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Lately, I’ve been super obsessed with the idea of the South of France and the Cannes Film Festival taking place there next month. Plus, you know how much I like surfing, and apparently, Cannes has some really great surf spots, too. Who knew?
Chanel’s new Soleil Tan de Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Powder in Bronze Rose ($50) is fueling this obsession. It launched a couple weeks ago with the new Chanel Les Fleurs D’Ete Summer Collection.
When I was a kid, every slumber party I went to started with 16 Candles, progressed to crank calling cute boys from class, and ended with us playing light as a feather, stiff as a board.
For the game, one of us would lie down on the floor. Then, a bunch of us girls would lift her, using just two fingers on each hand, while chanting, “light as a feather, stiff as a board,” over and over again. I have no idea why this was considered fun, but we got the biggest kick out of it and did it all the time.
Ah, to be young and easily amused… 🙂
MAC’s new Studio Fix Boldblack Lash mascara ($14) reminds me of that old game. Launching April 28 on counters with the new Fashion Flower Collection (NOTE: it’s available now online), Boldblack will join the MAC permanent line.
MAC describes it as a dramatic, blacker-than-black mascara with a long-lasting formula lighter than a flower petal.
I’ve been batting two coats on my fringe for the past few days, and while I like how long my lashes look and how feather light they feel with it on, Boldblack also leaves them stiff and crunchy — hence the whole “light as feather, stiff as a board” thing.
A few things I like about Boldblack…
Before
After two coats
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Before sniffing H2O+’s new Sweet Berry shower gel and body balm, I would have thought it absurd that a candy company would ever collaborate on a bath/beauty product. Now, I’m not so sure.
Since I know that LifeSavers didn’t partner with H2O+ this year, there must be another explanation for why H2O+’s new Sweet Berry Moisturizing Body Balm ($11.50) and Shower & Bath Gel ($9) smell so much like LifeSavers Gummies, incidentally one of my favorite candies in the world.
Maybe there was an accident one day in the H2O+ labs… What if a technician who was working on the new products had an open bag of gummies in his shirt pocket? If he had leaned forward a little too far and let one plop down into his beaker, that could explain the remarkably similar scents.
Yeah, probably not. But still — it would be kinda cool if that’s how it happened. 🙂
When it comes to bath and body products, I usually prefer citrus and floral scents, so I was surprised to like H2O+’s new Sweet Berry Moisturizing Body Balm and Shower & Bath Gel so much.
While sweet, they don’t overwhelm my sensitive nose. I find them light and fresh, and not anywhere near as cloying as the berry-themed body products I’ve tried from Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works.
Of course, scent is a matter of personal preference, but that’s the beauty of beauty products like these. We can sniff sample them before choosing to bring them home.
Places, everyone. It’s time!
Maestro, queue the Wedding March.
Here she comes! Urban Decay’s new $42 Urban Bride gift box is coming down the aisle. 🙂 And just in time for wedding season to Ulta, select Macy’s stores and also online.
Isn’t her dress beautiful (I hear it’s an exclusive Urban Decay)?
Sometimes, when I’m home alone…
I put on my wedding dress and watch daytime TV on the couch. NOTE: At these times, Tabs is prohibited from making biscuits on my tum.
Urban Decay timed the limited edition wedding-themed set to coincide with the release of Bridesmaids next month (May 13), a new comedy starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Rose Byrne. In the story, Annie is her BFF’s Maid of Honor, whose life unravels as she tries to get the bridesmaids all set for the big day. I’m a fiend for chick flicks, so it sounds like my cup of tea.
The set (how adorable is that box?) comes with six long-wearing Urban Decay products for face, eyes, lips and body…
Odes and sonnets couldn’t capture the wonder that is NARS Laguna Bronzer. A sky writing note that reads, “NARS Laguna is the mutha truckin’ shizz!”, might come close, but I dunno. It’s pretty epic. 🙂
I love that golden brown Laguna doesn’t appear orange on me because so many bronzers do, and I use it almost every day to contour my cheeks and give myself a subtle golden bronze glow.
I’ve been wearing Laguna for years, and like some people are with their America Express cards, I never leave home without it. Intentionally. Once on a trip to Hawaii, I realized on the plane ride over that I’d left Laguna at home. Before I regained my composure, it actually crossed my mind to ask the pilot to turn the plane around.
When I heard that NARS was doing a Laguna-inspired collection for summer, I lost my composure again! Only this time for all the right reasons. The three limited edition items in the new NARS Portrait of Paradise collection (available now online) were each inspired by the shade.
Orgasm, Albatross and Laguna Blush/Bronzer Trio, $55
This trio teams Laguna with two classic NARS blushes in a stylish fabric, zippered case for a portable island glow. I apply Orgasm (a shimmery peachy golden pink) on the apples of my cheeks for color, then Albatross on my upper cheekbones to highlight, and then Laguna below my cheeks to contour. LOVE this look, but I do wish the pan of Albatross was wider. It’s such a thin strip that sweeping my regular blush brush across it also picks up color from the adjacent pans. I still think it’s a good value, though, as purchasing the three products separately would run a steep $87. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A-
Laguna Multiple, $39
Freak out! I had conniptions looking forward to this piece. It’s the one I was looking forward to the most. I’m addicted to NARS Mutiples (creamy stick highlighters with a thin consistency), and to my knowledge this marks the first time NARS has ever released one inspired by Laguna. This shimmery golden bronze also highlights and contours. Pricey, yes, but I can already see it becoming a summer staple. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+
Here they are beside an iPhone for scale…
Orgasm, Albatross and the Laguna Blush/Bronzer Trio
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When I look at the colors in the new NARS Summer 2011 collection, every cell in my body wants me to do this:
I wonder what prompted this 11-piece release. I can imagine François Nars, all tan and relaxed from a kick-ass beach vacay, dreaming up these playful colors because the teal, coral, citrus and cantaloupe fit the tropics to a (surf) T.
But there’s much more to the collection than that. An opaque white nail polish and warm, shimmery gold and silver metallics join the punchy, vibrant hues. By all appearances, someone had a blast this time around.
While the NARS Spring 2011 and Holiday 2010 collections reminded me of cocktail dresses, dainty heels and white wine spritzers at a bar in the Financial District downtown, this collection reminds me of a girl on vacation in Hawaii. She’s cruising around the island in a rented jeep with her surfboard in back. After catching a few waves, she stops by a beach bar, tucks a hibiscus behind her ear, and charms the bartender, who serves her free umbrella drinks all night long. 🙂
NARS Summer 2011 includes a mix of limited edition colors and items to be added to the NARS permanent line.
Cap Ferrat Trio Eyeshadow (limited edition), $45
If I were a mermaid, I’d swim laps for this trio of sea blue powder eyeshadows. They draw inspiration from the Alpes-Maritimes region of Southeast France.
Dogon Duo Eyeshadow (limited edition), $33
Named after the people of Mali’s central plateau, this duo includes a metallic taupe with a green sheen and charcoal black eyeshadows. Oh, bending the shades together gives the charcoal a greenish cast.
Exotic Dance Duo Eyeshadow (limited edition), $33
This eyeshadow duo was a pretty piece of mixed metal jewelry in a past life. The metallic gold, and metallic white with a silvery sheen, contrast with the bright blues and greens.
Queen Soft Touch Shadow Pencil (limited edition), $24
This creamy, citrusy pencil contains flecks of golden glitter. It does triple duty as a liner, a highlighter and/or a base for powder shadows.
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“My eye looks huge!” I say, with my face practically pressed against the bathroom mirror. I get up close like that when I’m putting on false eyelashes — fare for nighttime fun. When it comes to nighttime makeup looks, if yours frequently feature fake eyelashes with rhinestones glued to the tips and glittery purple eyeshadow, everything else looks like library makeup by comparison, LOL!
I’m not exactly sure why Clinique named their new travel exclusive palette Day To Night because it looks more like a day-to-day palette to me.
Then again, I still think the kit, which arrives at select domestic and international airports and duty free stores in May, contains some interesting, useful colors, especially if you like your makeup on the subtler side (I usually do), or if you’re trying to build up the number of neutrals in your stash.
The kit’s three sheer eyeshadows (a matte beige, a shimmery shell and a shimmery reddish brown), lone blush (a matte plum), two lipglosses (a shimmery reddish plum and a shimmery purple) and single lipstick (a creamy reddish plum) should make for plenty o’ natural, everyday looks.
It’s almost the exact same size as an iPhone
When it comes to hair accessories, I’m a gal of simple tastes. I’ll do black ponytail holders and Spin Pins; sometimes I’ll even rock a scrunchie around the house (hey, they’re comfortable), but Goody’s new slew of spring headgear has me rethinking my minimalist ways.
Their Modern Organica Collection, available now at Target, features a bevy of new barrettes, headbands, headwraps and clips with an earthy theme, some of which would probably be more expensive on the shelves of a department store.
This $7 Pearlized Shell Headwrap has a non-rigid elastic band with braided fabric and shell accents (like mother-of-pearl). It’s available in beige, brown and black.
For what it’s worth, the neutral brown one seems to go well with white, pink, beige, peach, orange and blue shirts… I have a feeling there won’t be an accompanying color it doesn’t like.
Got a khaki or white dress? Pair it with one of these, add pearl earrings and gold bangles, and you’re good(y) to go.
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