Beauty411

Rock the Red, White and Blue!

Happy Independence Day!  What better way to celebrate than to highlight some of the best Red, White and Blue beauty products. 

Nothing says confidence like wearing red, whether it be lipstick or nail polish:

• Sally Hansen Salon Nail Polish in Ru-be or Not To Be: This is an easy to wear, year 'round shade of nail polish.  The Salon Nail Polish delivers a great quality polish and a good value.  Add some white and blue nail art and you've got a patriotic theme going!
• Julie Hewett Rouge Noir Lipstick:  A classic red lipstick, double-pigmented and long lasting. 
• For a lighter formula lip color, try NARS Lip Stain Gloss in Indian Red.

What's not to like about white? 

• To get a more bright-eyed look, line the inner rim of eyes with Lancome's Le Crayon Khol in Blanc.
• Clinique's new Even Better Skin Tone Corrector helps brighten skin and un-do sun damage, dark patches, age spots and the darkness that accompanies acne scarring.
• White teeth are always in style.  Use the Rembrandt Whitening Touch Up Pen for on the go tooth whitening.

You won't be singin' the blues with these products!

• YSL Mascara Aqua-Resistant in Oceanic Blue.  Perfect mascara for at-the-pool.
• MAC Cool Heat Eye Shadow in Blue Flame.
• MAC Naughty Nauticals Pigment in Bell-Bottom Blue.

These are just a few of my picks for red, white and blue beauty.  Have a happy Independence Day!

Jillian Dempsey Collection for Avon

Jillian Dempsey has recently joined Avon as AVON Global Creative Color Director.  A noted makeup artist in her own right, she will have a huge impact, in terms of vision, trend direction and star power. She has already designed her own color collection, called the Jillian Dempsey for Avon Professional Collection. 

Bright yet wearable is exactly how I would describe a new favorite product, which is the Jillian Dempsey Signature Horizon Blush.  It's a traditional blush (cheek color) and highlighter in one, in the most ingenious spectrum of color.  The color goes from sheer, blazing pink (definitely use a light hand!) to rosy neutral; there is also Apricot Horizon, which is more coral. Sometimes I'll just apply the shade from one end to color or contour; other times I may only use the lightest shade to highlight. I seriously love this blush as much as any of my other, more expensive brands.

New offerings in the Jillian Dempsey for Avon Professional Collection include a dual-ended mascara, a kohl eyeliner and a 3 in 1 eyeshadow trio, perfect for creating a smokey eye.  Prices range from $6 to $10, but check the Avon website for current specials on these products.  You can also shop for Avon products through over 650,000 Avon Representatives nationwide, by calling 1-800-FOR-AVON.

Bobbi Brown: New Bronzed Pink Collection

Bobbi Brown has released the new Bronzed Pink Collection, perfect shades for the warm, sunny days of summer.  The collection includes 2 new limited-edition Metallic Eye Shadows in Bronzed Pink and Penny, a new clear Lip Balm, Yogi Bare, named after her good friend Yogi Berra.  I love the Tinted Lip Balm and there are three new permanent shades in this collection: Bronzed Pink, Desert Bronze and Golden Pink.

Also new is the Oil Control Lotion SPF 15.  Perfect for those with normal-to-oily and combination skins, this lightweight formula features Seaweed and Lavender extract to help soothe skin and reduce visible irritation. Its soft matte finish ensures smooth makeup application.

You can shop the new Bronzed Pink Collection on the Bobbi Brown website or buy the Bronzed Pink Collection set, which includes a Bronzed Pink Metallic Eye Shadow, Desert Pink Tinted Lip Balm, Crystal Lip Gloss, Black No Smudge Mascara, and your choice of Bronzing Powder.  The Bronzed Pink Collection is also available in department stores.

 

Wet n Wild: Beauty Benefits on a Budget

Wet n Wild cosmetics, that perennial discount and drugstore favorite, is the newest player in the mineral makeup market.  The Beauty Benefits line has been formulated with Lotus Marine Mineral complex, which offers powerful anti-aging properties.  I tried several products in the line, including the Beauty Brilliance Illuminating Powder (in Cool), the Triple Fusion eye shadow (in Sandy Beach), the Color CorRx eye brightening concealer (Medium) and the Mint Infusions lippie. 

