Everyday Minerals At the Zoo Mineral Makeup Kit Review

I recently made an Everyday Minerals order and I’ve been very happy with all of the products. Since I haven’t used this products before and I was going off of a review featured on Scenthive, I ordered lots of “samples” and kits. I love that this brand offers everything in sample sizes so that I can try them before buying a full-size product. Plus, there are adorable collections/kits available. I purchased the At the Zoo kit because A. I like the name and the names of the products and B. it’s a great deal.

This collection contains 5 sample sized items, about the size of a small lip gloss pot or the containers that Sephora uses for samples, and a nice Jr. Eyebuki brush. All are stored in a cut woodland’s animals box shown above. I think it is a steal at like $2 each. I think the brush is worth $12 on its own! The 5 sample sizes are small but I like their size. They are a great size to see if I like something or not. The blush and powder are a bit inconvenient because I have to use a larger brush with them, but the shadows are a nice size. With the blush and powder, I sprinkle it on a tissue and then swirl with my dense brush. Each come in a clear plastic container that screws shut. The kit features three Eye Shadows: Hipster Hippo, Sea Horse, and At the Zoo. Hipster Hippo is a purpley brown with a hint of blue shimmer. It’s a nice color that’s neutral but not boring. It works with all eye colors. I like to use it as a “daytime” smoky eye or from lash line to crease. If you want to make it a full fledged smoky eye. Apply it from lash line to crease and blend a dark navy in the crease. It’s lovely. Sea Horse is a neutral pearly cream with a hint of pink. It’s a beautiful all over the lid shade from lash line to brow for light skin tones. It’s also nice to use right under the brow because of the “lifting” pearls of shimmer. It’s a great color to have around when doing my vintage inspired “get the looks of…” when paired with a bold lip. At the Zoo is an awesome color. It is a dark taupe purpley mushroom with tons of copper shimmer. I have been looking for a color like this and I didn’t even realize it. It makes a nice neutral smoky eye, an eye brightening liner, and it looks nice when worn in the crease with other warm/coppery shades. This is a great color for brown and green eyes.It is unlike any brown that I own. The shadows are nice. All of these have shimmer. I think they pack pigment but the nice thing is that they can be layered. You can get a sheer look if desired when applied with a fluffy shadow brush. You can get full coverage when applying with a dense shadow brush. Oh, and I forgot to mention that all three of the shadows can be worn together and it creates a very snazzy look. Apply Hipster Hippo from lash line to crease, At the Zoo in the crease and you can use it as a liner for the top and bottom lash line, and apply Sea Horse under the brow. Apply mascara and you’re looking fab. It’s a great look for all eye colors but I see it working the best with brunettes with brown, green, or hazel eyes.

There is a Blush in Truly Tiger. Truly Tiger is a warm medium coral with gold and copper shimmer. It’s a pretty summer shade. It would be sheer on medium to dark skins. These complexion may apply a bit more, but light complexion may only apply a light dusting to the apples of the cheeks. It does add warmth and light without being brash. I find that this shade when worn on my cheeks makes my blue eyes pop. It is very shimmery. If you don’t like shimmer then steer clear. Actually, all of the products in this kit are shimmery. As you can see, I’ve attempted to capture these colors in a picture. My blurry pic does no justice but it gives an idea.

The other item is a Luminizing Sunlight Powder. I love this product and I have to write a longer review on it later. I’m definitely purchasing the full-size of this product. It makes my skin look amazing! To make a long story short, it’s a 3-in-1 complexion powder that absorbs oil and adds subtle sheen while being in a red neutralizing yellow base. This product is great. A million times better than the similar product offered by Prescriptives. The last thing is the brush. It has synthetic bristles and a bamboo handle. I have many brushes but I like this one. It does a good job of apply color to the lids and a good job of buffing “too smoky” eyes.

The cute limited edition kit retails for $12. It is available on Everyday Minerals.

