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Archives for October 2008

Chanel Les Tissages Blushes: When Shimmer Meets Matte

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One of my secret goals in life is to go grocery shopping wearing a seriously fabulous Chanel Tweed suit. I want to be that crazy Chanel lady standing in the 15-items-or-less express checkout line with her box of chocolate Powerbars. Sadly, I don’t expect to be getting the suit any time soon (damn!), but at least I can still get my Chanel tweed fix courtesy of Les Tissages de Chanel, the company’s latest collection of blushes ($45 each).

Slivers of silver and gold thread through these mixes of matte and shimmer. Inspired by classic Coco tweed, each of the four Les Tissages blushes (also referred to as the Chanel Tweed blushes) look like little works of art set in classic black Chanel compacts.

  • Tweed Pink: pale pink with shimmery silver
  • Tweed Rose: rose with shimmery gold and silver
  • Tweed Corail (French for coral): peach with shimmery gold
  • Tweed Ambre (French for amber): red brown with shimmer

I tested two of the four new shades, Tweed Corail and Tweed Rose, and only have two words: ME LIKEY!

Tweed Corail

Tweed Rose


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Chanel Holiday 2008!

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It looks like nothing can stop the gold fever train that roared through the makeup world earlier this year, and now it’s chugging all the way to the holidays! Remember Chanel’s Gold Fever Collection? Well, Holiday 2008 is here, and — you guessed it! — gold (with touches of red, bronze and beige) still plays a starring role.

Some might say Chanel was too tame in the color department, but I’m liking the browns, beiges and golds. The look features neutral beige and brown eyes paired with either pink-gold or red lips. The face and cheeks glow with touches of gold with shimmery pink highlights. Mmm… I lurve Chanel.

Lips

Le Crayon Levres Precision Lip Definer, $28

  • Rouge: true red

Rouge Allure Luminous Satin Lip Colour lipstick, $30

  • Nude: pale nude
  • Exaltation: coral red (limited edition)

Aqualumiere Sheer Colour Lipshine SPF 15, $26

  • Cancun: soft beige

Creme Gloss Lumiere Brush-On Creme Lip Colour, $32

  • Praline Rose: pink bronze (limited edition)
  • Canelé: warm bronze

Levres Scintillantes Glossimer, $26

  • Red Shine: red with shimmer
  • Gold Shine: pink-gold with shimmer (limited edition)

Eyes

Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow, $56

  • Beiges de CHANEL: matte cream, shimmery taupe, shimmery gold and shimmery brown (limited edition)

Ombre D’Eau Fluid Iridescent Eyeshadow, $32

  • Riviera: pale gold (limited edition)

Le Crayon Yeux Precision Eye Definer, $27.50

  • Noir Scintillant: soft black with gold shimmer (limited edition)

La Ligne De Chanel Professional Eyeliner Duo, $45

  • Brun-Lamé: dark brown and soft brown sparkle (limited edition)

Nails

Le Vernis Nail Colour, $20

  • Perle Rosée: warm beige-pink (limited edition)
  • Haute Chocolat: chic chocolate gold (limited edition)

Face

Eclat Lumiere Highlighter Face Pen, $38

  • Beige Rosé: highlighter with pink undertone

Gold Highlighting Powder, $75

  • A golden, loose powder for the face and body (limited edition)

I haven’t fully explored the products in this release, but here are a few pictures, swatches and some first impressions from a handful of items from the collection.

Beiges de CHANEL LES 4 OMBRES Quadra Eye Shadow

Every girl should have a few go-to browns and neutrals in her eye shadow stash, and the Beiges de Chanel quad fits the bill. If you’re new to makeup, consider starting your collection with this.

The shades in the quad run on the cool side. I’m partial to the shimmery, deep dark chocolate shade (has subtle gold flecks), with the shimmery taupe and shimmery gold shades a close tie for second. The matte beige is probably my least fave of the four as it looks a bit too cool for my skin tone (and feels a touch chalkier than the other three shades). Overall, this bad boy should rock as an everyday work palette.

Red Shine and Gold Shine Glossimers

Like Chanel’s fall release, the holiday collection includes a lovely gold limited edition Glossimer, this one called Gold Shine.
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Redken Real Control Overnight Hair Conditioner: Sleep Well

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If your permed, damaged or color-treated hair hates hard work and refuses to behave, mark your calendar for next month’s release of Real Control Overnight Treat ($20), a new nighttime conditioning hair treatment from Redken.

Redken wants to help you to be as efficient as a Swiss watch, so they made Real Control work while you sleep, absorbing fast (limiting the amount of product that transfers to pillows and sheets) to condition and repair dry, chemically treated hair. Since I’m a fiend for multi-tasking, I had to give it a try. If I can get my beauty sleep on and condition my dry crow’s nest o’ hair while dreams of C. Bale flutter through my head, I am *so there.*

Why Overnight?

