Just a VERY short post, as I’m going to try to review eyeshadows and the like after I’ve attempted a look with them.  Why this new policy?  After being utterly disappointed in Dior’s Earth Tones quint in practice, swatches are proving they aren’t enough sometimes.  Same with MAC’s mineralize eyeshadows–I just can’t seem to come around to them.

Bobbi Brown’s Metallics launches soon, and with it, metallic lipsticks and metallic eyeshadows.  I know people will squeal and lust after the new metallic eyeshadows, because they’re very in line with Bobbi Brown, yet exciting and different.  Pictured above are Java, Burnt Sugar, and Iced Blue.  They aren’t all over-the-top, super shimmery metallic finishes; Iced Blue turns out a very icy blue indeed - almost like a white with some blue in it.  It is frosty, and it definitely grabs your eye.  Burnt Sugar and Java are much more subdued, with a subtle metallic finish - almost a soft sheen of reflection.  I’m eager to check out the full launch when it hits stores!

And swatches of the three, plus Dusk Metallic Lip Color… Read the rest of this entry »

Global Goddess ‘Goddess Glow’ South Pacific Shimmer ($32.00) looked like a really pretty glowy blusher-highlighter.  I was drawn to it because of the designs found on top of the powder, but unfortunately, the design really is just on top.  The white line pattern disappears as soon as your brush hits the product.  I found that this just gave me a subtle shimmer, which is nice, but it’s not something I haven’t seen before.  I think I was disappointed, because I saw it having a lot of potential, and in reality, it doesn’t do anything different from products I already have.  (The shimmer, also, seemed more whitish-silver, so it didn’t complement my warmer skin tone; but perhaps it would work better on cooler skin tones.)  This product definitely gives you shimmer, and it really just lets me down because of the design fading away instantly–otherwise, it’s your average highlighter.

Global Goddess ‘Sizzling Serengeti’ Tribal Eyeshadow Quad in Arusha ($42.00) made me drool for months!  The cool tribal pattern looks fun and lovely, and while the designs are imprinted, so they will stick around longer, the quality itself is lacking.  The color pay off is decent, though the colors are somewhat subtle by nature, so I wasn’t expecting a neon purple or anything.  My problem with this quad is the eyeshadows do not go on smoothly.  I used a creamy neutral base before applying these, and I think I had more eyeshadow under my eye than on my eye.  I’m not a makeup beginner — I know enough to be able to slap shadow on my eyes, y’know?  The fact that I was using a quality brush (MAC 239, which I love and use all the time) and could barely get this to work is just not what I was expecting.  For a product with this price tag, I was expecting quality closer to Chanel, Dior, etc. - not below average quality like I got. 

BUT! despite these products not impressing me, the founder of Global Goddess, Shalini Vadhera, wrote Passport to Beauty, which I have been reading lately, and it is definitely worth checking out.  It is filled with beauty tips from around the world, broken down by region/culture.  There are a lot of home remedies/natural beauty tips, so it’s been a great read thus far.  Now the book, I definitely recommend to you!

You drooled over the promotional images and product shots of Dior’s Impression Cuir collection, slated for Fall 2008.  How about some actual product photos?  Swatches?  Even a bit of a review?  Thought you might be interested!  I was fortunate enough to be able to try out the Impression Cuir Eye Palette, Earth Tones #673 Quint, Pink Drama #559 Rouge Dior Lip Color, and Delicious Plum #675 Creme de Gloss.  But let me preface this review with:  DO NOT MISS IMPRESSION CUIR!  Make sure you give yourself a chance to at least go to your Dior counter and play and test and swatch some products for this fall line.

Impression Cuir Eye Palette (pictured above) is gorgeous.  It is a palette that allures you in with the cool, animal-print texture and its shimmery hues.  While it says it is an eye palette, all I want to do is use this on my cheeks (which I probably will do).  The colors are gorgeous when swirled together, but you could feasibly use them as three separate colors.  I love the way the shades fade subtly into each other.  This is one star product that definitely grabbed my attention and kept it.  The animal-print texture does go in pretty deep, so you’ll see some of it remain for awhile, though it doesn’t go all the way through (but the color does, which is, ultimately, what matters). 

You know you want to see more!  Read the rest of this entry »

Colored Big Fatty Mascara ($17.00) is Urban Decay’s colored version of their famous Big Fatty mascara.  Colored mascara can be a great way to pop open peepers on lazy days or minimalist days (especially blues/purples).  Wende Zomnir, Urban Decay’s Creative Director, says “A colored mascara is the perfect summer beauty uniform.”  Big Fatty mascara adds decent volume and length to lashes–it’s probably not my favorite mascara formula (Plushlash, love ya!), but I did use it for many months in the past, so obviously it caught my fancy!

• Electric Blue Add a jolt to brown eyes, or light your blue eyes on fire. And against bronzed skin? Mesmerizing.
• Indigo This inky blue, a free-spirited alternative to black, brings a mischievous edge to eyes of any
  shade.
• Purple Haze Lend a violet aura to eyes of every shade, adds richness to brown eyes, or intensifies blues and greens.
• Black Cherry Sexier than basic black, Black Cherry creates a bit of studied mystery to eyes of any color.

