Archives for January 2011

Get Free Shipping on Cargo: The Cargo Cosmetics Collection for Spring 2011

January 21st, 2011 by Karen 74 Comments

Cargo Safari Collection

All aboard! The cosmetics captains at Cargo aimed to take us on a trip with their new spring 2011 collection, and I like the destination.

I took a long, leisurely look at the six piece collection today (aren’t the pouches cute?) and absolutely love the travel theme. Most of the color products lean warm, and I think they work well with my yellow undertones. If you like the way you look in warmer shades, you might like them too.

For what it’s worth, don’t miss the Voyages Safari collection/kit. I was surprised by how great the products looked on both darker and lighter skin tones.

Now I just need someplace to go! 🙂

The entire collection includes

Four cute kits with special Voyages packaging…

Voyages Gloss Collection ($32 for five mini glosses with a sheer finish and a non-sticky texture)
Voyages Bronzing Collection ($25 for a bronzer in Medium and a kabuki brush; exclusive to Sephora counters inside JCPenney stores)
Voyages Water Resistant Collection ($25 for a full-size Water Resistant Bronzer and a mini Better-than-Waterproof Mascara; exclusive to Ulta stores)
Voyages Safari Collection ($34; contains one full-size eyeshadow duo, blush in Coral Beach and eye pencil in Khaki, and mini versions of CARGO’s lip gloss in Serengeti and Triple Action Mascara)

Other travel necessities…

JetLag Concealer ($32; available in two shades)
Mascara-Mascara! ($20; comes with travel-size versions of four bestselling CARGO mascaras)

CARGO Voyages Spring Collection

cargo spring 2011 all

cargo spring in boxes

Voyages Safari Collection

Cargo Safari Collection in hand

Cargo Safari Collection back

Cargo Safari Collection products
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Seeing the World Through Sephora Lash Plumper Mascara

January 21st, 2011 by Karen 14 Comments

Written by Kris

When you smile with your eyes, try it while wearing the subject of today’s guest post from Kris.

Sephora Lash Plumper Mascara

When it came to my attention that Sephora Beauty Insiders got a free gift on their birthday, the first thing I did was shout “FREE GIFT!” The second thing I did was get myself down to my local Sephora on my bday to collect.

I received a nice little set with a mini-eyeliner, mascara and eyeshadow. The mascara looked promising, but I wasn’t holding out the highest hopes because I have high standards when it comes to mascaras, and I want the ones I use to lengthen and create volume at the same time (the spider-leg-look doesn’t appeal to me). I don’t like flaking, smudging, or wet/runny formulas at all, and I don’t want them to be so hard to remove that I have to wash my eyes three times in a row. I can’t stand that.

It had seemed to me that I would never find my mascara mate. That was, until my birthday date with Sephora Lash Plumper mascara.

The first things I noticed were the wand and brush head. I’d been using Covergirl Lashblast Fusion and hated the bulky head. Sephora’s has your normally slender wand style with a typical volumizing head — and not with the gel-like bristles that most mascaras have nowadays. This brush tapers off at the tip, which makes it ideal for getting into corners. As for the packaging, it’s no-nonsense, no frills or flash, but that doesn’t bother me in the least.

Sephora Lash Plumper Mascara

After examining the wand and brush, I checked the formula. It’s absolutely perfect! It’s never dripping wet (like Lancome Hypnose Drama) nor bone dry (like Covergirl Lashblast Volume), and it doesn’t fall off in gobs at the tip.
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Tabs for the MAC Wonder Woman Collection

January 21st, 2011 by Karen 11 Comments

Coming Feb. 10 to North America and internationally this March…

Tabs is ready. Are you?