Overnight Treat contains Shea butter to smooth and control frizz along with proteins and ceramides to moisturize and repair. Redken claims that leaving it in while you sleep gives the product time to work and amplifies its conditioning powers by cutting down on exposure to environmental pollutants.

How to Use It

I’ve been a regular user of leave-in conditioners for years and often use them before bed, but this was the first of the products I’ve used that was specifically billed as an overnight treatment.

The bottle states that it should be applied to damp or dry hair before settling down to sleep and may be left in or rinsed out the following morning.

Texture and Scent

I’ve been applying it right after showers. In my hand, the product feels more like Lubriderm lotion than leave-in conditioner.

An amount the size of a silver dollar thoroughly coats my long-ish (past my shoulders), thick hair. The company claims it absorbs quickly, and I have to agree with them there. I only had to spend a minute or two to massage it into my hair.

Despite how thick the product feels in the palm of my hand, it doesn’t feel heavy once it has been worked into my hair, and I like the fragrance, too — like a light version of Bath and Body Works’ Sweet Pea lotion.

Visible Results

In the mornings after using Real Control my hair feels softer, looks smoother and seems more alive than the day before, and my hair does not look weighed down at all. Untreated, my hair tends to look and feel dry and rough, not smooth at all, and I tend to get split ends, but using Overnight Treat for a little more than a week has improved the condition of my hair in each of those areas.

Long Hair? Make a Bottle Last Three Months

To get as much bang for my buck from the product, I’ve been using it just once or twice a week, even though Redken says it’s safe to use every night. A couple treatments per week still keeps my hair soft without burning through the small 3.4 oz bottle too quickly. If your hair is shorter than mine, you can make your bottle last even longer.

Redken Real Control Overnight Treat

Price: $20
Use: Overnight conditioning and repair for dry, chemically treated hair
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

These Boots Were Made For Walking

My late night BOOT LUST has kicked in to coincide with the end of summer, and I found these brown cuties by Gabriella Rocha on Zappos last night!

Yeah, they’re a bit Robin Hood, but I like the round toe and criss cross design. I didn’t get them, but I was hella tempted.

Whatcha wearing on your feet today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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Bobbi Brown Holiday 2008 Limited Edition Palettes

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I know it’s early October, and you probably haven’t even picked out a pumpkin to carve, but all the makeup lines are unveiling their new palettes and sets for the holidays. They want you festive, dammit, whether you’re ready or not! 🙂

Yup, Bobbi Brown is starting early this year, releasing a string of limited edition palettes this month.

Last weekend I played with the Tube Tints Set, Night Sky Long-Wear Eye Palette and Velvet Plum Eye Palette. I think each would make a nice gift for any makeup lovin’ ladies in your life.

Velvet Plum Eye Palette

A few years ago, when I worked a 9-to-5 gig in downtown San Francisco, I’d bring my makeup and brushes with me to work and apply makeup in the bathroom on my breaks. I’ve always had issues packing light, even for work, so streamlined I was not. I’d walk around looking like I had a turkey stuffed in my bag. If I could turn back time, I’d totally give myself this palette along with a note that read, “Streamline, girl!”


From left to right: Bone, Naked, Velvet Plum, Espresso

This gorgeous palette contains four versatile powder eye shadows suitable for business meetings or drinks after work.

    Bone Eye Shadow: off white
    Naked Eye Shadow: medium neutral pink
    Velvet Plum Eye Shadow: shimmery black plum
    Espresso Eye Shadow: dark chocolate brown

Neutral work eye:
Apply Bone all over the lid and Naked into the crease. Wet an angled brush and then line the upper and lower lash lines with Espresso.

Plum night eye:
Wet a shadow brush, and apply Velvet Plum onto the lid and just barely into the crease. Then, with an angled eye brush, line the bottom lash line with Espresso.

Brown-plum smokey eye:
Line upper and lower lashlines with a creamy eye liner like MAC Smolder. Smudge Espresso on top of the liner on both lash lines. Then, apply Plum on the lid and just into the crease.

Out of the three palettes I tried, this one is my favorite. It’s just so flexible, and the colors pop without taking things too far. Gotta give Bobbi much lurve for this one. Go girl!

Tube Tints Set


From left to right: Brown Sugar Shimmer, Posey Shimmer, Bare Shimmer and Tea Rose

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, October 6

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Montrichard, France, 2005

  1. Mood:

    2. Calm and organized (hoping it lasts, LOL!).

  2. Socks:

    3. Hot pink argyle knee-highs.

  3. My fight song of the week:

    4. Living Proof, by Kelis.

  4. Lips:

    5. Chanel Nude Lip Liner, Chanel Aqualumiere Lip Gloss in Candy Glow.

  5. Fragrance:

    6. Dior J’adore.

  6. Mascara:

    7. Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara (review coming soon!).

  7. Thinking about:

    8. The next six months, maybe starting a family and the road ahead.

  8. Hair:

    9. Flat ironed straight (I’m going through a phase).

  9. What I’d do if I didn’t have to go to work/school today:

    10. I’d ask El Hub to take a sick day and drag him to watch The Duchess with me.

  10. Goals for the week:

    11. Dance (’cause it brings me joy), pick up my Buttercup bridesmaid’s dress for Jen’s wedding; start eating more fiber (hey! it fills ya up) if the dress is still a bit too snug.

Your turn. Just copy the empty list, and paste it with your answers in the comments.

Le list

Mood:
Socks:
Fight song of the week:
Lips:
Fragrance:
Mascara:
Thinking about:
Hair:
What I’d do if I didn’t have to go to work/school today:
Goals for the week:

Are you ready to conquer Monday, ladies?

Let’s do this! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays with Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Oct. 5

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WOW! I can’t believe how fast this weekend zoomed by. I managed to clean off my desk, but I never left the house once all day long. How embarrassing. Matter of fact, I’m still in my jammies from last night… and it’s 10pm.

Well, at least I’m ready for bed. 🙂

I hope you had a nice weekend. Let’s meet in the morning for coffee. *Lots* of coffee!


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Cargo Blu Ray Pressed Powder: Ready for My Close Up, Mr. Deville

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High definition TV (HD TV) has totally changed the entertainment makeup industry — no more hiding behind the camera, relying on low resolution TV to smooth out fine lines and blur away imperfections. Now, thanks to HD TV, the difference between good and bad TV makeup has become more apparent than ever before.

Earlier this year, to meet the demands of HD TV and to take advantage of the move to high definition, cosmetics company Cargo released the Blu Ray collection (as in Sony’s Blu-Ray HD disc format). The five-piece collection was specifically designed to conceal skin imperfections while maintaining a natural look both on and off camera.

Why Powder?

Worn on top of foundation, pressed powder evens skin tone and reduces the look of fine lines while restoring skin’s natural appearance.

Why Blu Ray?

Cargo infused Blu Ray with softening agents, like optical blurring and photochromatic pigments, which, according to the company, reduce the look of fine lines, minimize flaws and cover imperfections in a variety of lighting conditions.

And photography — particularly good photography — is all about lighting. According to Cargo, Blu Ray works particularly well when you think you might be photographed, like at a prom or wedding, or even if you don’t expect to have your picture taken but want that same soft, natural look.

I’ve been using Blu Ray Pressed Powder for about a week now, and while I haven’t found myself being photographed or filmed for any TV shows yet (LOL!), I’ve been pleased with the results.

Texture

The first thing I noticed about the Pressed Powder was how soft and fine the texture felt when I swiped my finger across the pan. It’s a little softer than usual for a pressed powder.

Color

It comes in just a single shade, the color of which varies depending on application. When applied lightly with a fluffy powder blush, it appears colorless and translucent (diffuses light; semi-transparent) on my skin; however, when I apply a heavier coat with a kabuki brush, the powder takes on a slightly yellow tone.

Other off-yellow powders have tended to make my skin look sallow, but Pressed Powder doesn’t. Cargo seems to have found the right amount of yellow to balance out the pink areas around my chin and nose.
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L’Occitane Lavender Hand Cream: A Bedtime Treat

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My skin gets progressively drier as the temperature drops, and I’ve officially entered seasonal hand cream overdrive. My new favorite, L’Occitane’s Lavender Hand Cream ($28), smells divine.

Fast Absorbing, No SPF

It contains moisturizing shea butter, lavender essential oil, rosemary extract and vitamin E, but, unlike Neutrogena Age Shield Hand Cream, my go-to daytime hand cream, L’Occitane Lavender does not contain SPF.

Despite the lack of sun protection, I dig how quickly it absorbs (and doesn’t leave my hands feeling greasy), despite its thick consistency, and feel that it’s fantastic for use at night.

Relaxing Lavender Scent

I’ve made Lavender Hand Cream part of my nightly ritual. Sometimes I have trubs getting restful sleep, so I try to do things to signal to my body when it’s time to go to bed, like turning off the computer an hour before bedtime (LOL, this one is so hard!) and sipping chamomile tea.

L’Occitane’s subtle lavender and powder fragrance definitely helps me unwind. In bed I massage a bead the size of a jelly bean into my hands and wrists and let the scent soothe me to sleep.

Pricey, but a Little Goes a Long Way

L’Occitane’s Lavender Hand Cream might not be as budget-friendly as many drugstore hand creams like $6 Neutrogena Age Shield Hand Cream, but the 5.2-oz tube should last a while. It’s a luxurious nighttime indulgence, and in today’s busy world we need all the help we can get.

L’Occitane Lavender Hand Cream

Price: $28 for a large 5.2-oz tube
Use: A moisturizing hand cream with a soothing lavender scent; contains no SPF
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

I wanted to make this a productive weekend, but so far I’ve just fooled around, gahhh! I better get on the ball here before it’s too late. That laundry ain’t gonna do itself! 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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