Thursday, April 30, 2015

Viktor & Rolf Bonbon 1st Anniversary



Viktor & Rolf's lovely Bonbon fragrance is celebrating it's one year anniversary.   We don't see this one as much  as their Flowerbomb but it's a pretty scent.

Bonbon  comes in the most adorable three dimensional bow bottle . The fragrance is a delicious gourmand with some citrus in there as well.  While it's  not quite like chocolate covered orange, if you like that, you should like this.


It is a bit sweet with it's caramel note. That pairs with the citrus of mandarin , orange and peach in the beginning . The caramel stays slightly in the background a bit and then soft florals of orange blossom and jasmine come out . Guaiac wood in the drydown keep it fairly sweet and hints of amber ground it all.

In addition to the EDP there is also a  Satin Body Powder and Body Cream .


Viktor & Rolf Bonbon is exclusive to Saks .

Full note list :
-Top: Tangerine, Blackcurrant, Orange
-Middle: Orange Blossom, Jasmine, Peach
-Base: Guaiac Wood, Cedarwood, Caramel


Bonbon EDP 1.7 oz is $115
Satin Body Powder is $ 80
Body Cream is $ 90




Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Eventone Suncare




I get really jazzed about new sunscreens . It is just me , because I am a beauty blogger ? Or do you as well ?

Palmer's,  makers of all things heavy duty cocoa butter moisture, have come out with their own new line of suncare called Eventone.

With the Eventone line you get the intense moisture the brand is known for, the cocoa butter scent and SPF.  There are five product types in all , and all have ingredients to also help fight dark spots.


Sheer Spray is probably the least moisturizing because it's a spray but you still get some. It's not super dry and contains shea and coconut oil and leaves no residue.  It has a chemical based SPF of 30.

Moisturizing Sunscreen Balm is a neat product. It's a sheer solid that becomes more of an oil when used. As you run it in it breaks down to an oil . This has loads of hydration and is an SPF 15. This one is great not only for in sun use but to rub in after when you're ready to take a break or grab some dinner.


Also available are an All Over/Face Sunscreen Stick, Face Sunscreen and Sunscreen Lotion.  The line is exclusive to Wal Mart .

  SPF 30 Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion – $7
  SPF 30 Moisturizing Sunscreen Spray –  $9
            SPF 15 Moisturizing Sunscreen Balm – $6
  SPF 45 Moisturizing Sunscreen for Face – $7
  SPF 50 Sunscreen Stick – $4





Sunday, April 26, 2015

Lancome Miracle Cushion Compact Foundation



The news that Lancome was doing a cushion compact foundation broke some time ago and I've been waiting since to test it out. This type of foundation is a huge trend in Asia and while you can get some Asian brands  online this is the one of the few first US brands to debut one.  And Lancome knows how to do a great foundation.

I generally love a compact foundation anyway , usually a powder type but creamy ones too if they work for my skin type. You can apply them quickly and keep them handy for touch ups.


Miracle Cushion has  a nice light feel on skin . It goes on easily with the included sponge and blends right out.  The coverage is light to medium and buildable but it doesn't build too far . You'll get just to barely medium coverage but it does make skin look smoothed and  covers some imperfections.


This has a slightly dewy look to it once on.  While I loved how it worked and looked,  over the course of the day it didn't do well with my oily skin. I got a lot of oil breakthrough and of course with the weather warming up my skin is heading into it's oilier phase. If you have normal to drier skin this is a great foundation.  If it was more matte , for me, it would be a total win. (Glycerin and Ester ( a synthetic ) Oil are two ingredients for hydration, along with adenosine for brightening)

The compact comes with an air tight sealed compartment to keep the product safe. The sponge sits on top of the lid and you close the main top lid over that. It's easy to tap the sponge on the cushion , and you can grab a lot or a little product this way.

Miracle Cushion comes in 11 shades and as mine was a sample, the label was peeled and I do not know for sure what shade it is . I think it's 140 Ivoire.

Lancome Miracle Cushion Compact Foundation is $ 47 and the compact is refillable.

www.lancomeusa.com






Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Laura Geller Luscious Lips Lipstick


 
Laura Geller's new Liquid Lipstick brings you  pigment, coverage and a semi matte finish . 

Luscious Lips Lipstick is a liquid formula , not a runny one, that  feels hydrating and smooth on lips. It sets to a semi matte finish but never feels dry or tacky . You get full coverage with deep pigments. There's a lot to recommend here. 


The formula has Vitamin E along with a "texturizing gel" to achieve the feel and finish and has almost no scent or flavor.

I have two of the six shades available, Peach Buttercream, a shimmery pale peach and Cherry Almond, which has no cherry but is a rose tinted deep nude. 


Laura Geller Luscious Lips Lipstick is $21 at Ulta and laurageller.com




Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Guerlain Summer Rouge Automatique Yellow It Stick & Blue Ocean Summer Shadow




Guerlain Summer this year strays a little off their usual path. Colors are a bit edgy and bright at times  for them but still the luxe makeup we know and love.


One  of the two new Rouge Automatiques ( a fab lipstick formula if you haven't tried it ) is Yellow It Stick.  I was pretty sure I could rock a yellow lip if needed but had a feeling it wouldn't be that bold and I was right. Don't fear the yellow  here , the color goes on a semi sheer shimmery gold. It's quite pretty. On it's own it's own it's a sparkle of color that will also punch up a lipgloss or tone down a deeper shade. And with a tan, yes it will look extra good.


Also new is Blue Ocean Summer Eyeshadow , one of two new shades. The other a sand beige.   Blue Ocean is a watercolor wash of  liquid eyecolor . Again less bold than in the tube but a fun, pretty shade  with light to medium pigment that dries super fast to a powder feel waterproof finish.


Guerlain Summer is available in May at Nordstrom, Sephora , Saks  and Neimans.

Blue Ocean Summer  Eyeshadow is $32
Rouge Automatique Yellow It Stick is $ 37




Monday, April 20, 2015

L'Occitane L’Occibox #2 - Spring


The second edition of L'Occitane L'Occibox is availble now.
Over winter L'Occitane debuted their sample box service and each season brings a new one filled with their luxe skincare goodies and candy from Sugarfina.

The box is not only a fun treat for yourself but nice for Mother's Day or to tuck in bridesmaid gifts if you got a wedding coming soon.

L'Occibox #2 contains

Jasmine & Bergamote EDT 1.2 ml
Immortelle Precious Serum 7ml
Immortelle Brightening Essence sample 1ml
Shea Butter Hand Cream 10ml
Shea Whipped Hand Cream 30ml
Bonne Mere Rose Soap 3.5 oz
Cube of Sugarfina Champagne Bears


Each box is $ 20 and is available online here  ( use code SUGAR)   at and at select boutiques.

Friday, April 17, 2015

Bond No.9 Park Avenue South



Bond No. 9 fragrances is heading a little farther down Park Ave. for their newest, Park Avenue South. It's a bustling neighborhood I've visited a little and has no doubt grown since I was last there .

Park Avenue South the fragrance  one of those simply beautiful florals that smell fabulous and just say Spring.

This has a crisp edge to it  along with those florals. The green apple note is very prominent in the middle, after a light start, but is never super sweet . The white floral of jasmine is very much there as well, and I get hints of lily also ,which isn't listed in the official notes. Peach is in here too but again not sticky sweet and it doesn't come on too strong. Mainly this is all about the apple and jasmine, which to my nose is a good combo.


At the drydown there is a tiny bit of musk and amber but  the floral remains throughout.

Like I said, pretty. Easy to wear but not boring with  light sillage.

The fragrance comes in perfume ,  Body Silk and a candle all in a polka dotted bottle.

Bond No. 9 Park Avenue South is $ 200 for 50 ml, $ 295 for 100ml, $ 135 for Body Silk and $ 115 for the candle.

