Friday, August 31, 2012

L'Oreal Color Caresse Lipstick

 
 I've known about  the new L'Oreal Color Caressse for a long time ,  long before their release but am only now finally trying them.

Color Caresse is a new addition to the Color Riche family and it's a good one. Called Luminous Lipcolor, these have the look and feel of a high end lipstick. I love when that happens. The pigment here is good , not sheer and the formula hugs the curve of your lips. To me the very best lipsticks do that .

There is shine ,  but not gloss level shine. The formula is very moisturizing and creamy , but light,  making these great for the upcoming cold months.  L'Oreal claims 6 hours of hydration with Color Caresse.

If you are wondering what the difference might be between Color Caresse and Color Riche Balm- Color Riche Balm  has much sheerer pigments but also plenty of moisture. Even the deeper shades in the balm are more sheer. They are a tinted balm vs. a   lipstick. The balm, believe it or not, is also a heavier formula.  Color Caresse is much lighter , but both are great.

Shown  are Sunset Angora ( coral- punchy pink, more pink than it looks), Cotton Pink ( a light baby pink, like cotton candy) and Sheer Linen ( a nude with pink tones).

L'Oreal Color Caresse are available now in 16 shades.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Colgate Optic White


I think most of us are on the quest for whiter teeth. While  haven't tried any whitening treatments at a dentist , I am happy to use whitening toothpastes and occasionally, strips.

My most recent whitener is Colgate Optic White toothpaste. I know it's not super new, but  it's new to me and I haven't really used anything whitening for far too long.

With pastes it usually takes awhile to see results but hey we brush every day so why not use one that hopefully helps? I've been using Optic White for about a  month now and  about 3 weeks in started seeing results. Not  a huge difference but it's there. I would say it's one shade brighter. It's a slow process but as long as it's working , that's fine by me.

Colgate Optic White uses 1 % hydrogen peroxide for fast whitening. This is a strong paste and you can feel the tingle.

 
There is also now an Optic White Mouthwash to complement your daily routine.

More info at www.colgate.com



*press sample

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

philosophy Toasty Cabin Gift Set



philosophy gift sets are rolling out. Right now we have fall but holiday is coming soon. Yes, I have seen it but I can't share yet. It's driving me crazy to not post on it,  but  it is really good as always and you won't be disappointed. New favs and old favs.

 
To get us in the seasonal spirit is Toasty Cabin, which while fall oriented will still make a kick butt gift , now or at Christmas.

The cabin has a cute flip up door and inside are three  3in1s- Whipped Vanilla Topping, Spiced Pumpkin Latte and Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa at 6 oz each.



The cabin box also has a gingham ribbon at the top  for carrying.

Retail is $25 and it's a  Sephora  exclusive.

Chanel Sky Line-Available Now


Back in January we got a preview of the new  Chanel nail lacquer Sky Line . It's generated a lot of buzz and at last the actual polish is here.

Sky Lineis available now as part of the Chanel Blue Illusion de Chanel collection.

Clarins Skin Illusion Loose Powder Foundation

 
Many people fear the powder , there is no fearing the powder here. I love powder, my oily skin loves powder and I am a big powder foundation fan .

Clarins Skin Illusion Foundation is now available as a powder . It's a mineral based powder and comes in seriously cool packaging.


The foundation here is very finely milled and leaves skin looking airbrushed and flawless. Coverage is medium. It's not full but not sheer .  The finish is not fully matte but almost.  It's soft though and not heavy or ashy and looks good. If you like powders and can use them, i/e oilier skins, you need to check this.


The foundation comes in a jar that looks like fragrance. The brush for it is snapped into the top of the container. Unscrew the top, pop out the brush and swirl in the powder .

The shade shown is 104 Cream which is lighter than it looks in the jar. It's the lightest shade of eight.

Skin Illusion Powder Foundation is $ 40 .

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Redken for Men Clean Brew Shampoo

 
Want a shampoo that will have the men sit up and take notice ? Pass them this cute new Redken for Men Clean Brew shampoo.

Clean Brew  looks like a beer bottle and has several actual beer ingredients- malt, brewers yeast and orange zest.  Turns out these are good for your hair  and are part of Redken's Anti -Grit technology.  It has a fabulous smell too, not beer like, but more like a nice cologne.

Since the shampoo is Anti- Grit  and is meant to help get rid of extra dirt and oil while also adding some condtion to hair and not drying out hair or scalp.

