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!