Find them at Saks, select Nordstrom and Harrods in the UK.







Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Balm Chicky Balm Balm



Discovering a cool new beauty brand is one of the fun parts of being a blogger. Balm Chicky Balm Balm is a new lip balm created by two best friends and coming to a Target near you soon.


Abby and Liz met years ago and since that day have wanted to work together. 5 years after that initial meeting Liz came up with the idea for Balm Chicky . From there the "friend end" came about. How to share your balm with the girlfriends but still be sanitary ? Much research on tubes , patents and more along with a graphics redesign until 7 years later, they landed on The Shark Tank TV show. Cool right ? They didn't win but got the exposure they needed and Target came along to give them a shot.


 Balm Chicky Balm Balm comes in an extra large tube (11g/.38 oz) with retro '70s graphics. A throwback to the cool large glossy balms we had back then. I think mine was orange flavored.


One side has a lift off cap, the other a flip cap. That's the friend end.  The balm itself is very hydrating  but feels light on lips. It has no color or shine but the flavors are really good. Not barely there but not strong. The Sweet  Baby Ginger even has a bit of a spicy kick to it.


Ingredients include organic hemp & olive  oil, along with beeswax. 

Balm Chicky Balm Balm is $ 7 and will be available by mid April at  400 Target locations in 5 flavors.







Tuesday, April 14, 2015

NARS Christopher Kane Nebulous & Nucleus Lip Gloss




NARS /Christopher Kane is one beauty of a collection.  I've only got my hands on two products to test but it all looks quite gorgeous.

Two of the new lipgloss shades are Nebulous and Nucleus. They gives lip a pop of color , have long wear for a gloss and  wear down to a light stain.


Nebulous goes  right into my stockpile of corals for Spring/Summer. Love this shade. It's a  sheer  coral , not super bright but not barely there either. It's just right.  Go by the tube color here as for some reason the swatch of this looks far more pink than it is.

Nucleus is a light wash of baby pink with no shimmer. It's a creamy shade that will look great against a bold eye and on days when you want just a light  natural look.



NARS Christopher Kane is available at NARS.com and boutiques on Apr. 15th and May 1st at specialty/dept. stores and Sephora .


***NARS also has a new digital contest to win some goodies:

On April 15th, US and UK fans of the brands can enter for a chance to win the entire NARS Christopher Kane Collection, along with a new accessory from Christopher Kane’s Spring 2015 Collection (open to US and UK residents only).

·        To enter to win the NARS Christopher Kane Breakthrough for US residents, fans should tweet using #NARSChristopherKaneUS.

·        To enter to win the NARS Christopher Kane Breakthrough for UK residents, fans should tweet using #NARSChristopherKaneUK.

·        The contest will kick off at 11:00AM GMT on April 15th in UK time, as well as 1:00PM EST April 15th in US time.


·        Fans can watch the Breakthrough livestreamed on NARSCosmetics.com & NARSCosmetics.co.uk on April 15th until a winner is revealed. 





Monday, April 13, 2015

Sally Hansen Insta Dri Spring 2015



I love the Insta Dri line from Sally Hansen.  That super fast dry time is the best. So many times I decide want to paint my nails late at night or right before I leave for somewhere. No time to dry-  Insta Dri to the rescue.

For Spring, not only are there 14 new shades but an improved formula as well. The polish wears long and has more shine. Since wear time is a big issue after dry time, I can get into that.

I tried Set Sail this past week and got  5 days of chip free wear. For me that's great as  I can be rough on polish.  It applied smoothly without clumps and seems less thick than earlier versions which is good.  There was as promised plenty of shine and two coats was perfect opaque coverage.

My other two shades are Cherry Fast and Orange Zest.






Thursday, April 9, 2015

Schwarzkopf Styliste Ultime Volume & Texture Mousse



I was so impressed with the Schwarzkopf Ultime line when I first sampled it back in January. The Omega & Moisture Repair shampoo and conditioner duo is so good that it's practically all I use now.

Since I'm a mousse fan and am always on the lookout for a newer one, it was time to try theirs. Styliste Ultime Biotin Volume & Texture Mousse lives up to the expectations set.

This gives my hair bounce, extra fullness and brings out my little bit of natural wave. It isn't sticky, or drying . I have a lot of hair so I use about 2 golf balls worth,  one golf ball should work for medium to short lengths. Like all mousses, rub it in, dry and  pouf you're done. This just works better than most I've tried including some high end ones.

All Schwarzkopf  Essence &  Styliste Ultime products are 6.97 each exclusively at WalMart .





Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Colgate Enamel Health - Multi Protection & Sensitivity Relief Pen



Last year Colgate brought out Enamel Health toothpaste. It's a good one. Teeth feel really clean using it.  There is also a Sensitive variant and now Multi Protection.

Multi Protection, a minty gel formula,  gets teeth not just clean but smoother. The smoother teeth are, they say, the less likely germs will stick to them. Makes sense.


Sensitive Toothbrush and Sensitivity Relief Pen  is a new way to help those sensitive teeth feel better. After brushing, use the attached pen to apply the gel  and go. No need to rinse. Colgate says with twice daily use you can reduce sensitivity.

All the new launches are available now along with your old favorites.





Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Fekkai Soleil Collection - Apres Soleil Creme & Tousling Spray



I'm a firm believer in using hair products for sun . I spend weekends by my pool and my hair gets plenty of rays not to mention chlorine.

Fekkai has a whole sun routine for your hair needs. Whether you just want to refresh with fragrance or add a leave in condtioner to locks, it's here.


I tried two of the line, although of course it's not super sunny just yet.

Apres Soleil Creme is a leave in  you could use anytime, but it's fun to have a separate Summer one for poolside or beach/boat bag.  This has Sunflower Seed Oil & Shea Butter in it for  hydration. It smoothes adds shine  along with having a delish citrus/floral scent. It can be used on wet or dry hair as it doesn't have a heavy feel.

Beach Waves Tousling Spray is a new version of an old favorite from the brand. Some salt sprays can dry hair out,  added light conditioners  like Sunflower Seed Oil  help to avoid that. Salt adds texture for beachy waves and this also has the Soleil  St. Barth scent  of citrus and flowers.

The full Fekkai Soleil line, including hair fragrance , is available now.

Apres Soleil Creme  &  Beach Waves Tousling Spray  are each $ $ 7.99 for 2.0z,  $ 19.99 for 4.0 oz. at www.fekkai.com , www.kohls.com   and more.





Monday, April 6, 2015

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Oil Free Photo Edition Foundation




Have I met a Laura Mercier foundation I didn't like ? Not yet.  New Silk Creme  Oil Free Photo Edition Foundation joins the ranks this month , replacing an older formula.

There are two versions to Silk Creme , one is Moisturizing, one is Oil Free, that I have here.  There is glycerin for moisture, however.


This a full coverage , somewhat thicker foundation.  It covers really well including spots etc. and even though it is oil free don't think its dry. This is not matte but more semi matte I'd say. It controls oil  well except on my nose and that's nothing new for me. It feels creamy but light on and smoothes out skin.

I love the full coverage here  and it is long wear. It held up well all day with only powder touch ups on the nose and forehead needed. The coverage lasted and  I had no oxidation.  The directions say to use a sponge to apply, but I went with my fingers and it was fine.  As it is thicker though, a sponge might be a good option.




We're seeing more thinner liquid foundations lately, which is great but if you want more, this works. You do need  more of this than a thinner one for full face. I feel like you'd go through this tube ( 1oz) pretty fast with everyday use . I'd love to see it in a bigger tube.

Shade shown is Ivory, and this comes in 12 shades.

Laura Mercier Silk Creme  Oil Free Photo Edition Foundation is $48.