 

MAC To The Beach (Ya’ll) Summer 2010 Color Collection

To be honest, I think the only reason that I like this summer collection is because of the packaging. It’s a “print” that is found throughout my home decor. (Think Thomaspaul creepy sealife prints found on pillows, etc. and antique sealife prints). The motifs are the ones featured on the model’s ill-fitting swimsuit. The colors aren’t anything new. In fact, many are the same colors MAC has all year but in snazzy summer packaging.

The collection describes itself as such: “The seaside has a kind of golden, sexy alchemy we’re all drawn to. This collection encapsulates it with the most soothing, sultry shades of summertime. A safe way to bronze, beautify, and get colour that looks sun-kissed. Close your eyes, and go To The Beach!” This is true. What would a summer collection be without bronzers and golden tones?After seeing this collection on-line, I ran to the local MAC store.

EYES: There are 5 Eyeshadows. Each are packaged in an adorable avocado fruit green with a seashell “stamped” on a see-thru window. Sand & Sun is a matte peach that is perfect for making the lids of the peaches n’cream complexions appear even. Firecracker is a shimmery reddish shade that looks much better mixed with colors than worn alone. Sweet & Punchy is a lovely chartreuse shimmer. Shimmermoss is an aqua shimmer that mixes beautifully with gold. Humid is a shimmery, deep green that makes a great smoky eye or liner. All the colors are nice but I already own Shimmermoss and Humid. I was tempted by Sweet & Punchy but I can get a similar effect with Bitter. Each retail for $14.50. There are 2 Eye Kohls that have a coral motif that matches the color of the kohl. There is Rosemary & Thyme, a medium olive shimmmer, and Float On By, a deep turquoise. Both are nice but I already own similar colors. Rosemary & Thyme would look stunning on brown-eyed redheads. The pencils retail for $14.50.

LIPS: There are 4 Lipsticks in an orange case with a seashell “stamp”. Beachbound is a neutral light shimmery peach. Lazy Day is an “everyday” dusty pink. Thrills is a rose with gold shimmer. Funbathing is a California Red Plum with bronze shimmer. I love the packaging of the lipsticks but I didn’t fall in love with any of the colors. Funbathing is nice but I didn’t love it. I think it would be a nice “plum” for deeper complexions and olive complexions. Lipsticks retail for $14. There are 3 Tinted Lipglass with an orange top and an adorable seahorse “stamp”. Colors include Easy Lounger (pale pink shimmer), Flurry of Fun (neutral peach shimmer), and Splashing (blue-ish mauve with shimmer, makes teeth appear whiter). I like the packaging but didn’t fall in love with any of the colors. These retail for $14. There are 2 Lip Pencils. The packaging matches the Eye Kohl. There is Life’s A Breeze, neutral pink, and Temperature Rising, a bright orange. I see myself using something like Temperature Rising throughout the summer but I already have an orange lip liner that I love by NYX. These go for $13.

FACE: There are 2 Powder Blushes in a “super-sized” packaging that looks like the eye shadows. Hipness is a peach shimmer and Get-Away Bronze, a medium tan. Neither of these blushes did anything for me. Hipness wasn’t “bold” enough. These retail for $18.50. There’s a beautiful High-Light Powder but it lacks the adorable sea-life motif that I love about this collection. The powder is Marine Life and it is a swirl of pearl, bronze, peach and coral. There is a cute embossed sea horse on the powder. This of course disappears with a tap of a brush. It goes for $26. There are 2 Creme Bronzers (shell “stamp”) in Beach Bronze, a golden bronze, and Weekend, an “orangey” bronze. These are nice but I wouldn’t get much use out of them in the summer. I would do better by choosing a darker foundation for summer. These retail for $25. There are 2 shades of Bronzing Powder. The powder is packaged in an orange compact with a coral motif. I love this and this is the product that I almost purchased. Shades include Golden, a warm tan, and Refined Gold, a tan with gold shimmers. I didn’t buy one of these because the colors are available all year and I love my NARS Bronzer. There are 2 Lustre Drops. This pearly cream can be worn alone or mixed with otehr products for the face and body. There is Pink Rebel, a cool shimmery pink that works nicely with pale skin tones. This shade adds “light” without being the muddy bronze that many light skins can’t wear. Sun Rush is a flattering peachy bronze shimmer. These versatile “drops” retail for $18.50.

