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Archives for June 2011

MAC Sized to Go and I Are Hitting the Road Together

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MAC Sized to Go

Even though I feel like I’m getting a little better at packing (thanks to the power of the pre-made list), I still stress out over how to bring my liquid beauty products on trips.

I swear, those little zip-top bags the TSA makes you use are cruel. They’re never big enough to hold everything I want need, but now MAC has a possible solution. Thanks to the new MAC Sized to Go line, I shouldn’t ever have to leave home without at least some of my MAC must-haves again.

The new collection, coming soon to MAC freestanding stores, contains nine miniature versions of MAC skin care favorites in tiny 1-oz. bottles and tubes.

Aren’t they cute? 🙂

MAC Sized to Go

MAC Sized to Go
Mini me!

MAC Sized to Go
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I’m Stuck on Lancome’s Natural Juicy Tubes by Yayoi Kusama

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Lancome’s Natural Juicy Tubes should come with a warning for pet moms that reads, “‘It’s better to apply your Natural Juicy Tubes before (and not after) your cat/dog/hamster/fur baby comes over for a snuggle session.” Last night I slicked on a layer of Dot Apricot, one of six sheer shades in the limited edition Yayoi Kusama collection ($15 each), before Tabs climbed onto the bed for his nightly post-gravy petting, head butts, biscuits and chin bites, and by the time we finished, I had enough cat hair on my lips to weave a friendship bracelet.

It’s uncanny! The thick (even thicker than a MAC Lipglass), gooey formula must be made out of melted fur magnets… I seem to remember the limited edition Natural Juicy Tubes I tried last year feeling lighter, smoother and less sticky than these.

Each shade also sports a different signature fragrance. Dot Apricot’s subtle citrusy apricot is my fave, with Happy Honey (yup, it smells like honey!) a close second. The scents, and the light honey flavor that each of them has, fade after about five minutes on my lips.

I do love the artwork on the tubes, though. Lancome tapped the Princess of Polka Dots for the designs, Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese artist known for her use of repetition, pattern and accumulation.

If you like ’em too, you might want to make your move before they say sayonara from Lancome counters for good.

When I’d tried those other Natural Juicy Tubes from Lancome last year, it had been right after the company reformulated the line. Like those, these are made without preservatives, and with Hungarian honey, royal jelly, shea butter and annatto.


Dot Apricot (left) and Happy Honey (right)
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A Sunkissed Flush for Paler Pretties: Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Cheekcolor in Sunkissed Coral

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elizabeth arden sunkissed coral

Summer showcases so many bright, bold coral blushes (hello, MAC My Paradise!), but if you’re a paler princess struggling to find summer shades that work well with your skin tone, you might really like Elizabeth Arden’s new Pure Finish Mineral Cheekcolor in Sunkissed Coral ($28), one of seven pieces in the new Bronze in Bloom Summer 2011 Collection.

I had to apply four layers of this pinkish coral sheen to get it to make a statement on my tan skin, but I’m betting that a single layer would give lighter lasses a gentle, summery flush.

While I give the packaging major points in the cute category (LOVE that it fits in my palm), I wouldn’t have minded a wider pan. It comes with a mini kabuki brush, which does fit inside just fine, but the pan’s too small for my blush brush (at least without having to shove). A small detail, but it’s a little irksome.

elizabeth arden sunkissed coral

elizabeth arden sunkissed coral
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Turn Around, Bright Eyes: Tarte EmphasEYES Inner Rim Brightener

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Between good old-fashioned insomnia, the fear of demon possession and Tabs sprinting up and down the stairs at midnight like a crazypants, I’ve been averaging about four hours of sleep a night this week.

Yeah, the dark circles are in the mutha’ truckin’ house, and neither my normally reliable MAC Pro Longwear Concealer nor my trusty Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener are cutting it. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

While it’s not a concealer, soft beige Tarte emphasEYES Inner Rim Brightener ($18) is designed to deliver wide-awake eyes. The matte finish looks natural to me, and the product’s easy enough to use. Just twist the bottom to expose the tip, and guide it along the lower inner rim and inner corner of the eyes. It can also be used to highlight the brow bone to further define the shape of the brows.

The creamy texture skims along my waterlines, and the twist-up tip means not having to bother with sharpening.

Active ingredients
  • Beeswax: Forms a protective barrier between the skin and the environment
  • Vitamin A: Helps reduce free radical damage and retains skin’s moisture
  • Vitamin E: Acts as an anti-inflammatory emollient and protects against free-radical damage
  • Aloe Leaf Extract: Helps maintain moisture balance in the skin


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MAC Unsung Heroes: Bombshell Lipstick

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mac bombshell lipstick

I’ve always loved the theatricality of makeup, and by that I mean more than just its ability to alter our appearance (the WHIZZ! BAM! POP!), but also how something as seemingly insignificant as a tube of lipstick can completely change the way we feel and how we see ourselves.

Take today’s Unsung Hero, the mighty MAC Lipstick in Bombshell ($14.50). One minute with it on, and I feel my inner Mary Ann turning into Ginger!

Sometimes this frosty golden pink gets typecast as a “Barbie pink,” and it’s not hard to see why. Like Barbs, she can be quite flirty and fun, but this Bombshell is also capable of playing other roles, like seductive siren/Bond girl. 🙂

While Barbie cruises the PCH in her pink convertible, Bombshell tests her Masarati on the streets of Monaco. Girlfriend werks a pair of four-inch patent-pink Louboutins and a black tank dress. She’s on her way to a high-stakes poker game to gather intel, her slick ponytail whipping in the wind as she takes every turn a little too fast. Although her mind is on her mission, she recalls the brief but witty exchange she had with a charming billionaire last night. She wouldn’t mind getting to know him better, but now is not the time.

LOL! Yeah, that’s my Bombshell. Sure, she’s pink and girly, but she might just kick your @ss.

mac bombshell lipstick

mac bombshell lipstick swatch
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