Big Buddha Body Brush ($36.00) is a silky soft brush that’s enormous!  It’s one of those brushes that feels so soft to the touch that all you want to do is pet it.  While MAC’s 179 is ridiculously soft, it is also ridiculously expensive.  At $36, the Big Buddha is both the answer to my body brush needs, and the limits of my wallet.  Plus, Good Karma brushes is a cruelty-free line where bristles are synthetic and 100% animal-friendly. 

Want to know what I thought of the rest of Urban Decay’s Summer Launch?  Read the rest of this entry »

Dior’s Goldfever Quint | I love Dior quints for their versatility and how the colors pair so well together.  I’m a sucker for golds, so this quint is especially (well, hell, the whole collection) to my taste.  Subtle summer shimmers will work well for easy day time looks and even for subdued evening eyes.  The gray-mauve and berry-mauve are both deep and dark enough to work as crease colors or to create smoky eyes.  My only complaint is that the level of frost in the finish is a bit high to be universally appealing–I’m okay with it, but I do find that sometimes I’ll opt to use a different color (not from the quint) for highlighting my brow.

See details for Dior’s summer launch here.

Guerlain’s Meteorites Pressed Powder |

See details about Guerlain’s summer launch here.

 Givenchy’s Prismissime Mat & Glow in Harmony #72 | A small compact palette in checkboard style that features nine squares of color.  The first and third columns are matte colors, while the second column consists of shimmery choices.  For summer, Givenchy offers Harmony #71 for fairer complexions, while #72 is for warmer/tanner complexions (like mine).  I like that they’re separated, because it gives you the opportunity to use them alone, rather than together, but because they are also close together, you could also gently sweep a blush brush over it for an all-over color.  The palette can be used on eyes, cheeks, face, or even your decolletage, making it very versatile and multi-tasking.  This gives me a nice light bronze on cheeks, and the shimmer lets me highilght cheekbones precisely or lighten up a deeper summer bronze.

See details about Givenchy’s summer launch here.

Couple more photos… Read the rest of this entry »

Clinique’s Long Last Bronze Collection is gorgeous in the colors and hues, but so innovative with new formulations and products that I know you’ll fall in love with.

In April, Clinique will launch 18–yes, EIGHTEEN!–shades of their latest gloss formula Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 ($14.00). The science behind it says that there are “film-formers” that help create a seal to help your gloss stay on for up to eight hours. And you read it right, these glosses contain SPF 15, which means even your lips will be protected by the harmful rays of the sun.

• Nudes: Goldspun, Brandy Twist, Knockout Nude, Sunset
• Taupes: Cabana Crush, Juicy Apple, Bonfire, Guavagold
• Pinks: Clearly Pink, Fireberry, Bamboo Pink, Air Kiss, Kissyfit
• Violets: Mystic, Whisper, Tenderheart, Stellar Plum, Rock Violet

What I love about this new formula is that I can wear this gloss and go through a cup of coffee without much disturbance to my lips. I’m fascinated by how well the gloss does adhere to your lips throughout the day. If you don’t eat/drink, I have no doubt that this gloss will be rockin’ for at least eight hours, if not more. Color pay off will depend on the hue and shade you get, as some are more opaque and others are quite sheer. The glossy sheen you get is amazing, and I just really enjoyed how high-gloss it was. I tried Clearly Pink, Guavagold, Juicy Apple, and Tenderheart, and I really did like all of them. I was actually sporting Juicy Apple to school without a lipstick underneath, because it gave me these lovely pinky lips.

Quick Eyes Cream Shadow ($15.00) is another new product launched this summer that is purported to be a cream shadow that will give you all-day wear without creasing or smudging. Using a combination of water and silicones, it is supposed to dry to a powdery finish to last up to ten hours. It is water resistant, transfer resistant, and crease proof according to Clinique. There will be 9 shades launching this summer: Cocoa Shimmer, Sparkling Nude, Sunlit Palm, Lucky Penny, Starlit Pink, Muffin, Rock Vioilet, Truffle, and Sea Shell.

I used Muffin in a recent look, and I didn’t experience any creasing whatsoever throughout the day. I was honestly a little worried it might, because it is truly like applying a liquid on your eye lid (reminds me of a liquid liner’s viscosity). I do recommend that you go lighter and then build up the color to minimize your chance of overdoing it (which will hinder the product’s effectiveness a bit). The doe-foot applicator does make it easy to get the initial product on your eye, but you’ll need a brush, sponge, or [if you have to] your fingers to blend it out.

But you know what I LOVED from this launch? The Shimmering Tones Golden Bronze powder quad. I didn’t even expect to like this, but it gives me this gorgeous bronzy flush. One quare is a raspberryish red color, which helps give a little bit of color to cheeks while still adding a little bit of bronze. Just absolutely gorgeous on the skin!

Will you be heading to the Clinique counter in April to check these out? I think you should! I know I will be so I can see the other shades of the new glosses and cream shadows since I’ve only had a preview myself.

Find Clinique products at www.clinique.com or at a Clinique counter near you.