoying raw blueberries — rather than relying upon blueberries incorporated into baked desserts — because, like other fruits, raw blueberries provide you with the best flavor and the greatest nutritional benefits.  As one of the few fruits native to North America, blueberries have been enjoyed by Native Americans for hundreds of years. They have also enjoyed great popularity around the world in cuisines from Asia to the Mediterranean. For more on the Healthiest Way of Preparing Blueberries, see below."

"What's New and Beneficial about Blueberries. 

After many years of research on blueberry antioxidants and their potential benefits for the nervous system and for brain health, there is exciting new evidence that blueberries can improve memory. In a study involving older adults (with an average age of 76 years), 12 weeks of daily blueberry consumption was enough to improve scores on two different tests of cognitive function including memory. While participants in the study consumed blueberries in the form of juice, three-quarters of a pound of blueberries were used to make each cup of juice. As participants consumed between 2 to 2-1/2 cups each day, the participants actually received a very plentiful amount of berries. The authors of this study were encouraged by the results and suggested that blueberries might turn out to be beneficial not only for improvement of memory, but for slowing down or postponing the onset of other cognitive problems frequently associated with aging.

New studies make it clear that we can freeze blueberries without doing damage to their delicate anthocyanin antioxidants. There's no question about the delicate nature of many antioxidant nutrients found in blueberries. These antioxidants include many different types of anthocyanins, the colorful pigments that give many foods their wonderful shades of blue, purple, and red. After freezing blueberries at temperatures of 0°F (-17°C) or lower for periods of time between 3-6 months, researchers have discovered no significant lowering of overall antioxidant capacity or anthocyanin concentrations. Anthocyanins studied have included malvidins, delphinidins, pelargonidins, cyanidins, and peonidins. These findings are great news for anyone who grows, buys, or picks fresh berries in season and wants to enjoy them year round. They are also great news for anyone who has restricted access to fresh blueberries but can find them in the freezer section of the market.

 Berries in general are considered low in terms of their glycemic index (GI). GI is a common way of identifying the potential impact of a food on our blood sugar level once we've consumed and digested that food. In general, foods with a GI of 50 or below are considered "low" in terms of their glycemic index value. When compared to other berries, blueberries are not particularly low in terms of their GI. Studies show the GI for blueberries as falling somewhere in the range of 40-53, with berries like blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries repeatedly scoring closer to 30 than to 40. However, a recent study that included blueberries as a low-GI fruit has found that blueberries, along with other berries, clearly have a favorable impact on blood sugar regulation in persons already diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Participants in the study who consumed at last 3 servings of low-GI fruits per day (including blueberries) saw significant improvement in their regulation of blood sugar over a three-month period of time. (Their blood levels of glycosylated hemoglobin, or HgA1C were used as the standard of measurement in this study.) It's great to see blueberries providing these clear health benefits for blood sugar regulation!

If you want to maximize your antioxidant benefits from blueberries, go organic! A recent study has directly compared the total antioxidant capacity of organically grown versus non-organically grown highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L., var. Bluecrop) and found some very impressive results for the organically grown berries. Organically grown blueberries turned out to have significantly higher concentrations of total phenol antioxidants and total anthocyanin antioxidants than conventionally grown blueberries, as well as significantly higher total antioxidant capacity. Numerous specific antioxidant anthocyanins were measured in the study, including delphinidins, malvidins, and petunidins. The antioxidant flavonoid quercetin was also measured. "

Let's trim this done and sum up the benefits!  Blueberries are best when eaten by themselves or mixed with plain Greek Yogurt and a bit of brown sugar (as I enough eating them), they taste great in dessert but this isn't the best way to reap the health benefits of them.  I want to try making a smoothie with these same ingredients and see how well they work together in this medium.  I primarily use this fruit for it's anti-oxidant properties and low sugar level, this is one of the few fruits that I love that don't top out my sugars and carbs for the day. 

