Eye Shadow

Lise Watier Summer 2008: La Toscana

Posted on June 8, 2008 by daneen in Bronzer, Eye Liner, Eye Shadow, Spoiled Pretty family, Tan | 5 Comments

Yesterday, Mr. Spoiled Pretty and I celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary with dinner at Barclay Prime, a “luxury boutique steakhouse” in the Rittenhouse section of Philadelphia. My dress and heels were basic black, so I decided to wear color on my eyes. Lise Watier’s new summer collection, La Toscana, provided the perfect palette to make my peepers pop!

The shadows in the Eye Quartet in Mer (Sea Turquoise, Satin Terracotta, Soft and Matte Sand, and a Rose-Brown bathed with Golden Sheen) have been baked on a ceramic tile to pay homage to Tuscany. They can be used wet or dry; dry for a light, diaphanous effect, or wet for an intense, opaque finish.

I lined the inner rims of my eyes with the Glitter Pencil in Turquoise – a smooth, pigment-rich liner.

If you’re more “turf” than “surf”, try the Terre Quartet and Glitter Pencil in Vert.

And be sure to check out La Toscana’s other offerings:

Pink Marble Blush Powder
Toscana Gloss Sticks (ultra-hydrating with an olive oil base)
Havana Dry Oil Body Glow
Havana Precious Bronzing Pearls
Havana Sun Dust Bronzing Powder

I’ve Got You Babe

Posted on June 4, 2008 by daneen in Eye Shadow, Lipgloss | 3 Comments

While accompanying my mom on a recent trip to the Willow Grove Mall, I found myself drawn – like a moth to a flame – to the NARS counter at Bloomingdale’s.

I was beyond thrilled to have finally hunted down the elusive Galapagos Eye Shadow, which was sold out at the first four stores I had visited. Before ringing me up, the saleswoman asked if my order was complete. I said yes, but then my eyes were seduced by the beauty of Babe Lip Gloss. It took me all of 30 seconds to decide that my lips would look delicious drenched in its sheer, fruit-punch red goodness.

I’ve worn Babe every day since, and I’m enamored. Punch drunk love, I call it.

NARS is available at Amazon.com, Bloomingdale’s, Blue Mercury, Lord and Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Sephora.

NARS Summer 2008: Exotica

Posted on May 30, 2008 by daneen in Eye Shadow, Lip Pencil, Lipgloss, Lipstick | 2 Comments

Last month, NARS introduced its summer 2008 color collection: Exotica.

Encapsulating the wildness of sensuality, Exotica features a sultry palette of edgy neutrals that evoke intense carnal desire. Nude pigments in luscious textures impart sinful mystique, capturing the essence of the elegant seductress. Shades of matte ecru and bitter chocolate with golden accents enliven eyes with mesmerizing intrigue, while hues of sparkling mauve, succulent cherry red and sheer brandy give lips intense passion.

As the name implies, Porto bello Duo Eyeshadow is comprised of two mushroomy shades. The first is a matte ecru and the other, a soft matte mushroom. Neither of these shades showed up well on my tan skin, but they would be gorgeous everyday shadows for lighter ladies.

Uncond itional Love Duo Cream Eyeshadow is a matte seafoam paired with a soft shimmering copper. These creams tend to crease, so prep the eyelid with a primer before applying (here’s one I recommend).

Supervixen Lip Gloss is a sheer sparkling mauve – a great universal nude color.

Misbehave Lip Gloss is a sheer cherry red with gold glitter flecks. The glitter is a little bit bigger than what you’re probably used to, so be sure to try before you buy.

Mindgame Lipstick is a sheer brandy. It’s moisturizing, and a great choice for when you decide to play up your eyes and keep the mouth understated, but polished.

Dolce Vita Velvet M atte Lip Pencil combines the convenience of a pencil with the application of a lipstick in a jumbo-size crayon design. If you love the dusty mauve color, but aren’t thrilled with the matte texture, this bestselling shade is also available as a lipstick and a gloss.

Roman Holiday Velvet Ma tte Lip Pencil is a delicate pastel pink. This shade is feminine and pretty, but how many people can pull off pastel pink without looking like a blast from the past (namely, the 80s)? Not many is my guess.

Last, but not least, is my favorite product from Exotica – one that I know you’ll love a lot-ica. Galapagos Single Eyeshadow is the most divine shadow I’ve seen all year. If I could dream up my ideal eyeshadow, it wouldn’t come close to Galapagos’ bitter chocolate infused with gold. I’m just not that creative. Dust it all over the lid, or apply with a fine brush to line the eye. Galapagos is so hot that you’ll want to buy more than one, just in case.

MAC Cool Heat

Posted on May 22, 2008 by daneen in Eye Shadow, Fragrance, Lipstick, Perfume | Leave a comment

Temperatures sizzle…but the perfect balance lies within reach. Cool Heat. Not an oxymoron: summer’s chillest look. Five Slimshine lipsticks, seven eye shadows, and two skin-cooling fragrances: Summer’s favorite Turquatic, and introducing its sister shade, Turquatic heat. Some looks are too hot for summer to handle but not Cool Heat. For this time of year, it feels just right.

Slimshine Lipstick
Tropic Glow: Blue pink with silver pearl (frost)
By Degrees: Neutral brown pink (frost)
Gentle Summer: Light clean yellow pink with white pearl (frost)
High 90’s: Clean pink orange (frost)
Swelter: Sheer clean red (frost)
Suggested Retail Price: $14.50

Eye Shadow
Solar White: Frosty muted white gold (frost)
Warming Trend: Frosty light taupe (veluxe pearl)
Warm Chill: Frosty seafoam green with gold pearl (frost)
Gulf Stream: Frosty mid-tone blue green with green pearl (frost)
Cool Heat: Frosty teal with multi-dimensional pearl (frost)
Climate Blue: Mid-tone violet blue with pink pearl (velvet)
Blue Flame: Dirty metallic navy blue (veluxe pearl)
Suggested Retail Price: $14.00

Creations
Hue: Tuquatic Keynotes: Lotus Leaves, Corsican Cedrat, Anemone, Orris and Blue Cedar
Hue: Turquatic Heat Keynotes: Cedrat saturated with the clear effervescence of Mineral Water, Lotus Flower, Opulent Orris, Jasmine and Tiare Soul.
Suggested Retail Price: $22.50

Cool Heat will be available June 2008 (US) and July 2008 (international) at all MAC counters and at maccosmetics.com.

MAC Neo Sci-Fi

Posted on May 22, 2008 by daneen in Blush, Eye Shadow, Lip Pencil, Lipgloss, Lipstick, Mascara, Nail Polish | Leave a comment

Out to shock the fashion galaxy with their supersonic ray gun shades and neon orange compacts cases. Spinning glamour into another orbit: a magnetic field of alluring hot fluorescents, modern buffs, beiges flesh tones set against cyber-chromatic array Nail Lacquers destined test laws your style gravity. This is your beauty’s future.

Lipstick
Sci-Fi-Delity: Burnt red with gold pearl (frost)
Pleasureseeker: Creamy peach (glaze)
Astral: Midtone brown with red pearl (lustre)
Electro: Bright orange (lustre)
Sunsonic White gold (frost)
Suggested Retail Price: $14.00

Lipglass
Supreme Bronzed brown with white pearl (frost)
Naked Space Creamy midtone nude peach frost)
Pink Grapefruit Orange with gold pearl (frost)
Soft & Slow Midtone creamy plum (frost)
Suggested Retail Price: $14.00

Eye Shadow
Magnetic Fields: Black brown with silver pearl (veluxe pearl)
Femme-Fi: Frosty golden cream (veluxe pearl)
Evening Aura: Frosty golden pach (veluxe pearl)
Time & Space: Frosty copper (frost)
Expensive Pink: Pink with gold duochrome (veluxe pearl)
Suggested Retail Price: $14.00

Cremestick Liner
80%: Deep, deep cocoa
Buerre : Dirtied plum
Summerfruit : Pale coral
Suggested Retail Price: $14.00

Plush Lash Mascara
Plushblack: Deep black
Suggested Retail Price: $11.00

Sheertone Shimmer Blush
Spaced Out: Shimmery peach
X-Rocks: Shimmery dirty mauve
Suggested Retail Price: $17.50

Nail Lacquer
Metalist: Neutral coppertone with white pearl (frost)
Plasma Blu: Turquoise blue with mathematic white pearl (frost)
Neon 8: Bright orange with matching pearl (frost)
Phosphor: Bumble bee yellow (frost)
Suggested Retail Price: $10.00

Neo Sci-Fi is now available now at maccosmetics.com.

What’s Victoria’s Secret? Beauty Products On Sale – Up To 90% Off!

Posted on May 21, 2008 by daneen in Anti-Aging, Eye Shadow, Hands, Lip/Cheek Stain, Lipgloss | 1 Comment

Been saving your pennies for a rainy day? Now’s your opportunity to cash in and save big. Shop Victoria’s Secret beauty clearance – get up to 90% off select products from VS, Vincent Longo, Lippmann Collection, Talika, TheBalm, and Anna Sui. Here’s just a preview of the steals and deals…

Vincent Longo Diamond Lip Gloss
Originally: $22
Clearance: $8.99

Lippmann Collection Heaven In My Hand Warmers
Originally: $39.50
Clearance: $3.99

Anna Sui Eye Color
Originally: $17
Clearance $6.99

TheBalm Stainiac
Originally: $14
Clearance: $5.99

Wexler M.D. Universal Anti-Aging Starte r Kit
Originally: $45
Clearance: $24.99

Oprah’s Favorite Things For Summer

Posted on May 16, 2008 by daneen in Blush, Eye Shadow, Lipstick, Makeup Brush, Mascara, Nail Polish | 3 Comments

Today, Oprah surprised her audience with her top things for summer. When producers first approached O about doing this summer version of her favorite things show, she wasn’t feeling it. “My producers pleaded with me to do this topic today, and I didn’t want to do it,” Oprah said. “So I said, ‘Absolutely not. I am not doing Oprah’s Favorite Things for summer.’” But after thinking about it, Oprah changed her mind…good thing for her studio audience, fans around the globe, and the brands whose products made the cut.

Gayle King, Oprah’s BFF and the editor-at-large of O, The Oprah Magazine, stopped by to unveil her favorite of the Spring Makeup O-wards.

“Don’t you hate it when you get something in very pretty packaging, and then you open it up and the product is not as good?” Gayle asks.

“The thing with Yves Saint Laurent is that we thought the packaging was so pretty and we liked all of the products. It was hard to pick just one, so we picked everything in the line—the marbled blush, the lipstick and the eyeshadow.”

Another standout is the CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara. “This was the first time anybody’s come to the offices with a scientist to explain how [the makeup] works,” Gayle says. “This is the scientific explanation: A dual polymer system keeps the mascara from migrating underneath your eyes. That’s code for it doesn’t smudge.”

OPI Nic Stick’s Paint & Go Nail Lacquer is a portable pen filled with nail polish, perfect for anyone who smudges as soon as they leave the salon.

No one wants to wear heavy makeup in the summer heat, so Gayle’s final two favorites made the grade for their light texture.

“Clé de Peau lipstick is silky and feels light on your lips,” Gayle says. “And I like the fact that it’s so sleek and slender in your purse.” She gave Rimmel Mousse Blush major props for its high-quality, light formula and low price.