Elizabeth Arden offers two delectable shades for fall in Color Intrigue Effects Lipstick Cayenne Pearl and Cranberry Cream ($19.50).  I like Cayenne Pearl for a great reddish coral color — almost a brick-brown red, but not at all in-your-face. Cranberry Cream is a raspberryish hue, not too intense, which makes it a nice every day shade for those looking for something less natural, more pigmented–but not over the top.

The Color Intrigue Effects Lipstick line has very subtle sheen and shimmer.  Both shades I tried were well pigmented and creamy, both characteristics I look for in a good lipstick!   It wore well throughout the day, and it faded after a few hours (as to be expected when worn alone and eating!), but I didn’t get left with a ring around my lips, thankfully!
See skin swatches and lip swatches! Continue reading »

ELIZABETH ARDEN FOR FALL 2008 | Double Intrigue Eyes

This season Elizabeth Arden launches Color Intrigue Eyeshadow Duos ($24.50) in seven different color combinations.  Each compact is imprinted with one of Miss Arden’s most famous beauty maxims, “To be beautiful and natural is the birthright of every woman.”  Alongside the eyeshadow duos is Advanced Eye-Fix Primer ($21.50) that soothes eyelids while giving you a great base to apply these shadows over.  Pair the new duos with Color Intrigue Gel Eyeliners in or Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment Mascara ($20.00) in Midnight.  For the face, Elizabeth Arden Shimmer Powder ($29.50) comes in handy.

Let me share some of my thoughts on this latest launch from Elizabeth Arden!  Plus, more product photos and swatches.  Continue reading »

While many parts of the body are covered once the winter wind starts blowing, don’t forget to keep all your parts deliciously soft all year round!  Especially if you’re in the warmer parts, winter doesn’t always mean pants every day!  Here are four fabulous solutions to soothe that scaly skin.

Lancome Nutrix Royal Body ($34.00) is an incredibly luxe, entirely rich kind of body cream.  It is truly meant to help heal the driest of skin.  According to the description, it is equipped with Royal Lipideum, which helps to “supplement skin’s own natural lipids for intense hydration.”  Whatever that really means, I buy it.  I’m a believer, because this stuff really turned my dragonscales into gorgeous lady legs.  I have always suffered from drier legs with only sometimes-dry arms (used to be worse, but rarely get an issue in the past few years).  I find applying this in the morning provides me with a good amount of moisturization throughout the rest of the day.  For extra pampering, I’ll apply a light coat before bed and donning my stretchy yoga pants (don’t confuse this with the notion I exercise, they’re just comfy!) so I can awake with ridiculously supple skin.  Don’t let the price trick you–you get a huge TUB!  Honestly, it is more like a jug than a little jar you might expect when you buy a face cream.  For reference, most face creams come in 1 oz jars, and for $34.00, you get 7 oz.  Nearly half a pound! 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturizing Body Treatment ($25.00) is part of the miraculous eight-hour family (hands and lips complete the trio).  I adored what it could do for my hands, because I have to have a hand cream that sinks in quickly if I’m going to use it regularly.  The Body Treatment acts the same way; it absorbs into skin within minutes leaving behind no greasy or slippery feeling behind.  You just feel soft and re-hydrated, which is exatly what I want to feel.  The same pleasing scent of lemony-herb accompanies this lotion, but it is a very subtle scent that will probably go unnoticed.  Personally, thats a good thing, because I’d rather have the ability to spritz a perfume on without it being clogged by my body cream.  This is one skincare line that has won numerous Allure beauty awards, and I have to agree with the choice!

LUSH Running to the Embassy ($10.95) is exactly what it is described to be:  “a clean, minty-cool scrub for the feet.”  I found I got the best results when I applied this to rough, cracked skin around the elbows, feet, and knees and working it in for a few minutes.  After this, I would rinse them off in luke-warm water.  Results?  Oh, yes, indeed–incredibly soft skin that was practically smiling.  What I love about the body butters by LUSH is that they melt when they come into contact with the body as the heat melts it into your skin.  They work easily into the skin with your hands, and it is easy to rinse off the excess.  Running to the Embassy is meant as an exfoliating body butter to help slough off the dead skin and rough patches often found on feet.  You can easily use this on any part of the skin that cracks or is especially dry.

LUSH King of Skin ($11.95) is another body butter available by LUSH that is another hit in my house.  A subtle sent of sandalwood accompanies this moisturizing solution.  Body butters are great to use right after the shower, and what I like about King of Skin is that it sinks in so well that you don’t even need to rinse off afterwards like some of the other body butters.  I prefer this at night time, or on weekends, when I have time to give myself a bit of pampering.  When I’m in a rush, I find I turn to a lotion or cream (but to be honest, I tend to forget to use anything), like Dream Cream.

Missed part one?  Well, what are you waiting for–go read it!

Harsh winter winds can create the worst of chapped, cracked, dried-out lips, and when that happens, it’s a rough time, figuratively and literally speaking. Lips should be smooth and soft to the touch, especially for those who want to wear lipstick. Rougher surfaces make it difficult to both apply lip color as well as have it look nice. Some suffer from chapped lips throughout the year, but take heed, there are some solutions.