NAILS & BODY: There are 2 Nail Lacquers. I love In The Buff. This is a taupey, muddy olive. It’s a really strange shade but this is the freakish weird olive shade that I become when I tan. I wonder if they could make a foundation powder in this shade? The other colors is Scorcher. This is a coral red. It’s pretty but so many other brands offer colors just like this one, so it isn’t special like In The Buff. These polishes retail for $12. There is a nice Body Oil. It is an oil in a pump bottle that is infused with golden tan shimmers. I imagine that this product would look amazing on legs. I wanted to buy it but a little voice reminded me that I already have the NARS oil that is almost like this and the NARS smells better. This retails for $22.

So, I didn’t leave with any of these products. It isn’t that I didn’t like any of these items or the packaging. It’s just that since I’m a cosmetic addict, I already have so many colors like these. I promised myself years ago that I wouldn’t drag an item into my collection just because of packaging alone. I don’t always live up to my promise but I have matured and put my priorities in line. So, my collection does not have any To The Beach products because I’m being reasonable and I realize I already have these colors. This is the downside to owning one of everything. The colors are summery and predictable: bronze, coral, and turquoise. This isn’t anything new so it makes sense that my collection would include these summer staples. This collection is available at MAC’s website but you’ll have better luck visiting your local MAC store or counter because the website has sold out of most products. See that packaging “got” many beauty/cosmetic addicts 🙂

 

Bobbi Brown 2010 Cabana Corals Color Collection

I love coral makeup. Corals, peaches, apricots, salmons do so much for my complexion. I know many people stray away from coral, thinking of their Italian-American great aunt with the deep olive skin paired with electric coral lipstick, sandaltoe pantyhose, and open toe “bone” colored pumps. I think great-aunt is a Sophia Loren-ish fox, but I have learned that many people dislike the look. I think coral works on the peaches and cream complexions and the deeper Floridian complexions. I many not wear MAC Morange lipstick everyday but I do wear lots of soft shades of coral/peach. It is one of the few things that can liven up my pale, pasty PNW vitamin D deficient complexion. Bobbi Brown’s Cabana Corals is a “fresh take on an old favorite”. It’s a collection of coral shades that are so everyday neutral.

FACE: There is a Nectar Shimmer Brick. This is an amazing complexion enhancing shimmer powder compact with warm peach, coral, beige shades. This is better than bronzer for my skin tone. It also looks great used as an eye shadow.  There is a Pink Quartz Shimmer Brick. This is a shimmery blend of warm pink, mauve, and sands. This one creates a soft, candlelit rosé sparkling wine look. It is very pretty. Both retail for $38. There are new shades in the Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks. First things first, I love this versatile product. Cabo Coral is a peachy pink/salmon that really works for me. It adds a petal softness to my complexion and looks very natural. There is Calypso Coral which is a brighter coral. This works better for medium complexions. These go for $22.

EYES: There are a few new shades of Eye Shadow. Caviar is a black brown netural that makes a perfect lining shade. Navajo is an eye opening white with a hint of pink. Both colors are great for everyday wear and retail for $20. And there is the Extreme Party Mascara that I haven’t tried. It goes for $22.

