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Product Reviews

Dior’s New Cherie Bow Vernis Nail Polishes in Gris Trianon and Rosy Bow Make Manicures Quicker Than a Speeding Huffy Capri

December 12th, 2012 by Karen 36 Comments

dior cherie bow gris trianon rosy bow
The new Dior Vernis nail polishes in Gris Trianon and Rosy Bow ($24 each)

Pardon me while I sit here with the two new Dior Cherie Bow Vernis Nail Polishes, Gris Trianon and Rosy Bow ($24 each), and allow these waves of ’80s nostalgia to wash over me…

I’m holding on to a hero the memory of a pink and gray Huffy Capri 10-speed bicycle I desperately wanted in middle school.

The pink handle bars, the gray seat, the striped detailing!

All of the older girls in my neighborhood rode the Huffy Capri, and they’d zoom around the block like a cycling team, giggling and snapping Hubba Bubba bubblegum as their bicycle gears went click-click-clack.

They’d zip by me and I’d think, “So cool…”

I’d huff with jealously from outside the peleton, peddling down the street on my old white and yellow bike, which was defintely more Harriet the Spy than Sweet Valley High. It had a banana seat, flower decals and streamers on the handlebars.

When I added the Capri to my Christmas list one year, my accountant mom vetoed it immediately. “What’s wrong with your bike?” she asked, before reminding me how much the children in the Philippines would love to have a white and yellow bike like mine.

“Well why don’t you send it to the Philippines then?!” I suggested, which promptly got me sent to my room for the afternoon.

Like the Huffy Capri I wanted all those years ago, Dior’s two new Cherie Bow nail polishes are also bright and shiny.

And manicures done with them are equally speedy, thanks to the extra wide brush and pigmented polish. Two swipes from the brush covers one of my nails, and fully opaque coverage only takes two layers.

dior cherie bow gris trianon rosy bow

dior cherie bow gris trianon swatch
Two coats of Gris Trianon

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There are 36 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Dior, Nails, Product Reviews

Satisfy Your Pink and Coral Cravings With The New Dior Addict Lipsticks From the Cherie Bow Collection

December 12th, 2012 by Karen 23 Comments

dior cherie bow candide addict lipstick
That’s Dior Addict Lipstick in Candide ($31), from the Cherie Bow spring 2013 collection, on my lips

The three new lightweight, creamy Dior Addict Lipsticks in the Cherie Bow collection ought to be gift wrapped.

Oh, wait! — they are. In a manner of speaking. Dior wrapped these pretty pink and coral spring lippies in a finish so fetching that it shines bright like a diamond. (Gah! I’ve got that Rihanna song stuck in my head!)

Light pink Candide, pinkish coral Charmante and rosy pink Espiegle are also addictive, as the Dior Addict name implies. If lips could dream, mine would fantasize about this marvelously moisturizing formula and slick, smooth texture.

Whenever I wear these, I walk around rubbing my lips together, mrmm, mrrmm, mrrmm…

dior cherie bow addict lipstick candide charmante espiegle closeup
From the left: Candide, Charmante and Espiegle
dior cherie bow candide charmante espiegle
From the left: Candide, Charmante and Espiegle

dior cherie bow addict lipstick packaging

dior cherie bow swatches candide charmante espiegle
Swatches from the left: Candide, Charmante and Espiegle

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There are 23 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Dior, Lips, Makeup, Product Reviews

Houndstooth, Meet Happiness: The Long-Lasting Dior Diorblush in Pink Happiness Works Overtime

December 11th, 2012 by Karen 36 Comments

diorblush pink happiness
Wearing the new Diorblush in Pink Happiness #749 ($43)

Along with raising me to respect big hair and instilling in me an appreciation for nonsensical song lyrics (“The reflex is a lonely child just waiting by the park…”), the ’80s also taught me about a certain something awesome called houndstooth.

Every girl I knew had something in a houndstooth pattern. I had a jacket I’d wear whenever I wanted to be “taken seriously,” like at piano recitals, haha!

Tabs would love a jacket like that…

The first words out of my mouth when I opened the new Diorblush in Pink Happiness ($42) were “CLASS OF ’89!!”

(I was referring to middle school.)