LUSH Lip Service ($7.95) comes in a cute, thin tin with a solid lip balm inside.  It’s colorless and leaves a matte finish behind, rather than any glossiness or sheen.  LUSH offers eco-friendly beauty addicts to nab a lip balm that has several organic ingredients by a company who loves to be green.  This lip balm has cocoa butter, beeswax, and shea butter–all major helpers in giving you soft, supple lips.  In addition, there are a number of essential oils used to increase moisturization.  I found this to be a great no-muss, no-fuss lip balm that fits in your pocket (and even better to carry there because the body heat melts it just a touch so it is super easy to apply) or purse.  My only problem is my apartment gets quite cold at night, and I find I really have to use the heat of my finger to soften the top layer to get enough to apply on my lips.  LUSH also offers several flavored lip balms, Honey Trap being one of my favorites from the past

Treat’s Cacao Lip Scrub ($16.00) might seem like a small tub, but trust me, a little goes a long way, and this jar should last you quite awhile.  Lip scrubs are designed to exfoliate and remove dry and dead skin cells from the lips.  It is sugar-based as the particles have some roughness to them, but it is still a gentle exfoliant.  This product uses all natural ingredients, so you can actually lick it off (I wouldn’t say I’d love to eat this stuff, but I did test out the flavor, and it wasn’t half-bad), or at least, not fear you’re ingesting something terrible if you accidentally do (or have the habit of doing so!).  The main ingredients are shea butter, sugar, and cacao.  Cacao is an antioxidant with a lot of Vitamin C, which we learned is a vital nutrient for skin health.  I find I only need to use this once a week or less, and I find this less abrasive and harsh than using a toothbrush or washcloth as others have recommended as cheap and easy ways to exfoliate the lips.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick ($17.00) comes in a lipstick tube, making it easy to carry in both your purse or your pocket (I go the pocket route often).  It has SPF15 in it, and while more of us are paying attention to sun protection, I am sure we often forget that perhaps our lips need some SPF, too!  It never hurts, right?  Arden’s Eight Hour family of products is a remarkable line of ultra-hydrating and moisturizing products that last for several hours at a time.  I liked the stick formula, because I didn’t have to worry about clean fingers before applying.  It also went on quite easily, albeit a touch slick.  It left only a semi-glossy sheen, and it can be used sparingly or more generously for a desired feel. 

Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss ($13.50) is a super glossy lip balm (though it really feels more like a gloss, I wouldn’t call it a balm as I associate balms as being more solidified) that comes in a variety of colors.  I tried Apricot, as it is a nice pink with only a touch of peach undertones.  When applied, I didn’t notice much more than a pink tint (and only slightly) on my semi-pigmented lips.  While some of the other lip products I tested seemed to sink into my skin, Superbalm felt more like it was a surface protectant.  It took much longer for me to feel like some of it sunk into my lips (which may or may not be relevant, just an observation).  It definitely feels like a gloss on the lips, and it does look glossy, so this is something you wear alone or on top of a lipstick, but not as a primer to lipstick.  There are eight shades currently available in the Superbalm family, and I think I would love Raspberry (deeper hued) for a slightly tinted ultra moisturizing gloss.

Did you miss part one of this series featuring Eminence’s Citrus Lip Balm, Principessa’s Bacio Me Lip Balm, and Von Natur’s Lip Treatment?  Well, don’t!

ELIZABETH ARDEN Holiday Gift Sets
The holidays are here, go spread some holiday cheer. Elizabeth Arden has gift sets for everyone, so pick one up for a loved one or treat yourself.

Elizabeth Arden MEDITERRANEAN
Radiant. Sensual. Captivating. A modern expression of sparkling radiance. Sensual florals combine with creamy woods to reflect the whispering waters and rich textures of the Mediterranean. Available in a three-piece set.   Includes:  1.7 fl oz Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.3 fl oz Body Lotion, .16 fl oz Eau de Parfum Replica.  $52.00

Continue reading »

Ceramide Makeup

Where the science of skincare meets the beauty of makeup.  Elizabeth Arden introduces new Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment Mascara and  Ceramide Skin Smoothing Loose Powder.

When it comes to anti-aging benefits, Ceramide Makeup is changing the face of beauty. Now Elizabeth Arden brings advanced treatment technology to two ultra luxurious new Ceramide Makeup products. Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment Mascara goes beyond-longer looking lashes to help strengthen and fortify lashes, while Ceramide Skin Smoothing Loose Powder takes complexion perfection to a whole new level.

Continue reading »

 

Received this notice earlier today, and thought I should share — ask a loved one to give you a glorious spa treatment/day as a gift this holiday.  Trust me, they are so nice to have, as a treat.  I would love to go all the time, but alas, it is not meant to be. 

Eighty minutes of pure pampering paradise – what spa novice or super enthusiast wouldn’t dream of this? Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas, the quintessential destination for unsurpassed spa expertise, has now made that dream a reality with the introduction of the Ultimate Arden Facial. This multi-faceted, first-of-its kind beauty indulgence that goes above and beyond to lavish each recipient from head to toe… creating an ultimate escape that is absolutely like no other spa service anywhere else. The renowned go-to spa for sophistication and serenity, Red Door Spas is changing the face of the facial with its new multi-faceted experience.

Continue reading »