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 »

In Bobbi Brown’s Fall Mauve palette, it contains three shadows, three lip colors, and one blush.  I’m much more pleased with this palette than say Bobbi Brown’s Nude palette, because the colors show up on me a lot better.  The eyeshadows include Navajo, which seems to make regular appearances in her palettes, and I find it can be a chalky color on my skintone if I don’t use it right (which generally means using it lightly and blending/fading it moreso than normal); Vintage, a gray with mauve undertones color; and Chocolate Mauve, which is like a subdued chocolate shade.  The blush is simply called Mauve, and it is a pinky-mauve tone.  I imagine this particular shade of pinky-mauve is fairly universal.  As for the lip colors, Dusty Mauve is a creamy lip color that goes on incredibly sheer for me; Mauve lip sheer is a little more pigmented, but not too much; and Vintage Mauve is the most pigmented, though still quite creamy and sheer.  If you go heavier with the shadows, these included lip colors will work out, since you can pair the heavy eyes with softer lips.

I much preferred the individual lip colors for this launch, though admittedly, I’ve only tried Heather Mauve (a truly pale, toned down mauve with gray-pink).  I also tried Black Pearl Shimmer Lip Gloss, which is a deep purplish-brown with icy pearl.  Mauve Lip Gloss is a pale, low-sheen purple-mauve.  It’s very opaque, which I like for this particular color.  But the most stunning item from the launch was Bobbi’s Black Mauve Shimmer Ink Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner!  It’s like a black-brown-purple.  I suppose it reminds me of a deeper, darker MAC Nice Vice Paint Pot (which was LE, anyway), but this formula is great for when you need eyeliner that sticks around all day long!

Overall, in my limited experience with Bobbi Brown as a brand, I found this collection more impressive than some of the others (like the Nude Collection).  I feel like these offer pops of color and fun, while still being subtle and appropriate.  I hope that you, like me, will look at Bobbi Brown through a different lens than you would a MAC collection–because the brands are distinctly different and separate!

Anything from Bobbi’s Mauve Collection inspire you?  Will you at least check it out or will you let it pass you by?

See product photos and swatches… Read the rest of this entry »

DuWop Lip Lingo Palette in Pink ($32.00) contains a base color (pink) lipstick with four lipglosses to mix and match with the matte lipstick color. The palette is also available in a nude version, but I find this pink palette is perfect for subtle pink lips this spring. The lip brush is handy for on-the-go touch ups, and I like that at least they encourage you to not use your fingers (bad! spreads and promotes bacteria!).  The packaging is cute, very high-tech and sleek, which is something that appeals to my inner geek.  It is also incredibly portable, making it an excellent choice to help reduce all of those lipsticks and glosses you have hanging around your purse.

Get yours at www.duwop.com!

Laura Mercier Lip Stain in Sugar Violet ($20.00)

I was excited to try this product, because I am always on the hunt for a good lip stain so I can get the lovely color while keeping my lips kissable. However, while this product is labeled a lip stain, it acts more like a lipstick, though it feels weightless, and thus like a stain or tinting balm. I found that the color would kiss-off if you went in for a peck with any pressure (poor boyfriend, always the test subject!).

Sugar Violet is a subtle raspberry color that gives a nice color with very little sheen. It does wear well through eating, talking, etc., but it didn’t pass my kiss-test, which is incredibly important to me. I love me some lipstick+lipgloss, so if it’s still going to rub-off onto my boyfriend’s lips, I might as well opt for a heavier combo, you know? To be fair, though, since this gives you good color with little product, it doesn’t leave a big sloppy, goopy, or sticky mess on someone else’s face/lips.

I did find the price to be a little steep, even though you are bound to get plenty of usages out of the little glass jar, because there is plenty o’ product in it. Not to mention I have such a massive collection of lip products, I’m always hard pressed to ever finish any of them anyway! I would try this product again, because it feels good and leaves decent color behind (which I feel a lot of tints/stains fail to do—can you blame me for wanting a lipstick that acts like a balm?). If I try another, I would definitely head straight for Scarlet (red stain) and Shy Pink (pale pink stain).

Have you tried any? If so, what did you think? Favorite colors?

Get it at Nordstrom.com!

Lancôme introduces the must-have lipstick shade of the season! Color Fever Shine in Pixel Pink is the fourth installation of the Pout-à-Porter series of limited-edition lipsticks created exclusively for the runway by renowned makeup artist Gucci Westman. Westman collaborated with Fashion Designer Thakoon to create a beautiful sheer raspberry shade, which was worn by all the models during Thakoon’s Fashion Week Spring 2008 fashion show.

Pixel Pink is a gorgeous shade of pink with just a touch of mauve/plum in it that keeps it a toned down, subtle shade of wearable pink for just about anyone. It applies sheerly, but it can be built up for more color pigmentation (which is what you see on my lips). It has a nice glossy sheen, and it wears well throughout the day. I like the Color Fever Shine range, because they feel really moisturizing and smooth on the lips, like you aren’t even wearing lipstick. The only downside is the price ($25.00), which is steeper than my usual go-to lipsticks are. Nonetheless, I still think this is a more universal pink, which makes it worth taking a peek at if you can.

Available at www.lancome.com, as well as Lancome Boutiques, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman.

Valentine’s Day isn’t just about red lips, because there are some fabulous combinations of pink to be used to entice your sweetie or rope in that hottie at the bar.  Here are some of my favorites by MAC! Psst, Girl About Town lipstick (pictured above) is a permanent color, which means you can grab it without fear it no longer is available!  The point of this post is to show you that hot pink lips are perfect for a Valentine Day’s pout, and you can find a shade of pink that works for you.  MAC alone makes several vibrant pink lipsticks that are part of their permanent line, so get ye to the MAC store pronto (and get the artist to try them on you!).

See five more fun favorites… Read the rest of this entry »

Color Fever Lipstick ($25.00) | COLOR FEVER delivers incredibly luminous, vibrant color. Color smoothly glides along your lips with sensuous comfort leaving lips feeling smooth and supple. LIGHT-MAXIMIZING PIGMENTS™ use light as a prism to bring you the most intense, lasting shine. No need to compromise long wear for color, this lipcolor has it all – a long wear, hydrating texture that wraps your lips in cushioned comfort. Color stays true with no feathering or fading.

Valentine’s Day is quickly arriving (and has at least arrived in stores since December 26th!), and if you weren’t aware of the day many love to hate and others love to love, it is February 14th.  Whether you’re heading out with your girls or spending an evening for two with your sweetie, you’ll probably be wanting to look your best–and for most of us, that includes makeup that takes us to the next level.  I’m a lipstick kind of girl, and I have been waiting to share these lovely shades with you–yes, shades!  Not everyone wants to or feels their best in a red lip, and I’ve kept that in mind while choosing some of these fabulous shades by Lancome.

Lancome celebrates the romantic [or cynical] occasion with an Absolut Rouge lipstick aptly named Valentine ($26.00), as pictured above.   It is an intense, glossy engine-red with cooler undertones, but not quite blue nor orange prevails.  I love this for one of the ultimate in-your-face lips, because it is really a traffic-stopping kind of red.  It applies like a dream with color pay off to die for; as a result, you may want to dust off your lip brush and use it to achieve absolute precision.  Keep in mind that this is not kiss-proof, though!  But don’t let that get you down; there’s a lip plumping polymer in there for just the subtlest extra oomph for that pout.

So Valentine is too much for you?  Well, that’s just fine, because who knows, perhaps you want to go for a super sultry black smoky eye, and a red lip would be garish anyway!  The Color Fever Lipstick family are great for long-wearing color that fades away naturally and doesn’t leave any unsightly rings of color behind.  The color goes on easily, gliding on for no-fuss application, and there is a good range of colors to select from.  I’m going to feature four, starting with a very tame and neutral lipstick and moving up to a brighter, bolder color.

Everyday Beige is a shimmery golden beige that gives my lips a healthy dosage of glossy sheen with just a hint of golden color.  It doesn’t turn my lips into a ghostly pale nude lip, but it tones my natural lip color down just a notch.  Fashion Crave is a lovely mauve-berry kind of color where both pink and berry compete to come out on top.  You’ll find that this color wears well for many skintones, as it is not at all bright, but it still gives a great pop of color to the lip.  I often wear this when running errands because it’s so versatile.  Rock Icon Fuchsia is a brighter hot pink fuchsia with shimmery opalescent purple sheen.  I have to say I’m immediately drawn to it, and I can’t help but love it even though I am not often wearing such a bold lip.  This is fabulous paired with Seashell Color Fever Gloss from the L.U.C.I. collection!  Red and Sensual Java is a bright orange-red color that draws attention to the mouth.  Generally, orange-based colors do nothing to flatter my face, but I find that the orange in this is a bit subtle and there is a gold sheen to the finish that makes it more appealing.

Stay tuned for the next part in perfect Valentine Day lips, but in the meanwhile, check out lip swatches… Read the rest of this entry »

Ladies, let me tell you, YSL has truly created a remarkable spring collection (debuting February 2008).  I had the opportunity to play and test out the Palette Pop, a face and cheek powder; Rouge Pure Shine lipstick in Pink Sorbet; and Pop Stick Blush (N2) in Strawberry/Raspberry.  What did I love?  Oh, what didn’t I love!   Here are some swatches - top horizontal one is of Palette Pop, the bottom left is Pink Sorbet, and the bottom right is the Pop Stick Blush!  (Psst, myfavorite is the Pop Stick Blush, I am swooning over it!)

Now, let us give you a detailed review of the three products we tried… Read the rest of this entry »

Playboy Beauty capitalizes on the aspirational Playboy lifestyle and its place in American history by extending its brand portfolio with a sensual line of color cosmetics and beauty products.Women are invited to experience Playboy Beauty through fresh colors, textures and finishes. This multi-functional line rouses the five senses with cutting-edge innovation and novel product categories. From girl-next-door sex appeal to modern-day siren, Playboy Beauty allows you to express your every personality!

Now, let me tell you what I thought about Playboy Beauty’s line! Read the rest of this entry »