Monday, August 31, 2015

Clinique Skinny Sticks Eyeliners


Chubby works well for lips and cheeks but what about liner? Well that's where skinny comes in.

After a hugely successful run of Chubby Sticks , new from Clinique are Skinny Stick eyeliners. These self sharpening liners are super skinny for easy , tight to the line application with long wear time.


They are fairly creamy but do have a bit of drag  and I went over the line twice to get the fullest color payoff I wanted.

For getting a quick tight line whether at the waterline or above you can't beat the size of this liner . The super skinny size makes them a great travel companion as well. You could stash multiples in a bag without taking up any room.

Shown is Olive -Tini  and there are eight colorful shades in all.

Clinique Skinny Sticks are $16.50



Sunday, August 30, 2015

Dick Page Interview In Violet Grey


Dick Page is a makeup master, the Artistic Director of Shiseido , and one of my makeup artist crushes. I've had the chance to see him in action in person , and it was amazing.

He also is one heck of cook and has an adorable dog,  all things you can check on his Instagram feed. Violet Grey has a great interview with him along with  an editorial for your Sunday reading pleasure.


http://www.violetgrey.com/violet-files/artist-profile/dick-page


Friday, August 28, 2015

Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve Jumbo Size / amfAR


Love Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve or are a hand cream nut in general ( guilty here and not sorry about it)  then how about a giant size tube ?

Kiehl's , to coincide with their 6th annual Life Ride event which just concluded across the Western States (hit up their Twitter or Instagram  or #LifeRide6 for some  gorgeous scenic and fun photos of Utah, Arizona , Las Vegas and more )  has released a 7.8 oz tube of  the super emollient hand cream.

Kiehl's prez Chris Salgardo and LifeRiders

100 % of the profits from the sale of this up to 25,000 will benefit amfAR.

This tube will last long , right into Autumn when the cool winds come along to parch our hands  and  can even be passed to the guys since it's very ungirly looking.

Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve  Jumbo Size is $ 28.50

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

MAC Vamplify LipGloss


MAC's new Vamplify bridges the gap between  lipstick and lipgloss. This highly pigmented formula  has full coverage along with shine.

Vamplify isn't quite as lipstick like as some other lip hybrids, it leans a little more gloss but it is a mix. The finish is lacquer like  and hugs your lips. In time the shine dries a little and it's less glossy. Still glossy, but less so.


The color payoff  here is big as you can see from the  swatches which are one pass from the wand.  The doe foot is tapered and a good size to get color on the lips easily.  This is a  thick, creamy gloss, with plenty of moisture but not to tacky/sticky. The tube is the same size /shape as Dare To Wear Lipgloss  from a few years back but with a different formula.


There are 17 shades and shown are Tuned In, a deep rose brown with the barest bit of shimmer  and Tease Don't Touch , a rich true red .

MAC Vamplify is available online now and in store Sept. 3 - Oct. 15  for $ 20 .



Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Chanel Alezane Blush- Fall 2015



Alezane, the newest blush from Chanel and part of the Fall collection is one of those  shades that gives you the perfect flush of color.

This is a dusty rosewood with a touch of copper that flatters skin .  It has light shimmer , nothing overdone and goes on a bit less deeply than my swatch, where I went over three times to give the best color payoff for the photo.  Like most Chanel blushes it blends beautifully and can be sheered out.


Fall beauty is all about the berry or '90s redux brown lip and Alezane will set them off perfectly as well as look good with a more natural look .

Chanel Alezane Blush is $ 45 , available now and will be part of the permanent collection.







Sunday, August 23, 2015

Jay Manuel Ultimate Lipstick & Lipgloss




Last week we talked about  Jay Manuel Beauty's top notch face products.  Now lets look at the equally impressive lip products.

There are lipsticks and lip glosses in the line ( along with a stain and pencil ) . Both have plenty of pigment in a luxe formula.


Ultimate Lipsticks have a semi matte , leaning more matte finish . Really each had a slightly different feel to it.  Spank, the pink shade was very matte while Lovebite was more satin. Both are beautiful colors with full pigment  in one application.  These are creamy and lightly moisturizing, never feeling dry on lips. Vitamin E,  mango butter and almond oil add moisture and wear time is good, about 3 hours for me with a stain left behind after.


Ultimate Lipgloss  has medium to full pigment , are not too tacky or sticky and the colors are gorgeous. These have good color payoff ( crushed gemstones are said to be in there for vibrancy)  and are hydrating and creamy on lips.  My one gripe is the silicone wand . While the description says it applies color more evenly than a doe foot, I don't agree. Then again I prefer a brush over a doe foot, but either way I find the wand here to be stiff and feel like what it is, hard plastic on lips .  ( Shown second is Charisma, I have no name stickers on the other two but I think they're Pinch and Desire )


Jay Manuel Ultimate Lipstick is $ 24
Jay Manuel Ultimate Lipgloss is $ 20

Shop at www.jaymanuelbeauty.com and HSN 



Thursday, August 20, 2015

CND Vinyl Lux Weekly Nail Polish



For those hard on their nails , i.e me,   we love the promise of a long wearing nail polish .

I tried  CND Vinyl Lux Weekly Polish recently and put it to the test.

At first application I was a bit worried. The polish seemed a bit streaky but I went on with the second coat and things got a little better. The top coat, no pun intended, sealed the deal as it made the  polish come together and look shiny and fully covered.


And the wear time was really good. I went 5 days before tip wear which I usually end up with pretty quick. By day 6 I had one small chip and things were looking a little ratty .  So I didn't quite get to 7 days but as I mentioned I can be hard on the tips especially and my nails tend to start peeling when polished so that doesn't help.

It's also very fast dry , under 10 minutes. Big bonus.

Overall, I like this and will keep using them. There's a wide shade range ( including that gorg sage which is actually a color I already didn't own) and I didn't have to pay much attention to my nails for 5 days. Not bad.

Shades shown are : Tropix, Sage Scarf, and Desert Poppy.

CND Vinyl Lux Weekly Nail Polish and Top Coat are  $ 10.50 each and there is also an in salon version. At  cnd.com/VINYLUX and Ulta 






Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Jay Manuel Beauty Filter Finish Skin Perfector Foundation & Luxe Powder


 
Have you given Jay Manuel's makeup line a look yet?  Carried exclusively online or at HSN it's worth checking out. I have a selection here,  and I love every bit . To start let's look at foundation and powder. Color cosmetics coming soon.

Jay Manuel debuted back in April. I don't know that's it gotten a lot of fanfare and it deserves it. This is a top shelf brand. The quality is as good as  almost anything I've tried  and the packaging sets it up well.


All face products fall under the Filter Finish name, meant to give your skin a polished, smoothed glow #nofilter.


Skin Perfector Foundation  comes in a sleek tube . The oil free foundation is full coverage with a semi matte finish and is silicone based.  This works on my oily skin but has just enough satin finish to work on normal as well. Shine was kept as bay as well as most of my mattes with a powder on the T Zone needed a time or two.  Skin never looks tight, dry or overdone here . What it looked was really good.  Vitamins A, C and E help to keep skin healthy looking.  Short version - love it.  Comes in 12 shades. Shown is Light Filter 4.


Luxe Powder is a serious powder.  This not only blots but has light/ medium coverage  . It feels light on , but applies like a heavier formula.  This has silicones for blending ease along with oil absorbing ingredients tapioca starch and talc. For the gals ( like me ) who like a  good powder , this not only banishes the oilies but helps to re-perfect the face.  It could also be used alone  over your moisturizer as it has enough coverage.   Comes in nine shades.


Jay Manuel Filter Finish Skin Perfector Foundation  is $ 38
Jay Manuel Filter Finish Luxe Powder is $ 38

Also check out the app available on  iPhone ( Android coming soon ) . Upload a photo and get your perfect skin color matches.

Shop at http://www.jaymanuelbeauty.com/ and HSN 







Sunday, August 16, 2015

Narciso Rodriguez L'Absolu For Her

 
Narciso Rodriguez scents always get a lot of love and are popular. It's deserved as they are well done.  Although until now they've never been a big favorite of mine as I am not into musks or super soft fragrances generally. Nor have I tried all the versions available.

New is Narciso Rodriguez L'Absolu For Her and it grabbed me at first sniff. This is no soft skinscent , it has presence and a slightly old fashioned air to it while being thoroughly modern.


It's deep right off with tuberose but no sweet floral tuberose, the animalic version. Jasmine is also there for some big white flower power and then the sandalwood , amber and  patchouli come in. The woods are strong and make their presence known especially the amber . It ends up having the feel of a chypre which is where my love for it comes from.  At the full drydown it  does end up softer than at first , more subtle but still rich.

L'Absolu For Her  is  a floriental , feminine but not girly scent. Grown ups only here  .

Narciso Rodriguez L'Absolu For Her is $ 96 for 1.6 oz EDP and $ 123 for 3.3 oz EDP.






Friday, August 14, 2015

It Cosmetics Brush Love Cleaner


How often do you clean your makeup brushes? Chances are not enough. I know I don't even though I know how important it is .

It Cosmetics makes some fabulous brushes and now they have a cleaner to help keep them at their best.

Brush Love is an easy to use spray on cleaner that wipes off.  Spray it over the brush head, use a good bit, wait a sec then wipe off with a tissue. Let dry for 1-2 minutes and it's ready to go.  The cleaner is antibacterial and antimicrobial and also has peptides, vitamins A C and E in it.  It conditions the brush hair while also cleaning it.

I got a lot of gunk off mine using this and love that it's such a fast fix as I tend to use shampoo and water on mine usually which takes time especially with drying.

It Cosmetics Brush Love is $ 19.50




Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Laura Geller Iconic Baked Sculpting Lipstick



New lipsticks are always fun , right ? How about a baked beauty from Laura Geller ?

Iconic Baked Sculpting Lipstick is the first baked lipstick from the brand. It's an almost full coverage , satin finish lipstick with a creamy, hydrating formula. 

The coverage here is good, but I did get a little drag at the outer corners when applying. The shade I have Bleecker St. Peach is a pretty deep  terracotta peach that works so well for Summer. All shades are named for NYC streets which while not a new idea , I love. 


These are lightly moisturizing ( ingredients include almond oil and mango seed butter) and  feel smooth and light on lips while still giving you plenty of rich color. 

The lip bullet has sculpted quilting on it and the case has a magnetic closure . 

Laura Geller Iconic Baked Sculpting Lipstick is  $21, comes in 12 shades  at Ulta and LauraGeller.com.




Sunday, August 9, 2015

Belif Oil Control Moisturizer Fresh



Belif is a Korean skincare brand recently landed  at Sephora. They use botanicals and herbs in their formulations from Napiers Herbalists of Edinburgh.

I had seen their Aqua Bomb online but really hadn't delved too far into the line. When I did look more I noticed products for oily skin.  


Oil Control Moisturizer Fresh is a lightweight gel cream in a pump bottle. This has sebum control powder in it and that was what got my attention. Powder in a gel ?  Sounds good. 

First use you notice that it feels light on skin , not sticky and adds a touch of hydration. After a couple more uses,  my skin after application looked a little smoothed and less dewy, less shine more matte.  Not a huge difference but it was there. 

Ingredients include Rosehip , which provides a dose of Vitamin C  and is also said to be an effective anti sebum agent. I like how the front packaging lists what is and isn't in there.  Belif products have no mineral oil, synthetic fragrances,  synthetic dyes,  synthetic preservatives, or  animal origin ingredients

For Summer this is great. It makes a nice base under your foundation or BB and keeps it holding on a little bit longer. You can use something good for skin without spackling on something that's just too much.  This is a brand I plan on  checking out more.

Belif Oil Control Moisturizer Fresh is $ 36 at Sephora.




Thursday, August 6, 2015

Herbal Essences Dry Oil Spray & Rejuvenating Oil Elixir

 
Hair oil fans just got two new ways to boost hair's moisture. Herbal Essences as part of their Wild Naturals Collection debuted Dry Oil Spray & Rejuvenating Oil Elixir.

I've become a devoted oil user, something that never fails to surprise me .  But when your hair gets drier , you go where the hydration is.  And while I like oils  , I don't like anything to heavy or greasy.  It has to moisturize but sink quickly into hair.

The Dry Oil Spray is a lightweight oil that still packs plenty of moisture and easily sprays right onto hair or in your hand to apply. I had my hair in a ponytail when I first tried and spritzed the ends a little . After sun / pool they needed a little boost  and this made them smoother looking and less dry.  It doesn't get any easier than this small travel size spray bottle .



Rejuvenating Oil Elixir is a heavier , thicker oil for drier tresses, you need only 2 drops and  makes a great treatment.  This has grape seed, olive fruit and safflower oils.

Both can be used on wet or dry hair  and are $ 5.99 each






Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Shiseido Ultimune Eye Power Infusing Concentrate



Shisedio's Ultimune was one of those products I would love to have a full bottle of. I tried a small sample and not only loved how it felt on skin but thought it brightened me up quickly. Now there is a new Ultimune just for eyes.

Ultimune Eye is , like the face version, a velvet feeling lightweight serum.  It goes on the eye are easily and you only need a little product. It needs a bit to sink in but isn't heavy or greasy.  It feels lovely on, soft and comfortable.


It's  medium moisturizing. I felt I got enough hydration but when it's colder out and skin dries more , probably not. But Shiseido does say  that you  should follow this with your eye cream, just like you can do with face serums.

Ultimune has trademarked ImuMoisture Extract which is said to " enhance the defensive action of  Langerhans Cells to reduce skin damaging factors" along with the also trademarked  and patent pending Ultimune Complex using rosewater and yeast . Botanical ingredients include Gingko , Shiso Leaf and Thyme. Although there is also Alcohol Denat. in there as well as the third ingredient.

Shiseido Ultimune Eye Power Infusing Concentrate is $ 65 for 15ml  and comes in a pump bottle.




Sunday, August 2, 2015

Lumene Bright Now Vitamin C Shine Control Cream Gel



In these hot days we've been having , moisturizer is just too much for me. I can't even think of slathering any on. I do use a light serum  and newly added to the morning routine is a lightweight gel cream from Lumene.

Bright Now Vitamin C Shine Control Gel Cream is both matifying and pore minimizing according to the brand. It's a very light formula that glides on and into skin quickly. It feels refreshing , adding just a touch of moisture. There's no shine  or feel of it on once it sinks in.


It does matte skin  a little. Smoothing it out and making a nice canvas  for BB or foundation or both.  I never put anything moisturizing no matter how light on my T Zone so I can't say how well it fills larger pores.

It has a light citrus scent but nothing strong and  has Vitamin C for brightening along with Wild Arctic Cloudberry, a signature ingredient of the brand.

Lumene Bright Now Vitamin C Shine Control Gel Cream is $ 19.99 at Ulta and CVS.