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...

 

Get The Look Of Bianca Jagger With Kevyn Aucoin Products

To get Bianca’s look with Kevyn Aucoin products:

FACE: First even out complexion with The Liquid Airbrush Foundation in your shade. Apple concealer where needed, try The Sensual Skin Enhancer. Apply a light dusting of powder like The Gossamer Loose Powder. Apply a powder blush to cheek bones, a deeper rose brown such as The Pure Powder Glow in Neolita. Apply The Sculpting Powder into the hollows of the cheek. Blend and blend.

EYES: Bianca’s brows are thick but well managed and sculpted. Fill in and brush brows into place with The Precision Brow Pencil in your shade. Use The Essential Eyeshadow Palette in #2. Take the peach shade and apply it from lash line to brows. Take the medium brown and blend it into the crease. Take the charcoal black shade and blend it around the lash line both top and bottom. Apply a dab of the ivory shade right under the arch. Curl lashes and apply lots and lots of  black mascara.

LIPS: Lips are glossy with full color. Apply foundation or concealer over the lips to create a blank canvas. Take the Flesh Tone Lip Pencil in Bare, a warm brown, and trace your lip line. Apply The Liquid Lipstick in Ondine, a patent red shade. The foundation/concealer will help this glossy shade stay on longer. Have I mentioned that I love this shade?

I have always imagined Bianca wearing YSL Rive Gauche EDT. I really think with a spritz of this, you’ve completed this disco ready look.

 

R.I.P. Max Factor Cosmetics (Well, At Least in the U.S.)

So yep, it is so. P & G is phasing out Max Factor cosmetics (commonly sold at Wal-Mart and drugstore.com) starting in 2010 in the U.S. but they are going to continue selling it abroad.  Read about the details here. It’s kind of a bummer. Man, the economy sucks.

Max Factor recently went through that new “edgy” image change with the faces of Carmen Electra and Gisele. They began to offer bolder color choices, even if all the pigments didn’t always live up. I personally love their lipcolors and the bright mascaras. They are the only drugstore makeup line that I know of that offers an Auburn mascara for redheads. I have been through so many tubes of those when I dyed my hair auburn. The Lipfinity 3D  line is really nice and offers some strange color combos like Chartreuse Blend, a lovely blend of green shimmer and deep vampy plum, Midori Glam, a rose with yellow gold shimmers, Violet Vamp, a mauve with lilac shimmers, and Raging Sea, a hot pink with teal shimmer.

The eye shadow trios rarely got rave reviews but I didn’t mind them. I’ve used them for photo shoots and stage performances. You put an eyeshadow primer under this stuff and apply it wet and you get a bold yellow for way less than MAC Chrome Yellow (under $5 for 3 shades). I think people tried to wear the 3 colors all together and that is just a bad idea with all of the trios.

I’m mainly just saddened because I have a heart for “old”. I  love the gentleman, Max Factor. If you are a makeup artist or not, you’ve got to appreciate this fellow. I mean this is the man that literally invented “lip gloss”. Oh, the faces he has touched and the women that he has made famous! (Clara Bow’s pierrot lips, Joan Crawford’s lip line, reds that weren’t too brash for Jean Harlow’s platinum locks). I just don’t want his “name” to die. I also don’t want to fight somebody for the last Lipfinity 3D Chartreuse Blend.

 

Milani Shadow Wear Eye Shadow Quad in Autumn Earth Review

Weekly Cheap Find:

I am a huge fan of Milani shadows. They are long wearing and highly pigmented. The price can not be beat. I usually purchase the singles but the quads are very nice. One of my favorites, especially for redheads, is the quad in Autumn Earth. All the shadows are very pearly and a packed with pigment. There is a light beige shimmer. It is much lighter than the picture leads you to believe. Imagine a warm pearl. This looks amazing when worn under the arch of the brow. It creates an instant lifting effect. I use this shade sparingly under the arch with lots of looks. There is a rich forest green. This creates an amazing smoky eye that isn’t as harsh as black. The two “metal” shades are worth the $5.99 price tag alone. There is a pure gold shimmer and a pure bronze shimmer. These shades really make blue eyes pop. Dust a bit of the gold under the bottom lashline and your blue eyes will be complimented. I promise. This compact comes with an applicator. I never use it even though it isn’t horrible. One end is a sponge, the other a brush. I recommend this compact for any lover of shimmer and gilded shades, redheads, warm skintones, any eye color but especially blue, and gals with a tan.

 

Feeling Vampy? A Dark Lipstick Lip Color Guide

I have a thing for dark lipstick. It is a bit tricky and intimidating but that is why I love it. It’s dramatic. I would like to say that I wear it during the cooler months but to be honest, I like to be taboo and sport it in the warmer months as well. I love a deep, dark, berry stained pout. I love to feel vampy like Theda Bara’s image. I like to feel a bit “runway”. And frankly, I am a closet goth. This is my way of saying I’m OK with the cruel, cruel world.

Dark lipsticks and lip colors are so tricky because of skintone. However, I think that anybody can get away with it if you possess enough attitude. I don’t care if you are dark with gold undertones or ghostly pale with a visible vein road map. It works. It just takes some playing around and lots of confidence. Dark lips create a “harsh” look and you must be able to deal. It does show more imperfections. Lips must be smooth and healthy. Dark lipsticks will cling to dry spots resulting in an unattractive splotchy look. So keep lips moisturized. It is good for them anyways. I’m not going to create any other rules with the rest of the makeup when you wear darks. I like it with a perfectly matte face, sheer nude eyes with or without mascara. I like it with kohl rimmed eyes like Miss Bara’s. I like it with dewey cheeks or matte cheeks. It just doesn’t matter. Just make sure lips are moisturized.

For the Ballsy: I’m talking deep, dark, and dramatic. These colors are rarely for the meek. These are the colors for maximum drama. I’m talking you would wear black lipstick. None of this YSL glamour black gloss. I’m talking something like NYX Lipstick in Penelope, a rich angsty shock your Christian mother black. It retails for $3.50 so that you will even have enough money left to purchase black nail polish and a pentagram necklace 🙂 from Hot Topic. Lips need to be smooth. Coat this stuff on, a lip primer does help from keeping this stuff smooth. NYX also has a wonderful deep burgundy called Almost Black. It has a bit more depth than the straight up black stuff. I also like Egg Plant for a dark purple look. All retail for $3.50. MAC has a nice Lipstick in Cyber which is a black purple with a satin finish. It is a bit hard to work with because it has too much “slip”. It retails for $14. Make Up For Ever has a lovely glimmery navy lipstick in Pearly Blue Black and it retails for $19. I also like their Blueberry which is a deep berry. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry is a deep blood wine lipstick with a bit of sheen. It retails for $7.99.

For the Closet Goth: For a deep lip with a bit of color, try YSL Rouge Volupte Silky Sensual Lipstick in Forbidden Burgundy, a rich deep berry. Plus, the packaging will make you feel like a queen. As it should with its $34 price tag. One of my favorites is MAC Viva Glam III which is a matte deep plum. It is dark but it looks “classic” and not a bit like a purple crushed velvet cape. It retails for $14. Another one that is nice is the new Revlon Matte Collection Lipstick in Wine Not. It is a deep, classic matte wine that retails for $7.99. Max Factor Lipfinity 3D Maxwear Lipcolor in Violet Vamp is a nice medium wine with a purple shimmer topcoat that retails for $8.99 (no longer available in the US). Lipstick Queen Wine Sinner Lipstick is one of my favorite blackberry wine shades. It retails for $18. Also I love Chanel Creme Lipstick in Vamp which retails for $28.

For the Wusses: Go for something dark but really sheer. It makes you feel edgy without getting strange stares from your co-workers. I like Urban Decay Apocalypse which is a sheer blackberry in killer packaging. It has a soft vanilla fragrance and retails for $22. One of the best for this category is Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey. It’s so popular for its edge but wearable factor. It feels great on the lips and retails for $14. Black Radiance has a sheer deep-red  brown Radiant Lip Gloss in Mocha Madness. It retails for $2.99 and looks great over other colors to “deepen” them. A lip stain is always a way to get color without harshness. Try something like Urban Decay Lip Envy in Greedy which retails for $17. Lipstick Queen Big Bang Theory Lip Gloss in Black Hole is a lovely deep wine shimmer. It is buildable for more or less drama. It retails for $20. Or for the daring, wouldn’t you love to bust out a black lipstick during a board meeting or something? Try Lipstick Queen Black Tie Optional Lipstick for $18. It is super sheer, and yes black. It just adds a tiny bit of darkness.

 

Olive You: My Favorite Olive Eyeshadows

My eye.

