Makeup

New Benefit Sets, and a Liquid Foundation and Fragrance from Clarins

October 2nd, 2010 by Karen 19 Comments

Benefit Her Name Was Glowla packaging

We had a few minutes to kill before the movie tonight, so I popped over to Macy’s to see if they had anything new and interesting in the cosmetics department.

The Benefit counter was abuzz with some new limited-edition sets, Clarins had a new liquid foundation (at least it’s new to me), and I sniffed a new citrusy scent.

Benefit Her Name Was Glowla, $36

LOVE the packaging of this limited edition set. Isn’t it spicy? I actually have a pair of sunglasses that look almost like the pair the woman on the box is wearing.

The kit comes with a bunch of Benefit standbys like Coralista blush, High Beam highlighter, Moon Beam highlighter, a powder eyeshadow palette with six neutral shades, Badgal Lash mascara and a lipgloss in Life on the A List.

A Benefit makeup artist at the counter said that these were selling out fast… It does look like a pretty great deal for the price.

Benefit All You Need is Gloss, $26

Remember the dual-tipped lipglosses from last year’s Glitz Glam & Gloss set? They’re baaaack! 🙂
[Continue reading…]

Are There Any Lipglosses You Find Yourself Buying Over and Over Again?

October 2nd, 2010 by Karen 37 Comments

Short answer: hell-to-the-yeah. I couldn’t even wager a guess at how many tubes of MAC Nymphette I’ve bought over the 10 years I’ve known her, but it must be in the double digits by now.

Wearing MAC Nymphette

What about you?

Are there any Lipglosses you find yourself buying over and over again?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Hey, Appu! I got your note about The Social Network on the way to the movie theater (thanks!), but we changed our minds at the last minute and went to go see Easy A instead. Totally fun movie, BTW. Olive Penderghast’s parents were a hoot!

Dolce & Gabbana Ethereal Collection Lipsticks and Lipgloss: Swatches and a Bad Pun

October 2nd, 2010 by Karen 44 Comments

dolce gabbana ethereal collection lip swatches

When you look in the mirror, what are your lips saying to you?

Do they offer words of encouragement? Do they build you up or tear you down?

Do they tell you you’re beautiful and say, “you’re making a difference in the world”? Do they say you’re important, unique, special, and tell you that you’re loved?

I hope so.

Today my lips are whispering the quiet, hushed tones of Dolce & Gabbana’s upcoming holiday collection and saying, “hurry up and take these pictures, Karen, and let’s go to the movies, ha!” 🙂

dolce gabbana ethereal collection lip swatches desert full face
[Continue reading…]

A Look at the Dolce & Gabbana Ethereal Beauty Collection Holiday 2010

September 30th, 2010 by Karen 80 Comments

Oy, what a relief! My poor luggage found its way home last night, none the worse for wear, and when I busted it open, BAM! Tabs jumped inside. 🙂

Somehow he even knew which compartment held the Dolce & Gabbana Ethereal Beauty Collection products for holiday 2010.

I’ve been meaning to swatch these for you for days! Most of the colors in the 15-piece collection, a collaboration between makeup artist Pat McGrath and designers Dominico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, are totally new. Only two of them, Volumizing Lashes in Black ($29) and Intense Nail Lacquer in Pink 100 ($20), are re-promotes from the permanent line.

dolce gabbana ethereal beauty collection holiday 2010 photos all

None of the products, which arrive at Saks Fifth Avenue stores in mid-October, are exactly bargains, unfortunately, but the prices are typical for a luxury line, ranging from $20 at the low end all the way up to $59 at the top.

The D&G dudes say that light, and the delicate, feminine chiffons, silks and laces from their 2010 runway collections, inspired Ethereal Beauty, and I think I can see their point of view in the makeup. Most of these are nude colors, airy, tender and ladylike. There’s still variety, however, in both texture and opacity, particularly among the lip products.

I think it’s an unusual holiday collection, and not as reddish, golden or dark plum as we usually see from releases around this same time of year.

These Ethereal Beauties — the soft nudes, warm honey browns, delicate pinks, subtle bronzes and solitary orchid — feel more like spring or summer products to me, and for that, I applaud! Simply put, I’m nowhere near ready for this summer to end.

