The Lipstick Life

Look mommy Im sharing!

2012-02-06T11:38:00.001-08:00

The other day Sophia decided she was going to share the babies pillow with her. I didn't have the heart to tell her that climbing onto the pillow her sister was already sitting on and announcing " its ok Vinnie i no push you off" didn't exactly count as sharing...

Look mommy im sharing.

2012-02-06T11:32:00.001-08:00

The other day Sophia decided she was going to share the babies pillow with her. I didnt have the heart to tell her that climbing onto the pillow her sister was already sitting on and announcing " its ok Vinnie i no push you off" didnt exactly count as sharing...

Get your bikini body ready for summer

2010-03-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

Hi There,

Spring has officially arrived! With summer just around the corner, women across America have one thing on their mind….Bikini season! Kacy Duke trainer to the stars and co-founder of one of America’s most luxurious gyms Equinox, has put together 5 EASY tips on how to get your body in shape before a bikini weekend! Kacy is currently shooting her latest project called “MSN’s The Victory Project,” a 48-episode web series that aims to help women across America reach their personal goals before major milestone events in their lives. These women are following Kacy’s tips to help them achieve their goals!

1. WARM- UP and COOL DOWN

Start each workout with a 3-minute warm-up to increase heart rate and loosen muscles.

(Try jumping rope, walking on the treadmill, jogging in place, doing jumping jacks or riding a stationary bike).

2. You can have lean arms, but you have to work at it!

Women love lean arms, yet so few seem to really know how to get them. I tell my clients to combine regular cardio workouts with weight/strength training three or four days a week. We're going for lean sinewy arms, so light weights with lots of reps to get that definition and strength is all you need. Remember, changing your body is an evolution, not a revolution. Do the work, give it time, and watch the magic!

3. To crunch or not to crunch? That is the question

Abdominal work is a great way to help firm up your belly, and crunches are the classic way to do it. When done properly and with precision, they bring excellent results. But they’re so easy to cheat on or to do incorrectly. I recommend starting with a basic crunch, then mixing it up with other kinds of ab work. Add a plank, some side bends and try using a medicine ball to keep it interesting and effective.

4. 30 minutes a day is all you need

You don’t have to spend a lot of time in the gym to get fit. But if you want to feel good about your body, you’ve got to use it! The key is to do something physical every chance you get. That means going for a walk, jogging, riding a bicycle, or playing football with the kids. A combination of physical activities should include cardio work, core strength, but most importantly– body appreciation. Your body will love you back, if you start moving it around.

5. Don’t forget to work the most important muscle in your body

People often ask me to help them build muscle. I tell them first of all, you must work the most important muscle–the heart. I mean that figuratively, of course, but mainly I mean it literally. You have got to get your cardio work in if you want to get fit and drop a few pounds. It can come in any form—walking, running, aerobics, dancing. Try getting your heart rate up every day, you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel afterwards.

Spring Floral Scents

2010-03-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

Did you know that flowers have been proven to trigger happy emotions and heighten feelings of satisfaction?

Hilary Duff’s Wrapped With Love

Internal love is kindled by a fruity spark of delicious Plum, cushioned by petals of Velvety Violet, White Lily and Mangosteen Blossom. ($38.00, 1.7 fl oz,ElizabethArden.com)

Circus Fantasy Britney Spears

The magic continues as blue peony, waterlily and addictive red sweetheart orchid take the limelight with delicious sensations and exhilarating temptations.

($45.00, 1.7 fl oz, Macys.com)

Badgley Mischka Couture

Creamy notes of lush Jasmine, voluptuous Gardenia and Violet are woven throughout the fragrance to create a feminine, floral blend orchid. ($65.00, 1.7 fl oz, Macys.com)

forever by Mariah Carey

A rich floral heart embodies Mariah’s warmth and sophistication through a symphony of Tuberose and Gardenia. ($55.00, 1.7 fl oz, Macys.com)

2009-06-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

Now through June 22 FREE SHIPPING on all US and CANADIAN addressed orders of $40 or more!
No coupon code needed. Just choose corresponding Free Shipping option when placing online order.

Lust list -Valentines Edition

2009-02-07T14:06:00.000-08:00

Because its never too late to start dropping hints....

Intertwining Hearts Necklace
Tiffany&Co. Etoile Heart PendantLaura Mercier Truffles Collection
Short Tina Boots by Christian Laboutin

Suki by Agent Provocateur

Etsy Finds

2009-02-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

I love being the first one with a hot new purse, lipstick or accessory, but its hard to find unique stuff. Last week i picked up a beautiful pair of sterling silver earrings shaped like little zippers, they were so cute. I loved them and wore them a few times always proudly, that is until i saw my friends daughter with the exact same earrings in highlighter yellow. Turns out you can get my cute and unique earrings at Claire's. Needless to say, the magic was lost.
Thats why I love Etsy, when I buy a piece I know its unique, and there sis o much to choose from! Its like a giant 24 hour flea market just waiting on my Amex....

Here are a few of my fave items on Etsy this week

Pearl Pod Earrings- Sterling Silver

Sterling silver earrings with white freshwater pearls set in round pods.

The pods begin their life as galls that grow on the underside of oak tree leaves. The pods are opened in the front. A cup is placed inside to seat the freshwater pearls. A mold is made of the entire pod, then the item is transformed into sterling silver using lost wax casting technology.

A beautiful antiqued silver dragon fly stamping (3/8"x2" hollow back) is carrying a delicate locket with a fresh water pearl and a Czech white flower.
I found these gorgeous ice blue Aventurines that make a nice combination.
A fancy toggle at the end completes this 7" 1/2 bracelet.
All the components are antique silver.

This nice "Barroque shawl" is wonderful to keep you warm in many occasions. I hand knit this “BARROQUE CREAM SHAWL” with many strands of cotton-silk yarn, merino wool, silk thread and fabrics.I love mixing fibers!! The fabric is extremely delicate and feminine, shades of white, cream and beige combine in an incredible way!!!
Specially to wear on autumn or winter it will accompany you wonderfully during the whole season.
This is a specially delicate article, one of the best accessories to impress someone and to feel great with yourself.
It could be used as a shawl as well as a beauty scarf or a poncho.

Measurements:
Width: 16 inches/ 41 cms
Length: 57.8 inches/147 cms
Fringes: 9.8 inches/25 cms

Very soft, long hooded dress with PEONY applique.

Made entirely with soft and stretchy organic cotton fleece in Natural soft white color and trimmed with fluffy Sherpa.

Empire waistline with long flaring sleeves and skirt.

Approx. length from waist down: 40". Sleeve: 23.5"

Romantic ivory-white organic cotton fleece coat with handmade PEONY applique.

** deep wide hood with soft and thick organic cotton Sherpa lining,

** narrowed waistline with a single hidden hook and loop closure,

** very long flaring sleeves with handmade Peony applique.

Made entirely with organic cotton fleece and sherpa - soft fluffy side on the inside and smooth on the outside with org. cotton/hemp bias tape trim.

All seams are professionally serged and top-stitched.

Available in LOTS of sizes - SEE SIZE CHART.

Other sizes and in-between sizes are on request.

What are you favorite Etsy finds?

Jaymi

Spring Cleaning Your Makeup

2009-02-05T13:18:00.000-08:00

Now that spring cleaning is well under way, and were all feeling s little better, with memories of winter slowly fading from our minds, it’s the perfect time of year to clean out your makeup bag. Most makeup is only designed for a shelf life of a year, and after that it will start to break down, and besides being a little gross it wont look so hot anymore. The best part about spring cleaning your makeup bag? You now you have a great excuse to go shopping.

Cleaners and Moisturizers
These should be good for a year, or so. To make them last longer just be careful about how you apply them, your fingers or your face should never come into contact with the top of the bottle, as this can contaminate its contents, instead apply creams to a q-tip or sponge, then apply to your face.

Sunscreen:
Sunscreens should be tossed at the end of every season, after that they wont be effective. Since you should be applying sunscreen every single day, a bottle shouldn’t last you longer than a season anyway. Tip: Keep your sunscreen by your door in an easily visible place, that way you’ll be more likely to remember to put it on before you leave the house.

Self Tanners:
There are mixed messages about how long self tanners can last, most say two, but I wouldn’t keep them more than one because the color can break down. You don’t want to turn a shade of orange more suited to fruit than skin.

Foundation: Cream foundation is good for about a year, mouse foundation for about 9 months.

Powder Compacts: The power itself can be good for up to two years, if stored separately from the puff, puffs should be either cleaned or replaced about once a month. If you store your puff inside of your compact the shelf life is closer to six months.

Eyeshadow: Powder eye shadows will last indefinitely as long as they are kept contaminant free. Creams are good for up to a year if kept the same way.

Eyeliner: Eyeliner pencils can be kept forever as long as you sharpen them before or after each use, you can also wipe them down lightly with alcohol every few weeks just to be safe. Liquid or cream liners last closer to a year if kept properly. Tip: Always have two clean liner brushes available so that no double dipping is required in your eyeliner tins.

Mascara: Mascara should be tossed after 3-4 months, no matter how much it costs!

Blush: Powder blush, the same as powder eyeshadow, cream blush, the same as cream eyeshadow.

Lipstick and Lipgloss: Both can last up to two years

Lip liners: Same as eyeliner pencils, the bacteria is removed when you sharpen, so sharpen often and it should last you several years.

Sponges and Puffs: Sponges should be replaced every single week, no exception. Velour Puffs can be washed with your makeup brushes.

Makeup Brushes: Good brushes like good friendships can last forever, as long as you nurture them. Brushes should be washed with a gentle baby shampoo once a week or every two weeks, and them dried standing handle down. If you think your brush has been contaminated you can also rinse it in rubbing alcohol.

Tools like Tweezers, Eyelash Curlers and Sharpeners: Metal tools should be cleaned after every use, especially tweezers. To clean them just soak in rubbing alcohol for two minutes and rinse.

Now keep in mind, these are all just guidelines, you know what your products should look, smell, and feel like, if it’s off, don’t use it. Also how you store your products will determine how long they last. The bathroom is the absolute worst home for your products as the heat, and humidity will break them down. Keep your makeup in a cool dark, easily accessible place. I keep mine in my top dresser drawer.

Happy Cleaning

Jaymi

Looking for a new job?

2009-01-23T10:16:00.000-08:00

The Caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef is a newly created position. There are a few minor tasks that need to be taken care of, but the most important duty is to report back to Tourism Queensland (and the world) and let us know what’s taking place on the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

Download the full Job Description

Location

Below the water, you’ll find a World Heritage Listed natural wonder – the Great Barrier Reef. And above, the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef offer an abundance of wildlife to appreciate and activities to enjoy. The Island Caretaker will be based on Hamilton Island – the largest inhabited island in the region. It’s located just off the coast of Queensland with a wide range of restaurants, activities, shops and tours. The temperature is warm all year round and the combination of blue skies, crystal water and pure sands forms the backdrop to an ideal island life.

Reading List

2009-01-22T08:43:00.000-08:00

Only Pleasure by Lora Leigh

Since Chase Falladay came to her rescue two years ago, Kia Stanton has never been able to forget the powerful man or the kind of life he leads. So two years later when she runs into Chase and his friend, Khalid, and leaves with them that night, she knows exactly where it is all heading. However, little prepares her for what it is like to be in Chase''s arms, and in his bed. After years of holding back, Kia is finally able to be the woman she's always dreamed of being in his arms. Since Chase Falladay came to her rescue two years ago, Kia Stanton has never been able to forget the powerful man or the kind of life he leads. So two years later when she runs into Chase and his friend, Khalid, and leaves with them that night, she knows exactly where it is all heading. However, little prepares her for what it is like to be in Chase''s arms, and in his bed. After years of holding back, Kia is finally able to be the woman she''s always dreamed of being in his arms. Kia is a dream Chase has not allowed himself to entertain. Now that he has her, it''s her heart he''s after and he''s determined to win it, no matter the cost. And even though they both agreed that it would only be for pleasure, somewhere along the way it becomes and all-consuming love.

What I did For Love by Susan E. Phillips

How did this happen? Georgie York, once the costar of America's favorite television sitcom, has been publicly abandoned by her famous husband, her film career has tanked, her father is driving her crazy, and her public image as a spunky heroine is taking a serious beating.

What should a down-on-her-luck actress do? Not go to Vegas . . . not run into her detestable former costar, dreamboat-from-hell Bramwell Shepard . . . and not get caught up in an ugly incident that leads to a calamitous elopement. Before she knows it, Georgie has a fake marriage, a fake husband, and maybe (or not) a fake sex life.
It's a paparazzi free-for-all, and Georgie's nonsupporting cast doesn't help. There's Bram's punk-nightmare housekeeper, Georgie's own pushy parent, a suck-up agent, an icy studio head with a private agenda, and her ex-husband's new wife, who can't get enough of doing good deeds and saving the world—the bitch. As for Georgie's leading man, Bram's giving the performance of his life, but he's never cared about anyone except himself, and it's not exactly clear why.
Two enemies find themselves working without a script in a town where the spotlight shines bright . . . and where the strongest emotions can wear startling disguises.

The Midwives by Chris Bohjalian

In idyllic Reddington, Vt., during the harsh winter of 1981, Sibyl Danforth makes a life-and-death decision based on 15 years' experience as a trusted midwife. Late on a frigid night, cut off from the hospital by a storm that has made the roads impassable, Sibyl attempts to save the baby of a woman she fears has died from a stroke during labour. Later, the midwife's assistant tells the police she's certain the mother was still alive when the Caesarean section was performed in the isolated farmhouse. In Midwives, Sibyl's daughter, Connie, narrates the aftermath of this tragedy. Now an obstetrician, she recalls the events of her 14th year, when her mother's freedom and her family's fate rested with 12 men and women. Chris Bohjalian captures the human scale of misfortune with this moving novel.-

xoxoxo
Jaymi

Naughty and Nice

2009-01-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

With Valentines day coming up quickly, theres a feeling of love in the air.....
And what better way to celebrate that love then with some scandalous lingerie!
Here are a few of my favorite pieces this season...

Fredericks of Hollywood

Victoria's Secret

La Vie En Rose

Lust List

2009-01-21T06:58:00.000-08:00

What I'm lusting after right now...

Lululemon Origami Jacket

Juicy Couture Bloomin Charm Bracelet
Hand Painted Shoes by Ndeur

Aubrey Jacket by Embody Clothing

Vivian Westwood Pearl drop Necklace
What are you lusting after this week?

2009-01-20T11:45:00.001-08:00

Arm Candy

2009-01-20T06:53:00.000-08:00

You love wearing braids. But since you’re no longer 8, the style has sadly been relegated to slutty cowgirl bedroom antics.

Sport the look outside the boudoir with one of Katherine Sturgis’s bracelets. The New York-based designer braids together various materials to create unique adornments for your wrist.

The glamorous pieces are all made by hand, so each is one of a kind. Most are a melange of vintage rhinestones, silk thread, and painted leather, with a color scheme chosen by you.

They’re very 1920s meets rock ’n’ roll, making them wearable with everything from a bikini to a ball gown.

Or, you know, nothing at all.

Source Daily Candy

What are you doing Superbowl Sunday?

2009-01-16T15:03:00.000-08:00

MAC Blonde Brunette and Redhead

2009-01-14T08:29:00.000-08:00

TO EACH THEIR OWN.
Three dramatically different personalities, three perfectly personalized palettes. Eyes, cheeks, lips, formulated to be coiffure-complementary. Bombshell or bookworm, no matter. Colour-coordination this comprehensive makes it work! Designed to play-up the most potent and powerful accessory a girl has: her hair. The complete opposite of contrivance – this is simplicity itself. So basic it’s brilliant!

RedHead

LIPSTICK
MARQUISE D’ SANDY CREAM PEACH
BLOW DRY PINK CORAL
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN
LIPGLASS
LIVE AND DYE COOL PINK
RED DEVIL CORAL ORANGE
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

EYE SHADOW
FLIP BRONZE GOLD
FRENCH CUFF BURGUNDY PURPLE
100 STROKES ICE PINK
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.50 U.S./$17.00 CDN
EYE KOHL
TEDDY DARK-EYED BRONZE
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.50 U.S./$17.00 CDN
BROW SET
GIRL BOY FAWNED-OVER BLONDETTE
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $13.50 U.S./$16.00 CDN

MINERALIZE SKINFINISH
REDHEAD GOLD TO SALMON PINK DEGRADE
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $28.00 U.S./$33.50 CDN
BRUSHES
165 TAPERED CHEEK/HIGHLIGHT
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $34.00 U.S./$41.00 CDN
214 SHORT SHADER
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $23.00 U.S./$27.50 CDN
226 SMALL TAPERED BLENDING
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $24.50 U.S./$29.00 CDN

Blonde

LIPSTICK
B-BABE RICH PINK
ALL’S FAIR LIGHT PURPLE PINK
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN
LIPGLASS
STRAWBERRY BLONDE DEEP PINK RED
PEROXIDE WHITE PINK
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

EYE SHADOW
PINCURL DUSTY WHITE
KNIGHT DARK GREY
TOP KNOT DEEP BLACK PURPLE
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.50 U.S./$17.00 CDN
EYE KOHL
PHONE NUMBER SMUDGY CHARCOAL
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.50 U.S./$17.00 CDN

BROW SET
CLEAR COLOUR-FREE
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $13.50 U.S./$16.00 CDN

MINERALIZE SKINFINISH
BLONDE SOFT PINK TO ROSE DEGRADE
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $28.00 U.S./$33.50 CDN

Brunette
LIPSTICK
CHIGNON RED PLUM
WHAT A DO!
NEUTRAL PINK CORAL
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

LIPGLASS
QUICK TEASE RED PURPLE
SOFT WAVE TAN BRONZE
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

EYE SHADOW
DEEP SHADE DUSTY BLUE
HENNA DARK GOLD
FEMME FI FROSTY GOLDEN CREAM
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.50 U.S./$17.00 CDN

EYE KOHL
SMOLDER INTENSE BLACK
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $14.50 U.S./$17.00 CDN

BROW SET
SHOW OFF FULL-BODIED BROWN
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $13.50 U.S./$16.00 CDN

MINERALIZE SKINFINISH
BRUNETTE SOFT CORAL TO COPPER BRONZE DEGRADE
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $28.00 U.S./$33.50 CDN

What they REALLY think

2009-01-08T16:58:00.000-08:00

Women’s Health conducted a survey on menshealth.com, and over 700 guys weighed in on what’s sexiest when it comes to women – the results were included in the Jan/Feb issue.

Celebrity fantasy partner:

28% of the 866 respondents chose Jessica Alba
18% - Jessica Biel
15% - Scarlett Johansson
13% - Jennifer Aniston
11% - Angelina Jolie

Sexiest part of a woman’s body:

42 % of the 902 respondents chose BUTT
21% - Anywhere around the belly button
20.6% - Arch of the back
12.6% - Back of the neck’
1.4% - Arch of the foot
1.1% - Ear lobes
0.7% - Back of the knees

Sexiest form of foreplay:

51.9% of the 902 respondents said taking a bath or shower together
18.7% - A back rub
15.6% - Talking dirty
7% - A candlelit dinner
6.8% - X-rated movie

Sexiest cocktail a woman can order:

27% of the 849 respondents said martini
18% - Margarita
16% - Beer
16% - Tequila shot
12% - Champagne
11% - Vodka and tonic

Sexiest scent a women can wear:

30.1% of the 861 respondents said something sweet, like vanilla
26.1% - A fresh beachy scent
25.7% - Floral scents, like rose and jasmine
10.6% - An exotic musk
7.5% - A citrus scent, like grapefruit

When it comes to spicing up your sex life…

43% of the 703 respondents used sex toys
30% - Whipped cream
15% - Blindfolds
12% - Handcuffs

Sexiest place for a woman to have a tattoo:

48% of the 783 respondents said lower back
22.3% - Ankle
14.5% - Butt
15.2% - Shoulder

The biggest turn-on:

35.1% of the 871 respondents said undressing a woman
33.2% - Having her strip for you
31.7% - Having her undress you

Best background music for makeup sex:

40.1% of the 833 respondents chose Barry White
34.9% - Frank Sinatra
25% - Al Green

Sexiest thing for a woman to wear to bed:

24% of the 915 respondents said one of your button-down shirts and nothing else
17.9% - Just panties
17.3% - Sleeveless T-shirt and panties
16.1% - Nothing
14% - Bra and panties
10% - Satin teddy

The Little Black dress

2009-01-05T19:17:00.000-08:00

When it comes to the little black dress, a girl can't have too many, and with so many great choices this season, it can be so hard to narrow it down to just one. And who can blame you when theyre so versatile. Add the right accessories like a little cardigan and tights, and your perfect LBD can be worn to work; opt for a statement necklace, a metallic belt and drop dead shoes and your LBD is cocktail ready. It's the hard-working multi-tasker of your closet. Heres a few of my faves this season...

Banana Republic

Forever 21

BeBe

BCBG

Happy Shopping

MAC Chill

2009-01-02T07:30:00.000-08:00

Ice the competition. The temperature drops, predictability plummets,
but a new beauty barometer sets the tone with light snowflake lips,
twinkle shimmer shades with opalescent pearl.
Cool neutral eyes suddenly combust, then go up in smoke, with new
Penultimate Eye Liner for the deepest velvet black. New 41 Lash with
criss-cross design for a luxe, longer look. Two Reflects Glitter
for a limited time, a hot new cool. Just chill.

MAC and Dame Edna

2009-01-02T07:21:00.000-08:00

“Hello possums!” Dame Edna Everage is in the house!
With her zesty zingers, cutting-edge appearance – lilac hair
(which is completely natural), rhinestone-encrusted face furniture,
fanciful frocks – frankly; there’s nothing like a Dame!
Dame Edna is the resident muse for our spectacular post-holiday makeup collection,and modestly describes herself as “probably the most popular and gifted woman in the world today: housewife, investigative journalist, social anthropologist, talk-show host, swami, children’s book illustrator, spin doctor, megastar, and Icon.” With packaging as mirthful and minx-like as The Legend herself,
the Dame Collection of heavy-on-the-lilac Lipstick/Lipglass, eye shadow,
Highlight powder and nail lacquers is in a class by itself!
“Follow my beauty regime possums, and you’ll never be cosmetically challenged”
– Dame Edna

2009-01-01T11:56:00.001-08:00

2009-01-01T11:55:00.001-08:00

Lust List

2009-01-01T11:28:00.000-08:00

If I had a million dollars, i wouldn't have it for long. Here are all the things I'm lusting after right at this moment...

Victoria's Secret Rose Satin Pump in pink and Faux fur Wedge Boot in white
Balenciaga Sunglasses (green edition)
L.A.M.B Utility Pant and Zeppelin Hoodie

Victories Secret Fair Isle Sweater Dress
Juicy Couture Baby Fluffy Bag

What are you lusting after right now?

Mac teams up with Emanuel Ungaro

2008-09-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

Landscapes of water and reflection have become an obsession for me,” wrote Monet to a friend in 1909 of his vast Water Lilies“These Impressionist artistry to makeup artistry by Sharon Dowsett. Talking about her direction from the house’s new designer – Esteban Cortazar – “On canvases, which dominated the last thirty years of his life. Visit them in Paris’ Musee de L’Orangerie and it’s easy to see why. As nebulous cloud and sky are reflected on the surface of sun-skimmed water and foliage dissipates into smattered colour and disintegrating form, the limitless palette and layers of pigments with which Monet painted these canvases is mesmerizing. Essentially studies in the effects of colour, form, light and shadow, it makes sense that the Water Lilies should be especially inspirational and relevant to makeup, and indeed, to a makeup artist…Something which, nearly a century later on 27th February 2008, and just a stone’s throw down the Seine in the Carrousel du Louvre, we’re witnessing backstage at Ungaro’s A/W 08 show, where the Water Lilies have been taken frome of the first things that he said to me was that there always has to be something unexpected to the Ungaro woman,” says Sharon.
Hence the search for a more nuanced natural, a way “to do brown that’s not boring,” led Sharon on a day of finding inspiration wandering the streets of Paris (from trees on the Champs élysées to the beetroot staining her salad plate at lunch, a mood-board examining the subtle interplay of colour in nature appeared) and finally to L’Orangerie. “I was looking at Monet’s tree trunks and how they appear brown but become so vibrant up close, becoming an incredible collage of pigments including green, blue, orange, lilac and fuchsia,” she explains.
Cue the softly nuanced Ungaro face with it’s unpredictable tangents of colour that merge to form a translucently natural effect. With M·A·C’s dizzying array of colours at her disposal, a twine brown haze of eye shadow unravels it’s subtle inflections of cool lilac and warm coral, cut through with deep blue kohl and a flash of highlight “like the reflection of water on a lake” at it’s centre. An evaporation of pink (very beetroot…very Ungaro) hints the cheeks and a lip that appears natural but is surprisingly and succulently pink softens the lips.
In their native Paris the Water Lilies are known as the Nympheas, and indeed the models do exude a nymph-like beauty. “Yes, they are like wood nymphs,” says Sharon. “I had in my mind a woman who is feminine but not ladylike, who’d mix but not match, is stylish but not concerned.” Indeed, this effortlessly sylph-like species is at the heart of Cortazar’s conception of what the modern Ungaro woman is. His first season at the helm of the venerable Parisian couture known for it’s highly feminine take on print, pigment and romantic ruches, the 23-year-old is keen in instill his own set of brand values on the house: “Effortless Seduction and Unapologetic Femininity” are the values he keeps coming back to, which essentially translates as a girl who’ll give her look an unexpected twist, wearing that
fabulous frock with perfect lo-fi makeup and air-dried hair.
Speaking of unexpected, and of that perfect lo-fi makeup, in just five months after the show M·A·C counters are awash with palettes, creams, tints and shadows that replicate Dowsett’s Ungaro makeup. In a limited-edition collaboration with Ungaro – remember last year’s altogether more dramatic collaboration with McQueen? – M·A·C committed, months before anyone knew the makeup would be so downright beautiful, to creating a runway-fresh collection that takes the catwalk to the counter in a record time frame (you’re usually looking at over a year).
Having supported supported Cortazar from the very start of his designer career as a teenager in Miami, M·A·C for Ungaro is testament to a genuine fashion/beauty relationship. “Our association with Ungaro is really exciting as we’ve supported Esteban for many years. He’s reflective of an attitude and movement for venerable fashion houses to reinvent their brands by employing new emerging talent, something that’s a core value of M·A·C,” explains Creative Director, James Gager.
The collaboration also represents the many personalities and aesthetics to which M·A·C makeup appeals. “M·A·C’s a high/low fashion brand,” continues Gager. “We follow equally couture and street culture, a sense of yin and yang is inherent to the brand and our customers – heavy-duty dramatic makeup alongside that which is girly, fresh and light. Following from our dramatic and outrageous collaboration with McQueen last year, we felt that Ungaro
represented another side of M·A·C’s personality.”

What we can reliably expect is that the M·A·C for Ungaro collaboration will sell out as fast and furiously as M·A·C for McQueen last year (i.e. within weeks). The idea of owning undiluted, fresh-from-the-runway products is something that, in a beauty world increasingly edited and over-thought, beautyphiles will find irresistible.
Not to mention the fact that the makeup itself is pretty much the most imminently desirable, flattering and
fashion-forward of the season. Sounding increasingly like a modern-day Monet describing her thoughts on seeing
the final product prototypes, Sharon’s excitement about the range is infectious: “I spent a couple of days applying the products to anyone who would sit still for me, and loved how it works so well and so differently on everyone,”
she raves. “…There’s a see-through lip stain that’s incredible and I’m extremely pleased with the crushed rose Cream Colour Base – you can easily create a lifelike blush or a deep wine-red flush…the eye shadows are stunning together, the violet’s cool without being shimmery and you’ve never seen a brown like it…and I love the pinker tone of the new coral which is even brighter than it looks…” are just a few of her enthusiastic musings on the range.
One extra product was added at the last minute, of course. “I kept holding on to Esteban saying he wanted
something unexpected as well as remembering my original Monet inspiration,” says Sharon. Hence the addition of
a pencil – Auto de Blu Technokohl, a watery, inky teal that can be applied as a liner or shadow and which perfectly
addressed Sharon’s concern that “It needed to be more painterly.” Monet meets makeup indeed.

MAC Suite Array

2008-09-28T21:02:00.000-07:00

Reserve the Luxury Suite. New Eye Shadow Suite with Pearlglide Eye Liners provide all the accoutrements: luminescence, iridescence, phosphorescence, good design. These duo compacts imbue exceptional sparkle, add innovation in the most sophisticated new colour alignments. Check in for bewitching bedroom eyes, day and night.

EYE SHADOW SUITE

Sweet Liaison
Small Pan: Pale yellow with gold pearl
Big Pan: Deep brown with gold pearl
Rose Suites
Small Pan: Intense blue pink
Big Pan: Light yellow pink with silver pearl
Team Violets
Small Pan: Dark burgundy with burgundy pearl
Big Pan: Mid-tone violet with gold pearl
Counterparts
Small Pan: Deep forest with gold pearl
Big Pan: Mid-tone orange with gold pearl
Shallow V. Deep
Small Pan: Bluish green with gold pearl
Big Pan: Mint with silver pearl
Blue Zone
Small Pan: Deep grey/green with silver pearl
Big Pan: Light ice blue with silver pearl
Ocean 2
Small Pan: Mid-tone blue with silver pearl
Big Pan: Light blue with silver pearl
Smoke & Ash
Small Pan: Black with silver pearl
Big Pan: Mid-tone grey silver pearl
Suggested Retail Price: $16.00 U.S./$19.00 CDN

PEARLGLIDE EYE LINER

Bankroll Rich green with bright green sparkle
Miss Fortune Eggplant with light pink glitter
Spare Change Mid-tone brown with copper glitter
Rave Deep purple with purple glitter
Fly-By-Blu Light blue with blue glitter
Wolf Deep grey with gold glitter
Molasses Dirty brown mid-tone brown glitter
Black Russian Black with navy blue glitter
Suggestion Retail Price: $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

MAC Creamsheen

2008-09-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

Speak softly, say something shocking! Cremesheen gives weight to your words, lightness to your lips! Application glides. Texture talks for you. Finish has the last word. But be warned – exotic sensation at the slightest titillation! A new vocabulary for lips, colour, shine.

A next-generation, crème-based lipstick that imprints bright, full colour with soft and supple shine. Lightweight, texturally slick, it provides full, rich coverage and easy application. Limited edition.

CremeSheen Shades

Creme D’Nude Pale muted peach beige
Ravishing Clean lightly peachy coral
Speed Dial Light blue pink
Fanfare Mid-tone yellow pink
On Hold Mid-tone yellow raspberry
Speak Louder Clean poppy blue pink
Modesty Muted neutral pink
Hot Gossip Mid-tone pinky plum
Crosswires Clean pinky orange
Stay In Touch Lightly yellow brown
Brave Red Bright yellow red
Dare You Deep brown red
Party Line Red-tone plum
Hang-Up Deep berry
Suggested Retail Price: $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

Nail Lacquer

Seasonal Peach Creamy pale peachy pink
Suggested Retail Price: $10.00 U.S./$12.00 CDN

EcoTools

2008-05-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

EcoTools Makeup Brushes

The Promise
Green is no longer just an eyeshadow hue in your compact, or a candle on your countertop - it's become a lifestyle choice. With the launch of EcoTools, the premiere mass eco-conscious cosmetic brush and bath accessories collection, going green has never been more rewarding.

The Truth
It's no secret that I love green products, be it fashion, home products, food , or beauty I beleive that 2 dollars spent on a green product is better than $1 spent on a damaging product. I think that when we make an investment in the healthy future of the world around us we get it back ten-fold. That being said green living can be very expensive, and often we can be limited in our choices because of this. So imagine my elation when I checked my mail today and found EcoTools. Not only are they made of bamboo, which is a completely sustainable resource, recycled aluminum, and synthetic bristles, not only are they housed in reusable pouches and printed with plant-based ink, utilizing resources that minimize the negative impact on the environment, and not only are they associated with 1% For The Planet, an alliance of businesses committed to leveraging their resources to create a healthier planet, but they are also incredibly reasonably priced(between $2 and $8 a piece.
No way I thought theres got to be a catch, they've got to be cheaply made or really ugly or something. But i was wrong on both counts. These brushes are actually quite cute, I especially love the little reusable case in the % piece set ($10.99). They are also quite well made, with no glue spots showing, and they don't even shed.
I have to say I am actually quite impressed with this collection form EcoTools, I am definately going to be trying the bath products....
Happy Shopping

Essential Beauty Tools

2008-05-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

The art of makeup requires good tools, even an amazing makeup artist can’t work without good brushes, and neither should you. While there is much to be said about finger application, there will always be times where you’ll need a little bit more precision and control, which can only be achieved with a good brush.

There are literally hundreds of different types of applicators and tools, and sometimes it can be a little intimidating to try to pick the best ones, so I’ve compiled a list of “must-haves” for you to use as a jumping off point.

The Basics

Every makeup collection should contain at least these pieces

Applicator Sponge

These come in many shapes and sizes, but should always be disposable. Good for one to two applications these are used to apply foundations, and cream blushes. There really doesn’t seem to be a big difference between the least and most expensive, so this is one item you can scrimp on, just make sure you don’t reuse them too much as they are a wonderful breeding ground for bacteria.

Eyelash Curler

Used before you apply mascara, an eyelash curler can make your eyes look bigger and brighter. They are available in both metal and plastic, but the plastic ones tend to break. I also like the metal ones because, if you want a little extra curling power, you can heat it up with your blow-dryer, but for no more than 5 seconds.

Jaymi’s picks – She Uemera

Shadow Brushes

There are quite a few types of eyeshadow brushes on the market but you really only need 2, a 1” brush to coat the lid and a slanted brush to fit in the crease. Its nice to have a few more but those are really the two necessary brushes.

Jaymis picks –
Becca Soft Focus Shader
and
Ecotools Bamboo Eye Shading Brush

Lipstick brush

Lip brushes allow you to use less lipstick but it also can be used to soften the line of your lip liner. With the brush, you can blend it right into the lipstick so that it is not visible.

Jaymi’s Picks –
MAC 316 lip brush

Powder Brush

Used to apply a thin even coat of powder across your face or body, easier to use than a sponge or puff ( which can leave excess behind) These look like blush blushes but are bigger and fuller

Jaymi’s Pick
Ecotools Powder brush

Blush brush

Same idea as a powder brush but smaller and more compact, used to apply blus or bronzer to the cheek and forehead area. Can be straight across the top or angled

Jaymi’s Picks –
Becca #41 and
MAC #169 Angled Brush

One of the easiest ways to start a brush collection is to just buy a set with all the basics in it and just add from there. These are all great starter kits

EcoTools

Becca Travel Tote Set

Too Faced Teddy Bear Hair Brush Set

Nars Travel Brush Set

Kat Von D Brush Set

Don’t be afraid to mix up your brushes either, you don’t have to stick with just one type, the best way to find out which are best fro you is to experiment with as many as you can.

Happy Shopping

Etsy Finds

2008-04-30T07:37:00.000-07:00

Spring spring spring, can you tell it’s on my mind? Its one of my favourite seasons, I just love the feel in the air. Everything is so fresh and clean. Not too mention the awesome products and accessories that always come out this time of year…

Here is a sample of the awesome swag out there for spring, all available through etsy…

Sugared violets

By LilikoiDesigner

Beautiful violet colored faceted twisted step cut amethyst drips have been wirewrapped to Hill Tribe fine silver hammered rings. These are such lovely dainty earrings! They have been oxidized and lightly polished and hang right at 1" from the bottom of the handmade hammered sterling silver earwires. The earwires have been left bright silver, but can be oxidized upon request.

Love with Your Whole Heart Pendant

By Pendantflair

Scripted black letters on a robin's egg blue background. I hope the phrase "Love with your whole heart" inspires you to approach life with enthusiasm! Surrounded with lead-free silver solder, this pendant hangs from a 24 inch ball chain for instant wearability. Comes with a black glass bead and measures approx. 2 and 1/4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Stunning and pretty.

Go Go Glass Necklace

By Suzannie

This fun and funky necklace features round and oval aqua and black glass beads, square silver beads and silver findings. The beautiful silver toggle provides an attractive, easy and secure closure.

Sweet Pea Blossoms Wrap

By boutiquepinkdesigns

This scarf is a stunner! It is long enough and wide enough to use as a shoulder wrap, a stole or a scarf. It will look fabulous over a tee and jeans or for cooler weather, wrap it around a turtleneck or sweater. It's crocheted from soft acrylic yarn in purplish-pink. The blossom squares are individually crocheted then connected together. I added a bright magenta flower brooch with a button that happens to be the same shade as the scarf! This is a one-time find as this button comes from my stash of vintage buttons from the old New York garment district. You will look and feel so glamourous and feminine in this wrap. Makes a sweet Mother's Day gift!

Audrey Pouch

By Tamar

This beautiful long pouch is perfect for carrying pencils and art supplies, will also work as an evening clutch, cosmetic pouch and a lovely catch-all. It measures 9"x4" (23.5cmx10cm) and is made from a 100% cotton with pink lining and interfacing for sturdiness. The pink zipper is embllished with lovely beads making the pouch easy to open and close.

Peony silk-lined clutch bag

By Redrubyrose

This beautiful Peony-flower inspired print with its bright and blousy pink petals is perfect for early summer...
I've matched this heavyweight cotton fabric with a stunning dupion silk lining in gold, shot with red, so when the light catches this silk it reflects the most wonderful rich golds, yellows and coppery reds - making for a little luxury every time it is opened and as a striking accessory for a special occasion or night out.

Happy Shopping

-Jaymi

Spring Cleaning Your Makeup

2008-04-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

Foundation: Cream foundation is good for about a year, mouse foundation for about 9 months.

Eyeshadow: Powder eye shadows will last indefinitely as long as they are kept contaminant free. Creams are good for up to a year if kept the same way.

Mascara: Mascara should be tossed after 3-4 months, no matter how much it costs!

Blush: Powder blush, the same as powder eyeshadow, cream blush, the same as cream eyeshadow.

Lipstick and Lipgloss: Both can last up to two years

Lip liners: Same as eyeliner pencils, the bacteria is removed when you sharpen, so sharpen often and it should last you several years.

Sponges and Puffs: Sponges should be replaced every single week, no exception. Velour Puffs can be washed with your makeup brushes.

Tools like Tweezers, Eyelash Curlers and Sharpeners: Metal tools should be cleaned after every use, especially tweezers. To clean them just soak in rubbing alcohol for two minutes and rinse.

Hope this helps

-Jaymi

Spring Scents

2008-04-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

Spring is a time of renewal, when everything is light fresh and airy, Its a time to throw open your windows and invite the outside in, its also a time to update your beauty products. The heavy scents we used all winter are ready to be retired and replaced with Springs new light and "springy" scents.

Aqua Lily
The Body Shop
$17 30 ml
The delicate beauty and fresh fragrance of lilies has always signified a return to happiness, making it the inspiration behind our new Aqua Lily fragrance range. A harmonious symphony of green apple, watermelon and floral notes, enhanced by a soft, musky finish will leave you feeling exhilarated and refreshed.

Light Blue
Dolce and Gabbana
$60 1.7 oz

A stunning perfume, overwhelming and irresistible like the joy of living. Surprising and colored: the liveliness of Sicilian citron, the happiness of Granny Smith apple, the spontaneity of bluebells. Feminine and resolute: the intensity of jasmine, the freshness of bamboo, the charm of white rose. Deep and true: the character of cedarwood, the fullness of amber, the embrace of musk.

Pure Grace
Philosophy
$50 2oz.
A lighter, softer, crisper interpretation of the original Amazing Grace fragrance, Pure Grace is a clean, transparent blend of fresh blossoms and cool greens, laced with sensual, frosty musk.

Princess
Vera Wang
$42 1oz.
Created for the playful, unpredictable, independent woman who treats every day like an event and adventure. This is a woman who likes to make her own magic, this sheer, flirty blend of water lily, lady apple, mandarin meringue, and golden apricot skin are melded with sheer floral notes, accented with dark chocolate, and finished with a pink frosting accord, amber, warm woods, musk, and vanilla - a whimsical treat.

Nina
Nina Ricci
$39 1oz.

The namesake fragrance from Nina Ricci is magical, a promise of enchantment with the radiant power of seduction. Combining temptation, femininity, and modernity, it's a fresh, fruity floral sprinkled with a tantalizing accord.
The fragrance incorporates top notes of Calabrese Lemon and Cipirinha Lime for a sparkling and spontaneous beginning. Midnotes of Red Toffee Apple and Vanilla Infusion create a charming and seductive femininity and Moonflower and Peony Petals add gentle and delicate breath. Rounding it out are base notes of Apple Tree Wood and Cotton Musk ending in a tender sensual caress.

Happy Scenting
-Jaymi

Skinsheen

2008-04-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

This time of year we’re all craving deep dark color for our skin, unfortunately thanks for those of us that don’t want to look like our favourite boots by 35, the options for getting o hint of color us there aren’t always great. Thankfully Mac has once again come to our rescue with their new SkinSheen…

A sprayable lightweight gel that unlike your fancy, never drifts. Brushes lightly and flawlessly over the skin… undetectable. For the ultimate secret application and smoothest sheen, try the 179 Body Buffer Brush. Skinsheen leg spray applies like a soft mousse to provide a quick, highly blendable application

of color to legs, arms, shoulders and décolletage.

On counters May 1st

Mac's Naughty Nauticals

2008-04-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

Spring is here and with it has come a brand new crop of spring looks to play with. First up from MAC comes Naughty Nauticals a navy inspired collection featuring deep blues, corals and reds, filled with lots of flirty fun

"The ship’s in port and she’s out cruising for romance. Her looks: uniformly chic, superbly shipshape through an alluring fleet of pinks, corals, reds bell-bottom blues, the deepest, bluest, navy Nail Lacquer seen this side Marseilles. In style and desire, poised, perfect ready for her evening cruise."

In stores May 1st

An Update

2008-01-09T19:23:00.000-08:00

Hi all,
I know i havnt been posting as much over the holidays, but i will be back to the normal swing of things soon. Between working and planning a wedding it seems as if i have no time to sleep. I have been working on a few new things though so keep your eyes peeled for more reviews and a special new section ill be craeting for all things bridal ( since that seems to be in the forefront of my mind lately), And keep the feedback coming, i love to hear from all of you.
xoxox
Jaymi

MAC N

2008-01-09T18:53:00.000-08:00

A portrait in the nude, daring in its stripped-down sensuality with natural shades in Mineralized Skinfinishes that play up the nakedness of cheeks, lips, eyes...for a glamazon who knows the power of artifice, but has the confidence and allure to strip it all away. N Collection is naked, with coverage – it’ll be our little secret. Custom-created high-performance brushes mean no one need ever know. Seductive, and ripe for scandal

MAC Moisturelush

2008-01-09T18:37:00.000-08:00

Demand more quality face-time. New moisturelush lasts longer, richly hydrates, protects and primes skin for a smooth, more perfect makeup application. Velvetize cheeks and brow with moisturelush cream. For immediate cushion and luminous optics that appear to lift and firm skin around the eyes, moisturelush cream. For immediate cushion and luminous optics that appear to lift and firm skin around the eyes, moisturelush eye cream. Use both to energize and emphasize assets every day.

MOISTURELUSH CREAM

A densely hydrating face cream that helps to moisturize and protect facial skin. This new formula provides immediate moisturization while creating soft and luscious skin. Provides rich lasting moisture, moisturizes dry, chapped skin, and maintains skins natural barrier. Glides on easily with a silky application and ample playtime. This comfortable, non drying formula helps create an even surface for smooth, more perfect makeup application. Apply to face, morning and night, after cleansing.

Suggested Retail Price $30.00 U.S./$38.50 CDN

MOISTURELUSH EYE CREAM PROFILE

A densely hydrating eye cream that helps to de-puff while it lifts and firms the area around the eyes. This new formula provides immediate cushion and luminous optics provide a rejuvenating glow. Ophthalmologist and Dermatologist tested. Non-Acnegenic. Apply to clean, dry skin under and around the eye, morning and night.
Suggested Retail Price $28.50 U.S./$36.50 CDN

MAC Originals

2008-01-09T18:24:00.000-08:00

Originals have a lust for life that can never be squelched! Some classics can’t be improved upon – from Carol Channing to Björk to Blondie, Bowie, and every glam rocker and tightrope walker in-between. This season M·A·C pays tribute to all the high flyers, in the shades, shadows and styles that have stayed with us for all these years, and some of the late-greats we discontinued all too soon. It’s a throwback to the future. Originals are now and forever.

Royal Assets

2007-10-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

Antiquitease's royal assets may appear like museum
pieces but they love nothing better than to be put on display.Stately in look, fabulously collectible; our gilded antique - inspired compacts for lips and eyes. The choice, magnificent.
For eyes; Six shades that echo the moods of warm, cool, or smoky.
The design, A rounded edge compact finished in a finely textured base of gold or silver, on the lid, an inlaid ceramic embossed royal crown in ivory.
Brushed with gold or silver who wouldn't regard these as an asset?

Viva Glamorous

2007-10-28T14:44:00.000-07:00

This seasons crownign glory: The holiday 07 compacts of MAC Viva Glam making their annual debut in their traditional red. This year embellished with the signature crown icon of MAC royal assets.
In response to VGs loyal followers, this incredible collection appears in two palette choices, cool and warm, each one featurng three viva glam finishes. Like the revolutionary lipsticks that inspired them every cent form viva glamorous compacts goes to the MAC aids fund. Fabulous and worthy of everyones royal salute!

2007-10-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

Our heirloom blush bags extol the virtues of the past while staying noticeably au courant. In design this clutch style bag features a woven cream fabric enriched by a metallic gold or silver thread. The custom frame and handle is fittingly elaborate featuring an ivory moulded plastic frame with a royal crown motif.

Available in three collections; face eye and basic. In form and function, an aristocratic member of the Antiquitease family.

MAC McQueen Sneak Peak

2007-10-07T09:40:00.001-07:00

Backstage at Alexander McQueen Fall ’07, the look was bold with flashes of unexpected colour. M·A·C artists, under lead artist, Terry Barber, contrasted the dark yet dynamic forms of McQueen’s collection with looks in which the eyes played the diva-warrior role. Setting ultra-pale, lightly pearled lips against eyes shadowed lid-to-brow in blue and chartreuse, lined in the classic “cat’s eye” of Egyptian royalty, the look became uncompromisingly strong and graphic. Intriguing in tone, bewitching in application, this is a collection that veers ever so colorfully to the dark side.

Lipstick

Masque
Rosy dirty pink

Archetype-
Sheer light gold

$14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

Lipglass

Nothingless
White gold with yellow pearl

White Magic
Soft baby pink with white pearl

$14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

Small Eye shadow

Haunting
Seafoam green

Pagan
Yellow lime green with yellow pearl

Nile
Soft royal blue with white pearl

$14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

Paint Pot

Pharaoh
Creamy yellow green

Otherworldly
Mid-tone
sea blue

Electro Sky
Royal-Intense-
Blue

$16.50 U.S./$20.00 CDN

Mineralize Skinfinish

New Vegas
Fleshy golden beige with bronze pearl
$24.50 U.S./$29.50 CDN

Kohl Power

Jealous
Black with green pearl

Black Karat
Black with gold pearl

Feline
Rich black
$13.50 U.S./$16.00 CDN

Eye Brow

Velvetone
Film noir black
$13.50 U.S./$16.00 CDN

Lash
No. 20
Half lash, natural black
$11.00 U.S./$13.00 CDN

MAC Matte2

2007-10-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

The intensity of pigment with the high- opacity of flat matte texture = Matte2.

A new formula eye shadow, pigments jet milled to perform like powdered ink, then pressed to silky smooth, non creasing, long wearing perfection…

The sum of this innovation: 16 colorfast shades each one reflecting MACs legendary approach to matching color to texture. Factor in this collections five shades of liquidfast liner and the result of the equation isn’t only matte squared its beautiful.

Eyeshadow
$16.50
Post Haste – Bright Berry pink
Poison Pen – Deep mid tone purple grey
Newly Minted – Rich sea green
Handwritten – Rich Chocolate Brown
Flourishing – Rich Moss Green
Blanc Type – Creamy Beige
Fig. 1 – Eggplant Purple
Copperplate – Muted Mid Tone Grey
Prussian – deep sea blue
Clarity – Rich Aqua
Brown Script – Warm Chestnut Brown
Signed, Sealed – Black Maroon
Graphology – Dark Black Grey with a hint of purple
Tete-A-Tint – Caramel Brown
Typographic – Asphalt Black

LiquidFast Liner
$20
Inky - Blue with low level pearl
Inkspill – Dee[ green with green pearl
Electrolady – Electronic Purple with red pearl
Point Black – True Black
Coco Bar – Deep chocolate Brown

MAC Plushlash

2007-10-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

$13

The powerful combination of unique formula and well – designed wand come together in Plushlash, a new mascara designed to change the way you create a dynamic fringe for your eyes. Start with the wand specifically designed to incorporate a “V” shaped groove that prunes the bristles on one side, while leaving the other side full and lush.

The short bristled coax the lashes upwards to an extraoridinarily sophisticated yet flirtacious curl, while the other side seperates and combs the lashes root-to-tip creating a long well defined glamour lash.

Available in Deep Black and Chocolate Brown

MAC Mattene

2007-10-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

Lipsticks

$17.50

A Smooth new take on the matte texture that made MAC famous; Mattene. Slim by design and slanted precision application, this new lip color blends the velvety look of semi matte with moisturizing emoliency of creamier, softer, glide-on lip color.
This is matte, more comfortable to wear with no compromise. Still long wearing, still intense….

Diehard MAC fans will think of this as vintage MAC yet slicker, modernized and everyday more wearable.

Poise - Clean yellow pink (semi matte)
Composure - Neutral Bronze plum (semi matte)
Flattering – Beige Pink (semi matte)
Café Matte – Rich Caramel (semi matte)
Orange Dare – Bright Yellow Orange ( Semi matte)
Seriously Rich - Bright Pink red ( Semi – Matte )
Immodest – Bright Magenta ( Semi – Matte )
Night Violet – Deep purple grape ( Semi – Matte )
40’s Pink – Neutral mid tone dirty pink
All Grown Up – Deep Chocolate Brown
Tango – Dirty Coral
You Say Tomato – Tomato Red
Classic Dame - Blood red
Rapturous – Deep red berry
Powersuit – Vibrant clean yellow pink
Rougette – Wine Berry

2007-09-11T05:20:00.000-07:00

*Guess the designer who designed this beautiful dress pictured here. One of our member blogs is featuring this designer today as well.

*The first person to find the featured designers first and last name, along with the name of the blog that this designer is featured on today will win. The correct answer, including the full name of the designer and the member blog that they were featured on, must be left in the comments of today's Splendicity blog contest post to win.

The prize for winning today's contest is a one years subscription to Allure Magazine, and a $10 e-gift certificate to Sephora.com. The total prize has a retail value of $48.

Thank you to our wonderful company, b5media, for donating the prizes for todays contest.

Please read the contest rules before entering. Thank You!

Splendicity Contest 09/06/07

2007-09-06T05:11:00.000-07:00

To enter today's contest:

*Find a post written by one of our Splendid Members, that was written today, that features a "splendid fragrance" The words "splendid fragrance" will appear in the post about fragrance. You can find our complete member blogroll, on the Splendicity.com homepage.
*Next, go to TheScentedLife.com, and leave a comment with the name of the member blog that features the "splendid fragrance" post.
*The TENTH correct entry comment that is left on TheScentedLife.com wins.

Today's prize:

Tom Ford Black Orchid 3.4 fl. oz. Eau de Parfum Spray valued at $135

Only a visionary like Tom Ford could reinvent traditional perfumery for the 21st century with his first signature fragrance. Inspired by a flower as elusive as it is elegant, the Tom Ford Black Orchid fragrance collection evokes both timeless luxury and worldly glamour. Reminiscent of iconic fragrances that enhance the skin's natural perfume, it is made with sumptuous ingredients that provoke the senses and heighten desire. Even the sleek and sensuous black bottle is classic yet modern. Created for the woman who is drawn to all things luxurious and pleasurable, Black Orchid is now yours to discover.

Thank you to Tom Ford Beauty for sponsoring today's contest.

Please read the contest rules before entering. Thank You!

Splendicity Contest 09/05/07

2007-09-05T04:44:00.000-07:00

Splendicity Contest for Wednesday September 5th 2007

To enter today's contest:

*Find a post written by one of our Splendid Members, that was written today, that features the Tarte Cometics Dual Look ready-to-wear/prêt-à-porter Palette.
*Leave a comment on that post, saying that you found it. You can find our complete member blogroll, on the Splendicity.com homepage.
*Next, go to Splendicity.com, and leave a comment on today’s Splendicity blog contest post saying that you found the Tarte Cometics Dual Look ready-to-wear/prêt-à-porter Palette, to be entered to win.

All readers that complete the tasks, will be entered into a drawing to win. DO NOT PUT THE NAME OF THE MEMBER BLOG IN THE COMMENTS, or you will be disqualified!

Today's prize:

Tarte Cometics Dual Look ready-to-wear/prêt-à-porter Palette, valued at $44.

This limited edition palette wrapped in faux croc (a must have fabric for Fall) provides 2 complete looks inspired by fashion week in New York and Paris, including eyeshadow, lipstick and blush. The Ready-to-Wear palette also includes the basic necessities accompanying every look: mini lights, camera, lashes mascara, all over eyeshadow brush, eyeliner brush and a mini rest assured eyeliner. All products are created using natural, good for you ingredients because healthy skin is always in fashion.

i love new york:
lipsticks: muted pink beige, muted peach-beige
blush: warm honey-peach
eyeshadows: soft-shimmery bone, shimmery olive, deep-shimmery moss

paris, mon amour:
lipsticks: warm burgundy rose, currant red
blush: rose coral
eyeshadows: soft-shimmery pink, shimmery grey-purple, shimmery deep plum

Thank you Tarte Cosmetics for sponsoring today's contest!

Be sure to check out the all new, fabulously redesigned Tarte website, featuring their all new health couture beauty products.

Good Luck to all who enter

-J

Splendicity

2007-09-04T07:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome To Splendicity!

To kick off our launch, we are having a virtual launch party, and we hope you join in the fun! We have some great sponsors that have donated the coolest prizes, and all you have to do is follow along on a little “splendid treasure hunt” to be entered to win. To enter to win todays prizes which include an official Splendicity T-Shirt, a one year subscription to VOGUE Magazine, and a $25 Gift Card to shopbop.com, you must do the following:

*Visit 5 Splendid Member blogs, post a comment saying hello. You can also view the Splendicity member list right at the homepage: Splendicity.com

*Go back to Splendicity.com and report the Splendid Member blogs that you commented on in today’s Splendicity blog contest post.

All readers that complete the process are entered into the drawing to win today’s prize.

Be sure to check back here each and every day for the rest of September to enter to win some splendid prizes - over $2000 worth!

Contest rules are here.

Napolean Perdis Madame Crystal Mascara

2007-09-01T16:32:00.000-07:00

Napoleon Perdis Peep Show - Madame Crystal
$25

The Promise

Madame Crystal is the mistress of disguise - and discretion. A truly smooth operator, she works her magic thanks to a clever clear formula that separates, hydrates and defines lashes, opening up the eye area with a luminous and natural finish like a good mascara should. And all without a tell tale trace.

The Truth

There are days when you want to look glam. You wear bright red lipstick, do our hair perfectly and wear the perfect volume enhancing, super curling dark black mascara. Then there are those days when you want to wear sweats, throw your hair in a ponytail and just be comfy. These are my favorite days, when I can just relax and not worry. It’s very easy though to cross the line between comfy and sloppy.

You should be able to relax your makeup routine on your day off, but don’t throw it out altogether. Your inner goddess should be allowed to shine through. This is where Madame Crystal comes in, it gives you nicely separated lashes that look and feel nice, without giving you a “made up” look.

Extra bonus- If you fall asleep on the couch you wont have “Raccoon Eyes” when you wake up!

-Jaymi

See all Napolean Perdis Reviews

Cargo Lip Quads

2007-08-20T19:09:00.000-07:00

Cargo Cosmetics Lipgloss Quad
(Fall 2007)
$25

The Promise
Let lips shine in four new color combinations of Cargo’s award-winning lip gloss formula packaged in the signature CARGO tins. Each tin houses four beautiful shades. With a range of shades, you can wear colors alone or mix and match shades to achieve whatever look suits your mood.

The Truth
Available in 4 color combinations,
Argentina –Wines and bronzes
Naples – Reds and browns
Tijuana – Light pinks and nudes
Vancouver – Pinks and Corals

I tried out Argentina, which features 4 super hot shades of gloss; a bright copper shade with gold shimmer, a dark pink loaded with gold and silver, a bronzy pink full of gold, and a rich crimson berry shade.
Each of these shades has a great melted chocolate consistency, and go on without a hint of stickiness. Their easy to apple whether you’re using a brush or your finger and stay put really well.
The palette comes packaged in Cargo’s signature silver tin and has a whopping 5.5 g of gloss, so you’re definitely getting a lot of glam for your buck
A definite Must Try.
-Jaymi

See all Cargo Reviews

Mac Smoke Signals

2007-08-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

Erotic, yes. Feminine, surely. Sexy, no doubt…
This is the beauty, craft and subtle unfiltered sizzle of the modern bombshell. Her smoke signals: Intense blue, grey brown and aubergine shadows wafted over lids, bound top and bottom by the new Kohl Power pencil. The Match that ignites this look; three new sensually shine filled shades of lipglass. There is no smoke without fire. She’s cool, she’s dangerous.

Lipstick

Brew Creamy beige (lustre)
Barely Lit Pink sand with gold pearl (lustre)
Sparks Can Fly Creamy rose (frost)
Mellow Flame Warm coral pink with red pearl (lustre)
Burnin’ Rich wine (amplified)

Suggested Retail Price: $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

Eye Shadow

Gentle Fume
Rondelle Light silver with white pearl (matte)
Carbon (R) Intense black (matte)
Gentle Fume Cool midtone grey with silver sparkle (velvet)
Waft Deep blue grey (matte)

Smoking Eyes
Next to Nothing Creamy white with pink pearl (frost)
Smoking Black with gold (velvet)
Showstopper Light muted grey (matte)
Satin Taupe Taupe brown with silvery bronze shimmer (frost)

Suggested Retail Price: $36.00 U.S./$43.00 CDN

Kohl Power

Orpheus Intense black with gold pearl (frost)
Raven Intense black with red pearl (frost)

Suggested Retail Price: $13.50 U.S./$16.00 CDN

Powder Blush

Ablaze Deep dirty coraly rose
Emote Grey brown (matte)

Pigment

Silver Fog Metallic midtone dirty silver
Smoke Signal Rusty deep maroon
Dark Soul Charcoal black smoked with gold

Suggested Retail Price: $19.50 U.S./$23.50 CDN

Nail Lacquer

Wildfire Black with red pearl (cream)
Nocturnelle Rich black (cream)

Suggested Retail Price: $10.00 U.S./$12.00 CDN

See all MAC Reviews

MAC Blue Storm

2007-08-20T18:27:00.000-07:00

On Falls Horizon, a new formation of hues: stratus blues, dense billowing pink tinges cumulus, set against deep rolling overcast greys …

A Thunderclap of shades so intense, deeply pigmented and atmospheric, they take your eye to the heart of the storm with a look that is sophisticated,well- rendered, and paradoxically, calm.For the lips; Light filled bolts of clear silver, dusty pinks, and red sky at night plums. Forecast to last all fall and winter.

Kohl Power Profile
An eye pencil clenched in black wood and specially formulated with carbon black. The formula provides a full and intense opaque coverage combined with duo-chrome pearl to give a dramatic look. It can be easily blended or smudged to create a variety of powerful looks. This concentrated eye pencil contains key ingredients of castor oil and vitamin C & E which help nourishand protect the skin. Applicationon the waterline is extremely easy, comfortable and safe. Ophthalmologist tested and safe for use with contact lenses.

Kohl Power
Feline Rich black (frost)
Mystery Rich black with green and teal pearl (frost)
Suggested Retail Price: $13.50 U.S./$16.00 CDN

Lipglass
Lightning White silver sparkle (frost)
Lull Pink lilac (frost)
Atmospheric Rich grape with red and gold pearl (frost)
Suggested Retail Price$16.50 CDN

Eyeshadow
Blue Storm Cool royal blue with blue and silver pearl (frost)
Stormwatch Deep teal (matte)
Thunder Rich blue with purple pearl (frost)
Cumulus Creamy grey with silver pearl (frost)
Cloudburst Black with blue pearl (velvet)
Suggested Retail Price: $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

See all MAC Reviews

Mally Beauty City Shadow Smokey Eye Kit

2007-08-20T17:34:00.000-07:00

$40

The Promise
An all-in-one kit that gives you the secret to the great, smoky eyes that Mally creates for her biggest clients. Never heavy and fake, always smooth, real, and sexy. Start with an extended-wear shadow base. Add three perfectly matched shadow shades: a rich, pretty shade for the lid; a darker defining shade for the crease; and a highlighter to open the eyes on the brow bone. Add a matched sultry liner pencil, and blend. Three minutes later, you've got the eyes all Mally's clients ask for.

The Truth
The smoky eye is probably one of the most lusted after looks in the beauty world. It is universally flattering and can be dressed up or down depending on the colors that you use. A lot of women however, become intimidated by this look and don’t make use of its versatility.
That’s where Mally Beauty comes in. They’ve created their smoky eye kit to solve just this problem. Each kit, (there are 6 )comes with a cream shadow base, 3 coordinated shadows, and a detailed set of instructions on how to create the perfect smoky eye.
I tried Nolita Navy, which features a creamy pink mixed with both rich and deep blues. It was very simple to use and the instructions are surprisingly thorough. (Brownstone is gorgeous with neutral, earthy tones; Skyscraper is sultry in a rich slate/gray palette; Central Park flourishes with an assortment of greens and Plum Chelsea is a warm set of natural plums.)

The smoky eye is like the Little Black dress of the makeup world, and Mally beauty makes it nice and easy to implement it into your makeup regime.

Luxury Life

2007-07-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

Hey all,
I have some exciting news. August 14th (fingers crossed) I will be launching a new blog called The Luxury Life!!!!
Its going to feature spa treatments, hotels and even restaurants in the GTA. It will be very similar to The Lipstick life but with services and products that will add a little luxury to our lives.
Right now I could use your help though in determining what exactly everyone wants to read about, so if you could fill out a (very) short questionnaire for me, it would be much appreciated.
Thank so much
-Jaymi

Questionnaire

Jelly Pong Pong Lip Sorbet

2007-07-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

Available Online

$14

The Promise

Promises to glaze lips without the stickiness (perfect for windy days & runaway hair).
Comes in 10 divine sorbet flavours & just-bitten shades. Better still, they're decadently infused with gold shimmer. Bonus : Petite enough to slip into jeans pocket for portable touch-ups.

The Truth

Available in 10 yummy shades, (Blood Orange, Canteloupe Frosting, Caramel Chic, Lychee Fuzz, Strawberry Jello, Buttercream, Sugared Pear, Rhubarb Preserve, Wild Rose Champagne, and Papaya Suede) I tried the Strawberry jello, whicjh is a great bright pink loaded with a gold shimmer. It goes on nice and sheer but the shimmer really shows up after even just one coat. This is a great gloss to wear all by itself.; Twoi coats will give you a great vibrant shade of pink.
It comes in a cute little package about the size of my thumb, and the perfect shape to slip into my jeans pocket or my purse. This is a great gloss for those days when you jst want to go out with an (almost) naked face

-Jaymi

Jelly Pong Pong – Shoe Palette

2007-07-16T16:43:00.000-07:00

Available Online
$14

The Promise
Dedicated to shoe fanatics, Shoe Palette is a quirky twist to the classic lip-and-eye kit. We love that it comes in 2 wearable combinations to be layered, and a mirror in silent testament to women on the go. This shoe-themed palette, printed with a witty poem, contains complimenting cream shadow, lip shimmer and heaps of glamour.
Bonus : Long-lasting product gives a luminous & brilliant finish, without the stickiness.

The Truth

A shoe fanatic, I go manic
When I see shoes
Oh the loves of my life
On them I thrive
And would not deprive
Myself of the sheer pleasure
The ecstasy
The joy unmeasured
When I put my shoes
My wondrous darling shoes on
My toes wiggle
My heart giggles
It feels crazy I know
I’ve gone to heaven and back
Because this is so much
Better than sex

This palette was made for me. No, seriously. If there’s one thing I love more than makeup, its shoes. As a teenager I spent many a year working in shoe stores, where I literally worked for shoes. Every payday I would come home with 4 or 5 pairs (and of course a few matching purses)
This palette has more going for it than just shoes though. Available in 2 colors (plush pumps, and vertigo stiletto) I tried the Vertigo Stiletto which features a rich chocolaty brown shade with a bronze shimmer, and a pearlescent white lip jelly that has a nice silver shimmer. The shadow is nice but not fantastic, the lips jelly however is the perfect shade to wear all on its own.
My only compliant about this is that there’s no applicator. Personally I prefer applying cream based cosmetics with a brush, especially when I’m out, to avoid messy hands.
Overall this is a nice fun product that a great addition to the purses of all shoe lovers.

-Jaymi

The Body Shop DuoGlow

2007-07-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

The Body Shop
$18.50

The Promise
Fabulous loose shimmering powders to create a natural-looking bronze or rosy glow on the cheeks or decolletage. Sheer and pearly creams enhance your natural radiance, around the eyes, cheeks and wherever the sunlight falls.

The Truth
A lot of women I know are intimidated by blush. Young women think that its for old ladies, and more mature women think its for girls.

This is madness!! Madness I tell you!!

There is no simpler way to bring life to your face than with a hint of blush. It can look good on ladies young and old as well as all skin shades; the secret is in the shade.
Gone are the days of your grandmothers crimson blush, the key word now is subtlety.
I tried out Duo Glow in Salvador Blush which is a “luscious sweet pink shade infused with beautiful shimmering pearls”. This is a really great starting point for those blushaphobics out there, because its one of those great products that is universally flattering. It’s a soft pastel pink that goes on wonderfully sheer. This shade will flatter you whether your Goth pale or midnight black.
Its very simple to apply as well, you simply pat on the powder on the apples of your cheeks (best done while smiling), your temple, and the bridge of your nose (as well as any where else you’d like) using the puff provided, and them apply the cream (using your fingers) to the cheekbone, inner eye, and on the brow bone. I know it might sound complicated , but once you’ve done it twice you’ll be an old pro, and trust me you wont know how you lived without it.
So go on and try it out blushaphobics, I guarantee that you’ll love it.

-Jaymi

The Body Shop Flower Eye Color

2007-07-13T19:12:00.000-07:00

The Body Shop
$17.50

The Promise
From the limited edition Hot Tropics Collection, two stunning eye colors loaded with shimmer particles and embossed with an eye-catching, unique tropical flower design in a contrasting shade. Get the real benefit of flower power as they contain lotus flower extract as well as the magically moisturizing community trade Marula oil from Namibia.

The Truth
When it came time to test out this shadow, I almost couldn’t do it. Its packages so beautifully that I would have been content to just leave it on my dresser where I could just look at it every day.
I tried La Cruz Aqua peach which is a “beautiful aqua green with a shimmer contrasted with a delicate peachy pink flower design with frosty red and silver shimmer spray.” (This collection also features Havana blues which they describe as “an elegant sky blue with an icy blue shimmer, contrasted with a rich sky blue flower design with a twinkling blue shimmer”
I love the shades of this shadow,. The peach is a really great shade to make my blue eyes pop, and the aqua shade sets it off perfectly. Together they have the makings is a really great smoky eye for summer, all you need is a nice plumy liner and lots of black mascara.
The Body Shop has another winner with these shades.

Booty Parlor Don’t Stop Massage Oil

2007-07-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

Available Online
$25

The Promise
Right There. Just a little bit lower. Don’t stop, please.
Don’t Stop Massage Oil is the perfect way to set seduction in motion. The best part? Unlike most massage oils, it's got a subtle fragrance, a silky texture. Never sticky, never overpowering. We leave that in the hands of the masseur....
Let the light and sensual scent (a blend of plums, raspberries, jasmine, sandalwood and cedar) wash over you as you're massaged into submission, or simple relaxation. This delicate formula also doubles as a sensually scented bath oil. Pour a few capfuls into your next sexy soak as a warm up - then keep it close for a frisky apres bath massage!
Don’t Stop massage oil is just the beginning.

The Truth
This was a really great product for me to try because I somehow managed to convince my sweetie that to truly test out massage oil, I had to receive as well as give a massage. From a massagers perspective this is a nice oil, it provides a nice amount of slip without being greasy, and a quarter size amount was enough to cover his entire back. It has a really great sensual fragrance as well, a combination of plums, raspberry, jasmine, sandalwood, and cedar.
On the flipside it was fantastic to be massaged with this oil, but to be fair I would have loved an olive oil massage if that was all I could get. It left me feeling very soft and moisturized.
This is definitely a great way to start a night…….

Chic Shine - Jelly Pong Pong

2007-07-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

Chic Shine
Jelly Pong Pong
$20

The Promise
An ingenious pairing of soft gele and matte satin for the cheeks and lips. Use gele for a healthy glow, matte for a deeper flush or together for the right seductive mix. Lasts forever and smells of sumptuous mango.
Bonus : Comes in an adorable mirrored compact, diminutive enough to be toted around.

The Truth
I love multitasking makeup, I also love makeup that fits into my tiny little purses. This package by Jelly Pong Pong does both. Available in three shades, Brazillian, Ballerina, and I’m In Love, each containing both a gele and a shimmer color.
I tried the Ballerina which is a combination of bright rich pink gele with a pale shimmer, and a gorgeous pale pink that looks like a ballet slipper (hence the name). I found that both shades look great on the cheeks, especially when I blended them together. The gele is a very sheer shade so blending was pretty easy. I like them blended on the lips as well, but my favorite application for this was the matte satin pink on my lips. It was the perfect shade of pink. I definitely recommend this to everyone who like little purses and hard workers.

-Jaymi

Lol Lip Pop - Jelly Pong Pong

2007-07-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

Lo-Lip-Pop
Jelly Pong Pong
$17

The Promise
Glitzy Hollywood gloss in delish lolly flavours. Gives a silky plastic sheen for luscious, succulent lips. High in shimmer and fun! Available in 6 utterly uninhibited shades.
Bonus : Hot pink reflective tube makes it so easy to find in a clutterred bag.

The Truth

"A boy named Tom I did desire
His smile, His eyes, his cool attire
So I got a new top
With sexy Lol Lip Pop
And to his room we did retire"

That’s the poem splashes across the back of this adorable, bright metallic pink, lollipop covered packaging. Jelly Pong Pong was created to produce “products with soul , which tell a funny story, which rekindle romances and which are created because we are inspired by the weird & wonderful”, and have they ever. They create the types of products that make being a girl really fun.

Lol Lip Pop is available in 6 fantastic shades;
Cherry Surprise A sweet dolly pink, for hotel-heiress blondes
Raspberry Parfait For those who want to make a statement. Keep eye make up light with this one
Grape Sherbet Brunettes, try this Unique & Beautiful on girls with dark hair
Strawberry Slush Our bestseller! On fair lips, this looks chilli red. On darker ones, it looks like a glossy stain
Butterscotch Fudge For a bronze, hot-cognac slick on lips
Rum Raisin The ultimate gloss for a just-bitten shade. Highly unique color

I tried out the Cherry surprise and despite my lack of blond hair and hotel heiress status, it looked fantastic on me. It’s a bright clear pink (almost a Barbie pink) with a beautiful shimmer. It goes on really nicely and shockingly is not sticky at all. It looks almost like a plastic on my lips its so shiny. This is a really fun gloss to wear and would look great at the beach or at the mall, but I wouldn’t recommend it for the boardroom. It has a really light fruity smell that doesn’t fade as the day goes on, but doesn’t overwhelm either. All in all I think this is one of the most fun products I’ve seen in a while.

-Jaymi

New Mac Collection - Novel Twist

2007-07-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

Color, swirls, bends, loops and thrills, in the limited edition lip eye compacts, and brush makeup bags of M·A·C Novel twist. Stylishly coordinated, richly fall-like in spirit and hue, all feature a design of menswear striped fabric, hand-embroidered with a wayward twist of thread.The lip compacts in shades of coral, tan, pink, or plum sport a trip of colors, while coordinating compacts for the eyes highlight five shades in a choice of warm or cool.

Lip Shades

3 Pink Lips High Strung / Sway / Rambling / 316SE Lip Brush
3 Plum Lips Darkside / New York Apple / Scribbles / 316SE Lip Brush

Lipglass

Springly Freshwater oyster pink (frost)

Gadabout Mid-tone yellow pink with white pearl (frost)

Spree Pink Champagned Taupe (cream)

Wander Sheer Chocolate Brown (cream)

Paint Pots

Stray Grey Grey mauve (cream)
Pinterly Nude beige (cream)
Delft Deep teal with gold pearl (frost)
Stringalong Warm mid-tone brown (cream)
Artifact Dark burgundy with red pearl (frost)
Indianwood Metallic antique bronze (frost)

Powder Blush

Whim Bluish soiree pink (satin)
Out of Bounds Neutral mid-tone brown (satin)

Beauty Powder

Softdew Neutral brown rose
Sun Twist Warm peach

See all MAC Reviews

New Mac Collection - Flashtronic

2007-07-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

Illuminating, soft yet electric, color and light fused to perfection.

Captured by the light-reflecting slow baked, naturally shaded mineralize skinfinish and the multishade and shimmering ambient effects of our six new limited edition shades of mineralize eye shadow. Torched by our four impeccable shades of high reflective lipglass, this is the subtle shine that adds to your dash, flash and flare.

Mineralize Eye Shadow and Skinfinish Profile

A sheer, pearled, mineralized powder eye shadow with up to four shades baked together in one pan. Superfine, lightweight: provides a softly tinted, reflective shimmer on the skin with a delicate sense of dimension. Subtly builds colour and shine. Can be worn on face, eye or body.

Lipglass - $16.50

Perfectly Pink Creamy mid-tone pink (cream)
Flashtronic Caramel bronze with subtle gold pearl (cream)
Young Spark Neutral pink with subtle gold pearl (cream)
Electro-Lush Creamy blue pink (cream)

Mineralize Eye Shadow

By Jupiter Light taupe with beige and deep brown veining (frost)
Tectonic Yellow gold with lime green, warm brown and black

Mineralize Skinfinish - $29.50

Northern Light Mid-tone pink with rust and grey brown veining
Gold Spill Pink peach with warm brown and cream pearl
Global Glow Mid-tone brown with gold pearl

See all MAC Reviews

New Mac Collection - Rush Metal

2007-07-05T17:36:00.000-07:00

The alchemy of gold transformed, and then manipulated by M·A·C artistry into the next wave metallic glam as eight limited edition pigments radiate the power glory and versatility of this key element. Thisis metal as it should be worn. Feel the rush!!!!

Available
July 19, 2007 at all M·A·C locations,

Lipstick - $16.50

Thrills Rosy copper with gold pearl (frost)
Frenzy Soft muted pinky-peach beige with golden shimmer (frost)
Soft Lust Tan with white pearl (lustre)
Fast Lane Mauve with silver pearl (lustre)

Pigment -$23.50

Rushmetal Rich copper sparkle
Revved-up Icy rose with reflects
Gold Mode Tan gold
Mauvement Cool taupe with gold pearl
Off The Radar Warm orange with gold sparkle
Copperized Olive green with gold pearl
Quick frost Creamy white with soft green pearl
Cocomotion Dirty gold with olive undertone and gold sparkle

See all MAC Reviews

Did you miss it?

2007-07-03T19:03:00.000-07:00

Heather from MAC was kind enough to provide me with a transcript for all of you who couldn't make it to the live chat with Eve last Wednesday.
You can read it in its entirety here

MacFan01: hi eve, what is your favorite look from the c shock collection?
Eve: Bang on Blue is my favorite look. It looked better on than when I saw it in the container. It popped my eye color in a whole other way. I loved it!

G-116061158: Eve, what kinds of colours do you wear everyday?
Eve: On my own...I don't really wear eyeshadow. I use Smolder eye pencil...i don't really use color. I definitely wear Golden Bronze every day.

ariella: what mascara is best for thickening as well as lengthening lashes in one go?
JJ: I like to use Fibre Rich Mascara first and then apply Mascara X. The trick is to first use the MAC Mascara Curler.

Hawaiian_Sophie: MAC has had some amazing style icons! Diana Ross, Raquel Welch.... which icons, if any, inspire your style?
Eve: Wow! I would say Bridget Bardot and Raquel Welch. Really, all of the Divas!

evelova: What do you think about Blast O' Blue lipstick? How do you recommend wearing it?
JJ: I think it kinda comes out like a purple sheer tone. So for lighter skin I would just apply it on its own and put lipglass on top of it. For darker skins, you can put a lip pencil and wear it alone.
JJ: Don't be afraid of it, it's a beautiful collection of colors!

Nikki: Before seeing you in the MAC ads, I didn't think that I as a black woman could pull off some of the colors. But you have really shown mean that sisters can make those colors work for us!
Eve: That's great! I agree with JJ also. I've been reluctant to wear colors. I just started experimenting. You need to find the right shade for your skintone.
JJ: Apply a little bit on the eyelid. Some people look at green from the lid to the eyebrow. Just apply it on the lid. All people, all skintones can use color!

See all MAC Reviews

Steal This Look - Angelina Jolie

2007-06-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

Do you ever look at a picture in a magazine and think “that makeup would look fantastic on me” and wish you could recreate it at home? I know I used to. That’s why I’ve decided to start a series called Steal That Look

In the newest section of the lipstick Life I will be giving you step by step instructions on how to recreate looks from movies, magazines, and wherever else you may find inspiration.

I’ve decided to start the series with this gorgeous “girl next door” look modeled by Angelina Jolie, who is one of my all time fave actresses. Click on the pic for detailed instructions on how to Steal This Look.

MAC C Shock Eyeshadow

2007-06-25T17:37:00.000-07:00

Available at MAC
$14 USD

The Promise
Voraciously vivid. Brazenly bright. A collection of high-energy, shade powerful Lipsticks, Lipgelées and Eye Shadows. Not for style wimps, fashion wusses, or the tone-timid. If colour is your thing, don't be shy...C Shock it!

The Truth
The amazing Stephanie form MAC was generous enough to hook me up with some fantastic samples from their new C-SHOCK collection. My first impression when they came out of the box was “HOLY SH*T!!!!!! Those are some bright colors!!!!!!” they really weren’t kidding when they called these high pigmented. They scream LOOK AT ME, and I love it! It would be very easy to overload on these colors as they are very vibrant. It is possible however to incorporate them into your everyday makeup routines. The collection consists of 8 shades of shadow;

Going Bananas – Soft Lemon Yellow (Frost)
For everyday wear I like this shadow as a sheer wash over the lid paired with a medium to dark brown liner. For an evening look it goes fantastic with a plum shade for a smoky eye look.

Fab & Flashy - Mid-tone orange with gold pearl (Frost)
This color is a bit vibrant for everyday but is perfect as a liner across the upper lids when paired with a pale blue eyeshadow for an evening look.

Bang On Blue - Royal blue with pink pearl (Frost)
This is probably the richest hue in the collection. For daytime it’s nice when toned down by a pale pink shadow. For nighttime it’s an amazing stand alone color applied liberally around the entire eye using a damp makeup brush

EyePopping - Soft lime green with gold and yellow pearl
This shade really lives up to its name. For daytime era I like it on the lids with a sweep of cream over top to tone it down. For an evening look its gorgeous paired with the Going Bananas shade or with a pale gold.

Wondergrass - Intense kiwi green (Frost)
This is a nice bright clean green, almost like a grass green, for daytime it makes a really nice shadow and would really complement green or hazel eyes. For Nighttime I like it as a stand alone shade. It’s also the right shade of green to wear under your eyes as a liner as well.

Passionate - Real mid-tone red (Matte)
This is a really bright pinky red shade that wouldn’t really work for daytime use. For nighttime it would pair nicely with a cream tone.

Big T - Intense aqua with green pearl (Frost)
This has to be my absolute favorite shadow ever, I mean like ever. I wear it during the day as a thick liner above my upper lash line, paired with a cream shadow. It makes them pop! At night I just smudge under my eyes and away I go, I don’t need to add a thing other than mascara.

These colors may be intimidating at first but they are so easy to work with, (MAC shades are great for blending) that you should have no problems working them in. If you’re looking for drama in your look( and really who isn’t) Then these shades will work for you.

-Jaymi

HOW TO - SMOKY EYE

2007-06-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

I always have people asking me how to do a “Smoky eye”. Its one of my favorite ways to do my eyes. A smoky eye is great because it can be toned down for daytime or glam to the max for night time.

This is one of those techniques that may seem intimidating at first but as soon as you’ve done it once or twice you’ll be a pro. The secret to smoky is blending, and color selection. Once you have that down, you'll be smokin'.

What You'll Need

Eyeshadow Primer
2 Eyeliners (1 slightly darker than the other)
2 Eyeshadows (a light base and A darker hue for the smoke)
Mascara

Prep the lid.
You want to make sure that you have no oil on your eyelids, or your shadow doesn’t stand a chance. An eyeshadow primer applied over the entire eyelid will help your shadow stay put all night.
Apply eyeliner.
Apply liner in color of your choice over the lash line making it extra thick in the middle of the eye right above the pupil.
Apply Color Below Eye
The key here is to use an eyeliner shade that is slightly lighter than what you are using on the upper lid. Apply underneath the entire eye and smudge it. You can also use eyeshadow if you want a “smudgier” effect.
Apply Base Color
The key to a smoky eye is to pair a light base color with a darker shade. What type of color you use depends on what style you’re looking for but my favorites to use are champagne, pale violet, and cream shades without too much shimmer.
Sweep shadow all over the eye lid right up to the brow bone, and across the entire width of the eye.
Blend in darker color
Now that you have the base and eyeliner on, it's time to get the smoky effect. You need a darker eyeshadow shade. Using an eyeshadow brush blend in color starting at your lash line, blending up. Make sure to blend color into the lash line so the eye liner disappears. Stop deep color at crease.
Mascara
Finish with several coats of Super Volume Mascara on both upper and lower lashes.
Have fun with your colors. You don’t always have to use the basic cream and coal combo, mix it up!!!! Try purples and blues and golds and greens. There are so may color combos you could use a new one every day.

Attention MAC and EVE fans

2007-06-19T12:10:00.000-07:00

LIVE CHAT WITH VIVA GLAM SPOKESPERSON

EVE AND MAKEUP ARTIST JJ

WHAT: Exclusive LIVE CHAT with Eve and her makeup artist JJ.

Get tips on how to get Eve’s
looks from her new hit video
“Tambourine.”

WHO: EVE, award-winning hip-hop diva, actress, designer and MAC Viva Glam Spokesperson.

JJ, Eve’s makeup artist, former MAC Artist.

WHERE: www.maccosmetics.com/EVE

WHEN: Wednesday, June 27^th, 2007

5:00pm – 6:00pm EST, 2:00pm – 3:00pm PST

See all MAC Reviews

Fashion Magazine Beauty Awards

2007-06-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone Don't forget to vote for the Fashion Magazine 6th Annual Readers Choice Beauty Award.
The Voting Begins Here

The Body Shop Crystal Sparkle Gloss

2007-06-16T10:07:00.000-07:00

The Body Shop $14.50

The Promise

New! Super sheer lip glosses, each oozing with dazzling sparkle and shimmer and a fabulously refreshing and fruity passionflower fragrance

The Truth
Available in 2 colors (Santiago Pink and Acapulco Golden Pink) I tried the Acapulco Golden Pink which is a peachy gloss with a bold golden sparkle and golden opalescence (Santiago pink is a deep pink gloss with a bright pink, copper, and berry sparkle)
This gloss is so sheer its almost translucent but the shimmer is really nice and bold. This is the type of gloss you can wear with an otherwise naked face and still look glammed up.
The best part of this gloss though is the flavor. It tastes and smells like fresh peaches. This is a nice tropical treat, and my new summer must have.

2007-06-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

Freeze 24-7 Plump Lips Ice Sticks
Freeze 24-7 Website
$42.50

The Promise

For gorgeous, sexy lips… full, glossy and bursting with moist color, Freeze 24▪7® introduces PlumpLips™ IceSticks™. IceSticks™ contains the same technology as the original PlumpLips™ clear plumping gloss, but now in a fresh palette of cool shades that gives lips a sheer wash of color. This revolutionary, multi-functional lip treatment smoothes, plumps and colors the lips…all without irritation. The moisture-rich formula delivers soft, buttery lips in seconds with a derivative of the B-vitamin Niacin.

The Truth

These glosses are all nice sheer colors with a shimmer. They are all very layerable and you can wear one or mix them together for some custom color. They have a nice soft tingle without being too harsh, so they are as nice to wear as they are to look at.

Ice Clear – Clear with no shimmer, great for over lipstick
Windchill – Sheer corally pink with a gold shimmer
Frostbitten – Taupy pink with a gold shimmer
Plumsicle – Plum color with a pink shimmer
Brrr Berry – bright pink with a pale pink shimmer reminds me of Barbie
First Frost – My favorite, a delicate soft pink with a silvery shimmer.

And the best part of all? No animal testing.

Awesome Alert

2007-06-14T17:14:00.000-07:00

Body Buddy Website

$24.95

You know that spot on your back that you can never reach? The one that always gets burnt at the beach, never gets enough moisturizer, or has that awful pale spot when you apply your bronzer? That spot has finally met its match.

The body buddy created by Michelle Graves is an amazingly simplistic creation.You simply put your cream or lotion on the flat non absorbent pad of the body buddy and rub it across your back. Viola your cream is perfectly evenly spread. This is one of those creations that once you try it your going to wonder how you ever lived without it.

Available in white, cream, teal, walnut brown, turquoise, pink and scarlet.

Booty Parlor I’m So Sexy Lipgloss

2007-06-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

Product Details and to Purchase
$14

The Promise

Hey there, hotlips! You've got such a sexy smile!
Your lips are one of the most mouth-watering erogenous zones you’ve got. Enhance that sexy pout!
Try our red-hot Peppermint Pink with a hint of peppermint flavor, and a tingly lip plumping ingredient when you want to feel super-sexy.
One dab, and who knows what you’ll inspire?

The Truth
This gloss will make you feel great before you even open the box. Its literally covered in ego inducing messages, you’re so sexy hotlips announces the outer packaging, and it gets even better when you open it up.

I’m so kissable
I’m so gorgeous
I’m so irresistible
I’m so sultry

With packaging like this, who needs a boyfriend?
This gloss is available in two shades, peppermint pink and Cinnamon Shine. I tried the peppermint pink which is a really sweet pastel pink which smells, you guessed it, like peppermint. The only downside was the taste which was more Vaseline than peppermint. This turned out to be a good thing though as it enabled me to not eat it all off in the first three minutes.
The gloss looked really fantastic all on its own. I really like it for a natural look. With the amount of shimmer it contains it would probably look a little over the top paired with a lipstick though.
I definitely recommend this lipstick to anyone; it’s a great color for all skin tones and would be a welcome addition to any makeup bag

-Jaymi

Cshock by MAC

2007-06-14T15:55:00.001-07:00

Available June 14, 2007

Voraciously vivid

Brazenly Bright

Clearly Colorful

A collection designed specifically for the bold, the bad, the wildly daring. Create a palette; pick three to add dash, two to clash…Or select just one! See how it electrifies your look, with color this hyped, there is no room for fashion wimps, style wusses or the tine timid. High energy, shade power unlimited, in lipsticks, lipgelees, and eye shadows.

Lipstick

Blast O’ Blue Sheer mid-tone blue (lustre)
Overrich Creamy silver pink with white pearl (glaze)
Out To Shock Soft metallic coral with silver pearl (frost)
Vivacious Sheer mid-tone pink with silver pearl (lustre)
Pomposity Bright raspberry with silver and pink pearl (frost)

Suggested Retail Price: $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

Lipgelee

She-Boom! Creamy magenta (cream)
Lil’ Sizzler Metallic peach with pink and white pearl (frost)
Mega Soft metallic lavender with silversparkle (frost)
Sugar Shock Sheer red berry (cream)

Suggested Retail Price: $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

Eye Shadow

Going Bananas Soft lemon yellow (frost)
Eyepopping Soft lime green with gold and yellow pearl (satin)
Wondergrass Intense kiwi green (frost)
Big T Intense aqua with green pearl (frost)
Fab & Flashy Mid-tone orange with gold pearl (frost)

Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser

2007-06-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

Product Details
Shoppers Drug Mart
$9

The Promise
Tell blemishes to chill out with this refreshing deep pore cleanser. Bioré® Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser includes salicylic acid to help soften and clear out pores and reduce the appearance of blemishes. Designed to give a cooling burst of refreshment, this soothing formula helps refresh blemish-prone skin.

The Truth
I have to admit, I’ve long been a fan of Biore. I remember when their nose strips came out. My mom used to buy them all the time and I would use them up. I could stare endlessly at the forest that would appear when I ripped that strip off my nose. I told all my friends how much I loved it, and made them go and buy them too, and if they didn’t like Biore, then it was them who had the problem not my precious strips.
I think that why this hurts me so.
This cleanser dried my skin like the Sahara. It was so bad I could only use it three times and had to give up. It made me flake, blotch, and itch. No amount of moisturizer could soothe my poor skin. And that’s not even the worst part. It made me break out, I haven’t had this many zits since I was a teenager.
Im sorry Biore, I don’t want to do this but I have to say it. I would not recommend this cleanser to anyone. It was drying and painful. The “refreshing burst” was more of a painful tingle. Its just not the quality I would expect from Biore

-Jaymi

SexySmile Lipgloss

2007-06-08T17:07:00.000-07:00

Product Info
$29

The Promise
Only a dentist could come up with this ingenious lip gloss: It has a tooth whitener attached! Celebrity dentist Dr. Pia Lieb says she created SexySmile to use while you're on the go, so you can brighten your teeth after you drink red wine, tea or other liquids that can stain. A single application of the whitener (applied in a circular motion for six to eight seconds per tooth) will brighten teeth. Afterward, just put on the attached lip gloss and go.

The Truth
I live on coffee, from the moment I wake up until just before bed there is always a cup of java within arms reach. If, heaven forbid I miss my cup in the morning I walk around in a haze all day, until I get it. My addiction however, is not without its setbacks. From the first cup of coffee I drink in the morning, I can feel a film building on my teeth. I used to try (unsuccessfully) to combat this by matching each cup of coffee with a glass of water, and although this kept me well hydrated it didn’t really do anything for my teeth.
This is why I was so excited when I found sexy smile. A lip-gloss that whitens your teeth and freshens your breath? Why was this not thought of before?
You simply take the wand and rub it onto each tooth for 6 or so seconds. Voila grunge is gone. It’s actually that simple.
Available in 6 colors (Café latte, Boardroom Berry, Bombshell Blond, Stripped Bare, Wear it to bed red, and late night Bordeaux) There is a shade for every occasion.
I tried this lip-gloss in the bombshell blond. Its sheer color, with a medium shimmer, that layered quite nicely. Great for a daytime look.
This gloss is not a replacement for a dentists whitening procedures, but it will give your smile a nice subtle pick me up, and wonderfully fresh breath.

-Jaymi

Monthly Round Up

2007-05-30T12:16:00.001-07:00

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Here are my favorites items that I’ve reviewed this month

Face

Tarte Rock Royalty Palette

Lips

Vasanti Cali4nia Sunsets Palette

Eyes

Vasanti Eye Shadow In Bangkok

Body

Whish Lemongrass Shave Saver

Accessory

Gina Alexander Handbags

Jaymi

Awesome Alert

2007-05-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

It seems that everyone shops at the same places these days. The other day I bought the greatest little purple halter top. I thought it was so unique, that is until a week later I saw the exact same top in three, (yes THREE), stores in the mall. This drives me crazy.

I like to be unique. I can’t stand when I go and spend two hours getting all purdied up only to realize that I am wearing the exact same top (or shoes, or purse, or perfume) as the girl sitting across from me.

That’s why I LOVE Gina Alexander. She makes gorgeous custom photo purses. You can have a hand in every part of the design from the style to the picture, even the lining can be customized, so your bag will practically scream your name.

A picture-of a lover, a friend, a child, a pet, your husband, wife, mother or father. An image of the whole family, or somebody who is gone but not forgotten. A reunion, anniversary, birthday, a great moment at the office! These fond portraits are the hallmark of handbags and accessories by GINA ALEXANDER

I ordered the classic small bamboo handbag (Beyonce has the same one.), with a picture of my (gorgeous) niece and nephew on it. It turned out amazing. The quality of the picture is so high, it almost seems like the purse is made of photo paper, but don’t worry its very durable. People have actually stopped me on the street to ask where I got it.

You can feel good about splurging, as a portion of every handbag sold goes to the charity Hope For Children, which is committed to assisting families interested in adoption without the financial means to accomplish it. She is also and active member on the board of the philanthropy.

There is such a great selection, that you can find the perfect purse for anyone and everyone. From small cosmetic bags to huge totes, and everything in between. So why carry your precious photos around inside of your purse where no one can see them?

https://www.ginaalexander.com/

Prices starting under $100.00

Jaymi

2007-05-17T18:11:00.001-07:00

Hi all,
I just wanted to post a quick note to let everyone know that I am going to be unable to post for the next little while. Unfortunately i got the news today that my father in law is no longer with us.
I want to thank everyone for their understanding at this time, and I hope to be back posting within the next ten days.
Thank you again for your understanding.
Jaymi

So...? Fragrances

2007-05-16T21:11:00.000-07:00

Product Details

Shoppers Drug Mart
$5-$25

I am a very stable person. I have long term friends, I make long term plans, I am in a committed relationship and we even have a cat. A CAT! If that’s not stability and commitment, then well I just don’t know what is.
But I have a problem. When it comes to cosmetics, I just can’t commit. There I said it. I like to change mix it up, be wild and free. I don’t want to be held down by one lip gloss, nail color, blush, or fragrance. There are so many great scents and colors out there and I want to try them all. I want to be a lipstick pimp, a perfume playa, and an eyeliner Casanova. There is just too much love in me for one shade of lip-liner
I know Im not the only one out there ladies, admit it. You like to mix it up a bit too don’t you? Well these fragrances are by So..? Cosmetics are perfect for you. There’s a new fragrance for each day of the week (well almost, you can wear one twice) and at these prices you wont have to refinance your mortgage to be able to afford them. They are available in six distinctive scents;
So..? Kiss Me
The flirty fruity fragrance for the cheeky and flirtatious girl who likes to tease. A clever combination of scents which are edibly sweet, flirtatiously fruity and sassily sensual. Top notes of blackcurrant, pineapple and citron over layers of muguet and freesia, and musky vanilla.
This scent is sweet and girly, and very subtle. I like this scent for days when I want to wear pink, chew bubblegum and just be a girl.
So..? Desirable
The fragrance that brings out the incurable romantic yet seductive side in every girl. Fabulously floral, exotic aromas of musk, freesia and magnolia lightened with fruity notes of apple and mandarin.
This is the scent to wear if you want to make them drool. It’s great for those days where you want your “feminine mystique” to wow the crowd. It’s a very noticeable fragrance that will linger in the air after you’ve left the room.
So..? Wild
The day and night fragrance for the girls who are free, eccentric, love fun and want to live over the top. Its for fun-loving, carefree, fashionable, spirits. A feminine vanilla base, with an eccentric floral middle note of pink peony topped with energetic an citrus with living tangerine.
Want to get noticed? This is the scent for you. Citrus and floral at the same time, this is a really unique scent that will have people sit up and take notice. It’s energizing and fresh and practically screams “ Im young and beautiful! Pay attention to me”. This would be a great scent for a day at the carnival, or somewhere really fun.
So..? Sinful

Lose yourself on a journey of excess, wrap yourself in mystery with this tempting yet mysteriously devilish new fragrance, but keep it a secret, save it for yourself, and keep everyone guessing! Not for the tame and innocent.

A deliciously mysterious fragrance combines gourmand, edible base notes with a delicate floral middle. The sparkling top notes are provided by a fresh fruity accord.
This scent is so delicious that you are going to put it on and immediately try to seduce yourself. It just smells that good. Need further proof? Just ask my sister in law, who took one sniff and claimed the body spray. She’s lucky I still have the eau de toilette or she may have lost a hand.
So..? Superstar
The true leader of the pack. All the girls wanna be you and all the guys wanna be with you. Demand attention wherever you go. The So..? Superstar girl oozes unique perfection, glitz and glamour. A girl that not only goes for what she wants but gets what she wants.
A bubbly vivacious fragrance with a sparkling top of fresh orange, pomegranate, and tropical passion fruit, leading to a heart of bright freesia and lily of the valley on a base of almond and musk.
This is a nice subtly sweet and clear scent. The name alone will give you delusions of grandeur (not that there’s anything wrong with that). This is for days when you want to be pampered. Great to wear for a day of shoe shopping or manicures.
So..? What
Definitely not for wallflowers or shrinking violets - it has an allure that will have the opposite sex begging for a date!!! Not for the fainthearted!
An unmistakable floral undertone of jasmine & rose, and an outrageous citrus kick
A great scent when you want to make them do your bidding. This is the scent for the days when your confidence is in overdrive, and you want to show no mercy.

While the eau de toilettes come in delicate looking glass bottles best kept at home, the body sprays are handy to keep in your gym bag or desk for mid-day touch ups. And with these prices you don’t have to feel bad about splurging on one or three.
-Jaymi

Jaqua Hand Creme

2007-05-16T19:39:00.000-07:00

Product Details

Bath and Body Works
$8

The Promise
Your hands will love this highly moisturizing creme, formulated with meadowfoam seed oil, grape seed extract and vitamins A and E to keep hands soft all day long!

The Truth
Emily from Jaqua sent me over a great package bursting at the seams with products, including their handcremes in both Pink Champagne and Pina Colada (also available in peach parfait and mint chocolate).
Pink Champagne doesn’t really smell too much like its namesake, but has a soft florally fragrance with a hint of magnolia. The Pina Colada makes me dream of hot summer days on a patio overlooking the beach. I can almost the salt water if I close my eyes. Both of these crèmes have great scents with pretty good stamina but the Pina Colada had a bit more staying power than the pink champagne. I could still smell it after almost two hours!
These are nice light hand crèmes, with the emphasis on light. They are great for a small dose of moisture and a great scent. Perfect for during the day, at work or out and about where you don’t want a heavy cream that will leave your hands greasy, and take forever to absorb. I definitely wouldn’t recommend them for very dry or dehydrated skin though as the formulation just isn’t strong enough. Good Product with a great value.

-Jaymi

Tarte Rock Royalty

2007-05-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

Product Details and to Purchase
$30

The Promise

London in June, New York in July, LA in August…the jet-setting life of a rock royal on her summer tour looks like a recipe for jet lag. Somehow, though, they manage to appear fresh-faced & glowing on even the earliest morning-show appearance. Good genes or good makeup? Who knows…but we’re willing to bet on the latter. Score the same faux-glow with a palette that features a sheer candy pink blush (charm), a gold highlighter and our acclaimed mineral bronzer, Park Avenue princess. It’s everything you need to tan, glow, and shimmer like the rockstar you secretly are.

The Truth

This palette from Tarte comes in the cutest purple and gold compact. Packaged with a little guitar cut out, it practically screams rock and roll even before you open it.
The three colors in the palette are a soft pink, a creamy white, and a medium brown, meant to be used as a blush, highlighter and bronzer respectively. Of course I’ve never been one to follow directions, so I couldn’t resist trying them all over the face.
The pink was a little too “sweet” for me on the apple of the cheeks but it looked great spread sheerly across the forehead and nose. I tried it as an eyeshadow but it has a little too much red tone in it.
The brownish color was really almost perfect for my light skin tone, and it looked great as a bronzer. It also made a nice low-lighter applied just underneath the cheekbone to create definition. It was good as an eyeshadow applied in the crease, and outer corner, I tried it with both a goldy shade and a pale pink eyeshadow on the lid, and it worked with both. If you have a dark complexion, this color would make an amazing highlighter, it has the perfect amount of shine to it.
I think my fave shade was the white highlighter. It went on very sheer without too much shimmer, And it looked great everywhere I applied it; on my eyes as a shadow, across the cheekbones, as a highlighter below the eyebrows and across the chin, and my fave application, across the middle of the bottom lip over a darker lip-gloss.
This is a nice versatile palette, and you really can’t beat it for the price. The three colors work well together and separate, and it contains everything you need for a great summer glow.

-Jaymi

Tarte Inside Out Lip-Glo

2007-05-09T18:06:00.000-07:00

Product Details
$21

The Promise

Beautify from the Inside Out with vitamin-infused lipgloss. The ultimate in double-duty beauty, tarte’s long-lasting, moisturizing lipgloss works to soothe and hydrate lips, while BORBA’s nutraceutical blend delivers powerful skin-caring ingredients. The pomegranate-scented lipgloss is mouth-wateringly gorgeous with its hint of sexy sheen, but it’s the vitamin cocktail that will keep you coming back for more.

The Truth

According to Tarte the average woman eats between 2 and 4 pounds of lip-gloss in her life. At the rate I’m going it’s probably at least double that for me. I wonder what the caloric intake is for Plushglass? Hmm, I could be in trouble here.
Tarte had decided that since we're ingesting so much gloss, we might as well try and make it as nutritious as possible. They added a whole bunch of vitamins, so when you eat it all off, you’re actually doing your body a favor.
The best thing of all though is that this gloss still looks great. I tried the Om color and it was a really nice shimmery light pink( its also available in a bright fushcia pink and a beautiful righ brwn tone) . It went on great not gooey or drippy. It smelled great too. Why not treat your body as well as your lips?

-Jaymi

Vasanti Eye and Cheek Putty

2007-05-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

Product Details and to Purchase
$18

The Promise

We've brought back those youthful memories with our new and clever Eye and Cheek Putties. They have a fun & featherweight texture that's packed with rich build-able color. Using innovative technology, we've created a playful, plasticine-like texture that is malleable and clay-like, making it effortless to achieve a perfectly smooth makeup effect. These irresistible putties can be worn as a single shade for a sheer wash of colour or layered for more intensity.

The Truth

Multi tasking products seem to be a big thing over at Vasanti. I really like how a lot of the products were seeing can do double or even triple duty. The newest one to come to my attention is the Eye and Cheek Putty, which is available in four great colors.
I tried out the Wonderland which is a sheer and bright pink. It has a really interesting texture very springy in the jar but creamy once it’s on your fingers.
If you layer it lightly on your cheeks you get a really soft almost blushing glow. This would be great for a wedding day blush. Very innocent looking. You can also layer it a little thicker for a more noticeable “glow”.
On your eyes you’re going to want to put it on a little thicker. It has a really great texture that doesn’t stick in the crease of your eyes so you can place it thicker than a lot of other creamy Eyeshadows. The color in it really made my blue eyes pop and I didn’t need to wear any other shadow color with it, just a thick line of black eyeliner and black mascara.
This is a great product for those days when you’re carrying a little purse and just don’t have the room for a lot of product.

Read All About It

2007-05-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

This month in Elle ( www.Elle.com ), readers pick their favorite sunless tanners. So you can get glam without all those pesky side effects (you know, like cancer). Heres the top picks;

Shesheido Daily Bronze Moisturizing Emulsion
Dove® Energy Glow® Beauty Body Lotion with Subtle Self-Tanners leaves your skin soft and smooth while gradually enhancing and evening out your natural skin color. It gives you a beautiful summer glow all year round and is available for Fair to Medium Skin Tones and for Medium to Dark Skin Tones.

Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel
Non-oily, easily absorbed self tanning gel, ideal for those who wish to maintain a year-round tanned appearance. There‘s no need to wait before dressing.

Dove Energy Glow Daily Beauty Body Lotion
Dove® Energy Glow® Beauty Body Lotion with Subtle Self-Tanners leaves your skin soft and smooth while gradually enhancing and evening out your natural skin color. It gives you a beautiful summer glow all year round and is available for Fair to Medium Skin Tones and for Medium to Dark Skin Tones.

Lancome Soleil Flash Bronzer Tinted Mousse
Tan in a flash, no sun required! Discover the magical texture of this feather-light, self-tanning mousse. The subtly tinted, velvety-smooth formula is easy-to-apply to go on smoothly and evenly, for an instant visible glow that leaves your skin looking naturally tanned in a flash!

St Tropez Tinted Self Tanning Lotion
St. Tropez Auto-Bronzant Lotion works instantly for a streakless application that will last for days. This aloe vera based lotion is non-greasy and quick drying, with a relaxing aromatic scent. Conveniently formulated in one maximum strength shade that can be custom blended with St. Tropez Body Moisturizer to your own desired shade. Finally, you can enjoy a year round tan so dark it can actually hide stretch marks, varicose veins and vitiligo.

Awesome Alert!!!

2007-05-08T18:23:00.000-07:00

I love headbands! Hard ones, soft ones, big ones small ones, all of them. I love them all. The mirror over my dresser is literally covered with headbands of all colors and styles (and a tiara but that’s another story altogether). Headbands are fantastic, they work for almost any situation, and they look great on anyone. If youve evr seen me odds are I was wearing a headband.

I was browsing through Etsy recently when I came across B Charmer , by Colleen MacDonald. She makes the cutest headbands ever. They're reversible, and feature really great fabrics on both sides. I had to have one!

These headbands are really well made and they fit like a dream. Even though I love them, some of my other headbands are so tight that to give me a headache after a few hours, and others are so loose they fall right off my head with a strong breeze. This one sits perfectly, and I could wear it forever. The best part? The price $12.50 for both the ready made bands and the custom ones.

Check it out here,

B Charmer Etsy Store

Vasanti Eye Pencils

2007-05-07T17:01:00.000-07:00

P roduct details and to Purchase
$13

The Promise

Our Lip and Eye Pencils contain Orange Wax, Vitamin A and Vitamin E - all of which have anti-oxidant properties and will fight free radicals while they moisturize. Shea butter and Jojoba Oil have also been added to ensure a creamy formulation that glides on beautifully and lasts all day!

The Truth

I tried the eye pencil in Amazon, which is a bright aqua blue. I am very impressed by the amount of color it deposited. Most bright eyeliners don’t really show up unless their wet, but I applied this liner dry and the color was fantastically bright and very noticeable.
This is a great color for most skin types because it really helps to brighten and open the eye. I like it applied all the way around the outer and inner lash lines for a lot of drama, but it looks great by itself under the lower, or over the upper lashes as well.
Another way I tried it was smudged as an eyeshadow. I applied it thickly above the upper lashes and then used a sponge tipped brush to push the color upwards. This looked really nice and toned the color down a bit. I am really excited about this liner because with my light blue eyes it’s really hard for me to wear blue liner. But this aqua tone really looks great.

-Jaymi

The Lipstick Life

Look mommy Im sharing!

Look mommy im sharing.

Get your bikini body ready for summer

Spring Floral Scents

Lust list -Valentines Edition

Etsy Finds

Spring Cleaning Your Makeup

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Location

Reading List

Naughty and Nice

Lust List

Arm Candy

What are you doing Superbowl Sunday?

MAC Blonde Brunette and Redhead

What they REALLY think

The Little Black dress

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MAC and Dame Edna

Lust List

Mac teams up with Emanuel Ungaro

MAC Suite Array

MAC Creamsheen

EcoTools

Essential Beauty Tools

Etsy Finds

Spring Cleaning Your Makeup

Spring Scents

Skinsheen

Mac's Naughty Nauticals

An Update

MAC N

MAC Moisturelush

MAC Originals

Royal Assets

Viva Glamorous

MAC McQueen Sneak Peak

MAC Matte2

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MAC Mattene

Splendicity Contest 09/06/07

Splendicity Contest 09/05/07

Splendicity

Napolean Perdis Madame Crystal Mascara

Cargo Lip Quads

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Lipstick

Kohl Power

Orpheus Intense black with gold pearl (frost)Raven Intense black with red pearl (frost)

Powder Blush

Pigment

MAC Blue Storm

Kohl PowerFeline Rich black (frost)Mystery Rich black with green and teal pearl (frost)Suggested Retail Price: $13.50 U.S./$16.00 CDN

LipglassLightning White silver sparkle (frost)Lull Pink lilac (frost)Atmospheric Rich grape with red and gold pearl (frost)Suggested Retail Price$16.50 CDN

EyeshadowBlue Storm Cool royal blue with blue and silver pearl (frost)Stormwatch Deep teal (matte)Thunder Rich blue with purple pearl (frost)Cumulus Creamy grey with silver pearl (frost)Cloudburst Black with blue pearl (velvet)Suggested Retail Price: $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN

Mally Beauty City Shadow Smokey Eye Kit

Luxury Life

Jelly Pong Pong Lip Sorbet

Jelly Pong Pong – Shoe Palette

The Body Shop DuoGlow

The Body Shop Flower Eye Color

Booty Parlor Don’t Stop Massage Oil

Chic Shine - Jelly Pong Pong

Lol Lip Pop - Jelly Pong Pong

New Mac Collection - Novel Twist

New Mac Collection - Flashtronic

New Mac Collection - Rush Metal

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Steal This Look - Angelina Jolie

MAC C Shock Eyeshadow

HOW TO - SMOKY EYE

Attention MAC and EVE fans

Fashion Magazine Beauty Awards

The Body Shop Crystal Sparkle Gloss

Awesome Alert

Booty Parlor I’m So Sexy Lipgloss

Cshock by MAC

Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser

SexySmile Lipgloss

Orpheus Intense black with gold pearl (frost)
Raven Intense black with red pearl (frost)

Kohl Power
Feline Rich black (frost)
Mystery Rich black with green and teal pearl (frost)
Suggested Retail Price: $13.50 U.S./$16.00 CDN

Lipglass
Lightning White silver sparkle (frost)
Lull Pink lilac (frost)
Atmospheric Rich grape with red and gold pearl (frost)
Suggested Retail Price$16.50 CDN

Eyeshadow
Blue Storm Cool royal blue with blue and silver pearl (frost)
Stormwatch Deep teal (matte)
Thunder Rich blue with purple pearl (frost)
Cumulus Creamy grey with silver pearl (frost)
Cloudburst Black with blue pearl (velvet)
Suggested Retail Price: $14.00 U.S./$16.50 CDN