Stila Sale

Dear readers, I just had to post about Stila's awesome sale! Stila has deeply discounted most of their new Indian Summer collection and I have been waiting for this to appear in Sephora stores but it hasn't. I am beginning to wonder if it will. I know Stila was almost kaput recently and so I have wondered if maybe they are selling this collection online only?

Anyway, you must check this sale out and pick up a goodie or two. I am getting those glosses and maybe the Runway set. I loved those when they came out and got the grey one but held off on the plum...now is my chance!

stilacosmetics.com

Armani Lip Wax

Armani describes Lip Wax as lipstick without excess. I describe Lip Wax as a ultra light chapstick with great color.

What I mean is that Lip Wax does have a slightly lip balm waxy feel but it is refined to the point of being weightless. Lip Wax also has great color payoff that almost acts like a stain and really stays put.

Lip Wax is my preferred product when I want a bit of color on my lips but do not want to fuss with gloss, liner, or worry about touching up a lipstick. Lip Wax has never bled on my lips and the color will wipe off but not easily.

There are 7 shades to chose from with #7 being the newest addition and part of the Pink Light collection for spring. #7 is a pink raspberry shade that is a great balance of brightness without looking neon.

Lip Wax is $26 and can be found at Neiman's and some Nordstrom stores.

Armani Midnight Lip Shimmer

I admit that I really love lip gloss, but I am getting pickier about it as time goes on and I get a bit older. When I was a younger gal the only real requirment for a good gloss was high wattage shine. I could care less if the stuff was as sticky as fly paper and the color was alright as long as it was wearable. Like I said, shine ruled.

But I am older now and color has really stepped up as one of my key considerations with a close second and third being shine and stickiness. Basically I require more from gloss than it being a one trick shine pony.

My issue with most gloss revolves around the lack of good color payoff and most colors not really showing up and being too transparent. After I have worn them for a few minutes they look like my lip color but shiny. Boring! In my search for pigmented gloss I have tried many and most have failed.

Armani Midnight Gloss is just about perfect and I am here to tell you why. First this gloss comes in 6 vibrant and pigmented shades. Midnight Gloss is shiny and has some pearl particles in it for added sparkle. Also MG is not sticky and does not have any fragrance as far as I can tell which is a real plus in my book!

The only reason I haven't built an altar to it and started worship services is that there are only 6 shades! I know, I know, I can't have everything and shouldn't be such a demanding brat but when I find a good thing I want variety so I can have a whole bouquet of colors to choose from.

Midnight Gloss is $26 and worth every penny!

Angel Sunessence

If my dear readers will recall last summer had me hunting for a summer scent. I mostly struck out and came to the conclusion that the kind of fragrances I like are spicy and warm and don't lend themselves well to hot weather. Try as I might to find a summery scent that is light and breezy I just can't deal with the floral bombs or the citrus explosions that are most summer scents. Truly they just aren't for me.

Imagine my delight when I spotted Angel Sunessence today at Nordstrom. Angel is a longtime favorite of mine but is way too much for hot weather and sweaty bodies. This my dear friend is what Angel Sunessence is all about!

This version of Angel has been softened with bergamot and a floral hibiscus accord. What this means in layman's terms is that Angel has been toned down and made light and breezy which before now I would not have thought possible.

Angel is a rich and warm scent in it's original form that smells best on skin and evokes thoughts of yummy sweet and spicy foods. Sunessence somehow manages to keep the integrity of Angel but make it soft and sundrenched.

I have read many reviews that say Sunessence is lovely but doesn't last all that long. Well my answer to that is what summer scent does? I mean seriously I have yet to find a light breezy scent that has serious staying power because after all that pretty much defies the whole light thing.

It is true that for $80 I would like it to last but I am willing to pay for and reapply often a summer scent I actually like.

Urban Decay - Get Baked Eye Kit

I love this little set. It reminds me of a sampler box of little chocolates. Get Baked is a small taste of some yummy things at a nice little $28 price.