The nuanced color palette might not make this a favorite collection for gals addicted to big, brash and bold. The warm brown, beige and bronze eye colors, here in a variety of shimmery and matte finishes, complement the matte pink cheeks, while the shimmery peach, pink, beige, brown and bronze lips fit well within the overarching theme of the look.

dolce gabbana ethereal beauty collection holiday 2010 photos quad
Smooth Eye Colour Quad in Desert, $59
[Continue reading…]

Good Luxe Resisting The Guerlain Ã‰crin 6 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palettes

September 28th, 2010 by Karen 36 Comments

Written by OIga

How much is too much to spend on a makeup palette? Before you answer that, you might want to see what Olga has to say in today’s guest post. WARNING: Her pictures are dazzling!

Guerlain Ecrin 6 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette

Nobody does luxury like Guerlain, but not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined something as glamorous as their new Ã‰crin 6 Couleurs eye shadow palettes that came out this fall. The pictures speak for themselves: just look at that filigree cover, the little bee (symbol of Guerlain that dates back to XIX century) on it, and the large beautiful mirror that opens up to the side of the palette. It was only appropriate to name each of the five palettes after a Guerlain boutique in Paris!

Guerlain Ecrin 6 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette

The one I ended up buying is named after Guerlain’s flagship boutique at 68, Avenue des Champs-ElysÃ©es. My choice was partly due to the fact that I like purple and don’t have enough grays, and partly because I really like the thought of looking at Champs-ElysÃ©es in the morning (who wouldn’t? 🙂 )

[Continue reading…]

A Quick Peek at the Dolce & Gabbana Holiday 2010 Makeup Collection

September 28th, 2010 by Karen 22 Comments

Wait — holiday already!? Yep, in makeup-ville. Here’s a quick look at the new Dolce & Gabbana holiday 2010 stuff; let me know what you think. 🙂

The release should hit Saks shelves around mid-October. Prices TBA, but I’m assuming they’ll be pretty standard for the brand (codeword for pricey).

[Continue reading…]

The Duty Free Shop: A Makeup Melting Pot

September 28th, 2010 by Karen 35 Comments

Hiya, ladies! Now here’s something I didn’t expect to find: a HUGE range of travel exclusives, and by range I mean drugstore brands to high end, all sitting beside each other in perfect harmony on their shelves. Duty Free stores are like makeup melting pots, with row after row of discontinued/limited release products like travel exclusives, and they can make that trip to pick up your cousin from the international terminal well worth your time.

L’Oreal travel exclusives sold alongside brands like Guerlain, Dior and Chanel? Weird, huh?

Prices vary WILDLY! There are deals to be had, but not everything’s a bargain, that’s for sure. In this case the L’Oreal products are substantially more than they would be back home, but some of the higher end stuff looks inexpensive, relatively speaking. Of course, many of the products are things I’ve never seen before, so it’s hard to say what some of the shrink wrapped boxes actually contain.
[Continue reading…]

For $5.50, Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliners Are a Hidden Drugstore Gem

September 27th, 2010 by Karen 42 Comments

Written by Appu

Looking for power and prestige? For $5.50 and a trip to Ulta, you could be halfway there! Blogger Appu of Beauty Blog of a Kind shares the juicy deets in today’s guest post.

Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner

Is there such a thing as too many eyeliners? I have a zillion yet I still want more. I’d always thought Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils were the smoothest liners ever with their vegan, to-die-for formula, but I think I’ve found some close competition. 🙂

Not long ago I discovered the Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliners at Ulta. My local Ulta, however, didn’t have testers. Being obsessed with color, I took a chance and picked up three of them!! For a mere $5.50 apiece, they seemed like drugstore dupes of the Urban Decay eyeliners. Luckily, all of them are super creamy, have excellent pigmentation and DO NOT budge once they’ve set. Prestige Cosmetics claims they’re paraben-free too, so what’s not to love?

Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner

They look similar to UD’s 24/7 pencils and come in eight shades. The three I got are Intense Olive, an olive green base with golden shimmer; Bold Brown, an intense matte brown perfect for an everyday smokey look or worn alone for a soft look; and Fierce Blue, a very intense metallic navy blue.

I like the shade selection here. No bright, playful colors, but there are many intense, dark shades that can be worn anywhere without looking OTT.

They glide on effortlessly and stay put all day long. There’s no tugging or pulling when applying, and I need a good makeup remover at the end of the day to take them off.
[Continue reading…]