Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow in Pale Barley

For Spring/Summer 2012, Burberry released a new eye shadow called Pale Barley. I'm almost embarrassed to admit, having been born and raised in the city, that I wasn't sure what color barley is supposed to be. I took the cue from Sting's Fields of Gold, which is the only thing I can think of that makes mention of barley, and surmised that I was expecting a gold shade when I ordered Pale Barley. Or perhaps it will be the color of a light beer, because isn't beer made of barley? So when it arrived, I was a little surprised. It looked a lot more brown in the pan than I was expecting.

Chanel Long Lasting Eyeliner in Grenat

The Chanel counter that I frequently browse has a problem. No, there's nothing wrong with the counter itself but it happens a lot that when I look for the tester of a certain item, I am told, oh we don't have one. The reason? Someone must have stolen it. And they're dead serious when they say this. People steal testers. Sad but true and kind of gross. But in the case of the Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner in Grenat, I was told that they simply never received the tester. That being so, the associates don't seem especially inclined to push the item and I had to specifically ask them to pull one out for me. They had tons in stock, of course.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre in Rose Parisien

The purchase error I talked about yesterday concerned a certain YSL lipstick with the number 113, well, this was what I was given.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre in Rose Parisien

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Unique

This was supposed to be a review of the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Perle lipstick number 113 - Iridescent Burgundy. I had gone to a counter to look at the 4 shades released for spring (also included 114 Sparkling Fuschia, 115 Shimmering Coral and 116 Milky Pink) and decided to purchase 113. However, the associate gave me the wrong lipstick and I only noticed it when I got home. This made me think that perhaps Iridescent Burgundy was not for me. Perusing Chanel, I instead found a Rouge Coco Shine that was perfect for my needs.

Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eyeliner Swatches (all colors)

I'd been meaning to put out a more comprehensive swatch photograph of the Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eyeliners that I have in my collection. It is complete as far as the regular shades from the line go although I know for sure I have missed at least 2-3 shades that were only available in palettes or store-exclusives.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer - Radiance

My favorite primer is made by Laura Mercier. The Hydrating formula is the gold standard for me. It's especially perfect in the winter when I take all the additional layers of moisture I can get. But I couldn't resist the new primer on the block, the Radiance formula which came highly recommended by my favorite associate.

Primer, like most makeup, is a personal preference. Some people don't bother with it and that's fine but I truly believe that it helps keep your flawless look together. What is a primer supposed to be for anyway? I like it for the smoothing benefits to my face. It helps the foundation glide on effortlessly and keeps it fresher, longer.

L'Oreal Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadows (Eternal Black, Bronzed Taupe, Amber Rush, Infinite Sky)

I've been thrilled with a couple of drugstore finds lately. I've already talked about the Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadows which make an excellent base product for this next item. Meet the L'Oreal Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow.

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette

Yesterday, I got the chance to swing by the nearest Sephora to check if the Naked2 Palette has finally hit shelves and they were there!

Rouge Dior Lipcolor in Pisanelle Pink

I have a soft spot for neutral lipcolor and a beige pink usually tops my list. This fits right in the category, the Rouge Dior Lipcolor in Pisanelle Pink.

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadows (Pomegranate Punk, Audacious Asphalt and Bad to the Bronze)

These days, I've been completely sidetracked by a couple of drugstore finds. While I sort out my love-hate relationship with the L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadows, let me tell you about Maybelline's answer to the Paint Pot.

Maybelline has been getting raves for this new cream eyeshadow in a pot. The Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadows come in 10 shades and the company claims that it gives saturated color that doesn't fade or crease. It's supposed to last all 24 hours of the day looking basically like you just put it on.

Mascara Quicknotes III: From Phenomen'Eyes to Unlimited

Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes Waterproof Mascara

I grabbed this tube of mascara last November, hoping to find a really good waterproof formula that will withstand heat and humidity. In Givenchy's Phenomen'Eyes mascara, I found a really beautiful dark black formula that clung well to lashes. Waterproof? It doesn't smudge on me but it's not completely waterproof. Good enough, is where I'd put it. Don't go swimming while wearing it.

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in April May and June

Look at these candy colors out for spring! Chanel's threesome of April, May and June proved irresistible once I'd seen them in person.

Laura Mercier Lip Shine in Naked Apricot and Tempting Coral

The Laura Mercier Lip Shine is basically gloss in a pot. They're not known for depositing much color on the lips but they do well to create shine. The Lingerie Collection for spring 2012 comes with two brand new shades: Tempting Coral and Naked Apricot.

