Makeup

Spring’s in full bloom at Estee Lauder counters with the new Vivid Garden Collection, a small release featuring a bouquet of classic spring colors in green, peach and pink.

There are shades for girls of every skin color growing in this garden. 🙂

• Duo Tone Pencil in Onyx Pearl ($18.50): This black and white shades in this duo have an opalescent quality to them, with the white seeming to change from white to pink to green and the black going from black to gold to green. Thinking about how hot it would look layered beneath MAC duochrome eyeshadows like Vex and Club has my head spinning.
• Estee Lauder Illuminating Powder ($35): I have a feeling this shimmery pink and gold highlighting powder for cheeks, lips and eyes would look lovely on light-skinned gals with cooler skin tones.
• Orchid Garden Signature Eyeshadow Quad ($35): The green and purple in this set of four shimmery shades are like a fireworks display. The green flashes from green to gold, and the purple goes from gold to purple to fuchsia, BOOM!
• Pure Color Illuminating Gloss in Peach Blossom ($18): A rich metallic coral, this gloss looks like it’ll take tan skin to the next level.
• Pure Color Crystal Lipstick in Crystal Coral ($22): This reddish-coral lipstick shimmers with golden pearl. I bet it looks hot with a khaki or bronze eye.
• Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Peach Blossom ($18): Two Estee Lauder makeup artists raved about how this sheer peach with flecks of pink and gold glitter looks great layered on top of gold nail polish.

Swatches

1. Duo Tone Pencil in Onyx Pearl
2. Estee Lauder Illuminating Powder
3. Orchid Garden Signature Eyeshadow Quad
4. Pure Color Illuminating Gloss in Peach Blossom
5. Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Peach Blossom

Coral lip colors are totally my thing. I’m so lusting after this lipstick and gloss, BIG TIME!
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Have you checked out Bobbi Brown’s new Platinum Collection?

I loved her last release, Blushed Pink (pretty!), and this time Bobbi gave us several new lipgloss and cream eyeshadow colors, along with a limited edition Shimmer Brick. The color palette’s a mix of cool gray, pink and peach, with a dash of purple.

Remember how I was drooling over the Platinum Pink Shimmer Brick ($40) a few weeks ago? HOLLA!

New Ash, New Heather, New Platinum and New Steel

Long-Wear Cream Shadow in New Heather ($22), a matte purplish gray, should look great worn by itself or as a base for smokey eyes. I can see her pairing perfectly with colors from the Platinum Pink Shimmer Brick on the cheeks. Hawt!

From top to bottom: New Nougat, New Glacier, New Confetti

Do you remember the last time you wore a shimmery gray lipgloss like New Glacier Lipgloss ($20)? Uh, like never, right? I’m guessing this unusual shade could work layered on top of other products or perhaps in the outer corners of the lips, like Lancome’s Piha Black lipgloss. Color me curious.

Swatches

1. Long-Wearing Eye Color in New Ash
2. Long-Wearing Eye Color in New Heather
3. Long-Wearing Eye Color in New Platinum
4. Long-Wearing Eye Color in New Steel
5. Platinum Pink Shimmer Brick
6. Lip Gloss in New Confetti
7. Lip Gloss in New Glacier
8. Lip Gloss in New Nougat

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Shiver me timbers, ladies! Last night I searched high and low for budget beauty booty and found some great deals from Benefit and Lorac.

Check out these items on sale for $10 or less…

7 Steals: Makeup from Benefit and Lorac Cosmetics for $10 or Less

1. Benefit Silky Powder Eye Shadow, $9 (originally $18)
Imagine how dramatic your eyes could look with one (or two or three) of these silky matte eyeshadow shades.

2. Benefit Kohl Eye Pencils, $9 (originally $18)
You can never have enough smudgy eye kohls, LOL! Tuxedo (a midnight blue) and Royale (a deep violet) look hot!

3. Benefit The Gloss, $8 (originally $16)
Seven colors are on sale, including one of my favorite purple glosses, Kiss Me (a creamy violet). It can be an intimidating shade at first (scared the heck out of me), but I think it’s surprisingly wearable.

4. Benefit Silk Lip Pencils ($9, originally $18)
Looking to build your lip pencil collection? How about adding one of these creamy pencils in pink, plum, brown or red?

