Golden Dior Summer 2008

Gold, gold everywhere and how much can I justify buying! Dior is making it hard for me to turn down more gold this season because they have some fab gold shades in this collection along with some super bronzes.

The best gold collection I had seen this so far this season was Laura Mercier's Gold Digger. I raved about the Eye Color Pots in a previous post and continue to wear them almost daily.

Dior has 2 eyeshadow palettes and my pick is Gold Fever. The 5 colors in the compact range from a white gold to a lilac tinged taupe. All the shades have shimmer and are easy to wear. The Dior eyeshadow palettes are $54 which is not chump change but the texture of the shadow is creamy and easily blended.

Plus check out the necklace while you are there...oh la la! It looks like a little bronze jewel and has golden highlighter inside!

MAC Stowaway Palette

This palette is a Nordstrom supplement to MAC's Naughty Nauticals collection and as far as I can tell is exclusive to them. The four shades are Awash, Crest the Wave, Sea Cadet and a relaunch of Satin Taupe.

The palette is $36 and can be found in stores or online.

Fekkai Glossing Cream

Here is my favorite and only styling product. Glossing Cream is so perfect no other products need apply.

I have hair that is thick and wavy verging on curly that I highlight. It can get frizzy and downright bushy if let to its own devices. That's wear this olive oil rich dream cream comes in.

I searched high and low and tried many products that worked well but had little issues. I was prepared to accept them until I was told about this cream.

Glossing Cream ($19-$26) is hydrating and also helps to weigh hair down a bit. For someone with my hair type it is ideal at keeping frizz under control.

The real key to frizz control is to apply this cream when you hair is wet, not damp and start at the ends and work up to the roots. My only caveat would be to not over apply because it can get a bit greasy....it is olive oil after all.

Fekkai also has a limited edition Summer Hair series in stores now. All the products smell like a yummy beachy cococut cocktail with Beach Waves and Zero-Humidity Frizz Control (both $22) being my favorites. The Beach Waves spray really helps to encourage waves and give that tousled appearance of a surfer girl fresh from the seashore.

While they do not take the place of my beloved Glossing Cream, they make a nice addition and make me feel summer ready!

Bond No. 9

So as I mentioned one idea for Mother's Day that is reasonably priced I figured I should also mention a gift that is not. Okay perhaps it was all those dang Swarovski crystals luring me in like siren song...whatever!

This sparkly set has 4 refillable purse sprays filled with Bleecker Street, Bryant Park, Nuits de Noho, and Eau de New York.

Now this set is $700 which I realize is some serious change, but if your sweet child or husband has some money to burn this would be my choice.

It may be that the bright shiny objects have just hypnotized me, but in truth all 4 of the fragrances are on my short list so why not have them in a flashy container....right?

Kiehls - Spiced Plum

Yum....that's the word that came to mind when I had my nose buried in this lucious candle.

Kiehls has a soy candle, body cleanser, and hand & body lotion in this Spiced Plum scent and it is heavenly!

Pictured above is the set I saw at Nordstrom and since I am the mommy of a 6 year old, I can tell you that any mom would love to receive this set for Mother's Day!

Kiehls also has a limited edition Gardenia scent that is very nice as well, I just tend to go for spicier stuff.

These products can be found at Nordstrom and Kiehls stores. Go on, make your momma happy!

Lipstick Queen

Are a saint or a sinner? In the Lipstick Queen collection that is the question.

Saint lipsticks are 10% pigment and while they are transparent they are loaded with color. I love the Saint colors because for a moisturizing formula they have great staying power.

Sinner lipsticks are 90% pigment by contrast and matte without being dry. They are pure color without frost or shimmer.

There are 10 colors with both a Saint or Sinner version available. I adore Rose (pictured) and Rouge in both formulas. Natural in Saint formula is a staple that never leaves my purse.

The line also includes matte lipgloss and traditional shiny lipgloss. The matte gloss may sound odd, but I assure you looks beautiful on.

This line in available at Barneys and very reasonably priced at $18 a tube. For this makeup junkie who is lipgloss obsessed this is lipstick at its very best.

Allure - Bright Pink Cheeks

If I have failed to mention before let me say now....Allure is my favorite magazine. How could I not adore a magazine devoted to beauty.

This month the "Look Now" are bright pink cheeks and I nearly jumped off the couch shouting Hooray!

I am a big fan of bright cheek colors for a lot of reasons, chief among them that a bright color offers versatility. Scary blush colors in the pan can be blended back for a sheer wash or layered on to doll-like circles of color....the point is the choice is yours.

I avoid super natural cheek colors because no matter how much I put on there is only so much color payoff to be had. Some mornings I wake up and look half dead, but a bright blush color does wonders to make me look like a member of the living.

Allure recommends Smashbox blush in Radiance, a bright fuchsia.

I recommend the following:

Shu Uemura: Glow On Wine #29 is a wine pink shade

MAC: Dollymix is a sheer candy pink

Nars: Outlaw is rose pink with shimmer

Bobbi Brown: French Pink is matte blue pink

A little goes a long way with any of these colors but that is the beauty of them. To complete the look that Allure mentions I use a little Bare Escentuals Clear Radiance along the cheek bone and Voila! spring cheeks are born.

Bobbi Brown - Lip System

Bobbi Brown's lip system is supposed to take the guess work out of picking a lipstick shade that looks great on you.

Have you had the experience of picking what you were certain was your Holy Grail lip shade only to get home and wonder if you were temporarily insane? Or worse, you got to the car with your new jewel and caught sight of yourself in the rear view mirror, horrified at your lip color? Were you too ashamed to march right back into the store demanding a refund, so instead you skulk home with the offender?

BB's Lip System is aimed at putting an end to just these kinds of episodes. Here's how it works:

1. a match for your natural lip color is found using one of 12 shades.


2. build your lip wardrobe using the color wheel. the wheel outlines different neutral, bright, deep and sheer shades that will flatter you most.

My match was Pale Pink....I have really pale lips....but this color wasn't on the cute color wheel. The SA tried various others but none matched as well....hmmm. We ended up going with Sandwash Pink and out of all the suggestions I chose Plum in the Lip Sheer formula. It's a good shade for me but the 12 shade color wheel does have some limitations.

Overall I think this is a great idea. A lot of my friends have me go along to pick cosmetic colors because I will be brutally honest and my love of cosmetics has given me a pretty good eye for color. But I consistently see women purchase lipstick and never really be satisfied with their picks and this is where the Lip System can really help.I saw the Lip System at every BB counter I went to today so go check it out and tell me what your match is!

Hourglass - Vineyard Palette

I have green eyes that have yellow flecks in them. If you are thinking along the lines of cat eye color, you would be correct. I have been asked more times than I can count if I am wearing contacts. If there is one thing I have learned from my eyes, it is that purple shades of eyeshadow and liner make them GREEN!

I always get told to wear green eyeshadow to enhance the color and I do not agree. The best shades for green eyed me are purples, golds, and oh, red lipstick makes them look outrageous.

So in honor of purple I would like to present my favorite purple palette. Behold the beauty that is Hourglass' Vineyard! Gorgeous....right!

Okay this baby has 6 eyeshadows that are silky smooth and packed with color and 2 blushes that coordinate perfectly.

The shadows range from a soft light pink and lavender to smoky grey purple and eggplant. The two blush colors are a natural pink with very sheer shimmer and a brighter pink.

These palettes are $75 each, ouch! But they are refillable and the quality is top notch. There are 5 palette color options ranging from natural taupes to glam rocker shades. If not for the price I would own each and every one. As it is I will refill my palette when I go through these lovely shades.

These palettes and the rest of the line are available at Barneys or Sephora . Check out the lipsticks when you are there....they are creamy and divine.

Bare Escentuals - Buxom Lips

I need a 12 step program. I know the first step is admitting I have a problem....I'm working on that....but the tingle is so good!

Bare Escentuals Buxom Lips lipgloss has become a bit of an addiction for me. I have 3 colors and am currently eyeing the Buxom Babes set of 4 mini tubes ($28) at Sephora.

What has caused my problem you ask? It is the tingly goodness of this slick gloss when it is applied. Oh and the sheer color doesn't hurt either!

This gloss has become my staple for spring and I am never without it. Buxom Lips isn't sticky or goopy and gives a hint of color and slick shine.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that it does plump too.....I never seem to see the plumping results that all plumpers claim, but this one is my favorite of the bunch.

I own:

Dolly is a sheer muted plum. Candi is a sheer shimmering berry. Kanani is a sheer vibrant pink.

Buxom Lips can be found at Sephora, Bare Escentuals, or Ulta and are $18. Don't bother emailing me when you find yourself compulsively applying....just know I am right there with you!