The Scarlet Season: Dolce & Gabbana Iconic Lipstick
Add D&G’s makeup range to just another luxe item I lust after. Make it completely and wholly unavailable to see in person, and you have one frustrated beauty addict! I was so excited to try out the new line earlier this fall, and I loved the feel of their lipsticks–particularly this lovely shade of orange-based red called Iconic. It’s a creamy, opaque formula with a glossy finish. I love that glossy sheen, because I’m not much of a matte-lips kind of girl, so I always end up adding gloss on top of a lipstick. However, with Iconic, I feel like it’s very wearable on its lonesome, just because it has a fantastic gloss finish.
The Scarlet Season is a series of posts showcasing and featuring my favorite shades of red lips–from glosses to lipsticks that runs through December 2009. You can sure expect to see a lot of red this holiday season!
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Dolce & Gabbana: Champagne Smooth Eye Colour Quad
Dolce & Gabbana Champagne Smooth Eye Colour Quad ($59.00) is D&G’s take on the smoky eyes palette. It contains four shades of eyeshadow: a pale, silvery-white; a medium-dark matte black; a mauve-tinged silver; and a subdued, cool-toned dark brown.
Like Dazzling, the Champagne consists of smooth, well-pigmented eyeshadows that feel like buttery goodness to the touch. They apply easily and softly, and they never look garish. They blend seamlessly together, and they work well with all of your favorite eyeshadow bases. They also still blend well when used with other brand eyeshadows.
One of things I like about the Dolce & Gabbana quads I’ve tried so far is that the colors go on as they’re pictured. They’re apply and swatch true-to-color, so there is a whole lot less guesswork to be done. I can also appreciate the “honesty” of the palette in that sense, too. Champagne, in particular, works well together, because the shades are diverse enough to create gradients, but they can be worn in pairs of triplets.
For those who find the price a bit steep, D&G is priced competitively with other major high-end brands like Chanel ($56), Dior ($56), and Guerlain ($58). The packaging is hefty and looks like gold (though it does hold fingerprints). It’s sleek and elegant, so it does look lovely when you hold it. If it didn’t hold fingerprints, the packaging would definitely help sway me even more.
- Product: 9/10
- Value: 7/10
- Ease of Use: 8/10
- Packaging: 8/10
Recommendation: If you’re a fan of high-end, luxury brands, Dolce & Gabbana has put out a quality line of makeup. Champagne is a great quad to travel with to be able to create several evening smoky eyes.
Availability: Saks
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Dolce & Gabbana: Black Crayon Intense Eyeliner
Dolce & Gabbana Black Crayon Intense Eyeliner ($29.00) is an intense black eyeliner with microfine gold glitter. The eyeliner itself is double-ended with the crayon on one side and a smudging sponge brush on the opposite end.
The liner stays on about average as far as my eyes are concerned — lasts for a few hours, doesn’t fade too much as wear extends, and it certainly doesn’t disappear. It doesn’t stay pristine throughout the day, though, unless it is smudged out quite a bit and set with some powder. I liked the intensity of the black color, and the gold glitter is subtle (and surprising) enough that it can work for everyday or to glam up a look in the evening.
For the price tag, I personally would expect better wearing time–at least eight hours of no budging, smudging, or fading. It can handle about four hours, but after that, there is noticeable (though not terrible) migration and fading on the lower lash line. It does wear better on the upper lash line, because it less disturbed and prone to fine lines like the lower lash line is. Because of the glitter, I would not recommend using this on the waterline (so I didn’t).
The eyeliner was not as soft as I would like, either. It wasn’t as creamy and soft as Urban Decay’s 24/7 Liners, though still harder than Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Eyes liners. I found mine to feel just a bit rougher than I think is necessary in a pencil, though it does allow one to get a more defined, precise line. I would suggest quickly giving it a shot of heat via your blow dryer if you have sensitive lids or find yours particularly hardened.
- Product: 6/10
- Value: 7/10
- Ease of Use: 7/10
- Packaging: 7/10
Recommendation: Unless there was a particularly unique shade amongst D&G’s eyeliners, they’re not the first product I’d recommend from the D&G line. (I’d probably recommend their lipsticks first.)