LIPS: There are a few new shades of Shimmer Lip Gloss. Coral Sand is a peachy gold shimmer. It reminds me of NARS Orgasm lip gloss. There is Golden Nectar which is a warm neutral coral shimmer. Sunset Beach is more pink than coral with shimmer. It looks great with a tan. These retail for $20.There are 3 new shades in the Metallic Lip Color. Calypso Glaze is a warm pink shimmer. It looks very nice with a bronze smoky eye. Coral Glaze is a “nude” with a hint of peach shimmer. It is a very pretty neutral that looks like it belongs with thick cat eye makeup or smoky eyes. Coral Reef is a medium pinky coral that would work wonderfully with copper eye makeup. There are 2 new Lip Colors. Cabo Coral is a warm pink coral. I also like this Cabo Coral. It looks very nice with green eye makeup. Guava is a medium “lip color” pink. It is a better than natural color. All lip colors go for $22.

I think like most Bobbi Brown colors, that these are great everyday staples. I see them working well with paler peaches and cream complexions and those with a tan. I feel many of these colors work well with charcoal smoky eyes, metallic bronze eyes, smoky green eyes, and even “boring” matte beiges. The colors are nice and will take you from spring to fall. All items are available at specific department stores and bobbibrowncosmetics.com.

 

MAC Asphalt Flower Fragrance Roll-On Review

As I went to the local MAC store with the intent to purchase everything in the Style Black collection for my goth self, I was more smitten by the Fall/Winter 09 Trends collection. I’ll be sure to share all of that soon. I came across this limited edition Asphalt Flower fragrance roll-on. I loved both of the limited edition honey fragrances this past summer and to my surprise, I am now in love with another MAC fragrance. They have really been stepping up their game with these limited edition, low price point fragrances.

If you are a violet lover, then give this one a try. I absolutely adore violet fragrances. I live off of Choward’s Violet Mints. I love “green” morning dew violet scents but I really, really love those “candied” ones because I am such a fan of candied violets. Asphalt Flower reminds me of a glammed up interpretation of the bottom of my huge Hobo International messenger bag. The top notes remind me of the runaway Choward’s Violet Mints that hang around in their gang in the bottom of my purse abyss. They get crushed up weekly into a fine, sugary dust and get all over my wallet. It’s leather and candied violets. Asphalt Flower’s top notes are a sugary sweet violet with rainy, tsunami drenched tropical flowers like soft and humid ylang-ylang and powdery heliotrope. This is grounded by old-fashioned iris. I love this phase it wears this way for about an hour. It reminds me of being in an Industrial Revolution era green house, in the midst of lovely white and purple flowers drenched in mist, outside the coal clouds swarm in winter rain. It’s so pretty, powdery, feminine, and old-fashioned. It’s sweet with a bit of gloomy, rainy humidity mixed with oil. It’s very gothic with an Edwardian flair. The complete dry-down is very moody and extremely sexy with Tom Ford White Patchouli type of patchouli, that synthetic “clean” patchouli that works so well with these modern blends, smoky olbanum, and lots and lots of that MAC vanilla that is used in their other blends. I’m usually not a fan of vanilla but it really works in this mix. It adds a certain sexiness. It’s not a candy or vanilla bean vanilla but more of a dirty, musky, leathery vanilla. MAC describes this fragrance as “a deep, dark erotic fragrance that takes place in our Trend F/W ’09 Collection as the aromatic complement to this alt-fashion look.” It is a very “alt-fashion” fragrance. The entire collection strikes me as my personal fashion color collection dream come true. It is dark, rich and sooo Edwardian, turn of the century goth, that look that unfortunately Tim Burton brought mainstream. This fragrance is so dark, gloomy, intoxicating with a hint of the old-fashioned. It seriously reminds me of the Industrial Revolution. It’s romantic with violet and iris but a bit animalic and sooty. It’s that time because it is urban, industrial with artistic Romanticism, upper class stuffiness, lower class rawness mixed with a  desire for the occult. I find it very “me” and exactly what I wanted for the fall/winter rainy season in Seattle. This is great because the roll-on retails for $20. The bummer is that it is a limited edition. And if I want to replace it I am going to have to get something like Tom Ford Private Blends Black Violet. I will be picking up another one of these roll-ons. Also, this fragrance is very long-wearing. It lasts at the same intensity on my skin for 8+ hours. There may only be .2 fl.oz. in this roll-on but this container will last much longer than MAC’s spray on fragrances.