The houndstooth pattern stamped on this powder blush duo will help it stand out when it flits on Dior counters with the rest of the Cherie Dior Bow collection this spring.

diorblush pink happiness

diorblush pink happiness
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There are 36 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Dior, Face, Makeup, Product Reviews

Wrap It Up in a Pretty Bow, Dior, ‘Cause I’ll Take It: The New Dior Cherie Bow Palette

December 11th, 2012 by Karen 44 Comments

Dior Cherie Bow in Rose Poudre #001
Wearing the new Dior Cherie Bow in Rose Poudre #001 ($80)

Officially, Dior’s new spring 2013 collection is called “Cherie Bow,” but I’ve taken to calling it “Bow Cherie” for a very practical reason.

You see, when I’m wearing the new Cherie Bow Palette in Poudre #001 ($80) while singing and dancing around the house, “Bow Cherie” is easier to work into the lyrics of Stevie Wonder’s My Cherie Amour.

“Bow Cherie amour,
Pretty little palette I adore,
You’re the only one my heart beats for…
How I wish that you were miiiiiine.”

“Thank you! Thank you! No, no, that’s not necessary… Please, no more roses. I’ll be performing here at the MBB Lounge all week… Don’t forget to tip your waitress.”

Kidding!

But you know what I’m not kidding about? This awesome palette. 🙂 It really does make me want to sing its praises. The shimmery pink, gray and dark gray shadows thoughtfully avoid my fine lines; the creamy black liner practically draws cat flicks without my help; and the sheer pink lipgloss packs more moisture than a waterfall. Oh, and then there’s the gorgeous packaging, which turns the whole thing into a little work of art!

First time I saw the colors, I thought this was going to be one of those palettes that only cool-toned chicas would be able to wear, but I’m so glad I was wrong. The moment I swept these powder shadows — which, by the way, don’t leave behind a fleck of fallout — on my lids, I knew we’d get along.

dior cherie bow palette rose poudre 001

dior cherie bow palette rose poudre 001

dior cherie bow palette rose poudre 001
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There are 44 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Dior, Eyes, Palettes, Product Reviews

Decorate Your Nails, and Deck the Halls, With Essie’s Festive Winter Collection

December 11th, 2012 by Karen 48 Comments

essie winter 2012 collection
The six-piece Essie Winter 2012 collection ($8 each)

Over here!

Look over here! This way!! Look at me!!!

Essie’s six-piece Winter 2012 collection hands nails a highly pigmented loudspeaker with a funky mix of bold blues, royal reds and sparkling glitters.

THERE’S NOTHING QUIET ABOUT THIS LAUNCH! The bright, intensely pigmented colors are anything but shy.

Even though I feel like we’ve seen many of these colors before, I like the way they all look together as a collection here.

Where’s My Chauffeur (the bright turquoise) and Beyond Crazy (the shimmery golden glitter) are the standouts for me. I’m definitely gonna play matchmaker and introduce the two of them on my nails this week… 🙂

essie snap happy swatch
One coat of Snap Happy

essie where's my chauffeur swatch
Two coats of Where’s My Chauffeur

essie leading lady swatch
Three coats of Leading Lady

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There are 48 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Essie, Nails, Product Reviews

You Can’t Spell Radiant Without Rad: A Flawless Finish Makes BECCA Radiant Skin Satin Finish Foundation One of the Best Foundations I’ve Tried

December 10th, 2012 by Karen 33 Comments

becca radiant skin foundation review
Wearing the new Becca Radiant Skin Satin Finish Foundation in Bamboo ($42 for a 1.3-ounce tube)

The Christmas lights are blinking, the neighborhood cats are slinking, and the Dark Choclate Stars are twinkling in their dish. The decorations have been hung by the makeup counter with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

And he will…but he has to stop by the Petco first to pose for pics with a long line of eager pets and their parents (more on that in a minute).

It’s that time of year! — although you’d never know it by looking at BECCA. The beachy Australian makeup brand always seems to have one foot in the sand.

becca radiant skin foundation product shot
Radiant Skin Satin Finish Foundation in Bamboo, the shade closest to my NC42 skin

Designed for normal, combination and oily skin types, BECCA’s new Radiant Skin Satin Finish Foundation ($42 and available in 18 shades) showcases the brand’s trademark endless summer vibe with an almost weightless formula and a dressed-down eggshell finish that practically tiptoes on the skin.

With coverage about halfway between a tinted moisturizer and a full-coverage foundation, it’s made for guys and gals who like flexibility. Going to the beach (maybe you live in the Southern Hemisphere)? Wear it sheer by rubbing in a few dots. Or for heavier coverage, work in a pea-sized dollop all over your face, and then pat and blend a little extra wherever you need it.