5. Lorac CD3 Palette in Island Escape ($10, originally $48!)
This beachy palette — with pinks, greens and browns — looks perfect for a weekend getaway. You get five eyeshadows, a blush, a lip and cheek tint and lipgloss.

6. Lorac Maui Wowie Full Face Kit ($10, originally $37)
If you like shimmer, consider this tropical palette. It sparkles with four eyeshadows, a blush/bronzer duo, a cheek and lip tint and even a lipgloss. But wait, there’s more! There’s also a mirror and brushes, too.

7. Lorac Powder Eyeshadows ($5, originally $17)
Lorac eyeshadows apply smoothly and with rich pigmentation. Take a look at Mesmerize, a shimmery peachy gold. I like to wear it as a wash on the lid, and I think it looks great with a tan.

As we speak, orders of $50 or more on the Benefit site are eligible for an additional 20% off using the following code at checkout: HOTCORAL.

SHARE: If you know of any hot ongoing steals or deals, give it up, girl. Help your fellow makeup addicts, and give us the scoop in the comments. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Laura Mercier makeup line tends to fly under my radar a lot. I reach for Laura’s Tinted Moisturizer and Foundation (love ’em both) on a regular basis, but I don’t think her color collections get the attention they deserve — certainly not as much as those from MAC or Chanel.

It’s a shame, too, because I really like how the brand handles color. It’s always fresh, natural and pretty, and the company doesn’t shy away from bolder hues.

Every season Laura gives me something to look forward to, whether it be a new Shimmer Bloc or an innovative new eyeshadow.

For Spring 2009 LM has done it again. I’m looking forward to it all! — First Blush, Gilded Garden, Satinee Creme Eye Colors and the new Mineral Illuminating Powders.

Today I took a quick look at a few things from the Gilded Garden, Satinee Creme Eye Colors and Mineral Illuminating Powder collections and wanted to share some first impressions (more extensive reviews to follow).

Something tells me the limited edition Shimmer Bloc in Gilded Garden ($38) — an oil-free powder highlighter for cheeks, eyes and body — will steal quite a few hearts with its embossed floral pattern and peachy pink shimmer (I’m a sucker for botanical themes).

And I have a feeling the new Satinee Creme Eye Colours ($22 each), cream eyeshadows with a pearly finish, have the makings of great vacay eyeshadows because, according to LM, they resist water, last a long time and won’t crease. They can be worn alone or as a base for powder shadows.

Because my skin’s been looking a little dull lately, I can’t wait to try Mineral Illuminating Powder in Starlight ($32). It’s a shimmery golden nude loose powder that Laura says creates a radiant soft focus-like effect on the skin. Since her loose powders never let me down, I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Swatches from left to right: Mineral Illuminating Powder in Starlight, Satinee Creme Eye Color in Cocoa Velour, Satinee Creme Eye Color in Ecru Silk, Satinee Creme Eye Color in Pink Chiffon, Satinee Creme Eye Color in Rum Satin, Shimmer Bloc in Gilded Garden

Pretty, yah?
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Looks like we made it through another week, ladies. 🙂

For lunch today I met a friend in San Francisco, and the two of us hit up this Thai food place called Tara. It was hours ago, but I’m still stuffed.

I had a dish called Pad Kee Mao, which has flat noodles, green beans, and in this case shrimp in a super spicy sauce. My lips were burning up! — but they looked even hotter than they felt thanks to Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss Stick in Pop Pink ($18.50).

From the new Bronze Goddess collection, Pop Pink looks hella bright in the tube, but don’t let that scur you. She leaves a shiny, semi-sheer rosy pink on the lips.

Much like Prescriptives LipShines and MAC Slimshine lipsticks, Pure Color Gloss Sticks are packaged like lipsticks but shine like a gloss.

In terms of texture, Pop Pink feels light and slick, a dead ringer for the texture of MAC Cremesheen, which I love.

And like most Estee Lauder lip products, Pure Color Gloss Sticks are unflavored (but have a light floral scent).

I’m lovin’ Pop Pink! She’s such a casual Friday lip. There’s enough pink to pull the look together, but the sheerness and shine keep it on the relaxed side. I would totally wear it with dark jeans, a suit blazer and heels.

Some ladies feel pink lips are just for summer, but I think they look great all year round.

Whew! It’s been a long week. I hope whatever you do tonight involves lipstick (even if you’re just watching TV on the couch). 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen