July 14, 2009
Being half Italian, I can confidently say there are some things Italians do better. Meatballs (obviously), marinara sauce and bronzers. Call me crazy, but Giorgio Armani's bronzers might be the most luxe on the market.
To discuss the Sienna Minerals Bronzing Palette, you first need to lean back, close your eyes and imagine the Mediterranean sun on your face. Your vacation has given you the most glowing complexion imaginable. This palette is amazing on sunkissed skintones, extending the life of your vacation glow. The brown tones are the same shade as the bronzer in the Mediterranean palette mixed with a sunny golden yellow and an orange shimmer kissed with red pearl. For medium shades with yellow undertones, you might actually hear angles sing down as you open the compact.
For those more fair (like me), I recommend you check out the Mediterranean palette. The bronzer in the bottom pan may appear a rich cocoa brown. However for those lacking deeper pigmentation or the ability to visit the Italian Riviera, this shade actually provides a more natural looking tan than most orange based bronzers. The best part is that this shade does not require a heavy hand. A little goes a long way.
The top pan holds four eyeshadows: a light seafoam, a deep teal, a glittery gold and a rich brown. These aren't the most intensely pigmented shades (mostly because 3 of the 4 are more glitter based) however they do create dazzling looks that transport you pool side. They work well when paired with the bronze shades in the bronzer and are best used as a subtle wash of color on the lid.
All in all, if you're looking to treat yourself to an inexpensive Riviera vacation or a luxurious yet compact palette, I say give these a shot. Armani beauty has created a solid, wearable and flattering Summer collection you'll wish you could wear come August.
July 13, 2009
The warmer the weather gets, the less cakey layers I want on my face. It took me a few tries to get the perfect combination, but when I did I felt as if I hit the jackpot.
When applying makeup, the golden rule is cream applied to cream and powder applied to powder. Here's how I navigate my layers.
1: Apply foundation
2: Apply color correcting concealer and then cream concealer
3: Set concealer only with MAC's Prep & Prime Transparent Finishing Powder
4: Apply any other cream products
5: Set face with MAC Pro's Invisible Set Powder
6: Apply face powder products
7: When all makeup has been applied, finish look with MAC's Prep & Prime Transparent Finishing Powder. Voila!
This may sound like a lot of layers, but the magical thing about both these powder products is that they are undetectable. They may seem similar, but they do vastly different things. MAC Pro's Invisible Set Powder does just that - it sets cream products perfectly and invisibly. MAC's Prep & Prime Transparent Finishing Powder is similar to Make Up For Ever's HD Powder in that they both utilize silicone technology to fill pores and fine lines, except in my opinion the MAC product is vastly superior. MUFE's HD Powder slipped right off my oily skin, while MAC's Prep & Prime easily gives that airbrushed effect.
The biggest difference between the MAC products is the actual product size. MAC's Prep & Prime powder is a mere 9 grams compared to the Invisible Set's monstrous 30 grams.
I want to know - what powder products are you currently using?
July 07, 2009
Colour Craft is all about making it your own…perfection as The Muse intended. This unprecedented assortment of Mineralize Skinfinish shades work it out beautifully, with three new mosaic combinations: Triple Fusion, Smooth Merge, Warm Blend; or simply singular one-shade Sunny By Nature, just Porcelain Pink, or rich Cheeky Bronze. 130 Duo Fibre Brush with built-in short natural fibres AND longer optic fibres all-in-one comes together as the ultimate Artist’s tool for sleek shading and haute highlighting.
A sensibility that surpasses expectations with inventive new Mineralize Eye Shadow pinwheel designs that combine new hues in modern, neo-geo ways; Lipglass gets a lift too, now with three shades swirled to create a one-of-a-kind marble finish delivered in a new, sleek vial. The small but seriously artful 109 and 226 Brushes are musts… add the newest colour sensations in complementary Lipstick, Mineralize Eye Shadow and Mineralize Blush, and any glamorous gallery will go gaga to give you your own one-woman show!
June 15, 2009
Tea Tree Oil Deep Cleansing Wipes
$13.00 at The Body Shop
I am a lazy face-washer. For someone with skin as oily as mine, I should be washing it twice daily to remove all the makeup and city grime out of my pores, but by the time I get home I cannot even think of washing my face. If I can't do it while at my computer in the evening, I don't even want to think of it.
This is exactly why I love The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Wipes. All I have to do is reach down into my skincare drawer (yes, such a thing exists) and pull out my wipes. A couple of quick swipes and my makeup has vanished, without even having to remove my eyes from the screen. Pretty easy, right?
Add in the benefit of tee tree oil and not only do these wipes help increase your laziness, they also help you fight the bacteria that causes acne. Who says laziness can't be beneficial?
June 14, 2009
There are some things that have become the new classics: a black winged eyeliner, a full red lip, a sleek black pump - these signals can also signal "siren" in the right combination. For some reason, nothing seems to be a sure man-stopper like the color red, which is probably why famed celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann named this almost neon red "It's Raining Men".
You can purchase It's Raining Men at LippmannCollection.com for $15.
June 09, 2009
Josie Maran Bronzing Argan Oil
$52.00 by Josie at Sephora
What it is: A bronzing oil that leaves skin with a healthy glow. What it does: Josie Maran Bronzing Argan Oil creates glowing skin sans the negative effects of the sun or chemicals. Packed with Josie's signature ingredient, 100% Organic Argan Oil, the formula imparts a bronze shimmer and light-citrus essential-oil scent and can be applied to the body, face, and hair. What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petro-chemicals
- Phthalates Sephora's natural seal: Learn more
You'll find Josie Maran touring NYC Sephora stores this weekend to promote her amazing line of responsible cosmetics. Visit her during the following dates and times at the stores below:
Sephora Times Square
Thursday June 11th
12:00pm – 6:00pm
1500 Broadway #304
New York, NY 10036
(212) 944-6789
Sephora Union Square
Friday June 12th
12:00pm – 6:00pm
45 East 17th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 995-8833
Sephora Soho
Saturday, June 13th
12:00pm – 6:00pm
555 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
(212) 625-1309
June 09, 2009
Van Cleef & Arpels Exclusive Feerie Eau de Parfum, 1.7 ounces
$110.00 by Van Cleef & Arpels at Bergdorf Goodman
There is something about combining luxury products with the promise of fantasy that is so appealing. The Van Cleef & Arpels brand immediately brings to mind a luxurious history of jewelry and elegance, so it's only fitting that a fragrance bearing the name would drawn from the brand's strengths. The elaborate bottle design of Feerie Eau de Parfum, combined with a tantalizing combination of violets, blueberries, Egyptian jasmine and vetiver, the fragrance takes you to a deeply delicious place. It is the perfect scent for a mid-summer's night (based on the Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry collection of the same theme): deep and full of mystery, yet not too serious.
Afterall, aren't Summer nights supposed to be full of mysterious encounters?
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