I’d say to give this one a try if you are fan of candied violets, the closest I can compare it to include: Tom Ford Private Blends Black Violet, Tokyo Milk Parfum Le Petit or Dead Sexy, Nanette Lepore Nanette, Guerlain Insolence, Penghalion’s Ellenisia, Serge Lutens Bois de Violette, Borsari Violetta di Parma, and/or Armani Pierre de Lune.

 

Dior Jazz Age Fall 2009 Color Collection

Dior’s fall 2009 makeup collection is inspired by the 1920’s. For the past few years this era has been very popular in the makeup color collection world. Since I’m into most things vintage, I’m not going to complain. However, I don’t think of this collection as very 20’s but more of a 2009 take of a a jazz club in the late 40’s/early 50’s. The look is OTT with bold smoky eyes paired with boldly colored lips.

EYES: There is a Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Night Butterfly. This has shades ranging from glittery black to stainless steel to reddish plums. It’s a pretty compact but I would say that most people wouldn’t find it appropriate for daily wear. I really do think this is a compact that would make a great smoky eye for those with green or hazel eyes. It goes for $56. There is a DiorLiner Eyeliner in Plum. This is is a liquid liner in a berry purple. I would also say that this is a nice color for green and hazel eyes. It retails for $31. The Diorshow Brow Styler is featured in this look. I have never used it so I can’t comment. There is a Total Eyelook Makeup Clutch in a nice package. The colors are pretty neutral, for everybody colors. It contains 4 shimmery neutral eyeshadows, a brow powder, and a cream-to-powder eyeliner. It goes for $65.
NAIL: There is a Vernis Nail Enamel in Black Plum. It goes for $20.
LIPS: There are 2 Addict Ultra-Gloss Reflect Lip Glosses in Draped Burgundy, a glossy garnet, and Taffeta Plum, a golden plum. I do love this lip gloss formula and the packaging is very luxurious. These retail for $25.50. There are 2 Addict Lipcolors in Decadent Plum, a rich purpley blackberry juice, and Négligée Pink, a rich magenta. Once again this is a nice formula with nice packaging and I do like these bold shades. These lipcolors go for $26. There is a Dior Rouge Contour Lip Liner featured in Thrilling Plum, a deep plum color. This formula is super smooth and long-wearing and goes for $26.

The colors are nice if you are into dark and bold. Many of the shadows are nice for green and hazel eyes. I would say that the lip colors featured would pair nicely with cool complexions in a variety of tones. And I think the lip colors would go nice with brunette, black, and gray hair colors. This collection is available at Nordstroms and Sephora.

 

Makeup For The Tudors? Smashbox Reign 2009 Fall Color Collection

I love this collection for the nerd factor alone. It is inspired the English Tudors, “an imperial court mired in salacious scandal and royal indulgence“. Hopefully this collection will make somebody somewhere learn a thing or 2 about history or at least make it cool to be nerdy, which it is. The collection contains the following limited edition items, many in special packaging.

FACE: There is a Fusion Blush. This cheek color has a matte and a shimmery shade packaged together. The shade is Regal which is a great nude peach pink blush and it retails for $32. This is a good color because it doens’t overwhelm when paired with a bold or smoky eye.

EYES: There are 2 Reign Eyeshadow Palettes in Majesty which contains a highlighting peach, opulent plum, and black and there is Monarch which contains a golden highlighting shade, rich bronze, and neutral taupe brown. I think Majesty would look great with green, brown, or hazel eyes. Monarch is a nice neutral for all eye colors. These contain the same shades in matte and shimmery formulas.These retail for $42. There is a Jet Set Eyeliner Palette in Reign. This contains four long-wearing cream eyeliners in black, brown, gold, and bronze . The gold and bronze both wear nicely on the bottom lash line and make the eyes appear brighter and more “awake”. This retails for $48. There is a Reign Lash DNA Mascara in Plum. This retails for $19. I love a plum for fall/winter.