I have blue eyes and khaki or olive eye makeup really doesn’t make them stand out but I do love the look because it works with my complexion and dyed red hair. I love olive eyeshadows are dark skintones and ladies with brown or hazel eyes. If you have a bit of violet in your eyes it will make them pop. Plus, khakis and olives look great on redheads including the au naturale redheads that I am so jealous of. It is stunning and easy. It can be applied like a “wash” and it looks wonderful. It makes a great smoky eye without using the much too harsh black that most people reach for. Some of my favorite olive shadows include the following:

Pick Your Own Singles: Cheaper-What I am wearing in the pic above is mark I-Mark Custom Pick Eyeshadow in Vintage Khaki. It is a deep khaki infused with tons of gold shimmer. It is long wearing even without a base and it retails for $4. The case is sold separately. More Expensive-I also like Prescriptives Colorscope Eye Color in Sage. It looks alot like the mark one. It retails for $14 and the case is sold separately.Both of these look nice paired with nude shimmers or golds as a base.

Shimmer Singles: Cheaper- I like L’Oreal Eyeshadow Single in Golden Olive which is a medium olive shade that retails for under $5. One of my all time favorites is Milani Powder Eyeshadow in Golden Bronze which is a green with pearly gold and it retails for under $4. I have went through many of these, have I mentioned they look great on redheads? Even the natural kind. More Expensive–Lorac has an Eyeshadow Single in Olive which is a nice medium olive shimmer that retails for $17. Another really nice one is MAC Eyeshadow in Greensmoke which is a deep dark olive shimmer that retails for $14.50. There is also Sumptous Olive which is nice but a bit more khaki and with less “green”. Lancome Color Design Eyeshadow in Designer is an awesome super shimmery olive with silver shimmer. It retails for $16.50. For a more brown but still green shimmer, Dior 1-Colour Mono Eyeshadow in Khakis is very shimmery and nice. It retails for $25.

Matte : Cheaper– L’Oreal Wear Infinite Eye Shadow Duo in Forest is nice. It has a matte soft clover green and a matte medium olive. It retails for under $6. More Expensive– This is a bit of a matte, Lancome Color Design Eyeshadow in Dill. It is a deep olive with minimal gold shimmer. It retails for $16.50. Make Up For Ever has a matte olive in Olive Green 47 and it retails for $19. I find that there aren’t many matte shadows on the market in this shade. I must say that olives really do benefit from shimmer. It seems to add depth and keeps the eye area from looking too “dead”. I have all three mentioned above and I like them. They don’t make me look like a rotting zombie corpse.

Duo/Sets: Cheaper– L’Oreal Eye Shadow Quads in Landscape and Eva’s Violets have nice olives and other coordinating shades. These retail for under $7. Revlon 12 Hour Eyeshadow Quad in Spring Moss has a lovely khaki and three other nice greens. It retails for under $7.  More Expensive– YSL 5 Colour Harmony for Eyes in Garden of Eden has a nice olive and four other great greens for $56. DuWop Smoke in Olive Branch makes a great olive smoky eye and retails for $28. It comes with a gel liner and shimmery eyeshadow.

Eyeliner: Cheaper– Sephora Slim Eye Pencil in Olive is OK for the $5 price tag. I also like Covergirl Outlast Smoothwear All Day Eyeliner in Olive because it is so smooth. It retails for under $7. Another nice one is Avon Ultra Luxury Eye Liner in Khaki. It retails for $5 and creates a soft line.  More Expensive– MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Forever Green which is an olive shimmer that retails for $14.50. It has a really smooth formula and wears for hours! One of my favorite liners ever is the one I am wearing in the pic above. It is Lancome Artliner in Starshower. As you can see, it is an olive that is so dark that it is almost black with lots of gold shimmer. It retails for $28 and looks awesome just worn alone. It is way more fun than your basic black and it is much more flattering for hazel eyes. Black can be too harsh on most skintones as well and it can be aging! I also like Dior Waterproof Crayon Eyeliner in Iridescent Khaki. It is very long wearing and retails for $26 and comes with its own sharpener.

 