Overall, I was impressed with this line and give it high marks for value and performance. The Beauty Brilliance Illuminating Powder is a pressed powder containing bronze, orchid and neutral powders with a slight shimmer.  I used it as an overall highlighter to add a bit of radiance to my makeup. It gave a nice, soft finish.  And the lotus-embossed design was a nice touch, usually reserved for much more expensive makeup. The Triple Fusion eye shadow is a pan of three coordinated colors that you can use individually or blend.  Not as highly pigmented as other eyeshadows I have, it still wore nicely, especially with a primer underneath. The Color CorRx eye brightening concealer is a corrector, concealer and brightening powder trio to cover dark circles.  The formula applied easily and didn't settle into lines.  The Mint Infusions lippie is infused with peppermint oil and contains UVB protection SPF 15. It gives a high shine without being tacky sticky. Sun protection for your lips doesn't have to be expensive!

You can find the Wet n Wild Beauty Benefits products in select mass market retailers like Wal-Mart and Meijer; for specific where to buy information check the Wet n Wild Beauty Benefits website.

Bobbi Brown Custom Palettes Up Close and Personal

Bobbi Brown has just introduced new custom palettes to her already incredible cosmetics line.  There are two different palette pans available--a three or four-pan palette.  Each palette pan costs $10.  Once you've picked your pan, then you can fill it with the new sleek squares (love!) of eyeshadow or blush.  The idea of customizable makeup is popular and economical.  Buy what you need; no wasted shades or colors that never get used.

So are you dying to know what is in Beauty411's 4-pan palette?  First let me just say that there are new shades of shadow and blush, including shimmers, to accomodate the palettes.  I actually get weak when I think of new Bobbi Brown shadow colors, so you can imagine the angst and drama that ensued when I was at my local BB counter trying to decide *which* colors would go into the palette.  I went with Flesh, Rock and Heather Mauve eyeshadow, along with a Sandstone blush.  Gorgeous colors, all.  It's fun to be able to mix and match colors, group favorites by look; the possibilities are endless.  The shadow and blush colors are also available in new flip-top compacts should you not want to customize a palette.

The new Bobbi Brown custom palettes are available and on-counter now in department stores including Nordstrom.  You can also order online through the Bobbi Brown website.  What colors are going in your palette?

Oprah's 2008 Spring Makeup O-Wards

The winners of Oprah's First Annual Spring Makeup O-Wards have been announced.  There are 12 beauty product winners and a Best in Show.  The beauty product winners were all price points; from a $7.50 Cover Girl mascara to a gorgeous $90 Chantecaille compact.  Although there are some products on the list that I haven't tried, I must say that I completely agree with the Best in Show Winner, the Yves Saint Laurent Spring Collection. But be warned.  As news of the Oprah 2008 Makeup O-Wards get out, expect many of these products to sell out or become scarce in usual Oprah-manic fashion. 

What about you?  Do you agree with the selections?  The entire list can be found online here and in the April issue of O, the Oprah Magazine.

Trish McEvoy: The Ultimate Beauty Organizer Tropical Resort Collection

Trish McEvoy brings us the Ultimate Beauty Organizer Tropical Resort Collection and serves it up in the most gorgeous shade of turquoise.  It brings to mind the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, which is fitting, since when you open the Organizer, you get the complete Resort collection.  The set contains two removable beauty bags filled with your daily skincare regimen conveniently packaged for where life takes you, traveling or at home. In addition, find Trish’s signature Makeup Planner system, complete with a removable travel brush insert, mirror and this season’s new Dual Resort 2 Bronzer and Duo Highlighting Mineral Powder. Open the Ultimate Beauty Organizer and you open the world to the complete Resort Collection.

Included in the collection are the Ultimate Beauty Organizer; Resort Blue patented Mini Makeup Planner; removable travel brush case with Velcro®  closure; Petite Refillable Makeup Page complete with Dual Resort 2 Bronzer and Duo Highlighting Mineral Powder; full-size Classic Eye Pencil in Brown; travel-size color must-haves-Bare Eye Base Essentials and Sexy Lip Gloss; travel-size skincare essentials-refillable Beauty Booster™ Cream, refillable Even Skin™ Face Primer, refillable Gentle Cleansing Wash, Even Skin™ Beta Hydroxy Pads Sampler, #9 Blackberry and Vanilla Musk fragrance (2.6 ml); and three refillable bottles to make any of your beauty must-haves travel friendly.

This is a fabulous collection; I wish I would have had it before my vacation.  You can find the Trish McEvoy Ultimate Beauty Organizer Tropical Resort Collection at Nordstrom.  A variation on the Island Turquoise Petite Planner can be found at Neiman Marcus, where you can also qualify for a special beauty offer.

Red Carpet Beauty 411: Oscars Edition

You can bet that with 72 hours to the Oscars, Hollywood makeup artists, stylists, estheticians, masseuses and personal assistants are in overdrive.  It takes a village to get a celebrity ready for walking the red carpet.  In fact, Ole Henrikson Face/Body Spa is the place to be for pre-Oscar pampering, as Linda Evangelista has already been in for a facial and Mark Wahlberg is expected, as well.

What beauty trends should we expect to see on the Red Carpet?  Carol Shaw has created the  Best Dressed Face Palette for her LORAC line, based on her experience in getting the stars camera-ready for awards nights.  This palette is on-trend, featuring lavendar/plum and gold eyeshadow shades, perfect for creating a sexy, smokey eye.  As a rule, if the eyes are going to be a focal point, the cheeks should be subdued, so that you can play up a strong lip.  Red lipstick is important because it photographs so well.  Red Carpet Red is a new special edition of the L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipcolor that pays tribute to the Oscars with a limited-edition gold compact  And don't forget the mascara--count on Diorshow to be the favorite of makeup artists to the stars.

Make sure to tune in and see all the Red Carpet glamour at the 80th Annual Academy Awards telecast on Sunday, February 24th at 8pm EST.

Neiman Marcus Beauty Event

Ladies....start your engines, clear those credit cards and let your fingers do the shopping at the Neiman Marcus Beauty Event!  The Beauty Event, which runs February 21 - March 2nd, offers a springtime pink tote filled with 6 samples, with your $100 beauty or fragrance purchase.  In addition, many of the cosmetic lines offer their own beauty offers (gift with purchase).  Here's what you get:

• FRESH Sugar Acai Body Cream, 10 ml.
• ORLANE Repairing Night Cream, 3.5 ml.
• LANCOME Courbe Virtouse Mascara in Black, .07 oz.
• PRADA Scented Towelette
• CHANTECAILLE Rice & Geranium Foaming Cleanser, 5 ml.
• YVES SAINT LAURENT elle Fragrance

Don't miss it!  Quantities are limited.  It's a great opportunity to shop for that new spring makeup and get a little something in return.  Need a little inspiration to start?  How about the brand spankin' new Bobbi Brown Nude Lip & Eye Palette?  Four nude eyeshadows, four lipglosses, 2 brushes and a new look!

ColorOn Professional Instant Makeup Applicators: Good in Theory

The idea that there was a product out there that would instantly give you a professional looking, makeup-artist applied eyeshadow really intrigued me.  I had read about the ColorOn professional instant makeup applicators and was curious, although I struggled with the concept.  One of the aspects of cosmetics I enjoy most is the ability to be the makeup artist and dabble in pots, paints and powders.  I could see this as a time-saver, though, so I contacted the ColorOn company and requested a sample of the instant eyeshadow applicators.   

I received the Everyday Neutrals set and proceeded to challenge the voice of my inner makeup artist.  The instructions say that "one size does fit all" and that it's completely goof-proof.  I used the occasion of my husband's company brunch to test drive the ColorOn instant eyeshadow, thinking the other wives would be green with envy at my professional makeup application.  I selected the Elle shadow, described as "soft pink and chocolate brown combine to create a smokey mauve that moves easily from day to night".  I followed the directions for a lighter application, placing the oval disc on my lash line, holding in place with my index and middle finger and making a "peace sign".  Then patting the applicator with my finger, peeling back the applicator, blending the shades and setting.  The result?  Apparently I don't have enough eyelid real estate; the thick color extended onto my lashes and my brows.  Instead of smokey mauve, my eyelids looked garish and clownlike.  I found the ColorOn eyeshadow extremely difficult to remove (read: I was freaking out) and should you try this product, would recommend ordering the eye makeup remover towlettes at the same time. The bottom line?  I’ll stick with my drawer full of shadows and brushes and put on my eyeshadow the old fashioned way.  If you'd like to give the ColorOn eyeshadows a try, you can get more information on the website or on QVC.