LIPS: There is a Lip Gloss in Crowned, a warm peachy nude. The packaging is adorable. It retails for $19. There are 2 Doubletake Lip Colors. These are a pencil with a lip liner on one end and a longer wearing lipstick on the other. There is Amaretto and Currant. These retail for $22. Amaretto is really nude, a pink nude combo that is great for a smoky eye. Currant is what the name applies. I like this product because it is convenient and portable plus it doesn’t look dry.

I like the collection event though I am pretty much over the smoky eye. I think the lip colors are really nice in this collection and I do like the “idea” behind it. It is a little odd really, but I like to think of it as the makeup that all of Henry VIII’s wives wore while A. having affairs with other unattractive men or B. being beheaded. Find out more about royal scandal on wiki. This collection is available at Sephora and smashbox.com.

 

Guerlain Russian Beauty Fall 2009 Color Collection

OK, you all know that I am a Guerlain fragrance and cosmetics mega-fan. That being said, I shocked to see their model for the fall color collection. Doesn’t she look totally insane? Doesn’t that look like the makeup application that would be seen on Whatever Happened To Baby Jane (oh, I do love that movie) sans the ghostly face powder? They really should of rethought releasing this or at least fire the makeup artist responsible for this terrifying look. The model even has an uneasy expression about all of this. Poor, poor gal. Maybe her expression is what makes the look so disturbing. I hope the photographer doesn’t beat her. Well, the colors of the collection aren’t too bad and many of the products are very nice. It’s just that the look that presented is just awful and they made a beautiful gal look like she is going to serve you your pet for dinner and smile while doing it. But, anyways. I think this collection is supposed to be all luxe and opulent. It’s supposed to be hedonistic and self indulgent with a mix of Russian royalty and bohemian or maybe a bit of glam gypsy look. I don’t know. I’m thinking something pre-Russian Revolution and before those pesky Bolsheviks got in the way of the wealth. 🙂 The company’s website hasn’t released these details yet. The collection offers the following:

EYES: There is an Ombré Éclat Eyeshadow Palette for $58 that comes in a shimmery blackish gold compact. The colors are imprinted with a “champagne shimmer” design. The shades are inspired by Russian princesses and their OTT glimmery gowns. There is Brun Mordore which contains shimmering shades of browns and black. This compact creates a nice smoky eye for all eyes and can be worn during the day too. Just depends on your technique. The other is Tsarina which contains a warm brown shimmer, bronze shimmer, burgundy shimmer, and plum shimmer. Tsarina has lovely colors but I don’t think they all mix very well together. They could but they also have the chance of creating bruised looking eyes (check out the lady above). I do think if done right this compact would look amazing on cool toned eyes like blue. There is a Eye & Lip Palette for $69. It comes in a luxe case that is Slavic inspired. It contains 2 eyeshadows (champagne pink sparkle and a sea pebble taupe shimmer) and 2 lipcolors (sparkling party pink and a shimmer rosewood neutral). I like the palette but I don’t see myself buying it. I don’t like eye and lip products packaged together. The powders always mix and clump with the oil based lip products. It’s gross. I do like the colors featured but I don’t feel they are worth the dough. Retractable Eyeliner Pens have been launched and retail for $29. They come in elegant gold packaging. Two will be permanent: Gold & Silver. The other is Bohemian and it is a deep shimmery plum. Le 2 Guerlain Mascara has been relaunched along with a new color Boheme. This retails for $35.

LIPS: There is a KissKiss Baby Lip Balm (see had to put baby in the title) that retails for $30. I love this product. It is super moisturizing, lightly tinted with shine, and it comes in a ultra-glam Guerlain case. It comes in 6 colors ranging from clear to rosy neutrals. My favorite is Red Nude.