My next steps will be to investigate how to freeze this fruit or to find out where I can buy them already frozen in the dead of winter, this should allow me to make healthy smoothies all throughout the year and keep reaping the benefits of the fruit when I can't get it as easily as usual.  I also want to look for the blueberry juices that this article talks about and start reaping the health benefits this way too.  I learn a few great facts from this article and I look forward to continuing to learn more about my favorite foods over the next Fridays!

photo courtesy of Google

Bath and Body Works Summer Chill

Now that the Semi Annual Sale is over, Bath and Body Works has created several new lines of products and I have been all about this store for since the beginning of this month.  We have already looked at the True Blue Spa Shower Smoothies and I picked up the rest of the collection scents already.  Now I am moving toward the Summer Chill collection of scents that was released for the Signature Collection and I have even more body products to collect at the moment.

Summer Chill is probably the last limited edition collection that Bath and Body Works will release for the warm weather months, I remember from working there in college that the fall products start getting shipped to stores at the end of July so soon we will all start thinking about pumpkins and cider.  But until then...I need to celebrate every minute of the warm weather and pick up a few last minute summer products!

The Summer Chill collection consists of three new fragrances, each with the typical products that are found in the Signature Collection.  All three fragrances are available in the Fine Fragrance Mist, Shower Gel, and Body Lotion; I am disappointed to see that none of the fragrances are available in the Triple Moisture Body Cream that I prefer to use.

The first fragrance that I tried from this collection is still my favorite of the three and the one that I took home first, White Mango Chill.  Everyone that knows me knows that I love mango scents both in the summer and then all year long and this is one of the best that I have smelled in years.  This fragrance is up with The Body Shop Mango and I wanted these products as soon as I smelled them.  "Chill out with an ice cold cooler of white mango, kiwi sorbet and strawberry frost."  The top notes of this scent are: Fresh Red Raspberry, Blackberry, Strawberry, Tangerine, Water Lily, Blue Freesia, Frozen Melon.  The middle notes are: White Mango, Jasmine, Muguet, Orange Blossom, Solar Floral.  The base notes are: Blue Sugar Cane, Musk, Vanilla Bean, Creamy Sandalwood, Teakwood.  This is my favorite scent and I was so excited to buy it the other day!

The second fragrance is my least favorite of the collection, I thought that I would love the Coconut Water Chill since I love coconut scents but this one did nothing for me.  "Beat the summer heat with the ultimate refresher of coconut water, iced acai berry & watery melon.", the problem with this scent for me is that it smells next to nothing like coconut and I get more of a weak melon and berry mixture.  This scent smelled like nothing on my skin and I wasn't impressed.  The top notes are:  Sparkling Tangerine, Lemon Italy Orpur, Bergamot Italia Orpur, Iced Acai, Frozen Apple.  The heart notes of the fragrance are: Watery Melon Notes, Sheer Muguet, Pineapple Juice, Jasmine Petals.  The bottom notes are: Sheer Coconut Water, Sandalwood, Musk, Touch of Madagascar Vanilla.

The last fragrance is the one that I liked but wouldn't consider buying.  The Citrus Orchid Chill is a slightly citrusy scent with a slight floral note.  "Slight" is the best word to describe this scent, it has very little fragrance.  "Cool off during the white hot days of summer with this exotic blend of iced blue orchid, lemon granita & watery star fruit."  The top notes are: Watery Starfruit, Lemon Granita, Sparkling Tangelo.  The middle notes are: Iced Blue Orchid, Chilled Lotus, Pink Jasmine.  The base notes are: White Amber Crystals, Exotic Teak, Solar Musk.

I was expecting to like at least two of the fragrances, if not all three.  I wanted to like all three of the fragrances but only the White Mango Chill ended up coming home with me.  So far, I have bought the Shower Gel and the Body Lotion and I am considering buying multiples of those products since I love this Mango scent.  The Coconut was too berry for me and the Citrus Orchid scent was too light for me to get much of a fragrance from it.  If you don't like a lot of fragrance in the summer months, then these are the scents for you and will be great for you to wear until Labor Day.

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Urban Decay Fall 2013 Collection

Urban Decay has just released its fall collection at the very beginning of this week and this is usually one of the collections that I wait for and start lusting after products right after I start looking at the collection.  I have not bought as much Urban Decay over the past few months as I normally do and I think that fall is the time to change all of that, I have been using their Beauty Balm and Naked Palettes religiously for the past few months and they still occupy some of the top stops in my train case.  This is one of the few product lines that I own very few lip products from, I have one lip gloss formula from this company and normally the exact opposite is true when I find beauty brands that I love.  I own so many eye shadow palettes from this company and always want to order more as soon as they come out on the market.

The previews that I have been seeing from this collection are mostly around a new lipstick formula, making this one of the most anticipated collections for me this fall.  I have mostly been using MAC Lipglass formulas this summer and their Lipsticks earlier in the spring.  I think that it is time that I try a new formula and see how all the formulas that I have compare.  I also heard hints of some newness in the nail polish category and the face makeup category.  I am loving my Beauty Balm for the summer and want to see what formulas they bring out to use when the weather cools down.

Urban Decay collections rarely have a title or any type of theme and this one is exactly like those from the previous seasons.  This collection has no real theme to it but it is a great line up of new products for every feature!

Here is the fall line up from Urban Decay!

Revolution Lipstick - Creamy, badass luxury. Our Pigment Infusion System™ delivers insane color payoff with creamy shine, Maxi-Lip™ plumps and nourishing oils leave lips cushiony soft.
Get the color you crave. Addictive to apply (and even more addictive to wear), this creamy formula glides on without dragging or skipping, hugs every curve and gives you a BIG laydown of color. And with shades that range from gorgeous nudes to bold brights, there’s something for everyone.  Our Pigment Infusion System™ gives Revolution Lipstick its super creamy texture, insane pigmentation, superior color dispersion and extended wear. Maxi-Lip™ defines and hydrates lips while making them look plumper and fuller. And a nourishing blend of jojoba oil, avocado oil, cocoa butter and shea butter keeps lips super moisturized and cushiony soft.  Our luxe, custom-designed gunmetal tube (lined in dark purple) features organically shaped facets that practically beg to be touched. You’ll want to keep pulling it out of your bag—whether it’s time to reapply or not.
- Venom - rich plum
- Jilted - deep fuchsia pink
- Anarchy - bright fuchsia
- Turn On - rose pink with soft pearl
- 69 - classic red
- Bang - bright orange red
- Streak - coral pink with soft pearl
- Deep - warm brown nude
- Manic - rosy wine
- Rush - pink mauve with soft pearl
- Native - pale pink
- Obsessed - baby pink
- Liar - mauve nude
- Naked - nude pink
- Naked 2 - medium beige nude
- Ozone - clear

B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray - Give your skin a quick hit of vitamins and calm a multitude of sins. Stabilized vitamin B6 absorbs oil, minimizes pores and reduces redness. It’s one of those products you didn’t even know you needed. (But once you try it, you’ll wonder how you ever survived without it!).  This scientifically advanced formula contains the first patented, stabilized form of topical vitamin B6, which absorbs oil, minimizes pores and reduces redness. Spritz it on any time of day to hydrate, prep and soften your skin with vitamins and antioxidants. Use it in the morning to prep and “wake up” your skin, during the day to refresh your skin (without messing up your makeup), or at night before your treatment.  Vitamin B6 helps normalize overactive cell-signaling proteins (called cytokines) to help control oil production, vitamin E provides antioxidants, and willow bark (rich in natural salicylic acid) aids cell turnover.  This energizing formula feels amazing and is great for ALL ages and skin types. (Trust us, even your boyfriend will want to steal it!) And the more you use it, the better the results. In a clinical study, after 8 weeks of use:
• Over 81% of participants had a measurable reduction in oil and surface shine.
• Over 78% had more radiant skin with less redness and fewer blemishes.
• A majority of participants had a measurable improvement in pore size.
• Over 72% had a measurable improvement in their skin’s overall appearance.
This soothing spray comes in a sleek, soft-touch bottle (dark purple, of course) with a bright neon-green sprayer. Like our setting sprays, it emits a calibrated, microfine mist that goes on so light, you’ll hardly feel it.
Naked Skin Ultra Definition Pressed Finishing Powder - Finish getting Naked. Our silky, weightless finishing powder blends flawlessly to set makeup and cut shine—for a luminous, demi-matte Naked finish. It’s the next evolution in Naked Skin. Designed to be virtually invisible once applied, our high-tech, jet-milled powder has an insanely silky texture that feels amazing on your skin. Optical blurring pigments instantly minimize imperfections, diminish shine and create a stunning soft-focus effect that looks professionally retouched.  Unlike powders that leave skin looking chalky or cakey, Naked Skin Finishing Powder gives you a radiant complexion and NATURAL-looking Naked coverage. (And just wait until you see how it enhances the already-luminous finish of Naked Skin Beauty Balm and Naked Skin Liquid Makeup.).  Our gorgeous gunmetal and champagne custom compact is so luxe, it even has a Naked-embossed push button. The top compartment includes a full-size mirror—perfect for on-the-go touchups—and a separate compartment underneath holds the applicator sponge. When you’re done applying, just slip the case into the pretty carrying pouch to keep it protected in your bag.  Available in five shades to complement all skin tones.