Availability: Saks
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Dolce & Gabbana Provocative Blush
Get Sexy with Dolce & Gabbana’s Provocative Blush
Dolce & Gabbana Provocative Blush ($44.00 for .17 oz.) is a smooth, matte baby doll pink blusher. It runs just a little cool, but overall, it’s suitable for both cool and warm-toned complexions.
It actually reminds me a lot of one of my all-time favorite blushes, MAC Don’t Be Shy Blush, which was limited edition, so I’m happy to have found an awesome alternative. This one is actually smoother and silkier in its texture, and the color is quite pigmented (though it is not overly pigmented–I know, some may find there’s no such thing, but I like a good medium when it comes to blush pigmentation).
When it comes the packaging, while there’s heft and it looks gold and shiny, it does show fingerprints, which is a pet peeve of mine. I really do like the color, and while I’m sure I’ll never get through an entire pan, the amount you get for the price tag is actually less than some of the other high-end brands like Chanel, Dior, Guerlain, etc. I do consider this more of a splurge/indulgence, but I am pleased with the product’s quality overall (which cushions the blow to the wallet!).
D&G’s makeup line includes four other blush shades: Nude, Peach, Rose, and Warm. According to their website, Pat McGrath recommends, “For day, brush a soft rose or peach colour high on the cheekbones in a circular motion using a large powder brush. For evening, contour the face with a blush that is slightly darker than natural skin colour. Brush the contour along the cheekbones, temples, and chin for a subtly sculpted effect.”
- Product: 9/10
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 8/10
- Packaging: 7/10
Recommendation: If you have the dough and are in need for a light pink blush, you can’t go wrong with Dolce & Gabbana’s Provocative!
Availability: Saks
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Dolce & Gabbana Makeup The Classic Lipstick in Nude
Dolce & Gabbana Makeup: Natural Nude
Dolce & Gabbana Nude Classic Cream Lipstick ($30.00) is a creamy, opaque fleshy-beige with a touch of warmth. Just that subtle warm tone keeps it from looking pale and deathly on me, particularly since I’m warm-toned myself. I’ve definitely found that nudes can be difficult for me to wear, because they’re often pale or cool in nature and make me look a bit corpse-ish. (So not flattering!) Nude is surprisingly wearable on its own, though it is a touch light for me, and I’d personally layer it with a hint of glossy color to make it perfect for me. I think this is great nude shade for many others, though, and when you do need a very neutral lip color, this is a good standby.
The packaging is classy and timeless without being associated with old. The “gold” tube has some heft to it, which I do find as an attribute I like in my higher end makeup. My only issue with it is that it holds fingerprints, and I just find it can make your beautiful makeup pieces look a bit dirty, so I really wish they could prevent this somehow! (I know this is kind of an issue across most luxe brands, though.)
- Product: 9/10
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 8/10
- Packaging: 7/10
Recommendation: If you love luxury lip products, Dolce & Gabbana’s Classic Lipstick will not disappoint you. This is not a lipstick for everyone, because the price makes it an indulgence. I do wish it was more available, but at least it is available online at Saks.
Availability: Dolce&Gabbana, Saks Fifth Avenue
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Dolce & Gabbana Makeup The Classic Lipstick in Iconic
Dolce & Gabbana Makeup: Classic Red
Dolce & Gabbana Iconic Classic Cream Lipstick ($30.00) is an opaque, creamy bright classic red. The name “Iconic” is incredibly well-suited to this particular shade of red. The formula is long-wearing, moisturizing, and feels great on lips. I love the intense color pay off, and the glossy sheen it gives off without actually being glossy or shimmery. Overall, I loved the formula and color itself–though this particular shade is not for the color-shy! The gold packaging is luxe and weight-y, though it does hold fingerprints (which is something I dislike, personally!).
- Product: 9/10
- Value: 7/10
- Ease of Use: 8/10
- Packaging: 7/10
Recommendation: If you love luxury lip products, Dolce & Gabbana’s Classic Lipstick will not disappoint you. This is not a lipstick for everyone, because the price makes it an indulgence. I do wish it was more available, but at least it is available online at Saks.
Availability: Dolce&Gabbana, Saks Fifth Avenue
See swatches & lip swatch… Continue reading →