What makes Radiant so rad?

  • It handles combo skin like a champ! It’s easily one of the best foundations I’ve ever used on my combination skin. Not only does it take care of any slick, oily spots on my face, but it does so without drawing attention to any flakes and dry areas.
  • It goes the distance. Lasts the day and looks just as fresh at 8 p.m. as it does at 8 in the morning.
  • Looks like it’s been applied with an airbrush. You hear that airbrushed finish thing a lot, but I gotta say — I really do think my pores look smaller, and my fine lines look smoother, when I wear this stuff. It’s as close to a flawless finish I ever get, and yet I think skin still looks real with it on, not like it’s been plastered with product.
  • The extras. Did I mention that it’s moisturizing and water resistant? It contains Ejitsu Rose and vitamin E to help skin retain moisture, to improve elasticity and to protect against damage from free radicals. Yup, and it’s alcohol-, paraben- and fragrance-free.
becca radiant skin foundation swatch
Swatches of Radiant in Bamboo unblended on the left and blended on the right

becca radiant skin foundation review

becca radiant skin foundation ingredients
The ingredient list

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There are 33 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Becca, Face, Makeup, Product Reviews

BECCA’s Shiny, Lightweight Ultimate Colour Glosses Live Where Lipgloss and Hazelnuts Collide

December 7th, 2012 by Karen 22 Comments

becca ultimate colour gloss
Becca Ultimate Colour Glosses from top to bottom: Fallen Angel, Autumn Punch and Berry Twist ($24 each)

Oh, hello there, lips. What’s that you say? You’re tired of the same-o, same-o fruit punch/vanilla/brown sugar lipgloss flavors and cloying fruit scents?

Lucky for you, BECCA’s outrageously hydrating $24 Ultimate Colour Glosses are here to shake things up in a nutty, new delicious way.

One word: Nutella.

First, I should note that I’m currently ravenous, and my tummy’s rumbling like crazy. I don’t think there’s an official Nutella collaboration involved here, but I swear, my nose and tastebuds detect something very hazel-nutty when I wear these…

Love the nutty stuffBut like the memory of a dream early in the morning, it quickly fades, until it’s gone within a minute.

Depending on which side of the Nutella-covered fence you’re on, you may or may not think these are great.

Personally, I would have liked to see the flavor and scent last longer, but then again, I used to keep a spoon and a jar of Nutella in my purse for “emergencies.”

These shiny, non-sticky glosses are also pigmented, and they come in 10 shades, from soft nudes like Fallen Angel, to deep, juicy hues like Berry Twist, so there’s something here to satisfy almost every pout.

BECCA even added vitamin E and emollients to the formula (but left out the parabens) to lavish lips with moisture and shine…

becca ultimate colour gloss swatches
From the left: Fallen Angel, Autumn Punch and Berry Twist

becca ultimate colour gloss fallen angel
Fallen Angel

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There are 22 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Becca, Lips, Makeup, Product Reviews

I’ve Got Designs on the Soft Brushes in the New $38 Five-Piece Sephora Collection IZAK Brush Set

December 7th, 2012 by Karen 14 Comments

sephora collection izak brush set
The new Sephora Collection IZAK Brush Set ($38)

Since the world’s first beauty fanatic triumphantly shouted, “Eureka!” while thrusting her makeup brush into the air, faces and makeup bags everywhere have been plagued by boring brushes and stiff bristles.

For (what seemed like) millennia, brushes with boring black handles and scratchy bristles bothered beauty lovers, who dreamed of living life more colorfully, and comfortably, with brushes like the ones in the new $38 five-piece Sephora IZAK Brush Set.

Not only are the foundation, powder, eyeshadow, brow and liner brushes in this new limited edition holiday set super soft, they’re also quite sassy.

And the source of that sass? New York-based French illustrator Izak Zenou, who’s worked with some of the biggest names in beauty and fashion, including Chanel, Henri Bendel and Laura Mercier.

I love his illustrations and the work he’s done here. The black, white and hot pink brushes in the set, and the illustrated gal gracing the accompanying zippered pouch, are so glam yet oddly approachable…

The illustrated girl on the front looks like she’d be fun to hang out with — chic and totally down to earth. I bet she wouldn’t judge me if I showed up to our lunch date with two-tone matte lips and cat fur stuck to my suede ankle boots.

sephora collection izak brush set

sephora collection izak brush set
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There are 14 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Kits and Sets, Makeup Tools, Product Reviews, Sephora

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