Get Baked has 4 eyeshadows, a mini Sin UDPP, and a mini 24/7 liner in Bourbon.

The four shadows are Twice Baked, Half Baked, Flipside, and Baked. Bourbon 24/7 eyeliner is a shimmery brown that is a staple in my eyeliner collection.

Lorac Baked Matte Satin Blush

I was at my local Ulta the other day picking up my favorite shampoo and I always cruise the makeup section on my way to the hair products. I swear that Ulta puts the makeup directly in the path of this poor makeup junkie knowing that I will look and most likely purchase.

The lovely Lorac blush you see is a product of this cruising and I just had to share my find. These new baked blushes come in 3 shades and are $24 each. While the description says they are matte that is not entirely accurate. Like most baked products this blush has a glow to it but it stays well away from being shiny.

I bought Exposed which is a gorgeous peachy coral pink that grabbed my attention and stopped me in my tracks. Lately I have been very attracted to these colors for both blushes and lip products as they scream summer to me. I am a very fair skinned person and I stay that way all year long so I am always looking for makeup colors that look summery without involving bronzer. Coral pinks look great on my skin tone and is very season appropriate.

All three shades are super pigmented and don't require much product to get great payoff.

Guerlain Summer Splash Palette

Yum! I want to eat this palette up with a spoon and rub it all over my face....um sorry about that, I was having a moment.

Seriously though Guerlain palette's make me soooo happy. They are pricey at $58 to be sure, but you get what you pay for in these babies.

The colors are pigmented and silky. They blend like a dream and the shimmer is sophisticated not disco ball.

Summer Splash starts off with a pearl white and pink and moves on to shimmering taupe and iridescent turquoise. Yummmmmm. I love turquoise and teal shadows during the summer. I can't get enough and paired with coral pink blush and gloss....oh the ecstasy!

MAC - Rose Is A Rose Quad

This delish quad is Nordstrom exclusive and from what my counter girls have told me is fairly limited. Even the San Francisco counter is getting fewer than 50 and that is a dang busy counter.

This quad is $36 bucks well spent in my opinion for Solar White alone. Solar White came out last year and is the most awesome white gold EVER! If only this color would join the permanent line I could stop rationing it out to myself.

The other shades are Seeds of Love and Petal Worship which are both quad only and Contrast the deep blue purple which is perm and is a favorite in my collection. I use Contrast as liner or to create a fab smokey eye.

Get your quad while you can!

Covergirl Outlast Lipstain

I am a lipstain lover and skeptic all at the same time. I love the idea of staining lips especially under sheer glosses and lipsticks to give them added color and staying power.

The skeptic in me comes out because they can be tricky to apply and the texture is often heavy and slightly sticky unless you cover it with gloss or lipstick.

I have read many favorable reviews of the Covergirl Outlast Lipstain and even passed it at my local Target about a dozen times but I have never thrown one in the cart.

Today I was at Ulta, mainly there because I was bored and I can always entertain myself with makeup! Lo and behold there were those little pens beckoning to me and so I caved on 2.

I bought Everbloom Kiss and Teasing Blush for 8 bucks each. Teasing Blush was opened immediately and applied in the car so I could see if these would finally be the answer to my lipstain prayers. They were.

These are fantastic and for the price they can not be beat. Some folks have said that they dried out quickly but my lip pens are about 2 months old and are going strong.

Teasing Blush is a reddish pink and darker than I expected but I do like it a lot. Everbloom is a softer but brighter pink and very pretty as well. The color on these tubes can be deceptive so I recommend buying a bit lighter than you think the shade might be or be very light handed with your application and rub it in with your finger. The finger trick will help to sheer out the color nicely.

I found these for $8 and it was BOGO at the time at Ulta.

Nars Summer 2009

Oh girls, hold onto your hats and glasses, the summer collections are starting to make their appearance and I am beyond excited!