Laura Mercier Lingerie Collection Eye and Cheek Palette

Tough call this week. I was trying to decide whether to put out the swatches of the Urban Decay Naked2 Palette or the Laura Mercier Lingerie Eye and Cheek Palette (lingerie or no lingerie, is that the question?). Only because there seems to be much more information about UD's palette and yet I haven't actually seen it in the store, I decided to feature products from the Spring 2012 Lingerie Collection of Laura Mercier instead.

It's an 8-piece collection of old and new products and I've picked out what I think are the most interesting items from the new bunch. I have the two lip shines, Tempting Coral and Naked Apricot and the Eye and Cheek Palette, which is the centerpiece of the collection.

L'Occitane Rose 4 Reines Duo (EDT + Gloss)

On the same trip to the L'Occitane store when I bought the Green Tea Scented Candles, I found this rollerball and lipgloss duo. It was a cute concept and although I'm not really a fan of rollerballs, the scent appealed to me so I grabbed one.

Tocca Yma and L'Occitane Green Tea Scented Candle

Despite plenty of holiday offerings in candle land, I try to resist the urge to buy scented candles to use around the house until they go on sale. This January, I chanced upon a Tocca display gathering dust at my favorite Sephora. My favorite scent from the line (of candles) is Yma, a combination of Peruvian guava fruit and red currant. Sephora didn't seem to have them online anymore but the store had about 5 boxes. I picked up one box (one candle) and was I ever surprised that it rung up $19 as these are normally $36. I grabbed another one.

Laura Mercier Nail Lacquer in Twilight

Oh, Monday. I realize today that there are a number of pretty good products from last year (fall and holiday) that I haven't gotten around to reviewing. While I'm busy testing more spring offerings, I hope you'll allow me to get them out of the way before we proceed with the sunnier colors.

Does anyone remember that Laura Mercier has released nail polish before? I have two shades from those days and am happy to see another addition. I think this means we're going to see more in the future. This is Twilight.



What I Have Learned About Winter Skincare

I've been asked this question a few times in the last few weeks. Do I need to change my foundation this winter?

It's easy to jump in with, sure, use a cream or switch to a moisturizing liquid. But not everyone wants to use a cream (hear, hear!) and it's really hard to generalize. I think that winter skin requires a regimen and not necessarily a foundation switch. Sure, I like Chanel foundations. I also love my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer and I even use Shiseido The Makeup Powdery Foundation SPF 15. Yes, a powder, in the winter. Although it seems logical to switch to a creamier formulation for winter use, I am simply not a fan of cream foundation. I think that especially when the weather is cold, what you need to look at is the real foundation of your face, your skin.

Laura Mercier Petite Eye Colour Trio in Smoky Mauves

The name says it all. Laura Mercier Petite Eye Colour Trio. This petite threesome, 3.25 inches in length, 1.25 inches in width and barely half an inch thick packs almost weightless into your travel pouch or purse. It could easily disappear among the grander holiday offerings from the brand but I opted to grab this instead of the bigger eyeshadow palettes precisely because of its size and its lower cost.

Rouge Dior Garden Party Lipcolor (Tulip Pink and Corolle Pink)

As promised, more pictures of the two Rouge Dior Lipsticks from the Garden Party Collection.

Dior Scented Nail Polish in Forget-Me-Not (694)

I want to start off by saying that this is officially the first time I'm using Dior polish. The color 694 Forget-Me-Not, comes off as a dusty violet. It appears lighter when under bright lights and looks really nice when super shiny.

Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Satin Lip Color in Belgravia

From the Limited Edition Knightsbridge Collection now available on Chanel.com, I took a chance and ordered the Rouge Allure Lipstick in Belgravia.

Chanel Quadra Eyeshadow in Eclosion

I almost hate to be talking about spring makeup in the dead of winter but I'm really excited to share pictures of the Eclosion quad that I've been using since I got it.

To be honest, I wasn't floored when I first saw it. I considered not buying it. What changed my mind was the pigmentation on this particular quad. For some reason, this applies so much better than the other Chanel quads I have with a similar color scheme (think Demure, which this quad is replacing, or so I've been told).

Dior Garden Party Collection - Spring 2012 Lipcolors and Glosses

Happy New Year!

I didn't want to start off 2012 without a post or simply say Happy New Year and not show anything. So why not start off with something absolutely new? Dior's Garden Party Collection for Spring 2012.

These are all the lipcolors in Dior's Spring 2012 makeup collection. I think I'm missing a gloss that's a Dior.com exclusive but the goal wasn't really to buy the entire collection. I was in the mood for these shades, for some reason. I grabbed one scented nailpolish too.