Monday, April 30, 2012

Laura Geller QVC TSV for May 4th Preview


Glow and Behold is the new TSV coming on QVC for all you Laura Geller fans.  This set will have you all set for a  bronzed summer look with three new products and one old favorite.


·     Baked Body Frosting in Tahitian Glow – An all-over Baked bronzer that provides an instant kiss of color while hydrating skin and bestowing antioxidant protection.  Use dry or wet for a more dramatic effect.

NEW Dream Creams Concealer & Highlighter in Porcelain/Fair or Regular/Tan – A revolutionary concealer palette, two years in the making!  Dream Creams Concealer   &  Highlighter features three buildable,blendable concealers for a fully personalized hue and a shimmering highlighter in one convenient compact.

 ·     NEW  Baked Blush in Bora Bora – A decadent Baked blush that features a universally flattering shade of peach-pink for a fresh flush with a sateen finish.

·    NEW  Double Dipped Lipstick in Caribbean Kiss – A 2-in-1 lipstick bullet that allows you to match your lipstick to your mood and easily take your look from day-to-night.

Laura Geller’s Glow-n-Behold Collection will be available on QVC US starting May 4th at midnight EST for only $54.48.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Australian Gold Sheer Coverage Spray SPF 15 with InvisiDry

Are you ready to stock up on SPF ?  I am. It's going into the 80s again here this week and I know many other places will be the same. There's lots of new out there, so let's look today at Australian Gold's new SPF with InvisiDry technology.

This is a light mist that does just what the names says- dries fast  . We like that right ? Not sticky mess on arms, back  etc. You can spray and go. It dries so much that after 10 seconds  you can't even feel it on skin. According to Australian Gold the ingredients  for this technologuy include a blend "of Silica Microspheres, Silicone and an Emollient Ester"

 There is a very slight scent but not much. It's oil free and labeled water resistant for 80 minutes per the new guidelines.

I see this one  as a good one for the men as well, since I hear  from them when sunscreen is sticky and they end up not using it sometimes because of that.

Retail is  $ 11.99 for SPF 15 or 30. There are also creams and one for face in this new line.

Read more  and shop at www.australiangold.com

Friday, April 27, 2012

Chanel Summertime De Chanel 2012 Nail Polish



There are 3 new shades coming with Chanel Summer 2012 -Summertime De Chanel.

Two are metallic- Delish ( Bronze) and Island ( Golden Beige).  I hope to have at least a Delish sample mid next week  for a better look.  The coral shade is Holiday. These are LE and will be on counter in May.


Carolee Legacy Key To Style Necklace



I've talked about the panther pieces in the Carolee 40th anniversary legacy collection, but if panthers aren't your thing , there are many more choices.


The Key To Style necklace is 36 inches long  and is a key topped with crown. If you're a royal fan like me, you 'll think this is a fun touch. It's sort of like a sceptre but with a key as the bottom.  There is a nice size diamond shaped crystal under the crown  and the crown is ringed with stones.

A tassle also hangs off the main ring . It's fun piece , a little whimsy and would look great with summer's long dresses and when cooler weather is here, turtlenecks.



Key to Style is $55 at www.carolee.com and select Carolee counters.

Note also that Carolee will donate $5 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation for each piece of Legacy Collection jewelry sold.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Sally Hansen Salon Effects -Sticks & Stones - Rock of Ages


Sally Hansen has a Rock of Ages movie inspired  Salon Effects collection out. I saw most of it at Walgreens today but didn't grab a pic. I'm headed back tomorrow to just that.  ** new pics added**


I've got Sticks and Stones , a metallic graphic multi pattern with black , silver and red . I wasn't sure that I would love it but after getting it on my nails I really like it.  Some nails come out more silver than black and vice versa.


Even though there weren't nail patterns or art like this in the '80s it still has an '80s feel, which again goes with the Rock of Ages idea.


Wednesday, April 25, 2012

MAC Fashion Sets **Updated W/ Nail Shades**

**Updating with a shot of 4 of the nail shades.

MAC brings you the top sellers worldwide in Fashion Sets. Each famous shade is available as lipstick, lipglass and nail polish.

Spice - #1 classic best-selling lip pencil in Canada, Brazil, Italy, Mexico, UK, Venezuela, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Portugal, Thailand, India, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Travel Retail




Myth
– #1 selling lipstick in Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Estonia and Finland

Russian Red – #1 selling lipstick in Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Singapore and Venezuela




Snob
– #1 selling lipstick in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Argentina and Travel Retail

Chestnut – #1 selling lip pencil in the US

Rebel – Cult favorite for the perfect sultry, wine colored lip

Girl About Town – A fabulous bright fuchsia, a go-to staple for every fashionista

Available May 3- June 28

Total Beauty Collection Beauty Box


Total Beauty is getting into the Beauty Box game.  There is no continuous subscription  and it's $15 for one box  of 4-5 samples . The box officially goes on sale May 7th.

Here's what comes in the first box:
Pevonia $ 15 GC
Alterna Bamboo Luminous Shine Mist
June Jacobs Green Tea & Cucumber Body Balm
Blinc Mascara

These are some great, harder to find  brands  here. Ones that you may not have tried . I can vouch that June Jacobs makes a great body balm and the one in this box has a great crisp summer scent, but I have never tried Blinc, so I am looking forward to that.  I would have liked to see a sample of something from Pevonia . Even though there is a GC I am guessing many haven't tried the brand so a little taste of what they have would have been nice.

What do you think ? Is the Total Beauty Box something you're intersted in , will you buy one ?

RSVP for the launch event and a chance to win a free box at the Total Beauty Facebook Event page .

Sign up for an on sale update email here

And there  is now a Pin it to Win it contest :  Re-pin for a chance to win a free box

http://pinterest.com/pin/149815125074467495/

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

NARS Ramatuelle Eyeshadow Trio


Ramatuelle is a new shadow trio from the NARS Summer collection. It's a mix of three light and pretty shades with a silver that I find unusual for a summer line but one that will a make a nice summer eye on fair haired ladies especially. Silver is less my color  but the other two shades  here are lovely and more me.

As I said they are a light wash of color but not sheer,  and have shimmer. I like to pair both with a deeper brown and as you expect they go really well with it. Yes that's more predictable but I love browns and beiges.

Ramatuelle is available now  at all NARS outlets for $ 45 and is LE.

Monday, April 23, 2012

LUSH The Dish Fairy


Would you like The Dish Fairy to visit your house?  This new product from LUSH doesn't actually do the dishes but she does help make the chore a little more fun.

The Dish Fairy is  a vegan dish soap on a wand. She's a lot like a bath bomb but for the kitchen. She smells like lemon sorbet, makes up a decent amount of suds , cleans the dishes quite well and moisturizes your hands too. Really moisturizes them. This is so cute and new that there is a patent pending on it, per the UK site.


Obviously you use far less plastic with this version of soap and that's the idea. This was first released in the UK last month for their Mother's Day. Our Mother's Day is not to far off and this would make a very cute  add on gift  or buy a bunch and make a bouquet for mom like they show on the UK site. It would of course be even better if you did the dishes for her .

Each Dish Fairy is $ 6.95 and she should last several uses at least. Picture shown is mine after 1 use .

Onine here at LUSH

Sunday, April 22, 2012

RoC Retinol Correxion Max Resurfacing System


RoC has a new dual system out to  help whip your skin into super shape.  Oddly, this was my first  time using any ROC product. I knew they were said to be good, but somehow  had never tried them. I do like to use high potency retinol , especially in the colder, less sunny, months to even skin tone and smooth before summer sun hits. Plus we all want to fight wrinkles, don't we?

The new RoC Retinol Correxion Max Wrinkle Resurfacing System contains 2 tubes of product. One is a retinol anti wrinkle treatment and the other is a resurfacing serum.  I've been using the duo for about 2 weeks now, each night and am happy to see results. It takes time for these things so I'm not all the way there but beginning.  The hyperpigmentation I am trying to work on has lightened a bit and my skin is even smoother than normal.

The Treatment Cream is moisturizing but not too heavy and has shea butter to combat the  dryness retinol can bring. (  With my oily skin, though, this wasn't an issue for me ). The Serum is a thick , slippery serum that goes on easily. Ingredients include copper powder.

The system is meant to renew skin and battle back fine lines  without irritation  and RoC offers it as a milder alternative to peels. They give you a time chart on the box with 4 weeks being the point when you should see the most difference. As I've said before , with these products you need patience for the full results.

The bottom line- this seems to really help skin get a  smooth look and a glow and it's nice that it's a mass market choice  really well priced at approx. $ 29.99.

You can read more from RoC here

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Ralph Lauren Big Pony For Women Collection


Ralph  Lauren has released a set of Big Pony fragrances for women after the successful debut of a men's line last year.   Like the mens, each bottle has a color, number and a "mood" like Sporty or Stylish.   While  we  fit  all of the moods, we might not all fit each fragrance so there are 4 to choose from.  All sound rather fun and I'm enjoying the one I've tried -Free Spirited , #3 Yellow.


While there isn't a full note list for each scent, the two main notes listed do give a decent idea of the scents , at least as far as I can see with Yellow # 3. These are light , fresh and  will work nicely with the warmer weather arriving. They can be freely spritzed without worrying about overkill and refreshed throughout the day.


#3 Free Spirited is very sunny as befits it color and is a nice light floral tinged with  the pear note. It's not a juicy floral but more solar and without the heavy dewy notes that we often see in this type of  scent that are not my favorite.

I look forward to also trying #1 since I adore grapefruit. The blue lotus worries me a bit but we'll see.

 Also, RL has  done a  personality quiz as well as a chance to sneak peek the brand new , not yet released, song and video by One Republic, for the Big Pony campaign . If you take the quiz and post to a social media site, you are entered to win a $4,000 Ralph Lauren shopping spree.  The video, called Life in Color, features brightly clothed pretty things, polo ponies and vintage cars. Yes, it's the Hamptons. Cast of Revenge not included.

Here's the offical description of each Big Pony scent.

The Sporty Fragrance - #1 BlueThis Floral Citrus scent features Grapefruit & Blue Lotus for a vibrant energetic fragrance that evokes confidence and energy while awakening the sense. Confident and fearless, the sporty woman is a natural born leader and ready to take on the world.


The Sensual Fragrance –  #2 Pink
A Floriental Fruity with the key ingredients of Cranberry & Tonka Mousse, this fragrance is for an alluring flirt with a romantic spirit. Playful and irresistible, this modern woman follows her heart…and she just might break yours.


The Free-Spirited Fragrance –  #3 YellowEccentric, rebellious and independent, this Floral Green fragrance highlights Pear & Mimosa. The crisp, bright scent represents ultimate optimism and natural feminine radiance for a woman who dances to the beat of her own drum.


The Stylish Fragrance –  #4 Purple
Edgy and refined, with a flair of the exotic, this Oriental Floral contains key ingredients of Wild Cherry & Purple Amber. Designed for the stylish woman, she catches the eye and imagination of anyone who crosses her path.

Each fragrance is $70 for 100ml and  currently available exclusively at Bloomingdales, RalphLauren.com and Ralph Lauren retail locations . More  department stores will have it shortly.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Remington Keratin Therapy Clip Free Curling Iron



Remington is introducing  a set of hair tools that are keratin enhanced to help strengthen hair while heat styling.


There are 2 curling irons, a flat iron, hair dryer and hair brushes. I've been giving the 1-1/2 inch curling iron a test run.  I'll admit this is my first try with a clip free iron and I'm not doing too well. But I keep at it . When it goes well I have a nice  full curl that is more wave due to the iron size. That's exactly what I want. I am having trouble  keeping the shorter, but not short, pieces around the iron. Practice makes perfect , hopefully.


Other than missing the clip, the iron does  a great job. It gets very hot quickly with no long wait and it has 30  temperature settings with 400 degree high heat.  It also has auto shutoff after 1 hour and comes with a heat proof glove for the hand that is touching the iron. The iron is ceramic and the barrel is infused with the keratin which lasts the lifetime of the iron. 


I rather like the idea of heat tools having good for hair ingredients infused. If you do as well , the full Remington. Keratin Therapy line is at Target , Wal Mart , Ulta and www.remingtonproducts.com

The 1 -1/2 Inch Clip Free Curling Iron is $ 27.00

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Monday, April 16, 2012

Victoria's Secret Love is Heavenly Fragrance - New

Love is Heavenly is the newest fragrance from Victoria's Secret and part of the Dream Angels line.  It's a fruity -floral and is in stores and online  now .

Notes are :


Top:  Kiwi Splashes, Dewberry, Orange Zest, Mandarin Flowers

Middle:  Water Lily, Freesia, Peony, Exotic Orchids

Dry-down:  Sandalwood, Luminous Musk, Mahogany Wood, Ebony Wood



Eau de Parfum, $42 - $52
Body Mist, $25
Fragrance Lotion $20
Rich Moisture Cream $30

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation


Hourglass' new Immaculate  foundation is the holy grail for the oiliest of skins.  It totally and completely mattifies skin and leaves a light powder like finish that does not budge. I have never had any foundation go as long as this without at least a little oil breakthrough. Summer heat has met it's foundation match.

The coverage is medium and I do prefer  a little fuller coverage, but it is  also buildable  and I am so enthralled by how well it mattes that I'm flexible here. The liquid itself is a thin formula, and it blends very easily. It perfects skin and covers  well but you will still need some concealer on any spots or trouble areas. The foundation never looks heavy or cakey and it  has a soft focus finish


As I said this is for the oiliest, those of us who want skin as matte as we can get. It  is definitely not for drier skins . Combo to oily is where it's at with Immaculate Perfection.

 Call this  Complexion Perfection and find it at www.hourglasscosmetics.com or www.sephora.com for $ 55.00

Sunday, April 15, 2012

FRAAS Leopard Scarf/Wrap


This new scarf has been a real go to to add to my lightweight jackets this early spring. It's been the just the thing to give them a pop of style and a little color. The leopard print is muted and not quite as bold as some .


From FRAAS, the scarf is really a wrap/scarf as it's quite large at 28x80.   There are 3 colorways available and it's 100 % acrylic. The fabric is very light  and  semi sheer .

Retail is $ 40.00

Available at www.fraas.com and www.amazon.com as well as some specialty stores.


*press sample

Friday, April 13, 2012

Dove Clear Tone Deodorant


When I saw that Dove had come out with a deodorant to help fade dark spots in the underarm area,  I'll admit my first thought was " What ? Now they want us to worry about what our underarm skin looks like too ? It seemed a bit off. But because  I am beauty editor , I wanted to know more .

What I found is that there is a need for this. Apparently it's been available in Latin America  for some time and  a high percentage of women feel very self concious due to dark coloring under their arms.  According to Dove " Dark marks and irritation under the arms is something that more than 32 million women in the US experience "

When I went to Dove's web page to research, they had a thread there from their Facebook page. Many  of the women commenting were thrilled this was available and had issues with dark pigmentation. I had no idea.

 Clear Tone comes in 3 types including Clinical , which I have.  The others are Sheer Touch and Skin Renew.  One of the keys to keeping discoloration at bay is keeping that area well moisturized which this does, as most Dove deos do. Clear Tone  also uses calendula and sunflower seed extracts  to help brighten  skin and speed up the renewal process. No extra chemicals, nothing harsh.

 Available now at all mass market outlets.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Algenist Firming and Lifting Eye Gel


Algenist's new Firming and Lifting Eye Gel was my intro to the brand. I'd heard good things but hadn't yet tried anything.  Founded by a biotechnology lab in San Francisco, the line uses their discovery,  patent pending Alguronic Acid,  which comes from sea algae that they found to be regenerative to skin.

As intro's go, it was a good one.  For one thing, the eye cream/serum search is always on. I have a couple favorites right now but I am always happy to find new and great ones .

 Algenist delivers on the firming .  After applying you feel a little tightening on the eye area. Not a lot and nothing unconfortable, but just enough so that you feel  it's working. It's lightly moisturizing , feels great on the eyes and is very refreshing.  This makes it especially nice for day use  but the refreshing factor is nice on  tired eyes  at night as well.

Other ingredients include ProPeptide which combines peptides and the proteins of elastin, collagen and proteoglycans, chamomile and alfalfa , both known to be anti -inflammatory as well as caffeine.

I can see that this will be my summer eye gel. It's not too heavy for hot days but just enough .  Sticking it in the fridge will make it even better.

The Firming and Lifting Eye Gel is $ 68 and exclusive to www.sephora.com

Ciate Caviar Manicure at Sephora.com




Ciate's Caviar Manicure looks quite fun . If you love nail art or are looking for something really different, this is it. I haven't tried it myself yet, but I'd like to.

The set is $ 25.00 at www.sephora.com and will be in Sephora stores in May. Will you be trying Ciate  Caviar? If you do ,  stop back and let me know your impressions.  One thing I wonder, is how hard will it be to remove ?

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Sebastian and Alice + Olivia


New from Sebastian is this cute set in partnership with Alice + Olivia.  Stacey Bendet has designed an exclusive scarf as part of the set , based on her Spring 2012 collection . The set also includes Drench shampoo and conditioner. It's a great gift for yourself  but also looking ahead to Mother's Day. My Mom is a big Sebastian fan so I know she would love it.   

Details:

  • Includes an exclusive-for-Sebastian scarf designed by Stacey Bendet, Sebastian’s Drench Shampoo and Conditioner and step-by-step styling tricks from Lead Stylist Design Team Member Thomas Dunkin

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

BITE Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Madeira


BITE Beauty has added to their High Pigment Lipstick line with 5 new shades ranging from pale nude to bold orange.

Being a nude lover I went for  Madeira. The Bite pencils, if you haven't tried them, are richly pigmented, last long , have full coverage and are self sharpening.  They have a satin finish, not  quite fully matte but no shimmer either.  Madeira is  a  pale nude beige  and is great all by itself , especially against a  a smoky eye but  it also makes it great base for deeper shades .  

Each lip pencil also packs antioxidants from the equivalent of 5 glasses of wine in each lipstick.

Available now  exclusively at Sephora & www.sephora.com for $ 24.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Shiseido Urban Environment Oil Free UV Protector SPF 42


When you have oily skin you struggle ( or at least I do) with finding a high SPF product  that you can use without adding moisture especially in the T Zone.  I can use something with light moisture on parts of my face, but the T Zone is the no moisture zone .

 The past year or so has thankfully brought  more friendly to oily skin SPFs to the market and the newest from Shiseido fits the bill  very well.

The new Urban Environment Oil Free UV Protector SPF 42 PA +++ is extremely light  and  barely there on skin but packs that  high SPF  . It's a thin formula  that dries fast and really does help keep skin matte .   It's very T Zone friendly and I can  even use it on my nose .  Seriously, that is a BIG deal.  Normally I rely on my foundation for that area and that doesn't cut it, especially in summer when the oil and heat are  making my skin extremely dewy.

There are several good for skin extracts in the ingredients like Rose Apple , which is said to slow down oxidation . It's also listed as water and sweat resistant. I layer it under long wear matte foundation so I haven't put that to the test but I'm glad to hear it is. I don't feel it really adds much moisture, just  the tiniest bit , which is fine by me. This is SPF only,  which is exactly what I want it to be.

The container here is a portable size at one ounce, making it nice for taking along with you for touch ups .

For the oily skinned out there, this is definitely one to try if you've been looking for a T Zone compatible SPF.

$ 30.00 at www.shiseido.com or counters.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Top Matte Foundations for LovingYou


There's a new crop of fabulous matte foundations out and while I will be reviewing some of these separately, ( The Lancome is already up here ), I did a rundown of my picks for the  best of the new and old for LovingYou last month.

Check it out  here