Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Kiss N' Tell Collection

Victoria's Secret is mecca around Valentine's Day. It houses practically everything a lady needs for a fantastic Valentine's Day...for those who have a date/boyfriend/husband. For those of us who kinda try and forget that the holiday exists, it can be a huge slap in the face walking by the store in the mall. But if you go around all the pretty lingerie and items covered in hearts, you will find that they have released limited editions of their Beauty Rush products.

There are three fragrances that are being released. The first one is my favorite and is called Cupquake. It is a sweet, cakey cupcake scent that is very true to it's name. I really liked this one since I love cake anything. The second scent is called Berry Smooch. It is a sweet, candyish berry scent and I find it to be ok. I don't really like berry scents and their Juiced Berry I only like because it has a strong true berry note and nothing else clogging it up. The third scent is the one that I find the most interesing. It is called Cherry Bomb and is a pretty true cherry scent. I feel like I never see cherry scents in the mass market beauty products unless they are mixed with a pile of other notes. Of the three fragrances, Cherry Bomb may not have been my favorite but actually would be the one that I would be the most likely to purchase since I have a gap where cherry fragrances are concerned.

The three limited editions are all released in the following four products: Beauty Rush Double Mists, the 3 in 1s, the Body Glow Moisture Cream, and the Body Drink Lotion. I know that I will be purchasing none of the Double Mists since they are still continuing to produce the ones that have a oily feel on the skin. They must have wide appeal since Victoria's Secret continues to produce them and brings them out in the new fragrances but I personally cannot stand the feel on my skin. I love the 3 in 1s, this formula is just perfection and somehow is the right combination of cleansing but still not drying my skin out. There is not one fragrance that I wouldn't get in this formula. Between the two moisturizers, I would opt for the Moisture Cream since I need a bit of heavier hydration and prefer not to have to squeeze out the product as I do with the Body Drink lotion. However, as long as I get the 3 in 1s and one of the moisturizers, I won't sweat the details.

Victoria's Secret still may not be my favorite place to be around Valentine's Day. But having fun body products to buy makes it a bit easier for me to ignore the cooing women buying teddies to show off to their spouses.

photo courtesy of Victoria's Secret

Most Wanted February 2010

Ready for pretty new makeup shades and fun body products...

- Chanel Le Vernis Nail Polish in 507 Tendresse
- Jaqua BFF: Lemon Buttercream Frosting Body Wash
- Smashbox Heartbreaker Eye Shadow Palette in Kiss N' Tell
- Korres Japanese Rose Shower Gel
- Fresh Creme Ancienne Eye Cream
- MAC Lipglass in Hush, Hush Rose
- Urban Decay Stardust Eye Shadow in Space Cowboy
- Sarah Jessica Parker SJP NYC
- NARS Lip Gloss in Ophelia
- NARS Single Eye Shadow in D. Gorgeous

Spring makeup, Sex and the City movie, and yummy body products. Happy Valentine's Day to me.

NARS Spring 2010 Collection

NARS has two parts to their Spring 2010 collection, there are the new products and shades specially released for this season and previous collection products that are being repromoted. The repromoted products are ones that NARS has decided will nicely complement the new shades. One first glance, I fell in love with this collection. I see pale eye shadow shades and pink lip glosses. NARS was inspired by Catherine Devenue during the creation of this collection.

NARS describes the new collection as follows, "Inspired by Catherine Devenue's role as Lucille in La Chamede, the NARS Spring 2010 collection features soft, sexy shades that are as elegant as they are versatile. 'I love Cathering's makeup look in this movie,' says Francois NARS. 'She is the perfect reference for this collection, and apropos for spring, a time to embrace color and get noticed.'"

Here are the new products and shades that are being offered...

Duo Eye Shadow - Shades to inspire and desire. The same longwearing crease resistant formula as NARS single eye shadow, in uniquely paired color combinations. Worn together or alone, all Duo Eye Shadows can be applied sheer or built up for a more dramatic effect. All powder eye shadows can be used wet or dry. Richly pigmented, micronized powder formula provides improved wear and feel. Effortless blending; coordinated in fashionable pairs. Multifunction: use as eye shadow, eye liner, or on eyebrows.

- Kuala Lumpur - rose gold/boysenberry infused with gold

Duo Cream Eye Shadow - Featuring custom color combinations that make perfect pairings, this soft-blending formula may be appiled with fingertips of with a brush for more precision and control. Shades may be worn alone or underneath NARS powder eye shadows for more color, depth, and intensity. Cream-to-powder formula provides glistening color. Non-creasing. Intense hues coordinated in fashionable pairs.

- Camargue - golden moss/sienna infused with multi-colored reflections

Single Eye Shadow - Longwearing, crease-resistant color in sheer wearable formulas. All NARS eye shadows can be appiled sheer or layered for a more dramatic effect. These richly pigmented powders blend effortlessly and can also be used wet for preciously lining the eyes. Richly pigmented, micronized powder formula provides improved wear and feel. Effortless blending. Multifunction: use as eye shadow, eye liner, or on eyebrows.

- D. Gorgeous - matte dusty lilac

Lipstick - A wide range of captivating shades designed to provide the look and style the color dictates. NARS lipstick is available in three formulas. Fashionable colors available in three textures. Exceedingly long-wearing. Nourishing and non-drying with Vitamin E. Once you start wearing NARS lipsticks, you won't want to wear anything else.

- Cruising - nude pink

Nail Polish - An exclusive formula with technology designed to improve flexibility, durability, wear, and gloss properties. This longwearing formula provides a tough, durable, chip-resistant finish and also has added UV protection to prevent polish discoloration. Modern sophisticated colors. Gentle formula. Toluene, Formaldehyde, and DBP free.

- Purple Rain - gothic purple

Glitter Pencil - Chunky crayons infused with transparent color and subtle glitter. May be used to subtly accent, highlight, and illuminate the skin. Subtle glitter suspended in translucent color. Ideal for eyes, cheeks, and body. Layer or use alone to illuminate eyes and skin.

- Bains Douches - bright sky blue with silver glitter

Lip Gloss - Serious shine and sexy color in sheer, creamy, and semi-sheer formulas. Extremely wearable and versatile shades may be worn alone or over other lip products for heightened drama. Ultra-shiny and highly pigmented. Convenient wand application. Iconic shades. Ideal alone or over other lip color.

- Easy Lover - ultra-sheer hot pink

- Ophelia - strawberry nectar

Here are the current products and shades with are suggested to complement the newest ones...

Blush - Made with transparent pigments for a soft and sheer look. Imparts a natural, healthy glow for any skin tone and may be worn alone or layered together for more depth and intensity. Provides a sheer, natural hint of color. Made with transparent pigments to avoid heaviness. Broad selection of shades.

- Amour - peachy pink

Highlighting Blush Powder - This truly versatile highlighting product may be worn on its own or layered over other color products for added highlight and dimension. The soft, shimmering color will add instant radiance to any complexion and may be used on the face or body.

- Albatross - shade suitable for all skintones

Lipstick - see above description.

- Niagra - pinkish coral

- Belle De Jour - nude beige

Stylo - Femme fatale eyes with epic effects. The super-fine precision tip of this liquid eye liner allows for maximum control during application, ensuring a precise, even line with just one stroke. The quick-drying formula delivers a high dose of pigment for optimum coverage and intense color. High pigment formula provides optimum coverage and intense color. Long-wearing, quick-dry formula shapes and defines eyes - lasts all day. Super-fine precision tip ensures an even line - thick or thin.

- Nabucco - brown

Volumizing Mascara - Lush, vitamin-enriched mascara boosts volume and curl with every stroke. Distinctive square brush is designed for optimum color pick-up. NARS signature "honeycomb" bristles with two hollow channels allow for even distribution on lashes. Every lash is coated with a velvety finish, no clumping, smudging, or flaking. Creates a thick fringe that's lush and lavish. High-drama lashes that are bigger than ever.

I really, really like this whole collection. I actually want everything that they are offering except for the Bains Douches Glitter Pencil. If I were to pick out the top pieces that I want I would have to pick the following items. The Lip Gloss in Ophelia, the Duo Eye Shadow in Kuala Lumpur, the Eye Shadow in D. Gorgeous, and the Lipstick in Crusing. I just love the pinks and pastels that NARS is offering this spring.

photo courtesy of NARS

Twilight Hair is Now My Reality...

About a year ago, I wrote about hoping to achieve Bella's long curly hair from the Twilight series. That dream was never realized when several weeks later, I got a couple inches trimmed off of my hair. However, this week I officially got Twilight hair. With a twist...

The little twist is that instead of Bella hair, I went to the salon and got my hair cut into Alice's hair cut. Nine inches off, deep brown base color, auburn and light brown highlights, and side swept bangs. Three and half hours of processing and I am a new person.

Besides, Alice was always my favorite vampire and with the evolution of the series, ended up becoming my favorite character overall. I added a photo of Alice from the movies so you can get a better idea of what I lok like now.

photo courtesy of images2.fanpop.com

Benefit Sugarbomb Blush

Benefit has just brought out a new blush shade to add to their bestselling line up. The blush is called Sugarbomb and I think is one of the more unique (if not the most) blush that they offer. I saw pictures of this product on both beauty blogs and the Sephora site but the specialness of it didn't really sink until I saw the blush in person on my last New York visit. The typical Benefit blush is only one shade but this product blends four (yes, four!) shades together to create the perfect blended shade.

BeneFit defines it as a "sugar rush flush" face powder. The four shades that are included in this blush are: peach, soft plum, shimmering pink, and rose. It appeared when I saw it at Sephora that only the pink had a shimmer to it and the other shades were matte, which should appeal to both those who dislike blushes with lots of shimmer and those who dislike the feel of a matte blush. Based just on the different finishes of the shades and the fact that there are four different shades to be mixed together, this blush should have universal appeal and I can see it becoming a quick bestseller. This product's recommended use is to swirl all four shades together and then apply to the cheek area.

I got to play with the tester of this product the last time that I was at Sephora. Overall, it is on the sheerer side of Benefit blushes and is less pigmented than last year's Coralista release. The plum shade was much less noticeable than I thought it would be after I blended the four shades together and I created a pinky peach shade. The shade that I created is a pretty generic blush shade that should work well for many women. After blending the four shades, this blush turned into a very flattering, natural looking flush for my skin. I liked this blush a lot but I didn't purchase it since I currently have other shades that are quite similar. I'm not saying that I would never purchase this product but at the moment, I have several shades that aren't that different from it.

photo courtesy of Benefit

Cleanse Your Soul Valentine's Day Fragrances

Cleanse Your Soul is an independent bath and body product company that I used to order from all the time about two years ago. I haven't ordered from then in a bit so I decided to go back look through her new products when I got the monthly email from the owner, Judy. She has the Valentine's Day limited edition fragrances up so I have some new scents to look at. The best products from this company are any of the body creams, the scrubs, and the EDTs. Every product that I have tried from this company has served me well so far but I recommend the above products.

Here are the Valentine's Day fragrances...

Come Away With Me & Be My Love - juicy blackberries, pineapple, summer strawberries, and champagne

How Do I Love Thee? - summer strawberries with vanilla bean noel and marshmallow

Upon A Lilac Sea - spring lilacs on a bed of vanilla sugar

Love Never Fails - white wedding cake, yuzu, blood oranges, and lemon sugar

She Walks In Beauty - fluffy cotton candy, black cherries, angel food cakes, and loads of whipped cream

Thou Art More Lovely - Pink sugar, wild red cherries, champagne, and whipped cream

Love Is My Sin - rich dark chocolate blended with almond cream and a hint of spices

Idle Tears - white chocolate mousse topped with strawberry glace

Perfumed Sea - fresh air notes sing when combined with violets and sandalwood

Beautiful Dreamer - white nectarine filling sandwiched between frosted sugar cookies

Weeping Of The Rain - the scent for a sad Valentine's Day: black vanilla, blackberries, and amber

A Divine Rapture - red raspberry and strawberry-laced marshmallow frosting between red velvet cake, white cake, and vanilla poundcake

Ah, My Beloved - hauntingly beautiful scent combining Madagascar vanilla, Egyptian musk, and vanilla beans

Love Is Enough - whispers of spring flowers blended with mountain air notes and fresh linen notes

Endless Blue - Blue sugar mixed with sparkling soda and a spritz of vanilla syrup

If Thou Must Love Me - chocolate-covered strawberries nestled next to vanilla wafers and marshmallows

I Carry Your Heart - Pink sugar blended with a deep red wine...a very sultry scent

Life In A Love - a bouquet of a dozen red roses, red currant, and cloves

Judy's Pink sugar blends are always top notch, so they are always a pick of mine. Also, I have noted that her floral scents are quite strong so they are not for the faint of heart. However, since I love florals with a passion, they are a pick of mine. Of these limited edition fragrances, I would like to order products in How Do I Love Thee?, She Walks In Beauty, Thou Art More Lovely, Perfumed Sea, Beautiful Dreamer, A Divine Rapture, Love Is Enough, and If You Must Love Me. Looks like a large order is coming up soon...

Also, Judy is running a bunch of specials this month so I would recommend looking them up if you want to try this company for the first time. The specials change every month so there is always a reason to revisit the site again. Take some time and look at some body products that are outside the mall...

photo courtesy of Cleanse Your Soul

DKNY Be Delicious Candy Apple Fragrance Collection

DKNY has released three new versions of their best-selling Be Delicious fragrance. So far, we have the original, the Red version, the Night version, and the Blossom version, all of which I love (except the Night version). My favorite is the Fresh Blossom version of last spring so I am not all that excited for these new versions since I think that DKNY has pretty much covered their all their perfume bases. For this season, three new versions of the fragrance have been released and are known as the "Candy Apple Collection". This collection promises to be sweet and fruity and will either be loved or hated by the user.

The first fragrance is called Juicy Berry Candy Apple and based the appearance of the purple bottle, will contain some types of berry notes. "Creating a candy apple is about pairing the sweetness of candy with a juicy, ripe apple to create a crisp, irresistible surprise. Vibrant candy coating with the freshest apple at the core creates an undeniably tempting aroma. Satisfy your sweet tooth with Juicy Berry Candy Apple, a combination of blackberry and fresh apple blossoms wrapped in rose petals and sandalwood to create a truly delicious indulgence." I smelled this one last time that I was at Sephora. The blackberry was too strong and the rest of the notes were simply sweet and indistinguishable. I couldn't detect any rose note in this fragrance and overall, this one is a large "No" for me.

The second fragrance is called Sweet Caramel Candy Apple and is housed in a bright green bottle. "Creating a candy apple is about pairing the sweetness of candy with a ripe, juicy apple to create a crisp, irresistible surprise. Vibrant candy coating with the freshest apple at the core creates an undeniably tempting aroma. DKNY has perfected this pairing using the very best ingredients and juiciest notes. Satisfy your sweet tooth with Sweet Caramel Apple, a perfect blend of apple and delicate flowers, topped with creamy caramel and delectable vanilla." I didn't get over to the tester of this one but this sounds as though it would be the fragrance that I would like the most from the collection. However, even this one doesn't have me all that excited.

The last fragrance is called Ripe Raspberry Candy Apple and is housed in a red bottle. "Creating a candy apple is about pairing the sweetness of candy with a ripe, juicy apple to create a crisp, irresistible surprise. Vibrant candy coating with the freshest apple at the core creates an undeniably tempting aroma. Satisfy your sweet tooth with Ripe Raspberry Candy Apple, a scrumptious blend of green apple and raspberry with floral touches. A finishing accent of Coca-Cola makes this scent the ultimate treat." I didn't get to the tester of this scent either but I don't like raspberry notes so I already can tell that I would pass on this one.

My thoughts? These fragrances look (and the purple one) smell as though they were made for teenagers, I just feel that I would find these types of fragrances at Victoria's Secret in their Beauty Rush line or at Bath and Body Works. I think that DKNY has overreached themselves in how popular that they think their fragrances are. I think that these fragrances will appeal to a younger audience and I have no doubt that they will sell but I still prefer the floral and the original versions of the fragrance.

photo courtesy of Sephora