FACE: The Parure Compact Foundation has been relaunched. This is a great powder foundation that retails for $60.

This collection is available at Nordstrom and Dillard’s.

Hmm, this Guerlain collection is much too close...

 

Prescriptives Well Suited Fall 2009 Color Collection

Prescriptives Well Suited fall collection reminds me of Dior’s fall collection last year and a slew of others. The inspiration is menswear and fabric. Once again, masculine chic is in this fall: vests, fedoras, button ups. It’s a bit dandy, Garbo, and 70’s Charlie Girl all in one. I’m not complaining, I love this look for fall fashions. Well Suited collection has those perfect shades for fall and since it is Prescriptives there is a compact/color for all complexions, eye colors, hair colors. The focus for this collection is on the eyes. All limited edition items come in a tweed like packaging. All items are available at Prescriptives.

EYES: There are 3 Eye Compacts that retail for $40. Each compact contains 5 eyeshadows. The Warm compact contains shades of warm beige, warm medium brown, soft olive drab, warm dark brown, and a calm ocean teal. I really think that this compact would be very flattering on blue eyes since the warm shades will provide a nice contrast. The Cool compact contains light pink shimmer, dirty mauve, dusty grey, soft burgundy plum, and a rich eggplant. I think this compact would look amazing on hazel and green eyes. Those cool plum shades will make the green stand out. The Neutral compact contains a light beige, cool light brown, deeper brown shimmer, lead pencil grey, and a matte black. This compact should go with all eye colors. There are 4 shades of the new Long Wearing Kohl Liners. It is like a kohl but with a retractable tip. It retails for $17.50 and comes in Black, Slate, Brown, and Blue. Evidently this liner is supposed to wear nicely on the inner rim of eyes because it is waterproof and smooth. (I never do this, my eyes are too small as is). Lash Envy Mascara has been relaunched for the collection.

LIPS: There are 4 shades (3 LE) of Colorscope Lipcolor for $17.50. There is Posh Honey (creamy latte cream), Posh Ginger (warm copper shimmer), Posh Nude ( a super soft mauve cream), and Posh Pink (creamy light plum berry). Obviously, the lips are sheer/nude for this collection. My favorites are Posh Honey because it is a great lipcolor that goes with a smoky eye and Posh Nude because it is so “everyday”.

FACE: There is a Finishing Powder in Translucent for $28. It is a sheer shimmer pressed powder complexion perfector.

 

Vampire Venom: New DuWop Twilight Lip Venom Lip Stain

I am not a Twilight fan. Saying that I have only seen the movie and have never read the books. I found the movie very, very dull but felt I had to see it since it was like literally filmed in our backyard. The film was beautiful just for the scenery of the lovely rainforests and coast of Washington (even though it did Rialto beach/LaPush no justice). I just found the story really boring and I felt too old for it. I do consider myself a vampire fan and I am a closet goth. I love Nosferatu, Vampyr, Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, etc. And I am a mega fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. So the human/vampire love story is not new to me. Maybe the Twilight books are much better and I could feel some attachment to the characters, but the movie I could care less about. No character development.

Anyways, I can’t deny the popularity of this series. It has brought so much tourism to this area and that makes me happy. Plus, I can’t imagine a better setting for a vampire story than Western Washington. So I’m not going to complain. Maybe if I was 15 I would love this story or if I wasn’t a mega Buffy fan. You can’t travel to Port Angeles, WA or the dumpy Forks without running into Twilighters. They love to spend dough, so it is no surprise to me that DuWop has made a lip plumper in Twilight’s honor. I have to admit that even I am attracted to this product. How badly I want it and I am not a Twilighter! For years I have wanted a lip plumping lip stain and here it is. It is ” a blending of the vampire and human worlds”, meaning it is duo-phase. It is half DuWop Lip Venom lip plumping gloss (which is awesome but burns like hell) and a scarlet lip stain. Oh, and it has gold shimmer. It sounds like a perfect product in my book. However, it is limited edition and I missed out on the special on DuWop’s website. This breaks my gothic heart. I will get my hands on this and I will fight swarms of 15 year old girls and Edward lusters for this product. You can only get 2 anyways, so boo-yah!