24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil - Get primed and ready for action. Our long-lasting, waterproof liner glides on smoothly to prime AND define—for long-lasting lip color and clean lines. Smooch. Pout. Smack. Nibble. Lick. 24/7 stays put through everything (yes, EVERYTHING) you do. When you use our liner to fill in your lips completely, it primes them for lipstick or gloss, grabbing on to color to help it last.  Part of the 24/7 family, our long-lasting, waterproof formula glides on smoothly, stays creamy and defines your lips with gorgeous color. And unlike a lot of waterproof pencils (we won’t name names), 24/7 never feels dry or cakey. Moisturizing vitamin E, jojoba oil and cottonseed oil nourish your lips every time you reapply. And shade-matched barrels make it easy to find the exact color you need (no matter how crammed your bag is).  Even women who don’t usually wear lip liner love Ozone, our best-selling clear shade. Like all our other shades, it holds color in place and prevents feathering—yet it’s totally invisible on your lips.
- Anarchy - bright fuchsia
- Bang - bright orange red
- 69 - classic red
- Deep - warm brown nude
- Jilted - deep fuchsia pink
- Liar - mauve nude
- Manic - rosy wine
- Naked - nude pink
- Naked 2 - medium beige nude
- Native - pale pink
- Obsessed - baby pink
- Ozone - clear
- Rush - pink mauve with soft pearl
- Streak - coral pink with soft pearl
- Turn On - rose pink with soft pearl
- Venom - rich plum

Brow Box - Match your brow to your box! We packed all the tools you need for amazing brows into one palm-size kit: two shades of brow color, wax, tweezers and two brushes. Maintaining your brows shouldn’t involve a small army of products and a sizeable amount of real estate in your bag. That’s why we created our all-in-one Brow Box.  Each set includes two shades of silky brow powder, perfecting/setting wax, high-quality metal mini tweezers (they really work!), two mini angled brushes and two mirrors (one of them magnifies so you won’t miss a single stray!). Blend both shades of brow powder together to create your perfect shade (for natural-looking results you could never achieve with a standard eyebrow pencil); then use the wax to create a precise shape and keep hairs in place.  Don’t be fooled by its small size; Brow Box is deluxe. The ultra-fine, silky powders create defined, natural-looking brows, and the soft, pliable perfecting/setting wax (infused with nourishing aloe, beeswax and coconut) provides the perfect amount of grip without being sticky. We even included two brushes (one for the wax and the other for the eyebrow powders).  Sturdy and soft to the touch, our double-layer compact has a custom metal cover with an embossed UD logo and pyramid studs for a cool, edgy vibe. The top tier holds the powders and wax, and the bottom tier holds all the tools.
- Brown Sugar - dark brown/light brown
- Honey Pot - dark blonde/light blonde

Anti-Aging Eye Shadow Primer Potion - Meet your new best friend (with benefits). Get 24 hours of vibrant, crease-free shadow and minimize the appearance of wrinkles in 8 weeks.             
This formula not only locks shadow in place to give you vibrant, crease-free color that lasts all day; it also measurably improves the signs of aging over time. High-tech ingredients fight wrinkles and improve tone and texture, while optical blurring pigments create a subtle, soft-focus effect that instantly wakes up tired eyes and minimizes the appearance of redness, crepiness and other imperfections.
Nail Color - Ultra sophisticated and EXTREMELY limited edition, these decadent (and very UD) colors feature complex shade work, super-rich pigments and dynamic micro-sparkle. We hear rabid fans resort to all kinds of extreme measures in the name of acquiring a long-ago-discontinued favorite shade of our nail polish. (Rumor has it some colors have fetched obscene sums upwards of $60 on eBay!) Enough with the insanity—UD polish is BACK and better than ever.  Each fall and spring, Wende and our product development team will handpick two new shades that reflect their take on the season. But get them soon—because once they’re gone, they’re gone for good.  Long-wearing and chip-resistant, our formula has a high-gloss finish that’s tough and durable, yet flexible. And each shade is 3-free—formulated without toluene, formaldehyde or DBP.  Our custom-designed cap is topped with a skull (complete with roses for the eyes). Each FULL-SIZE bottle holds 10 ml of nail polish—plenty of color to last all season long. And wait until you try our high-performance, 400-strand brush. The fine strands pick up more product than other brushes, grabbing on to color to give you a clean, even and controlled laydown of polish. Incredibly precise, this brush even makes painting the outer corners of your nails easy. (Yes, it’s that good.)
- Vice - rich deep purple with red and blue micro-shimmer
- Addiction - smoky metallic gunmetal with multidimensional high shine micro sparkle

My return to purchasing tons of products from this company has begun!  I can't quite decide what exactly what my first purchases will be, I want the Pressed Powder, shades of the Lipstick, the new Nail Polishes, and to try the new formula of Primer Potion.  I can justify the purchase of the pressed powder, I am getting low on my current formula and won't be using bronzer much after the next two months, I think that this might be my first purchase from the collection and then I will continue onto the Lipstick formula.

I have only ever used lip gloss formulas from Urban Decay, I started with their old Lip Gunk formula when I was in college and continued onto their current formula about two years ago.  I have never known this company to have a good lipstick formula, I remember one product several years ago but not much about it.  The Revolution formula would be the first lipstick that I have used from this company and I will start ordering a few shades very soon.  The first lipstick shades that I want are 69 and Naked, Naked is one of their best nudes and I love it in the gloss formulas and I always want a new red lipstick to add to my collection.  I also really like the following shades: Jilted, Anarchy, Turn On, Rush, Native, Obsessed, and Liar.  I must try my first lip pencil, I want the Ozone shade to use as a base for lipstick shades and see how well it extends the wear on both my current and new lipstick and lip glosses shades. 

I am considering the new formula of Primer Potion, I don't know that I need the anti-aging benefits of this formulation but I would be interested to read the product reviews and see it performs better or very similar to the other formulas.  Lastly, I want the new nail polish shades.  These two shades will be so great for the fall months and I cannot wait to start wearing them!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Yogurt Shower Smoothies

All of you know that I have been using Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa self tanners for the past two years and I consider them to be among the best of the tanners on the market.  This is quite a feat considering that I have used some of the best self tanners from Sephora before and this is the only one that even comes close in quality.  Since I love this product so much, I am all about looking for new summer products in the Spa collection and I always wish that Bath and Body Works would expand this great line of products even further.  This summer, the company has brought out a new product for the shower and I am willing to bet that this is a summer-only product (though I can hope that it stays a bit longer).

The Shower Smoothies are a new product line that is based off the popularity of the Mango and Raspberry line of body products that I was buying earlier in the spring.  Those two collections were discontinued at the Sale that just ended and now I see that they are back in the shower products only and a few other fragrances have joined the line up.  I am excited to buy a bunch of these smoothies and use them all summer long, I already own several of the Mango and Raspberry and now I need more of them!

"Our creamy yogurt-enriched shower gel is a nourishing cocktail that cleanses and replenishes skin.  Vitamin E and nutrient-rich fruit extracts provide the ultimate summer indulgence!  Ultra-refreshing body cleanser contains exfoliating apricot seeds.  Rich & creamy formula provides abundant lather."  Each of the smoothies contains special fruit extracts that make them unique and all worth purchasing!

In addition to the Mango and Raspberry, there are four more fragrances that are part of this collection and I have already starting collecting them even though they have only come out last Monday.  The other fragrances that are available are...