Just look at that teal eye and for the love get a load of that PERFECT pink nude lip! OMFG I can not stand it!

This is Nars summer look and it sings a tune of happiness to my teal loving heart. The shadow is a new shade called Tropics and will be offered as a single shadow for $22 and the lippie is a combination of the following:

1. New Tonga lipliner $20
2. New Outsider lipstick $22
3. New Belize lipgloss $24

The new collection has yet to hit stores but can be found online at Nars Cosmetics. Happy shopping!

MAC Rose Romance

I am a bit late to the game on mentioning Rose Romance. I can't say why exactly because there is a lot to love about this collection. Maybe it is because I was very selective about what I bought or perhaps it was because I already own both pigments and I really want some new ones to appear already!

Okay small tantrum over.

Here is what I loved and bought:

Silverthorn, Of Summer, and Et Tu Bouquet eyeshadows. Steal My Heart Lipglass. All of the See Thru Lipcolors and Blush of Youth Beauty Powder which is pictured.

I am IN LOVE with the Beauty Powder. Everyone has commented that the embossed design is hard to take a brush to and I agree but Blush of Youth is afreakin-mazing! MAC describes it as a clean pink with gold pearl and that is about right except I don't see any pearl, just glow. Blush of Youth is a soft healthy pink that you can build to your hearts content and you won't ever leave the house looking like a clown.

The two pigments offered are Mutiny and Circa Plum. Mutiny is a bright sky blue and Circa Plum is a dirty lavender with quite a bit of gray to my eye. As I said I own both and love them and if they are not a part of your pigment collection I highly suggest picking them up.

All in all there is a lot to love but the Beauty Powder just stole my heart!

Shiseido Perfect Rouge

I buy lipstick but I rarely wear it. I often find myself reaching for one of a dozen or so glosses rattling around the bottom of my purse rather than a tube of lipstick.

I used to wear red lipstick almost exclusively and then for some reason I started to wear gloss....all colors and usually the brighter the better. It was a personal makeup revolution for me that has left my many tubes of lipstick, both new and old, collecting dust.

Still I love a lipstick tube a lot. Something about an actual tube is so satisfying. I am always willing to try new lipstick formulas that come onto the market and look for one that is color true, won't bleed, and is moisturizing.

Shideido is one of those brands that I only pay attention to because of the creative director, makeup artist Dick Page. His runway work is some of my favorite to watch and so when Perfect Rouge hit counters I ran on down to the mall to check out Mr. Page's creation.

Perfect Rouge comes in 20 shades and is $25 a tube. My favorite SA at the local Nordstrom gave me a sample card with 4 shades on it to try and I was instantly hooked. The colors are rich yet clear, almost jelly like. Jelly is rich in color yet ultimately transparent and this lipstick captures that perfectly. This combo is a favorite whether it is nail polish or jelly.

I bought both Salon and Sweet Pea in the red family with Sweet Pea being a pink red and Salon a softer true red.

Estee Lauder Double Wear ShadowCreme

If it looks like a Paint Pot, feels like a Paint Pot, and is packaged just like a Paint Pot, then it must be a Paint Pot....right?

You would be mostly correct and let me introduce you to Estee Lauder Double Wear ShadowCreme for $17.50 which is exactly one dollar more than a MAC Paint Pot.

So other than the gold lid and the dollar price difference I was wondering if these are indeed the same product and the short answer is yes, they are.

I bought a Paint Pot recently and still had the box so I naturally compared the ingredient lists and you guessed it, they are identical.

EL's ShadowCreme comes in 10 shades and just like MAC Paint Pot this doesn't crease or fade and layers beautifully with pressed shadow or pigment. The color selection is mostly a complete copy of MAC with a few exceptions. Silver Leaf is a mid-tone silver, Lilac Petals is a lavender grey pearl, and Golden Apricot is a warm gold with apricot overtones.