Retails for $16 and is now available at Nordstrom. It is supposed to debut this fall at other retailers. I really wish they would make a Buffy/Angel or Buffy/Spike one of these and call it “The Hellmouth” since Lip Venom does plump but it burns your mouth like hell.

Visit to Twilight land 2 weeks ago, La Push

 

Estee Lauder Sensuous Gold 2009 Color Story Collection

Estee Lauder has attempted to make “warm tones of sun-baked nudes and rose, lit with glimmers of gold look flattering on every skin tone.” It is a collection of “rose golds” with “glimmers”(AKA big pieces of shimmer flakes). It is a pretty, neutral collection and I imagine that it will really work for many people. It’s sexy in a Victoria’s Secret supermodel way, I mean just look at bronzed up Hilary Rhoda, the model above. I say that it will not work on all skin tones. But, if you have warm or olive undertones, it should really work. They have “amethyst” colors too. These are warmed up plums and berries. Instead of thinking as those as warm cools that cool toned complexions can wear, I think of them as cool tones that warm complexions can wear. Does that make sense?

EYES: There are 2  Sensuous Gold Signature Eyeshadow Quads that retail for $35. To be honest, I was not really impressed with either of these. It’s the formula. I know you’ve seen it before. It looks like it has been dusted with shimmer flakes. The shimmer is not mixed throughout the powder so you’ll get one use that will be super, super shimmery. It isn’t ugly, it’s just deceptive, I guess. Plus, I don’t see this formula wearing very nicely on a mature eye area. The colors are pretty, but I just recommend trying before you buy. There is Rose Amethyst, shimmery shades of plum, pink, and gold. The other is Rose Gold, glimmery shades of rose/pink and gold. Double Wear Stay In Place Eye Pencil has been relaunched. It’s a nice long wearing formula. Another item includes Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara. I haven’t tried it so sorry, no insights.

FACE: There is a Gilded Rose Shimmer Powder that retails for $36. It’s a baked and marbelized shimmer powder with gold, rose, peach, taupe, sand colors like that. It’s pretty but no better than any other baked and marbelized complexion enhancer on the market. However, it does come with a nice wide, flat brush. And of course Double Wear Foundation has been relaunched.

LIPS & NAILS: There are Signature Lipsticks in a pretty rose gold container. This have been dusted in shimmer also. They retail for $19.50. There’s Cinnamon, Plum Amethyst, Rose Amethyst, and Terracotta. All are warm and range from rose to bronze. There are 2 new Pure Color Multi-Gloss. These have colored layers of shimmer and go for $18. There is Amethyst and Rose Gold. There are 2 Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Black Amethyst, a rich blackberry, and Rose Gold, a shimmery warm rose. Both retail for $18.

And of course there is the Sensuous EDP, a modern wood scent that really isn’t too bad. And to “honor” this collection, they’ve released limited edition products in this scent. A solid perfume, perfume, body oil, body cream, and touch on fragrance. Prices range from $39.50-$120. I am really interested in the body oil. Remember Tom Ford’s Youth Dew Amber Nude body oil? That stuff was amazing.

This isn’t a collection that I feel I must have but it isn’t bad. I do like the warm plums. This collection because of the warm gold undertones could really make blue eyes pop and it will really compliment brown, hazel, and green eyes. The warm tones will work very nicely with olive and tan skins or anybody with golden undertones. We all know that rose gold looks great on redheads so imagine the shades with “rose gold” in the title will look wonderful. It’s just the shimmer factor that may put some people off due to age or the fact that they don’t like to be glitzy during the work day.