Estee Lauder Is Wild About Violets: The Wild Violet Makeup Collection for Spring 2011

January 21st, 2011 by Karen 25 Comments

estee lauder untamed violet eyeshadow swatches

I swung by the mall yesterday on my way to get my bangs trimmed and snuck in some swatches of these beautiful Wild Violets (Estee Lauder’s limited edition collection for spring). 🙂

Available now on counters and online, the collection features coppery neutrals, trendy grays and purples for eyes and nails; and adventurous corals, reds, pinks and violets for lips.

estee lauder wild violet swatches display

estee lauder wild violet swatches lipsticks and glosses

For reference, I’m an NC35 (have you tried the MAC Foundation Finder?).

estee lauder wild violet swatches quad
Eyeshadow Palette in Wild Violet Pure Color ($42)
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Will You Wear 1 Million by Paco Rabanne, or Will It Wear You?

January 20th, 2011 by Karen 14 Comments

Written by Sam

Watch out, world. This scent will chew you up! Do you dare sniff the subject of today’s guest post from freelance makeup artist and blogger Sam?

1 Million by Paco Rabanne

The Hunter

You walk down the cement steps and move cautiously through a wall of lights; the air buzzes with dance music, as if it’s filled with angry insects. Bodies meld together, indistinct forms of color and movement and flesh.

The bartender hands you a drink you’re unfamiliar with, but you take a sip anyway. You notice someone across from you on the dance floor. He slinks between shapes in the amorphous crowd, the top two buttons of his shirt undone. He looks at you; your eyes lock. You cross the floor and take his hand in yours. Together, you make your way onto the raised floor. Two bodies becomes one; indistinct forms of color and movement and flesh.

The Victor

You step onto the dais, surreptitiously checking your hair in the small mirror you always keep with you. Satisfied that nothing is out of place, you advance, and a swarm of skeptical eyes sweep toward you. Your polished boots click as you approach the podium, sure of every step. Your notes are already there. You begin your presentation. Someone coughs, but it doesn’t break your stride. Nothing could. You make the merger, impress your peers, get the promotion.

The Scholar

You strut down the crowded halls, chin held just a tad too high, but you know it. Your black bookbag taps lightly against your side in silent rhythm with your movement. You don’t need to weave around the masses of gossiping children, because the masses move around you. You turn and laugh at the joke your friend just made, not concerned in the least with where you’re going.

1 Million by Paco Rabanne is all about power.

Notes of chilled grapefruit, blood mandarin, smooth peppermint, sweaty musk, dry cinnamon bark, aged leather, tonka bean, subtle patchouli, and amber ketal don’t just call for attention; they demand it.

1 Million begins with airy peppermint and sparkling blood mandarin. These two notes are rather distinct for the first five minutes or so, creating a refreshing blend that lends a sort of brightness and glow akin to that which accompanies a night with a lover. However, these soon begin to fade and give leave to more smoothly blended Middle Notes.
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New For Spring 2011: The Cargo Voyages Gloss Collection

January 20th, 2011 by Karen 2 Comments

How cute is the new Cargo Voyages Gloss Collection? It’s one of six new products from Cargo’s spring 2011 collection.

Available late February at Ulta, Beauty 360 and Sephora inside JC Penny stores. Can’t wait? Snag it now at cargocosmetics.com.

The NYX 10 Color Palette in Bohemian Rhapsody Is Fit for a Queen

January 20th, 2011 by Karen 60 Comments

nyx bohemian rhapsody

Any way the wind blows, doesn’t really matter to me…because the NYX 10 Color Palette in Bohemian Rhapsody makes everything better. It comes with 10 of the line’s most wearable neutrals in shades of silver, taupe, brown, beige, gray, peach and black, all for an easily digestible $11 (and they even included a case!).

NYX tends to get a little repetitive with their 10-Color Palettes. I say, NYX tends to get a little repetitive with their 10-Color Palettes, but a variety of matte and shimmery finishes keeps this Bohemian Rhapsody from singing the same song twice.

What’s my favorite way to wear it? I like to add one of the lighter mattes to my brow bone, sweep a slightly darker matte in the crease, pat one of the shimmers on the lid, and then define both my lash and water lines with the matte in black.

Each and every time I open this thing I want to break into song! — like I’m a long lost Von Trapp child (who happens to be brown). 🙂

nyx bohemian rhapsody