The main difference between the EL versions and MAC is the pigment payoff. EL's are lighter and more sheer but they can be built up nicely and the added color selection make these worth a look if you are a Paint Pot lover.

MAC - Double Dazzle

Oh man! Double Dazzle has come to town with 18 shades to choose from. My understanding is that most of the shades are joining the permanent line except for 2 but none of my local MAC ladies knew which 2 weren't.

For the uninitiated Double Dazzle is all about Dazzleglass which is basically MAC's answer to lipgloss nirvana. I have written before about my love of Dazzleglass and so I will try and keep my enthusing to a minimum. Dazzleglass is a gloss that is thicker than most and contains large particle shimmer. Between the actual gloss formula and the shimmer this gloss is uber shiny and utterly gorgeous.

The color payoff on these varies from barely there to near neon shades with just about everything in between. The thicker consistency allows Dazzleglass to be a bit hardier and stay in place and really dang shiny when other glosses would have wimped out and gone home. The original collection came out in 2008 and I bought nearly all of the shades. The 6 new shades to choose from in Double Dazzle give me the opportunity to refill on favorites and to fall in love with some new beauties.

Dazzleglass is $18 and worth every shimmery penny!

Shu Uemura - Pink Collection

I am a daily reader of Annie's blog, Blogdorf Goodman. I read this blog religiously when I will skip all others. She is currently doing her 40 days of all things lippie related and I eat it up with a spoon!

A few days ago she posted about Shu Uemura's Pink collection that features 9 new lipsticks and 5 new shades of gloss in various shades of, you guessed it, PINK.

Now I love pink lippies and there is hardly a pink I won't consider. I like bright fuchsia pink, soft brown pinks that are about my lip color, sparkly baby pinks, and everything in between. I will even try warm pinks and I generally avoid warm lip colors most of the time.

The Pink Collection is all about a new pink hybrid pigment that is supposed to bring unprecedented pink pureness to these lippies. Well I don't know about you but the looks of the gloss pictured here is darn magnificent to me and if it is achieved through some new fangled pigment science I say yipee! Bring on the pink!

The gloss can be had for $22 and the lipstick for $23. If you are a pink lover this collection should not be missed.

Dior Addict Lipstick

I was tempted to try Dior Addict lipstick because of the latest Sephora ads. One of the models has a bright pink but still transparent lip and I just had to get my paws on the shades.

Well apparently Sephora knew this lippie would be a sought after item because they have a display right at the entrance of my local store with the products they used to achieve the model's look.

Pink Lust is the shade of Dior Addict lipstick responsible for my quest and it lives up to the hype my friends. Pink lust is a shimmering bold fuchsia that is super pigmented but not opaque. It is the perfect balance of color and shine while still being transparent.

There are many shades to choose from and while $26 isn't chump change for a lippie these are worth the extra cash.

Max Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper

Now you all know how I am with mascara. Bluntly put I am a mascara tramp. I will go out and try any mascara once and this new one from Max Factor is no exception.

After seeing all the artists use this on Blush I just had to try it. I am here to tell you that this mascara and Lash Blast are twins. If you like Cover Girl's Lash Blast you will like Lash Plumper.

Everything from the tube to the wand to the formula are a dead ringer for each other which is not a bad thing. I like Lash Blast and my only complaint is that the big fat wand can be difficult to maneuver and has a tendency to get mascara on my eyelid.

That aside this mascara, like Lash Blast, separates lashes beautifully and does not clump and is a great affordable mascara option. I found this at Ulta for $8.

Lipstick Queen - Big Bang Theory Lip Gloss

Poppy King the creator of Lipstick Queen just never fails to delight me. To date there is only one product she has ever released that I just couldn't recommend wholeheartedly. (Shine gloss with the yucky plasticy smell I am looking at you)

Her latest offering is Big Bang Theory Lip Gloss for $20 that comes in all the lovely shades pictured and in that cute little test tube package. These glosses were designed to give the look of plump lips with fine particle shimmer instead of the lip searing effects of some plumpers out there.

I tested all the colors at Barneys and my fav's are Creation, Energy, Cosmos, and Black Hole. Energy is just this amazing deep shimmery red that looks like a nail polish on the lips....and yes that is a good thing. Thankfully these do not have any fragrance and are just dang good shiny and shimmery gloss fun.

These can be found at Barneys or Lipstick Queen.

Givenchy Sari Glow

Am I the only one newly obsessed with Slumdog Millionaire's Freida Pinto? She is just gorgeous and I have loved every red carpet look she has done. She has a kind of exotic beauty that makes me drool with envy.

While cruising Sephora I noticed Givenchy's Spring 09 collection that is inspired by the sensual and refined beauty of Indian women with lots of bright orange and pink in the mix. Well I am all about getting a little piece of that sensual and refined beauty and Sari Glow Iridescent Blush was a real stand out product.

Maharani Pink is a luminous rosy pink and is super glowy on skin. It has that red carpet radiance that I always notice on the cheeks of celebrities but is hard to create in real life. Sari Glow makes that look easy to achieve. It combines the best of a blush and highlighter.

Givenchy Sari Glow is $42 and comes with a little brush.

Lorac Couture Shine Liquid Lipstick

Lorac's new Couture Shine Lipstick is dreamy. I tried on a few today and fell in love with the shade Glam a neutral rose shimmer. Glam is great for everyday or as a neutral lip with a more dramatic eye.

What I really liked though is the formula! This is a highly pigmented gloss-like lippie and smells like vanilla which is alright by me. The texture is smooth and creamy not sticky and is super moisturizing.

Couture shine has mother of pearl for shine, almond oil for smooth lips, and hyaluronic acid for hydrating which is dandy. The truth is it a dang fine gloss or liquid lipstick and warrants a look see from you!

Tubes can be found at Sephora for $22 and it currently comes in 7 shades.

Karl Lagerfeld Kapsules

These 3 fragrances are Karl Lagerfeld's interpretation of the 3 major fragrance families. Each Kapsule is $110 or you can get a set of 3 smaller bottles for $150 at Neiman Marcus.

I received a sample pack of all 3 to try and it took me a while to actually break these open. However I am a new fan of Floriental which features black tea, violet, and ivy leaves. It is the right blend of sweetness and warmth and is a real winner in my book.

Woody is cedarwood, plum and moss. I am normally a real woody fan and while I like this fragrance I would not buy it. The cedar gives a nice opening and that slightly pencil shaving scent with plum swirling around nicely. Moss is there but in the background. Woody is nice but just doesn't have the ompf of the woody fragrances I really love....think Bois de Paradis.

Light is a blend of bitter orange, jasmine and musk. The bitter orange is front and center at first with the jasmine and musk showing up later. For some reason it is the most masculine smelling of the 3 to me.

Floriential is far and away my pick and will be a future purchase for sure!

MAC - Grand Duos

Crap, crap, crap! Doesn't MAC know there is an economic recession going on and that we poor makeup junkies are feeling the pinch in our makeup allowance! Seriously these folks need to either keep their pricing low or stop releasing collections where I want every last thing. Naturally I vote for option #1.

Say hello to MAC's Grand Duo blushes and the cause of all my consternation. These gorgeous babies are $22.50 and so lovely I can not stand it!

Grand Duos are available in 7 shades and feature a tri-color marble half and a solid color shimmer other half that is glowy rather than glitter-tastic. Here is the lineup:

Light Over Dark - Yellow orange with brown
Moon River - Blue pink melange with pale yellow pink
Love Rock - Gold violet melange with bright blue pink
Grand Duo - Copper pink with plum
Earth to Earth - Purple bronze with yellow brown
Intenso - Pink gold with terracotta rose
Hot Planet - Copper yellow with midtone plum

My picks after pre-selling are Moon River, Love Rock, Grand Duo, and Intenso. Earth to Earth is very intriguing but I am a bit worried about wearability so I am very interested to see how this one does. Intenso is amazing and I am not a huge warm tone fan but Intenso is nuts in a good way!

Shiseido Hydro Power

After writing my mostly scathing review of Urban Decay's cream shadow I went in search of another purple cream shadow that could serve as a base for all my purple shadows and really give them some umpf! I am here to tell you that there just aren't that many good options when it comes to purple.

MAC had a paint pot called Nice Vice that was a limited edition with Fafi but that now goes for close to $50 on Ebay and I just won't pony up that kind of cash for a paint pot that could very well be a dried up mess. I have haunted my local CCO's looking for this shade but have struck out.

Bobbi Brown cream shadows are great bases and resist creasing nicely but there isn't a true purple in the bunch. That was when I stumbled on Shiseido's Violet Vision which seemed like the answer to my prayers! After my Urban Decay let down I was skeptical and saved my receipt!

I am here to tell you that Violet Vision is a winner and was tested over a full day at work and into the night. After leaving my house at 8:30 and returning after 9 there was not a crease in sight and my shadow was looking good. If you are hunting for a base to prevent creasing and make purples really pop this is the real deal.

Urban Decay Cream Shadow

This is not a favorable review....let's just get that out of the way right off the bat. I had such high hopes for Urban Decay's new Cream Shadow. Normally I am a MAC Paint Pot fan with MAC Paint, Bobbi Brown Cream Shadow and Shiseido Hyrdo Power being my favorite alternatives.

But there are always colors I am looking for to use as a base for eyeshadows or pigments that my favorite brands just don't have.

Urban Decay's Delinquent Cream Shadow is a deep purple metallic that is gorgeous in the tube and when tested on your hand but the trouble begins when you actually start to use this product for it's intended purpose....on your eyes!

Application is streaky and patchy and takes forever to dry. Heaven forbid you should open your eyes before this stuff fully drys because then it will crease instantly. If you have the patience to apply a few layers with care AND allow sufficient drying time of a minute or so (who has time for that!) then the cream shadow is mostly set and you can apply shadow over it. The color payoff is great but that isn't the end of my story.

I managed to get a layer of Delinquent on and then carefully patted on Plum eyeshadow (MAC Pro shade) with a 239 brush and I even applied a layer of UDPP before to try and ensure a crease free day of wear. At first the result was great. The color was beautiful and rich but after about an hour trouble started and I was noticing some serious creasing. After a full day the shadow was just a mess and was gathered in the crease in what I refer to as makeup soup....not pretty!

I wish this had been a product I could recommend due to the shades offered but unless you have very dry lids that things don't normally crease on I just wouldn't waste the $17.

La Vanila - Vanilla Lavender

I have a soft spot in my heart for La Vanila fragrances and body butters. There is just something about the yummy warm slightly foody scent of vanilla in general and La Vanila's creations in specific.

I am a closet fan of Vanilla Grapefruit but have never actually bought a bottle. I have purchased the body butters and the body wash and loved them both but for some reason I have never wanted to commit to a whole bottle of perfume.

I was very eager to sniff La Vanila's latest scent in Vanilla Lavender but after sniffing I could have waited....a long time.

I am sorry to report that this is just a turn in the wrong direction for La Vanila. I know that all fragrance preferences are subjective but this one is just yucky. The smell is somewhat old lady smelling and lacks the sweetness that all the other scents in this line have in common. It seems that the vanilla and lavender do not play well together.

You can get your paws on this for $56 but I strongly suggest sniffing and wearing it for a bit before purchasing.

Urban Decay Sin Primer Potion

Here is Urban Decay's new addition to eye priming fun! Meet Sin Primer Potion for $17 currently available at Sephora.

Sin is a champagne toned primer that shares the same texture as UDPP but with a bit of color and pearl. If you own or have seen MAC's Bare Study Paint Pot then you are on the right track for comparison.

I am of two minds when it comes to this new primer. First I love UDPP for its anti-crease and fade properties as well as its oil controlling abilities. Eyeshadow pays off better and lasts longer with UDPP and the added color is nice.

On the other hand I detest the bottle for this product which by now is a well known product trapper and I would hope that Urban Decay would have addressed this issue when bringing a new primer to market. The curves on this bottle may be cute but they hide a lot product and while you can cut it open and store the rest in a jar I just think that is lame.

Put this otherwise fab primer in a better package already!

Kings & Queens

Kings & Queens is made by Korres, one of my favorite producers of body and hand lotions. Korres is known for being natural and the lotions are rich and hydrating. My only issue is that I am very picky about fragrances and there are only a few I like.

I had read about Kings & Queens but had never run across any products until stumbling on them at Nordstrom. The scents are exotic and smell real if that makes since.

My example would be peach scented products that smell so intensely of artificial peach that they are saccharine and awful. It is rare to find fragrance is beauty products that smells like it should and not a synthetic approximation.

My first purchase was the Honey body butter which is unbelievable. I love honey on buttered hot toast and can't decide if its the smell of the warm oozing honey or the taste that is better. The body butter smells EXACTLY like warm honey on buttered toast!

My second purchase was Mango and it too has all the sweet but sharp aspects of the real fruit and never strays into that overly sugary version of Mango that I can't stand.

Bobbi Brown - Makeup Manual

Like any self respecting makeup junkie I not only spend my fun money on makeup, makeup and more makeup, I also keep abreast of the latest makeup related publications.

If there is anything that competes with shopping for, playing with, and taking home my brand new makeup goodies it has to be reading about makeup in glossy magazines (Allure being the winner) or books.

As I have mentioned I am a HUGE Kevyn Aucoin fan and was heartbroken when he passed away. His books are regular perusal material and I love studying his technique and picking up tips and tricks.

Bobbi Brown has to be a close second for me and I have been waiting for this kind of book from her for a long time. According to Amazon.com this is the book her fans have been waiting for and lord knows I am a fan! It is supposed to be chalk full of tips and techniques from her 25 years of experience.

I am here to report that this book is a good read for both makeup novices and junkies like myself. I really enjoyed her advice on putting together a working makeup kit a lot and her advice on breaking into the business was specific and right on the money.

My only gripe was I wanted more instruction and application tips and tricks. Unfortunately that part of the book was a little lean.

Overall I still think think this is a worth while purchase and read.

Stila - Precious Pearl Palette

I have been trying very hard to be controlled about my makeup spending these days. There are two reasons and so far I have been doing pretty good but not great. Reason #1 is the economy in general and I think with things being so uncertain and companies laying people off or just plain going out of business it is wise to save more than I usually do. Reason #2 MAC Hello Kitty is coming out soon and I have been petrified that I will want every last piece of the collection which will be major cash!

So while I am trying hard to be better about my makeup shopping I can't help but cruise the cosmetics department or Sephora and gaze at the makeup gems. Perhaps you might say this is like taking an alcoholic to the corner bar but I just can't help it and I do have pretty good self control.

During my recent cruise of Sephora I remembered I had a Sephora gift card that had a $38 balance and this palette was a must have so my guilt was practically erased!

Stila's Precious Pearl Palette is not only gorgeous eyeshadow but the mother of pearl palette case is oh so pretty at $40. There are six shades that all have crushed pearl in them for a beautiful shimmery smooth application that is super pigmented and like all Stila shadows, easy to blend.

From left is a white gold, soft pink, mid-tone pink, blackened deep blue, mermaid green, and burnished gold.

This is worth breaking your piggy bank open for!

Lancome - Pink Irreverence

Ummm, my wallet was not prepared for this collection from Lancome. After MAC BBR I had blown my makeup allowance pretty thoroughly and this collection just came out of nowhere!

I admit that I don't pay a great deal of attention to Lancome since Gucci Westman departed but apparently I need to start paying better attention.

Aaron de Mey is Lancome's creative director and boy oh boy he has a serious fan in this makeup junkie! This New Zealand born makeup genius is on fire with this huge collection, Pink Irreverence.

There are 2 eye palettes including the pink beauty pictured. There are new liners in both pencil and the felt tip variety, nail polishes, lipsticks, and glosses. Forget Me Not lipstick is a favorite and the new gloss formula is amazing!

Le Laque Fever is a full color gloss with shine and pigmentation to make any gloss girl happy but boy does the color last. Electric Pink is indeed neon pink with sparkle and depth that keep it modern and beautiful without looking like an 80's mall singer. I am not sure how I will pull off this ultra hot pink shade but dang it I will give it a go!

MAC - Brunette Blonde Redhead

This MAC collection is a must see and keep your wallet handy and your budget in mind. It is easy to get swept away and buy every last new color in sight if you aren't careful! Brunette Blonde Redhead is almost all new color and MAC has hit it out of the park with nearly all of the offerings.




The Mineralize degrade powders are finely milled and provide highlighting and color that is ultra-blendable. There isn't a bad one in the bunch although I passed on the Brunette MSF as it is very warm for my skin tone.

My favorite Lipglass is Strawberry Blonde and holy cow it is multiple worthy. SB is a deep pink red that is lovely and would look good on anyone blonde or not.





Henna and Flip eyeshadows are two gold based shades that MAC has before now been missing and Pincurl is a grey with iridescence that may not seem impressive in the pan but is magic on the eye. Pincurl is duplicate worthy as well.

I encourage you to go see this collection and please check out the limited edition brushes quickly. The 3 brushes should be permanent but if they aren't you will kick yourself hard for not getting them.

The 226 is a baby 224 and is a perfect crease and blender combined. This is a brush that MAC has been missing for a while and I praise them for providing it.

The 214 is a smudge shader that is unique in that it comes to a chisel edge that allows you to smudge liner along the lash line like no other.

The 165 is a tapered cheek highlight brush and is made for exactly that purpose. It hugs the top of the cheek bone and makes highlighting a breeze.

Happy shopping!

YSL Bow Collection

Here is one of my most recent purchases, YSL's Bow Collection eye quad.

I deliberated a long time on this one but finally caved when I also found the #16 Golden Gloss in stock at my local Bloomingdales from the same collection.

This palette is all about creating a smokey eye without grey or black and instead using purples, rosy grey tones. In a word, lovely!

This is not a new collection but if the latest looks hitting the spring runway say anything it is that a smokey eye done in alternate shades is here to stay.

This quad is $60 and is worth a look for the pigment and silky texture that is the hallmark of YSL shadow.

Rock & Republic

Rock & Republic has introduced a relatively new line of cosmetics that I found at Neiman Marcus. I was a bit skeptical about what sort of makeup a company that is best known for denim would produce. My skepticism was unfounded after playing with the line today. Excuse the corniness coming your way....the line rocks!

Seriously the shadows are highly pigmented and the colors range from neutrals done perfectly to edgy color that rivals MAC and MUFE. It is a medium sized selection of eyeshadows now but the SA said they would grow and the initial color offering is fantastic.

The blushes are beautiful and I wanted every last one. I loved the glow in a lot of the shades but at $40 each I had to get selective.

The compacts are amazing and should all be refillable because they are just too nice to ever throw away. My first purchases were 2 of the lip glosses in Sexy Beast and Mistress. The gloss is not sticky at all and rather than getting its shine from the actual gloss (think MAC Lipglass) but instead the shine comes from the pigment in the gloss. The texture is actually pretty thin and can be built up for full color or quickly swiped for a sheer wash of color.

I highly recommend checking out this line for some great colors and super luxe packaging.