- Strawberry Banana
- Blueberry Vanilla
- Honeydew Kiwi
- Pineapple Papaya

My favorites so far are the Strawberry Banana and the Pineapple Papaya.  The Strawberry Banana is the perfect combination of the two fragrances and is perfect to layer with the Fresh Picked Strawberry Body Lotion from last spring.  Pineapple Papaya is heavy on the pineapple and a very unique, tart pineapple fragrance.  This is one that I own nothing like already and was very excited to add it to my collection.  The Honeydew Kiwi is very heavy on the honeydew note, I can barely smell the kiwi note at all.  Again, very unique and a welcome addition to my collection.  The Blueberry Vanilla smells like blueberries and cream and I have never smelled anything like this scent before. 

I already bought both of the Strawberry Banana and Pineapple Papaya and want to buy the other two also.  I think that I can skip over the Mango and Raspberry since I already own two of each scent, I stocked up when they went on sale since I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get them again.  Turns out...I shouldn't have been quite so worried. 

I have only used the Strawberry Banana so far and I have found that this type of product can be used in two different ways, it works well when applied directly to the skin or when applied to a puff.  I like it both ways but I think that I prefer it when used directly on the skin, I have found that it helps to prolong my self tan and keep my skin very hydrated.  This is a great formula for someone with dry skin or that have had reactions to certain types of foaming ingredients in other body washes.

I love this product line and I really hope that this line is permanent but I believe that it only out foe the summer months.  I am going to buy the two other fragrances that I need and I am even considering picking up more than one bottle of each fragrance.

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries Coralina

I featured a review of the first of the Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries the other week and today we are onto to the second of the six fragrances, Sargasso was the first fragrance that I used from the samples that were included with my June Glossybox and it was an early favorite for me.  Today I am wearing and looking at the second fragrance of the group, Coralina, a fragrance that I loved the second that I put it on but am rapidly falling out of love with.

Since it is the beginning of July, I decided to use the fragrances in this group of six that would be appropriate for this time of the year.  I won't be able to really wear and review a strong fragrance that I would wear more in the fall and winter and therefore any of the scents that are described as such will be saved until September at the earliest.  Coralina and Mi Corazon look to be the other two fragrances that could be worn in warm weather and I decided to start with Coralina for my next fragrance.  Coralina is described as being a "timeless floral" and I got very excited as this is one of my favorite fragrance categories.

The Saks Fifth Avenue website and store are the exclusive places to purchase this fragrance line.  "A timeless, classic floral bouquet as elegant as the women who inspire Mr. de la Renta's luxurious designs: ladylike, refined, and rare.  The scent is an unforgettable blend of mimosa, violet, and orris, softened with luxurious woody green notes."  This is one of the few fragrances that I have ever used that has started out smelling one way and then almost completely reverses within a half hour of wear.

I don't dislike this fragrance at all but I can't say that I really like the way that is develops.  When I first put the fragrance on, the green notes come out and the fragrance smells like the beach and reminds me of a slightly lighter version of Bobbi Brown Beach (a fragrance that I have wanted for years but have no room on my dresser for anything new) and I loved it when I first tried it out.  I was ready to add this to my fragrance wish list and was seeing it as a slightly more dressed up version of Beach that would work in a professional setting.  In the first part of the wear of Coralina I was completely sold on the fragrance and loved it.

The second wave of this fragrance completely changes and it turns into a powdery violet floral.  I like the violet note in many fragrances and it is favorite floral note of mine to wear in fragrance.  The second wave of this fragrance is the one that stays with me for the next few hours and then eventually fades away after about four hours of wear.  I don't dislike this fragrance but I fell in love with how it smelled at first and became very disappointed with how it settled it and came out on my skin.  If the full day wear of Coralina was more similar to the first sprays of the fragrance, then I would have been sold and already ordered a huge bottle from the Saks Fifth Avenue website. 

The wear time on this fragrance was incredible for me and much better than Sargasso, I put a few sprays of Coralina on in the morning and it stayed strong and wore until I took a shower at the end of the night.  This aspect of the fragrance made me wish even more that it smelled more of the top notes throughout the day.  This was a fragrance that I could have loved more than any other in the Essential Luxuries collection but it ended up being the biggest disappointment so far of the fragrances.  My next step is to try the rest of the collection and review Mi Corazon in the warm weather months and then wait until fall comes to try the rest.

photo courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue