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!

David Yurman Eau de Parfum

David Yurman's new fragrance is the first to capture my heart for fall scents and it wasn't just the bottle that did it either!

A while back I was at the Neimans in SF and they have the Gurelain scents that were created for the reopening of the Guerlain flagship store in Paris. Rose Barbare was an instant favorite with it's not sweet but somehow wild smelling rose. Barbare is deep and dark and worth smelling but there was just something about it that stopped me from purchasing a bottle. Some element of it just didn't sit well and at over $200 I was not willing to compromise.

Imagine my surprise when on a whim I sniffed this new David Yurman scent and fully expected to be underwhelmed but was not!

David Yurman's scent has that same rose and patchouli thing going on with the woods showing up in the dry down. What it lacks is the mossy quality of Barbare and for me this is pay dirt.

I am not saying these two are dead ringers for each other but like sisters they are related and share some common characteristics. Both of these lovely fragrances would be hard to pull off in the warmer months and would morph from lovely to smelling like the guy who bathes in the disgusting AXE body spray. No these are scents that are meant to smelled through layers of fabric and crisp air.

Both can be found at Neiman Marcus and it is worth it to take a look before 09/15 since Neiman's has their super beauty event going on. The bag is very cute and the goodies inside are icing on the cake.

Guerlain Blush & Sun

This is one my all time favorite bronzers. Guerlain's Blush & Sun ($39) comes in 3 shades and I like and use every last one. The best thing about these little compacts is that the shades are blendable and forgiving, especially on those who avoid the sun.

I remain pretty pale throughout the summer with a combination of sunscreen, my favorite Kaenon Georgia sunglasses and my Helen Kaminski hat. But with a little help from Guerlain I can look summer appropriate without any help from the sun.

These bronzers combine a sunny glow with a blush pop of color. The powder is silky and has the a pleasant fragrance. I apply this with a fluffy brush for a soft wash of color that is healthy looking and isn't as scary as most bronzers when you are fair skinned.

Also check out Sephora's 30 Days of Bronzer for other great ideas.

Makeup as Metaphor

I am often asked the question...why I do I love makeup so much. To be candid, I can usually detect just a little bit of scorn from the person asking this question. Something along the lines of makeup being equated with vanity and vanity being shallow.

I take issue with this and I think all of you out there who really love makeup should too.

Makeup is democratic in that it is the great equalizer in the fashion world. Makeup does not favor a body type, a height, or weight. Makeup always fits and never makes your butt look big!

Makeup allows you to be as trendy as you want one day and to start all over again the next with a little soap and water. It allows for transformation and makes it possible to try on a new identity and is forgiving if you change your mind.

Makeup, well applied, makes most people look better. It graciously hides our imperfections and highlights our assets making it possible for some to concentrate on the best of their physical selves.

A great example of my own is red lipstick. I am not talking gloss or some sheer version, I am speaking of true blue red, opaque lipstick. My husband loves it and is just thrilled when I wear it. Maybe for him it is evocative of some racy image and although I don't wear it all the time when I do it never goes unnoticed. When I wear my favorite shade of red I don't feel like myself for a few hours. Instead I feel Old Hollywood glamorous and capable of pulling off a couture gown with a plunging neckline.

For the confidence it can inspire in some people alone, I think to dismiss the power and benefit of makeup is silly. And if you just don't buy into all these high minded ideals, then rest assured makeup is just good clean fun too!

p.s. my favorite red is Guerlain #525 Folie de Grenat a deep blue red fantasy.

Guerlain Meteorites Pressed Powder

Isn't is pretty? Go on...it's okay to like something just because it is so darn nice looking.

Guerlain has pressed their famous meteorties and made them convinient to carry and travel with. The little pamphlet enclosed says these are matte with luminescence which sounded like an oxymoron to me until I tried my little treasure on.

Somehow they are softly matte yet add a sheen to skin that is super flattering without being shiny.

This illuminating powder comes in 3 shades, Mythic Parfait (pictured), Pink Frais and Beige Lumineux. Mythic Parfait is the most subtle of the 3 and is a combination of gold, pink, blue and green and was my choice. I sweep a fluffy powder brush over the entire compact and use it along the cheek bones for a luminous effect. In a word...lovely!

These powders are $65 and available at Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Kiss Kiss by Guerlain

Oh doesn't the name say it all! It's true I love Guerlain makeup and have no problem paying for it. Some of my very favorite perfumes and lipsticks are Guerlian and I have so many of their eyeshadow quads it defies imagination, but more on that later. My new love in this line is the Kiss Kiss Stick Gloss that comes in 8 colors with a limited edition color that can be found in stores now.

It's hard for me to say what I like best about these shiny little wonders. There is no doubt that the packaging alone screams I am worth the very best and as I have mentioned before I am a sucker for great packaging. But rest assured that it takes more than a pretty gold case to make me plunk down $28 bucks.

The texture of this gloss is somewhere between a gloss, lipstick, and a stain. There is a color here for everyone and I love that come summer time, when the temperature starts climbing, these are not sticky or heavy and the color really lasts and has a beautiful sheen on the lips.

Here are my picks from left to right:

#963 Berry Pink is a sheer berry pink

#961 Cherry Pink is a sheer berry rose

#964 Fleur de Feu is a juicy sheer raspberry shade and is limited edition