Child of the Moon: Get the Mod Look of Veruschka

So who doesn’t want a Veruschka inspired look? That’s right. Nobody. So since this look is an inspiration, I’m not taking it too literal. Not many people want to go around with white splotches on their faces. But, oh, it is still going to be OTT. First apply a luminous tinted moisturizer to the face, something like Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer. Apply concealer where needed. I really like Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen. Apply a light dusting of loose powder if you worry about shine. If you don’t care about shine and you want to luminous and plastic like I like to, then apply Milani Glimmer Stripes All Over Color in Pink Glimmer. Take a medium size brush and apply it over the browbones, down the nose, and over the cheekbones. Brush brows into place with a clear brow gel like The Body Shop Brow & Lash Gel. Apply a super shimmery eyeshadow from lashline to brow, for pale skins use something like Dior One-Colour Eyeshadow in Icy White, darker and tan skintones can use it in Ready -To-Beige. You just want a super shimmery white to beige shade. In the crease apply a super shimmery taupe brown like Dior One-Colour Eyeshadow in Brown Sequins. Take a fat, fluffy eye brush and apply the shade with eyes open, just a little above the crease. Blend and build until you get what you like. Apply more of the lighter shade into the inner portions of the eye closest to the nose to illuminate. Apply a bit of the darker shadow around the bottom lashline. Take a liner brush of your choice and apply gel liner close to the lashline to “thicken” lashes. I like the Clinique Brush-On Cream Liner in Dark Brown. Smudge this shade around the bottom lashes if your lashes are thin there to create depth. The false lashes really make this look. Find a fun pair of lashes. Alot of times drugstores and Sally’s have them. Ardell is a nice brand. shu uemura makes some killer pairs but they are usually limited edition. ( I really want the “velvet” pair.) MAC gets has them too. Oh, and NYX has 55 fun pairs. Apply and look fab. Apply NYX Long Pencil Lip Liner in Mauve around lips. This is one of my favorite liner shades. Apply MAC Lipstick in Snob, another one of my favorite shades. Apply a clear shimmery lip gloss such as L’Oreal Colour Juice Sheer Lip Gloss in Peek-A-Boo Clear. Apply a soft pink blush like Revlon Powder Blush in Softspoken Pink. Apply more highlighting shimmer if needed. A bronzer can be applied to the cheeks if you want a darker look. I think La Prairie Midnight Rain EDP really works with this look.

 

Brow Beating: Benefit High Brow Highlighting Pencil

For some reason I fall for all of Benefit’s gimmicks. I know that I can get the same result from a different product (AKA cheaper product). I love a highlighted brow bone. You know that drag queen lifted high to the sky brow bone? Love it. This pencil claims to add an instant brow lift. It does highlight nicely and is easy to use. It does what alot of slightly pearly powder eyeshadows do. This pencil is a super pale pink. It looks nice on my light skintone but I really don’t think the color is for everyone. I really don’t think it is for alot of people. With my experience as a makeup artist I wouldn’t use this on like 80% of my clients. My darker clients would benefit more from a pearly golden champagne powder. Anyways, you take this pencil and line under your brows and blend and it is supposed to lift. The lady at the counter tried to tell me that it helps cover up stray, unruly brows between waxing. Yeah, whatever. If your philosophy is to cake your hair follicles with tons of pigment to disguise a stray hair rather than pluck it, then that would work. It doesn’t do that. In fact the lighter shade makes strays more noticeable if you have dark hair like I do. It’s an OK product and the color works for me but it is something to definitely try before buying. It retails for $20 and I’ve used loose face powders that created the same results as this when swept and blended right under the brow bone.

 

Sephora Brand Professionnel Bronzer Brush #44 Review

I bought this brush over two years ago and it still looks as good as the first day I used it. This has been one great investment. This brush has survived daily use and weekly washes. I love it. It rarely ever sheds. It is dense and the bristles are soft. It is the perfect size and it distributes bronzer perfectly. I typically use it with Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil, NARS Bronzer, and Clarins Bronzer. All of them work so well with this brush. I swipe it on and buff it out. With bronzer,  I apply everything in four big strokes: forehead, both cheek bones, and down the nose. The handle is thick and isn’t too stubby. It’s sturdy. It sells for $25 which isn’t a horrible price, especially for something used daily that is great quality. I keep it clean by washing it weekly with a gentle soap such as my shampoo or face wash. Sometimes I use a hand soap because it is antibacterial. I’m really impressed with how well this brush has held up. I think it should be in everyone’s brush collection.

 

I Love The New Make Up For Ever 12 Flash Color Case!

I really don’t know what to say other than I love this new Make Up For Ever 12 Color Case Palette. This kit is packed with 12 bright and creamy colors that can be used on eyes, lips and cheeks. These make for some awesome eye liners. The robin’s egg blue, electric yellow, and bright spring green make some of my favorite non-traditional eyelienrs. The coral looks so hot on lips, eyes, and cheeks. The metallic silver and gold are fab on eyes and lips. And the dark brown and black are the perfect precise eyeliners for every day. Flash Colors are chock full of mind blowing pigment, have the best texture and really stay. I love them. These colors can be mixed to make your own custom color. This compact is perfect for makeup bags and travel. It sells for $93 and is available at sephora.com. I love it!