It happens that I have the perfect tester for this- The Dad. He works in the dirt and heat most every day. Sometimes he gets full of dirt along with grease. His hair takes  a beating  and he is quite fussy about shampoo , finding that many make his scalp itchy. 

Clean Brew has  fared well in the test phase.  The Dad's hair is  pretty soft, mom says it smells nice and he has no itchy scalp or other bothersome hair issues. It stands up to daily use and gets hair clean as promised.

 I know it's  early to think holiday gifts, but  this would be a cute stocking stuffer for your guy. Redken often does nice gift sets at the holiday as well, so keep an eye ,  maybe they'll do a men's one.


Clean Brew will be available in September for $ 12.00

Monday, August 27, 2012

Urban Decay Ocho Loco 24/7 Pencil Set



 
 
Urban Decay has a new set of Full Size 24/7 pencils out.
 
The Ocho Loco set has new shades like LSD , navy with bright turquoise shimmer , Psychedelic Sister , bright eggplant and Mushroom , taupe pewter metallic that matches their new eyeshadow along with old favorites like Rock Star, Stash, Junkie  and more.
 
Like many of you  I imagine, I am a longtime fan of these pencils and we don't see too many sets outside of holiday time and even more rare are full size ones.
 
 
 
Ocho Loco is $ 59  and is available online only at www.sephora.com  ulta.com, macys.com, beauty.com and www.urbandecay.com

NARS/Andy Warhol Nail Polish


The details of NARS Andy Warhol collection are out. Here are the nail polishes. There are 5 individual ones and  a holiday gift set- Photo Booth.




Nail Polish available October 1 at Sephora and Sephora.com ( $ 18)

BACK ROOM -Black
 
NEW YORK DOLLS- Purple
 
SUPERSTAR -Teal

15 MINUTES -Lemon Yellow

TV PARTY -Vivid orange

Photo Booth Gift Set:
BACK ROOM Black
SOUP CAN Perfect red
CHELSEA GIRLS Innocent, flesh-toned beige
SILVER FACTORY Aluminum
 
 Available November 1 at narscosmetics.com ( $ 35)

Atelier Rose Anonyme Cologne Absolue

 
 
 I love the Atelier fragrance line with Orange Sanguine being my favorite.  Jean Godfrey -June of Lucky Magazine has sang it's praises as well ( We're scent twins and yes I've tweeted her that.)  It's  a blood orange -citrus scent  and like all Atelier's fragrances, created to be like the centuries old tradition of eau de cologne but with far higher perfume concentrations  and therefore a much longer lasting scent. 

The line launched in 2010 and it recently became available at Sephora which will hopefully introduce it to many new fans.

This October there will be 2 new scents- Rose Anonyme and Vetiver Fatale . While the Rose is geared towards women and the Vetiver men, both, as with all in this line, are unisex .

As a rose fan it was easy for me to like Rose Anonyme. ( I haven't tried the Vetiver).  What makes this special is that it's a spicy , smoky rose. Rich and deep with oud, ginger spice  and rose right from the start,  Rose Anonyme  quiets down from that  first spray  and becomes  softer, but not soft.  Patchouli and benzoin then  take the stage  alongside the rose, which remains a constant throughout.  

This is an elegant fragrance  fit for a lady and come the cooler days  as fall arrives will be a welcome accompaniment to sweaters, scarves and crackling fires.

Full note list :

-Rose Anonyme is concentrated at 18 %

Top notes
bergamot from Calabria, ginger from China, Turkish rose essence
Heart notes
turkish rose absolue , incense from Somalia, velvet oud accord
Base notes
patchouli from Indonesia, papyrus from India, benjoin from Laos.

Petite Cologne Absolue 30ml/1oz $ 75
Cologne Absolue 200ml/ 6.7 oz  $195

 
www.sephora.com and http://www.ateliercologne.com

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Chanel Les Twin Sets de Chanel Nails/Lips for Fashion's Night Out

 
Each year for the past few Chanel has done exclusive nail colors for Fashion's Night Out.  It all began with the fab Khaki Vert , Brun  and Rose.

This year  there are not only 3 nail polishes but 3 matching lipsticks. Called Les Twin Sets de Chanel there is a plum, a rose pink and a beige.

I have no sales point details yet but these usually are available at Chanel boutiques and often online as well on Sept. 6.  I'll update when I get more info.

Friday, August 24, 2012

e.l.f Disney Villains Palettes


MAC started a trend with it's Venomous Villains line it seems. More companies are jumping on the Villains trend with the Disney store launching their own and now e.lf.  I'm glad to see it since MAC's was such fun .

Sometime next month e.l.f cosmetics will be releasing it's own Villains line. There will be several palettes and I believe that they will be sold exclusively at Walgreens. Price is said to be 9.99. I don't have much concrete info as of yet, but there is this image.

Do you like ? If you already have a lot of the MAC, is this still something you'd pick up? I need to see them in  person, but I am tempted.


image: wwd


NARS Andy Warhol-Quick Look

 
 
 

The first images of the Andy Warhol NARS collab hit today. They are mostly pack shots but we get a glimpse of what's to come. I'm excited to see Debbie Harry of Blondie on the packaging. She's a true rock goddess , icon and NYC gal. Blondie Rules.



The line will be in Sephora in Oct. and  hit counters on Nov. 1 .

Stila Creme Bouquet is Back

Do you remember Stila's Creme Bouquet fragrance ? It's been ages since it came out and a few years ago it disappeared altogether. Well if you were a fan and it was a popular scent at the time, when the perfume landscape was a bit less crowded, it's back.

The bottle has a new look in keeping with Stila's re-branding , but the scent remains the same.

Creme Bouquet is $ 50 for 50ml  at www.stilacosmetics.com

Thursday, August 23, 2012

NARSkin Skincare- Cleanser & Eye Cream

 
Do you love NARS? Of course you do. Well you can have the full NARS experience with the launch of  new skincare NARSskin.

The 10 product line is based on  giving you the radiance and glow of healthy skin as well incorporating anti-aging ingredients using  NARS exclusive Light Reflecting Complex™.

As a cleanser fanatic, I've tried the Purifying Foam Cleanser along with the Total Replenishing Eye Cream.

The Purifying Foam Cleanser is made for oilier skins and while called foam is not super foamy. This, to me, is a good thing. I like lather but not too much. It's also lightly exfoliating with what NARS says is botanical based spheres. It does a nice cleansing job,  getting the oil off without drying skin out .   I did have some makeup left after using, so a pre-cleanse, or a toner after ( what I use) , is most likely needed.

The Purifying Cleanser has no alcohol, parabens, synthetic fragrance or oil and is
$ 29.00

Total  Replenishing Eye Cream is a nice mid -weight cream that adds moisture without being too heavy.  Over time it's said to help reduce wrinkles and brighten the under eye area as well help with puffiness. I like that is absorbs fast and leaves  a nice smooth base .  It can be used day and night . $ 55.00


Shop at: http://www.narscosmetics.com/

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Valentina " My Valentina Nights " Contest

 
Want to win a  trip to Rome ? Of course you do.   The food, the art, the cafes, the vespas. Well Valentina wants to send you there. They've got an Instagram contest going  for the chance to win.

You'll need to upload to Instagram a fabulous shot of your city at night ( not sure where that leaves us small town dwellers. In the case of my town, I'm pretty sure it would mean not winning) . Tag your photo #MyValentinaNights . Contest runs thought Aug. 31st and you can see entries all rules on their Facebook page .

Good luck.

Orly Pretty in Pink Trio

You Are Not Alone

In October look for the new trio of pinks from Orly- Pretty in Pink. There is one new shade- You Are Not Alone, a Holo Glitter, as well as Be Brave and Embrace from Flash Glam FX.
Be Brave

20% of the profits will go to Cancer Schmancer.  Founded by actress and cancer survivor Fran Drescher, Cancer Schmancer is an organization that focuses on education, prevention and early detection of cancer.
Embrace

The polishes all come with a cute pink ribbon charm attached and will sell for $ 10.

Monday, August 20, 2012

L'Occitane Rose Des Champs EDT


Rose Des Champs, new from L'Occitane is  a sweet, soft, very rose  scent. You have to love roses , and I do, to love this . Think of those velvet rose petals blooming away in a field of flowers and you have the idea.

Both Rosa Damascena extract and oil  are two of the first ingredients in the EDT as is Rosa Canna Flower extract.  It's noted that all the roses are of natural origin  .  Also in there are  Narcissus Poetica  and Viola extracts.

All in all, as I said, it's all about the rose. For me it's a scent that instantly  makes me smile as it smells so delicious. It's a mood lifter.  Who doesn't love to sniff a rose ? Well I imagine some don't , but most of us, I think, do.

Rose Des Champs is light and youthful , no what some like to call "old lady" smell here. It's easy to wear and as an EDT  has decent lasting power but will be less than an EDP.

The collection includes a solid perfume and body care.

 Eau de Toilette ($45), Solid Perfume Charm ($12), Silky Body Gel ($25) and Pearl Hand Cream ($10).

www.loccitane.com


Sunday, August 19, 2012

Juliette Has A Gun Romantina



Juliette  Has A Gun's newest fragrance is Romantina.  I've enjoyed many from this line especially the delicious rose Miss Charming . The packaging/bottle has always charmed me as well.


Romantina is a  blend of musk, vanilla and white flowers  along with a good dose of vetiver .  It  makes  up one of those scents that wraps you like a soft sweater but one that also has substance. The white florals of  orange blossom, jasmine are soft and not indolic, and  the other notes are often in the lead . Romantina is also chypre like at times with the beloved  oakmoss feel even though it's not one of the notes but the cool iris is and that helps this feeling along.  There is  rose to add softness and  patchouli comes along at the drydown to sweeten the pot a little and that's also when  the vanilla is most apparant.   A vanilla that's neither sweet nor foody.

Romantina starts strong but ends up a  quiet, close to the skin lovely  floral that will be a nice addition  for  fall and winter.


Romantina is $ 85 for 50ml at www.luckyscent.com


Friday, August 17, 2012

MAC Styleseeker Nail Polish


Styleseeker nail polish is one of the star items from MAC's Styleseeker line.

It's a red/orange duochrome that is rusty colored .  It even flashes gold at times. My on the nail photos didn't come out well but  how it looks in the bottle is exactly how it looks on the nail.  I needed 3 coats to get the coverage I wanted , 2 was still too sheer but will work.


Top photo is without flash , bottom one with.


Styleseeker is available now.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

MAC Pro Lip Palette- Preferred Pinks


Back at fashion week in February  we got a glimpse of some new Fall Pro Palettes. They were called Fall Trend Palettes , so while these are not those specifically, they are similar new launches.

Preferred Pinks just landed on my desk so I haven't even swatched it yet, but you can see that it's wide variety of shades . most of which are already known to us . The Pro Palettes gather them all in one pan for easy blending of colors. These are a Pro item but can be ordered online if you want one.


There are 5 in all comprising all the shade ranges i.e browns, reds etc.

Preferred Pinks Pro Lip Palette:

Violetta – Bright clean violet purple
Show Orchid – Vivid hot pink
Creme de la Femme – Pink laced with gold
Lovelorn – Emotive blue pink
Please Me – Muted rosy-tinted pink
Pretty Please – Pale pink pearl

All palettes are $ 40.00
Available August 23 at MAC Pro locations and online.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Maybelline Color Tattoo Eye Shadow- New LE Shades


Strolling, well more like running, through Rite Aid yesterday, I spotted the new Maybelline Color Tattoo eyeshadows . I snapped a couple quick picks with the phone.


There are  4 in all  new LE shades - Barely Beige , Rich  Mahogany, Mossy Green and a new gold, Gold Shimmer.  They have LE on the outside wrap and the display had both older and new shades.


The Bold Gold from the original , first group  has been my most used summer eyeshadow I think, so I'd happily grab another gold type one. I am firmly in the you can never have enough gold shadows category and have the stockpile to prove it. I love beige and olive as well so all of the new ones appeal to me . I have to give them a further look when I have time.

If you haven't tried Color Tattoo, these are super long lasting shadows and have saved my eye makeup in all the humidity we've had.  My original review here

Laura Mercier for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month



September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and it's  a cause that's close to the heart of Laura Mercier. In conjunction with the month , she  is starting The Laura Mercier Ovarian Cancer Fund and will be releasing a  face palette and lip glace ,  donating 100% of the profits from these sales to  the fund.

Bonne Mine Healthy Glow for Face and Cheeks Creme Color Palette will be  $ 48  and Rose Hope Lip Glace  $ 24.


Both will be available beginning in September and the donations will be made from that months sales.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Total Beauty August Beauty Box


Total Beauty's newest beauty box is available now and  3 buyers ( random) will be picked to win a bonus box filled with well over $100 of products - gold , silver or bronze  level,  to celebrate the Olympics. This season's box includes: 
  • Osmotics Blue Copper 5 Firming Elasticity Repair
  • Zents Body Wash
  • Alterna Bamboo UV+Color Protection Fade Proof Fluide
  • LaRocca Vitamin Repair Mist
  • eSalon gift card for custom hair color ($19.95 value)
  • 2 Zents Eau De Toilette perfumes (1.5 ml each) in Sun and Mandarin scents

  • Click here to buy



    Monday, August 13, 2012

    Dior- Rouge Dior Nude Lip Blush Lipsticks


    If you asked me what my favorite lipstick was, I'd say  there are a few I really love but then I'd say that the all time favorite has to be Rouge Dior. When these came out in 2010 they went right to the top of the list. 

    I love a good lipstick and these feel weightless on but have good pigment, moisturize but are not too glossy . Lipstick perfection. Dior calls it "Voluptuous Care" and they couldn't be more correct. You can read my full  older review here.

    With the Dior Nudes launched this month  the Rouge Dior line gets what Dior calls "lip blush" in nude shades. The shades range from the lightest beige nude to shades that have some  deeper , but still more natural tint.

    I have Grege and Trompe L'Oeil. Grege is that blush the name talks about. It gives you color with light to medium pigment . It's more than Your Lips But Better, but only by a little . As far as I know, it's the shade Natalie Portman wears in the ad and one that's becoming a fav here.  Trompe L'Oeil is a very light beige. Barely there  for just a hint of color.

    These Nudes look great anytime you want a  natural look, as they have "just enough " look, but also will complement a bolder eye nicely . In  fall they'll work well with the neutrals that season brings.

    Rouge Dior Nude Lip Blush comes in 6 shades and are $ 32.00
     at   www.sephora.com  and Dior counters.

    Sunday, August 12, 2012

    L'Oreal The Temptress' Touch Nail Polish


    Tom Bachik, celebrity manicurist and new Consulting Nail Expert  for L'Oreal talked nail trends  recently and one of his top fashion correlated looks is "Sheer Shimmery Lace ".

    Bachik says “Sheer shimmery lace is a big fall trend. A great look I've started to do as summer wraps up is to use a single coat of a shimmery metallic on nails, so the color stays sheer but sparkly. It’s a great modern take on nudes that stays sophisticate and chic.”

    His pick from  L'Oreal's Color Riche line to match this is the new shade The Temptress' Touch , which will debut next month as part of the Project Runway  Electric Fantasy Collection.

    I love the metallic look of this . It looks like it might be duochrome like, but it's hard to tell from the image for sure.

    Friday, August 10, 2012

    Dior-Diorskin Nude Skin Glowing Makeup


    Dior's DiorSkin Nude Natural Glow  remains one of  my all time favorite foundations. So much so that I hoard my bottle, trying to make it last. ( You can read  review here ).

    Now I have a new version to love. Dior has revamped the formula just a tiny bit and I think for the better. DiorSkin Nude Skin Glowing Makeup is the new name.

    The new version contains , according to Dior, a formula that is partially composed of a mineralized water enriched with an exclusive and natural floral water that offers hydration, radiance, and elasticity to the skin. They also say they have used pigments that are the same color as the melanin in our skin.

     Testing my old  bottle vs the new , I find that the new is  an even lighter formula. The original was full coverage but not heavy, yet  the new is  also full coverage but is lighter yet. The liquid is thinner ( but not thin,  this is serious foundation)  and goes on easily , giving a covered, perfect look . It leaves skin with a little bit of dewy finish , hence the glow, but not too much. It's always worked with my oilier skin and many " dewy " types don't. With DiorSkin Nude you manage to get a flawless look without heaviness . 

    Dior has also upped the SPF to 15 instead of 10 with Titanium Dioxide at 4.3 % and Octinozate at 3 % .


    There is  wide range of shades  from Ivory to Dark Brown. Shown is shade 020 Light Beige. For some reason the swatch part looks far darker than the actual shade,  and the bottle just a little. This is a fairly light shade ,  3rd in the shade range.

     Retail is  $ 48.00 .

    Thursday, August 9, 2012

    Bath & Body Works Welcome to Paris Event Aug.11th



    Saturday, the 11th ,  is the day for Bath and Body Works Welcome to Paris event. It will be held in select stores and online from 1-5 PM.


    You'll be able to :


    - Get a tour of the city through their new Parisian inspired scents- Paris in Bloom, Sweet Paris, Paris Nights and  one of their top sellers- Paris Amour.

    - Enter for a chance to take home the ultimate Paris fragrance experience - a full size shower gel, lotion and fragrance mist in one of the From Paris, With Love fragrances.

    - With every  full size Signature purchase, you'll receive a Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin mini candle and trial size body lotion as well as a Caramel Apple Pocket Bac and holder, all in a  mesh bag. Supplies are limited and these items will not be in stores until September.

    Go to www.facebook.com/BathandBodyWorks   or www.bathandbodyworks.com/event for more info.